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Better Built Basements LLC

Electrical for Home Addition or Remodel - Install, Electrical for Home Addition, Electrical Wiring or Panel Upgrade,

About us

Additional e-mail - [email protected]. Award winning. The Mission of Better Built Basements, LLC is to have Connecticut homeowners select us as their remodeling contractor by providing innovative and affordable basement solutions. We strive to build trust and confidence with our customers with precise quotes, honest and consistent communication, professional appearance and demeanor, and accurate time lines for every project.

Business highlights

Emergency services offered
17 years of experience

Services we offer

Remodeling-basement, kitchen, sunroom & bathroom. Demolition. Framing. Electrical. Plumbing. Insulation. Drywall. Trim installation. Windows. Doors. Painting. Carpet. Laminate flooring. Ceramic tile. Hardwood flooring.

Amenities

Emergency Services

Yes

Free Estimates

Yes

Accepted Payment Methods

  • CreditCard
Reviews
4.7212 Reviews
Number of StarsImage of DistributionNumber of Ratings
5
83%
4
9%
3
3%
2
2%
1
3%
Showing 51-75 of 212 reviews
Teresa G.
Feb 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$110,000

We began planning our basement approximately 3 years ago, and BBB came out and gave us an estimate.  As our children grew we changed our design and our vision for the plan, and finally saved enough money to complete the project. We called BBB back out and they gave us an estimate.  We got the estimate in approximately April, and they started work in late May with a goal of early July.  The project was not actually finished until mid August.  There were some surprises along the way, including the exceedingly LOW quality of the "budgeted" floor covering and the very small allowances for bathroom fixtures.  Be sure to get everything in writing, every little thing, including how much $$ per square foot is allowed for flooring, and if that includes the subfloor and installation.  Be sure to ask if the closets will include a rod or shelving - we forgot to ask that and ended up having to put our own in to save thousands.  Having photographs or using the internet helps a lot to guide these guys in how exactly you want things.  We had some time during the install where we wondered where the guys had gone to  - but they are building many many basements at once so don't expect personal service.  

Ultimately, we have a beautiful basement with a custom built entertainment center that we immensely enjoy.  The doors don't stay closed and the top stair creaks, there are a few seams in the baseboards that don't meet,  but we have so much fun in the space and it is EXACTLY what we wanted.  We are glad we waited until we had a perfect plan in mind.   The company uses an online calendar and updates it with when the various electricians/ etc. will be at your house. You do need to be proactive and ask lots of questions about when they will be there and if you need to be around.   The projected end time is NOT set in stone, particularly if you try to bargain at all about price when there are surprise overages to be negotiated.  This is one of the times it is hard to get in touch with them, and just questioning prices may set you back a couple of weeks, in our experience. 

Also - before you have a basement done, be sure to have it inspected for any leaks.  We had someone come in, unrelated to BBB, and have all of our cracks sealed ahead of time, and while we were waiting on the estimate some of those cracks had to be re-done. This is in a home that was built in 2008! 

I would recommend BBB, with the disclosure that you must expect to pay more than the allowances for most everything. 



Marianne F.
Feb 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$24,000
We recently bought a house with a "finished" basement. The basement was probably finished in the 80s and had dark paneling and carpeting glued to the floor. The space felt like a cave. We wanted a space that could be a hang out area for the kids and a space where we would like to be too. We got quotes from several contractors including BBB. BBB was the most expensive but what impressed us was that everything was going to be done to code and they wanted to make the end result feel like any other room in our house. That was exactly what we were going for. They scheduled a start date and ended up starting a week earlier than that. We initially said we were going to demo the existing basement ourselves to save some money. However, once we got started we realized it was too big of a job for us. BBB gave us a credit for the work that we did and then did the rest of the demo for us. Every person that came into our house was knowledgable, courteous, answered all of our questions, and did a great job. They showed up every day and worked long hours to get the work done. They even installed some pot lights in our upstairs living room for us. The electrician was texting back and forth with me on Christmas Eve so that we could get that work scheduled as soon as possible to coincide with painters that were there. As with any renovation there were a couple of bumps in the road but manageable and quickly resolved. They finish basements and they have a formula for doing things that they know works. If you want to deviate from that it takes a bit of pushing. They told us an end date and finished 2 weeks earlier than planned. My husband and I could not be happier with the results. I'm sure if we went with another contractor that was cheaper we would not have achieved such great results. The whole family will enjoy this space for many years to come.

