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  • Average homeowner rating star icon4.3
    Average homeowner rating
  • Verified reviews icon12
    Verified excavation services reviews

Find Excavation pros in Middletown

SUNCREST BUILDERS
4.2(
93
)

Serving Middletown, VA and surrounding areas

In business since 2009

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

"We had a hot and cold experience with SunCrest. When John, the owner, came out to give us an estimate of the work, he was on-time and full of ideas for us. This was the third or fourth estimate that we had received for the work.
When we received the quote, he was responsive to our questions and timely. We selected SunCrest based largely on the reviews on Angie's List and the price. John had initially said that the project would be 4 weeks in total. We ran the quote past a family member who are in the business and they felt that pricing was fair but the payment schedule (25% at agreement, 25% at the start, 25% at the inspection and then 25% at completion (which turned out to be after the final state inspection)) was a little aggressive.

Things went downhill quickly:
We were told that the work would start in the middle of January. When we heard nothing from them for several weeks, we were at first concerned. We were told that we would have a walk through prior to starting with his team as a transition from him to his project manager. We had asked for a revised set of drawings that took several weeks to get (one week John had been out of town which is understandable). Finally on a Thursday in early February, John asked us if we'd like to start the next day or the following Monday.

Demolition was quick and the initial framing was done in just a few days. We had asked up front about being cognizant about the water issue and wanted the walls wrapped to prevent any water from seeping back into the drywall and this was something that they had previously not thought of doing. We had to gut the basement previously due to mold and then needed to waterproof the basement prior to rebuilding. There were weeks that went by without any progress made and no communication from SunCrest. We'd check every day to see what was done.

Additionally, we started asking from Day One about amounts of materials needed, dates for ordering etc... We received a call the night before our shower plumbing needed to be installed asking us where it was. We were never notified of what we needed (nor knew what it actually was) so I needed to scramble to order parts and have them overnighted to ensure that they were installed in time. We continued to ask for the necessary materials and amounts and finally about 2 weeks before we needed everything we were given the list. We had to rush to get the necessary materials. They did provide us with contacts at Ferguson's and the Tile Shop which was helpful. I never actually got the answer about how much flooring I needed (thankfully I guessed correctly). I had to call John the evening I went to order the tile about the necessary amounts. They work with the Tile Shop often and should know their ordering schedule but given the delay in when we received the amounts, I needed to place my order in Tyson's and then go down to Springfield to get it since they had a later shipping date. We over ordered based on their recommendations and while we are able to return the tile, I have three half used bags of grout and other things that I will never be able to use.

There was miscommunication between John and his PM about the "included costs" which we ended up having to pay for that was never specified in the contract. John had planned for 6 total lights and his PM looked at the contract and assumed that they were responsible for all lights and allowed us to state where and how many lights we wanted and we ended up with 15 (a costly mistake).

They did work with us when we decided (after learning of the necessary amount of tile needed) to completely tile the wall around our fireplace. The finished product looks great and they were most proud of that wall. However, we had asked several times during the process about the necessary codes for the fireplace. Did we need a hearth? Did we need to ensure that there is proper spacing? etc.. We ended doing the research and AFTER the floor was finished they offered (with about 12 hours notice) to put in a hearth but never actually provided the necessary information. We decided ultimately to pass but we had given them 3 weeks to provide an answer.

SunCrest made assumptions about things and didn't always check those with us. From the start of the project, we asked that a closet that had been two separate spaces remain separate, we ended needing to remind them and continue to hound them until the very end. Additionally, we had asked several times over about putting shelves into one closet to act as a pantry (which had been relayed to John during the initial discussions) and we happened to get a call from the PM who was purchasing supplies for the closet at Home Depot and he had said he was planning to put a bar up in the closet so we needed to stress again that we wanted shelves in there and had planned on that all along.

The crew would arrive at odd times (which again is understandable given that they are working on multiple projects etc..) but often we wouldn't know when and how long they would stay. I had my alarm system go off on a few weekends since I didn't expect them to be there. There was even miscommunication between their various teams. The floor layer would show up after 4 pm and work until 8:30 or 9 at night as they didn't schedule his time correctly.

Towards the end of the project, we ended up having weeklyish calls for a progress report since they were so far behind and so bad with communication.

Given their multiple delays in the project, they were gracious enough to paint the basement at their cost.
Overall, after 13 weeks (I think there were 8 weeks where nothing was actually done), the basement is finished. It took them a little extra time to get to the final punch list items due to a delay with a light that needed to be ordered last minute (and I paid extra to assume speedier delivery since I had thought that they would finish it sooner). Even then, they failed to show up when scheduled.

