NORMANDY REMODELING

People from Normandy Builders Company were very professional. It was a big project and they finished the project in six months. It was done in a timely manner. I would use them in the future if required.

They were great. They did a great job on the bid and they had some good designs. We just decided to go with another company. There wasn't anything really wrong with what they did; we just made a different choice. They did a great job on the bid and it helps that it is a buyer's market. They were very professional. We would definitely consider getting another bid from them.

We dealt with Gary from Normandy Builders. We met with him and discussed what we wanted to do, and various options that might be possible. Gary was extremely professional, friendly and courteous. He discussed the options available, and told us he would contact us when Normandy had prepared estimates. We met with Gary again and he brought floor plans and an artist's rendering of what our garage would look like with the extension on the side of our house. The floor plans were exact and detailed. The artist's rendering was great and provided a perfect depiction of how our house would appear with the expanded garage. Gary also provided us with 2 detailed estimates of the renovations we discussed. The estimates explained each item (e.g. electrical, drywall) and what the costs would be. All in all, the experience of dealing with Normandy was perfect. Just what you'd want in dealing with any contractor. While the costs were more than we wanted to spend, we will definitely contact Normandy in the future for any renovation work. They are professional but friendly and helpful with their customers.

They have a formalized system, which is very nice; however I felt a little pushed by their sales people. Their pricing also seemed to be higher than the other proposals I got.

Normandy Builders were very professional but they were very highly priced. They gave us our deposit back which was nice.

1333236644I0110131I found them to be inflexible. The stumbling block was the payment schedule with them. They wanted me to give them 85% of the amount in advance. I wanted them to change the payment schedule as I wanted to give more amount after they finished the project. They did not want to change it. I don?t think I will use them again because of their stand point on the payment flexibility.

We had 3 top contractors bidding on remodeling and building an addition onto our kitchen, dining room and 2nd floor. Ann Stockard from Normandy came in not only with the best price, but by far and away the best design concepts. Our neighbor had also used Ann and Normandy for their kitchen, so we knew they were happy and we felt comfortable with our decision. Little did we realize how incredible the experience was going to be. It sounds totally cliche and cheesy, but Ann and our Superintendent Ken Garrison consistently went above and beyond all expectations throughout planning, construction and follow through. Ann and Ken are terrific, and Normandy and all of their sub-contractors did everything they could to minimize our pain since we were still in the house all during the work. They finished the job ahead of schedule and on budget - which people are amazed to hear. It is like living in a new house now, the change is phenomenal - everything is so beautiful. Wish I could post before and after pics here! Can't say enough positive things about this company - and they provide a 5 year warranty on everything they've done to back it up. We plan on contacting them again in the future when we are ready to tackle our bathrooms!

We chose our money back and to put the project on hold.

They were very professional, but I found there price to be a bit high and went with another company.

The work was done wonderfully starting with meeting with company representatives Troy Pavelka who went over designs and helped pick out fixtures, tiles etc. The work was done by Walter Peterson in an exceptional manner. Walter was meticulous and a true craftsman. He is a true professional who made the experience very enjoyable and rewarding.

The entire process from start to finish was absolutely remarkable. We had originally used Normandy (specifically, Stephanie Bryant) to redo our kitchen at a former home. The kitchen absolutely sold the home, so when we were looking for an addition to our recently purchased home, we immediately called Stephanie. Her attention to detail, her responsiveness, and her understanding of old houses helped us create the perfect blend of new and old. The carpenters on the job were outstanding and real craftsmen, giving us tips along the way and helping keep our industrious three-year-old busy with left over building materials (he had a ball!). The work was done exceptionally well, on time, and mostly on budget (the overages being our creation). I would hire Normandy and particularly Stephanie in a heartbeat and recommend them highly to anyone who asks. Normandy is a little more expensive than other design/build firms, but their professionalism and exceptional quality of work justifies the extra cost. Our home won an historic preservation award for compatible addition to an old house, and we believe the sensitive design of Stephanie, along with the attention to detail of the carpenters, helped us win that award.

