Budget Right Kitchens

I always enjoy working with Dan at Budget Right. This was our third job with Budget Right. We have completed a kitchen remodel, a remodel of our study and guest bath and now this work. Our garage was originally built in the late 1940's and remodeled to enclose a breezeway in the late 70's. The original remodeling was done economically and had not held up well. We took down a wall between the two bays of the garage, took down old plywood, insulated the garage, installed luan which was then polyurethaned. The garage now looks great and is much roomier. We have a small service basement which was a bit gloomy. Budget Right installed new tiles on the floor and wall surrounding the staircase. They painted the remaining walls. They also installed a new laundry tub/dog bath. Because of the age of the house and basement, they noted several other needed repairs/updates that were needed to plumbing and gas lines. I appreciated them bringing these items to my attention. The basement now looks like a room in the house as opposed to a gloomy laundry/service area. Finally, they installed three exterior doors. Our exterior doors were older and not as energy efficient as we wanted. Our new doors are beautiful and really improve the appearance of our home.

In December I bought a 750 sf condo in a unique high rise in terrible condition knowing that I was going to do a complete gut remodel of the entire place. The condo needed everything done to it from walls being moved or torn down to a new front door. The bathroom and kitchen needed completely replaced and the electrical needed fixed. The ceilings even needed to be refinished. I also wanted to open up the space by removing the bedroom wall which present its own challenge as far as what to do with the wiring in that wall. I began interviewing contractors in January which is how I found Budget Right. I met with Dirk, the owner. He came to my place and listened to my ideas and was willing to offer plenty of great suggestions. He understood exactly what I wanted done. Before signing on we met a second time at a kitchen cabinet shop to once again discuss ideas. He once again proved that he understood my vision for the place. In addition I asked a lot of questions about how the company was run and really liked his work ethic. Shortly after this he provided me with an estimate and the price was right on my budget so I signed on. We set a date to begin work at the end of February however Dirk was able to get a crew together a few weeks early which was fantastic so they got started right away. Dan, who managed my project, was amazing. As the project evolved he was on top of everything. I had a lot of ideas for adding small details during construction and Dan listened to them all and made most of them work. Being a high rise that's almost 50 years old with an unusual floor plan, there were plenty of unexpected bumps but they were never a problem because Dan and the crew were brilliant about figuring everything out. I felt like Dan was treating this as his own home. In the end everything was completed on time and better than I had imagined. Everyone who saw the condo before remodeling now walks in and their jaws drop at how amazing it looks. Budget Right went above and beyond with this project.

We had our master bathroom remodeled. Could not have had a better experience. Budget right helped us from the start, helping us pickout tile and then actually going to pick it up for us. When the shower head we ordered came with a part missing, Mark went to the store himself to get a new one for us that was similar to the one we picked out. Everything was done when they said it would be done and we are very happy with our new bathroom. They also did not leave us high and dry when the job was done and if we have any issues, they would be right out to help us. Great company!!!

They were general contractors. They did the work for three months. We had a lot of water damage, as the pipe had burst in the unit that was above us. They were good. The workers were very skilled, but it took some time to get them to do the work. They could have been a little bit more responsive. However, when they did the work, they did a great job. We?ll consider using them again in the future.

Been talking about redoing my kitchen for years and finally did it. Had about 7 people come out and 2 provided quotes and wanted the business. Have never done anything like this in the past, so was clearly green. My hand was held and I did not have any hiccups. Line of communication was open at all times and they were flexible with my schedule as well. New cabinets, appliances and countertops. Gained a ton of new cabinet and counterspace & do not have one regret with my choice of contractors.

It was an overall disappointing experience and a first for me using Angie's List!

My husband and I purchased a vintage condo in Chicago sorely in need of remodeling. I spent a month researching, interviewing and comparing various contractors and sub-contractors and getting estimates of purchased items (cabinets, appliances, tile, marble, sinks, lighting, etc.). For a novice remodel, I felt I had done my homework well - I had a pretty good idea of what the project entailed. Well - let me say right off that selecting Budget Right as our general contractor was the right decision. Dirk Hoerr, the owner, prides himself on budgeting accurately. And with the exception of a few plumbing issues (which we knew upfront would be an additional charge) and a few additional items of my choice, he was right on the money. And Dirk is very creative, too. He designed the plan to update the tired old galley kitchen and separate dining room into an open kitchen and family room space. It's a dazzler! Dirk's project manager, Dan Ahmer, is a gem and was on the job every day overseeing the workers. He and I met two or three times a week at least. I can't tell you how many problems he solved with us. Working in vintage is not easy - there are lots of unforeseen obstacles that pop up. But Dan and his crew chief, Mario, always seemed to find the most practical and economical solutions. They also figured out how to implement my ideas for some custom touches. The project took about six months, which I think is excellent, considering the scope. We couldn't be happier with our new home. Please note that the project cost of $180,000 includes Budget Rights work plus the purchased materials (appliances, tile, flooring, countertops, cabinets, vanities, hardware, lighting, construction materials and paint, etc.). It does not include electrical, air conditioning or windows.

