Carlson Homes Construction

It is very difficult to find the exact area under a tile deck that must be repaired to prevent a recurring leak.  The original deck installer messed up the grading, causing rainwater to pool in certain areas instead of run off the deck edge.  And, it was clear that there was something done incorrectly under the tile as water should never make its way through the underlayment.  I identified a finite area about 5' wide by 30' long that had to contain the problem based on my experiments with sealing off particular areas during rainfalls.  
Gary Carlson brought out his subcontractors, A-S Urethane and Modern Group, to devise a plan to first remove the tile and underlayment and then re-seal, install Schluter Ditra and lay down new Cantera stone tile.  The stone tile had to be laid down in such a way that rainwater would run off the edge of the deck and not pool anywhere - this was difficult given that the new tile had to be butted up against the existing tile not removed.  
An additional issue to be addressed concerned the runoff of the water over the tile edge during significant rains.  When the water did run off the edge, it was following the stucco wall and somehow entering the sliding doors underneath.  Gary and A-S Urethane devised a plan to ensure no water ever did that again by laying metal flashings under the new tile - these same flashings extend down the face of the stucco wall and then attach to the metal roofing structure about a foot below the deck.  This makes the runoff bulletproof.
THE RESULT:  After about 2 and 1/2 weeks, the crews completed the demolition and reinstallation of the decking materials and flashings.  I am now ready for the 2015 Arizona Monsoon season.  The Modern Group took great care to match the existing tile very closely and even sealed the new tiles to darken them up ever so slightly.  All the subcontractors worked hard to keep the work area clean since they had to enter our house to get to this deck.  Gary's involvement and oversight of the project gave me great comfort.  He uses only the best subs that are very committed to a great outcome.  I am a happy camper.

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The job went very well. He finished when he said he would. The cleanup crew came in and di a wonderful job. The construction was on the back patio and everything had to come through the middle of the house. This construction was done in January and February and it was freezing in the backyard. The tile layers and the framer and construction group worked right through some very cold temperatures

Gary has been a great help to us not only with the original project which we contacted him about, but also with several others.  He is a constant source of information and has given us a lot of valuable advice and guidance.  We would not use any other company going forward for our needs.

We did not retain the company for our construction.  However, Gary Carlson (company owner), while not being able to perform the work for us, voluntarily offered us sound advice, insightss and strategies for going forward in dealing with other contractors and insurance adjusters.  He was thoroughly professional, knowledgeable and most generous for his time which he knew was to be uncompensated.

I had interaction with them, it is not personally, but I recommended him. I have had interaction with him, but I had not hired him, however I have recommended him several times. I received a quote from him. He quoted me for a remodel. I am going to use him, as soon as as I am done with other things and we are going to remodel. My daughter is currently using him. He thinks outside the box and he always keeps the customer's budget. He is really nice. I like him because he has good ideas and like I felt we are going to have to bump our house out to get what we wanted and after talking to us he said I am going to creat what you want without changing or adding on. So, that meant a lot. 

Carlson Homes is very good.

Gary and his subcontrators' worksmanship was great. However, I did not get along with the designer.

We interviewed Carlson Homes along with other general contractors. The up front experience that we received was beyond what we had experienced with others, and sold us to have Carlson Homes do the project we were looking for. All the trades he uses are very professional and easy to work with. We made changes to different items and it was like no big deal. The remodel turned out beyond our expectations thanks to Gary and his team. My wife and I would recommend Carlson Homes to anyone looking for a change in their current home.

I would strongly recommend both Carlson Homes and Carlson Design for your next project. My wife and I love the House. Gary Carlson is one of most honest people you'll ever meet. That to me is the number 1 criteria I would look for in a contractor. He was also completely upfront with all the costs prior to starting the job. In fact we ended up within 3% of our overall estimated budget. His subcontractors were very skilled and professional. Everyone form the painters to the cabinet makers and the tile people were all first rate. We also worked closely with Ernesto Garcia form Carlson Design Group. When we first interviewed him we would go from room to room and after listening attentively to what style we were going for he would take out his pad and draw the entire furnished room with window treatments and in all cases he completely grasped our vision. It was a lot of fun working with him. He helped us select all our tiles, carpets, fabrics, furniture, lighting, rugs, paint colors, art, and even selecting knicknacks like vases and picture frames. All I can say is that he's a true genius, and we will work with him in the future for anything else that comes up.

A great experience.Normally these kind of projects are stressful and rarely go according to plan.With Carlson Homes the experience was totally different! The complex projects were handled with great professionalism and outstanding project management .The design work carried out was fantastic,the estimates provided were detailed and the company delivered completely on its initial project plan and costs.We are very happy indeed with the results.We would highly recommend Gary Carlson and his team to anyone who is planning a complex remodel.

As absentee owners, it was critical to hire a professional, trustworthy, and reliable contractor to handle a major job to our specifications with little oversight. Carlson Homes performed this task at the highest level and exceeded our expectations. Their transparent cost + pricing model was comforting. They even helped manage small non-contractor related tasks during our absence.

They made every appointment we scheduled on time and prepared. Explained the entire remodel process to us. We were out of town for part of the remodel so they kept us up to date on the progress. They even provided pictures. They completed the work on schedule and did a beautiful job.

We have had an excellent experience working with the entire Carlson Homes team. From concept, architectural design to the actual construction, we are very pleased with the professionalism and attention to detail. The General Manager, Wendell Bennett, is responsive and easy to work with during the process. He provides excellent oversite and works well with all of the trades. Gary Carlson takes time to research options and provide advice. His experience has been very helpful in making decisions throughout the construction period. We look forward to moving into our new home soon. Overall, we would highly recommend this company to anyone considering a remodel or new construction.

The selection process of interior and exterior items was easy. We didn't have to drive all over town to select items. There was a central location used for most of it. There were no budget item surprises. We knew all along the way if we made a change, what the change would cost and we signed off on it beforehand. The weekly meetings onsite kept us completely informed on the status of the project. Gary Carlson himself visited the project personally many times to look things over. He and his staff made us feel like family and as such we have maintained a positive relationship with them. We love our beautiful home.

Once we had chosen our style the decorator was with us through all the purchases for all the rooms. We would have gone off track, taken forever and likely would have strayed from the style without her help. She also saved us lots of $ and her fees were reasonable . The hassle factor was none existent.

This is a second home and we lived thousands of miles away so we were a little concerned right from the start how this would work. They were terrific in communication with us and always immediately available by email or phone. Their price estimates were easy to understand and there were no surprises/ add ons. They even visited us at home and showed us a computerized walk through or the house before we decided on the final drawings. They started construction on time and finished on time nine months later. The Carlson site supervisor was introduced to us early on and was a very competent calm knowledgeable and reliable person. He continued to be the go to person over the following year which was very helpful as he was so intricately involved in the construction. He knew every subcontractor and every detail about the house. They remain in close contact and are still available to help; Overall I was stunned how easy they made it for us and how truthful and helpful they remain. If I build another I would have them again. Gary Carlson is the best.