VanderKoos Construction

Since the insurance company gave us a low reimbursement for Hurricane Sandy, we had a very tight budget. But the builder was able to propose cheaper solutions to at least get such a large-scale project done in time to get us through the winter. Also, the roof has insulated well so far this winter so we definitely feel a lot warmer inside this year.

When I hired Ralph Koos, I didn't fully realize then what a great decision it was. I was living 2 hours away and only visited the site once a week, usually for 2-3 hours. Ralph needed me to make the thousands of decisions required in building a house. I never had to supervise to ensure the work was getting done on schedule, to sufficient quality. Now that I've lived in the house 2 1/2 years, I bless Ralph for the quality of the workmanship of the house. The few small things that have cropped up - adjusting a few doors, and the ceiling vent fan, Ralph came and cheerfully, professional did at no charge. (His insistence). I wish I were building another house, and I'd happily use him again.

See above.

Ralph is an experienced professional. He is through in planning the job. Ralph can also think outside the box to make suggestions on how to accomplish the work using different methods. Ralph did not do the work for my project because I have placed the project on hold indefinitely to consider whether or not to go ahead with the remodel.

Ralph Koos is a true pleasure to work with. This is the first house I built, and I put myself into great hands by hiring Van Der Koos Construction. Ralph's intelligence, knowledge, experience, competency, commitment, and attention to detail are exceptional. He has a great network of sub-contractors who match his quality of delivery, and he co-ordinated them flawlessly. I lived 2 hours away, and visited the job site only once a week. Ralph ran the project so well that surprises and stress were very few. He was always available to me (although I only called him during business hours), and extremely responsive to my requests and concerns. Unfailingly polite and patient. He stayed within budget, and was very fair in charges for change orders. He was very generous in going well beyond the call of duty, and helping me settle into the new house and get over the few new house bumps I encountered. Other than bad weather obstacles, he stayed right on schedule. The finished house is a masterpiece, well exceeding my hopes. I highly recommend using Van Der Koos Construction, and would definitely use them again.

Van der Koos Construction had built my house in 1999 and when i was shopping around for a contractor to install a solar hot water system i was surprised to learn that they had gotten into renewable energy. They had done such a great job on the house that I decided to take a chance on them. I'm glad I did -- no problems at all. The work was done for the agreed-upon price without any extras. The workers were courteous and cleaned up after themselves. The company took care of all required permits, and even advised my accountant about the relevant tax credits (Note: federal and state tax credits knocked 50% off the price of the system, so that it cost me only $5000.) At the end, the building inspector commented that it was a "really nice job." All i know is, it works. And my oil usage has gone down significantly.

I had established a deadline of Sept. 1, so that my children would be able to start the year in their new schools. The work was completed on time and on budget, with no hidden extras. All of my questions and concerns were addressed in a straightforward and pleasantly professional manner. The workmanship and final product was and continues to be excellent. (In case you are wondering, we took out a construction loan to pay for the job, which was converted into a mortgage with the same bank upon getting our certificate of occupancy). I have since hired VanderKoos Construction for two other major projects: building a three-level wraparound deck with a built-in spa, and installing a solar thermal hot water system. Again, two excellent jobs. I am filing separate reports on each.