The whole job went extremely well and was even finished a little ahead of schedule. Dirk prepared us for the worst as far as being without a kitchen for an extended period of time which was very helpful. Everyone on the job was very knowledgeable and courteous. Our general contractor, Dan, was on site most days and a phone call away if we had any questions or concerns. Any additional costs were due to things that we wanted done so there were no surprises. Every step of the way we felt we were in good hands. When there was an unforeseen problem, Dirk came out right away and stayed on the job until the problem was resolved. I recommend this company highly and without any reservations.

Great experience and outcome. I was very happy with the counsel, quality, responsiveness and finished product. I had used Budget Right about a year ago to gut and remodel two bathrooms, and am happy I used them again. Dan and his team are outstanding and I would recommend them highly to my friends...and I'm pretty picky.

Dirk came out and talked us through his opinions on what they could do and then matched it to our needs to come up with a detailed plan. He told us to get other estimates and then come back to him if we felt that working with them felt right. They were not the cheapest estimate, but based on our conversations and their reviews we felt comfortable going with them. We felt like they did that a project this large that involves people having the keys to your house and being there without you was a relationship and you needed to have some trust going in. Dan was the project manager and did a great job. From the beginning of the project, communication was stressed so that anytime we even had the small idea of a problem or concern to call them. We only had a few minor problems that were discussed and handled promptly. The workers were very clean and kept the house as clean as could be for the amount of dirt/dust that a complete rebuild creates. We were told two months for the project and finished about two weeks early. At the end the final payment of the remaining balance is due plus or minus any unexpected events. As an accountant I had a spreadsheet that I estimated the final thinking we should be under budget, but it was without seeing all of the receipts on what the workers bought for the project. Of course being the first time through I didn't even know I could prove what receipts were or were not associated with my project especially since most of the work was done while I was at work. Dirk and his team however keep excellent records and the final bill actually came in slightly lower than my estimate. I would definitely hire Budget Right again. Trust, on time, under-budget, resolved any issues and stands behind their work.

The experience was great. They were very detailed in the planning phase, and we spoke to the foreman a lot, and he was great. He always brought us to speed on what was happening. There were a couple of things that we would have done differently, and there needed to be a little more organization in the work, which was challenging, but overall, the quality of work was good.

We found them on Angie's List, and they did an excellent job. They were excellent communicators. Whenever we had a problem, they were right there to solve it. Any concerns we had or anything we wanted to have changed, they just did it. They were very professional.

We contacted Budget Right to remodel our kitchen. It was to be a gut down to the studs involving tearing out a brick wall and raising the ceiling. Dirk came out promptly as scheduled and provided valuable guidance to the remodel. We have never done any type of remodel work before, so Dirk took the time to explain everything that was involved, how it would proceed and the timing. So we were ready to break ground and along came the economy. So despite the fact that we were not able to do our remodel, I?m confident it would have been completed with the same level of attention and professionalism that was shown up to that point. Highly recommend Dirk and Budget Right.

My main complaint with Budget Right is that they seemed disorganized internally and, in some cases, took it out on us, their clients. They basically achieved what we asked them to do, with varying levels of quality in the work. In addition, the project dragged on for a long time after we moved in, despite our agreement to a firm deadline. This last issue was also a result of what appeared to be poor internal communication on the part of our project manager. We are generally happy with the work, but would not recommend them because of how we were treated as clients.

