Dorson Jackson Construction

Dorson Jackson, the owner was most professional and responsive throughout the entire process.  He personally came to my home, discussed all my dreams, took a bunch of pictures, and came back with a thorough plan with clear cost information.  Of course my dream was more than could fit within the $25,000 limit for the 203K, so Dorson worked with me to develop a plan to get the most out of my 203K loan.  He reworked the plan a few times as I changed my mind and priorities and didn't display the slightest irritation.  
After our plan was finalized, then came the paperwork with the mortgage company, underwriters, and FHA.  What a nightmare! You give them everything, and then they want more, or on a different form, and then more. When i was irritated enough to start cussing, Dorson calmly went the extra mile again and again..  
Although we were unable to complete the project, I really want to share with Angie's List subscribers how wonderful it was to work with this man and his company.  You won't go wrong with this contractor. 

My experience with Jackson Construction was very positive.  Dorson Jackson, the owner, is great to work with.  He laid out the time line of events, gave me a detailed estimate and worked with me on the things that I particularly wanted.  He communicated with me via emails, texts and phone calls, keeping me updated on when subcontractors would arrive, changes in schedules, information I needed and decisions that I needed to make.  The time line worked out very close to what I was given. 
The quality of work is excellent and I love both of my remodeled bathrooms.  I?m very happy with the results.  The tile work is  absolutely gorgeous.  The workers were punctual, careful and always left the work site clean at the end. There were just a  couple of things that would have changed the budget estimate and Dorson discussed those with me so I could decide which way I wanted to go.  Other than that, the final cost was what was budgeted.

Throughout the process, we learned how lucky we were to have Dorson working with us.  Like many others, we didn't have a clear vision of how and what we wanted would look like, we had better ideas of what we didn't like or want and we recognized that we needed help to shape our ideas and uncertainties into something that a responsible contractors can bid on it.  Dorson never lost patience with us, he sent his designer Monica to work with us to come up with a 3D of how the end project would look like in colors and after a couple of interviews and visits, she did a superb 3 D of the kitchen, living rooms, dining room and laundry room and really helped us to visualize how the proposed changes would looked like, a 5th thing we learned, if your contractor takes the time to respond to your calls, emails, texts or questions when they are bidding on your project, that is a good sign, because there will be many more as you gets deeper into the process.  Dorson then sent us to his cabinet person, his bath and kitchen supplier, his appliances supplier  and his floor person, all reputable local businesses to further define what we wanted and to give us a more accurate idea of the cost of different options and choices we were making.  He either made the appointments himself, or we were contacted by his suppliers, or we called; for other subcontractors such as electricians, plumbers, painters, appliances installers, carpenters, dry wall installers, Dorson actually scheduled a collective visit and tour to the house to explain to them what was likely to be the work ahead.  As our ideas were becoming more clear, the choices were less overwhelming, we could always count on Dorson to tell us what are the differences between the options, his experience with one option vs another, how the options and choices can impact the budget and the rest of the project, most of our choices and options were not straightforward, set and done, still Dorson was understanding and patient to work with our back and forth and changes; a 6th thing we learned, if your contractor or project manager has a general building experience and a solid working relation with his/her different suppliers and materials, many more problems are likely to be anticipated early on and there will be less chance for unpleasant surprises later on the project.  We were treated warmly, well and professionally by all Dorson's suppliers who clearly kept a close and good communication with us and with Dorson (thank you Monica, Rick, Gary, David, Mary and others).  We finally settled on an affordable and alternative design and as Dorson pointed out, going through the designing phase, working with the designer and the different suppliers is the way to reach the clarity we needed to home in on the concretes of our project, aka, finally knowing what we wanted and what that looked like.  Given our limited time and resources, we took the option to vacate the house to allow Dorson to put the resources he needed on the ground in order to finish the remodeling on time and we stored most of our belongings in a neighborhood storage and some in the untouched areas of the house.  Dorson submitted a detailed bid with itemized work, cost and timeline for progress, it was not only the most understandable bid among the ones we had, but the one that best fit our budget and expectations, his bid had a greater transparency than others, he passed on the quotes from some subcontractors and for bathroom and kitchen supply he actually passed on his contractor's quote without markups, needless to say, Dorson's was the winning bid; a 7th thing we learned, a detailed, understandable and itemized bid allows you to see that your contractor is clear about what will be done and often how will be done and the timeline, instead of getting budget by rooms, by project, by phases of progress, with Dorson's bid we were able to make final adjustments to maximize our budget, leaving items out and clarifying and add additional items in.  We gave Dorson the key to our house, the agreed initial payment of close to 50% and he gave us a date to start, the demolition phase was speedy and successful, followed by the actual building phase, floor preparation, carpentry, shower/tub installation, water, electrical, cabinets and floor, our project was scheduled for a full 4 weeks, and we must have visited the work on average 2-3 times a week, finding Dorson coordinating, inspecting or supervising in some capacity most of the time during the working days.  Dorson was extremely responsive to our questions and observations while the work progressed and he scheduled weekly onsite tour to update us about the progress and some of the challenges and extras he threw in because of the quality standard he holds himself and his work, we found the regular and detailed communication immensely helpful as the project was ongoing and our house was going through this extensive remodeling; a 8th thing we learned, when your contractor works to stay on schedule and to the details and the content of the bid while be sensitive to the quality of delivery of his subcontractors, you know the planning was well done and all the unpleasant surprises that may justify a contractor to ask for more while the project is ongoing have been thought, checked and anticipated to a reasonable degree, which is actually the best insurance against overrun in schedule or budge, we had Dorson to thank for our peace of mind and joy to see the expected and reliable progress as scheduled and itemized in the bid and we truly need to highlight the exemplary project management we got from Jackson Construction, for us, it fulfilled exceedingly our initial goal of finding a Company that helps us to minimize the angst of going through an extensive remodeling against the clock.  Before the work, we had extensive damages in our walls, they were carefully repaired and the painters were detailed and careful, we even got a sample wall to check the color matching after we have already finalized our color choices, as color can look different when they are under the actual light, angle and company of other fixtures.  We paid the second installment of 30% plus with minor adjustments to reflect on some additions after the original bid.  At the scheduled date, we received our house back with a result that satisfied us highly, during the working phase, Dorson's subcontractors were able to make improvement as they found such as firm up the connection between the hot air duct coming our from furnace to the rest of the house, which will lead to more effective heating, not to mention saving in the utility bill, we were pleasantly surprised that a few items we removed from the budget for saving still got done courtesy of Dorson Jackson what he called "bonuses", the biggest one was the paint of the whole garage, and Dorson received his last check with a bonus as a token of our appreciation for his quality work.  A 9th thing we learned, the customer service is even more important after all payment are done; Dorson invited us to put together what he called a "punch list", in his usual style of timeliness and efficiency, he went above and beyond again, accomplishing all the details we pointed out as needing extra work and threw in a few more extras.  The 10th thing we learned is how fortunate we were when we decided to hire Jackson Constructions for our remodel, a contractor who is interested in making his customers happy, a contractor who holds himself and his subcontractors to a high standard, a contractor who you can trust to have your best interest in mind even when you only have a modest budget, a contractor who values your satisfaction as much as his profit, we don't want to be selfish, great experiences and companies deserve to be shared, that's why we are writing this review to share our experience for your future reference, thanks to Dorson, his team and his people, we have a home in our what feels like a new house to receive our daughter on time.