Long Z.
Feb 2016
4.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$55
It was decent. The guy came in, did the measurements and gave us the plots pretty quickly. It was $20,000 or something for the basement. Overall, it was pretty pricey. So we didn't continue with the service. The guy was professional and came in on time. They tried to follow up as well and asked me if I had any questions. I did send an e-mail asking if they could break down the estimate as to what is the labor and what is the material. They didn't come back on that one. We purchased 2D design plots and that's what they gave us. It seems fine. It's not something spectacular.

William M.
Feb 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$30,000
They were extremely professional from the beginning to the end. All contractors that worked at our house were very courteous and experienced. The whole project took 4-5 weeks from framing to completion. The owner got right back to us or answered the phone on the spot when my wife and I had questions during the process. I highly recommend this company to finish your basement. I wouldn't bother going anywhere else to get an estimate.

Daniel D.
Jan 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$30,000
They were great from start to finish.  They were the first people I contacted for a quote.  It was quick and easy with them coming when I scheduled, and they provided a detail quote the next day.  Also gave great advice.  I wanted to get a few other quotes, which took months of trying to get ahold of people, getting them to come to my house, and then getting back to me with a quote.  I had assumed since they were a full company they would be more expensive than the individual contractors.  I was wrong- they were actually had the lowest price.
After deciding to go with them, I emailed the person I had been in contact with.  Not 10 minutes later he called to confirm a couple things.  Due to my complicated schedule and needing to travel for work, they came the very next day for some final assessments and to sign a contract.  They started work soon after.  They had a very aggressive timeline to get things done, and I was shocked that they hit it.  It was a very large project, and they finished start to finish no more than 4-5 weeks.
The quality of the work was outstanding.  Additionally they were great at giving advice as we went- always providing options for me to have final say on, but giving great recommendations on things I might not have previously considered.  Overall they were great to work with.  They had a great calendar online that they updated frequently so I always knew what they were doing and when (for example, it was very helpful to plan around the day they needed to do some jack hammering).  They were also incredibly great to contact responding to emails and texts instantly as certain aspects got planned out. 
Couldn't have gone better, really glad i chose to go with them.  Coincidentally, my sister was also finishing her basement up in NH.  She was using an individual contractor.  Very minor work she was getting done, nothing fancy and a much smaller space.  She started a month earlier than I did.  My basement was finished a month ago, and hers is still not done yet.  Better Built Basements is professional, does great quality work, punctual, and even ended up being the most cost effective option.  Can't go wrong with them!