In a word: OUTSTANDING! This was our first major remodeling project. Dirk Hoerr, the company owner, determined our needs, discussed options and gave us an initial estimate. Dirk took some measurements and set up an appointment with the cabinet and countertop dealer where, under his guidance, we designed the kitchen layout and selected the material for our countertop. Soon after we received a spreadsheet describing in detail all work to be done with its cost. Actual work began about 2 weeks later to give us time to move operations to our dinning and bath room. Dan managed the remodeling process and his attention to detail was remarkable. Dan was truly "the man", handling all aspects of the job, including telling us when to set up delivery of the appliances, sinks faucets, and even the cabinet handles. Dan's crew worked Mon through Sat for at least 8 hrs a day. The were very respectful and cleaned up after the job. The electricians he employed were very accommodating and responsive to our requests. Our only mistake was setting up the job over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. But not for BRK! Dirk gave an estimate of 8 weeks and would have been on target had it not been for the snow storm and sub-zero (-15) weather and the holidays. Instead, the whole project was completed in 9 weeks. BRK had converted a room that might had been mistaken for the Black Hole of Calcutta to a kitchen that could grace the cover of House Beautiful. At the end of the project, BRK insisted on a final walk through to ensure everything was done to our specifications. We highly recommend Budget Right Kitchens and plan to use them for our bathroom remodeling project.

It went well. Budget Right did what they said they were going to do, and helped us transform our condo into what we had envisioned. They assisted us in picking out cabinets and floors. Budget Right delivered a quality product. They were courteous from the get-go and did their work in a punctual manner. The cabinets look real good as does the hardwood floor. Quality work was expected, and we got it.

We really couldn't have been happier with the entire project. Jim was our sales person/estimator. He was courteous, knowledgeable, and a pleasure to work with. He joined us at the cabinet showroom to advise during the design process. We had a pretty specific layout in mind, and Budget Right did well to suggest improvements while staying true to our ideas. In the end, we agreed on the design and layout that we wanted, incorporating some of the ideas Budget Right suggested based upon their experience. We obtained quotes from a few other companies. Budget Right came in right in the middle price-wise, but they were the most pleasant to work with and instilled the most confidence that our job would be a successful one. The job was estimated to take 6-8 weeks. The first few weeks saw massive progress, and we thought work might even be done early. In the end, minor delays with cabinets and flooring saw the job finish right on schedule. Dan was our project manager. It has been said many times before here on Angie's List, and I'll say it again: Dan is awesome. His communication skills are excellent, he has comprehensive knowledge of nearly all aspects of remodeling, and he's just an all-around nice guy. He was always easy to get in touch with, worked well with the various subs, and I'm sure is one of the main reasons Budget Right is so highly reviewed here. Dan's team was also great to work with. They were all talented at their trades, and their attention to quality and detail was quite obvious. Everyone was always right on time and did exactly what they said they were going to do. I was impressed at how things were left at the end of each day. Floors were swept, tools put away, etc. We will absolutely use Budget Right for any future remodeling projects.

Began with a general overview with owner, Dirk Hoerr. Set up a time to meet at the condo. He was always very punctual and professional. He listened to what we wanted to accomplish with the rehab and offered his opinions. He explained how his company operates, what the process would be and then set up a time for a second meeting. He was then able to give us a quote for what we wanted to accomplish and gave us time to consider the offer without pressuring us. We consulted two other places, and although his quote was not the lowest, we felt most comfortable with his overall approach. We believed that he was experienced with high rise buildings, honest in his pricing and straightforward with us. The next meeting was with Dirk and the project manager Dan, who would oversee the work. The work took about 4 months. Our experience with Dan was always outstanding. He was always responsive to our concerns and always called back quickly when we left messages. At the beginning, Dan and Dirk told us that there would be bumps in the road, which there were, but that by the end, they would do all they could to make us happy with the final results. They didn't disappoint in this regard. We are extremely happy with the outcome of the condo. Although we had some issues with the countertops (quartz) and the person referred to do the electrical work, Dan went above and beyond what he needed to do to satisfy our concerns. In the end, the outcome was better than what we could have initially imagined. We had no problems with the condo association because Dan dealt with the building managers directly before any problems occurred. This was greatly appreciated. All our friends and family compliment the look of our condo. We would highly recommend Budget Right to anyone thinking of a remodeling project.