Dorson Jackson gave me an estimate, which was acceptable, started the work a few weeks later. They gutted the kitchen, took away the junk and started the remodel. I needed to pick out the cabinets, flooring, counter tops, backsplash, sink, faucet and paint color. Then there was a parade of subcontractors: carpenters, electricians, a plumber, flooring guys, granite layers, painters, a tiler finish carpenters and finally someone to install the new appliances. My final inspection of the project was accepted and the final payment was made.

We are first time remodelers.  And from my experience going through a remodel is some what like having braces put on your teeth.  You don't really want to do it.  It hurts while your going through it.  It doesn't look good while your going though it.  It's expensive.  But in the end you like the results things look and feel better and you're glad you did it.  I had braces so I know what I'm talking about here.  The project took much of the summer.  Dorson is affable and knowledgeable in his field.  He had some very good suggestions.  One suggestion came while were were considering the flooring.  We were considering hard surfaces such as wood laminate flooring. Dorson is big on tile but I don't like grout. Dorson showed up with a sample of a product we had never seen nor heard about. Luxury vinyl tile  grouted in with acrylic grout.  I should have known about it it was in Consumer Reports and highly rated.  We love it.  Its like having a sheet vinyl floor with the benefits of ease of cleaning but almost everyone who sees it thinks that its stone.  We love it.  Another specific suggestion Dorson made was the granite counter tops.  I was dead set against it.  I wanted corian.  But I think now that would have been a mistake.  We love the Uba Tuba granite in the kitchen.  It has a matte finish that we really like.  Dorson also suggested new toilets that turned out to be really nice and cost effective.  He even chose the toilet seat.  Its a slow closer.   Really nice and quiet, no banging.
All in all we are happy with our newly remodeled home.  It looks good, in our opinion, and feels good.  Kinda like straight teeth.  I would like to think I could have done it all myself but I think my inexperience as a remodeler would have led to expensive problems and I would have been dissatisfied with the end result.  So we're very happy we had Dorson's help.

