Unique Construction

Dave Nessel and his stellar company, Unique Construction NY Inc. are the BEST. Allow me tell you why- On May 15th 2022 at 5:45 p.m., my house was hit by, what electrical engineers later estimated, was at least 80,000 volts of lightning. That huge, direct surge of energy destroyed all the systems and contents that made my house more than four walls and a roof. In addition to the bolt of lightning destroying all the systems in the house, it caused a violent, destructive fire. Thankfully I was home at the time of the incident, or the house would have quickly burned down all the way down and my pets would have suffered a terrible fate. Still, after all was said and done what had been my home for seventeen years was reduced to nothing more than an outer shell. I was immediately forced into the position to find, hire, and organize tradesmen from all specialties, negotiate the endless complexities of homeowners insurance, all while trying to find a place to live and continuing my self-employed full-time work schedule. It quickly became clear I needed the services of a general contractor. I interviewed a couple, but as soon as I met Dave I knew he was the man for the job. Dave was always on time or early. He went through the house with a fine tooth comb for hours, noticing things and problems from the destruction I hadn't noticed. His expertise of every level of construction and understanding of all aspects of housing systems (electrical, plumbing, etc) was unmatched by anyone else I had interviewed. Additionally he had an understanding of the homeowner insurance protocols and was able to interject as a supporting role (only when needed, Dave never undermined me -I'm a single female homeowner-) with professional, easy to read, paperwork, accurately demonstrating all costs. I'm confident his detailed documentation made the long slog of negotiations with my insurance representatives a little easier. Under his expert guidance, his company gutted and rebuilt my old house to beautifully modern standards while maintaining its historical charm. The rebuild came in precisely on budget and two weeks early. Dave's company Unique Construction handled my complex situation with upstanding processional skill, old fashioned kindness, and outstanding forthrightness. Dave and his crew treated me with respect, rebuilt my home, and provided a little hand holding & TLC when it seemed I needed it and I'm eternally grateful. Anyone reading this should hire Unique Construction!

I would wager it's pretty rare that your relationship with a contractor is so smooth, so collaborative and so easy that they become a legitimate friend... but that's what happened with Dave Nessel and me. He came recommended by our architect, and we hired Dave to build our custom 3br, 3ba modern home in the woods of Woodstock, NY. He was head and shoulders above the other contractors we interviewed in terms of thoroughness, communication, availability and ease of collaboration. The home he built was within 5% of our agreed-upon budget (and that 5% wasn't even his fault — it was unknowable site complications) and we did it 3-months faster than anyone else quoted us was possible. Dave navigated massive supply chain issues without a single delay to the project through his organization and foresight. But more importantly, our home is beautiful and Dave was an absolute pleasure to work with. I simply cannot sing his praises any higher (and have recommended him to 3 different friends since)

I was once told by a master stair builder that if you want to evaluate a general contractors work, look in the dumpster at the job site for an excessive amount of used caulk tubes indicating that they are covering up mistakes. Recently we completed a very challenging project that required the excavation under our old seasonal home in conjunction with a significant 2-story addition. After interviewing three reputable and recommended contractors, we decided to work with Dave Nessel, owner of Unique Construction. Dave presented a clear concise estimate of the scope for the work proposed, the costs we should expect and a timeframe for completion; all proved to be very accurate. He and his team of true artisans obviously enjoyed their work. Laughter and music would usually overshadow the sound of the power tools that were working in synchrony. The exceptional fit and finish in a clean and neat environment were easily appreciated. Dave is truly a meticulous visionary. During the project, he was never shy about recommending esthetic modifications which deviated from the architects drawings. Whether these change orders originated from him or us, they were never with exorbitant fees, but were billed for time and materials used. The final result far exceeded our expectations. My wife and I would recommend Dave Nessel and Unique Construction without any reservation. Unique Construction….minimal caulk required

Dave and his team were excellent— courteous, prompt, and did an excellent job with the siding. We would happily hire again!

Would Recommend 1000 times over. Made an exception to do the job for me last minute. Had the job done in less than 20 minutes, Unique Construction is a god send.

Our house is from the mid-late 1800s and had sunk 1½ inch in the middle. Replace beams, columns, joists. A tricky job with a narrow crawl space under half the house. Long story short - the price was decent and the best part was that Dave's initial calculation was stunningly accurate. Dave and crew know what they are doing, the price is good for the level of quality work, and they are very responsive. They are a top tier construction team. I will hire again.

I’ve had several projects with Unique Construction and my experiences have been very positive. David the owner is knowledgeable and very accommodating. Dave listens and discusses the different options and outcomes for the job. He cares and works with you to navigate to get you to what you want. Dave has really gone above and beyond for me. I also can’t say enough about the crew, they are professional, punctual, they work really well together and they keep the work site clean. Having work done in your home is not something anyone looks forward to but these guys really make it a good experience. The quality and workmanship is top notch. After my first time working with Unique I was amazed at the results. I thought to myself wow this came out great, much better than what I was expecting. Now after working with Unique several times and knowing the level of work these guys do –they still far exceed my expectations time and again. It’s obvious these guys care about the work they do. They will be doing a large home extension for me soon and I can’t wait to begin- now who says that about home construction! If you are on the fence about going with these guys don’t be. I can say with confidence you will be very pleased with the outcome.

