Approved Pro
The Hungry Carpenter LLC
Deck or Porch, Gazebo or Freestanding Porch Build or Installation, Commercial Deck or Porch Build or Replacement Service,
About us
We here at The Hungry Carpenter LLC has been innovating deck designs and other construction projects in St Louis and St Charles Counties for the past 10 years. We work with each customer to provide a design to fit their specific needs. We are a one-stop shop for your projects with our professional and quality work at affordable prices. Just give us a call for your free consultation.
Business highlights
Emergency services offered
28 years of experience
Services we offer
Carpentry - decks, basements, cabinets. Additions, drywall & taping. Windows & doors. Concrete., fences, framing, woodworking
Amenities
Emergency Services
Yes
Free Estimates
Yes
Warranties
Yes
Reviews
4.7164 Reviews
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 87% | ||
| 4% | ||
| 3% | ||
| 1% | ||
| 4% |
Showing 1-25 of 164 reviews
Patrick K.
Jan 2025
We received bids for a deck from three different companies, but Jim at Hungry Carpenter was by far the most professional. He sat down with us and walked us through the details of the projects, and he was the only one to write us an actual detailed bid. His prices were fair and honest. I highly recommend that you consider using him for your next deck project.
Ana D.
Aug 2024
Great job using Hungry Carpenter LLC. Dod a great job and very happy with the quality of material and craftsmanship. We would recommend this company.
Mark D.
Nov 2023
DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY!!!! On 5/5/23 we provided a large deposit to have a deck completed, start date on or before 6/30/23. Long story short, the contractor never completed the work (never even started). Instead, misleading statements and excuses for the delays were made for months. In November 2023, the company finally stated they could not start or complete the work because they are unable to attract and retain employees (not our problem). We asked for our deposit back so we could hire a reputable, reliable contractor to complete the work. In response to our request, the business is attempting to intimidate and bully us by refusing to return our funds, instead making up bogus, non disclosed fees to withhold our money (despicable!). Be wise and avoid this contractor at all costs. This is an unethical, dishonest, unprofessional business. AVOID!
Response from The Hungry Carpenter LLC
"I have returned the material check because they didn’t want to wait for us to get there to do there project. At the signing of contract I told the customer we had several jobs ahead of there’s an would let them know when we will be out there, they said that’s fine they were not in any hurry. We work as best we can and we do professional job and very good job got each and every customer. I can’t help if they can’t wait until we can get to there job. That’s why we are so busy because we provide a great product and service."
Cathy E.
Apr 2023
Jim did an absolutely wonderful job on our deck.
Response from The Hungry Carpenter LLC
"It was pleasure building this deck for you guy’s, I know you will get many years of enjoyment. Thanks Again Jim"
Kevin G.
Mar 2021
The project went well after several days of rain. Jim is very responsive as well as taking pride in his quality of work. Although not cheap, we got this project completed in a reasonable amount of time. We would definitely use Hungry Carpenter again for any future projects.
Kevin G.
Mar 2021
It was excellent. They were very punctual. The communication was good. Quality work was good.
Response from The Hungry Carpenter LLC
"Thank you very much for granting our company the opportunity to complete your project needs. Working with you has been both a pleasure and a delight. Hungry Carpenter is delighted with your satisfaction and we thank you for rating the quality of our work."
Shawna B.
Jan 2021
Everything progressed smoothly as planned. Jim worked very hard and steadily to ensure that it was a good investment, professionally finished, and did not take very long. We are very pleased the new deck is done, along with him taking care of the removal of material underneath and repairs on the house to make sure that the new structure lasts a long time. Would recommend to others for sure.
Response from The Hungry Carpenter LLC
"Hungry Carpenter is extremely pleased to hear you are satisfied with the finished product. Collaborating with you was a pleasure and we sincerely hope you will contact us for assistance with any future projects. Thank you once again for the opportunity to complete your project needs."
David L.
Jan 2021
Once he started, due to back loads of jobs, he worked everyday and very hard. I would definitely recommend him to anyone who needed work on there house.
Response from The Hungry Carpenter LLC
"Thank you very much for your rating and for giving us the opportunity to complete your project needs. It was a pleasure working with you and we appreciate the hospitality offered daily. Thank You, Hungry Carpenter Jim Watson"
Mark C.
Jan 2021
Very well. Jim is a hard working, do the right thing kind of guy with a ton of common sense.
Lisa M.
Sep 2020
Jim and his crew were amazing.. on time, courteous, and professional. Love the fact that he had a woman on his crew!! Our new deck is beautiful and would highly recommend them to anyone wanting a deck and more.
