Dream Maker Bath & Kitchen

I am embarrassed to admit we spent over $40,000 for a bathroom remodel in the existing footprint. We were sold on Dreammakers’ project management and the attention to detail we were promised due to the owners being engineers. We have only one bathroom so getting the project done quickly was paramount. Dreammakers failed BIG on both the engineering and project management front. Project Management: Kami our project manager was here once after it started. She had the wrong materials delivered and installed which caused a month delay (and this was pre-Covid). Engineering: Every time my upstairs neighbors flush their toilet or use their shower I hear it through the walls. We’ve told Chris the owner about the issue and they offered to quote us to fix it. In addition to above attention to detail and quality was lacking. Here are some pics of the quality. -Dry wall patch after they put the toilet paper roll in the wrong place. - They left anchors in the brick- also the mirror is 2 years old and has discoloration - Paint they got on the tile with installation- that they “fixed” - but it reappeared I expect zero from Dream Makers based on the interactions we’ve had I just really hope I can save someone else from making the same embarrassing expensive mistake we made.

Where do I even begin.... we started our job in 2016 and three years later, we have open permits that cannot be closed because of violations, we have a non working bathroom, our floating floor nailed to the subfloor, and luckily a judgement against them. I know of other unhappy customers that were forced to sign gag orders during their mediation. Do your homework before hiring these con artist. Mike charged us for a mid priced remodel but used the cheapest Home Depot fixtures. We expected quality craftsmenship and what we got was a lot diy corner cutting. I’ve worked with many contractors and service people .... working with Dreammakers was hands down the worse experience of my life. To date, we’ve spent over $20k fixing his shoddy work and I’d say we’ll need to spend another $40k getting everything to code. So disappointing! We’re filing a complaint with the state. If you have a similar experience, please feel free to reach out and add yourself to the complaint. Update #1: recently, we discovered water coming through our ceiling from our attic. We had a specialist go into the attic to see why or if we had a roof leak. Nope!!! Mike Fischer had vented our exhaust fans from our bathroom directly into the attic, not venting it through the roof and out of the house. As result, it created damage to our attic and roof. Another $30,000 repair due to mikes complete negligence and incompetence. Please please do yourself, your home, and your money a favor and don’t hire these scammers.

Took forever to finish, I was promised craftsmanship but could have done it better myself. Cabinets were improperly hung, huge holes were left behind them and cold air pours in. Some areas were as much as 1/2" out of level. I was promised quality Anderson windows that would match the style of my other windows but instead was given Anderson's cheapest that were not the style of the others and air pours through them since they never insulated. They put the heating vent inside of a cabinet so I get virtually no heat in my kitchen. I had staples from the previous floor come through the new floor and whole areas of floor bubbled up and had to be reglued. Had to have the plumbing redone as pipes were never sealed and started leaking, the gas stove was improperly hooked up leaking gas and the garbage disposal stopped working. They did not provide a dumpster, instead piling all their garbage in my garage against my new appliances that were then dented. They would show up for an hour then leave to go to other jobs, sometimes I would not see them for days. When I questioned the workmanship, I was told that I did not know what I was talking about and treated very condescendingly (my father was a builder as are all my brothers, but too far away to do the work for me). I had to pay others to correct their mistakes as their idea of a warranty is to tell you that your complaints are wrong. I had written all my concerns on a daily report that they kept and mysteriously lost in a flood, so there was nothing I could use to sue them. I had put my trust in the owner who then threw me under the bus. The absolute worst experience I have ever had.

