Hill Country Building & Renovation

Calvin is a scam artist. Gets money upfront, does some of the work, then leaves things screwed up...and ALLWAYS has cleverly got you/customer just enough involved in materials, etc..that he blames you!! Even when 100% proof is otherwise. And don't think threats of lawsuit means anything to him.. His and his attorney MO us "deny...delay...do nothing". Calvin shuts his company down every few years and starts over under a new name to evade bad reviews.m

Most disappointing experience of my life. My husband and I chose HCBR because of Mr. Paulsen's promise of quality work. We didn't mind if his bid wasn't the lowest, because we were assured by Mr. Paulsen that the work would be done right. We got everything but quality work and soon learned that the reason Mr. Paulsen's bid was so high was because the workers had to redo tasks multiple times because they were not completed correctly the first time. Nobody (including Mr. Paulsen) took any pride in their work. Painters were definitely not professionals and did a very sloppy job. They got paint on new flooring, windows, hinges, door knobs, switch plates, switches, and applied the wrong type of paint to the wrong surfaces (painted the ceiling with trim paint). Electricians left dead switches, installed plugs boxes that came out of the wall, and installed a plug for a tv in a brick fireplace that did not work. Piles of trash and debris were left laying around our property and on our porch for weeks because Mr. Paulsen had the dumpster removed weeks before the end of the project. Workers were negligent in protecting existing surfaces and damaged a sink that they did not cover. We were informed over and over again that workers or subcontractors were showing up at a specific day and time and they always showed up days or weeks later (or never came at all). We will never positively recommend or hire HCBR again.

Once again, Calvin knocked it out of the park! He had done our kitchen two years ago, which is why we hired him again for this job. He was on time every day, worked quickly, and handled problems that came up (very few, I might add) with no drama. The biggest issues were none of his doing. Things like delayed special order items from our supplier and a VERY slow cabinet maker were beyond his control. We are thrilled with the final results!

Everything went very well. The dust was kept under control as much as possible and we really appreciate that. Calvin was so easy to work with, we had a few changes and additions but he would just say, no worries and they got done. Some of the changes he didn't charge us a thing for. We would recommend Harbor Renovation to anyone looking for quality and professional work.

I have know and worked with Calvin for 7 or 8 years. When we met I was a single father with 3 boys and going to nursing school full time. Calvin would have me help with projects he had that needed extra hands. Calvin was a fair boss and hard worker. He demonstrated an exceptional knowledge of construction techniques and trade. He dealt with me honestly and fairly. The clients I met felt the same. He proved to me that he could manage large projects on multiple work sites at the same time and deliver high quality work. If it is not obvious by now I have not seen Calvin build a house but I have seen him remodel several. I know Calvin to be an honest man and a skilled craftsman. I would trust him to build a house with me and some day, when I'm ready, I may just call on him to do that. 

Work was done done in a perfosional manner

Work went very well even after running into a problem with the ceiling holding a surprise main brace. Which had to be moved. This created further problems, one with the kitchen ceiling and another with fitting of the kitchen cabinets that were already made. Kalvin did a remarkable job in figuring out how to make it work without adding more time or cutting the cabinets. He always made sure we were informed on a progress; and when there were problems, he would contact us and have a solution.  He was always very professional and knowledgeable about the construction process.  Though we always had the last word on all parts of the job, Kalvin usually discussed with us what would work best. He is very easy to communicate to. He maintained a clean work area throughout the renovation and at the end of each day all tools were neatly stored out of our way.  
 After work was done and we started to put things back in place, we noticed that some cabinets needed additional adjustment. Kalvin came back without any hesitation and made the final adjustments at no additional charge.
 We are completely satisfied with the work he did, would hire him again, and will recommend him to our friends.

