
Positive Energy Construction Co.
About us
Home Improvement Contractor, focused on providing real solutions to a range of areas related to a home's performance. "Home performance" is concerned with the comfort, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, occupant safety, and durability of a home. We perform envelope (i.e. weatherization; doors & windows; roofing & siding), HVAC, and remodeling upgrades. I am one of two owners of the business. I, and\or my brother, deal directly with you (the homeowner). I am also on site for every project I implement (an insulation project, a ventilation upgrade, new doors & windows, etc.). We work with licensed partner contractors for electrical (Root Electric) and HVAC (Frosty's Heating & Cooling) services.
Business highlights
Services we offer
Comprehensive building envelope upgrades (i.e. new roofs, doors & windows); lighting upgrades; heating & cooling system consulting & upgrades; air leakage sealing; cellulose & spray foam insulation; high-performance ventilation. General remodeling., siding
Accepted Payment Methods
- CreditCard
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In addition, +Energy had done work for us previously. That was phase I of an energy efficiency "retrofit" of our dwelling, an inexpensive construction dating to the post WWII years which is pathetically inefficient from an energy perspective. The house sits over a crawl space and phase I involved a significant upgrade to the vapor barrier over the soil "floor" of the space, closed-cell foam insulation of the foundation wall perimeter and installation of air circulation and venting so as to maintain a consistent level of humidity in the space and avoid mold and mildew formation that could produce odors that could affect air quality in the living space. The pricing was very competitive with respect to other estimates and extras were thrown in for the originally-agreed price -- Wow! - we certainly didn't insist on that. This work was done during the summer, but +Energy has been out a couple of times since to verify that the system is working properly, including this last visit to work on the dormer. As a result of this visit, they are helping us trouble-shoot a plumbing problem that is unrelated to the crawl space ventilation problem.
In summary, they are enthusiastic, idealistic (they really believe in "green" and in doing a project right), competent and a pleasure to deal with.
Our existing roof was in terrible condition, so it took a while to remove all the shingles and underlayment. He also had to replace two rotted boards of roof decking. Fortunately, Patrick's best feature is that he is absolutely meticulous, both in his work and his use of top quality materials. He took great care removing the existing roof, then installing the Ice and Water Shield, drip edge, underlay, pipe boots, architectural shingles and the ridge vent. In the end, Patrick worked four consecutive 12-hour days to complete the job, and the final product is spectacular. This is the quality of roof you would expect to find on a brand new, multi-million dollar home.
I'm very satisfied with how this project turned out, and I'm glad we chose Positive Energy Construction. It was definitely the best value for the money.
"The following response is limited to claims we were able to gather complete and accurate information. We are unable to provide a complete response because our request for a 1-day extension to allow for information necessary to provide a complete response was denied. (Member name removed) representation of the events can best be described as incomplete, inaccurate, and inconsistent with our record. Further, our attempts to resolve the issues were thwarted by a hostile environment created by her unproductive actions and misunderstandings. The following is a list of 7 examples of the preceding: 1. She asked for our help because our approach and professionalism was superior to the other contractors whom provided bids. She later refused to accept any of our explanations and decided that our approach was inadequate because a different contractor/inspector had a different opinion. One of those opinions was simply inaccurate and led to the inaccurate claim that we did not install the attic baffles as agreed to in the contract. 2. She was not pleased with our original bid due to the price. Wanting to help her afford the work, we provided a $425 discount in addition to the $175 Angies List member discount. Later, when atypical and unforeseen issues arose we were forced to require a change order. 3. We did forget to notify her of our standard credit card convenience charge likely due to the less than 1% of our clients that use credit cards to pay. We agreed to refund the charge via reduction in the next payment, which was to be made within a few days. 4. Her complaint regarding the non-specific job materials (10 bags of insulation) placed in the provided work area omits that it was raining that day. Further, this practice of having non-job specific materials included in delivery to a specific job lowers the cost of the contract and thus allowing us to lower the price. 5. Her claim that our standard work practices alone resulted in the damage is simple inaccurate and omits the fact that the condition of the damaged areas was in need of repair prior to our work. The contract included attic clean-up (i.e. removing the ineffective and unclean insulation and other debris such as vermin waste), which is not uncommon for us to find and thus recommend so that clients can have a healthier and a better performing house. It is uncommon that the performance of an attic cleanup results in damage. Further, this degree of damage has never occurred. Even more, we had our licensed electrical contractor fix the electrical damage. His assessment of electrical system was that it would require substantial work and thus cost to get it to the standard he practices. Not complete but the last issue we will address is that the broken step is clearly the result of a condition reflective of in need of repair. Finally, if our insurance provider agrees that we are liable, in whole or in part, for the damages, then they will pay for the cost to repair them. 6. Her claim that the insulation level was less than R-49 omits the facts that were aware of the less than R-49 level and have attempted to provide the proper level but have been forbidden from returning and completing the work promptly because our license renewal issue has not been resolved. We expect our license renewal issue to be resolved by the end of the month. 7. Her description of the events that led us to determine that it appeared best to end our relationship and bill her for the work performed (not an additional bill as claimed) omits that she demanded additional conditions not included in the contract and which demonstrated a focus other than completing the work and an inability/unwillingness to make the payments as agreed to in the contract. Further, it omits our continued attempts to complete job without asking for additional payment."
They quickly set up a diagnostic meeting, explained the process and gathered every bit of information needed.
Patrick showed up on time, listened, examined the damage area and took the time to explain all options, costs, and complexities of the project. He answered all of my questions and understood my concerns.
Because we were dealing with unknown factors, he recommended using a camera into the ceiling to assess the damages. I felt more confident taking the repairs in stages rather than bringing down the ceiling as a first recourse.
