Auburndale Builders

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As a homeowner I have had the opportunity to build several homes over the last 40 years. They have varied from colonial to contemporary homes. In each case I?ve had to work with a builder and his team. I have had some very good builders over the years and they have built some quality homes, but they can?t hold a candle to Auburndale Builders. Auburndale Builders have the qualities I look for when considering any type of construction, whether it is a complete home to build, or adding an addition to an existing home. What are those qualities? They are quality of workmanship, knowledge of their business, executing within budget and on time, integrity of the firm, and cleanliness on a day-to-day basis. This year we decided to upgrade our bathrooms while remaining in our home. Auburndale Builders give us a plan, which allowed us to remain in the home, and which considered our personal needs. This modification would require demolition of the bathrooms one at a time. The first thing Auburndale Builders did was to seal off the bedroom so that it would be possible for us to continue to live in the home without being concerned about everything in our bedroom getting covered with dust. Their attention to detail on a daily basis was exceptional. There wasn?t a day that went by where they left the premises at the end of the day without having made sure that everything was cleaned up and that when we returned from work; we wouldn?t be shocked. Did I mention that this is a two-bedroom two bath condominium? Their workmen were quite skilled in their craft, and able to make adjustments based on what was uncovered. One of the surprises was that the tub in one of the bathrooms had been leaking for many years, and had rotted out the boards under both bathroom floors. Had we not done this project we would have had an enormous problem on our hands, not to mention what other damage this would have caused. Auburndale Builders were able to reinforce the floor, and clean up all the damage that had been done without having an affect on the overall plan. Auburndale Builders demonstrated all the qualities that I mentioned before, and brought the job in on time and at budget. I highly recommend Auburndale Builders to anyone who holds the qualities that I mentioned as important.

Nick and his team came in and protected the areas of the house that they would need to walk through to access the third floor and began the demolition phase of the work project. Once the demolition was complete we realized that our chimney was in a lot worse shape than we initially expected and that we had squirrel damage to our electrical wiring. At this stage we expanded our renovation project and decided to also add the complete replacement of all 25 windows (including casings) and replace the damaged wiring. Overall our project took 3 months to complete, which was a couple of weeks longer than our initial estimate. Considering that we added so much additional work we were pleased with the timing. When problems were encountered during the project Nick and his team were very responsive and worked to ensure that they were addressed. Nicks team were polite and professional ? we missed them when they were gone! In terms of costs, we are very satisfied with the work we had done for the $ paid. We exceeded our estimate, but there were several additions to the project and extra work that was uncovered once the demolition work was complete. We are planning on renovating our remaining bathroom and the kitchen sometime in the near future. Nick was great for this renovation and I only hope there will be room in his schedule for part 2.

Nick was very responsive with initial visit in October and estimate, which was very detailed and complete. He was able to start the work within 2 weeks (others could not start until the winter). He managed the work well and kept me up to date. He promptly handled any concerns I had and came up with solutions for any problems that arose. His carpenter, Ryan, was diligent, friendly and competent. We were very satisfied with his work. Ryan addressed any concerns we had and always checked with us to ensure we were satisfied with his work before completing a step in the project. He cleaned the site daily and coordinated with any subcontractors. The work proceeded as planned and on schedule.

They did an excellent job and their prices were good. They were professional, responsive, and punctual.

The first part of the project was difficult because the second floor over the porch needed to be shored up while the porch was demolished and a foundation poured underneath. Jimmy (our lead carpenter) and crew did fantastic work on the framing, trim and hardwood floors. Jimmy even leveled the second floor, which used to tilt just a bit, when he framed the new room underneath. The second part of the project, roofing and siding, took longer than expected because the subcontractor ran into scheduling difficulties. However, Nick knew we had a hard deadline for finishing all work, and he ensured we didn't miss it. Finally, the miscellaneous work went very well. We have done some of that work on the house ourselves, and we know how difficult it is. We were incredibly impressed at how quickly Nick's guys got the job done. Everyone showed up on time, cleaned up after themselves. Jimmy, especially, takes a lot of pride in his work, and it shows in the results. He did such a nice job on a new exterior landing that we asked him to replace an older one as well. Nick also impressed us. He was very straightforward about estimating costs, assessing options and risks, letting us know what was going on at each stage of the project. It was important to him that we were pleased with the work being done. Either he or Jimmy (or both) would contact us every day or two to discuss work in progress, explain next steps, confirm what we wanted ordered, etc. We would hire Nick and his crew again in a heartbeat, and we wholeheartedly recommend the company to others who want good work done in a timely fashion.

