Good: Deck built with the materials we asked for. Contractor responded to all our issues. Deck built well/sturdy and low maintenance as I asked. Contractor filed for variance and permits and didn't leave me with an unfinished product. The project cost did not balloon wildly from expectation. Bad: - Poor communication and planning. I signed contract in December with them in hopes I'd have a porch for summer 2016. They didn't even file for building permit until 2/24/2016. (2 months after signing). It was rejected because they tried to cut corners by not filing for a variance (which I already told them we would have to do). They didn't immediately figure out and file for the variance...another delay. Didn't have the variance hearing until 4/28/2016 and building permit finally granted on 6/13/2016. They blame the delay on the county. NO! If they had filed in January for the variance they would have had the hearing scheduled in Feb, variance approved in March, and could begin building in April at the worst. Would have finished for summer. They don't understand their inability to plan and accommodate schedules they can't control, but have to work within is THEIR fault and THEIR ability to control. I clearly stated my desire for them to break ground in Spring 2016...they didn't until Summer 2016. - Missed appointments during consult phase. Scheduled dates for their sales guy (Matt) to arrive and, on several occasions I called him "where are you?" "Oh sorry, I can't make it". - Contract did not have dates of start nor end. Project started later than I wanted and seemed to be taking longer than I anticipated it should due to poor planning. - Didn't plan for photographic evidence for variance hearing in order to get permit. Luckily, I was prepared knowing at that point they don't plan for eventualities. - No architectural drafts so I could sign off on the final look of the porch. Final porch NOT built to my design aesthetic, but to theirs. - We produced our own images (overlaying a real photo with our drawings because my partner is a graphic artist) for them to build to/estimate project off of. When his subcontractor carpenter came to build the porch, his plans didn't match our expectations. In fact, they didn't even match the placement of our door and window. They had sent these drawings to the county for the permit and I never saw them so I couldn't correct them. Subcontractor claims he never saw any of the photos I had produced and sent via email/text to Matt (their sales guy that produced the contract for me to sign). - Opened my roof and didn't put tarps over it. That night it rained, leaving my attic exposed to rain. - Did not clean up my garage after done. Left remaining construction materials in garage that I had to call the owner to come retrieve (including his own a-frame ladder). - Did not clean up yard (nails, screws, wood chunks, shingle debris, vinyl and flashing cuts. - Several items were built and needed to be re-done because they didn't follow their own contract: Ex1. I wanted 5' wide stairs. was on contract in black and white. we talked about it MANY times. They built 3' wide stairs. Ex2: They put up vinyl railings and didn't screw the railings into a wood post inside the vinyl. Yes, I caught it and had to ask him to build it correctly (which he did, but what other corners did he cut that I did not catch? Was he aware of it, or just trusting his subs to do a job right? no process for vetting his own crews work quality). Ex3: Our drawing had 2 columns and I often said the size of the columns must be appropriately thick with respect to the size of the gable above it (balanced). They built porch with 2, 4x4 columns for a gable that is 14' wide. I said no. Columns must be bigger. they changed it and then wanted me to pay for extra material. NO. Not my mistake. - Lights were installed. Thank god I came home when I did. Electrician was going to run conduit pipe on the outside front of my siding instead of through the basement as I hoped. reason: I didn't know electrician was coming that day and didn't have house unlocked. No freaking way you are putting conduit pipe on the most visible portion of my new curb-appeal porch!! You kidding me? - Lights. Subcontractor electrician recommended I put in 4 can lights (I orignally thought 2 would be more than enough.) I trusted his judgement. Shouldn't have. Thankfully I had asked for porch lights to be on a dimmer. Lights are SO bright and flood the entire porch with light (no 'wall highlights') that there is no reason to turn lights on at anything other than their dimmest setting. - Gutters. water is leaking from the gutters/behind the gutters. The left gutter's water was following the bead-board channel along the house wall and at the first gap (above my front door), was dripping down. So the place that should be the most sheltered from rainwater was in fact collecting rain. Nice. Because they never water tested their gutter installation. - Day of pouring the footers, they asked my NEIGHBOR if they could use his garden hose to mix up the concrete. Why are you involving my neighbor in my project? That put my neighbor in an awkward position and is completely unprofessional. I have a garden hose and exterior water...why use his?? Summary: Because of poor communication between their workers and between their workkers and me, and because they don't know how to run their business smoothly, I wouldn't hire again. Andrew responded to all complaints. But the complaints were daily and often-times, head-slapping. If I was paying half this cost, maybe I'd be ok. But I feel I was charged full price for services where only half the quality and expectations were being met. Meanwhile, I'm playing role of project foreman, project manager, architect/designer, and quality control.