Went very well. Prompt and dependable service, did excellent work and really went the extra mile because this is my only bathroom and I have an adult son with autism. He really made it possible for this to happen and I have a beautiful bathroom. It is gorgeous and we survived the remodel with dealing with autism issues. Wonderful and a great experience, considering everything he had to deal with and how hard it is for my son to deal with change. High kudos for Calvin. Many thanks.

unknown

We thoroughly enjoyed Calvin & his cousin Carl, who worked as a team on our project. We had a Jack & Jill bathroom that he converted into a Master bath.he removed the tub and replaced it with a built in tile shower & tiled the floor as well. He took out all fixtures, but we kept the cabinets & he painted them & replaced the hardware. He opened up the small closet that was there into the hall closet to make a roomier walk-in style, tiled it & added shelves & new hanging rods. He added crown molding to the master & painted it. He completed the painting & tile job in the hallway that was to be completed by the last (nightmare) contractor we had & did not ask back.. We purchased all items before we started as was a requirement of Calvin. That worked out well. Although, I made a mistake in putting all the items in the closet, thinking I would be helping him, so he wouldn't have to go to the garage to get them. I assumed he would do one project at a time....my bad. He started the closet at the same time as the others, so he had to move all the tile & fixtures, etc. anyway. The only work done by a sub contractor was the granite cabinet top. We only had one problem when Calvin used the shower tile to tile the floor in the bathroom as well. However, it turned out better than the original would have been. He says we can blame Carl for the mistake, but he'll take credit for the win with the better looking floor. I was apprehensive at first, worried that it would be another horror story like the last contractor, but Calvin was not like that at all. He told us 6 weeks & completed all parts iin 4 weeks. He was great to work with & was always on time everyday. Answered all phone calls & text messages promptly. He had one other thing going for him, that others may not get to take advantage of like we did. That was Carl, a true bonus to the job. Carl left us just before the job ended to go back to Arkansas for awhile. We missed him & I know that Calvin did as well. He had gotten used to the little things Carl did. Overall as remodeling goes ......this was a great experience for us. He'll come back for the other bathroom when we are ready for it. Good job, Calvin!!??

Calvin was very easy to work with.  He worked on our living area, installing sheetrock over existing paneling, and added recessed lighting on the ceiling while we waited for the kitchen cabinets to come in.  He also removed the cracked tile floor.  When the cabinets came in he put them together, installed them, and a very good granite subcontractor installed the countertops. He then installed the tile backsplash, put in the sink and appliances and added more lighting to the kitchen. I have had many compliments from friends on his work, and I am very happy with the way everything turned out.  He even returned 3 months later to finish up on a couple of parts of a cabinet that came in late. He did excellent work, and I would definitely call him again and recommend him to friends!

Calvin did a major bathroom job for me.  Because of that, he agreed to do this little job (my words not his).
The previous contractor had done the bath tub so that hot water came out cold and cold water came out hot.  My grand daughter on a visit did not know it was broken and took cold showers.  I did not want someone in the future to do this or on the other hand to get burned.  Calvin came out and it took some major diagnosis to figure out what the cause was.
But he cut through the wall, put in a new valve, fixed the sheet rock and textured and painted the repair.
Then in true Harbor renovation custom, he called back after the repair and asked how it was.  I said that I guessed that it was alright as the location was in a room that I don't use  (guest bath) .  He insisted that I go right then and check the paint.  I did and told him that one small spot on the bottom was not smooth.  He came back out and fixed it.  He will always follow up with his jobs and I have never ever had anyone do that.
Thank god I don't have anymore najor repairs to do but if I did, he would be the only one that I would call.  He has a good sense of humor too.

