Invest In Your Kitchen & Bath, TDG Construction

"We worked with the clients about a year ago...January- March 2014. Our two designers and site supervisor made 5 site visits. They came to our office 3 times to view designs on our 3D design computer. We had lots of phone conversations and e-mail exchanges. We also took the clients to view kitchen remodeling projects that we had recently completed. We explored 5 possible floor plans with preliminary designs, and compiled 2 different final design proposals. The work took place over about 2 1/2 months. In 2014 we completed 33 design projects. This one was unique.... it took the longest and resulted in us refunding half of our fees. When we met the clients, they had retired and recently purchased their home of about 3,000 sq. ft. The setting is lovely!. The downside of the home is the small outdated galley style (long and narrow) kitchen. They asked us to make it larger, more functional and "family friendly". In order to accomplish those objectives, one of the walls would need to move. One of our designs included removing part of the old brick feature wall in order to achieve better traffic flow, updated cabinets/appliances and room for family activities. The second design opened into the dining room. None of our designs "blocked a doorway", but instead opened spaces for better traffic flow. Truly, we hit a "brick wall" in working with the clients. We felt it was appropriate to make a refund of half of the fees, even though we gave them two completed designs. During the time we worked together, the clients had several life changes. Their two pre-school aged grand children came to live with them. The female home-owner began having sciatic (back and leg) pains. Clearly, it was not the time to move ahead on a kitchen remodeling project. This review comes almost a year after we began their project. I can see from the homeowners comments that she had regrets about not being able to move ahead with making her kitchen more attractive and functional. I believe that I was able to satisfy clients on all the other design projects we completed this year. I wanted to meet the clients needs and desires, but was not able to do so. No matter how long and hard our design team works, out job is not complete until the client is satisfied,"

"We appreciate the good "report card", especially when it comes from a hard-working teacher!"

"This review is a big surprise to me. We did spend 7 weeks with the client---- including Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years---as well as his surgery and hospitalization. The bathroom remodel involved reconfiguring his bedroom, bathroom and closet as well as moving doorways into the living room and kitchen. There was a significant amount of sheetrock and slow drying time during a wet winter. Workers are not scheduled to go every day to a job site in a bath remodel. Scheduling of each work element has to be adjusted based on completion of prior phases. Scheduling is especially difficult during holidays. We gave him an option to wait until after holidays to start construction. I personally visited him after construction was completed and asked for feedback. He told me he was pleased except for two things. He showed me an inside back corner of the tile countertop where a tile was cut in order to fit. He also showed by a wooden closet rod that was scratched. You can see this beautiful contemporary bathroom on our website. It took a while to complete this custom bath project. From our point of view, the outcome was not what was described by the client."

"We appreciate the favorable review as well as the nice treatment from the client to all of our staff. We enjoy projects where we can find cost effective solutions to the upgrades and repairs that a homeowner desires."

"We appreciate the good review from [member name removed]. By their investing their time and money in the design process, we were able to create a cost effective upgrade for their bathrooms."

"We have completed a variety of projects for this client. Prior to this small window job, we did larger projects in the kitchen & bath. We love for customers to call us back!"

"Thanks for the favorable review. The team at Invest In your Kitchen & Bath is committed to helping our clients meet the objective of their remodeling project. The Hobarts have done their part to be good clients as well. Ongoing decisions are required in a remodeling project, so clear communication is important."

"What really surprises me about Member report is that we were not aware that they were dissatisfied! We thought we had resolved all the issues that came up over the course of the project. Communication is they key to our business and we want satisfied customers. Our renovation project for the Member included removing all the sheetrock, moving walls, opening a pass through counter into the living area, installing new cabinets, work island, countertops, backsplash, oven tower, oversized cook top and custom hood, sink/faucet, wood flooring, lighting fixtures, under counter lighting, painting, trim molding, etc. You can see the before and after pictures at www.InvestInYourKitchen.com. With all those elements completed in our renovation, Member has mentioned 6 issues that I want to address. 1. When we work with clients on design, we have to do “reality check” with what they client sees on TV and in magazines and what is optimal to fit within the budget and the structural elements of their home. We are attentive listeners and we help clients sort through their priorities. Not every desire can be accommodated. 2. Member wanted drawers in her cabinet under the cook top. When we installed the cook top cabinet it had doors with pull out drawers inside the doors. She wanted drawer fronts instead of doors, so we ordered and installed those at a slight charge. She also wanted to make a change to the design of the custom hood over the range. We ordered those pieces and there was a charge for that design change. It took 15 days for those parts to be received and installed. 3. We installed an under mounted silgranit sink. The reveal (edge) of the sink cutout went from 1/4” to 5/8” approximately. We felt that it was within a reasonable tolerance and asked her “Can you live with this ----it will be very costly re re-install the entire counter section”. She said she could and we went on to the next task. 4. We installed an under counter LED light system that has exposed wires and connections under the counter in one corner. She is not the only client who did not like that type if installation. We now use a new system and offered to upgrade her lights, but Member declined. 5. Due to space limitations, the only size pantry that we could put in the Member's kitchen was 33”. So with her approval, we designed and installed a pantry with 4 pull outs to give full access to the bottom section. After installation of the pantry, Member saw a pantry system online that folds out and so she asked that we modify and install it. We did so, but she did not like the results. She and her husband did a different modification that they liked. 6. The Member's asked that we design a kitchen project based on a $35,000 to $40,000 budget. We did so and signed a contact. After we began the project, they added about $10,000 in additional projects. They decided to install new wood flooring, paint adjacent rooms, install lighting, etc. The resulting increases were at their discretion and were all done through signed change orders. These change orders caused a change in the timeline of the project, and we left a small crew to continue at the Member's while the rest of the crew went on to our next scheduled project. Before you decide that we are D Grade Contractors, please look at the photos of this project (before and after photos) at website"

"Project update---we just got a call from the Member's to do their master bath renovation six months after we did the kids bathroom. We love satified homeowners!"

"Our Goal is to make every project as worry free as possible, we want our customers to know that they can expect perfection from the projects we accomplish. Give us the chance to make you a satisfied customer."

"Although the work took a little longer than initally planed, this is a very common issue. It's hard to exactly estimate the condition of elements in constrution line until the walls are open, but my goal is not to give the home owner many "suprises" or extras as some contractors price gouge once the construction has begun. If it is an easy fix I usually just eat the cost and only approach the customer if there is a major issue. Again I want a customer to realize that they are getting honest, reliable, craftsmanship."