David L.
Jan 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$19,000
I can not begin to express how happy we are with the decision to use BBB.
Work began as stated and progressed smoothly, completion of one job flowing into the next.  There wasn't any waiting for a contractor while they did some work on a different job.  They even worked around our vacation and still made the work seamless and constant.  It was all highly coordinated which made the process so much easier.
After we agreed on the initial design, naturally we thought of "oh wait what about this....".  BBB was more than willing to work with us to provide advice and help us to accomplish our vision for our new space.  One in particular was adding a coat closet that we hadn't thought of before.  It required modifying some framing and moving some things but BBB worked with us to make the process painless.  Its important to note that this in and of itself isn't extraordinary, except that work had begun.  There was no huffing, no eye rolling, or anything to suggest annoyance that this wasn't thought of in the design phase.  They just adapted and continued business as usual.  Another example is that we wanted a closet under the stairs for toys and there was a support column that was too far away to be hidden but too close to be finished on its own.  The project manager and framing team worked with us mocking up some different solutions.  Sometimes you just have to see it, versus look at paper.  I appreciate that flexibility.
I remember talking to the project manager and saying that the inspections may be....trying.  He assured me that he's seen it all and would handle any issues.   Well the first two inspections went off without a hitch, and I was happy as can be.  On the final inspection, our inspector decided that the height from the stair landing to the ceiling wasn't high enough and the landing step to the basement floor needed a half step(not sure how to describe a 4 inch step).  Our project manager informed my inspector politely that he was mistaken about the code.  Our inspector developed a bit of a "don't tell me my job" attitude.  Our project manager, calmly offered to provide the inspector the code, which he did.  Our inspector clearly did not know the code, and our project manager handled the situation in the most professional way possible.  I would not have been so kind.  That solved the problem of the landing to ceiling height issue.  However we did need a "half step" installed from the landing to the floor.  This should have been noted very early on in the inspection process but it wasn't.  I don't know if our inspector completely missed it the first two times he looked at it, didn't care, or just needed to find something but bottom line is this was the final day, while BBB has the carpet installers there waiting for his final go ahead.  If he gave his approval, carpet installed, sign off and enjoy the new space.  Our inspector wants a half step.  So our project manager sends the carpet crew on, the step is built and the job finished a few days later.   I cant thank BBB enough for handling our inspector in a professional manor while not receiving the same treatment.
Regarding follow up.  A few months later I went to shut the water off to the outside for winter and found that the valve would interfere with the ceiling tile.  A quick email and the issue was resolved.  No fuss, no issues, just a "well take care of it" response.  
Regarding professionalism and cleanliness.  Each job was done by a different crew and each was professional, courteous and above all clean.  At the end of each day, my house was just as clean as it was at the beginning. 
Thanks to the fine team at BBB. 
 


Ellen G.
Jan 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$2,500
unknown

Frank S.
Dec 2015
4.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$50
Expected something with a bit more detail... location of lighting, outlets, plumbing, etc...

Jean N.
Nov 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
unknown

BRIAN R.
Nov 2015
3.0
$44,000
This company seems to be spread too thin.  Separate crews for each phase of work made quick progress, but mistakes by the previous crew were compounded by the next crew continuing to build on the last phase.  With so many independent crew members involved, no one appeared to take final responsibility for the quality of Better Built Basement's (BBB) work.  The project became a process of identifying flaws in quality, telling BBB about the issue, and getting it corrected (see issues below).  This left us with the feeling that the renovation was a repair job before it was even completed.  In fairness, BBB did show concern that all of the issues we identified were corrected, as best possible.

Issues to consider:

