Tom Southern - Carpenter

Went great! Work completed in a timely manner. Very professional job!

The job went well and we are pleased with the way it worked out. Tom was helpful in finding a solution to the problem and offered good advice on replacements. It is nice to have a door that closes well, is installed correctly, & is better made. I have yet to do the painting of the jamb which I said I would complete because I have another door to paint so I won't add any photos.

Tom worked with me side by side to accomplish the repair of a wood house's walls and floor supports. Tom is a pleasure to work with. We talked daily about how to accomplish various tasks and his insights proved successful in bringing back an old wood home back to life. I hope to work with Tom on some future projects down the line.

I contacted numerous tradesmen to try to arrange for the repair. Some felt the job was too small, some said the job was too complicated and/or they were just too busy!?! I read about Mr. Southern in Angie's List (excellent reviews) called him, explained condition of the doors and sent him some pictures. He is very punctual and I felt confident with his explanation of what the scope of work would need to be in order to properly repair the doors. He took the one door with him and there was quite a bit of work involved. The door had to be drilled to accommodate new wooden dowels to close up the gaps where sections were opening up at the seams, the door needed to be trimmed on one side and new hardware added to hinges. Plus two sections of the door jamb required repair on site. He allowed me to save some money by not including the repainting as part of the scope of work. I am so happy with his work. Now the doors can be properly closed and locked which gives my family a greater sense of security. He quoted $75.00 per hour plus materials and I know I got great value for my money.

The project went very well. Initially and throughout, Tom was very helpful with advising us, especially considering the many unique features of our nearly 70 year old home. He is easy to work with, punctual, very experienced, and communicates clearly and thoughtfully, avoiding unpleasant surprises. The completed project is beautiful. We are very happy with this carpenter and plan to use his expertise again!

Excellent! Tom is truly a master and came up with creative solutions to our issues. He was always positive, respectful, and helpful. He was very clear about the price for his services/ travel time etc.... We made an investment and are very pleased with the results.

Mr. Southern did an outstanding job. He was very thorough and his years of experience doing these kinds of jobs was clearly evident. He knew exactly how to achieve the optimum result. I was extremely pleased with the quality of his work.

I couldn't be happier. Tom Southern checked all the boxes as a highly skilled wood artist. I do not use this term lightly. In everything he does -- in giving his word you know he will show up on time, care about giving his all to make your project his project, to taking work home with him and discussing/considering options -- he carries himself as a true professional and someone I am honored to know and work with. Anyone who has done auto retrofits or furniture/home remodeling knows that it is much harder to do WELL than starting from scratch. This was no exception. Tom and I came together with an initial plan on how best to cut the pieces down, sturdily mount them on the wall, and then artfully unify them using a Lumber Liquidator sourced 10' cherry butcher block countertop and Shell Lumber solid cherry hardwood and cherry plywood. This wasn't easy. We would get so far when we would have to stop and reassess our approach allowing for visual and practical concerns. Tom was always patient and would take problems home with him to see if he could come up with an option. He made wood cuts/planing at his home shop to improve the quality of outcome. I am spectacularly pleased with the final result. The wall unit is approximately 75% completed as I took responsibility for doing the final finish work of staining old wood -- it will remain multiple colors. I am also ordering some pre-made cherry doors for glass which Tom and I will incorporate down the line. We have plans for many projects in the future and I will keep everyone apprised.

Tom is a professional carpenter and I can assure you there are not many like him around anymore. He was extremely professional and reliable. He took his time to research the different options and found a way to get the job done to our satisfaction. Tom is a perfectionist and he wanted us to be happy with the final result. He takes pride in his profession and his craft and knowledge shows through all his work. I recommend Tom without any reservation.

Fantastic! this is the third time I used Tom. He is extremely knowledgeable, does independent research and very patient. We communicated a few times through e-mail and over the phone. I sent him some photos of what I was looking to build and he recommended different types of woods at different price points. He was very knowledgeable about the different types of wood and which ones would work better for the project and withstand the elements. He custom made the window boxes and installed them for me. They are stunning. they match my outdoor furniture perfectly and really tie my whole backyard together. Tom is extremely professional, he is prompt and clean and the quality of his work cannot be beat. I look forward to working with him again. Absolutely wonderful.