Our designer acted as project manager and is super talented and professional. I can't stress how many hours were saved by working in Normandy's showroom choosing from a vast array of everything needed for our project - from cabinets, to flooring, to knobs and hardware. It was very convenient. Our designer worked with us after the project was completed to suggest paint colors and decorating ideas. There were a few bugs with the construction on our house in IL, but I think that is always the case. Just needed to keep on the GC and have our designer push to get things done, too. I would recommend to anyone and suggest asking for Chris Ebert as your designer.

Tony Tondelli was my rep from Normandy Builders, he was extremely educated and had a very keen sense of design. He found space in my house I didn't even know existed. If it wasn't for his knowledge of construction, Iwould have never gotten an extra bathroom. He came often to inspect the job making sure everything was correct. He would find little things that were slightly off and would have it redone. The job was done on time with the budget in tack. I have used Normandy for two major remodels and I of course would have no reason to ever use anyone else. They are numero uno!!!Five stars!!!!

We became aware of Normandy Builders because of a remodel they had done on a four-square house that was featured on a remodeling television show. From the very first meeting we had, our experience was wonderful. Troy Pavelka was our architect/designer. He is extremely gifted at what he does and just as importantly extremely patient. Troy listened to what we wanted to accomplish, offered various suggestions that we never would have considered ourselves, and presented us with several options as we were working on the design of our remodel. Going with a full service remodeling company like Normandy is something that we don't regret for a moment. We could have done our remodel a bit cheaper going with a smaller operation, but all of the experience that the people at Normandy brought to the process was priceless. If we had to do the whole thing again from the start, there is almost nothing we would have done differently. They really have the experience it takes to tell you what works both functionally and aesthetically. The subcontractors were all professional and courteous. Normandy really stands behind their work, as well. Even four years after the remodel, if we ever have a problem with something, they send someone out and take care of it. It is clear that they would rather lose money on a project than damage their reputation, for example when the hardwood floors were laid in the kitchen we weren't happy with the way the boards lined up around the fireplace (I know, we can be a bit extreme). They ripped everything out and started over. The only negatives I can think of are that the demolition phase could have been done more carefully, but ultimately, no harm no foul, and that when the project was in its very initial phase, really just a conversation, we got the impression that we could do more within our budget than we really could. From the point where we were committed to using Normandy, however, the cost was pretty close to what we were told it would be. They only thing that added cost, beyond what was in our original contract was a few upgrades made late in the project, for example, an extra coat of polly on the floors and hardwood floor registers. We loved our experience with Normandy in general, and even more so with Troy Pavelka. We just can't say enough good things about him.

From start to finish, we were pleased with Normandy's professionalism and capabilities. This was a huge undertaking, and it was well worth the effort. Our designer, Stephanie Bryant, developed an outstanding design from the start that took into account all the features we were hoping for (and several we hadn't even thought of!). She was very accommodating of our questions and receptive to our changes. She was very effective in getting our ideas onto paper and helping us to make selections that would be practical and beautiful. Our construction manager, Andy Healy, was great to work with and very accommodating of our continued lifestyle (with two children) in the house during this massive remodel. If there were hiccups (and what remodel doesn't have a few), Normandy was right on top of it to work it out. The end result is spectacular -- Stephanie. Andy, and Normandy took a basic 1950s split-level and turned it into a modern arts & craft style beauty. We just learned that the design has also won a national award -- so we're even happier with the result!