  • We were required to use BBB's cabinet/countertop contractor. Immediately after the cabinet crew (BBB's, not the contractor's) was done installing them, I pointed out a warped cabinet face.  BBB said it would be corrected by the contractor.  The cabinet contractor did not address the issue until after the job was complete.  At that point, the only fix was replacing the cabinet.  The contractor said it would not be worth the risk to dismantle the finished kitchen to fix it.  We agreed.
  • We found a cracked kitchen floor tile.  It was the opinion of BBB and their floor installer that replacing it was risky.  Although we used BBB's recommended flooring supplier who recommended stainless epoxy grout, BBB's installer had never used it before and "would never work with it again".  We were told the crack was "only the glazing".  We elected not to risk the tile replacement given the circumstances.
  • I have no idea why installing our standard size dishwasher required sawing off the ends of the washer's side flanges, leaving uneven gaps between the washer and the cabinetry.  I also was surprised that our 30(?) year old toilet shutoff valve was only replaced the day of the "final inspection" because I had discovered it leaking on the new floor.
  • There were issues we did not see until well after the job was completed.  When the main bathroom's subfloor and tub/shower was installed, I pointed out to BBB that the tub was sitting unevenly on the subfloor.  I was told that this would be handled by the flooring installer.  We have discovered that there is a 3/16 gap between the tub and floor at one end of the tub.  The subfloor is visible through the gap and open to water exposure.  That this was left as-is by crews working on the bathroom speaks volumes about the quality control.  If it was somehow not seen by any of the numerous subsequent crew members, then that is another major quality issue.  Similarly, the granite kitchen back splash has a large chip that is filled with silicone sealer, indicating it was there during installation.
  • Why was this work paid for?  Warning: read the contract. The kitchen contract contains five milestones requiring percentage payments.  The fourth milestone was payment totaling 90% of the job cost at completion of the "cabinet installation".  At that point we had cabinet shells; no countertops, electrical, plumbing or flooring.  When we told BBB that we were not ready to pay for 90% of the work at that time their response was:
  • "Your contract states that the next payment is due when the cabinets are installed. It has nothing to do with the electrical, Plumbing, flooring or countertops....I will not proceed with any work until the next payment is paid." 
  • We needed the job finished and a usable kitchen.  We were left with the impression that the job was a race to each milestone to collect the next payment.
  • Finally, in fairness to Better Built Basements, the work was completed very quickly and in general looks presentable.  BBB was very accommodating of our requests for specifics that were not made clear by, or slightly beyond the documented job specifications.  All of the crew members were friendly, professional and respectful.  The work was done cleanly.  However in fairness to Angie's List members, the issues above were and are of concern to us and had to be noted in this review.
Response to Providers Comments:  I will not get in a battle on whose story is correct.  However, if we were not required to use BBB's cabinet contractor, the in-home estimator who told us multiple times that we did needs to be better informed.  It should be no surprise that the newly remodeled rooms look better than the rest.  If our home did not need updating, we would not need to have remodeling done.  We were not aware that the quality of BBB's work was linked to their opinion of the rest of our home.  And yes, my wife could not understand why I was so upset with the quality of the contractor's (her former co-worker) work.
Response from Better Built Basements LLC
"So lets start with the beginning.We did 2 Bathrooms and a full kitchen remodel. In any remodel you will have issues that come up as you go. The customer was notified or if he notified us we addressed it immediately. The cabinet was addressed as soon as we saw the 1/16 warped door. The cabinet company offered to replace the cabinet and they declined the removal of the door.As far as the counter top its GRANITE you have normal crevices in STONE that comes from the ground. Not once was it brought to our attention. They were not REQUIRED to use our cabinet company. We would have installed anyones cabinets they provided. The tile had a crack in it. We replaced one tile. The customer picked out epoxy grout not us. We used the grout they picked out and supplied.They went to one of our recommended suppliers. They were not required to go there they chose to. The dishwasher was installed and needed to be adjusted to fit in the hole. The water valve was replaced in the existing bathroom. The plumbing did not get changed as the toilet was going back into its original spot and the valve worked fine when the toilet was installed. The tub shower was off 3 1/6 in a 60 year old house. Again pretty normal. We addressed any and every concern that arose as quickly as it came up. The contract is a pay as you go install. It was spelled out that the next payment was due when cabinets were installed not the granite. The homeowner didn't realize that and questioned the payment schedule. We have had the same payment schedule for every customer. We feel its fair,its spread over the entire project and 95% of our clients understand it. This client was not only a client but someone that has worked for our company in the past and we gave a great price to.We finished there master Bath and full kitchen remodel in 28 days start to finish. Then we started there main bath and that was done in 2 weeks.At no point have we been contacted to say they were unhappy or wanted anything addressed. I spoke with the customer this afternoon(the wife) and just stated if there was anything they wanted taken care of that we would address it.That we had no reports of any problems. She stated that she did not write the review and that I would have to address it with him. She also stated that she doesn't always understand him. I think there is a disconnect between the couple and between BBB. Their kitchen and both baths are the best looking rooms in there home.Anything that needs to be addressed will continue to be offered but as of now none have been addressed. Look at all the reviews and make a determination if we are the contractor for you. Out of 212 reviews 95% are happy great customers. I'm sure you all know you can't make everyone happy."

Bethany B.
Nov 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
BBB came to my house to provide an estimate on tearing out my 100 year old basement paneling and replacing some plumbing.  I sent an email Sunday night, and got a call Monday morning, and someone came to my house that evening.  They came on time, and on looking at the paneling told me I would need someone certified in lead paint demolition, and they had someone they worked with, but it would be cheaper for me to contract with them directly.  They also gave me advice on how to deal with my floor, which has tiles probably fixed with asbestos mastic.  I very much appreciated that unlike Connecticut Basement Systems, which tried to sell me a 20,000 basement system even after I told them I wasn't interested in finishing the basement, they did not try to sell me something I didn't need--I told them what I wanted, and they told me the best way to get it.  If I ever finish my basement I will go with them.

