Bennington Builders

Worst experience I've ever had with a contractor. Conversations were often fine, then later became combative, condescending, and ultimately profanely insulting, so unprofessional that it was shocking. Work was sometimes good, and later some of the mistakes and miscalculations they made they did not "own" as you would want a general contractor to do. Finally, when they ended the job we had to hire a second contractor to fix the structural mistakes they made.

Excellent. Dave is a really knowledgeable, creative, "can do" contractor. He suggested many adjustments to the plans, which made the end product even better than we hoped. His communication and attentiveness was great. Couldn't be happier with the work.

Every thing was done well and the cost was the lowest of the three bids we received. We were very pleased with the quality of the work and the professionalism of the sub-contractors. We were especially pleased that the work was finished on time. Bennington builders was responsive when we asked to return to correct and do touch-up work.

This is my second kitchen with Dave Bennington and if I need a third, he will be my first choice. The crew always cleaned up every day before they left and little things were frequently fixed before we even had a chance to mention them. I especially want to give kudos to the electrician. His work was very neat, wires were run neat and cleanly. The tile guy was also amazing -- beautiful job arranging the backsplash tiles and cutting everything so neatly around the corners. The floor subcontractor could have been better; they didn't order enough floor tile and had to wait for the reorder to finish. The finishing crew was not as good as the original crew. I know these are not Dave's hand-picked crew, but I would use a different floor vendor the next time.

The project went well and smoothly in general, and was completed close to the predicted time frame.  The owner and contractor, Dave Bennington, supervises closely, does some of the work himself, is present frequently, and is always accessible.  He employs two reliable and trustworthy assistants who work and also oversee sub-contractors.
The standards are high for the work and subs, and when there is a glitch (as there inevitably is during construction), Dave is good at resolving the problems.  In our case, one glitch involved sub-contractor employees with a bad attitude and technique -- Dave sent them packing, and had his assistants finish that particular task.
Although Dave has definitive ideas about products and design, he will base the project on what YOU want, because in the end he wants the homeowner to be happy and pleased with the result.  The work is collaborative.  When you have strong
feelings about a particular product or design, state them clearly.  I would have preferred that a different type of paint be used, for example, but didn't specifically request it, and wish that I had. If we use Bennington Builders in the future -- and we would -- I'd be forthright up front about any particular non-negotiable requests.

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Dave did a great job. He suggested additional details, but still kept in within our stated budget. Very prompt and did exactly the work as described. definitely detail oriented.

Dave Bennington and his crew exceeded all of my expectations.  In short, he and his crew were meticulous, efficient, highly skillful, prompt, patient, responsive, and polite.  While renovating my condo, they kept dust and dirt to minimum.  At the end of each work day, they neatly stored their tools and the construction materials.  Dave did a lot of the work himself.  He or his crew were on site at key moments, e.g., to supervise the flooring and granite counter installations.

The granite, flooring, carpeting, and plumbing fixture vendors that Dave recommended provided excellent service and products.  I was at home during most of the renovation; consequently, I was able to observe Dave, his crew, and the vendors? work first hand.  Although it was a stressful two and a half weeks, I looked forward every morning to Dave and his crew?s arrival.

Seventeen years ago, in July 1998, I moved into a then-new two bedroom, two bathroom condominium with living room, dining room, kitchen, foyer, and large loft.  There is a 16-foot cathedral ceiling over the living room that meets the loft?s ceiling.  Other than installing a ceiling fan in the living room, new lighting in the kitchen and dining room, and a new dishwasher, I had not renovated the living room, dining room, kitchen, and foyer.

In March 2015, I hired Dave  for three reasons to:

1.      renovate my living room, stairway to the loft, dining room, kitchen except for the cabinets, and several components in the two bathrooms;

2.      correct, to the degree possible, a prior contractor?s shockingly poor work in the master bathroom; and,

3.      repair, to the degree possible, the builder?s construction mistakes. 

After agreeing on the work to be done and costs involved, Dave took me shopping.  He has vendors with whom he has long-term, established relationships.  We visited Rockville Granite, Carpet & Floor Express, Inc., Ferguson Enterprises, Inc. (plumbing fixtures), and River Glass Designs.  All four vendors are in Rockville.

