GSBuilders / Green Studio Builders Inc.
About us
Our company is a licencesed and bonded design/build firm. We specialize in residential remodels, additions, new homes as well as commecrcial projects.
Business highlights
Services we offer
We specialize in home improvements, additions, new homes as well as commecrcial projects., residential remodels
Accepted Payment Methods
- CreditCard
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Just as a few examples, once the project started the team was on site 6 days a week (every week) until the project was completed. The attention to detail from the architectural design, the craftsmanship of the work, to the selections for the interior design finishes was above and beyond expectations.
Throughout the entire process we felt that we had a true partnership in transforming our old home (built in 1930s) into a brand new house that we truly love.
In the fall of 2014 we set out to hire a general contractor to perform a complete gut and remodel of our cooperative apartment kitchen. The space was original to this 1966 structure and was in dire need of some TLC. We had been planning for well over a year before we even started looking for a contractor, so we had a very good idea on the design and didn't need any help in that arena.
We opted to go with Green Studio Builders (GSB) for a couple of reasons. The first is that we saw their work first hand in another apartment within our building and we were very impressed with the craftsmanship especially considering the complexities of that project. Our project was similarly complex and it was reassuring to know that they had experience to tackle more than the run of the mill project. It's also nice to work with a contractor that already knows the building, the management staff, the rules and regulations, etc. The second reason was the result of our interaction with the owner of the company during his onsite visit to our apartment during the assessment phase. One could describe Chris as passionate. During the walkthrough he was a terrific listener and clearly was able to grasp the intensity of the project.
The project consisted of gutting a 20' x 12' kitchen right down to the studs and concrete sub floor, removing walls between the kitchen and living room, walls between the kitchen and dining room as well as a wall between the living room and dining room. We were going for an open concept and amidst that there was re-routing of trunk phone lines for apartments above and below us as well as a thermostat relocation.
Work began in February and completed 4 months later in June. We were assigned an operations manager and supervisor to the project. Between them they were to coordinate all of the onsite activities. Despite the assigned leadership, I assure you that I was keeping a strict eye on the project at all times. We were not about to part with this kind of money with no personal oversite regardless of GSB?s reputation. While the project was a huge success, I assure you that there were several conversations throughout the project to have minor elements corrected or to re-educate the crew members on the expectations of the project elements. This type of open communication was vital and GSB?s entire crew was excellent at following through on my every concern without ever making us feel like we were overbearing.
The demolition was completed in two phases; the first was an early prep to remove the old cabinetry and appliances to prepare the space for the asbestos abatement company (with whom we were expected to contract independently with). Once the asbestos abatement was complete, GSB returned immediately to resume with phase two of the demolition where they removed the walls. During this process our apartment was thoroughly draped to try and contain the dust and protection was laid on our hard wood floors to protect them from damage. The debris was removed from the apartment in a timely manner. With demolition complete, the new walls were framed and GSB coordinated for the electrical and plumbing sub-contractors to complete the necessary work. The walls were then drywalled, mudded, sanded and primed. GSB then installed the floor tile absolutely perfectly. They followed through on my pattern flawlessly and the installer took great care to insure a proper installation. We opted for long and narrow tiles and if the thinset underneath is not perfect it can cause future cracking , the installer took his time to ensure our complete satisfaction. GSB did a great job of coordinating the timeliness of the subcontractor for cabinet delivery and installation.
One of our longest delays followed cabinet installation. We opted to go through GSB and their subcontractor for countertop installation and had already selected out stone, but there were several breakdowns in communication which resulted in a couple week delay. While this was a sore subject for a few days, I assure you that GSB took complete ownership of the issue and made the situation right in a way that was agreeable to both us and them. We never expected the project to be easy, but when snags do occur you need an organization that will own up to their promises and GSB did exactly that.
Backsplash tile installation followed the countertop install. Good news is that GSB sent the same crew back and like the floor work, the tile was installed exactly to specifications. Once this was complete, GSB coordinated the final electrical and plumbing work as well as painting. The operations manager came onsite for a physical assessment and the creation of a punch list of final to do?s and those tasks were completed expeditiously.
We have enjoyed out new kitchen now for just shy of two months and every day we are appreciative of the fine work that was done to bring us to this point. We recommend GSB and their crew.