Overall this was a terrible experience and one I regret. It was the horror story you hear about with remodeling. Before even starting the job, but after the estimate, I was told the cabinets would cost more, about $600 more, even though I spent a Saturday morning at their recommended cabinet place. Then they called and wanted to double the cost of the plumber; at this point I considered canceling the project (which I wish I had), but they came back the next day and said they would hold the price; although when the final payment came due they wanted to charge me more for plumbing, but after a discussion, and since I never approved it, they didn't and they held the original price. The job was to take 8-10 weeks but ended up taking 4 months. To help ensure the job would go smoothly I used a decorator they recommended; this also was a mistake since they tended to blame her for things not coming in on time, and while that is true to an extent (I wouldn't hire her again), they rarely called me when they needed an answer. After about 4 weeks the crew left and only the project manager came to finish the job. This was very disappointing, as I felt the job was big enough that it should have had a good team on it. His idea of quality and mine were not even close. In addition, the cabinets they ordered for me from their place came in wrong 4 times, this was another reason for the delay; however, the overall work was not of a very high quality. They never covered the guest bath floor which wasn't replaced, and there are scratches. In the master, there are at least several tiles that have chips in them, and it took 3 tries before they fixed a leak in the new sink which started to make the floor of the vanity buckle up, the faucets were loose and needed to be repaired by the fabricator and the paint job in the 3 rooms they did were so poor I had to hire someone to re-do the job. I would say if you have the time and plan to watch over everything they do, they must have some quality workers given some of the grades on Angie's; however, if you're relying on them to manage the job, deliver on time and be happy with the work I wouldn't hire them. Jim was nice enough, but I didn't want "nice enough," I wanted QUALITY work which isn't what I got, I got excuses. Even after the job was done. I called Jim because a shelf was missing which he did get for me within a week or so, however, once again I was given a bad shelf because it had the wrong edge finished/stained. I would have thought after everything, that they'd at least try to end the job on a good note, but after one disappointment after another, I'm just glad it's over. Their response is a lie, I didn't lose a family member and no one is terminally ill. I did purchase all cabinets from their vendor, I'm not dishonest! How can an owner say these lies to cover themselves.

It was fast and a great job. We had water coming in around our fireplace the weekend the remnants of Hurricane Hugo made its way through Chicago (lots of heavy rain and strong winds). This was right at the completion of our kitchen remodeling and recarpeting the living room. We wanted the problem fixed fast. Since Budget Right was finishing the punch list for our kitchen remodel, we asked them to take a look and tell us why we were getting water in so we would know what kind of contractor to contact. They showed us the tuck-pointing problem and cracks in the cap, and told us they could do the job right away. Since the kitchen remodel had gone so well, and I wanted the leak fixed in the few days of good weather before the next storm, we were happy to have them do the work.

Not only did they do a great job that looks phenomenal, but I felt that we were being taken care of throughout the entire project. One of our primary concerns was getting the job done on time, and they came through with flying colors. All contractors estimated it was about a 10 week project, and Budget Right did 99% of the job in 8 weeks (including some delays). A last piece of trim was delayed from the cabinet company, but was still installed on the 10th week. Starting with the estimate, Jim walked us through all the decisions we were going to need to make. This was very helpful. He listened to what we needed, wanted, and hoped for, and gave us a lot of help based on what we told him. He gave us lists of vendors that they could get discounts through, or that had particularly good selection, price and reputations (and told us which were which). He came with us when we chose cabinets, which were 1/2 off through Budget Right (which ended up being about $17k savings). All of this was prior to us signing a contract. Dan managed the project and kept it on or ahead of schedule. He is extremely knowledgeable in all aspects of remodeling and came up with creative solutions to some difficult obstacles. One of the reasons I chose Budget Right is that I saw an Angie's List review saying "Dan's the man" referring to getting the job done on time. It was absolutely true. Dan is the man!The results were great, and I couldn't be happier. I am a detail oriented guy (read as nit-picker and control freak). Whenever I had an issue with how something was being done, it was taken care of. Most of the time this was a simple "no problem." Occasionally, it was an explanation of why it couldn't be done they way I thought. It was always courteous. Most of the time, my control issues were handled before they even came up, because everything was explained in as much detail as I needed and wanted, so I could trust them to handle all the details without my constant supervision. I felt relaxed, in a situation that I know would ordinarily get me very very tense. If you are a control freak like I am, you need these guys. We were well taken care of. My wife sees clients in our basement and the top of our stairs were in the project area. Budget Right went above and beyond to make sure that her business was able to keep going throughout the entire project. They even worked on the stairs area on Saturdays (including getting the electrician to work on Saturday). I have listed that the final cost was right-on, and it was relative to the portion that we paid to Budget Right. However, the allowances for variable parts of the contract including the electrical were a little low. We anticipated that there were going to be some extras before we started, and it was within our expectations. Note that the final cost was still $20k less than the other's estimates. We plan to do some bathroom remodeling soon. We will use Budget Right.