We are extremely pleased with Normandy Builders. We were referred to them by a friend who had some work done, and they have done a good deal of work in the western suburbs (we are in Downers Grove). We were very impressed throughout the process. Troy Pavelka was the architect we worked with, and our interaction with him was excellent. He spent a good amount of time with us to understand our desires and worked very closely with us throughout the design phase of the project. Rick Ruh was the onsite contruction supervisor. He was superb, also. He was onsite daily with the subcontractors and kept us well informed about the project schedule, who would be coming and what they would be doing. The project moved forward reasonably well with the only hold up being masonry work because the weather was extremely cold for a spell. The quality of work done by the subcontractors was outstanding. While they might not be the cheapest, they provide great quality of service and they are very professional and consistent in all the interactions they had with us. would recommend Normandy, and especially Troy and Rick without hesitation. I would use them again at any time.

The designer seemed very capable and professional at the first meeting at our home. We asked to hear some options about what could be done within our existing space. Talked about budget, which we stated as 10%-15% of the value of our home: were told that $50K (10%) would not give us what we want. We agreed to go higher hoping we would get quality work. Two weeks later we met at Normandy to see the design ideas. Very disappointing meeting. No original ideas. One option we requested was forgotten - she left it at another office. She was redrawing for us at the meeting. Her proposal, done on a computer design program, was not aesthetically pleasing, seemed incomplete. She said we could get an island in our kitchen only by widening our space, i.e. by knocking a wall down into the dining room. The cost quoted for all this was appr. $85K. She gave us what we thought was a "detailed" scope of work, 4 pages long, which would need to be signed in order to begin work. Looking at it later, we saw a number of errors and items not specified...(ex: we talked about hardwood flooring at our initial meeting, she included pre-finished in the scope of work; she included a price for knocking down the wall into the dining room, but nothing about rebuilding it or structurally supporting this load bearing wall). We asked for a revision trying to make sure that everything was perfect before signing anything. We received a revision a little while later with a note saying "thanks for being so thorough...I did overlook some items". This raised the price by another $4K! We did not hire them because we did not get the effort, creativity and detail we expected, especially for the price quoted. We are going with another kitchen design company, who is priced only a bit lower, but who came up with a much better plan within the existing kitchen space. Normandy appears to cater to higher end major projects of a $100K and above, and if this is what you require, then they may provide you with the proper effort and service. We were left with the impression that our job was not expensive enough and thus, not worthy of their time.

The initial design meetings were helpful. Our rep listened to what we were looking for and then came back with some ideas and drawings. We liked some things and didn't like others and were able to pick and choose, with his help, what would make the most sense for us. It took a little while to obtain permits from our village and then begin excavating, but once things got underway, the process was significantly less stressful than we had expected. Our project supervisor, Chris, was great at communicating with us and monitoring the progress. Except for the concrete crew, every contractor used was very sympathetic to our privacy and comfort, often taking a few minutes to explain what they were doing and what still needed to be done. The concrete contractor used our front lawn to store his backhoe for a few weeks, but Chris followed through with having them move it, which was great. We get compliments from people passing by that the addition fits very well with the existing house and you wouldn't know it was added 60 years later. We love the space and have had no issues with some severe weather in the area.

Since we had never done a major project like this before, we were unsure of what to expect. Overall, it probably went as we expected. We appreciated the designer working within our budget and not trying to upsell us and being flexible. We found the people at Normandy easy to work with us and developed a good relationship with the project manager. The project was completed on time and at budget. Everyone did a good job in matching the addition to the rest of our house, with the brick work turning out very well. We have a 30 year old mansard roof , all brick house, so were concerned about the addition blending in. Overall we were very pleased with that result. There were a few surprises along the way, most notably some design features that had to be eliminated due to pipes and vents in the walls. We felt these could have been vetted during the design phase. It also seemed the communciation among the Normandy team working on our project could have been better, especially about the schedule and when they would break into the house from the outside. We also had to be the quality control people on the job - but maybe that is normal for these types of projects. During the project, Normandy was responsive to our quality concerns, less so after the project was completed.

They didn't offer as much in what they were going to do for the money. The estimate was a little high so we went with someone else.