I rarely write reviews, and have never written a rave before, but this is it. I had a persistent and mysterious water leakage problem at my home that two other contractors stumbled around on for, literally, a couple of years. I finally went to Angie s List, looked for the highest rated outfits, and settled on Auburndale Builders, which is run by Nick Falkoff and couldn't t be happier. Not only did they solve my problem, but at last I ve found a contractor who meets all four of my Contractor Wish List requirements: First and foremost, they re reliable. They show up when and where they say they will, and the subs do, too. They didn t pull the plug on my job in favor of a bigger or more lucrative one somewhere else. They worked the job to completion. Second, they know what they re doing. They re extremely capable and competent, can correctly diagnose the problem and know how to fix it, and for the parts that have to be subbed out, they had a good set of subs, who were uniformly as reliable and capable as Nick and his crew. Third, they re entirely pleasant and agreeable to deal with. Nick is a very straightforward guy, tells it like it is, listened to me when I had a question or concern, and was very helpful in dealing with my insurance adjuster. And his workers are, well, just good people, respectful of our privacy, careful of our home and our belongings, cleaned up rigorously at the end of each day, and they were always friendly and nice folks to deal with. Finally, they re reasonably priced. I wouldn t say cheap in my book, no one s cheap, and if they are, you generally get what you pay for but Nick and Auburndale Builders were definitely reasonable, especially given the high quality of the work. And, again, he ll talk with you, work with you, on price, on scope of work, on what you feel you can afford, and how to go about doing it. After years of dealing with outfits that meet few, if any, of these qualifications, I m delighted finally to have found a team of people I can trust to do the job right, within time, within budget, and with a pleasant attitude and approach. And no, I m not his brother-in-law or next-door neighbor or anything, just a genuinely satisfied customer. Thank you, Nick, Jimmy, Brian, et al.

The friends who recommended Auburndale Builders were proven right! It was a pleasure to work with Nick and everyone in his crew. The results are excellent and the process went smoothly. We went over the scope of the job with Nick, and he provided a detailed spreadsheet with each item and price, as well as a work flow sheet with timetables. He was always reachable by telephone and e-mail, and open to answer questions or modify plans as was feasible (e.g., add jobs, scale down an original plan for an area, or use a different type of material). His crew were capable, friendly, respectful and everyday left the area they worked on clean and tidy. Throughout the process we felt we were in good hands. Nick is knowledgeable, responsible, honest and reliable. Even though his price was a little higher than other quotes we were given, the peace of mind of knowing that he was in charge was well worth the difference. He is mindful of safety and cost at all time. We would hire him again and are happy to be able to recommend such a fine contractor.

Nick and his crew were amazing. We did the job on a cost-plus basis and Nick was very good at keeping us up to date on where we were in regards to the scope of work and the budget. Nick worked hard to make sure that the job stayed within our budget and he was always prompt in replying to emails and phone messages. Before the work started our stairs and hall were incredibly well protected to prevent damage to the wood and wallpaper, and Nick personally introduced us to the crew who were to work on our project. Brian Floyd and Ryan McCarthy were the key carpenters and they did wonderful work. They didn't hesitate to ask questions and double check with us to make sure everything was exactly as we wanted it; this included the work of the sub-contractors. They did a great job in fitting in the oddly-shaped doors we wanted, putting in the trim and framing walls etc. The built-in shelving and cupboards came out exactly as we envisioned and looks beautiful. Nick and Brian were very helpful in accommodating our request for low VOC glues, paints, and poly and urea formaldehyde-free plywood. This was the most painless remodeling job we've had.

