Excel Interior Concepts and Construction

I gave Excel straight A's because I truly felt that they deserved it.  We were very happy with the design and construction, as well as the professionalism of the Excel people.  The job foreman was there almost every day, one or more workers were there every day, our concerns were dealt with immediately, and everyone was friendly and easy to get along with.  Although it was not quite finished, we were using our new kitchen within three weeks.  The finishing touches were put in place as back-ordered parts were received.  Final payment was not requested until the job was 100% done and a walk-through was conducted with Jim Mirando, designer and owner.

They were very professional.

Jim helped us come up with a great plan, giving us ideas we never would have thought of ourselves. If you are looking for someone who will really give you design help with a bath or kitchen, talk to Jim. His crew started exactly on the day we agreed upon, and finished the project in a timely fashion. They completely gutted the bath and started from scratch, building us a beautiful walk-in shower with two shower heads, a double sink, and new toilet. The put in a new ceiling (since the old one wasn't level), new walls, new tile floor, new exhaust system, new lighting, new everything. We live in a hundred year old house, and they had to solve several problems that created, but they came through with flying colors.

Their quote was double the amount of the company we ended up using. We were not impressed with the price and the owner told us to go out and get a loan. We had used them previously for a sunroom addition with an endless pool and they did a great job.

We contacted Excel in the winter 2014 to obtain process information and quotes for a full renovation. Brian Miller, an Excel designer (and miracle worker!) promptly contacted us to schedule an appointment to come and check out our kitchen. He made himself available to our schedule, meaning he would often come to the house in the evenings (after we were done with work)-- huge plus. Brian was a professional from the start and communicated with us their processes and would answer our questions during the design phase of the project. He's also a huge animal lover-- so those of you who may be reading this with concerns about your pets are in for a really great experience-- my rescued dog handled all of the daily and quot;visitorsand quot; in stride. It was approximately 2 weeks to obtain the initial design and consultation to review the plans and see material choices to complement the plan. I was really impressed how well Brian was able to and quot;get usand quot; from the two visits in our home-- you can tell he has an apt for design and to retain the character of the rest of the house-- not to mention making design suggestions that provide the best ROI. After the contract signature, it was approximately 6 weeks for the cabinets to be built; Brian then handed our project over to the and quot;constructionand quot; side of the company. Mike Stauffer and Bill Browning was the project manager and lead carpenter-- both complete professionals and met with us before the renovation commenced to explain the timeline, project processes and schedule. They estimated they would be able to complete the project in 3 weeks if everything worked to their plan-- they were right on the money. All of the employees arrived on time to the worksite and were professional in every interaction. They kept the work area insanely clean and removed all debris at the end of each day-- if you didn't see the physical progress each night you'd almost be shocked to know they were there earlier in the day. All of the contracted specialists (plumber, dry wall, painter, tile installer, etc.) were great-- you can tell they've all been working with Excel for years and are familiar with their work expectations and are able to deliver. Is Excel more expensive than a DIY? Yes. Heck yes. But.... having Excel deal with every detail and aspect of this major project was worth every penny. I trusted every person that represented Excel in my house (when we weren't there) and with my beloved dog. We quickly realized they meant business and stuck to their word. They communicated with us immediately if needed-- which wasn't often, as their extreme pre-construction organization mitigated any potential issues. Ultimately, we went with Excel because my husband and I aren't designers- we aren't construction experts- we had no clue as to what was involved with a kitchen renovation but didn't want to gamble with dealing with contractors all by ourself and whatever logistical nightmares that would involve. We LOVE our kitchen. Words cannot describe how happy we are with the final result. Brian made this house into a HOME. When we economically recover from this adventure, we will be sure to contact Excel again for all of our future design plans and ideas. Call Brian today. You won't regret it.

