GIRAFFE DESIGN-BUILD

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Giraffe is a smaller custom design-build firm that has been active in the Ann Arbor/Dexter/Chelsea/Ypsilanti area for at least twelve to fifteen years. We first saw their work at the annual home shows in Ann Arbor when we were looking for a remodeling contractor. The projects we reviewed showed a certain flair which could be attributed to the way that they worked with clients, often incorporating special custom elements suggested by the homeowner/clients. With us a series of redesign scenarios were explored followed by continuous refinement of ideas and materials until we finally signed off on the designs, ordered cabinets, supplied some of the materials ourselves, etc., etc. We had to remain in our home while the kitchen was completely gutted to the bare walls, and in some cases to the studs, so they created a "temporary kitchen area" behind a dust wall in our family room and moved some cabinets and our dishwasher to a location in the basement for the duration of the project. Once they got started, things moved along very steadily, with only one or two days when someone was not in our house working. They allowed me to serve as a clean-up and demolition assistant, slightly offsetting the labor costs. We did have the occasional 'issues" but they always listened and worked quickly to address them. Our project was definitely on the "high end." It involved complete re-wiring of the kitchen and family room lighting circuits, removal and replacement of all plumbing, cabinets, counters, a marble backsplash, custom fitted quartz counter tops, LED lighting, and custom cabinets and closet/pantry shelving, lighting, etc, etc. Paul, their cabinetry man, was a highlight. He quickly put together custom made built in pantry and closet shelves in two closets and the pantry without any drawings. They have turned out to meet our needs perfectly and proved less expensive than commercial cabinetry or shelving. Paul fitted all of our new custom oak cabinets perfectly to the relatively uneven walls and floor of a house built in 1939. His attention to detail and willingness to adjust things, like making custom supports for a counter top overhang seating area from left-over installation strips that came with the cabinet order, etc.