I on Design(I), LLC

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We are honestly speechless and don't know where to begin. Karen came recommended an acquaintance. This is what her response was to us when we tried to ask a few questions regarding her proposal which took her TWO weeks to get to us: "Normally I meet with the clients to look at samples and drawings and discuss options from there. I tried to set up a meeting for this Thursday or Friday. You chose not to do that, but instead asked me to send numbers. I did just that. I also stated in the proposal that the drawings are the property of IOD and are available to view for the homeowners when we meet. It is my experience that if someone does not want to take the time to meet in person for such an important investment, they are price shopping and not serious. While I have not asked for money for my time initially as it is part of the bidding process, I do not work for free. I have been out to your house twice in good faith to understand your needs. I cannot match your budget and you have stated that I have not met your needs. Therefore, I respectfully withdraw this proposal." Hopefully her own words paint the picture well. Unfortunately, Karen falsely accused us of shopping around when in fact, my husband does numbers for a living, and she was indeed the only person we were working with and CHOOSING to have remodel our home. We sent an email agreeing that we should meet to go over specifics but stated that we felt Karen wasn't asking for any input on basic selections, which Karen simply ignored and instead sent the response stated above. We continuously had to ask Karen just to get numbers over to us, as we are incredibly responsible with the decisions we make and how we spend our money, so that we wouldn't waste too much of her time if her numbers weren't realistic with our budget. Karen initially asked us what our budget was after giving us a "rough" verbal quote and then proceeded to state to not be scared by those numbers. Her proposal (knowing our budget) not only surpassed our budget but also her "rough" quote. It's ironic that someone else stated to not ask too many questions or Karen will quit on you before she even begins. Our experience was very true to this and is unfortunate. This would have been a $20,000 job for her in the end. We've never experienced a person so unwilling just to answer questions for such a financial investment. VERY unsettling to say the least.

As I preparring to put my house up for sale, I noticed what appeared to be settling cracks in the foyer. I wanted to get to the bottom of what was causing the problem, so I hired a structural engineer to evaluate my home. He made a set of recommendations which would involve a number of different contractors. Natutally, I went straight to Angie's List. I also mentioned how overwhelmed I was to a friend of mine. Without hesitation, she recommended I contact Karen Mancuso to help me manage all of the steps and the contractors that would be required. My friend was right. From the moment I contacted Karen, I knew I was going to get the best solution, using the best team of people I could hope for. Karen read the engineer's report, and came to my home. She also wanted to dig deeper, to determine the source of the initial problem, so we could correct that, rather than just repairing the damage. We both agreed that we needed to fix what caused the problem once and for all, so I would not be back in the same situation in a couple of years. It took Karen a few weeks and many calls and visits as she brought out a series of experts. We uncovered issues that the structural engineer had not even considered. When it was all said and done, I was extremely confident that we had determined the source of my problem, knew what it would take to correct it, and had a solid plan for how to address each step of the solution. Karen refused to uplift the quotes from the contractors. Instead, she had them each bill me directly and only allowed me to pay her a modest consulting fee for the many hours she put in on my project. I could not have asked for a more professional, compassioniate and thorough project manager. I strongly recommend Karen for any complex project - repair or remodel. I wil absolutely call her again!

We saved for over a year to put hardwood floors on our first floor and take down an obtrusive pole separating family room from the kitchen. We joined Angie’s list to find the contractor right for the obtrusive pole removal job because it was structural. After multiple calls and visits, we thought we found the right person and agreed to move forward with Karen. The demo on the structural wall was going to start on a Tuesday morning. 5 days before the start, the supplies were delivered and stored in our garage. So exciting! We worked hard to remove 1200 square ft of tile and carpet floors over the holiday weekend so not to get in the way of Karen’s team. Then the day she agreed to start; she quit! She claimed the amount of questions in regards to the work was alarming and was uncomfortable, so she quit. That’s right, I had questions about how I was spending my money and she felt it was inappropriate. We were stuck with no kitchen, no floors and a house full of displaced furniture. My only advice if you choose Karen, is don’t ask to many questions… she will get uncomfortable and give up without consideration of your situation or concerns.