unknown

Update of February
11, 2015 Post
 
In August of 2014 we had two shower units renovated from fiberglass
units to tiled showers.  The renovation is attractive, the quality is
inferior.  After less than nine months of use the mixer in the master
bedroom shower began to leak.  The leak was discovered by our cleaning
lady in the lower level bathroom when the ceiling paint began to peel; the
drywall was damp.  We re-read the DreamMaker "Guarantee" and
followed the procedure required.  That procedure includes a requirement to
notify the company in writing.  A phone (6/9/2015) call didn't foster a
response but the "Registered Letter" (6/10/2015) prompted a phone
call and visit.
Mike Fischer, the owner, inspected the two locations (6/12/2015), removed the
wet drywall from the downstairs bath ceiling and suggested that "during
original construction (19970 the plumber may have placed a nail too near the
copper which, over time, caused it to corrode"  He informed me that
if that was his finding DreamMaker would do the repair at our cost.
On June 16 a repairman returned to remove more drywall and after inspection
informed me that a plumber would visit to inspect the faucet mixer unit which
was leaking.  I was pleased that a plumber would be called in to review
thee mixer since Mike had installed the mixer during the installation.  As
far as I know Mike Fischer is not a plumber.
The plumber removed the mixer, cleaned the joints and repaired the mixer joints
by sweating each joint.  The "mixer" functioned properly but was
unsecured to a 2 x 4 support.  After the "mixer" was secured, a
drywall installer repaired the master bath wall and downstairs ceiling. 
Within the week the drywall installer returned to paint the wall and
ceiling.  This person was prompt and professional.  At each visit he
was accompanied by two or three adults who waited in his truck while he worked
which was a bit unusual.
The floor molding and quarter round was not returned to it's proper
location.  We called Mike Fischer on July 21, to ask when the job would be
finished and as of yet we have not heard from him. We did send a registered
letter to DreamMaker on August 13, 2015, in keeping with the requirement that
written communication was required to notify DreamMaker of any concerns.  The purpose was to learn the extent of the
guarantee of the work performed in the repair project.  A phone call was
received explaining that the repair work would not receive the same guarantee stated
in the original contract; it would not be guaranteed.
On October 5, 2015 we sent a third Registered Letter to DreamMaker to advise
them that the tile work was now leaking into the closet adjacent to the shower. 
We requested DreamMaker contact us  to arrange an inspection of the work. 
To date DreamMaker has not contacted us or inspected the newest problem.
The "Code" that DreamMaker promotes in their client sales discussion
is rhetoric and little more.  The organization is process driven and
quality is incidental.  The "contract" is tool for the
DreamMaker organization to avoid ongoing problems; never ending failures. 
The DreamMaker "brand" is not worthy of respect because the glitz or
the showroom is not matched by the workmanship.  While we were encouraged
by another customer to use DreamMaker and I was uncomfortable throughout the
project because there was so much attention to the process; completing the
project board, explaining delays, uncertain progress and the
"feeling" that we were being taken advantage of; there was no trust.
We have contacted a reclamation group to correct the DreamMaker project. 
There is no contract, payment is required after the work is done.  Already
a plumber and a tile installer have visited the project as well as the company
owner.  It may be that we will need to rebuild the shower floor, re-grout
tile and relocate the shower door.  The original $15,000 project is going
to cost more than expected but will be done properly. 
 
And by the way, the company will stand behind
their workmanship as long as they are in business and they have a long history
of being in business.  Shop around
because we think there are organizations that are more "customer
oriented" and more trustworthy.  Our
"nightmare" experience is not something you ought to experience. 

•  

The worst experience ever! They promised me quality and craftmanship but they couldn't drive a nail straight. There was no concern for me or my house, they broke things, left horrible messes and created additional work.
My kitchen cabinets and appliance sat in the garage for months because they only would work for an hour or two then move to another job. Many times I would come home from work to find they had just arrived to work, many evenings I was unable to relax in my home. My new appliances were damaged because they used the garage to store their garbage instead of hauling it away or providing a dumpster. Of course they claimed the appliances came that way, but because so much time had passed, my delivery warranties had expired. They installed windows without any insulation, put the heating vents inside the cabinets, the cabinets started pulling apart a month after they finally finished. My kitchen was ice cold all winter. The gas stove was installed improperly, they broke the casing and I had to have it repaired plus the gas line was leaking. Just a few of my issues.
I am a builders daughter, so I have compassion for the problems a builder faces. I addressed the issues during construction but was treated with disrespect, what does a woman know? This a company that pretends to be a high end design and installation firm, but some bum off the street could do a better job.