In hindsight it went ok. It was not easy to live in the house for the year and a half they were there. We were in limbo for a few weeks during the project when they were changing project managers without telling us. During that time there was no communication to such an extent that I started thinking that they were no longer in business. Turns out I was calling the cell phone of my project manager that was no longer with the company. No one told me and I had no contact person for awhile. During that time, no one came to work on my house and I was still living with no kitchen and lots of tarps. It worked out ok eventually. I now have beautiful hardwood and ceramic floors, granite island and counters, brand new roof. They have a lovely new showroom and treat their customers well. They use only top-notch vendors which can get a little pricey. This is true for everything you have to choose: ceramic tile, windows, cabinetry, hardware, plumbing fixtures, kitchen appliances, etc. But again the quality of these materials is very high, and if something does not look right, they will work until the problem is corrected. It was a big job and was frustrating at times but I think that is to be expected. Normandy's Matt and Greg handled all of the frustrations with grace and patience.

It's hard to rate Normandy because they were so inconsistent. We were extremely disappointed with the first project manager who seemed to not have a clue what was going on. The second project manager was worse. The third project manager was just as bad. None of these project managers had any kind of list to track where the project was, and what was needed. The crew would come for a couple days and get an incredible amount done. And then there would be weeks without anyone coming. We'd have to call over and over to find out why the crew wasn't working on our house. It took about 6 months to build a little 400 sq. job. By the way, none of the project managers were fired by us. They were probably having problems at other job sites. So, here are some examples of things we ran into during construction: toilet drain was placed too close to sink drain. I pointed out to the project manager that once the fixtures (toilet and sink) were installed, there's no way someone could actually sit on the toilet because their shoulder would be in the way of the sink. The project manager said they couldn't move it. (They did wind up moving the drain, after I said I wasn't going to accept any other option.) I got a call one night from the project manager asking if I wanted an "upgraded" sliding door. To me it was a weird question because, hey, if it's not costing me any more money, of course I'll take the upgrade. After it was installed I noticed that the frame was not straight, and the screen door and sliding door were uneven. When I pointed this out to the project manager he said they'd be able to fix it.(They never did.) Later I remembered that when the sliding door was first delivered to my house, it had nails in it already, and it looked like it was ripped out of another house. What probably happened is that Normandy got a defective door that was installed at another job site; the owner of that job forced Normandy to remove it, and so Normandy passed it on to me instead. Being that the sliding door was ripped out of another home, I never got keys to the door. I repeatedly asked our project manager to obtain keys for me, and like every other time we asked him to do something, he said "no problem." 7 years later I'm still waiting. The thing that bothered me the most about the job is that they didn't ask me if I wanted a basement until the day I needed to make the decision (because the truck was on-site). They said it would cost an additional $10,000 (for a 400 sq basement WITHOUT electricity or anything---that's just for a hole in the ground!). I wish I had gotten quotes from other companies that included the basement, because we could really use it, but at the time I was asked about a basement it was too late to compare quotes because the crew was already on-site. So---their project management was AWFUL (and we paid a premium to have "all-in-one" service). We were pretty happy with the quality of most of the subcontractors though.

We are very pleased. Leslie Marzec was the original designer/ consultant, and then Ken Garrison was the Project Manager. Both of them were extremely professional, managing details of the schedule and budget very well (which is what we were looking for). The porch is actually quite simple (by design), but wonderfully built; it looks great.

They have an extremely good service and they handle practically everything. I believe that I definitely got my money s worth from Normandy Builders. They are very friendly, helpful, and in general they are good people.

We had done three successful remodeling projects with Normandy in our previous home, and so naturally chose them to do the renovations before moving into our "new" historic home. This time the course was rockier and more stressful for us than previously. We experienced some significant delays and subcontractor quality problems, and more need to prod Normandy for progress updates, etc. While the process was not as happy as before, this company still understands quality work, has access to skilled craftsmen, and has a commitment to customer satisfaction. It took patience all around, but we kept at it until they got it right! In the end, we are quite pleased with the result.