Rodney B.
Jun 2020
Start to finish a professional job. Old rotten deck tore off and new bigger one put in its place. Start to finish in two weeks. Took longer to get permits and go ahead than to do the work. Looks great and we love it. I highly recommend this outfit.
Robert G.
Jun 2020
Job 1 (decking): prompt, pleasant to work with. Deck flooring looks neat, BUT: grossly inferior wood, full of large knots, which started cracking after three or four months. AND: Boards are spaced too close together, debris gets stuck in the cracks, blocking drainage. Job 2 (gable trim): When will it get done? "I’m thinking sometime in November." By March of the following year, still not done -- so we requested refund of down payment. He got the job done the following week.
Kiesha H.
May 2020
Steven with Hungry Carpenter did a great job on our deck repairs. He arrived on time and got the work done quickly. The cost was efficient and I would definitely hire again for future deck projects.
Rosemary W.
Nov 2019
Very well old deck removed new deck built builders enjoyed work very good atmosphere cleaned up wel Would hire again
Cynthia W.
Aug 2019
Jim and his crew tore down our 15 year-old rotted front porch and constructed a gorgeous new one with composite materials. We added riser lights and an extra step to the original agreement, and we are very pleased that we did. The riser lights add to the safety of the steps along with looking so nice at night. We couldn’t be happier with our new porch; it has greatly enhanced the curb appeal of our home. Jim was very responsive to any questions or concerns. Although this job was not completed as quickly as we anticipated, my husband and I much prefer quality work over speed. We would be happy to work with The Hungry Carpenter if the need ever arises.
Response from The Hungry Carpenter LLC
"Dear Mr. & Mrs. Melsheimer, We at Hungry Carpenter thank you for posting such a wonderful review. Our customer experience and satisfaction are of the highest priority and reviews like yours help to improve and reaffirm the hard work we fulfill everyday. Providing quality production worthy of great merit is important to our company however we understand producing in a timely manner is critical. Your feedback will help enrich Hungry Carpenter in that area. Reading your post brought us great joy and we are delighted to know the results of your front porch project have brought you happiness. You were an absolute pleasure to partner with and we would be elated to fulfill any future projects. Thank You, Jim Watson and Staff"
Terry G.
Aug 2019
Great. Jim and his team removed the old siding and replaced with new hardie board, caulking the nail holes. Also replaced the trim surrounding the master bathroom window. When done the house looked good as new.
Response from The Hungry Carpenter LLC
"Dear Mr. [Member Name Removed], Hungry Carpenter thanks you for taking time to report your review of our performance. Our company enjoys making our clients dreams a reality and we are overjoyed to know you were pleased with the end results of the project. Hungry Carpenter would be delighted to complete any future project should the need arise. We hope to hear from you in the future and once more we appreciate your feedback. God Bless, Jim Watson and Staff"
Scott K.
May 2019
We had reached out to a number of contractors and the majority never gave us a bid. With Jim we had a bid within a couple weeks. He handled our HOA information, city permits, lien waivers and he had a much better approach with building our new deck. We recently replaced our driveway and I was concerned that it not get damaged and he respected that. Overall very happy with the deck. We added a gate last minute and there was some confusion on the price, but he fully honored what he told us. The price was competitive and the construction is far superior to our old deck. I had a few questions/punch list items and Jim addressed them the next day. We choose Hungry Carpenter because he built my sisters deck and screened porch a few years ago and they were happy. Once we gave Jim the deposit check they moved forward quickly and exceeded when I was expecting it to be completed. Ultimately we love the deck and the pricing was competitive.
Susan H.
Mar 2019
Jim (the owner) was friendly and easy to work with. The tear-out went quickly and the dumpster was in our driveway for only one day, which was nice. The deck looks great, better than we had imagined it would -- it's a very professional-looking job. We were impressed with the sturdy and careful construction, and the materials are high quality. Scott did a super job on it, was friendly and helpful, and we really appreciate how he cleaned up the work site each night. Highly recommend.
Richard C.
Jul 2018
Jim was great to work with. The finish work looks wonderful and he communicated throughout the process. He was extremely helpful in coordinating the electrical work and tv mounting that needed to be done. His suggestions on design of the roof looks amazing. Have already referred him to family and friends!
Rita C.
