Master in Building

Price was fair, workmanship was superior, quality of work was very satisfying, communication was pretty good and customer services was excellent. Definitely will consider re-hiring for future remodeling. <br />

We had an estimator come out for a site visit on third week of February, signed the contract on third week of March and were placed on a 3 weeks wait-list prior to start of our project. They estimated 8 weeks for completion. The actual completion of project was signed off on middle of May, three weeks earlier than the estimated deadline. The project was very well planned and the workers were very reliable. They were very prompt and took every responsibility for their work. <br />

A+ for quality of the work and the professionalism. Responded back very promptly and were punctual. Highly recommended.

When we began getting bids from contractors, the MB staff was very professional, seemed excited about some of the more complicated engineering issues involved in our project, and had the lowest bid. We decided to go with them and were very pleased with the quality of their work and their responsiveness during the demolition and framing process. <br /> <br /> Unfortunately, that did not last for long. They mis-measured the space available for our cabinets - which meant that we bought a cabinet we could not use and had a 8 inch dead space above the cabinets. After months of negotiations and discussions between the workers in the field and the office, they reimbursed us for the extra cabinet and were able to cover the space in a way that matched the cabinets, however it took a great deal of time and attention on our part to make that happen. <br /> <br /> They dropped one of our cabinets during installation and promised to replace the doors and shelves that were cracked. Several months later they replaced the doors but not the shelves. After several months, and several reminders from us, they dropped off shelves that were for a totally different cabinet shape. At least a month after that, they emailed insisting that the measurements we had given them were incorrect and then dropped off shelves with jagged edges that did not match each other or the cabinets. All along the way the office staff insisted that the shelves were on order and we were just waiting for them to come in. Finally, I just called Home Depot myself and they were able to ship us the shelves in a matter of days. <br /> <br /> The largest issue that came up, however, was the exterior work. In our first meetings we asked them if they had experience using cement board panel siding an they assured us that they did. They ordered hardi-panel brand siding and before they installed it we sent them the installation specifications from the manufacturer. They insisted on doing it a different way which in resulted in all of the seams being unsealed. They used interior compound on exterior joints, and painted over it. After the paint peeled and compound washed away they re-did it the same way...At this point we spoke with 3rd party contractors to estimate another solution. After months of negotiations and threats of legal action, MB agreed to subcontract out the work and re-panel with a different product. There were several delays in the re-installation as well, and we had to repeatedly go over the already agreed to punch list with both MB staff and the subcontractor. <br /> <br /> Interior carpentry work was completed in a shoddy fashion, initially the cabinets were installed incorrectly, a soffit in the kitchen was installed unevenly (over 2and quot; difference), multiple doorways were trimmed out with scrap pieces of trim (as opposed to using a single length) and the seams puttied over. Trim was floated off the floor and did not sit flush with the new floor, requiring unattractive caulking to cover the seam. <br /> <br /> There was often miscommunication between the field and the office about when workers and supplies would arrive, what they would be doing, and how long it would take to complete. Several times we were assured by one person that something could be done a certain way only to have another person insist that it was not possible. Since there was rarely a qualified supervisor on site, we often had to explain to the workers on site what needed to be done, point out mistakes that had been made, and let the office know when issues arose. They rarely answered the office phone and we often waited several days for them to get back to us. They also missed several appointments to come to the house and meet with us, including one day in which we waited for them for several hours with no notice that they could not make it, only to run into them in the nearby Home Depot parking lot later in the day. <br /> <br /> In the end, they worked with us to rectify most of the many issues that had arisen. However, there is no way to make up for months of delays, time taken off of work to deal with problems, and the stress of not being able to count on basic standards of craftsmanship or professionalism. They were often very apologetic and quick to agree when we pointed out issues, but often contradicted their original agreements later or just didn't act on them. In the end, getting things done right the first time is more important than fixing it after the fact. We decided on MB partially because of their positive Angie's List reviews, so we hope this review will save others from having a similarly frustrating experience.

We started out working with Master in Building for our roof repair back in January. We were very, very pleased with their quality of work and professionalism that my husband and I decided to hire them for our basement remodeling, which we've been planning for past 2 years. The estimate was just a bit higher compared to the other 3 estimates that we received couple years ago, but we still decided to stick with MB trusting our instincts. <br /> <br /> We signed our contract on February 18, 2011, mb obtained construction permit on the following week, we waited 3 and 1/2 weeks for the construction to begin due to their wait-list, and the actual construction begin on March 28. <br /> They guranteed the completion date of May 13 and was completed with the whole project by May 5, 2011. <br /> <br /> We cannot be any happier with the result and the quality of the work that they have provided. <br /> MB's team was always willing to go that extra mile for us. Thank you so much for all your efforts!

We had very high hopes. Ms. Kim came out and was just great. The price seemed in line after receiving a second estimate. They had a tight schedule, and did not come close to keeping it. The work performed is just not top rate. We found out later when the electricity went off that they had wired a switch they installed incorrectly, causing a short out. I had an electrician fix it, and when I asked for reimbursement, I was only paid a partial amount. I was told I should have called them. I question the professional training of their electrician. They had some employees who were great, but used outside contractors that just didn't show up, or did show up and did shoddy work.