He came in on Monday and did the demo work and within two weeks it was completed. He basically gutted the bathroom and installed new tub, new cabinet and vanity. Tiled above the tub for the shower. It looks great.

unknown

Calvin is doing outstanding  work. He is always is on time. He brings the necessary supplies and tool each day. He is a hard worker and does not waste time. He always uses new material and never reuses material that he replaces. He always works from a print and always asks for permission to deviate. Ne is worth every cent that he charges to do the job. The primary reason for this remodel was to combine an ad-on kitchen to an existing dining room.This necessitated removing a permanent external wall between the two rooms.This resulted if a seamless ceiling between the two rooms.Thus providing an open concept. The next step is finishing the walls and installing new flooring and complete cabinetry with associated electric connections and plumbing.  
      Harbor Renovation has now finished my daughter's  major kitchen remodel. it is absolutely stunning down to each little detail. Calvin really knows the remodel process inside and out. He was  never stumped  when it came to making everything work out and dealing with various issues in this old house. There were a couple of issues that we said we could live with but Calvin said he couldn't, so he somehow came up with solutions that were much more acceptable and resolved the issues very nicely.--Would we recommend Calvin?---Without a doubt, and without any reservation.
     On a personal note. I was there every day observing the remodel. We lunched together and it became a tradition that I provided cokes, On my birthday Calvin brought a cake complete with candles. He was so much fun and easy to work with.

First, I'd like to point out that Calvin is a very nice person.  But, I feel compelled to tell the truth on here.  Isn't that what Angie's List is all about?????  To help others find a good contractor?  I am very confused about his straight A reviews.  It is hard for me to believe that he did such an awesome job for all the others and such a shoddy job on mine.  Really makes me question whether one can put much stock in Angie's List reviews.  
Calvin did a very nice job on the ceiling and crown.  Just wish he would have taken 5 minutes to loosen the light fixture and fan cones instead of mudding over the edges of them.  Something I will have to deal with when I replace them.  Beyond that I have to say his work is shoddy.  He did come back and redo some things to try to make them better.  But the only way to fix the biggest problems would be to tear it all out and start over.  The top cabinets from one side of the room to the other are not the same height. Standard distance between countertop and top cabinets is 18".  For some reason he installed mine at 18 1/2 on one side and 19 1/4 on the side where the sink is, which is the side I use every day.  I am short and that inch+ makes a huge difference to reach the second shelf.  But I guess I will have to learn to live with it. The countertops are too narrow and do not cover the lower cabinets so there was no drip edge.  Calvin is paying to have the people that installed the laminate come back and install a trim piece on the front to extend the countertop out over the lower cabinets.  That is scheduled to be done in aprox. two weeks.  My one big splurge was my backsplash tile, which is a brushed metal mosaic - $15.00 a square foot.  Some of it looks pretty good but in many places you can see the interlocking seams and the little pieces stick out.  Some as much as 1/8 inch and are not straight.  He did come back and remove the worst ones and put them back on.  For which I had to buy another $15.00 tile.  He said he would pay for it but didn't.  It is a little better, still shows and will never be a good tile job.  Once again something I will have to live with.  I am going to have to re-grout the tile due to shrinkage and then seal it.  When I ask him about sealing it he said he put sealer in the grout.  Everything I read online about that says that it doesn't work.  I ask him to seal it properly and he refused to do it.  So guess I'll be doing that too.  There is a 1/2" unfinished gap between the backsplash tile and the top cabinets.  So I bought some trim and primed and painted it to cover up that mess...the trim and paint cost another $20.00 out of my pocket to cover up his mistake.  One cabinet door is on backwards. Once again something I will have to live.  The island hood is 1 1/2" off center over the cooktop and not properly installed.  He cut the sheetrock out and attached the plate to boards in the attic then patched around it.  The plate that the hood attaches to should go on top of the rock....per the instructions that came with it.  Because he got in a hurry and scheduled the laminate before the oven unit was installed there is a 1/2" gap between the countertop and wall oven cabinet and between the backsplash and wall oven cabinet.  His fix for that is a 3/4" x 3/4" board that he cut from a cabinet spacer to cover it.  The end is bare wood that I need to do something with.  Not sure how I'm going to make that look decent.  There are numerous smaller mistakes....way too many to mention and explain on here. I have taken pictures of all of them.  A few of them he corrected or at least tried to make better but most cannot be fixed.  Like a screw hole thru the face of a cabinet...now filled with putty and looks pretty good but still shows.  Another one thru the side of the wall oven unit....same fix.  All of the nail holes in the toe kick and cabinet crown show.  Guess that's suppose to be my job too.  The holes can be filled with the putty but it is something he should have done.  I paid him to do the job.  I should not have to do his finish work.  Two pieces of floor tile needed put in where the old cabinets came out and the new did not cover.  He put the tile in but did not grout it.  Told me I could do that.  I had to wipe down every cabinet and drawer, inside and out, because he put the cabinets in before he textured the ceiling and did not cover them.  He told me I needed to clean up that mess because he forgot and painted the ceiling and I was suppose to.  He said it would be a trade off because he forgot and did it so now to make things fair I needed to clean up his mess and put the knobs and pulls on the cabinets.  So I did.  He did not paint the ceiling.  He put that cheap Pro-X PVA primer on it that leaves it looking gray.  I wanted it bright white so I painted it.  There are numerous scuffs and scratches on the new cabinets and one on the new wall oven and places that splintered when he drilled the holes for the knobs and pulls.  
Several times throughout this remodel I tried to talk to Calvin about some of these things that were not right.  Two times he told me I was being too picky.  Once he replied with "Are you trying to tell me how to do my job?"  And twice he accused me of not trusting him.  
I am not saying these things because I am picky and anal about things.  I have flipped four houses in the past, worked with a lot of contractors from all trades and have done some of this kind of work myself.   I had another contractor come and look at this job.  He agreed these things are not right and even noticed some mistakes that I had not noticed yet.  He sits on an arbitration board for contractors.  His suggestion was to sue for the damages.   
I now have a $30,000.00 kitchen remodel that looks like it was done by an amateur instead of a contractor.  Sorry Calvin, you are a very nice person and I really like you but for this kitchen remodel I needed a contractor with experience in kitchen remodels....not just a nice person.

