New Hope Design - Build Inc.

I was extremely impressed with the Masterbuilder Fellowship. Our primary contact was Sean Murray, but everyone we met was very professional, thorough, and knowledgeable. The first step was interesting, and unlike any other project we've done. They did an in-depth interview about our interests, what we liked to do, how did we want the space (primarily the kitchen and back deck) to be used. I do a lot of cooking, so they spent a good bit of time designing a space that we would be happy with. They also came up with ideas we'd not thought of- e.g., moving a wall to expand our walk-in shower, putting in a balcony where there was a window, and countless other touches. Yes, we had the usual glitches, primarily with sub-contractors not showing up and bad weather. Throughout it all, Sean coordinated multiple tasks and- here's the great part- made absolutely sure we were totally happy with the end result. We ended up with an absolutely transformed kitchen that is a joy to cook in, or just hang out. He transformed our old, wooden back deck into a lovely stone patio with a boulder retaining wall and a beautiful waterfall feature. I will always have a warm spot in my heart for Masterbuilder Fellowship. They all impressed me with their integrity, follow-through, and especially their dedication to making changes that would enrich our life. A nice plus: they have a great network of contractors that they've worked with for years, so you can be assured that any outside work (like painting) will be top-notch. Love those guys! (Considering how much everything ended up costing, that's saying a lot!)

. They demolished the old MB and deck. Constructed a beautiful new master bath complete with large shower, tub, toilet closet, double sink and make-up vanity area. Constructed a new closet along with cosmetic changes to the master bedroom. Installed pocket doors from the new master bath to the bedroom area. Also installed a new sliding glass door and porch to exit the Master bedroom.

The process of tracing the leak in the roof begins with an explanation of the circumstances.  The roof pitch at the leak site is extraordinarily shallow.  The water collecting in the ceiling was primarily near the rear wall of the house, however on occasion pouring out of an air conditioning register.  Whenever it rained over a period of 8 weeks in January and February 2016 Chris Rowe examined the possible origins in the attic above the leak site, with no success.  To find the leak, Chris removed a 30 inch long 14.5 inch wide portion of the ceiling. 
That section of the house is 60 years old. Chris called an asbestos abatement company for removal.  No asbestos was found.  After several torrential downpours we had no success finding the leak.  In late March, during a thunderstorm, we found the source.  Sean Murray removed a nail, flattened the shingle tab, patched the underlying 60 YEAR OLD roof sheathing (1 X 4 v-joint #3 SYP) and we have not had a problem since.
Chris Rowe patched the ceiling, taking care to put four layers of drywall joint compound and smooth the finish so that after painting the ceiling there is no trace of a leak.
Chris at first would not send an invoice nor accept payment for the work performed, as he said that the right thing to do was to fix the roof and then assign financial responsibility.  Chris finally accepted payment, and what he charged me certainly did not cover the costs of the multiple visits to find and repair the roof leak, and repair the water damage in our home.
I am grateful for Masterbuilder Fellowship, and Masterbuilders Chris Rowe and Sean Murray, for their persistence, professionalism and the quality of the results.

.

While having all of this work done, I was living in another state. This could have been a very stressful way to do this but Sean was in contact with me often and I always felt like I knew what was going on. Their knowledge of historic homes was so helpful in determining what to do in certain areas of the home. In addition with a job of this magnitude I was trying to keep costs down. Sean was very patient with me and understanding of my budget and helped me to make sure I wasn't going to get I over my head with stuff I didn't need. Overall I am happy with the job done. An old home is never quite finished but Masterbuilder Fellowship got my house on the right track.