Company has done an excellent work on finishing our 1,000 square foot basement in arlington with a wetbar. Unfortunately, they were the only company that we asked for the quote so we do not have a comparable price. I'm sure it would not have been one of the lowest in the market, but after 2 major home remodelings, my husband and I were done with cheaper contractors who ends up making us spend more $ in the end. Rose, our project coordinator was very honest and reliable. She won our project on her first visit. Our project manger, supervisor and the field crew were very helpful and accomodating in many ways. There were few "minor" miscommunication issues that occured during the construction, which I understand are totally common, but were all adressed in a very very professional way. The quality of the work is superior and professionalism of the staff were top-notch. I would most definately recommend others to hire the company for your projects.

We are a first-time home buyer. Our home inspector has pointed out several structural issues that violate the current building code and could eventually become a major problem later on. We rapidly started our search for contractors and received 4 different quotes. The price ranged from $ 17,000 - $ 48,000. MB fell right on the mid-range and was the only company that provided detailed work scope. Fortunately, we were able to close our house on a great deal and decided to hire MB for the work. They delivered what was promised on schedule. The whole process went very fast-paced. They addressed all the code violations, passed the dcra building inspection and delivered us our LEGAL home in less than 3 weeks. We called in our own home inspector just to confirm on their work and he informed us that the structure is perfectly secure now. He was surprised to see the changes that were made in less than 3 weeks and even said that the structure work MB has done is very hard to see from contractors in the area. Everything was done up to code and very professionally. Thanks!

Professional, prompt, reliable, and very knowledged. Crew had literally isolated our whole basement by taping plastic barriers and wraps on every open space and registers to minimize the dusts which totally worked (Dust protection was my major concern due to my 18mos. baby). Office staff were very friendly and accomodating. They responded our calls/e-mails very puntually. I will definitely have the company return for the wet bar project as soon as we secure our funds.

Within 3 days of our telephone call, the company came out, gave us an estimate (which held up throughout the project) and a time frame. We gave the go ahead and they quickly obtained the necessary permits. They then sealed off the rest of the basement with plastic and as a result, we never experienced a dust/breathing problem. They made substantial progress every day and the job was completed within a couple of weeks. We highly recommend this company.

We received an estimate for this to be an 8 week project beginning on 3 May. We just finished on 12/10/10. This was one of the most poorly planned projects I have ever seen. It was supposed to be done the end of June, but they hadn't even ordered the carpet by the end of June. We had picked out the carpet we wanted in May, but they never asked for it. Then when they asked and we gave them what we wanted, they said it would take a month to get it and they tried to get us to order carpet from them. We finally picked out different carpet from Home Depot, but it didn't arrive until August. Then they hadn't ordered enough, so we waited another 2 weeks. Then they just ordered the piece that they were short and the dye lot didn't match. So we had them take it all out and reorder carpet again. Of course, it was another month before it was installed. We had asked for upgraded padding, and they brought in scraps that weren't even the same thickness. We insisted they bring in new padding and they did. They finally got the carpet installed, but it's not quality carpet laying. The carpet isn't pulled tight and you can see the wrinkles in it. Then they came in to do the final close-out, and they didn't put down a drop cloth. They left 3 stains on the carpet. We finally settled on a credit for that. They said it would need a deep cleaning, and they didn't want to spot clean it. The project manager was rarely seen. His voice mail box was full, so you couldn't leave him a voice mail. He would show up at 7:00 in the evening to see what the sub contractors had done during the day. There was no supervision of the workers. They worked very dirty. They threw trash in the yard including in a tree stump in the yard. They didn't put down drop cloths. There was linoleum flooring on the basement floor which we wanted carpeted, so they just dropped dry wall mud all over the floor and never cleaned it up. When they put the HVAC in the attic, they broke a hole through our ceiling and left the broken dry wall all over our living room. They cut the exterior door from a single to a double door, but they didn't cut it right and they were never able to properly install the door. They finally gave us a credit for it, but it was a specially ordered Andersen door that we had bought and they damaged the door, and it still doesn't fit right. They acknowledged that the frame wasn't cut big enough, but that would have required removing the door and recutting the space which was brick, and they weren't willing to do it. The HVAC was a nightmare all of its own. They told us they needed an 8 x 8 inch space in our closet for a duct. I told them I didn't want to lose the closet and should we consider ductless heat. They assured me it would only be an 8 x 8 inch duct. Well, it's about 3 ft by 3 ft, and I can now only hang 2 coats in the closet. They offered to build another closet, but there was no room in the house to build one. They also said they would enlarge the ducts into the upstairs family room so that it would be adequately heated and cooled. But they didn't do it, and when we had them come back, they acknowledged that there wasn't room for larger ducts. They resolved that by putting a ductless unit in the upstairs family room. We agreed to split the cost of that with them. I want to state that none of this mess was our fault. There were no changes of scope on our part. It was all just their own poor planning and poor workmanship. It almost always took multiple phone calls to get a response. We are still waiting on the final documentation of the project. In the end, they tried to do the right thing by giving us credit to address the outstanding issues, but this whole project was a terrible experience, and there was no reason for it to be. This was a straightforward job that, if managed and supervised properly, and constructed by skilled tradesmen, should not have been a problem.

