This review is going to sound like I’m related to Michael but I assure everyone I am not. After talking with over a dozen contractors and companies about our kitchen remodel I decided to go with Michael on a gut feeling (having only talked to him for thirty minutes). A little background – I consider myself a decent “family” handyman. I can do a little electrical, a little plumbing, a little trim work, a little flooring, etc. Before talking to Michael I had almost decided to recruit a couple of buddies and tackle the kitchen myself (which would have taken four month or longer). I wasn’t sure my wife would survive “my” turnaround. My secondary concern was finding someone I could trust and someone that would put up with me and my questions/standards. After day one I could tell Michael was the guy we needed and I had made the right decision. Here is a list of things I would like to share about Michael: • He works quickly, but not at the sacrifice of quality. His work speed is shocking. This was a large project: total kitchen demo, wall removal, ceiling work, 700 square feet of flooring, stairs, wood staining, plumbing, bathroom fixtures, insulation, drywall work, etc. He managed to turn it around in a matter of weeks. I would attend an hour long conference call, return to check on him and 500 square feet of flooring would be completed! • He is respectful. I worked from home during this renovation and he was always mindful of that fact (noise, interruptions, etc.). • His work is clean. My entire family are neat freaks. Michael proved to us that he is one too. He put a lot of effort into reducing the daily mess. • He is punctual. Our family rises early and Michael does too. He was pulling up daily before the sun had risen. • He cares about the project and family’s desires. There were a few times we had “oddball” requests, add-ons, or questions. He always provided reasons and explanations for how or why to go one route or another. He even met me at Lowes for product questions/guidance early one weekend morning. More often than not, we agreed with his recommendations. He also cares about more than the “finished” product. What is behind the walls and paint is just as important to him as what we see and touch daily. • He “partners” with the customer. He let me be involved as much or as little as I wanted to on any given day. I did small items in the evenings that my limited skills would allow and we blended seamlessly. We would have short discussions every morning when he would show up and he would tolerate our dog having to say “good morning” by licking his face repeatedly. • He handles the problems directly. We had hiccups with damaged appliances, missing parts, delays, etc. (none of which were Michael’s fault). He took care of these himself – calling the companies and stores and getting resolution. He just “got it done” and let me keep my work schedule. • He cares about the small things/details. Sometimes it is the little things that matter the most. For example – he would often spend time doing things that I considered outside the scope of what we hired him for. He would help level our fridge, install access panels, and small things that the average homeowner might not think about. • Lastly, he has a sense of humor. If you don’t think this is an important requirement for your contractor you could not be more wrong. When you see the same person every day for eight hours a day, you have to get along. He is a great communicator and is always good for a laugh. Kitchen and bath remodels are stressful enough as-is. Having someone that can laugh with you is a huge benefit. As I said, this review will sound like he’s a family member. But the true measure of satisfaction is if you’d hire the same guy again. And as soon as my wife recovers from this renovation, we plan on having him back for additional work! Our dog is going to miss him.