Rivers Edge Design

Both Kevin, the owner, and Drew, his right hand man, are exceptionally knowledgeable and the work is outstanding. The overhanging -onto wood deck- sunroom presented a tricky redo, the build result was structurally sturdy. Kevin worked with me exploring porch design options. I decided to not pursue the screened porch but am thrilled with deck.

Kevin is super responsive and was extremely detailed in all the design details before we were even placed on the schedule. Once on the schedule it all happened in the time frame that Kevin said it would happen. Drew, who does the work, is really experienced and knows what he is doing. He is very pleasant and was flexible to accommodate small changes as we went along. There were a few picky attention to detail things that I wonder about and was a little surprised that Kevin didn't come around at the completion of the job for a walk through to make sure we were happy with everything. But the bottom line is that we love the porch and overall are really happy with the way everything went. We especially love the pet door that Drew built and the hardware that Kevin came up with. We are happy to recommend Kevin and Drew.

Rivers Edge team was excellent: delivered on time, clear communication, attention to detail, provided helpful insight on options to meet our design objectives. Slightly higher price BUT worth it for their professionalism & strong communications/attention to the details throughout the new deck project.

The job went perfectly. The deck is back like when it was new and some improvements were made in the original construction to make it even more stable.

Great! Kevin was proactive in answering questions and guiding the process. I feel confident the porch is well built and will give us years of enjoyment.

Enjoyed working with River's Edge. Price was comparable to other quotes I received. Kevin was responsive to questions in a timely manner and problem solved issues, always conscientious and courteous, and helped with choices I had to make. We love our screen porch! They built onto an existing concrete patio. It's solid, beautiful work, looks like it came with the house.

Great very pleased with the job!

Best construction team I've ever worked with. No matter what concern I had The Rivers Edge team found a solution.   NO DRAMA just high quality craftsmanship.  

provided carpentry for dining room.  provided drawings and samples before the work was approved.  very responsive to questions and concerns.  would not hesitate to use them again.

The completed project is gorgeous and I have had many hours of enjoyment on my new Deck this Summer. The project was completed exactly on schedule, the work was done professionally, and at a reasonable price. I am somewhat of a perfectionist and was very pleased with how neat and clean the jobsite was left each evening. I would give this Contractor an A+ overall rating and have already recommended Rivers Edge to several neighbors and friends.

Kevin was extremely engaging and patient in helping us decide what we actually wanted.  They easily coordinated with another contractor to stain the deck to match the pergola.  After installation, Kevin was engaged and professional in response to aesthetic rework that we requested related to treated wood quality.  We are extremely pleased with the end product.