Both the estimating stage and the proposal was gathered/prepared in a very professional manner. They knew exactly what the necessary factors are and how things needed to get done. The price wasn't the lowest bid out of all 5 bids we have received, but my husband and I think that it was well worth it. At first, the communication with the field workers seemed to be a small issue, but we had two designated project managers assigned to our project throughout the process. This was our 4th major construction for our house in 13 years, but they are the only contractors I would hire again for our future project.

They seemed fine over the phone when we spoke to them.

Sunny and Rose Kim responded very quickly to our inquiry and did a very thorough, well-documented site visit during a weekday evening. Getting their proposal took more time than expected; but, Ms. Kim often called to let us know the status. Their proposal documents were very detailed (pretty much the only firm that provided such level of detail) and their price was within the budget we had allocated for the project. Their price proposal was within a reasonable competitive margin of 3 others who had provided estimates. We signed the contract one evening and their construction crew was positioned to begin work within a week of signing. Overall construction experience: We had delayed the pre-construction conference by about a week due to personal commitments, but the meeting/walk through went well. Rose, the project manager and project superintendent (John and Franik) came to the house one evening and went through all contract work requirements. At that time the project manager identified a different site condition affecting installation of some of our closet doors—not all pre-hung frames would fit. But the team satisfactorily resolved the problem by custom adjusting the frames on site. My husband and I could not be on site during construction. And if I can change anything about this experience, it would be that one of us should have been home at the beginning and during the work. It was not clear how many workers were on site—we always had one or two (which included the project superintendent) on site when we arrived home after 6:00 p.m. We allowed work to be done beyond normal working hours; which in hindsight I would never recommend. Except for a minor problem with construction debris that they stored on my front porch for about two days, the crew went out of their way to cover/protect our furniture/belongings, and cleaned up each day. We were somewhat disappointed with the quality of work of the doors because a few were not properly aligned (they didn't close evenly) and some of the brass hardware had been painted white when they painted the doors. There was ductwork above the old water heater in the laundry room that we thought would be replaced when the new one was installed; but, it was not and the contract details were not as specific on this matter. We had a disagreement on the brand name/warranty of the water heater they installed, but after discussion they removed it and installed they one we had expected. We should have given more attention to the progress payment schedule by negotiating a higher retention amount for completion of “punch list items/rework.” MB will agree that we were a demanding client in terms of quality...They had to do quite a bit of rework with the closet doors and drywall in the newly reconstructed living room wall and they were delayed a bit in coming back to do the work. A higher retention rate would have probably provided them the incentive to finish this rework faster. But, they came through, completed all rework/punch list items, and except for the few disagreements about the work that we experienced, we are generally happy with the final work.

It was great. Communication was very good throughout. After the bathroom was done, Rose sat in my driveway and waited for the city inspector to make sure we would have the sign-off right away!

Another great work.

This was our first time to remodel/renovate our house and it was quite a pleasant experience with mb. Both the construction team and the management team were very helpful and knowledgeable. We are especially happy with the outcome of the work (We've gotten so many compliments!!!). We added some change orders here and there eventually costing a little more than our expected budget, but we are 110% satisfied with the result.

2 of our previous contractors dropped the project due to minor permit issues. MB managed to pull the permit and performed and excellent result. It took us a little longer than expected due to previously mentioned permit issues, but everything went great. Thanks!

We are absolutely satisfied with the quality of the work. Price wasn't the lowest offer that we've got, but was definitely reasonable. Management was very punctual and professional. Only minor issue that we had was the communication with the on-site workers. However, Rose and Andy was always available and willing to help us in every way. Project was delayed due to the weather (huge snow storm), but now that I see the finished work, it was definitely worth the wait.

It sounded terrible, but he determined that it was not that bad. The man was perfectly fine, and the service was excellent.

Great Work. Finally found a reliable handyman company.

They did a fine job. I signed another contract with them for a tankless water heater installation.

I chose this company for my tankless water heater installation and new toilet installation based off of the Angie's review. Office staff was very friendly, helpful, and alert. They tried their very best to save the costs for the project. The job was perfectly done on time and the price was very reasonable. I was especially pleased by the workers. They were extremely professional and they cleaned up very nicely after the work.

The company installed a tankless water heater and replaced few faucets in our house. Our priority was not the cost of the project but we were mostly concerned about the reliability of the company. After a thorough research, MB seemed to be the most reliable company in the area and we decided to hire them for the project. Bottom line, both the service and the actual work turned out to be absolutely fantastic. Price was reasonable and the service was fantastic.

Both my husband and I are absolutely satifsfied with their work. They offered prompt response and professional service. We will definitely hire them for other services as well.