What had the potential of being an absolutely devastating situation turned into a project that added immeasurable beauty and value to my home. I have never seen another company who would or could help a client navigate each aspect of the environmental repair of a home from diagnosis all they way through renovation and even into the legal realm where mine unfortunately went. Masterbuilder Fellowship came in as soon as I discovered the mold and guided me through the process of diagnosing the root cause of mold growth which ended up being due to a over sized HVAC system. They brought in top environmental engineers to a**** the exact environmental and air quality issues I was facing and then set me on a course of total remediation and renovation of my home. I worked with John Franco on a daily basis during this process. I cannot begin to express the peace and rest it brought to me during a very difficult time to have John head my project. He was there faithfully to answer all my questions, address any concerns, meet every sub contractor to oversee their work, let them in and lock up at the end of the day, and coordinated every aspect of what needed to be done on the project. The work John did for me and the care and sensitivity with which it was handled allowed me to be able to keep up with a full time job and go about my life in rest and peace knowing everything was in excellent hands and being taken care of completely! Everything was handled very professionally and thoroughly and I was back in my home in four short months. Shortly after returning home my house was appraised. The new value far exceeded my expectations! I knew this was directly due to the excellent work and quality craftsmanship Masterbuilder added to my house over the years, particularly the latest renovation. The renovations have more than paid for themselves through the value they have added to my house. I highly recommend them to anyone considering building a new home, remodeling an existing home or facing air quality issues. I am already thinking of the next project I can work on with them!

First and foremost is that this was a very challenging and complex project because it was more than a renovation and it involved our health and that of our 8 children. Much of the project was dealing with unknowns and having to take the time to investigate, consult experts, and get to the truth of what was really happening with the house. It took an endurance and perseverance to a level beyond what I have experienced with any service sector. My wife and I had a peace about our very serious situation with our house because we truly experienced a care that can only be expressed by saying our house and our family was being treated like they would treat their own house and their own family. This is not a remediation company but they handled this delicate, complex, and perilous part of this project with expertise, discernment, and care. 
Since we had to rip out the floors and the walls we were able to utilize Masterbuilder's great talent for design, skilled craftsmanship, attention to details (even the ones you will never see), and beauty. They all went to architecture school and their talent in design shines as bright as their craftsmanship in building. Two instances that come to mind in our project were the dining room ceiling and a bathroom sink. While finishing the dining room ceiling they saw an opportunity for a vaulted dome over the table. They presented this to us with a quick mock up - it was stunning! We agreed and they built it on the spot. These are the kinds of touches that make their projects beautiful and unique. The bathroom sink was another place their unique abilities to design and build shined through. There was a small bathroom that needed a sink about the size of a utility sink, the sinks available were lacking in beauty so they decided to design and build a sink out of hand formed and hammered copper, we loved the idea and were blown away by the resulting product! Way beyond our expectations. This on the spot design continued to deepen the beauty of our home throughout the remainder of the projects through all sorts of unique touches and patterns. This is what they get really excited about, and we become the beneficiaries.
I Must also add that the contractors whom they use for tile, HVAC, Painting, flooring, and electrical, plumbing and landscaping were all outstanding. I guess their twenty some years of working in Charlotte they have found the cream of the crop, that while not the cheapest, yet a great value for peace of mind and  the long run. Their standard seems very high for who they allow on their projects. We enjoyed meeting and working with many of these contractors.  
In sum these guys are who they say they are on their website, with words like quality, craftsmanship, and excellence (even Master builder) being bandied about these days its rare to find the real thing.  They care and seek to do excellence and beautiful work  because that is who they are. Their work and their lives are one thing. If you truly need a real master builder for your project you will be blessed to have these in your home.

Very professional company,  very friendly and punctual as well.  Richard is a very skilled craftsman and we will certainly hire again!

unknown

We are repeat customers of Masterbuilder Fellowship for the Built Environment (MBF) and in September we asked them to create an outdoor living area for our home.  We selected MBF as they performed substantial renovation and addition to our home in 2007 - 2008 where MBF designed and created a 2000 sf addition and lower level renovation.  It is impossible to determine where the original construction (circa 1958) and the 2008 addition meet.
The total affected area in the back yard is approximately 30' by 22'  The patio covered area is 19' by 16'.  The construction is exposed Cypress beams with low level lighting and ceiling fans;  paving stone flooring;  surrounding river stone surface drain;  weathered bronze colored metal roof with skylights to match the weathered copper portions of the existing structure roof.  A custom fountain is located just outside the fall line of the patio.  A written description of the project is insufficient to relay it's beauty; the serenity felt sitting in the patio is therapeutic.
The project required demolition of existing patio, retaining wall, mature plantings; excavation 12" of soil; design and installation of new drainage and linked to existing foundation drainage; siting and pouring of footers for support columns; installation of patio flooring system; erection of support columns, custom fitting of rafters and custom woodworking to create exposed cypress beams; completion of the drainage system; creation of stairs to and from patio to the back yard; erection; design and creation of the fountain. Landscaping will occur during early spring.
MBF will be performing remodeling in our kitchen and an original bathroom in the older portion of our home.  MBF are demolishing a staircase to make a kitchen pantry, and remodeling the bathroom to make it elegantly beautiful.
In every phase of the project the utmost care has been taken to disturb as little as possible.  Sections of the fence around the back yard was removed and replaced daily; craftsmen and artisans arrived and departed leaving no debris; an exterior portable toilet was placed to avoid disruption to our family during the day.
We welcome inquiries and requests for references.