Dave only charged me for time and materials.  Instead of charging a contractor?s markup, Dave arranged for me to pay the vendors directly.  All told, the renovations cost $35,000.  Given the amount of work that Dave and his crew did and the quality of vendor?s work and materials, I think that $35,000 was very reasonable, especially for the Washington DC area.

Dave has an excellent eye for design. With his guidance, I selected beautiful granite counters for the kitchen and bathrooms, high quality bathroom and kitchen plumbing fixtures, bathroom lighting fixtures, great looking laminate flooring for the foyer, living room, dining room, and kitchen, and fabulous carpeting for the two bedrooms.  I especially love the laminate floors, carpet, and granite counters.  Everyone who has seen my renovated condo has been very impressed with the outcome.

His work in the master bathroom deserves special mention.  The prior contractor had used porous cement, rather than epoxy, grouting for the bathroom floor, shower, and shower wall tile.  The prior contractor did such a poor job of grouting the shower floor tile that I had the prior contractor remove the initial grout and install new grout.  Even after two tries, the grout failed, i.e., fell out and turned yellow and black.  When installing the second round of grout, the prior contractor chipped many shower floor tiles.  The prior contractor?s crew misaligned the new frameless shower door and the two glass panels on either side of the door.  They improperly installed new lighting fixtures in the bathrooms.

Dave and his crew corrected the problems with the shower.  His crew removed the poorly installed shower floor and replaced it with new underlying rubber sealant, shower tiles, and epoxy grout.  He replaced the sloping Carrera marble threshold with a new, level threshold.

He arranged to have River Glass Designs install a custom-built frameless shower door.  River Glass Designs also installed new custom-cut mirrors over the vanities in both bathrooms.  Dave and his crew installed new lighting fixtures in each bathroom.  When mounting the new lighting fixtures over the mirrors, they discovered that the prior contractor had dangerously installed one of the fixtures. They corrected the prior contractor?s sloppily done detail work in the master bathroom.

Finally, Dave and his crew did an excellent job of repainting the living room, stairway wall, foyer, dining room, kitchen, and bathrooms.  They took the time to prepare the walls and ceilings properly for repainting, e.g., used sturdy joint tape where the ceilings met the walls and carefully spackled and sanded walls.  They finished many, many small repair jobs and improvements that I meant to complete, but never did.  For example, Dave installed new LED lights, which I had purchased years ago, in my three bedroom closets and my laundry room.  He and his crew did a beautiful job of refinishing the top of my dining room table.

GREAT!!  On time, very professional and great job

They had competitive estimates. And were able to finish the work when they quoted. They did a very good job. They sent someone right out to fix  any mistakes that were made.

When things went wrong, as they usually do on a project this size, Dave found a way to fix it with minimal delay and cost. He worked very hard to make all of our requirements happen. His carpenter is a miracle worker. We requested the work to be completed in as short a time frame as possible and he made that happen as well. He provided suggestions that improved the process and design.

This review is long overdue.  Dave Bennington and his crew (especially project manager John) did a top notch job on our deck/enclosed sun porch project.  Dave was extremely responsive, competitive on price and prompt.  Even in the extreme heat of this past summer, he had his guys get as much done before the day got too hot to try to stay on schedule.  I am happy to speak with anyone who is thinking about hiring Bennington Builders and would not hesitate to hire them on a future project.  My wife and I are very particular and Dave expertly dealt with all our requests.

.A+  Great!  I look forward to our next project with Dave!

