TERRA FIRMA BUILDING & REMODELING LLC

They did a great job. We have had very [positive experiences and I would highly recommend them to others.

Great! Mark, Greg, and staff were great to work with, extremely professional. The quality of their framing and trim work was excellent. There attention to detail and accuracy does lead to a slightly longer process. They won't measure for the cabinets, which were custom built, until the framing is done, and won't measure for counter tops until the cabinets are in. It is worth it. When you're spending $100,000 on a kitchen, you want it done right.

Outstanding job. We got a very high quality kitchen. They were also about 10% below the other bid that we got. Marty, Mark, Greg, and their staff were professional, communicated very well, and did outstanding work. Only two two minor critiques. The project took longer than we ideally had hoped, 12 weeks versus 8. However, they gave us the 12 week schedule upfront and met it. Also, at one point, we were trying to cut back on costs, and they suggested using an alternative cabinet maker than they had originally recommended, who would charge a little less, which we did. We have a couple minor issues with the cabinets (minor cosmetic things that only the owner would notice). With the higher cost maker, we may have avoided the issues, but that was out choice. Great customer service. They contacted us a few times after completion to see if anything need to be adjusted, and they sent the painter back after 6 months to do some touch ups at no cost. He touched up minor dings that we did.

Terra Firma is working on a renovation of our neighbors' house and in contrast to having been told that they are respectful of adjacent properties, this is how my garden fence now looks with damage to the fence itself and destruction of the vines that used to supply privacy. I wouldn't consider this being respectful of my property.

We worked with an architect and Terra Firma was a recommendation. They were helpful from the beginning and we couldn't be happier about the estimate, write-ups, timing estimation, work done, how they dealt with subs, guaranteeing of work afterwards, etc. I could go on and on, but they are craftsman and care deeply about the work being done and giving you the best. 
We love doing work ourselves, but this was far and above our capacity for time and expertise. It was our first work with a general contractor and we were especially happy. It was nice to have a dedicated lead carpenter / project manager to entrust with our home while we were way. They worked with us and communicated to drive the project completion, but also to our liking.
 The only knock would be that to make sure you are clear if you are working with an architect of any additional things you might want to include in a proposal with Terra Firma to make sure it isn't glossed over. We managed most of our project, but it is easy to look at the nice drawings and write-up from the architect, even when we made changes post drawings. A few things that happened in conversations didn't get recorded, but they were resolved. We will work with them again.

Very well. Marty Ruddy, the owner, treats customers and staff with respect and trust. It shows in the quality of the finished product and the steps to achieve it. Each project had a dedicated lead who communicated very well with us about progress. Predictable inconveniences, when the water might be off or when to expect noise, etc., were planned ahead of time. The leads were experienced in one of the trades so they brought expertise and organizational ability. The unforeseen was handled immediately and thoroughly. Several years later, a call is quickly returned. Wear and tear issues are addressed at reasonable cost.

Clean, neat, quick, and great communicators. When demolition revealed new issues, they let us know and gave us plans to address the issues that we could choose from. Excellent work, standing up well to two dogs and multiple guests.

As close to perfect as is possible. The only delays/problems were with subcontractors that we insisted on using. Not folks that Terra Firma normally works with.
They are very good communicators and we feel felt and still feel a high level of trust in them. The project was very expensive but we did not feel taken advantage of. Instead, we felt that we got full value out of the relationship.

My experience with them was great. They were thoughtful and did a thorough job.

They were easy to work with, attune to my questions, delivered on time and finished the job when agreed upon.

We had excellent experiences both times. They were very professional, transparent, and were great at communicating about where they were, issues encountered, and all other areas. I liked how Marty would work with us on the bid with the architect to make adjustments to simplify the project and allow us to make our budget. They have a open book policy so we know exactly how much was spent. We didn't solicit other bids as we trusted them. When we had issues after the project, they were extremely prompt in fixing them for no additional cost. The additions look like they are original on the outside. I would highly recommend them for any project.

We enjoyed working with Terra Firma (Marty, Adam, Mark), and were *very* happy with their work.
Terra Firma helped us get the project going, including advice on hiring an architect; worked creatively to find solutions to design issues; and explained all of our choices to us well.
The construction process was actually pleasant. Adam was always available to explain what was happening, and the disruption to our normal lives was never more than the minimum that goes with a project of this sort.
And, of course, the final product has been wonderful. The construction is first-rate . . . . Our only regret is that the house almost looks shoddy compared to our garage!