Nick and the carpenters (Floyd and Ryan) were professional, respectful, timely, and meticulous. When choosing the borders for wainscoting Floyd was very patient finding the perfect fit for our room. The whole experience was positive. Nick starting with a very detailed estimate as well as a time- line he was true to his word.

We were very pleasantly surprised at how smoothly the whole process went. Nick and Jimmy (lead carpenter/project manager) were on top of all of the details, inspired a lot of confidence, and generally made sure that the work was done well and on schedule. There were a number of subcontractors (electrician, plumber, painters, framing/roofing;siding, etc.) as well as carpentry staff, all of whom were highly competent and worked well together. Of note, our children were very sad when the work was done and the guys had to leave as we all enjoyed having them around! Nick is an incredible manager very good with details, keeping things going on schedule, and communicating with us frequently about progress and expenses. The project cost more than we had originally anticipated. This was because we made expensive changes to the original contract. Nick advised us of the changes in cost throughout the project so that we were fully aware. There were also a few extra expenses for which Nick did not charge us.

Nick, owner of Auburndale Builders, is extraordinarily conscientious, skillful, and creative. He developed a detailed budget and time line and stayed within it. Deviations from budget reflected my own changes. This project was for a wheelchair-bound relative and Nick solved many problems to maximize accessibility, particularly in the shower, which is barrier-free. The overall quality and finish of the work is outstanding. Nick was outstanding on taking care of all items on final punch list. I would highly recommend Nick as a gold standard for reliability and thoughtful, courteous project planning and execution.

Overall, I'm very happy with the job. Nick and his group worked hard and were very competent. Nick was great about coming by to perform the quote, and working with me on price by letting me do pieces of the work myself (i.e. demo the porch, etc.) There were a few snags in terms of timeliness due to some injuries and I definitely wasn't the highest priority customer. But the room looks great and I think it's very well built.

This company was great from the start of the project to the end. Nick gave us a timely estimate and took the time to listen to our ideas for the space. He also sent us a look at a similar project that they were just finishing to get an idea of the quality of their work. His crew was on time, pleasant and did beautiful work. The work actually was finished under the original bid, however, we added things along the way (new door, an additional wall) so we ended up paying exactly what we had budgeted. Nick contacted us every few days to update us and was on top of the things every step of the way. We were so impressed with his crew and their attention to detail. We are planning an addition in the future and will not hesitate to use this company again. Both my kids love the new space. My son's words to his best friend upon taking him to the new playroom for the first time were, "Welcome to paradise!" I think that just about sums it up!

We met with three contractors. Nick Falkoff, the principle of Auburndale Builders, worked up a detailed offer and impressed us as highly professional. When we indicated that we would like to hire AB, Nick recommended that we hire them on a cost plus basis. This turned out to be a terrific decision because we received weekly reports, the job stayed on schedule, and we ended within $1,000 of the budget. The AB team was easy to have in our home. They worked carefully and systematically, solving problems as they arose, and completed the entire project very close to the scheduled completion date. We love the result. We have been involved in several renovations and remodeling projects. This was by far the best result in terms of qualify of work, reasonable cost, and sound business practices. Nick is an excellent communicator and was very responsive to our concerns and mid-course corrections. We recommend Auburndale Builders with enthusiasm.

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I was in the middle of a roofing job and the roofer discovered that the framing on the porch roof had pulled away from the rest of the house. I called Nick and he told me he could come by to take a look the next morning at 6:30 AM. Nick showed up as promised, was very quick and polite in his assessment. His estimate came in lower than the other estimate I got. Work was performed within the week. All of the guys on Nicks crew were polite, straightforward, fast and did good work. Overall job took about 30% longer than Nick had estimated, so he charged more than he had estimated because of that.