We had never done a remodel before, and called three firms chosen from Angie's. We initially were planning on saving up to pay for the work (we guessed a year), and were very up front with all of them about this. Two did a minimal estimate, but Dave and Linda (his cabinet person) came by, took measurements, made drawings, and sat down later with us to choose major items (mostly cabinetry). The initial drawings were detailed and gave us an excellent overview of what to expect. After this, we decided to set up a line of credit with the bank and get it done immediately, since the interest rates are very low.
Dave and his crew did an excellent job remodeling our kitchen, which had not been touched since the '70's. His people were extremely professional, leaving no detail undone. For example, the tilework includes one piece, no more than 1/8" square, in a place that is almost invisible (back corner, under the cabinets, behind a light) that could have been left out without anyone noticing. It was only after I got on my hands and knees that I saw it. Well done. All the other work was of similar quality, whether they were using materials we supplied, or that they supplied.
His workers were also very respectful of our needs; areas outside the kitchen were walled off with plastic sheeting, dust was kept to an absolute minimum, and they always cleaned up thoroughly at the end of each day. Vacuums were in evidence; I was able to walk through the work area barefoot every morning to make coffee.
He asked us to chose most major materials (drop lights, counter top mat'l, cabinets, flooring, etc.), and has a stable of very competent vendors he recommends. All of them were very helpful in choosing the best materials for the project. Dave was also very helpful in his practical suggestions, warning us off of a couple of ideas that would not have worked, and suggesting lower cost alternatives (subway tile from Lowe's, instead of imported tile; both were white, glossy, and square, and in retrospect, virtually indistinguishable).
Dave's business practices are also above reproach. His contract is detailed and straightforward. Where he has a  dollar "allowance" for a specific item, and we chose a less expensive option (e.g. tile), he credited us the difference. The total was several thousand dollars under the contracted price. Any disputes (few and minor) were easily resolved, and he personally came back to finish a couple of very minor items that had been left undone.
The work was initially estimated to take a month, and it was completed in that time, to the day.
The only problem we had was with communication. Deadlines for choosing materials (flooring, tile, etc.) were not always communicated clearly. Occasionally a scheduled work day was missed, or the workers showed up later than anticipated. I work from home, so this was not a real issue, but would have been if I had needed to take off work.
Overall, an excellent experience. I would hire him again without reservation, and recommend him highly to anyone.

The estimate was much more reasonable than two others that we talked to and there were no real surprises/extra costs. Dave was helpful in offering suggestions that allowed us to squeeze in the desired bigger tub, and understood our "vision" for the bathroom design in a  way that the other folks we talked to didn't. 

While we were a small project for them to do, they did it well and completed the job a week earlier than expected. Dave was a pleasure to work with and the entire crew was excellent, their attention to detail is impressive and they left the job site clean each day. We are particularly pleased with the tile job. Beautiful! We love the new space and are very happy with their work. Bonus: they were very patient with our two dogs!

We had two companies provide estimates (including Jenny's Design Build). Both had high ratings on Angie's List. The two price quotes were very close so we were comfortable that the prices were where they should be. We decided to go with Jenny's because the other company's offering felt like a cookie cutter implementation whereas Dave at Jenny's had some very creative ideas on what could be done with the space we had. The entire design was customized to our tastes and desires. Dave seemed genuinely interested in doing some creative things in the bathroom.
Once we selected Jenny's we met with each of the preferred vendors. This process was a little ponderous as we had to make appointments and find time to get there and make our choices. The people we met with work with Dave on many projects. They were very helpful, especially the tile consultant we met with. Of course, we went slightly over budget on materials but we got exactly what we wanted. When we were not able to find fixtures that we liked in our price range with the recommended vendor, we told Dave that we wanted to get those things on our own. He had no problem with that approach and simply removed it from the estimate.
The work began on time. The same crew worked the demolition and initial build out of the floor and drywall. The team arrived every day around 7:00 AM and was cleaning up by around 3:00 PM. The site was left in good condition every day. The installation went very smoothly for about 4 weeks (which is exactly the time frame we were quoted).
After the final installation was completed, we provided a punch list of things we wanted fixed before we made final payment. Dave and the team worked it off but ran into a few problems with materials at the end. A part needed to be ordered on main shower handle and some tile touch up had to be done around the custom niche in the shower itself. These delayed the final use of the bathroom by another week or so...as the contract stipulated, final payment wasn't made until all that work was finished.

Throughout the process, Dave was very responsive. Although he didn't make it to the site every day, he was always available by phone or email. We would exchange several emails a week during the installation. Whenever I had a question, Dave responded before the day was out, usually within a few hours. We were extremely happy with the work that was performed and have already begun thinking about the next project we want to do next year. Jenny's Design Build will be at the top of our list when we execute.