I had many companies come out and look at the unusual foundation issues my house was having.  Masterbuilders was one of only two companies that thoroughly explored the causes of the foundation issues, including soil testing to determine the 'why' behind the foundation movement I was having. The other companies seemed only to address fixing the visual symptoms of problem inside the house.  Masterbuilders where not the cheapest estimate but the work they where giving a quote for included a far more comprehensive solution to the problem that would prevent the problem from coming back. 
The company also worked very hard to work within my budget - when I discovered that the foundation issues where more serious than I had thought they looked for ways to bring down the overall cost of the project so I could accomplish the task. We went line by line through their proposal choosing which items where necessary and which ones could be postponed. 
The company ending up building a new framework under the house, including caissons and helical piers to sure up the foundation and prevent further movement do to the soil issues. The also re-framed the inadequacy structure of my living room. 
In addition to the necessary repair work while re-framing the living room the company replaced the plaster ceiling beams with exposed wood beams, and built a decorative column. The carpentry was all hand done and beautiful. I have been more than satisfied with the end results.
They were a pleasure to work with, and gave me incredible personal attention. There crews were respectful and took very good care of my home. I will be using them again in the next few years to redo my bathroom.

He redid the fireplace, had a custom mantel made and had the granite put on. He also did an entertainment wall, turned the closet into a wet bar and got all those cabinets custom made to match my kitchen cabinets. He rebuilt my cabin and office area and did repairs on some hardwood floors that need repairs.  His price is really high, but he did a really good job and I knew to get this done, I would pay a lot, but he is a very honest person and he hired other builders and what he did for me was really great. He is real detail oriented, precise, does good quality work and he takes pride in his work, so I was very pleased. I highly recommend him. I would use him again in the future if needed.

I will never hire anyone else again!!! My over all experience with Master Builders was exceptional. From start to finish, they were professional, completed each task with the utmost precision and care. The quality of work was impeccable and honestly, they were three of the nicest men I have had the pleasure of meeting. I briefly gave the story of the renovations in my previous response so I will touch on the reasons why you should hire Master Builders to complete your renovations.1.) They personally design and implemented your renovations. 2.) They sincerely want to give you exactly what you want.3.) Completely, utterly painless experience4.) Always on time5.) Kept to the budget!!! This was really important to me as on a previous bathroom renovation, the budget I received from the contractor was nowhere near how much it cost. The final price exceeded the budget exponentially.  Not MASTER BUILDERS, it was exactly where they estimated!!! 6.) Work was quality!! Everything was plum and square and finished so that it looked like it was originally part of the house. 7.) They guarantee their work!8.) They really accommodate you regarding start and finish times. When and where to meet for meetings or picking out tile selections or what have you. They always came to me!!  9.) Always available!! They always answered my phone calls, responded promptly to my emails and texts. 10.) Offered suggestions, if requested. I always consulted with them regarding selections of lights, fixtures etc. They were very honest and being designers and architects, provided the best feedback!!!11.) It was Richard, Kevin and John who designed, built, and completed the renovations!! Not seven random guys who have no experience expect hammering a nail! You pay for what you get!!! In conclusion, if you want exceptional designs, quality work that is guaranteed, contact Master Builders. I promise you, you will not be disappointed. I should mention that my parents have hired them to fix those mistakes made by previous contractors as well as to design a TV wall unit, front porch and other items.

They were very nice, professional and responsive but their price was way higher. The partners came out and met with us and had a nice extensive meeting and figured out what we wanted and talked to us about their building philosophy. They were very nice and we appreciated what they were trying to do but their estimate was a little bit higher. They obviously care about what they are doing and are very professional and very proud of the work that they do.