Tom renovated 2 closets for us. His work is terrific and he knows what he is doing. During the demo process Tom discovered that the structure of our original closets had some issues so he relayed the issues well and presented all of our options to us so we could make the best decision going forward. He used very good wood products (his recommendation as an experienced carpenter) and had some other useful recommendations in the layout of shelves, and throughout the project. We had many problems with the closet doors we ordered from home depot and the specs they provided on our doors which affected the frames he had built out. This was Home Depot's fault. Tom came back out when the doors came in and took care of everything for us. Tom does not prefer to paint so we did the painting. The upside to that is it saved us money. Lastly, his services are not cheap. He charges by the hour but I believe he makes good use of his time and he's honest. At the end of the day, you get what you pay for!

Front doors at home started to separate, so they did not close properly. I tried different contractors and no one can come on why was this happening or with a solution other than replace the doors. The problem replacing the doors is that I live in a community which HOA does not allow exterior modifications. The doors are not current available unless it is a special order, so it was not only complicated project but also expensive one.

After initial contact, Tom asked for a few photos and he let me know his hourly rate. Tom showed up un time, evaluate the situation, and took some time to work his magic. Some adjustments, new stronger screws, shins, and new door pins guides corrected the problem. He also found some rotten wood on the door jam and took care of it. Tom also replaced the door locks that were improperly installed. Tom expertise was what made this job a breeze. He also fixed my parents' home doors!

 On an additional note, Tom cheerful personality and professionalism made everything run smoothly.   

Certainly there will be cheaper options, but I do not think there is better quality out there. If you are looking for a skilled carpenter, do yourself a favor and call Tom!

Tom was excellent. From helping me design the banister, determine the material, choose less expensive ready made materials and order them from the least expensive supplier, Tom was extremely helpful and generous with his time. We had several long telephone conversations, perused web sites and he met me in person a couple of times before even starting the project. 
He reviewed the material and supply order before I placed it and started working as soon as the materials came. He completed the project in a very timely and professional manner and I was very happy with the result.

Where to begin...this was a project that was on hold for 2 years because I couldn't find someone that would take the job until I came across Tom Southern. From the initial contact I knew he was going to be the perfect man for the job, the ease in which he communicated and how detailed he was left a positive impression from the start.
This job turned out to be more complicated than we both originally estimated, the previous person that installed these doors did so in a manner that Tom had never seen in all his years working. Suffice it to say that it took two people, two days to complete a job that normally would of been done in a single day. They had to break concrete stucco in order to be able to remove the old rotted jams and even then the job got more difficult. The doors that were there were not a standard size so the new ones had to be custom ordered and the frame work had to be custom made by hand to the measurements of the opening.
All through out the process Tom kept me up to date with emails and photos, due to a recent surgery I was not able to be present while the work was being done. I thank Tom for the detailed communication that he put forth on this project which helped put my mind at ease.
I would highly recommend Tom Southern to anyone!

When you need a finish carpenter, you want a skilled perfectionist.  When you need the work done in a very limited window of time, you need someone that will bend over backwards, working around less flexible sub-contractors, to get the job done. When the job is finished, you don't expect to be under-charged.  When the job is finished you don't expect to have found a new friend.
I got everything I was looking for and then some in Tom Southern.  One quick example.  The wood putty they sell in stores is not strong enough or smooth enough for Tom.  He makes his own.  When it dries, it will stand up to a sledge hammer.
I highly recommend Tom Southern for your carpentry needs.

Tom was on time and on schedule. He charges by the hour so there was no surprise as to the cost. The shelves are extremely sturdy and I couldn't be happier. I'm trying to think of more projects I have just to work with him again.

Fantastic! I can not say more good things about Tom. Not only was he extremely professional, responsiveness and did a great quality job, he worked with me through email and over the phone for about two weeks before I had even agreed to retain his services. He genuinely cared about my project and working with me to figure the best and most cost effective solution. By the time he arrived I felt like I had known him for years. He charged by the hour and was extremely reasonable, he got the job done in less time and for less money than originally quoted. Not to mention we finally ate our dining table this evening and it was so much fun. I can not wait to have the family over. Exactly what I wanted, exceeded every expectation. I will definitely be using Tom again in the future.