I had 5 contractors come and see our project. Two were slightly cheaper than Unique Construction, but the comments and the assessment were not thorough and one of the contractors gave us a lowball estimate with the builtin "plus if we run into..." I was really glad when Unique Construction came and took a look. Unique Construction stood out compared to others by as being upfront, honest, and professional. They got the job and that was exactly how it was. They did the job within the budget. They said it costs X and it ended up costing X. Unique Construction was also active in seeking solutions, workarounds to problems, and instead of enlarging unexpected challenges, they came up with a quality solution. I would never hire anyone else in this area for a $1000+ construction job.

I originally had a small job to do on the outside of my house. I called a few contractors for an estimate. Dave came up and was extremely personable and professional and explained what work was going to be needed to be done. Gave me a very good competitive price. What I liked about him he was realistic with me. Explaining when he could get it done and how long it would take. Sent me his estimate and I agreed to his price and hired him. Before he even had the chance to do the job I had a major septic problem that backed up inside the house. The first floor bathroom and half of the first floors wood floors were ruined. Plus the cleaning company had to cut off the bottom of the sheetrock in those rooms that were flooded. Plus the carpeting in the basement. A real mess. I called Dave and he came up and went through the entire house and said no problem. What was the best was he ended up dealing with my insurance company who originally was going to cover about 25% of the cost. Dave painstakingly went back and forth with them on each and every item that had to be done. He got them to finally cover all but my deductible. Amazing! What was even better was that Dave and his team came in and did the work with no problems. They matched the paint that was on the walls. They matched the flooring. He replaced the bathroom vanity with one that was basically identical to the old one. All this without any questions to me.Of course they also did the work on the outside that they originally were hired to do. Even here they matched the paint color perfectly. There was one little delay on something that Dave made sure was rectified immediately. All of the work was done meticulously, neat, clean and detail oriented. A truly professional job from start to finish. I also liked that when I had a question Dave was easy to reach. A text or call to him and he either picked up or got back to me quickly. I couldn't be happier with the quality and the high standards of their work.

Very good. Dave is very professional and has a hard working crew who were very friendly. Dave explains everything in detail and easy to understand. Having him put new front door in after vacation.

We cannot say enough wonderful things about the quality of the work. Dave and his team worked through all sorts of weather following a consistent and well-executed plans. With a high level of detail and professionalism, the project ran smoothly and the final product is fantastic. We couldn't be happier.

Excellent. You get what you pay for. Dave's crew is meticulous. They are great with Sheetrock installation and painting/staining. Neat/clean/focused/on time. These are true professionals.

Overall about the best contractor experience we've had from start to finish. The job took about 2.5 weeks. It began with the company's owner talking with us regarding contract and timing. The contract itself was a clear indication of throughness and detail. Every workday began with a chat of what was to be done and ended the day with a thorough clean up. On average there were three employees, all incredibly professional, very accommodating, great senses of humor and personable. For example, when they painted the entire interior, we asked if they could leave one bedroom and bathroom for last while they painted the rest of the house. On a few occasions, we asked for a paint color change. The contract didn't call for swapping out a few light fixtures but they did so without hesitation. Every request was fulfilled. They work was amazing. The house had some damaged Sheetrock and popping nail heads. Most of it had not been painted since the original paint job almost 30 years ago. The 20' ceilings presented real challenges but all was done so that the finished job makes the house look brand new. The carpentry, electrical work and door installation all are perfect. Most importantly, the professional workers clearly enjoy their work, enjoy working together and made this job for us, more like a social event with friends coming to visit daily. The owner of the company Dave Nessel is a serious (but with a sense of humor) knowledgeable businessman and a pleasure to work with. I would hire Unique again without hesitation for another job. They do quality, professional and spotlessly clean work.

David did an incredible job! I found a store front window design I liked. Dave was able to take it and make beautiful cherry windows with showcases and overhead lighting. The re-used jewelry cabinets look incredible. Dave was punctual, reasonable, and honest. We were able to open on time and people who come into the store love the work he did. I was so impressed I had a plaque made and put it on the frame of the cherry windows to acknowledge and thank Dave for his work.

The porch is beautifully designed and Unique Construction did an amazing job of reconstructing the damaged sections to match the original details. We even had a neighbor (an architect) ask us who did the great work on our porch. David Nessel and his crew care about the quality of their work. They're true professionals and they were a absolute pleasure to work with.

Dave has always been very professional, prompt, responsive and reliable. It's always a pleasure working with him.