Auburndale Builders (AB) proposed an estimate & built our deck. We found AB through an Angie's List deck builders search. We rec d one other quote from a company that performed past work, but AB's quote was lower & very responsive. Cost overruns covered some add l detail work, but these requests will contribute to the deck s longevity, utility & overall look. The final cost still was lower than the other quote with an excellent quality of the work. Nick helped with zoning permits, material selection & installation timeline. Nick's professionalism, flexibility & attention to detail was refreshing. Nick made referrals to different material suppliers to learn more about available products without any pressure to work with any particular supplier. After switching from a composite product to wood, Nick quickly provided add l info without any issue. When we encountered some minor issues, Nick resolved them quickly without complaint & to our satisfaction.

While we were discussing the scope of the project, Nick Folkoff met with us on multiple occasions to go over the project and answer our questions. Although his price was not the lowest we got, we liked that he was professional and knowledgeable. He gave us a cost breakdown of the project so that we could make an informed decision. Once the work started, he was easy to reach via email or phone when we had questions and kept us in the loop when there were modifications in the project. His crew was very professional and meticulous. They arrived on time every morning to get the work done, and I was happy to talk to them about their progress before I left for work. One one occasion, there was a minor issue with the crew failing to clean up at the end of the day, which I brought to Nick's attention. He promptly addressed this issue and the incident never occurred again. I highly recommend Nick and his company for renovation projects and would hire him again in a heartbeat!

Ours was a relatively small project but Nick treated it with full respect. We never felt that our project was falling off the radar screen to larger projects. I was not happy with the first window he installed and he cheerfully replaced it with another one, no questions asked, no extra charges incurred. Every time I called him he was immediately available to answer my questions. Another contractor we used for custom built-in cabinets made a mistake on the job meaning that Nick's team had to spend longer than originally planned on our project but Nick took it in stride and worked around it. If it hadn't been for the other contractor's mistake and the delays that caused, the project would have been finished within the time frame originally set forth by Nick and within the cost he set forth, too. Nick's crew was clean and efficient and polite. In summary, Nick is a real professional and I would wholeheartedly recommend him and his team for other home renovation projects.

We were so pleased with this work that we have continued to use Nick and his team for other jobs and we are considering them for a major renovation involving an old summer house. Nick and his team have been courteous, clean, and the quality of their work A-1 throughout. We met on a weekly basis to discuss and plan. We have had no problems communicating in an ongoing way. I can give them the highest of praise all around.

At the time of purchase, our bank rated our home uninhabitable and we did not have detailed renovation plans. Nick's gave us an itemized estimate and proposed a series of phases for our project that would allow us to make decisions as the work progressed. In the beginning, I had trouble picturing how the kitchen should be set-up. The crew built model cabinets and appliances from styrofoam and cut windows in the walls. This really helped me get a sense of what the kitchen would feel like. The Auburndale Builders crew showed great attention to detail in restoring the original woodwork throughout our house, salvaging moldings from the gutted rooms. They rebuilt the staircase with maple treads and the antique balustrades and banister. The tile work in the bathrooms and kitchen is beautiful and the painting is spotless. We were very impressed by the respect the crew paid in dealing with our requests (some of which were untimely) and the honest answers and cost estimates.

Auburndale Builders were wonderful. Nicholas met with our architect and had an excellent grasp, of what we wanted to accomplish. Before demolition he organized storage containers, cleared and protected floors/banisters. He helped us prepare for the huge upheaval of the building process. The sub-contractors, Nick chose were outstanding. The foundation/excavator, took great care with the old fieldstone/concrete junctions, the plumbers and electrician were always considerate, prompt and competent. Nick's crew framed & installed windows, doors, insulated, plastered, installed marble tile and wood floors, painted, clapboarded, built 3 porches and completed the yard work. Each day the worksite was cleaned. The old house needed extensive repairs -parts of the walls had been cloth covered and had thick cracked paint. This was beautifully repaired and painted. Nick's crew were a pleasure to have in our home. Nick was responsible, considerate, cost-conscience. I highly recommend this company.