Our house is over 90 years old and, as near as we can tell, for a good portion of its history it has been renovated and maintained by monkeys so we were expecting any bathroom remodel to be challenging and fraught with problems. We were very impressed by Dave because he planned so well for most contingencies that things went very smoothly. His design was excellent (and now that the baby is here we're very grateful for some of the suggestions he made to make the bathroom more family-friendly - definitely useful design recommendations for clueless new parents!). I think overall he's a throwback to an earlier age of contractors and workmanship where you made deals on a handshake - he's definitely a man of his word (we of course executed a contract, but there are lots of little things that aren't necessarily in a contract like how many days a 7-months pregnant woman is going to be without a bathroom on the second floor, and he went above and beyond to keep those promises too, to the point that when the manufacturer shipped two toilet tanks instead of a tank and a bowl Dave went out and picked up the bowl personally so he could still install it on the day promised). There were of course some issues along the way, and we were pleasantly surprised by Dave's attitude towards them - he always listened to us, took things seriously, and never tried to imply that something wasn't really an issue or couldn't have been caused by his work. Even more impressive was the fact that we had an issue develop as a result of the work two months afterwards (long after the last check had cleared), and he still showed up within a day of our calling him and immediately scheduled the needed repairs. He stands by his work, he's easy to get along with, and he's the only contractor I've met who is more fussy than I am about detail work. We highly recommend him.

This spring a leak in our roof forced us to consider bumping out and finishing our attic as well as remodeling our very outdated and small eat-in kitchen. I called some well rated local contractors, including Jenny's Design Build, and Dave was one of the few who would actually come out to look at the house and talk to us. We talked about what was possible with our house, what to expect, and budget considerations. He promptly gave us an estimate for the kitchen remodel, since we didn't have  plans drawn up for the attic yet, but we decided to get the plans done before proceeding further.  When the plans were finally done we found that Dave was the most responsive contractor to the budget, time, and design considerations for our project. He also had great ideas about how to handle various challenges, and could provide high quality products at a good value. He clearly knew how to build things and that was the most important factor for us since we were expanding and finishing the attic, the new kitchen was the icing on the cake.
Once we signed the contract, the process was laid out clearly and a calendar was made for the whole project, about 8 weeks. Getting the permits was not very fun but Dave kept at it and got it done, meanwhile we were busy picking out cabinets, granite etc. When construction started his crew ripped off the back roof and had it framed and closed in within a week, with tarp for good measure, really impressive. Dave's crew, led by Sal, were on time, polite, and cleaned up after themselves but most importantly they are really great workers and builders. We did vacate (to the beach and the in-laws) for a few weeks during the demo of the kitchen since we have young kids, to avoid dust etc.  Everyday something was happening and the project was well staged. Any hiccups along the way were addressed quickly and didn't contribute any undue delay or cost. Dave checked in routinely, provided updates, and was receptive to any questions or changes. Dave and his crew have high standards for their work and they hold their subs and vendors to the same. They stuck with the project till it was done to our satisfaction, and beyond, not just until final inspection. Thanks to Jenny's Design Build, the kitchen and 2nd story (no longer just an attic) of our older home are the best they can possibly be, better than I ever imagined. It was definitely worth the money and time we invested and then some!

I can't even described how pleased I am with the work of Jenny's Design Build!  From our initial meeting, when I wasnt sure of my exact plan, I knew that Dave and Mike would be great to work with.  I read some earlier comments about Dave being difficult - but I found him to be quite the opposite.  His honesty and straightfowardness are exactly what someone should be looking for in a contractor (not just someone who is going to"yes" you on everything and you end up with something you didn't expect or want).  Mike at MKB came up with a great plan/layout for the kitchen and was very patient with me when I changed my mind a few times!  Once construction started, Dave an his team did an excellent job!  Most imortantly, Dave gave me a schedule of the project and stuck to it (even when the cabinets were delayed through no fault of his!).  His team did great work (especially Sal with the cabinet installation and the tilers who did beautiful work!).  They also were very careful to clean up the construction area each day when they were done (for the whole 5 weeks!)  which I greatly appreciated.  Overall, I am so pleased with my new kitchen and the work that Jenny's Design Build did!

We choose to work with Dave Bennington and Montgomery Kitchen and Bath based on reputation.  Dave (and Keith, the kitchen designer from MKB) came to our townhouse for an initial meeting and estimate.  It was a small space with challenging dimensions.  Keith and Dave could immediately visualize a design that would maximize our space and add a pass-through to the dining room, creating a more open plan for our 40 year old townhouse.  It took a while for our family's schedule to accommodate the start of the project.  Dave stayed in touch during that time, answering the myriad of questions a perfectionist homeowner can come up with.  We worked through Dave and his contractors for almost everything: cabinets, countertop, appliances, sink, and tile. The project changed the look of the entire first floor of our townhome. The outcome exceeded our expectations.