I could not be happier with the quality of work by unique construction. We had used them for two separate jobs. In 2013 our home had severe damage from hurricane Irene. Dave worked with our insurance company from beginning to end. He throughly restored our kit home, while making great suggestions while rebuilding. He has a great eye for details. In Oct 2016, he rebuilt our front porch. He came up with a new look, keeping the intgrity of the house in mind. Our neighbors were very complimentary on the new look and his work. His crew is on time and are extremely hard workers. I would only use unique construction for my home renovation and restorations.

It went wonderfully. Sean and Kyle were the two men who primarily performed all the sheetrocking, installing lights, and painting. They were punctual, polite, totally trustworthy, and really good at what they do -- I gave them my house key in case I was out. I have never before felt comfortable doing that. But with these guys, no problem. Dave had prepared me beforehand about the extent of the work, and what to expect, but even so I had some questions, and often the same ones every day. Sean and Kyle didn't seem phased at all, and provided answers to all my questions. Dave checked in with me each night by phone to see if everything was OK. And what's more incredible, whenever I called him, he answered the phone. In my experience, this is very unusual for a contractor to do. I have to say, I was expecting this kind of excellence from them, as my neighbors used them repeatedly, and raved. Well, I'm raving now also. Use these guys and you won't be disappointed.

Excellent workmanship.
David Nessel , UNIQUE CONSTRUCTION has completed carpentry work for us. for many years. His projects have included saving our barns, installing windows, roofing, building outdoor shutters, room built-ins, plastering, painting, and floor refinishing. David and his workers excel at  every task they undertake. They are punctual, clean, and courteous. They are fastidious about straightening up when the work day ends; and they always maintain a tidy and neat work area.  His extremely high standards for any construction project merit our strong and sincere recommendation

Essentially, we now have a new house! Unique Construction does meticulous and thoroughly professional work. We were told by others that once the cedar had been painted that we'd never get the original look again. Well - against all odds, Dave and crew got the siding back through belt sanding the entire house. The cedar is now back and beautiful. All the widows were scraped and cleaned and the site left in impeccable condition.

Dave and his crew are the most considerate contracting team we've had the pleasure using. This is our second large job with them. They previously replaced our decks. In both cases Unique Construction gave us every detail we requested and were always polite and professional. Frankly, contractors this perfect don't come along every day. 

Whatever we need done in the future, Dave and Ultimate Construction will always be our contractor of choice. Cannot be effusive enough with our recommendation. 

Amazing and caring old world, craftsmanship!!! These guys are the best!!!

When Dave and the guys started to remove the back porch windows to get at the post, they saw the porch was not built right and had no header. The whole porch was taken apart, the rotted post was replaced and all structural issues were addressed. When it was rebuilt, it was finished in the original 1940's style of the house with new wainscoting on the outside, my storage bench was built back into the inside. And a new two tone tile floor was laid. All the interior trim matches what had previously been installed.

When Dave and his crew looked at my windows, they saw that they were installed incorrectly. Whatever construction company the previous homeowners had hired to install the new insert replacement windows did not cut nor install the aluminum trim on the windows properly. Thus allowing water to get in and rot away some of the sills. And when the old aluminum was removed it also revealed large gaps in the window casings and broken off shims. Dave had to totally replace four windows. The order for those only took a week and were installed in about two days. The rest of my windows had the wood casings fixed of gaps, insulated and all windows got a new aluminum wrapping. And everything was caulked air and water tight. There is a huge difference in draft now that my windows were fixed properly.

In brief: Dave was superb.  He and his crew did high quality work and went out of their way to help the process of building a home go as smoothly as can be expected.   I am writing this a year after the work was done (due to my laziness) and I can still say that I highly recommend Unique Construction.

In addition to the work he was hired to do, which I describe below, Dave was able to make several alternate design suggestions that made the overall outcome much more attractive.   He provided sound advice on alternatives and the best way to tackle problems.   Another positive outside the specific work is Dave's attention to safety:  I was on the job site quite a bit and he was very focused on doing things "right and safe".    Lastly, Dave's job site was always very clean.    

 

Siding & trim - It is perfect.    Everything is straight, aligned, well sealed and several extras were suggested that help make the house look great.  

Interior framing - well done, no issues.   Again, I'm glad I took a few of Dave's suggestions on materials - they cost a bit more but really paid off in the end.

Flooring - 2000 sq ft 3/4" Maple pre-finished, well done, no issues after a year. 

 

Decks - no issues and he performed additional work to add special touches that make the decks look great.  

We have some 7 giant windows that Dave and crew installed perfectly (in addition to 24 others of normal size).   As we used SIPs over a timber frame construction, the house is very tight and good craftsmanship on the windows helped keep it very tight.

Stair installation - well done, no issues.  

Dave also made references for roofing and gutters contractors who did good jobs at reasonable prices.

 

 

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