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Where to start without getting long-winded?  Projects like this are difficult undertakings, especially for novices like us, who also just happen to have some pretty exacting standards.  To make things a little more difficult, we designed all the spaces and chose nearly all the materials.  Not every contractor will cede that much control, and I know Kevin was not completely comfortable with that arrangement at first.  However, Kevin is keenly focused on delivering a quality result, and on making the customer happy, so he found the right way to work with us to shape our designs into a realistic production project, and lent his considerable construction expertise to us relative to our choices of products.  For example, sometimes it's little things like "have we really considered the space we need between the toilet and the wall?".  What may seem like minor items ultimately can cause serious headaches down the line in construction, and Kevin was exceedingly detailed in his demand for setting all specs correctly and well ahead of production.  Can that make for "tough" conversations with folks like us?  Sure, on occasion, but Kevin is pretty easy going overall and very experienced with customer interaction, so everything was professional.  And on some occasions, we just had to learn the limitations and effects of "rookie" architectural drawings (ours).  Net, we set up a recipe for a potentially contentious relationship, and potentially even nasty, and Kevin used his knowledge and professionalism to make everything work, and do it in a way that we enjoyed most of the experience. 
In the construction, Kevin utilized a team of experienced, knowledgeable craftsmen.  These guys knew their stuff, and routinely went about each phase of the project with our long-term interests in mind.  For example, they found instances in which our sub-floor was not level, and spent extra time with tile placement to ensure that the final floor was level.  Then, we utilized Ditra floor underlayment, and Ditra wiring for floor heating.  The guys knew that the Ditra controller was not user friendly, and swapped out to another brand of controller to make our experience better.  In another instance, we specified a partial wall to "front" the toilet space, and specified 7 feet tall, with no vertical connection to the cathedral ceiling above.  Typically, that type of wall needs support from above, but we didn't like that look.  The guys worked to solidify the attachment through the floor joists to make the wall sturdy without support from above and it looks nice.  We had previously worked with Kevin and his lead carpenter Drew on a pergola project (A+ work, by the way), and Drew did not disappoint.  He built and installed custom shelving units for our closet, a pair of sliding barn doors (Kevin did a lot of work to help spec the right door hanging hardware), and replaced all our old bedroom 3" stained trim with modern 4" window trim and 6" baseboard trim.  Drew is an interesting guy (you'd have to meet him to understand) but friendly and just awesome and affordable with his work. 
On the business end, Kevin was clear and up front on costs and expectations, billed in reasonable increments, and was not pushy (does not mean pushover) on payments.  If there was a change or an issue, he looked to minimize cost impact and worked to find solutions that didn't cost more or, at a minimum, were fair to us.  One issue that arose was that the quartz supplier we chose originally quoted a 7 - 10 day turnaround at purchase, but ultimately was nearly a month to deliver, and we were at a standstill for a while.  Kevin was patient, and worked his crews around, to still manage the completion. An additional element worth noting is Kevin's understanding of the market - i.e. fitting the project to the value of the property.  Kevin would provide good insight into what material and design choices would provide the right return on investment.  For example, in a neighborhood like ours, there are some investments that would never reflect in home values (e.g. $15-20K worth of custom bath cabinetry).  And on the other end, you need to use granite or quartz for counters if you want to maintain value, not laminate.  Kevin fully understands how to fit budget vs. need vs. area home value and return on investment.
Downside?  Not much.  From a design standpoint, I believe that in some areas we "pushed the envelope" with some of our ideas relative to Kevin's and his team's experience.  There were a few learning experiences.  In one case, we wanted to split most of the lighting areas (e.g. shower, toilet, vanities) onto separate switches, such that with exhaust fan, entry and overhead lights, and partitioned light areas, we ultimately placed 8 switches into one wall location.  And, we wanted several of them on dimmers.  We got a few crazy looks from the guys, and we had to really search for switchplates that worked, but we did it.  In another case, we wanted a shower nook recessed into the wall, crossing 2 joist bays and fitting in the corner.  And, at a height to handle my wife's large salon shampoo bottles.  In construction, custom work can often create more opportunities for failure versus standard-sized items, and I get that.  So our request made for an interesting interaction, in part because it was something Kevin and his team had not faced before.  But guess what?  Kevin talked to a couple of suppliers and found the right product that could be manually assembled, and I think he will tell you that the nook is a nice design touch.
Okay, one other point.  Most anything you see and read about Rivers Edge Design centers on work with decks, pergolas, and some basement remodeling.  Kitchen and bathroom work are not the key focus of their company.  Kitchen and bath work entails a lot of tough and hard to manage variables and design elements.  It's not the most rewarding work.  This project was not a typical Rivers Edge Design project, and I suspect our cost will be much higher than the average project rated on Angie's List. for them.  I honestly don't know Kevin's appetite for this kind of work as a recurring part of his business.  As I noted, I think there were a few (a few, not many) aspects or this project that were learning experiences.  But having said that, we remained fully confident that Kevin could do any and all of the work, and do it well.
Overall, we are very satisfied with our "new" house.  We gave it a significant upgrade, while getting a high level of function and "use-ability".  We sought to get a high-end look without breaking the bank, and Rivers Edge delivered in all regards.  Kevin is easy to work with, and as mentioned several times, works to provide high customer satisfaction.  He's not the cheapest, he'll tell you that, but he is by no means the most expensive.  But he won't cut corners and will be honest with you on the downsides and issues of the project.  Net, you get a good value for the products and service, and we would recommend Rivers Edge Design to anyone with a construction project.  We would use them again, no doubt.
 

Kevin and his team were excellent to work with. I appreciated Kevin's design ideas and guidance, and how conscientious he was about managing the project and my expectations and communicating status.  I was never left wondering where the project was or what was happening.
I found his team to be punctual and professional and I could not be more pleased with the resulting porch and patio.

The weather cooperated and everything went quite well.
Completed just as requested.
Very small followup item taken care of quickly and completely.

Rivers Edge Design is fantastic to work with and highly recommended. Kevin and his team are professional, punctual, honest, and easy to work with. Kevin has a keen eye for design but also understands the construction aspect of projects. He knows what will look good but also any challenges that may be involved. Kevin oversees all the details of each project to make sure the end product reaches his high standards - if not - it is done again without the customer ever having to say a word. The craftsmanship from Drew is outstandanding. It is unique to find such a quality, trustworthy company that is grassroots right here in Indianapolis.