Jun 2018
We needed repair work done on our balcony. The crews he sent were incompetent and caused additional damage. One of their initial errors was cutting the bottoms off our iron railings to reset the angle of the deck which caused water to flow back to the house. After firing 2 sets of workers, the foreman came to work on the job. The work was shoddy and unprofessional looking. Jim would not stand by the work when problems continued. we are having to have the whole structure pulled down and replaced. While Jim is a nice guy, this job was beyond his capability and he should not have accepted it.
Response from The Hungry Carpenter LLC
"That job was back in 2005 and while the job was not a smooth Job we did the best we could with what we had to work with and what the customer did and didn't want us to do. I can assure you when we finish the job and the customer was satisfied with the job, the job was done as best we can do and I do stand behind our work and our company. Thank You Jim"
Elmer A.
Jun 2018
They were great did a great job.
Matt H.
Mar 2018
Great experience all around. Jim and his crew were extremely professional and did and excellent job. They got started early every morning and worked almost non-stop past 5pm for 4 days on our new deck... They were courteous and professional throughout. I would highly recommend them.
Cornelia M.
Feb 2018
As always with Jim Watson and his crew, it went beautifully! I have hired the Hungry Carpenter LLC on numerous occasions and will continue to. They have done everything from re-screening and replacing woodwork on a porch to putting in fences. In this case it was a fence job for our back yard in University City. It required demolishing an old fence and putting in new ones at the front and back of the yard. Jim gave a fair price and got to the job as soon as possible. His crew, Chris and Scott, were courteous and professional. We now have a safely fenced yard for our dogs and it is an infinite improvement over what was there before. As I said, we will be hiring Jim again as we have many projects needed for our older home. It is always a pleasure to work with Jim and we know we can count on a job well done at a fair price!
Douglas W.
Jan 2018
Outstanding - beyond expectations. From start to finish the job was done in a professional manner with meticulous attention to details. Jim Watson kept us fully informed, handled everything including proposal, construction permits, approvals from home owners association, demolition, construction, and work site cleanup. Even when asked to make minor additions to the project they willingly did so. Pricing was very competitive, service was excellent, and they were perfectionists on the work provided. I would recommend them to anyone.
LeAnne C.
Jan 2018
The deck seems to be generally well made. However, four of the perimeter boards were installed backwards so that the rounded edge that should be outward and visible is facing inward and the grooved inner edge that should be hidden is facing outward. When I first brought this concern to the builder’s attention, he tried to blame the problem on the supplier, saying that the supplier had sent me two different types of perimeter boards. The supplier, however, told me that there is only one type of perimeter board and that the builder had simply installed half of the boards backwards. When confronted with his lie, the builder changed his story and said that it was my responsibility to tell him that I wanted all the boards installed correctly. But of course I wanted them all installed correctly! It never crossed my mind that I had to tell him that I wanted him to do the job correctly! Also, the bottom step on the longer side of the deck was bowed in instead of running in a straight line. When the builder corrected that problem, it made the gap between the two planks that comprise that step uneven; the gap is narrow on one end of the step, rather wide nearing the other end of the step, and then becoming narrower again at the very end of the step. Obviously, something is wrong with the way in which that bottom step has been constructed. Eventually, the builder acknowledged that what is wrong is that he used a warped board in the framing of the deck but he has refused to replace that warped board. One additional concern is that one of the miter cuts at the corner of one of the steps has not been done correctly. The problem is not that the cut is not tight; rather the problem is that the builder made the cut in the wrong place so that the joint does not align with the other miter joints in the adjoining steps. When I brought each of these cosmetic issues to the builder’s attention, he insisted that he was not going to fix them unless I paid him to do so. I can see that I am going to have to pay someone to fix this builder’s sloppy finishing work; however, it most certainly won’t be him! Clearly, this builder is not concerned with producing a good-looking, nicely finished product. He is simply concerned with collecting his money. His business card states, “Failure is not an option,” but obviously, he does not regard sloppy finishing work as failure. I beg to differ; cosmetically, my deck is a failure. We chose this builder because he had been both Certified and given the Super Service Award by Angie's List; our experience with this builder, however, was anything but "super service." This builder will tell you anything he needs to tell you in order to get your business, but when it comes to backing up his talk with quality workmanship, it doesn’t happen. Find someone else who cares about quality.
Licensing
State Contractor License Requirements
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FAQ
The Hungry Carpenter LLC is currently rated 4.7 overall out of 5.
Yes, The Hungry Carpenter LLC offers free project estimates.
No, The Hungry Carpenter LLC does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, The Hungry Carpenter LLC does not offer a senior discount.
Yes, The Hungry Carpenter LLC offers emergency services.
Yes, The Hungry Carpenter LLC offers warranties.