Chris and his team were wonderful to work with from start to finish. After selecting GSB we started with several meetings to discuss and revise design plans with Chris and Nate. They listened well and not only incorporated our feedback but helped us bring a vision we had had for years come to life. They were even able to quick redesign the addition after we had an issue with zoning department about required set backs. Chris and Nate basically move all of the interior elements around and did so while my wife and I were on vacation for a week. The new design was actually better than the original and because they were such good listeners required only minor changes from us.
Chris's construction crew was also a joy to work with. Most importantly he finished on budget (not including a few change orders) and ahead of schedule. Both Chris and his Forman William were always responsive via email, cell phone and texts. When ever I had question or concern they were always right on top of it. We lived in the house during construction and Chris staged the project so that as minimal of an impact as possible.
I have had to deal with poor contractors is the past including firing one in the middle of the job, so finding someone has good as Chris and his team at GSB was breath of fresh air.
recommend GS Builders for any home remodeling project. As other reviewers have mentioned, Chris is tremendously experienced and passionate about his work. He listens closely to what homeowners want to achieve and, just as importantly, want to avoid. He has an amazing eye for the possibilities of a space, both as a builder and a trained architect, and he?s assembled a talented, highly professional team to execute the ultimate vision. He and Nicoleta are incredibly generous with their time, patience, and ideas, and they are fair in their pricing. The work on our home was finished within the projected timeline. The design process (with Chris and colleague Nate, who is an architect and structural engineer) was highly collaborative and included a variety of design options to meet our requirements. Once construction started, the GS Builders team -- from demolition and framing through tile, trim, and painting -- was prompt and diligent, and their work consistently exhibited their high standards and eye for detail. Nicoleta was an immense help in the final stages, researching and consulting with us on numerous selections. (My one regret is not relying on her expertise more than I did, instead clinging to an absurd idea that I had to do certain things on my own.) Our renovation project was fairly major, affecting ? at one point or another ? nearly every room in the house. And we lived in the house through most of it. Maybe every client says something similar about their contractor at the end of a project such as ours, but I can?t imagine entrusting such significant work on our home to anyone but Chris and his team.
We had lived in our house for more than 16 years when we started planning our recent renovations. So we had a very good sense of what was working for us and what had to change, and we had fairly specific objectives for the project, though we were open to ideas on how to achieve them. The new kitchen, for example, had to have more natural light (the old galley kitchen was an interior room), much more uninterrupted counter space, some kind of barrier (i.e., peninsula) between the cook and others in the same space (kids doing homework, dinner guests chatting), etc. We had similarly specific objectives for the dining room, master bedroom / bath, and exterior, plus a few other ?nice-to-haves?. After consulting with several architects and builders who had recently done work in our neighborhood, I contacted Chris. (Twelve years earlier, Chris?s firm had enclosed a our covered porch for a family room and built a full bath and additional closet on the first floor. Impeccable work completed on a tight deadline.) A few minutes into our first on-site meeting for this project, I felt at ease. Not only was this someone who seemed immediately excited by the project, but Chris also saw things differently from the others I?d spoken to. A prime example was with the kitchen. In an attached garage/storage space off the kitchen (too small for a car), which others dismissed entirely or saw as maybe
a mudroom, Chris was pulling down the attic ladder, checking roof height, raising the floor in his head, and envisioning possibilities. Today that former garage space houses the main part of our kitchen, with high ceilings; a tall, triple-wide window over the sink; loads of cabinet and counter space; a peninsula into the open and spacious dining area; and more. And it looks beautiful from the outside (i.e., unrecognizable as a former garage). Chris and his team worked similar wonders throughout the house, bringing loads of natural light into our once dark, tight rooms and creating beautiful, open spaces well suited to our tastes and life style.
I?m someone who likes to understand how things work behind the dry wall and beneath the floorboards, and, I admit, I?m a bit of a worrier. That combination can lead to lots of questions for a contractor. Chris and Nicoleta were always respectful of my curiosity and quick to respond both to my questions and to any issues that arose. Planning and then living a major renovation is exhausting, messy, and at times downright grueling. Chris and Nicoleta (and their entire team) are highly sensitive to this, and they do what they can to minimize the pain. But mostly they see what awaits you on the other side, and they keep things moving diligently and methodically toward that end, so you can see ? and enjoy ? it too. I can?t imagine we?ll do another renovation on this house (touch wood), but if we did, we?d call Chris and Nicoleta in a heartbeat.