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Reached out to contractor via Angie's list App, Tom responded via email quickly that he will be calling me right away, when he did not I responded thanking him and that I was available to take his call. Tom eventually called and was abrupt and arrogant right away- quickly highlighting his accomplishments and self promoting... I gave him the benefit of the doubt and explained what I needed which was to build a free standing 3x12 shed built on the side of my house. I have the plans and will provide all the materials... Unfortunately Tom proceeded to try to talk his way out and object in every way rather than listening and providing a plan to get the project going, I asked for a rough/tough cost, Tom very quickly quoted $75 Hr for 2 days to get it done, thought it was excessive at first but then thought let me receive a couple of other quotes plus reach out to the folks I bought the plans from... After receiving other estimates, Tom was clearly way off the mark on both time and labor cost. I still gave him another shot by emailing plans and asking for a best and final quote he responded in an incoherent email about why it's so complicated (to build a shed!) in the email Tom extended the time to a week, @ $75/hr this is not what I expected from an apparent experienced carpenter, it appears that Tom thinks He is the only person that can read a set of plans and build this shed... I am sorry, and hoped I could have a different opinion but, It's been truly a waste of time dealing with Tom. I will have the shed built by a company that knows a bit about dealing with people.

Tom is great. Very professional and upfront about everything (costs, materials, time etc). He is very meticulous with his work and puts in a lot of great quality work. You will not be disappointed. Definitely will have him back for other projects I want done.

It will be virtually impossible to convey, through words, how great Tom and team were throughout their work in my home. In fact, I imagine some of you will be suspicious about whether or not this is marketing material, but I'm simply trying to give Tom and Crew their due credit.
Now, I will begin by saying that you will not encounter a "cheap" or "below market" provider when it comes to Tom. However, it's my opinion that you often get what you pay for and, long-term, it's more cost-effective to go with quality. Allow me to begin:
How I arrived at working with Tom
After interviewing half a dozen "carpenters," "roof repair" professionals, and "handymen," I landed on Tom's page on Angie's List by sheer luck. I read nearly every single review and noticed a pattern in those for which he had actually performed work: customers kept calling him a "master" carpenter. I was intrigued and called Tom. I am somewhat North of his area and out of Tom's usual geographic region, but we talked over the phone, I sent him pictures and finally he visited my home. Tom gave me a rough estimate of what the work would both entail and cost. He came right within the range and actually below his high estimate. There was no surprise as to cost. Further, even before the work started, Tom was very specific about all of the items (materials) needed and made it simple for me to procure. He even explained to me, generally, what tools were going to be used for what type of work.
I realize many customers may not like that or even want that amount of detail, but I did and Tom was gracious enough to spend time keeping me continuously informed.
Once the work began
I'll start off by saying we had a legitimately hard job in front of us. It was work in my attic. It was hot. It was uncomfortable. It was often somewhat dangerous in terms of doing precise work in tight spaces and with sharp objects. Tom and his work partner (i'll leave out his name in case he rather not be named) were consistent in all of these categories:
1. Precise
2. Informative
3. Considerate
4. Understanding
5. Relentless
There were times where I'd imagine other contractors (and I've had the type) cut corners or make a decision about part of the work because "it is easier." Tom and crew never did. They consistently went with quality over [their] convenience. 
Intangibles
Some of the main things I worry about when remodeling, repairing or the like (and I've essentially re-done my entire home at this point) are aspects like trustworthiness and honesty. You'd have to speak to me or see me in person to understand how genuinely I'm going to try to state this: Tom exceeded all expectations here. Over the course of the brutal work, which I tried my best to assist (even though they didn't ask or need), we became friends. Tom is simply a good man and a gem in an industry where I remain skeptical of most.
I couldn't actually recommend his services more. If it costs you a bit extra, write it off as "paying for peace of mind." I can't speak to how the results of the work will turn out down the line, obviously, but I can say that, if I ever have to do any carpentry-related work again, Tom is the first person I will call. In fact, it's a warning shot to Tom that I may call to ask for his opinion on other issues. 
A master carpenter, indeed.