Excel did a great job installing a bathroom on the third floor of our row home in Harrisburg city. The designer, Pat, was great to work with and very responsive to all of our requests. The crew was very thorough in checking things out before they got started, so we knew what to expect (and knew what the costs would be). We were well-informed of a couple potential problems that they might run into (because of the age of our home), and we knew what their contingency plans were for working through those problems. We are so very happy with the finished product - everything in the bathroom meets or exceeds our expectations. Also, they finished a week ahead of schedule!
Our one complaint was the work that extended into a guest bedroom - they had to tear up a wall in the guest room to run pipes, and when they did this work, they did not cover anything or do anything to contain the dust and rubble that resulted. We knew they might have to do this at some point, but didn't know they would do it when they did. Since we were sleeping in the guest room through this work, that meant that our temporary bedroom was a mess. But their work in the master where they were adding the bathroom was very clean, with dust and dirt well-contained and cleaned up at the end of the job.

Very well, considering the time involved. I felt badly that I did not give them the job, but would like to in the future.

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Excel Interior Concepts and Construction was very professional. Brian was very good as far as helping us plan out and design the kitchen. We really liked their plan and their suggestion.

It was a wonderful experience. They started on the target date, and finished the same. Any problems were addressed promptly by Kyle, the construction supervisor, and our designer Pat. Everything was done in the perfect order it needed to be. Their team is a group of wonderful craftsmen in their own fields, yet they work together like a well oiled machine. Every day, our home was left clean and their tools were stored carefully.

It went excellent. I could not be more pleased with the final outcome.

From the beginning, we had a good feeling about Excel; it is a very well-run, organized, and established (since 1970) company. After the initial appointment was made, we received a packet of information about what we were to expect. They have a six phase project management process and kept to it-- from Initial consult, design, construction, to completion. The designer, Pat Holjes, first came to look at the bathrooms and gave us a rough, preliminary estimate. She took photos, asked a lot of questions, gave us ideas and recommendations for what she was thinking we could do. (The bathrooms are modest-size.) We gave her a ballpark figure of what we wanted to spend, and she worked within it. The estimator figured the proposed cost, and we met with Pat, who completed the designs with blue print sketches of work to be done and gave us the exact specifications of the proposed design. After we agreed and signed off on the proposal and gave a down-payment, the work was scheduled, and Pat ordered the supplies for work to begin. The team at Excel work well together and are very customer-focused and accommodating. The primary team who worked on our project was: Pat, Designer; Kyle, Project Manager; and Bill, Lead Carpenter. Once work began, it was kept on track. All of the subcontractors (flooring, painting, drywall, plumber) were very nice, too. When I (Jody) decided to change the proposed color of paint in the and quot;hersand quot; bathroom to a different color, it was no problem at all for them to make the change. Painting had not started, but still, their primary concern at all times throughout the project was accommodating and pleasing us. We also decided to get new towel racks for and quot;hisand quot; bathroom after they were done construction there. Again, no problem. A purchase order was made and when the supplies came in, they installed them. They made sure we had one working bathroom during construction and were very sensitive to the and quot;upheavaland quot; in our daily routine that construction would cause. The project took three weeks. We were very impressed with their friendliness, customer focus, organization (like a well-oiled machine), quality of work, and cleanliness. We know the quality is good and it was definitely worth the price of the project. Even though our bank accounts are a little 'thinner' now (which always hurts a little....), we are very pleased and happy that we had the work done and glad we chose Excel. (by Jody for Tom and Jody Tay)

The project went well depsite some set backs. With all the rain it was diffcult. Our previous roof over the porch was not done correctly, therefore the roof had to be completely redone. We now have a leak free roof and a great kitchen addition. All the contractors were great and we have no complaints. I'm glad we picked them to do the project.

They did excellent work. I liked their thoroughness. I think that they are very professional, and if something is wrong, they will fix it immediately and make sure that the customer is satisfied. They put the customer first. They are a little pricey but the quality of their work is worth the money.

I have highest regards for this company. They do what they say they are going to do. They are very expensive but they do good work. They have good materials and excellent people. You get what you pay for. They are very thorough. They do the whole job from design to cleanup and everything. They give you plan and design. I have never worked with a company which is so thorough. You know what you are getting. They exceeded my expectation. Only one negative thing I have is that the some of the tile work which the two guys did could have been done the first time; I shouldn't have told them to redo it. They were expensive but I didn't mind because they did good job. I would use them in the future.

Overall, the project went just as expected. My only concern was with some of the subcontractors who, although true craftsman, did not hesitate to allow their work (and mess) to spill over into other rooms not being remodeled which took some time to clean up.

job completed as promised.