Two early impressions set GS Builders apart from other contractors- 1) they are very generous with their time, and 2) they are passionate about architecture and design. For example, all other contractors we interviewed came with a preconceived template. Each interview involved a discussion in which our ideas were either ignored or hastily re-imagined to fit inside of a generic design they already had in mind. By contrast, my wife and I were very surprised when we met with GS Builders. Chris spent over two hours one evening just listening to us describe what we wanted our house to be. Chris was genuinely excited by our concepts, and generously brainstormed with us all evening. We left that first meeting feeling like we had a partner in our project. A partner who listened to what we wanted, and then applied expertise to help us see how we could realize our vision. I cannot stress enough what a unique experience this was compared to the competition.
So we knew we wanted to hire these guys. But we assumed the "you get what you pay for" rule would probably put them out of our price point. Nope.They were able to come in slightly under the other guys! By much? no. If you want a huge project completed, you are going to pay within a pretty predictable price range.
So we hired GS Builders to design and build the second floor of our home, consisting of a master bedroom / bathroom, two additional bedrooms, one additional bath, and a remodel of our first floor dining room (plus a few other details).
I am happy to report that the patient, personalized service has not wavered. My wife is quite particular about what she wants. Chris has met with us in person OVER TEN TIMES to date. Several of these meetings included his architecture partner Nate, and the building process has only just begun. That does not include rounds of texts, phone calls, and emails to refine and deliver my wife's wishes. Do you see what I'm saying here? This is how committed they are to getting what we want.
As far as mechanics and logistics go, things are running smoothly. Plans were delivered on time, permits were acquired on time, construction began on schedule. The crew has extended our chimney, started on our interior work, and today they began to dismantle parts of our eve in preparation of removing our roof (I'm assuming). each day when I come home, our home is swept free of dust, and our furniture is all covered. They do a great job of leaving the home in a livable condition despite the reality that it is also an active construction zone.
I will post another review to document the finished product and the actual construction phase. For now, I think it's clear that we are very impressed with our design-phase experience, and would recommend GS Builders without hesitation. Feel free to be in touch if you have any specific questions.
**** Construction now complete****second half of review below****
I'm back to finish my review of GS Builders' work on the second floor addition of our home. It's late January now, but they actually finished mid-November ahead of schedule. The sink for our master bath was out of stock at Pottery Barn, so we had to wait an additional two months for that to come in. As soon as it did, Chris and Nicoleta had someone out within two days to install it and finish the tile backsplash.
I don't usually appreciate one-sided reviews. Pros and cons are much more useful to consumers. But I have to say, I honestly cannot come up with any substantial negatives to share about our experience with GS Builders. They gave us all the time and iterations needed to come up with the floor plan we wanted. They guided us through the process so that our choices were achievable within the constraints of cost and building codes. They always generated interesting ideas for us to consider when we weren't sure of how to proceed. The building crew was timely, professional, and courteous. The quality of the work was always high, in fact it exceeded our expectations.
the first phase of the project was heavily dominated by meetings with Chris. As construction moved toward the finishing stages (trim, fixtures, tile, etc), Nicoleta became more involved. Nicoleta is an energetic and knowledgeable collaborator. She is a designer and engineer herself, so when the project transitioned to working with her it was seamless. She and my wife worked very closely to arrive at the tile design for our two bathrooms. Typical for their company, she was very generous with her time. She knows her industry well, and she helped my wife co-design the bathrooms she envisioned. They are beautiful. The whole house is beautiful. The design makes our house look like a new building went up- Not just an addition sitting awkwardly on top of an existing structure- as you commonly see.
Closing thoughts.
A big construction project is built on a thousand major and minor decisions. Making these decisions can be stressful at times. Having a team like Chris and Nicoleta to provide knowledge and patience makes all the difference. It develops trust. Sometimes decisions lead to changes that cost money. This is important, because Chris and Nicoleta were quite generous about this. Changes were always transparent, and they often made changes without charges. I've worked in construction myself, and I know how easy it is to nickle and dime clients. GS Builders does not do this. That builds trust.
If you are looking to have work done on your home, you'd be remiss to overlook GS Builders. We definitely recommend them!
James
The second phase, a year later (Nov 2013 - Jan 2014) involved a complete Design-Build renovation of my basement as well as master
bath and hallway bath. We are finally using and enjoying our basement and all the new bathrooms, we love it!
Chris has the skills, knowledge and attitude to turn a construction process into an easy ride, as his attentiveness, positive and proactive attitude is a must in his portfolio. My wife and I felt very confident that choosing to work with Chris and his staff will finalize our long time plans into an actual finished quality project to be enjoyed for many years to come. Chris was involved throughout the process, making sure that every trade involved was following a good schedule and performing their task in accordance to the specs decided.
