"We recently completed a basement finishing project with Matrix and are happy with the final result. As with many large remodeling projects, we ran into a few issues along the way. A flooring material delivery delay pushed the project timeline back by a few weeks. The shower panel was scratched during plumbing installation and had to be replaced, and there were several electrical items shown on the plans that required follow-up visits to complete correctly. We didn't discover until after the drywall and painting were finished that the framing team had missed the wood backing specified in the plans for our TV mounts, which was never resolved. Despite these challenges, our site manager, Jim, was responsive, professional, and easy to work with throughout the project. He was available when questions came up and helped address issues as they arose. While the project wasn't without hiccups, Matrix worked to resolve concerns, and we are enjoying our new basement."
"Brawny Builders was great on all accounts. They helped with the design of our project which included a new front entrance, large rear deck, a couple sections of fence and an outdoor shower. They had a competitive quote and we’re able to start quickly. Their crew was hard working, very courteous and customer focused. The project was completed within the agreed timeframe and slightly under budget. The best thing about working with Brawny Builders was their effectiveness in communicating with me about all phases of the project. We’ve worked with many contractors over our years and no one comes to Brawny Builders in their customer relations. I would definitely use them again and highly recommend them."
"All was great! Very easy to work with and they went out the way to accommodate a couple other things I needed while the hole was open in my foundation. Highly Recommended!!"
"They were prompt for both the quote and the work. They identified fixed 3 cracks in the basement. The work was done well (3 rainstorms later and no water in the basement) and the clean up was great. Everyone was very professional."
"It was a small job. They sealed the vents to the crawlspace, then, since there was already solid insulation panels on the walls, put a vapor/moisture barrier, in the form of a tarp, 4 feet wide and as long needed, completely around the crawlspace. It was then sealed to the walls with "nails" and adhesive. This seals the wood frame of the house from the 'Outside", the ground, which is the floor of the crawlspace. A 20 mil thick, quite heavy, "floor" was installed, also in the form of a tarp, It went up the walls about 3 feet and was taped to the 'tarp" on the walls, using a tape made for this application. The piers were wrapped with the same stuff and taped to seal the inside from the outside. the "floor" is also a vapor/moisture barrier, but, heavy enough to walk on if needed. This basically makes the crawlspace another room, rather than the outside. Our house is one year old and was already getting mold on the floor joists. Since the air in the crawlspace will now be heated in the winter and cooled in the summer, just like the rest of the house, the mold and cold (52 degrees) floors we experienced last winter will hopefully be eliminated. We shall see when dumb winter gets here."
"The Prestige team was professional, on time and did excellent work. I flip houses and have already contracted them on another project. A definite rehire in the future."
"Alberto was able to complete the entire list of tasks I had left for him and his workmanship and pretty good. He patched, sanded and painted all the holes in the walls. He connected the water and ice maker to the frig and installed two bi-fold doors in the basement. "
Family owned business connected with all our people. Provide a safe working space with all your projects.We met your expectations with no problem our people communicate well. Have many years of customer service support we are a responsible and respectful rewarding trust ,safe company. Interior/Exterior Remodeling projects- kitchen and bath, room additions, dry wall, paint, flooring, roofing ,electrical, plumbing, etc.. \nWe are Bilingual
"I would not use this service again. It started off great, Amanda was responsive and she really is talented. I appreciated her ideas and she steered is in a great direction out of the gate without materials and design choices. While I appreciated Amanda's ideas and loved her recommendations, once the remodel started moving forward her responsiveness was NOT at all in line with the time needed to make decisions (7-10 days to answer an email in multiple cases). I ended up having to make choices on my own in tight timelines without her input on how it would fit with the design we were working on. The reason I chose this service was to get help making smart decisions about our home remodel to minimize the time, energy and stress involved in the process. I would say this service was NOT at all appropriate for those needs. Waiting 7-10 days for help with remodel decisions simply does not cut it. I did most of the footwork and choosing on my own due to the lag in response time. While I liked Amanda and feel she was very talented, I get the feeling this company has one designer that is way overloaded with projects and she simply is not keeping up. If you decide to go ahead with this service despite this information, make sure you schedule weekly calls and come with a list of questions well in advance of when you need answers. In addition, exercise caution when purchasing any materials through their discounted relationships. I ordered 2 rugs that were not available for shipment for more than 60 days after my order. Later, I decided that the rugs were not as big a priority as some other unexpected expenses that came up during the project. The rugs had still had not shipped and I had not been charged. Now I do not intend to place blame with HMD for my change of decision and given the amount of paperwork I had to sign when purchasing the rugs, I thought there would be a chance I'd be stuck with the purchase. All of that is none of their fault. The frustrating part of the situation is that it has been several weeks since I asked whether I could cancel the order all the time getting closer to the rug ship date. I got one vague email a week ago saying maybe the order could be cancelled with a restock fee. Restock fee? That doesn't make sense to me. It never left the stock, it hasn't shipped, and I haven't even been charged. Worse, I still don't known whether the order can be cancelled or not. So that process has been confusing and HMD has not been very responsive to my need for an answer. I would advise NOT to purchase anything through them unless you are absolutely sure it is perfect and it is in stock and can ship immediately. Don't plan on being able to change your mind or make returns without a hassle. In the end I got two one hour calls and a total of about ~15 emails (short answers easily composed in 5-10 min) for $600. NOT a deal in my book. In fairness to Amanda, we also have a great looking house that I will not pretend is not due to some great advice from her at the beginning of the project. I think this company has potential if it can manage response time better especially for big projects, but I cannot recommend at current service level.
Envision the type of bar experience you'd like to create for your guests. For example:
Does your basement have enough finished space for bar stools or seating?
What type of additional lighting would set the tone for the room?
Are there basement windows or an HVAC system?
Do you need new plumbing in your basement for a proper wet bar?
Could you be happy with a built-in wall cabinet bar rather than a full-scale wet bar?
If you’re not sure which method of raising the ceiling is best for you, here are a couple of considerations to help you make that decision. A professional ceiling company will be able to help you determine the best option for your home.
How long you are planning to live there: although raising the basement ceiling will increase the value of your home, if you’re planning to sell the house, then go for raising the house.
The condition of the foundation: to lower the floors, your foundation has to be intact whereas raising the house will allow you to restore the damaged foundation.
It’s less expensive to finish your basement than it is to build an addition to your home. The average cost to refinish a basement is $32,000 (between $7 and $23 per square foot) while building an addition to your home costs $50,325 ($80 to $210 per square foot). Depending on the size of your basement and other factors, like moving plumbing and electrical, refinishing a basement is a more cost-effective option in most cases.
If you have the woodworking experience to build a bar from scratch and you have the time, DIYing the work is a no-brainer and can save a few thousand dollars. However, if you’re looking to include a sink, additional lighting fixtures, or high-end bar tops and cabinets, it’s usually a better idea to call in a pro. It will cost more, but the finished product will likely be worth it.
Lifting a house and adding a basement is one way to add usable square footage. Lifting or jacking a house is a complex process, and it can be expensive, not to mention that you won’t be able to live in your house while it’s lifted, due to safety concerns. Lifting a house should only be done by experienced professionals.
The Niles, MI homeowners’ guide to basement remodels
From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
An unfinished basement has a lot of potential for a family room or guest suite. So how much does it cost to finish a basement? Read on for all cost factors.
Hiring a bad basement remodeler can wreak havoc on the look and longevity of your unfinished space. Here are red flags to look for as you vet basement contractors.