Once the situation was assessed, we agreed on the best and most efficient way to address the damage. Patrick is very considerate to the homeowner's needs and concerns. He promised to make it as easy on me as possible, a promise he kept in spite of the messy nature of the job.
Patrick was also flexible and understanding when plans changed overnight to add on more repairs or tackle them in a different way. He still showed up on time, even on a snow day, with all the needed material and proceeded to do the repairs as agreed.
Also, we very much appreciated his advice on related issues, such as lighting and plumbing.
Ultimately, Patrick and Paul function very well as a team. We certainly recommend them to any home owner, especially condo ones, when it comes to sealing and insulation issues.
We found Positive Energy Construction on Angie's List in Feb 2013. The excellent reviews and the online deal were attractive. I called the Michaelyan brothers (Patrick and Kevin) to get on the schedule.
On assessment day, Patrick and Kevin showed up right on time and got to work. They also brought an HVAC specialist (Ron Galant) to check out our heat pump. We were involved us in every aspect of the assessment; it was comprehensive and professional. Patrick did a blower door test and used an infrared camera to find energy leaks. He also inspected the attic insulation and ventilation. We learned so much about our home that day -- its strengths, weaknesses and how we could make things better.
In addition to being highly skilled and very professional, Patrick and Kevin are really fun guys. It was a good experience all around.
A few days later, Patrick emailed us a detailed report (including infrared pictures) and an action plan with recommendations. We selected specific items and signed a contract with a statement of work. Patrick gave us a credit for the cost of the assessment. Work commenced about a week after signing the contract.
Here is a list of the projects Patrick performed over the following few weeks. He was juggling several projects at once. But, at the end of each day, he left things in a manner that we could carry on our normal lives.
- Install a ridge vent to improve attic ventilation
- Install high-performance exhaust fans in the bathrooms
- Install Class 1 Cellulose insulation in the attic
- Install Energy-Star rated Ceiling Fans in the upstairs bedrooms to improve air circulation
- Perform Attic Air Sealing
- Perform Rim Joist Air Sealing in the basement
- Perform Window Trim Air Sealing
- Perform Exterior Vent Air Sealing
Patrick was absolutely meticulous. He used top-quality materials and was extremely detailed. He is a true-blue perfectionist. I really appreciated that he cared for our home as if it was his own. His customer service was also excellent. He always had time to happily answer every one of our questions thoroughly. In the end, every single item on the contract was completed to our satisfaction for the agreed-to price. Although Positive Energy is not the cheapest construction company around, you get a lot for your investment and 100% honest and transparent pricing. It's well worth it. These improvements will last for generations and I knew exactly how much each task would cost before signing the contract.
It has been nearly a year since the energy improvements were finished. I'm very happy to report this project has been a resounding success! We are cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter and our energy bills are down. We made a great choice investing in these improvements, and an even better choice selecting Positive Energy Construction.
I highly recommend the Michaelyan brothers and their company, Positive Energy Construction.
I have to emphasize that this was a difficult and unpleasant job. The attic of our house is very low - barely enough height to move around on hands and knees, and ductwork around the perimeter makes getting into the eaves extremely difficult. Cleaning out the old insulation was required because (as we learned only after we moved in) the attic had been occupied in the past (fortunately, not currently) by raccoons, whose mess had to be removed. Bottom line is that Patrick spent the better part of two weeks on his hands, knees, and belly, wearing a respirator, to clean out, seal, and re-insulate this attic. The only access to our attic is through a closet in the master bedroom, so he had to set up equipment every morning, and take it down and clean up every afternoon. I can only conclude that he loves his work, because this was a nasty, dirty job, and he was pleasant, patient, punctual, and professional every day. He did the work for a fair price, never tried to up-sell or add anything unnecessary, and did a first-rate job. Though we have done other work done that also contributes to the reduction, our energy bills this winter have been 25-30% lower than the previous year, even though this winter has been significantly colder. I strongly recommend Positive Energy.
To be honest, I hesitate to give Patrick and Positive Energy straight A's because that would lump them in with other companies rated on Angie's List that also received A's, and I doubt that's a fair comparison. Perhaps a group of distinguished world leaders would convene a panel to consider adding a letter to the alphabet before A, and that would be a proper reflection of the grade that I'd assign to Patrick and Positive Energy.
When we began our search for a contractor, we encountered a number of hurdles: 1) Not receiving a returned call; 2) Refusing a site visit to evaluate the problem; 3) Offering a one-size-fits all proposal. Patrick returned our calls, visited our house and put together a custom proposal that solved our problem and did so in a way that used a process and materials that reflected our personal preferences.
As work began, Patrick and his team encountered issues like blocked up soffits, holes in the sheathing and hard-to-get-to spots. He kept us informed throughout and rolled with every punch. He worked work hard and fast and made meaningful progress every day. Perhaps most remarkably, when Patrick ran into a problem with acquiring the specified insulation from the usual channels, he spent his Saturday driving to New York to get the right materials. That's dedication. And that's just one example.
The result is an incredible looking and feeling space, especially for an "unfinished" attic. Gone are the odors, the dust and the wild fluctuations in temperature and comfort. In their place is a clean attic space, with rigid foam properly installed to encourage ventilation, eco-friendly insulation that delivers the right R value, and an air tight seal that creates an effective radiant barrier for both summer and winter.
Did we spend a not insigifiant sum on an "unfinished" attic? Yes. Was the job done right? Yes. Will it pay for itself with reduced energy bills over time? Yes. Do we wish we had found Positive Energy years ago? Yes. No other contractor -- general, energy, insulation or otherwise -- could have or would have delivered the solution we wanted, needed and got. Patrick and Positive Energy are true gems. How about that 27th letter in the alphabet?
He really seems to know his stuff, wants to do a great job and inform/educate his clients.
Licensing
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