I am in the process of working with GSBuilders on our possible third renovation involving a sunroom addition and we highly recommend Chris and GSBuilders for their addition / renovation and design-build needs
The homeowners are very pleased with the work done by GS Builders, and would work with Mr. Papadopoulos again. We are
pleased to give GS Builders a very favorable review, and have already recommended the firm to others who have inquired.
This review is one that is way overdue. This past fall (October 2013 to be exact), GS Builders renovated our only bathroom in our home. Our house was built in the 1940's and although we have done updates throughout the house including the bathroom, after interviewing and receiving several work/ and price estimates, GS Builders was the only company we trusted and felt comfortable with to do this major renovation. Because we have very young kids and truly depended on our only bathroom, we needed someone we can count on and a company that can deliver on time. We did a lot of research and explored many options 1) to get a bang for our buck and 2) to get the most out of our small space. We spoke with several (and well known contractors) before deciding to go with GS Builders and we are so glad we chose them. We trusted our instincts but also the fact that GS Builders were highly rated on Angie?s list made it a lot easier. I made an initial call to set up an estimate and I spoke with Chris, owner of GS Builders. We scheduled the first ?walk-in? appointment during this first call. Chris came as scheduled ? actually a few minutes early! After we met him in person, we were sold on his sincerity, professionalism, directness and honesty.
Chris was great from the start of the project to the completion of the job. He was very helpful in discussing and exploring different options to meet our family?s needs. He was always going the extra mile and was upfront about potential additional costs that could be incurred given the age of the house (lucky for us nothing major happened). Chris also did a very good job in communicating with us, throughout the project timeline etc.. When he encountered a couple of hiccups during the job., once he found out about it, he took it in and communicated with his men and did what needed to be done and it was done. If I am not mistaken, both Chris and his wife run the company and are architects by education. And although his men did the work, he was on top of what was happening every minute of the way.
Elmere- one of the main guys that did the work- did a fantastic job. Elmere and the men were very polite, respectful and always on time. They cleaned up after themselves every day. As stated before, because we have small children and only one bathroom, they made sure we were in a good shape every night before leaving while the work was ongoing. If we had any concerns, they were ready to fix/help. I was impressed overall not only with how our bathroom turned out and their workmanship but most importantly with their professionalism. From signing the contract to the demo to the finish line, the job took about 8-10 days total. It would have been shorter- had we not encountered the couple of hiccups I mentioned above but the great thing was Chris never over-promised and delivered exactly what he agreed to. You can tell that he is someone that takes pride in the workmanship. We are extremely happy with our new bathroom and hope to have GS Builders do our next project; I cannot truly say enough good things about them. Chris and his men were prompt, courteous, easy to work with and most of all- very understanding. Chris and his team truly deserve A+++++ as they care about what they do and they just want to make their clients happy. So yes, I would highly recommend this company.
of his customers and see to it that they get what they want at the most
affordable price. He was also able to help us as an architect in the design stages.
Beware though, we had a tight deadline for moving our chiropractic
office and he met it!
Which meant that we had to execute our end of the bargain - the unfinished details of our design
decisions - choosing a front desk countertop, a stain, wall colors, where do we want the electrical outlets, the lights, etc. ? with lightning speed. Just be ready.
Dr. Steve Gardner
Chris?s project manager was very competent - work was done when scheduled, there were no unexplained delays, we were kept fully informed at all times. Workers showed up each day as scheduled; we never felt that our team was being diverted to other projects.
One characteristic of GSBuilders?s operational ?good habits? with us has been the cleanliness of the worksite. At the end of each
workday, the work areas were cleaned up. Not only was the inside work space vacuumed and cleaned at the end of each day, our
neighbors were spared of viewing any unsightly scenes of construction materials/equipment scattered around the property.
As with most major projects, the "devil is in the details" due to the need of numerous selections and decisions you have to make. That phase can become pretty overwhelming, but Nicoleta?s artistic and creative skills made that a pretty smooth process. All of her selections are very tasteful, ranging from paint colors, various tiles for the bathrooms, plumbing fixtures, accessories, lighting fixtures, countertops, mirrors, shower doors, etc. As with the rest of the trades, the details were handled very smoothly with a very close coordination between Nicoleta and her suppliers. Orders were placed in a timely fashion, fixtures delivered and installed as scheduled.
The project went very well ? all trades did an amazing job and the craftsmanship quality we were looking for was delivered as expected.
We highly recommend Chris with GSBuilders.
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