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"C & J Custom Builders built a beautiful addition on our home and remodeled the existing structure. We were very happy with the quality of their work and the professionalism they exhibited throughout the entire process - from bid to move-in. They were excellent to work with and we highly recommend them."

"Anni and his partner did a great job and were totally professional painting my two-story garage. They clearly communicated when they were coming and what they were doing. They did small wood repairs beautifully before painting and the garage looks great. Definitely recommend."

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Based on the many Angie's List positive reviews and Angie's List awards given to this vendor, I decided to go with them and not get additional quotes. My gut told me otherwise, and I should have listened. I am pleased with the overall result, however; it just took some aggravation to get to that point. I have been reluctant to post this review, but as an Angie's List member I feel at least obligated to do so.

Perhaps I expect too much from contractors, holding a countertop fabricator I employed last October as the "gold standard" of quality, professionalism, responsiveness, cleanliness, and a positive attitude. With SE Kitchens I felt an overall negative attitude, and I think it carried over into the work. Skip, the owner, and two other men arrived in three separate trucks. Two of the trucks backed over two of my orange driveway-marker sticks, and I knew then we were off to a bad start. Although they took care to lay down heavy drop cloths across all my floors, they still left debris, from those cloths, that I had to clean up. After they left, I discovered I had quite a bit of bathroom cleaning to do. There were black marks on the side of the toilet, black marks on my white floor tile (I panicked when I saw what looked like a tile crack, but fortunately it was not), and debris on the floor of the linen closet. There were dirt marks (like dirty fingerprints) on my new white cabinet. There were dirt marks on part of a replaced chair railing. I could clean all that myself (and did), but then I started to notice that the applied caulk was not only in the seams of the granite (as it should be!), but on the horizontal surface itself in many places. The caulk was simply applied with a lack of attention to detail (my opinion). Though the caulk is clear, it is not invisible. There is white caulk that was spread too wide between the replaced chair railing and the painted wall above it. (I will have to attempt to paint over that strip of caulk.) Finally, the black gasket under the fixture is crooked. The gasket issue is an aesthetic thing and I notice it. But since the granite, too, is black, it's not as offensive as it otherwise could be. After all that, I discovered three tiny nicks along the edge of the granite, and I was quite concerned about those. (It turns out they are not going to create a problem.)

On a positive note, I was pleased to see Skip take extra precaution when he used a torch to work on the plumbing in the wall!

The height of the cabinet I bought from him is 34-1/2" - an unpleasant discovery when I saw it being installed in my bathroom! I had expected the usual 30" height, and panicked when I saw how high it is. Skip replied that "Nobody buys 30" anymore; no more back-breaking." (I.e., I won't have to bend over so much when using the sink. True, but I'm 5' 9", and I wonder how a person 8 or 9 inches shorter would respond.) In any case, I was not given a choice. I was not aware there are two different heights available. Another positive note: unlike the saleswoman who I encountered on my first visit, Skip did a terrific job helping me with the selection process of the cabinet and top. He worked with me to keep the cost down to a level with which I was comfortable, and which really did give me what I wanted and needed.

Now, based on how I generally felt through this entire experience I was very uncomfortable with the idea of calling Skip to complain about the caulking and the nicks. I did finally call, but it was not returned. I called again several days later, and, Skip being there, took my call. He was very responsive and came to my house -- I think the next morning. He didn't give me any grief about it, as I had somewhat feared. He was pleasant, assured me the nicks were not an issue, and I am satisfied. He removed the excess caulk, and showed me that all it takes to remove it is a single-edge razor blade. "You can use [granite] as a cutting board," he then told me. (This is my first-ever granite piece and did not know what I can and cannot do to it.)

In the end, as I indicated at the beginning of this review, I am very pleased with my new vanity. The black granite itself adds a lot of class to my bathroom, replacing a pedestal sink that offered minimal surface space and, of course, no storage space.

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"It couldn’t have gone better. My needs were urgent and they arranged their schedule to accommodate me. The estimate they gave me was fair and accurate. Their work was excellent and there was nothing that they couldn’t do. I would use them again in a heartbeat. After seeing the job they did for me, my daughter contracted with them for some kitchen remodel and flooring replaced on their entire first floor. Dom and his brothers are all excellent at what they do and if you have a job done you’d be lucky to have Joe on the job. I would not hesitate to get them to do your job if you’re looking for a top notch contractor."

"Installed backsplash for me in my new kitchen for me. Excellent pricing and job well done! Thank you Damian and Brian! Have already thought of several jobs for you to do for me as well!!!"

"Scott and his team were a dream to work with! Everyone with Phoenix Property Ventures takes pride in providing a quality, professional product and they did not disappoint! I have worked with many contractors over the years and Scott was easy-going, hardworking, professional, and I couldn't have been more pleased with them or our new bathroom. Everyone went out of their way to make our electrical and plumbing make more sense. For instance, moving an ill-placed furnace turn-off switch, which was in the bathroom to a much better locale. This is just one example of many where no short-cuts or rushing took place, Scott was thoughtful in how he remodeled our space and it wasn't just a job to him. Not only is our new bathroom absolutely gorgeous but Scott, John, and the rest of the team will be missed as they were all kind with our curious toddler running around. Looking forward to working with Scott and his team on a kitchen remodel in the near future!"

"I was very impressed with his detailed estimate. Joe is very honest and friendly! My house is a old farmhouse and he handled unforeseen problems without going over budget!! I will be using him again. GREAT GUY! Love my new kitchen!"

"5+ Stars. I had Albany Area Pros gut remodel my master bath (including new layout) and renovate my entire first floor (flooring, doors, trim, lighting, electrical, popcorn ceiling removal, painting, etc.). They did an amazing job and were extremely professional, courteous, and did everything on time and within budget (even with upgraded items). Upon completion I hired them to remodel a second bathroom I was so happy with the work. I highly recommend them."

"This was our first experience with major renovation/remodeling. MRM made the process nearly pain free working closely with us during the process and accommodating requested adjustments throughout. The team was timely, courteous and skilled. While the majority of subcontractors were great, a select few could improve their service. Without question will work with MRM on projects in the future"

"The project had a tight deadline to be finished and TJD came thru on time"