Extremely professional and knowledgeable. However, I felt they were over-qualified for the simple work required in a modest home. This company is better suited to high-end hotels, corporations, big budget projects. A simple remodel of my small one-bathroom was estimated at over $15,000++ (plus cost of supplies). That cost was due to the three (3)??? man team needed and would take up to three weeks to complete??? Typically this job has been quoted to me w/ a two man job and 7-10 days max.... at half the cost, and with a Better Business approved contractor. I just think they are not the most effective for minor work.

In general a good outcome with the notable exceptions that 1) the plumbing in the full bathroom (faucet, water diverter, shower head, drip pan) were not installed in a vertical line (ie the line was crooked), and 2) the electrician had to reinstall a box and two sconces because of poor communication with the job coordinator, and 3) the job took at least 6-8 weeks longer than necessary due to periodic absence of workers without explanation or warning to me from the job coordinator.

We contacted Dirk about our construction job and met with him to discuss our issues with insurance reimbursement, timing of payments and to review the scope of the job. At the first meeting, Dirk provided copies of his business license, proof of insurance, references, and a list of subcontractors and material providers he has relationships with. Within a week we had an estimate from Dirk. It was several weeks before we could sign the contract due to haggling with the insurance company on reimbursement. Dirk was patient throughout this process. Dirk met with us on several occasions before the job even started, including a meeting with our claims adjuster to assist us with getting adequate funds for the job. Once the funding was secure, Dirk again worked with us to agree on a payment plan that was not standard as we were dealing with the payout requirements of both the insurance company and the mortgage company. Dirk arranged for us to meet with the flooring subcontractor and the electrical subcontractor. We then met with the Construction Manager-Dan to go over scope and timing of the job. At all of our meetings both Dirk and Dan's knowledge of residential construction was extensive and they provided advice and suggestions for minor details we would have never thought of. Once the job began, the communication from Dan was excellent. He made sure we were aware of every step of the process and he continually called and/or met with us to iron out further details of the job as it progressed. We had a slight problem with a refrigerator leak after most of the construction was complete. Again, Dan and Dirk were rather responsive and took care of replacing the new materials that had been damaged. The quality of the work is exceptional. This includes the hardwood floors, the electrical, painting, granite installation, etc. We worked with the suggested Granite installer and the process was seamless. Although the project took up a lot of our time, the overall process went better than we could have expected. The key to the success and quality of this company is the construction knowledge and management skills of our construction manager-Dan. We can't say enough about his communication skills and attention to detail.

Budget Right was one of four contractors/designers I talked to about our kitchen remodeling project. From the beginning they were very serious about making sure that they provided quotes on exactly what I wanted. They were very helpful discussing how pricing might differ based upon different design ideas, such as moving appliances, types of cabinetry,etc. We visited the cabinetry shop, together with Jim (Budget Right estimator) and selected the cabinets and the cabinet layout. The designer at the cabinet shop worked with us to finalize the design. Before any contract was signed, we had the exact price of the cabinetry and they had priced out all of the construction and installation costs in detail. We acquired the appliances, as well as all tile. We also provided our own electrician. Throughout the course of construction, they consulted with me on any additional work (such as strengthening the floor) and gave me a price so that we could decide what we wanted to do. The construction process began right on time. They were very careful to cover floors to prevent any damage. They also put up plastic to help contain dust. We still got dust on everything; it can't be avoided, but they took reasonable efforts to minimize the dust. The project progressed as they had said. We added some additional work which extended the work time slightly. Communication was excellent throughout the project. Dan was our project manager and was regularly in touch with us. Anytime I had a question, I could call Dan. It never took more than a few hours for him to get back to me. The kitchen turned our beautifully. The tile work is excellent. The cabinets are beautiful. Everything turned out great. Their level of service, attention to detail, and willingness to address any issues was superb. After the project was completed, I decided I would like glass shelves for the glass front cabinets. I mentioned it to Jim when he called to check up on the project. He offered to arrange for the glass shelves. Within a week or two, Dan delivered the glass shelves at a very reasonable price. This is the third kitchen we have built/remodeled. It was the best all around experience we have had.