unknown

---

Our project began with bids taken in April 2014 with a goal
of completing the work prior to June 1, 2014.  We selected Dream Makers
and made the first payment at our first meeting when we met with a staff member
and owner to explain specifically what we wanted in a finished product. 
The meeting seemed to be a success.  Hardware was ordered after viewing a
catalog.  Samples were not provided.  Ceramic tiles were selected
from samples and our specific shower space design which included built-in
shelving was confirmed.
We left the second meeting expecting to hear from the staff member who was to
set a work schedule.  Until we called two weeks later to check on the
progress of scheduling the work there was no communication.  The staff
member explained "we (Dream Makers) have done nothing; we have been
waiting for your response."  There was nothing to respond to; we were
confused. Two weeks lost.
We moved forward with another meeting near the end of April.  At that meeting
plans for our project were set in motion and the staff was to develop a
schedule   to complete our work by June 1.   Within the week we
received a call that the June 1 date could not be accommodated.  This was
our second disappointment.
We regrouped and delayed the construction until August 1, after our summer
visitors departed.  A planning meeting in mid-July was canceled by Mike
and rescheduled for "the week before work was to begin." 
Finally, August arrived, a schedule was determined for what we expected to be a
two week project.  Prior to the first work day, the owner brought a work
progress communication "display" to our home.  The "display"
was to provide the home owner with day-to-day progress notes plus provide an
opportunity for the home owner to comment on the work being done or ask
questions.  While the intention of this "prop" was well intended
it failed as a true means of communication, plus it occupied a sizable portion
of the entry to our home throughout the remodel.
The project stretched to three weeks, then a couple days more.  The owner
and another person did the demo and reconstruction prep.  The tile people,
once scheduled were dependable and efficient.  We allowed them to work on
a weekend when we were absent in order to get the tile work finished.  The
tile craftsmanship was excellent.  The
men (two) were dependable and there were no worries about security.
Although we were told various trades would be used by Dream Makers for our
project, only the owner, his helper, the tile people and the door installers
worked on our project.  The owner handled the plumbing which took a couple
of days which confused me until I learned he had problems sweating the
copper.  Also, one of the water supply valves was installed backwards
which reverses the "hot" and "cold" water selection in the
lower level shower (cold is left, hot is right).  We accepted the problem to avoid further
delays which was probably a mistake.
Once the tile work was complete the templates for the shower doors were
made.  Delivery of the shower doors was about 10-11 days.  Beautiful
doors!  Skilled installers directly from
the fabricating company installed the doors perfectly.  Finally, after
Labor day our project reached the "finished project" phase.
In late October, early November we discovered three sharp corners on the tile
that surrounds the Jacuzzi tub.  The owner visited the site a few days
later to determine what needed to be done.  About 10 days after the visit
the owner returned to correct the sharp corners; a 30 minute fix.  One appointment was missed because I forgot
it so it was rescheduled.
In October we experienced leakage from sweep area of the door.  The owner scheduled
the installers two weeks later to inspect the problem.  They arrived,
commented that they thought the initial design was flawed and proceeded to
correct the problem by installing new gaskets around the door and a small
"dam" on the shower floor in line with the closed door.  The 1/4
inch high "dam" eliminated the water leaking from the shower onto the
bathroom floor.
Finally on or about December 6 our shower project was complete.  The tile
workmanship is high quality.  The organization Dream Makers proclaims
lacks concise fulfillment.  The owner has a penchant for being
"really busy" which makes his follow through ineffective. As far
as we are concerned the staff member we worked with seemed ill equipped to
assist the customer in product selection and ill informed as to her role;
she lacks patience.  All in all, the project took far to much time to
complete which elevated our personal stress. 
 
Dream Makers seems to be "process
driven" rather than "results driven." It was our opinion that
the trades used on project were otherwise engaged and accepted Dream Maker work
in addition to their regular jobs.  We
tried to be understanding and think we were but working with Dream Makers
really required immense energy and patience

unknown

The start of the project was not bad. Granted I had some red flags when I felt pressure to sign the contract right there and could not take it home to look over. Mike is a great salesman. He probably could almost sell snow to an eskimo. HOWEVER, the quality of work and delivery of service is not his strong suit.

Once we signed the contract we weren't given very much notice to start the demo (to save money we were doing a large amount of the demo ourselves). We were told that if everything went right our project should be done within 7 weeks. Okay, I am a realistic person. These things are notorious for not going smoothly so I doubled it with my expectations of the time estimate. Well instead of 7 weeks (or 14 as I doubled the time estimate) it took 27 weeks!