In general, it was an excellent experience. While there were minor difficulties and a couple of major surprises (such as bull tallow soil in one place), those are normal for a major renovation. Their response to those challenges was speedy, analytically sound, and transparent relative to options and costs. A few specific comments: 1) The design was excellent and totally in keeping with historic preservation (to the point of recreating moldings and replicating hardware). The scale of the addition is not only within historic preservation standards (which are complex) but beautifully proportioned and detailed in every way. The proportions are balanced, the details (flooring, molding, hardware, etc.) are remarkable, the use of space is excellent. 2) The construction started on the day of the near failure of one of the largest banks in the US, headquartered in Charlotte. The financial collapse created a set of somewhat unexpected challenges (such as getting builder's risk insurance and keeping the subs afloat). Regardless of the challenges, the construction proceeded on schedule and, in fact, finished about four weeks early on a 10-month schedule. With one exception, the subcontractors were excellent in their work, responsive, and stand by their work. The one exception was managed well, though it did result in conflict into which we were briefly drawn (and we had been notified in advance by MF). 3) The minor weakness that we experienced was final close-out. It took a bit of attention to getting a few final details wrapped up. In the scope of this project, this was a very minor issue. In general, I cannot imagine a better experience with a project of this type - historic preservation with green elements - or complexity. I highly recommend Masterbuilder Fellowship for renovation work.

The entire process was a joy. There are so many benefits to working with one company on both the design and construction phases of a project. One partner oversees the entire process from start to finish. I was pleased to work with John Franco on the studio project. It gave me such rest knowing I had someone to oversee the project, handle issues that arose on my behalf, answer my questions and help me make decisions. I left town the day construction on the studio began. While I was away both live termites and problems with electrical wiring were found. Although a lot wood needed to be replaced, the termite damage was not beyond repair. The work was done and the termites were treated all while I was on vacation. The electricians also found problems with the way the building had previously been wired. That too was fixed and both problems were solved by the time I returned from my trip. I could never have anticipated the impact the new studio would make on my work and life in the house. It far exceeded my expectations and has been a daily blessing to me, my students and their families.

They are the kind of people you would want to be in your home and around your life. They are very trustworthy and their level of excellence and craft is impeccable. They use very high quality materials and the fact that they're architects as well as builders was very helpful with our design and rennovation projects.

We chose Masterbuilder Fellowship for their unique philosophy. The architects who drew the plans were the same guys hammering the nails. We had experiences before where the conflicts between the idea people and the hands on people made the project more difficult and costly. The creativity and quality of our Masterbuilder work was superior. They were able to provide ideas we hadn't considered and suggestions of how to make our vision possible. The team took the time to discern our tastes and styles and were patient with whatever we handed them. I came to trust them almost immediately, even to the point of leaving them the run of the house while we were away for a week. The took great care in assuring that any outside service person who came to work at our house shared their own work ethic and trustworthiness. They were considerate of our family pet and our sons, and came to be friends. They also helped us resolve several house and property issues that were outside the scope of their work, and I have sought their counsel on other projects as well. Many of the contractors they used during the project have continued to be my go to guys. They have respected reputations with other contractors and inspectors, and their ethical standards are beyond reproach. I have never seen a work site so orderly and clean. At the end of each workday (even during the day), they removed trash and debris, vacuumed and swept, trying to leave our home in as little dissaray as possible. The quality of their work made us feel we got great value for our money, and they advised us along the way where we could cut costs without sacrificing quality and where best to put our money to ensure longevity. They tried to reuse materials whenever possible and kept what was serviceable and useful instead of merely tossing out the good with the bad. I will continue to use Masterbauilder Fellowship whenever I have the need for design, remodeling, or building.