Here is my follow up to what has transpired since I wrote the above review.  I filed a complaint with Angie?s list and Harbor Renovations refused any kind of settlement.  Instead, I got a threatening email from him that said if I did not delete the above review  ?He would move forward with his options?.  And he did.  HE CANCELLED THE ORDER TO PAY FOR THE BULLNOSE FOR THE CONTER TOP TRIM that would fix the countertops that he built to narrow. Looks like I will be paying to have that done because the countertop definitely needs an overhang to keep spills from running down the front of my cabinets and ruining them.  So due to my honest review, I lost more on this deal. No wonder people give false reviews on here.  Most people that are being threatened will give in and change their reviews.  I WILL NOT!  I gave an honest review.  I have lots of pictures and I will be happy to show anyone the mistakes and shoddy work. I forwarded a copy of the email to Angie's List....that gained me nothing either.  Now I?m trying to decide if I should file a complaint with the BBB or take Harbor Renovations to small claims court.  

Calvin came in with an estimate that I thought was fair and started right when he said he could. He took down two walls and opened up the kitchen just the way we imagined. We ordered the cabinets we wanted and he installed them beautifully. He was a big help when we got stumped on color coordination. He installed the can lights in the kitchen, dining and family room that really brightened up the spaces. We are going to hire him again to reno our bathrooms. This guy can do it all. I highly recommend Calvin and look forward to working with him again. GREAT JOB CALVIN!!! THANK YOU!!!

