GRAF General

The first thing GRAF General did was come and listen carefully to our goals.  We live in a 50's rancher house in a very nice neighborhood, located adjacent to the golf course where the 2013 PGA Championship was played.  Inside, we had an old galley kitchen that was past its prime, plus a couple of old bathrooms in a similar state.  In particular, we had a narrow pass-through master bathroom with one door opening into our front entryway.  Not only did GRAF tear out everything in the old master bathroom, but also, they closed off the undesirable door that opened at our front entryway and enlarged the entire bathroom by moving a front entryway closet space out of the way.  The narrow old master bathroom was replaced with a spa-quality, tiled bathroom with all new lighting, fixtures, plumbing, water-conserving Toto toilet, walk-in shower, heat lamp/fan, and vanity with integrated sink.  The only thing we kept from the old bathroom was an old large mirror-fronted built-in medicine cabinet, which GRAF moved up the wall slightly so that it would be out of the way of the new vanity/fixtures.

A similar process occurred with the galley kitchen, where everything old (cabinets, flooring, lighting, fixtures, appliances) were removed and replaced with new.  New plumbing was run, and GRAF got us safely switched from an electric cooktop to a gas cooktop, one of several top-notch Thermador appliances that are now just a treat to enjoy when we're cooking.  Together with the top-notch cabinets, countertops, modern sinks, professional back-splash tile work, flooring, and gorgeous new lighting that GRAF installed, it all adds up to a new kitchen that is a work of art and precision, more than suitable for a home on Country Club Drive.

It's certainly worth mentioning that GRAF General's owner, Jeff Lewis, actually accompanied us on multiple occasions as we went to purchase major appliances and other pieces.  This not only helped us feel better, but also, it was obvious that it enabled him to stay on top of all the variables that a contractor has to manage in order to help him and us avoid costly mistakes along the way.  Jeff is the most helpful, trustworthy contractor you will ever meet.  That goes for his sidekick "Big Tim" as well.  Whenever there was a question or concern, these guys were quick to address or fix the problem.  I have an eagle-eye for having things centered or lined up properly, and I can honestly say that my eye for such things is matched by Jeff's as well.  I'm not going to try and convince Angie's List readers that these guys are perfect.  Nobody is ever perfect, but these guys are super-close, and like I said, when there was ever a problem, they made sure it got fixed to my satisfaction.

In addition to all of the above, many other home improvements were made.  We were upgraded to 200amp service (a process of excavation and line burying from pole to house, not to mention coordination with the town and power company, not to mention a new circuit breaker box, etc.).  GRAF pulled it off with aplomb, needing the power off for only a matter of a few hours.  Where they noticed small problems that I was not aware of, they mentioned them and offered to fix them for us, both inside and outside the house.  Thanks to them, we ended up with a spa-quality bathroom, a showcase kitchen, a second bathroom with new caulk and fixtures, and the house is basically a new house on the inside.

We were so pleased with GRAF General that we have already brought them back more than once to help make more improvements where needed.  Presently, we are getting doors and locks upgraded, and believe me, there will be more work for them to do around "this old house"!  I can't give these guys a high enough rating.  GRAF General is not a big firm, but it's a firm capable of doing big-time work in any neighborhood, including very nice homes in very nice neighborhoods like the one we are privileged to reside in at present.  Jeff knows his stuff and he has lots of resources that he can bring to bear on nearly any problem you may have as a homeowner.  The bottom line for us is that, in addition to having found a truly wonderful contractor, my wife and I have found a few new friends as well.

After getting estimates from several contractors, Jeff was the only one that I felt was capable of working in my 120 year old home! He and his team were extremely knowledgable in all aspects of the job and were also able to give some recommendations that resulted in a magazine quality kitchen. I wouldn't hesitate to call them for my next job or to recommend them to someone else. They say you get what you pay for but, in this case, I feel like I got much more than what I paid for!