Dream Maker started our project on March 11th. The project started out okay but they were not there every day or all day. I could over look that if it hadn't taken so long. Things kept getting delayed (counter tops, etc). In June--yes they were still working in June--my husband went from being a healthy man to deathly ill almost overnight. He was admitted into the hospital on June 20th and was there for 11 weeks. At this point I was ready for this kitchen to be DONE and it was not. Now I had to also deal with a life threatening illness of a spouse. I did not want sympathy or special treatment from Dream Makers, honestly all I wanted was for the project to be done so I could focus on my husband.

While Mike denies this, I truly feel Dream Makers took this as a way to cut and run on the project. A week after my husband was admitted into the hospital (in ICU on a ventilator), I came home after a long day at the hospital to find the spare key on the kitchen counter. NO NOTE--NOTHING but a long list of things that still needed to be completed. My dishwasher wasn't draining; floor was horribly uneven, cabinet doors uneven, subfloor showing due to flooring not laid close enough or under the trim in public places, etc. Two days later (a Friday) Mike called and let me a voice mail asking for the rest of the $$. He called me again on Monday since I did not have a chance to call him back on Friday (at this point I was spending 12-14 hours a day at the hospital). He acted like I was avoiding him and he needed to get paid. I left him a message stating that I wasn't avoiding him but wasn't going to pay him until the job was completed. I did not hear from him for another 15 days.

Long story somewhat short, it took several phone calls, emails (at first Tammy was very nice but when I would not be pushed around she got short and acted like she was doing ME a favor), and a week of trying to get ahold of headquarters in Texas to get Mike to take me seriously. I had to have a meeting with him where he agreed and talked over me. Tryied to say they weren't completely done but wanted to get paid. I gave them the 2 days they wanted to finish up. Each day they fixed something; two more things would then need to be fixed.

I went as far as to see a lawyer who informed me unless I could get someone reputable to write a report on what they did wrong, why it was wrong, how much it was going to cost to fix, and put their name on it, I didn't have much of a case due to being hard to prove. I did have some contractors come out and review their work. No one wanted to put their name out there. However, all of them did say, it was a messed up job--especially the floor.
To fix the dishwasher, I ended up contacting Sears (where it was purchased) to send someone out to repair it. The hoses were all hooked up wrong and bunched in the front near the door. Repairman said that I was lucky. If I hadn't of called him, the hose would have been pinched everytime I open the door causing a leak that would ruin my kitchen within 3 months.
While Dream Maker FINALLY came back to finish the job, they told me they needed two days--suprise--it took 5 days.
One thing to make note of: Mark-the carpenter who did most, if not all of our remodeling, worked most of the time alone. He is also Mike's cousin. I thought Mark was a nice guy but he is very shy and seemed like he didn't want to give us bad news or communicate well. Mike disputed the fact that I do not believe Mark to be a carpenter by trade. All the trim work and wood work needed correcting. When I mentioned this to Mike, he defended Mark and acted like I just didn't know what I was talking about.
I was the one who talked my husband into giving this company a shot. They are in Old Town and I was trying to support a local business. Guess I made a mistake that I have definitely learned from. Will NEVER use them. We are looking to remodel our bathroom and entry way. What baffles me is, they knew that was our next project (along with patio next). If they had done right by us, they could have had a lot more business. Lesson learned. I do not see where I can upload pics to this review, otherwise I would and let you decide for yourself.

The service started out great (to secure the contract) after that, Mike was non-responsive. He promises you to be there and to solve any issue that may arise, but as soon as we voiced our concerns, Mike became irritated he had to come back several times to fix sloppy work. He tried cheap fixes and when that didn't work, he stopped responding to our calls. The work performed by Dave was good, but anything they outsourced had to be fixed. We are still dealing with our kitchen floor that was poorly installed. We gave up after a year of trying to get them to fix it. We now have had to hire another contractor to fix the work!

see above

I love my new kitchen. I liked their project management; they had a great plan. They started when they said they would start and they finished when they said that they would finish. They cleaned up after themselves every day before they left. They kept in constant communication to let me know how things were going, and responded to any of my concerns immediately. They really were fantastic and I would refer them. I would use them again in the future.