I called Masterbuilder Fellowship for the Build Environment because of their excellent reputation, as noted on Angie's list, in the summer of 2007. Kevin Carpenter and Chris Rowe came to our home and interviewed us to determine what our objectives were and get a general sense of our intentions. Kevin and Chris asked us about our lifestyle and plans and listened carefully to our responses and viewed simple drawings that exemplified our intentions. After Chris had come to view our existing home, twice, and three weeks elapsed, Kevin and Chris made an appointment with us to discuss their ideas. Chris had painted watercolor elevations of their proposals, and site level architectural drawings, and they presented them to us. At the beginning of their presentation, Kevin told us that Masterbuilders had an alternative proposal to what we suggested. The Masterbuilder's proposal perfectly fit our family lifestyle objectives. As we reviewed the plans, Kevin revealed the suggested renovations that would enhance the livability of our home. During the next two visits, Chris and Kevin and Pam and I added some features to the plans and planned corrections to our home's original structure. While the planning was proceeding Charlotte was in the midst of a terrible drought. As soon as the demolition and deconstruction of the rear of the house, removal of the existing carport and driveway, and the removal of brick veneer were completed, it began to rain. It rained for nearly two months, and Chris worked on everything in the existing house that he could. Finally, in January and about 6 weeks after the planned date, the slab was poured and construction began. We had placed many of our belonging in a POD which was located conveniently beside the driveway in our front lawn. Another enhancement to our front lawn was the Port-O-Potty, which Chris fortunately shielded from the street by placing it behind the POD. Our guests had no trouble finding our home during construction. Chris Rowe, and his colleagues, are the most fastidious and conscientious professionals I have ever encountered. Every work day our home was left with no debris, and very little dust. The level of attention to detail in their work and the quality of their work is unmatched. This is especially obvious in the finish of our Sun Room, the details of which occupied an entire page of the architectural drawings, and the attention to detail. Nothing was overlooked. As in any renovation of older buildings, defects in construction, deviations from code, and outright acts of stupidity by previous owners became obvious. Masterbuilders were prepared for this and had built this into our budget. I challenge anyone to determine where the original construction ends and the addition begins. Chris Rowe and his colleagues created an environment for us that is inviting, welcoming, and compliments and enhances our lifestyle. We are grateful. Well Done!

The windows installed where not the same type of window which MasterBuilder Fellowship("MBF") said would be installed before the construction contract was finalized. I brought the issue to their attention and after quite a bit of discussion, MBF agreed to replace the window sashes with the type of window expected. From the start of the project, I requested window screens to be included. MBF selected and installed window screens. After they installed the screens, I pointed out that there were large gaps around the edges of the screens. MBF asserted that the screens were installed properly but I did not accept this response as the function of the screen was not being accomplished. A few days later, MBF called to say that they had made in error in the installation and would come back to correct the issue. They came back the following week to "fix" the screens but there are still large gaps. The photo attached is one window; all of the windows have gaps around the screens.

Masterbuilder Fellowship ("MBF") did not meet expectations. MBF did not accurately estimate costs or time to complete. The final cost was approx 30% higher than the estimate. The construction was estimated to take 2 months while it actually took over 4 months to reach substantial completion. MBF provided an est cost of $2,000 to assist with placing overhead electrical lines underground. After performing the work with no discussion of cost overruns, MBF left a bill on my doorstep on a Saturday for $4,848. I contacted them on Monday morning to discuss, and we settled the bill for $3,300. Management of the project was not cohesive. The project was assigned to a partner other than the one involved in the proposal. Details discussed during the proposal were not communicated to the new project manager by MBF. The project manager took vacation during weeks 9 to 12 of the construction, so the project was interrupted for a second time as responsibility was shifted.

The den looks great. They did a really good job. They were a little slower than I expected. I was happy with the work overall. The workers were nice to deal with. I do not want to share the price.

This company is a Christian faith based company. They are composed of very highly skilled craftsman and builders. They do excellent work. We have seen some of their previous projects and they are just beautiful. I can say that their prices are kind of toward the high side compared to other quotes we had received, but their work can not be matched by really anyone around.

I have used these guys in the past and believe me I could talk about their professionalism and amazing craftsmanship all day long. For starters, these guys are a fairly younger group of men. They pulled the talents together and made this business. I have used them in the past and will continue to use them for all of my building or wood working needs. I really do want people to know that their collective talents are truly amazing. Their work is practically flawless. I really like that they showed up right on time and the project was done exactly by the scheduled date of completion.

Masterbuilder Richard Ellison went beyond our expectations in restoring and rebuilding a huge window. It was a difficult and tedious job that required expert craftmanship. Richard is very courteous and professional and an easy person to work with. He is just a very nice person. I hope to be able to hire him again soon. The Masterbuilders are a cut above all the contractors I've ever worked with. They really care about their clients and they are perfectionists about their work. Another plus is that they have the skills to restore old and historic buildings.