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Kevin, the owner of River's Edge Design, worked with us and kept us informed every step of the way.  He had many creative ideas and suggestions and supplied pictures of completed decks as examples.  He is very knowledgeable and has a keen sense of design.  He was receptive to and incorporated our ideas into the final design.  Drew, the building part of the team, showed up every week day and worked a full day.  He did exceptional work, every detail down to the last nail hole and rounded corner was perfect.  Kevin kept in frequent contact and was often on-site mocking up examples so we could see what each part would look like.  New skirting, deeper stair treads with LED lights on a timer, a smart, contemporary railing system, and a beautiful cedar screen with 3 ambient lights were added for privacy from the street. Exterior boards were all wrapped in cedar, everything sturdily constructed for safety as well as beauty. 
 
This is not only the most expensive but also the most trouble free project we've ever undertaken.  Kevin took care of everything.   It was refreshing to check the work every night and find nothing wanting, any defective boards were replaced without asking. Kevin and Drew's honesty and pride of work was evident from the very start.  I've learned from experience that cheapest is not always best. We were looking for quality and beauty and that's exactly what we received.  My husband and I were pleased beyond expectation.  The deck feels like a work of art, superior construction and beauty make it worth every penny.  How often do you get to say that?

After receiving three separate quotes, it was clear that Kevin at Rivers Edge would be building our one of a kind deck. ?We live on a ravine, so the deck had to work with and accommodate multiple levels and take advantage of the view. ?Kevin listened to our ideas and understood what we wanted. ?He got excited about the project, added great enhancements, and the price was very reasonable. ?From there the entire project went extremely well with no surprises start to finish. ?I even threw them a curve ball by wanting to extend the deck late into the project, but it was only met with optimism and quick attention as to how it could be accomplished. ?Kevin and Drew are both organized, hard working, dependable and really nice people to work with and have around. ?They put their heart into their work, and it shows. ?They built our dream 24'x34' deck that truly has become an extension of our home. ?Drew also built a beautiful wooden gate that leads to the deck. ?The gate was only an idea in my mind, but Kevin was able to put it to design and now we have another added feature to our deck that can be seen from the front of the house.

It went very well. Very responsive and good communication. Good workmanship.

The process was wonderful.  Kevin walked us through every step, helped us a long the way & gave us exactly what we had asked for.  Drew came early every morning & worked late every day.  Drew was easy to work with & was very friendly with my children & dogs.  I plan on having them come to do future work for me.

Kevin and Drew where very professional, the job was small but they did excellent work, we will defiantly use them again on any size job.

We had envisioned a new deck with some rather unusual features including multi-level, absence of railing, no skirting and to visually appear to be floating over a garden area.  We discussed this with several deck contractors and Kevin at Rivers Edge immediately understood what we wanted and the engineering challenges involved.  He proposed a means of achieving the desired effect with cantilevered platforms.  Additionally, he suggested some modifications to our vision that created more architectural interest and enhanced functionality.  The deck was constructed professionally, on time and in a matter of just a few days.  We are delighted with the design and the quality of the work done by Rivers Edge.  Kevin was extremely attentive to our needs and desires and schedule.  I could not imagine the project going any better.  We would enthusiastically recommend Rivers Edge without any reservation.

Contacted 4 well rated companies from Angies List. 3 were punctual in arranging to visit, including Kevin from River's Edge design. Our deck is on a falling away slope and Kevin was the only bidder who seemed to be able to get a good grasp of the project and come up with a good design. He spent an hour here discussing the project, making sure he understood our needs and discussing alternatives. Bid was competitive with the others, with the differentiation being his design and general overall professionalism, including suggestions on shape, edging and finishing etc..

The work was started the following week and completed within 6 working days. Work included cutting up and removing the old wooden deck and then planning out and installing the new.   Drew executed the whole project in a professional way and cleaned up appropriately

Final help from Kevin was provided on getting quotes to get the staining work done. Contacted 3 suppliers for us, who he knows do a good job, including providing guarantees. Of course we could have done this ourselves, but as the staining is part of the overall appearance of the deck, Kevin is working to ensure that the whole integrated project looks good.

I thought their price was reasonable. I had a great experience with them and they did a fantastic job. I will absolutely use them again.