Calvin. Is. Awesome!! That?s the only way I can describe our experience with his doing our kitchen remodel.  We did 99% of the demolition on our own.  Calvin came in, at 8:00 am on the promised day, and started working his magic.  Less than 4 weeks later, we now have a gourmet kitchen that is stunning.  He went to bat for us when we had a problem with the company doing the countertops (big mistake on my part to use that company). He made suggestions when he thought an idea of mine wouldn?t quite work out.  Yet, if I had my heart set on something, he would gladly oblige.  We ran into a few unforeseen problems, but Calvin never got rattled and always found a reasonable solution. Calvin is honest, hard-working, FAST, and thorough.  He pays attention to every last little detail and makes absolutely sure the job is done correctly.  He replies to emails almost immediately.  If you call and get his voice mail, he returns the call usually within the hour.  He even made friends with our younger cat who fell in love with Calvin.  We may have to set up a visitation schedule since the cat looks for Calvin if he?s not here by about 8:30 in the morning. 
  
I would hire Calvin again in a heart-beat!  And, I?ve been singing his praises to all my friends and neighbors!  Thank you, thank you, thank you, Calvin, for making the kitchen of my dreams a reality!

When I first called his first opening was about maybe 4 months away.   The time went fast.
He has you order all the supplies so that he cannot be blamed if you decide that you don't like something and if something happens.  Such was the case for us.  We ordered a vanity from home depot and the granite top arrived broken twice so it had to be reordered and shipped each time.  So what was suppose to be a two week or so project turned into 2 months through no fault of his. 
His part in the whole home depot fiasco was understanding, disbelief,  and the ability to go with the flow. He also said that because of that, we were very easy to work with.
His work was exception and beautiful. 
I have had very few business people who respond to my texts or phone calls almost immediately.  He had very good communication skills.

His price is reasonable, but the way it works is that he needs the home owner to purchase ALL of the visible parts on the premises prior to his arrival, the tile, the faucets, the counter top, the grout, the paint etc.  This is because he works fast.  The majority of the master bathroom was done in 2 weeks.  (Only the stain on the cabinets did not dry in a timely fashion.)  His estimate covers not only his labor, but also the things one does not see, the plumbing pipes, the glues, etc.
He does negotiate with the home owner in terms of determining where the messy work with tile and wood are best to take place.  He does clean up the work area, but I did have to go over the mirrors and glass to remove some of the fine grout, that is to polish the surfaces.
He is good about returning telephone calls or texts because he truly wants to know any dislikes or concerns early on so that corrections can be made.  He arrives on time unless he is going to the home improvement store first.  He will let the owner know this if needed.
He is ethical in his workmanship.  When the old shower and tub were pulled out, there was wood rot, old termite damage, and mildew that had to be removed in some of the supporting structure.  He coordinated with the representative from our termite company who had to apply a treatment into the ground where the new shower drain pipes would eventually go.  We were grateful that the repairs for the rot set us back only an additional $500.00.  He took the time and treated the old and new wood in place with treatment to prevent future mildew and added hardiplank and sealant so that water from the shower would never enter the wall again.  He could have nickeled and dimed us for every additional component of the job that was specified in the original contract.  Instead he believes it is just part of the quality of his work.
I learned that he can forget some of the little things.  If you want to keep ANY fixtures, outlet covers, window blinds, instructions that come with the new fixtures, or the packaging then it is best to write down and give him a list of the things that you do not want him to discard.  Otherwise, it is gone.
Finally, when I had questions on which type of paint or tile to use in a particular location, he had good answers based on experience.  I gave him "artistic license" to create designs which was a good move.  He then could turn a plain design to a very nice design.
When the stain had not dried on our bathroom cabinets within 2-3 days he bought over a new dehumidifier that day in order to speed up the drying.  It ultimately took an additional week for the stain to dry.  Needless to say, he did not use that same stain on the kitchen project.
He has also remodeled our kitchen and will remodel our guest bathroom soon.