I hope 10,000 characters are enough to tell you how pleased I am with this project. While all the pieces and parts of vendors did a great job - this project's success is 100% attributed to the skills and capabilities of I on Design and specifically, Karen Mancuso, who acted as the General Contractor. To level-set, this is the first major remodel project I have ever attempted and I was both scared to death and a nervous wreck when I committed to it - that was all wasted worry because Karen was on the job. From the moment I met Karen, she instilled a sense of confidence and capability. She is extremely knowlegable about the ins and outs of remodel projects and handled everything I threw at her with calm & methodic coordination. I on Design brought in quality subcontractors, each specialized in their own area that all had a strong sense of quality and professionalism. One of Karen's strengths is that she really listened to me as a home owner, and she picked up on the areas that were of concern to me. In many ways, I could call her "Radar O'Reilley" because she always seem to have the answer ready for the question I was about to ask, because she knew exactly what would bother me and what I was concerned about. She had this sense because she took the time up front to discuss the project, my thoughts, likes, dislikes, concerns - fears, you name it. And she remember every bit of knowledge she learned. Even though I thought I could care less about picking out granite, Karen took me to a granite yard to see the difference - as I started to learn all the nuances, it turns out I cared a lot more than I thought and I couldn't find exactly what I wanted. Karen made sure we did a thorough search of other suppliers until I got exactly what I wanted. The granite fabricator, All Granite (Denver, NC) that Karen brought to the table installed a quality product on time with a great installation crew. Karen kept me focused on granite that fit my criteria in both price and design - instead of letting me run rampet with the many options. When I couldn't make up my mind about floors and tiles, Karen gave me just simple advice - pros and cons - to help me decide without pushing me into any specific decision. She let me take the time I needed to make sure I was getting what I wanted. And my floors are incredibly beautiful and I wish I had done this 10 years ago. Freedom Flooring provided the flooring and installation. The cabinets were provided by Marsh Kitchens - and the cabinet installer was one of the most capable people I have ever met. The design was perfect because once again, the team LISTENED to what I was saying and didn't try to oversell. I had one or two unique requests that some people might think were crazy - but not these guys - they creatively designed specifically to my requests and it is beautiful. I am sure all of you had heard horror stories of remodel projects. This isn't one of them. It was done on time and within the budget. Don't get me wrong, that budget did grow - it's amazing how you add things that you didn't think were important until you saw them and suddenly they are must haves. You are kidding yourself if you think your not going to add something - so aim for a budget and have some room for those 'must haves' that really 'make a difference'. Karen laid out the schedule based on my calendar, made adjustments as I needed, but then directed it like a well-oiled army campaign. I knew exactly what was happening, who was doing it, how long it was going to take and when it was going to be finished. Again - on time and complete. When we did run into some hiccups - and you will, because you never know what's under those floors, walls, etc. Karen did a masterful job of pulling the team together to solve the problem. Not to point fingers - or say, "not my problem" -- instead, more of a "how can we make this client happy" - they worked together to solve the issues. Always focused on making sure I was on board and satisfied. I think doing a project with a general contractor who brings in quality vendors and providers is definitely the way to go. I looked at doing the remodel with some 'big box' stores but the costs really are NOT lower and the coordination efforts are not there. Nor is the quality - you won't be picking out your own slab of granite - you'll be taking what they give you.. I honestly can not recommend anyone any more highly. You might be skeptical reading this glowing review. I am brutely honest and a former project manager -- this truly represents the quality of the project and it's leader. I will hire " I on Design" again for my next remodel phase - no question. I would not do a remodel without Karen and really, neither should you.

We have decided to go with them. It's not a very big project. They were both very professional and the biggest thing that it came down to was that we decided that we wanted automatic doors and they checked it out first and found out that they need a permit. The other company made an assumption that it didn't need to be permitted. They were professional and that's why I went with them. I don't know if I would use them in the future, it depends on how the work goes. At this point of time I have seen a thoughtful, interested and professional organization. All the workers were named mark and I am named mark so I think there is something to it. The other company would have got us a permit if we asked but that would have probably increased the cost.

Karen Mancuso is a general contractor and owner of I on Design. I am the host/producer of the national PBS series, For Your Home. We recently featured a major kitchen renovation project on our show. Karen Mancuso was our General Contractor. She was professional, knowledgeable and a delight to work with. Karen was a real hands-on partner on this project. She was a talented team leader, earning the respect of all her sub-contractors and the homeowners throughout the project. When problems or unforeseen changes occurred she acted swiftly and worked diligently with her team to find the best solution keeping us on budget. Our homeowners were delighted with the project and Karen. I highly recommend Karen for any home improvement project. You can watch Karen in action on the For Your Home shows by clicking on the below links http://www.foryourhome.com/2711-%e2%80%93-new-kitchen-part-i/ http://www.foryourhome.com/2712-%e2%80%93-new-kitchen-part-ii/