The job was well done and we are very satisfied with the outcome.

From the beginning to the end it was a pleasure dealing with Jackson Construction. Punctual, efficient and considerate with our time and needs. We were kept continually informed about progress, problems that came up and solutions were suggested and implemented where needed. Excellent follow-through. The end result is a beautiful and state of the art roof system!
Highly recommend Jackson Construction!

The performance was amazing. I pulled the doors off the hinges one morning before work, and the new doors were made up and delivered to my home before noon the same day. The doors were fitted to the old hinges with only an hour or two of effort and now are ready for paint.

When we contacted Dorson Jackson, he was very prompt in figuring out our needs and assessing the site.  Following this, he was very quick to schedule the appointment and was prompt in his response to e-mails with questions regarding the job.  He came at the scheduled time and worked quickly to get the job done in a timely manner.  Upon finishing the installation of the framing and door, the room looked fantastic and you wouldn't be able to tell that it wasn't an original piece of the building architecture.  We would absolutely hire Jackson Construction for any future construction needs.

So, this is not a typical work review, but it goes to the character of Dorson Jackson and his son Cameron.  My husband was cleaning out our attic on a Saturday morning, and our miniature Dachsund, Peanut, was up there sniffing around with him.  I was downstairs in the family room and suddenly heard scratching and thumping in the roof over my head.  It sounded like the biggest mouse ever. Suddenly I realized that Peanut was nowhere to be found.  I went upstairs to ask Stuart where he was, and we realized he had crawled back about 20 feet into the eaves of the house.  None of our access points could reach where he was and and we couldn't get him out. We called and called, but it seems he was stuck, because he started whimpering but wouldn't come.  We didn't know what to do, short of knocking holes in the drywall somewhere.  Finally we called Dorson, even though we thought he wouldn't be home on a Saturday.  He was!  And he came over immediately with his son, Cameron and spent a couple hours with us coaxing Peanut, and trying to find the least damaging way to get the dog out.  Finally, covered with insulation, Cameron, yelled out that Peanut had moved over to the flashing under the eaves.  They got to work outside, pulling the flashing down by the gutters, and pulled out our shaking, frantic dog.  Dorson didn't even get upset as Peanut peed all over him coming out.  Dorson didn't have to help us, but that's the kind of man he is.  Jackson Construction has our business as long as we need work in our home!

Our washing machine leaked water all over the laundry room and onto the wood floor in the hall and kitchen.  Although I mopped it up within a half hour, the wood had already warped and the laundry room was a mess.  We called Dorson Jackson and he came out immediately, made a careful appraisal, brought out all the subs to meet me, and worked around my schedule.  In fact, we were going to have to leave the house for 3 days while the wood floors were refinished, but were already planning an out of town vacation a couple weeks later, so Dorson made sure all the work was timed so the floors could air out while we were gone.  We came home from our trip and everything was done and looked amazing.  No hassle.  No surprises.  Superior work for a fair price.  Done on time!  We will definitely call Jackson Construction again.

Things went very well for our project.  Since many of the parts were handmade, it took 2-3 weeks to build the staircase in the shop.  They put it in really quickly and we barely knew they were there.  The wood parts were installed on a Monday and the painter had his work finished by the weekend.  They used special paint that hardly had an odor.  One thing I appreciated was how clean the project was.  The stairwell was enclosed with plastic to minimize dust and mess in the rest of the home.  The stairwell turned out beautiful.  Each piece is crafted with exactness and is smooth and feels perfect under your hand as you go up and down the stairs.  I have compliments to this day on our beautiful banister.  Dorson did an amazing job, and I invited him back in 2008 to help me redo a deck in our backyard.  The result was the same:  beautiful work, returned phone calls, fair price, not a lot of mess, and a final product that I am proud of and enjoy looking at..  I would recommend Jackson Construction highly.