Kevin R.
Oct 2015
4.0
$12,000
unknown

Paul P.
Oct 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$9,100
unknown

Donald E.
Oct 2015
1.0
unknown

Steven G.
Sep 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$37,000
This project was as smooth as could be.  We had a wonderful assessment by Jeremy Mintner, who got our vision, did a great job of diagramming a very difficult space, and giving good advice.  We were concerned because the estimate Jeremy gave us was approximately 10K lower than the other two estimates we received.  We were very wary of going with what seemed like a "lowball estimate."  However, we contacted several references, and all were very enthusiastic, so we moved forward.
Jeremy and his boss Randy  came over to review the project and finalize plans.  From then on in it could not have been smoother.  The permits were pulled expeditiously.  The company was awesome about updating the calendar on an online tool they use.  THe workman were professional, nice, and efficient.  When it became clear that some things might be cheaper if we outsourced them (such as the HVAC), Randy advised us to do so. Similarly, we preferred a particular cork floor that their supplier could not easily access, so there was no problem getting a credit to the contract and ordering by ourselves.
The project came in on time, is absolutely beautiful. There were a few details that we did not anticipate that I wish we had thought of- for example, matching the basement banisters to the rest of the house. The banisters supplied are lovely- no complaint- but it's a small design feature that might have been suggested.  That said, the space is beautiful, the price was right, and we will definitely get them to bid next year when we redo our kitchen and master bath.

Carole E.
Sep 2015
1.0
It didn't go.
Response from Better Built Basements LLC
"We sent out the proposal a little late due to the holiday in between. Sorry for the delay and we are interested in doing the job. Better Built Basements"

Gina L.
Sep 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$2,900
We called Better Built Basements for a quote and they came out to look at our project a couple days later, emailed the quote a few days after that, then as soon as we accepted their proposal, they promised us a definite start date within a few weeks.  We've dealt with other contractors who said they'd call us "when they were ready to start" and we'd end up waiting months, so being promised a specific start date was awesome!  But then because our project was on the smaller size, they ended up being able to squeeze us in even earlier than their promised date - that was fantastic!  They completed the job in less than a week and the resulting drywall job is absolutely beautiful.  We couldn't be happier.  We were also amazed at how well they cleaned up after themselves.  We expected to have sheetrock dust throughout our entire house, but there was nothing.  Apparently they use a vacuum attachment when they do the sanding, so there is almost no dust.  We would definitely hire Better Built Basements again.

Cortland B.
Aug 2015
1.0
$5,044
Synopsis:
DId not once give promised call backs
Attempted to increase the price by $3,000 after providing a quote
Wasted over a week on a time sensitive project.
More details:
It started out promising. They were professional on the phone and were able to send someone out to inspect for a quote the next day. This was great as it was a time sensitive project. After the inspection I was promised a quote within 24 hours and that they could come out in a week or two to do the job (unless permitting was required)
I received a quote by email a few days later  (after calling to ask for  it)  for $2,044. It stated it included an unsolicited, unexplained 10% discount.
I attempted to schedule the work. I was promised multiple call backs that never happened. I was told the delay was he couldn't get a hold of the boss to give expedited scheduling. We agreed to place the job on the schedule and that we could move it up later after speaking with the boss. I was promised a call back same day to confirm. 
3 days later after still no call back I call up, mysteriously get disconnected after identifying myself, and call back once more. I am told I am not on the schedule, the earliest they can fit me in a month and a half. Also there was a mistake in the quote and it will cost an extra $3,000.

UPDATE:
I noticed the Provider's response and it seems somewhat misleading to me. 

* I have no idea what they are talking about 'before coming out a second time'. They came out once and measured, provided a quote and a time estimate of when the work could be done. They stood by neither the time estimate nor the written quote. 

* His response to my Angies' List review leaves the impression that the owner discovered the error and promptly contacted me with both an apology and a correct price. This did not happen. The company never contacted me - I always had to call them in spite of promised call backs. The owner never spoke with me. The only apology I received was from the person that did the measures - and that sounded more like he was sorry because it was now a problem for him than because he was concerned of any impact to me or the reflection on his company.