Did everything go perfectly? No, but Dave hung in with us through the whole project, always responsive to calls and emails. That was what we were most looking for in a contractor: someone we could trust and who wouldn't become scarce and unresponsive during challenges, or leave the job unfinished at the 90% point.  One need have none of those concerns with Dave.  His immediate crew is great. His standards and skill level are high.  He is honest and tells it like it is.  He will hang in until the job is 100% completed to your satisfaction. His team was amazingly tidy throughout the process. As a bonus, we also got extra design finish features that make our kitchen look truly custom as well as contemporary.  Any snags along the way were quickly forgotten as we continue to enjoy using our beautiful and transforming new kitchen.

We would highly recommend Jenny's DesignBuild and wouldn't hesitate to work with Dave again.

Everything went well. Dave was right on with the time estimate. All the subcontractors did great jobs and were very professional. The whole crew took great care not leave any mess or damage anything during the job. 

After I left a message, Dave returned my call promptly and showed up for an appointment on time. He was professional and very straight forward. I have to say that he isn?t necessarily a great salesman (he tells it like it is), but I actually find it refreshing, as in my experience, many contractors focus on being 'smooth' and don't tell you things that aren't beneficial for them. Dave first didn?t seem very supportive of my ideas, however, when I further explained why I wanted certain things and my risk tolerance, he was willing to work with me. I had a clear vision of what I wanted, and wanted something unique without a large budget. (A tall order for most of the contractors!) I?d talked to several contractors, but I wasn't sure about some of them and others weren?t interested in the job (too complicated and not profitable??) I really needed a contractor who is skillful and has a sense of style. I felt Dave was the best choice, as he was knowledgeable, confident and willing to listen to my ideas. Luckily for me, he had some free time before starting other large jobs a few weeks later. So, he was able to start my job right away. I know I?m not the easiest client to work with (I can be very particular with things) but Dave and crew accommodated my wishes whenever they could and communicated upfront when they couldn?t. Dave and Sal are truly master carpenters. I was amazed how quickly the job got completed. Now usable space in my kitchen is expanded to the maximum degree, and I?m extremely happy and grateful of their service.

I was very impressed with Dave and his design team. They suggested creative ideas for making my small kitchen more functional. We moved the refrigerator, moved the stove and vent and expanded the working space. They reconfigured my pantry area to not only be considerably more functional, but it opens up the space and is a vast improvement. Although Jenny's quote was not the lowest, nor the highest, I felt they would give me the best value for my money (and they did). From the first day, they were very considerate of my home. They laid down a protective floor covering to keep my hardwood floors from being damaged. I was on vacation during the demolition phase (would recommend this to anyone), and was pleasantly surprised to return home to a house that was not a complete mess. Dave estimated 4 weeks to complete my kitchen; I was functional in my new kitchen in 3.5 weeks, with only the punch list remaining. Throughout the process, all the guys were courteous and cleaned up the site daily. My neighbors even commented about how nice they were. After just spending the day cooking in my new kitchen, I can't believe how much more room I have. I started out looking to replace my cabinets and appliances, but what I ended up with was my dream kitchen.

Great. The workmanship (especially the tile) was excellent.

Dave was personally involved in every detail in the planning and design of each room. In addition, he came to the house virtually every day to be sure that the work was up to his high standards. His experience became obvious to me early on through the many thoughtful suggestions he made for the built-in cabinetry in the library. There are many, many choices available. I think that solid advice from someone like Dave is essential, if such a project is going to be really successful without a lot of stress. I like the fact that Dave offered suggestions and alternatives to us, but was always careful to step back and have us select what we felt was right for our needs and taste. I was very surprised at how clean Dave's workmen keep the house. I assumed that there would be dust everywhere from the sawing and drywall work. Instead, the house was remarkably dust free and Dave's people picked up after themselves every day, so construction clutter was non-existent. All of his workers were very polite and very professional. I cannot fault in any way the quality of the work that they did. All of the library base cabinets and shelves were installed with perfect alignment and I could not find even a small scratch on any surface. The same is true in the wine cellar. There was considerable drywall repair and repainting required in the library and kitchen areas. The work was done so well that I cannot identify the areas that were repaired, although I know where the holes were originally. The overall quality of the work and the final results certainly exceeded our expectations.