What can I say? Working with Calvin was great. I had wanted work done for quite some time but dreaded the thought of renovating. Calvin took all the worry and stress out of the process. Not only is the work he did stunning he was a real pleasure to work with. He understood my wants and needs in regards to price and schedule and was more than willing to make it work. I have a special needs child and he made sure that what he was doing would not interfere with her daily routines. He was on time each day and finished at nearly the same time each day, each time at a stopping point that wasn't overwhelming. At no point did I feel my house was completely turned upside down. He works quickly and efficiently. He was able to remove the old flooring from my entry way, my downstairs powder room and conjoined entry way as well as the upstairs hall bath. Once removed he put tile in each location. He had a great idea to use tile for the base board trim- the same as on the floor - and I love it! In the hall bath ( aka the kids bath) he suggested tiling up the wall near the tub about half way to help with the water damage little ones can cause. We've had problems with overflowing tubs in the past but now I won't have to worry any more! He also added wainscoting in with a chair rail and bead board in sever locations and it's beautiful. I had worried about the floor transitions from room to room but the thresholds he suggested look great. 
All in all this guy knows his stuff. I am so happy we did this and even happier we chose Harbor Renovation. I will definitely be calling him again when it's time for the next project.

Calvin tiled the tub surround, installed all new fixtures and hardware.  He installed a new window and improved the insulation and electrical in the bathroom.  This being my third remodel project with Harbor Renovations, I was prepared when unexpected problems arose due to the age of my home.  As before, Calvin was able to remedy the problems quickly and easily with out having to call a plummer or master electrician.  Calvin always does quality work, in a timely manor.  Even with unexpected problems, I had no unexpected costs.  Because of his many years experience, the suggestions and ideas he made, made my project turn out so much better then I imagined.  Calvin was at my home every day until the job was done.  He does all the work himself.  I trusted him completely. I wish I had another remodel job for him to do!

Calvin was always punctual, professional and detail-oriented in his bid and his work.  His bid was a little higher than others, but due to the details in his bid, I was confident there would be few changes (added costs) during construction.  It was refreshing to work with a contractor that strived to deliver quality in a timely manner.  Calvin delivers on his word and his work!

He handled the demo new electrical plumbing drywall cabinets tile and trim. The bath rooms the kitchen turned out beautiful. I'm going to try to get him back in the summer to build an outside kitchen for my wife and I. He does all the work himself no one is in and out you feel like he's got your back when you can't be there. His color matching is awesome. I have use him on three other jobs which i will write a review on soon.

Cal is exceptional in doing what it takes to get the job done right, in a timely manner and at a fair price with an eye for staying within budget.  His work is top notch.  As a comparison, we had some water damage earlier this year and went through an insurance agency who brought in various other contractors for repairs.  Though they were polite and the work was acceptable, it took forever for them to perform the work.  There were constant delays or no shows. The house was always a mess and there was always something we would need to clean up that was left behind.
This was not the case with Harbor Renovation.  Cal was on the job when he said he would be and he always left the area clean at the end of the day or provided measures to keep dust from spreading around the house.  My wife is very allergic to mold and dust so that means a lot, especially since we stayed in the house during renovation.
 
 They say that the finish product is only as good as the foundation it rest upon.  I work as an engineer and deal with many contractors on some very large construction projects that require competitve bids.  As a result, some contractors try to get by by meeting minimal requirements and providing marginal results even though what is required is spelled out clearly in the construction documents.  It shows a lack of care, pride in thier product and leaves the owner with a decision as to whether the work is acceptable.  No such concern resulted with Harbor Renovation.  Cal never surprised us with extra costs that seemed spurious or contrived. He was very clear as to what his bid included, was efficient, competent and professional.  The workmanship and care taken in preparation of bases to accept finish surfaces and equipment was superb.  Plumbing was neatly installed and routed.  The same with electrical.
Cal was always polite and easy to deal with. Absolutely no pressure tactics.  My wife likes the fact that he didn't swear or use  bad language and seemed happy to be on the job.  Tile work seems to be one of his specialties. 
In the end, it all turned out beautiful.  Best of all my wife is very happy.  And when she is happy,  I am happy.
I understand that Cal has moved his business to Texas.  I am sure he will do well there.