In reference to the owner' other comment that seems to try to defend the indefensible, good work and good time management are two different things. Making a customer wait 45 days to start work may be great for him, but it is not good customer service or a display of exemplary time management.

And I will also say one of the first things I asked before even setting up the measuring appointment was how soon they could get someone out there - if they had said 30-45 days at that point there wouldn't have been an appointment to measure - I would have moved on to someone that is better able to manage the timeliness of their business.
Response from Better Built Basements LLC
"We made an internal mistake pricing this job. I as the owner reviewed it after I had been out of town for a period. The designer is not allowed to set up signings until the proposal is reviewed. We caught the mistake and informed the customer before we even went out to meet a second time. He was on a time crunch also. We book 30-45 days out he couldn't wait for the next available time slot.I would be afraid of hiring anyone that could do it right away, Why aren't they busy if they are good? We apologized for the mix up. Again that is why we review every proposal before a signing. The customer stated he was going to leave a bad review. Please read all the review you will see that 95% of people love BBB."

Molly L.
Aug 2015
4.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$5,000
The work was performed the work well and well within the time line that was estimated. A few items needed to be cleaned up after the work, however i would use the same company again for another project in the house.

Adrian S.
Jul 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
They were very good. We will use them in the future. The gentleman who showed up was very professional.

Arvind V.
Jul 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$49
They were timely and they came in on the promised time so everything was good. I will use them again if I need to.

Tracy R.
Jun 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$23,000
We couldn't be more pleased with the service we received and the finished product. From the first phone call that we made inquiring about their services until completion we were met with professionalism and quality work. Once putting in our initial call we had a response within an hour and an appointment set up for a free consultation. We met with Wayne who did a great job explaining what a remodel would entail, within a week we had a quote and a rough drawing. We found the price to be very reasonable for the amount of work we were planning on having done. From there we met with the owner Jim and Wayne again and went over the contract and details, it was all understandable and simple, and no up-selling which we appreciated greatly. We had a start date set and the renovation began. We appreciated the on-line calendar that lets you know exactly what is happening on certain dates, you know who to expect to see and what will be done. The calendar was updated throughout the project, keeping it accurate. It was smooth sailing from day one until finish. We were most impressed with the professionalism of each and every contractor that came, the quality of their work, and hard work put in. When work was scheduled to get done, it got done, contractors were here. If we had any questions or concerns they were happy to help and make sure we were satisfied. Another standout, the cleanliness of the project. Each day the crew would clean up and our basement was safe for us to explore and see what had been done. Now that the project is done and we are using our basement we sit in awe of the outcome, could not be more happy. We don't have one single complaint or problem. We highly recommend their services, you won't be disappointed.

Melanie R.
Jun 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$35,000
My first impression was very good. The designer showed up right on time and was very knowledgeable with good ideas.  Construction started exactly as planned and the way it was all explained to me. All employees were extremely professional with great communication throughout the project. They kept me in the loop every step of the way. I was also impressed with the overall cleanliness of the basement as the project went on. Every night the basement was cleaned and swept. All questions were answered in a timely manor by the owner himself. They also have a great on-line system to keep an open line of communication as well as being able to post selections.
Lastly, the designer came back for a final sign off to ensure that me and my husband were happy with the end result. The basement is now our favorite room.  My kids love it.
Overall, we are extremely happy we chose them. Based on prior experiences with other contractors, we will definitely be using them for future projects.