A complete remodel of my kitchen and bathroom was done, so they did put ceramic tile for both rooms. The interaction with the company was excellent. I liked their professionalism, if something was not quite right, they fixed it immediately. The overall interaction with the staff was very good. They have bent over backwards to make sure my bathroom was working during the construction, because I had only one working bathroom. They came when they said they would and did what they said they were going to do. Sometimes they even stayed later than what they said they would to get things done. The project got done a week ahead of schedule, so I have nothing but pluses to say all the way from their designer. I also liked their team approach and I met with the designer. She came out to the house and went through both rooms, took measurements and gave me rough plans, which I paid for. I hired them, got materials and went over all of it that was going to be used for the job. We had a brief instruction meeting at my house with the staff that was actually going to do the construction. We went over scheduling and any concerns I might have. I just felt like I was being taken care of throughout the job. I would definitely recommend them to other members. I had to pay a little more, but their service was excellent, so I had no qualms about that. I have some more work that needs to be done, and I would use them again. They were top-notch and I am very lucky to have them. This was the first time I used them and I was very impressed.

I think the company was excellent. I had a contact with a woman. She was very friendly and knowledgeable. She answered all my questions. I am meeting with her to go over some plans. I like their process that you go through. They have a number of steps in that process, one of which she has already completed. The next step is to go into the department or shop and check out materials. Then she is going to draw up plans for us to go over them. Then we go over the pre-construction with the people that are actually going to do the job. It's a whole series of things that you go over with them and I think that sounds good. They do everything from the design to the construction. You don't have to do anything which is great. I don't know if I will be using them. I have two other companies, but I probably am going to use Excel Interior Concepts.

Overall, they were very professional all the way through. Everyone was on time, and job was completed on time. It was rather expensive. Next time, we will probably go with someone more cost effective.

- Called and made an appointment to have a representative come to the home to measure and listen to our needs - Designer came, took photos and made copious notes - Waited two weeks to have an appointment to discuss plans - Went to the stowroom and saw samples of materials and blueprints of the job. - Excellent presentation and cooperation - Price was high, however, quality is high as well

They were excellent. They were professional and very easy to work with. They are a little more expensive but it is well worth it. You work with an interior designer before you even start and they pull it all together.

While our project was not large in terms of time or cost we were very pleased with the level of involvement and commitment by the Excel staff who participated in the work. Our designer was always professional, prompt, prepared, willing to listen to our ideas and incorporate them into the final design. If there were any changes or questions she followed up with us and answered our concerns. We appreciate her artistry in selecting the elements for our kitchen, and have continually been receiving compliments on our kitchen from family, and friends. We also especially appreciate her flexibility in working with a cabinet maker that Excel does not typically work with to ensure that a replacement cabinet would be perfect match for our existing cabinets. The lead carpenter, treated our kitchen as if it was his own. His professionalism and attention to detail were wonderful. He kept us updated on what had been accomplished each day and what was planned for the next day either verbally, or in writing. If he indicated that he d return or start at a specific time, he arrived promptly. He asked for and listened to our input on numerous occasions. He kept the project on schedule and addressed our questions. We especially appreciated his patience with our very curious 4 year old daughter. The Excel construction manager, listened and responded to our questions, and followed through to make sure everything with the kitchen was to our satisfaction. Excel s electrician and plumber also contributed to the success of the project, and although we did not have the opportunity to speak with them, the work and the manner in which it was performed speak for them. There was a problem with the doors not matching the rest of the cabinets on the one cabinet we did replace. This was rectified satisfactorily very quickly by the Excel staff. The one downside we did experience with the remodeling was with the sub-contractor who installed the tile floor and backsplash. In simple terms, they were very sloppy. After they left one night, we found part of their lunch in one of our outside plant pots. We also found cigarette butts in the lawn and their trash in other spots were it never should have been. They also used our old stove that we replaced as a counter to put their tools on. Luckily they did not damage it because we intended to sell it later. We also spent considerable time cleaning up after them and the grout was in places it never should have been because they were in a hurry to do another job. The existing cabinets did take some minor damage, which I was able to fill/fix. In fairness they did fix something I pointed out to them with no pushback. We would gladly recommend Excel for future projects and will use them again when we redo our Master bath in another 2 years.