We had absolutely no complaints about Terra Firma. This company and its owner, Marty Ruddy, are a class act.

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Working with Terra Firma has been absolutely delightful. Marty (owner) is extremely responsive, straightforward and trustworthy. No guessing necessary. My project spanned many months and although it was not completed by the time initially planned/hoped, they made sure my house was as functional as possible throughout (part of the delays were associated with my own delay in decision-making). They were patient and flexible as the project "evolved", all while staying within budget. Marty found ways to save me money without compromising quality in any way. The quality of work was impeccable - both that done by Terra Firma and the subcontractors they used. They were committed to ensuring things were done right. In a large project there are always things that don't go quite as planned, and Terra Firma corrected things promptly and completely. I was particularly impressed when the project lead (Dave) picked up on a coloring blunder on my hardwood floor and got it corrected right away (which involved re-sanding and re-finishing the whole floor). There were some little things that took longer than I would have liked, but nothing substantial, and I'd rather that than any compromise in quality.
I would hire Terra Firma again in a heartbeat if I had it to do over again.

Did not hire.

Went well overall, just too high of a bid.

From the beginning our project manager, Tim, gave us daily or more frequent updates on what was going to be going on, who was going to be in our house and how long he expected each task to take. Clean up and dust control was done diligently (there is still going to be dust). TF was responsive to quality of work issues with subcontractors and either had them return or fixed the issue without question. Attention to detail and matching our existing wood trim, windows, rooms was spot on. We felt like partners, rather than just the homeowners. We had a great experience thanks to Terra Firma!

An ice dam caused heavy damage to our home's primary bathroom. Since we had to do extensive repairs, we decided to gut the room and do a full redesign as well. We interviewed several contractors before meeting Marty, who finally got us started on the right path by referring us to an excellent interior designer. We interviewed a few more highly recommended remodeling companies before settling on Terra Firma - not only because of their competitive quote but also their extremely happy references. The entire team demonstrated professionalism, integrity, and a sincere pride in their work throughout the project. When we ran into difficulty with the insurance company, Marty stepped in and provided support and as much detail as needed to work through that process. When we ran into significant unforeseen complications, Terra Firma went the extra mile to make everything right - upholding their high standard of quality, performing substantial additional work at no additional expense to us. Terra Firma had their eye on the details (from the fixtures we had chosen to the quality of the tile) to steer us in the right direction throughout the process. The result is a BEAUTIFUL modern-but-vintage-style bathroom that fits the quality of our old craftsman home. From a very hard-to-please customer: we highly recommend Terra Firma.

Marty was helpfull in the initial planning stages. He and his crew were punctual and professional at all times. The work site was cleaned at the end of the day. A schedule was provided and followed. Change requests were discussed with alternatives presented. Highly professional at all times. At the end we have a beautiful kitchen and bathroom that receive rave reviews.

In a word, excellent! This small contracting company is a class act. Owner Marty Ruddy really knows his business. Marty, job foreman Nate Mitchell and other TF employees were courteous, conscientious, friendly, highly skilled and anxious to do the job right. All subcontractors were first-rate. If we had concerns, they were addressed immediately, and any changes were made with a minimum of hassle for labor+materials. All work came in at or below estimates, and each statement was presented in minute detail, with all receipts and job tickets attached. We have absolutely no complaints.

Terra Firma was very patient, thoughtful and helpful in planning our big project. We were highly impressed with the professionalism of all Terra Firma employees and the courtesy of the subcontractors, and of course the quality of work completed. The carpenters were respectful as well as intelligent and easy to talk to and learn from. Even though we did not yet live in the home when the work was being done, our new house was treated with the utmost respect. The work took a a couple of weeks longer than expected to complete, but in the end we were able to move in to our new house on time. The delays had to do with the complexity of scheduling the floor refinishing. We were very impressed with the quality of work and love our new home. 6 months later, the house settled and the refrigerator cabinet moved forward. Terra Firma responded within 2 days and had it adjusted. We feel like we have a commitment for life for the work that was done. We have strongly recommended Terra Firma to many of our friends. One downside (or upside?) to mention is that they focus on quality and not on saving money with the selection of subcontractors and materials. They were flexible with our many attempts to save money on this large project, however.

They were very responsive on the phone. I will use them again in the future.

We were extremely pleased with the quality of work, and they were good communicators. They were also pleasant to have around, and they cleaned up their mess. They did not play loud music. They were very task oriented, and we had recommended them to our daughter, who had used them.

They had a great electrican. They were good at working to reduce the initial estimate and keep the budget close.