Craig S.
Jun 2015
2.0
$14,000
Better Built Basements (BBB) was not the least expensive of the three contractors to quote my basement renovation job.  But they came with positive reviews from Angie's list and others.  Overall the the finished product is as expected, but the job was punctuated with periods of miscommunication, arrogance, disrespect and, after the job was completed and a problem occurred
with the electric panel set up, denial of responsibility and an irrational and emotional response from the president of the company to a problem they created.  A concise listing of events and occurrences, some of which illustrate this perspective and some that may be of use for homeowners who have never been through a renovation:
·       In the beginning of the job, BBB said that I could track progress and job activity on a cloud-based software called ?buildertrend.?  After checking the site three times during the first two weeks of the job, no updates were posted to the site. The response from BBB was ?we don?t put every activity up there.?  None were posted.
·      During the job, we were informed by BBB that one of my town codes supposedly stated that there needed to be ?air flow?
between floors.  BBB wanted to cut a hole n the floor between the basement and first floor to allow for this flow.  When we questioned the town code (it turns out they did NOT have to cut the hole), the president, on the phone with his worker on site said ?you tell her (my wife) we are cutting the hole in the floor or we?re off the job.?
 ·      When I called BBB to change the size of a full-wall mirror from ?above the outlet? to ?floor to ceiling,? the President of BBB said ?The mirror is 5x9'2 inches. They never go to the floor and it always goes above the outlets. If you want it to go floor to ceiling with the outlet I can get you a price but it will probably be 1000-1500 more (than the $500 included in the cost of the job). They
charge a lot to cut the glass for outlets and larger mirrors over 5 foot high. We talked about this at the signing. In 7 years we have never done a floor to ceiling mirror they are too cost prohibitive.?  I cancelled the BBB mirror and ordered the floor to ceiling mirror from a local fabricator who was happy to accept the job. The cost was $1,100 total installed, not the $1,500 - $2,000 suggested by BBB.  BBB applied a $500 credit to the final cost.
 ·      At the end of the job, we did a walkthrough with the original salesperson.  All went well. I called the next day
reminding him of the ?free TV? offer on the BBB postcard that we discussed at the beginning of the job.  His response
was ?I don't think that we talked about a promotion when I was just there for the sign-off.... I looked at your contract
and it didn't come up at the signing either because its not listed on the contract.?  When I reminded him that the offer was not contingent on the contract language but an explicit promise on the postcard, he gave us the TV.
Now for the ?after-job? events:
The final sign off occurred on April 30, 2015. The job, as I mentioned, was well-done overall and they delivered what
we expected.  On Thursday, May 21, three weeks after the BBB job was completed, I turned on our central air conditioner
for the first time this season.  One of the units was not blowing cold air, so I scheduled a service call with my local HVAC contractor for Thursday, May 28. The contractor arrived, took a look at the AC coils and tried to turn on the unit.  There was no power. He
inspected the electrical panel (which was re-positioned and re-wired by BBB as part of the basement job) and asked us if the panel was new.  When we said ?yes,? he asked if a licensed electrician did the job.  When we asked why, he said that the AC unit was wired incorrectly and needed to be remedied ASAP.  The cost from my AC contractor for uncovering the BBB electrical mistake was $280. 
This is the email I sent to BBB on May 28? ?One of my air conditioner units was not working, so I called [my AC contractor] to
check it out.  After taking a look at the AC unit, he went to the electrical panel.  He informs me that the panel was wired incorrectly and needs to be re-wired with a new breaker for the AC unit.  He stated that it is a hazard. Can your electrician call [my AC contractor] ? to discuss the issue and solve it today?  I?d hate to see this turn into am unsafe issue.  Thank you.?
BBB responded quickly and sent an electrician to fix the problem. I sent the following message to BBB? ?Can you
guys please consider paying the bill from the AC company?.  Turns out the only thing wrong with the AC was the electric hook up.?
BBB?s response? A terse? . ?We don't cover outside contractors.?
While replacing the breaker and re-wiring the AC unit, the BBB electrician shorted an adjacent breaker and ?fried? a TV that was plugged into an outlet in the basement.  When I heard of the mishap and having received the terse message that BBB does not ?cover outside contractors,? I sent the following message to BBB?
 "The only reason why the AC was not working was that the BBB electric job was done incorrectly. That cost me $280 from [AC contractor]. When [BBB electrician] came out, he did something to the panel that blew out the TV hooked up in the basement.  He
said he would replace that.  At this point, I need some assurance the electric is safe and correctly installed and
that the $280 charge will be reimbursed and that a new 19? brand name TV will be delivered on Saturday.  These actions
will essentially stop me from sharing this story with local broadcast and social media, including Angie?s list. 
Let me know what you think.  Thanks.
A new TV was delivered later that day.  The electrician admitted his error in wiring and was apologetic and professional.
 