This was a big remodel with lots of framing and sheetrock.  The bathroom before was huge and wide open and covered in carpet and mirrors.  It needed some updating.  My husband gets up earlier than me and him going in and out of the closet in the morning was irritating with the sound of the bi-fold doors and the light spilling directly onto the bed, no matter how careful he was.  Moving the entry to the closet to inside the bathroom area solved that problem as well as provided a large wall area for me to hang artwork in the bedroom.With little kids, I needed a bath instead of a shower in the hall bath, so a shared wall was changed to accommodate a tub/shower in the hall bath, while leaving space for an enclosed toilet room and closet on the master side.  A 6-foot jetted tub separates the toilet room from the walk-in two-person tiled shower.  The shower required new framing, sheetrock, plumbing, and tile work.  We chose a high quality floor vinyl that looks like large 18-inch tile.  The comfort is awesome and the look is beautiful.  The full height custom cabinets flanking the walk-in closet are beautiful and match the custom cabinet bank that has the double sinks.  They were finished in place.  Although a granite counter would have been beautiful, we opted for a nice laminate counter to save cost.  The project went smoothly and I felt it was very well managed by Dorson Jackson.  He was there the whole way, making sure that the work was done well and on time, that we were happy with the progress and the quality.  I never have to worry about attention to detail. Dorson knows how to make a plan and make it work.  We are so happy with the finished result.

Our house faces southwest.  We take storms right in the face.  Our front windows had started to cloud over between the layers of glass. You could feel hot and cold pouring into the room from the aluminum frames around the windows.  The aluminum siding in unforgiving and cannot be removed and put back up.  It is so outdated that we couldn't even find any scrap. SO, we bit the bullet and decided to go through and replace all 19 windows in the house and put up new Hardiplank siding.  Dorson Jackson knew exactly what to order to provide great quality for our budget.  The windows have a slight tint to them to increase the energy efficiency and deflect more of the sunlight, yet they appear to let all the light in the interior.  They don't appear dark at all when looking out.  We immediately felt a huge difference in the rooms with the new windows.  We were absolutely amazed at how quickly they were able to complete the job, and with skill.  The siding came off, the wood on the house was evaluated and repaired as needed, the house wrapped.  It took one day for all the new windows to be placed.  They had to be both inside and outside the house.  They worked quickly and cleanly.  I didn't notice any dirt on the carpet, any sawdust was cleaned up, no dings in anything in the rooms.  They were very respectful going around our personal space.  The siding only took two days, despite the fact that the house is quite large (36,000 sq ft) and we were having a spring storm.  They were fast and precise.  Seams and corners were done perfectly.  It was one more short day for the interior trim around the windows.  One day for painting.  The finished job is gorgeous and our house is so amazingly comfortable.  If I'd known what a difference it would make, I would have done it sooner.  We are already noticing a difference in our energy costs.  Our furnace and AC don't have to work nearly as hard as before.  I can only imagine that this will be a huge plus if we should ever need to put our house on the market.

went perfect

This was our first remodeling experience and it was a big one.  Dorson Jackson was great to work with from concept to completion.  I was a design grad with lots of ideas for floor plan and materials.  Dorson helped me figure out what was going to work within our budget.  He was very knowledgable about options, price and practicality.  I was impressed with the subs that he brought in to help with the project.  Dorson did a great job managing the time and work as well as putting in lots of hours of work himself.  They were able to stay in budget and time.  I think we had a little delay with the cabinets, but it only put us off a couple days.  It was messy work and it was hard to be without a kitchen, but they managed their mess as well as physically possible and were very respectful of my personal space outside of the "construction zone".  The cabinets were all custom made and finished in place.  I have SOOOO much kitchen storage space with a full wall of floor to ceiling cabinets with built-in ovens and microwave.  And the floor plan works great with two islands, one with a gas range,  loads of counter space and open to the new dining area.  The solid bamboo flooring was a great choice.  It's held up great through years of spills and bumps from lots of cooking and baking and three active little kids running through.  The lighting is perfect, the colors and materials blending perfectly.  I think it is a design gem and was a quick way to make an extremely dramatic update to a good house to make it great.  I still love coming into my kitchen and simply sitting and admiring it.  Anytime I'm cooking for a crowd or have multiple cooks in the kitchen I am so grateful for how well it all came out.

Overall it went very well.   During this whole process Mr. Jackson, his son Cameron, and the workers he contracts with to get the job done were all very accommodating, and worked with us and around us, which can prove to be a challenge since we have a multigenerational family living here. The work that was done was and is exemplary. It is all very exciting to watch the transformations take place step by step.  It was not an easy job for the workers because I was in and out picking up grandchildren from school.  Going to appointments for myself and my daughter, and my Dad is 87 years old and wanting to be in the middle of it all.  We also have animals and they had to go outside several times a day.  To work around all of the obstacles and still get the job completed satisfactorily and on time is more than one could ask for.  There were even a few minor glitches that many construction outfits would use as an excuse for delays, but not this company.  I'm not saying that the delays could not have happened, however they did and do do their best not to let it delay them and in our situation it did not delay the work.       We are very pleased with the final outcome, and can hardly wait to use and show off our new remodel.  What a difference this is going to make in my daughter's independence.