The president of BBB responded to my email via a voicemail? Here are key excerpts:
 
?Sorry about your AC not being hooked up?
?He (BBB electrician) made a mistake.?
?[Our electrician] is a licensed E-2 electrician so I can assure you that it was done properly?
?You didn?t call us first before you called your AC guy and that?s on you.?
?I?m not paying for your AC guy?s bill.  I?m not doing it.?
?As far as your threat to go to.. Angie?s list. I have your email showing that you are threatening me.  I don?t respond to threats.  That doesn?t work for me.?
?What I can tell you from the bottom of my heart is that I don?t respond to threats.  So as far as you threatening me about Angie?s list? or the TV or whatever else, I?ve got attorneys too, so don?t threaten me.?
The comment regarding the expectation that I should have called BBB first when the AC was not working does not hold water.  Using this logic, I should call BBB when any electrical device in the house is not working properly, expecting that it could be from poor wiring in the new BBB-installed electric panel. 
While the overall job was completed as designed, and likely would have earned a ?B? rating, it was sometimes a painful journey.  And the events that occurred after the job was completed, including the refusal to pay the $280 HVAC charge, showed inept management, the lack of a customer-centric perspective and led directly to this poor review of Better Built Basements.


Response from Better Built Basements LLC
"First I encourage you to read all the good reviews BBB has. We have an excellent reputation because we give quality service and quality work. The comments about buildertrend are unusual because 99% of customers love it and are happy to have the extra info so they know what is going on with their project. The basement came out beautiful and we have the customers signature stating he was very satisfied with the project. The TV was never part of his promotion but we did the right thing and gave the customer the complimentary TV even though it was never on any of his paperwork. As far as the ac goes we fixed the small electrical problem that very same day. We never agreed to pay an obscene 280 service call fee for his outside contractor to look at the problem and not even fix it. The customer threatened us if we didn't meet his demands we would get a bad review. So here it is.I have pasted a copy of his email to us stating what he would do.We bent over backwards to please this customer and he still felt like we didn't take care of him. I'm sure that everyone knows you can't please every customer 100%. Read all the reviews and you will find very few of these customers and 90% that Love the work and people that BBB does and has. Read the email below and see if you would respond to that. We chose to take the high road. From the customer: So here’s the deal… The only reason why the AC was not working was that the BBB electric job was done incorrectly. That cost me $280 from SavMor Mechanical. When Rick came out, he did something to the panel that blew out the TV hooked up in the basement. He said he would replace that. At this point, I need some assurance the electric is safe and correctly installed and that the $280 SavMor charge will be reimbursed and that a new 19” brand name TV will be delivered on Saturday. These actions will essentially stop me from sharing this story with local broadcast and social media, including Angie’s list. Let me know what you think. Thanks, The customer. Please read all the reviews and have a great day. Better Built Basements"

Alicia C.
May 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$65,000
We are so happy with Better Built Basements.  They are a wonderful company where everyone is friendly, helpful and very professional.  If we had any questions or concerns they were all addressed in a very timely manner.  We could not be happier with how the project turned out.  Not only does the entire area look amazing but you can clearly see the high quality of all of the work.  Every detail was thought about from the type of sheet rock used for the walls, the LED lighting and the flooring to the smallest details like the type of finish the door handles have or that they took the time to match the kind of molding and trim from our existing home to the new floor and door trim in the addition.  They take care of every aspect of your project so that all you need to do is decide what you want to have done and they will make it happen for you.  There is no need to call an electrician, flooring companies, bathroom experts or anyone else... they are a one stop shop for everything.  We are planning on redoing our kitchen in the near future as well as a wine cellar and they will be our one and only call.  We have already recommended BBB to our friends and neighbors and will continue to do so.  We truly could not be more pleased.
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FAQ

Better Built Basements LLC is currently rated 4.7 overall out of 5.

Better Built Basements LLC accepts the following forms of payment: CreditCard

Yes, Better Built Basements LLC offers free project estimates.

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Yes, Better Built Basements LLC offers emergency services.

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