Overall we are happy with the final product but the effort to get there and needing to stay on top of them for what seemed like everything wasn't worth it in the end.

UPDATE: After the storms that blew through in early June, we had new leaking in our basement through a window.  This wasn't SunCrest's fault but John and his team was quick to come out and remove the damaged dry wall, allow it air out and then reinstall and finish the damaged area. It has been a long saga but I am certainly glad that they are willing to support clients after the fact."
Tile Backsplash
Bathroom Renovation
Custom Hearth
Recommended by82%of homeowners
Avatar for MJ Home Services LLC
MJ Home Services LLC
4.0(
361
)

Serving Middletown, VA and surrounding areas

In business since 2008

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"They did an excellent job! I was worried about mold in the basement and they found some, destroyed it completely then water proofed! I've already told my neighbors about this company and I'd hire them again! The crew was very professional and took time to answer any questions I had."
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+9

Recommended by75%of homeowners
Avatar for Sam & Sons Services LLC
Sam & Sons Services LLC
4.0(
144
)

Serving Middletown, VA and surrounding areas

In business since 2000

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"They responded quickly and fixed the pipe. The work was fine but a little expensive. My only reservation was price, but it has been a while, so I don't feel I can answer other questions about the company with a lot of confidence."
Look for one of our many trucks out and about in your area!
Chandeliers, wall lights, canned lightins, we do it all!
Ceiling fan installation
Tranform yoour Bathroom!
Faucet and shower head repair and installation!

+4

Recommended by78%of homeowners
Avatar for Ace Lawn & Landscaping
Ace Lawn & Landscaping
4.4(
60
)

Serving Middletown, VA and surrounding areas

In business since 2009

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Mr. Wilburn's crew showed up on time Thursday to rake my leaves.  They had to reschedule when the weather turned unfavorable in the middle of their work.  The crew returned Friday as promised to finish the work.  Since I was at the office that, I could not hand them the check in person.  Mr. Wilburn let me mail it.  My contractor was in the house that day take care of a project and commented that the crew did an excellent job.  I inspected the results afterwards and agree.  Mr. Wilburn's company will be back next year to mow my lawn and take care of my other landscaping needs.
"
Recommended by86%of homeowners
Avatar for CLASSIC DRAINAGE INC
CLASSIC DRAINAGE INC
4.1(
28
)

Serving Middletown, VA and surrounding areas

In business since 2005

Emergency services offered

Credit card accepted

"I always had water problems in my yard. There are a very few companies that specialize in drainage work. I had Andrew the owner of Classic Drainage come out. He is very conscientious and very pleasant. He tries to make the most economical choices for you. He is very flexible. I had a lot of problems with my yard. So, I had to keep having them come out and he really did respond. It is not like he does a job and then takes off. He is going to be coming back in the spring. He is not inexpensive in my books. He can afford to be pricey because there are not so many people who do this, but he is a little less expensive than another company. The initial job of attaching the downspouts to the pipes that ran underground and to trench those to the storm drain cost me $2500. So, I thought that it was a little pricey for doing that, but he did a good job. I was trying to get one of the pipes that had to do with the sump pump at the front of the house. However it didn?t work because there was too much water going to another pump and was causing ice in the street. So that?s when we called our plumber back to redirect it to the back of the house to the storm drain. So it ended up costing me more money. It was a very small job when he came out to redirect the sump pump and he charged me $225 for the outside job. He basically had to put a fitting on the pipe to connect it to the pipe on the ground with the downspouts. So $225 is his minimum for a small job and he said it is going to be $2500 for a day?s work. He actually didn?t raise the price when the one day job became a two day job because it rained. He did the job during the winter when it was really dry and it hasn?t been a while. I have to see exactly what happens to my yard once it rains. He is going to come out to do a little more work like getting rid of some bushes and grinding up the stumps for me. He was punctual. He is out on every job. It is a small family business and he has two helpers. He is very professional and tells you exactly what he is going to do. If there are any problems, he is very good about coming back to correct it. So, I think that is very important in that kind of work. I would use his services again."
Recommended by75%of homeowners
Waterproofing INC
4.6(
154
)

Serving Middletown, VA and surrounding areas

In business since 1982

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"The job was finished quickly and the construction debris was cleaned up. The basement was cleaner than when he showed up. The next time we had a major rain I got some water in the basement again. Steve came back as soon as it was convenient for me. No problems since then. His guarantee was real, there was no charge for rhe come-back.
I will be calling to have Steve come back to expand the drainage system when I have other work done that exposes another section of the basement.

"
Recommended by97%of homeowners
Avatar for The Pond Doctor
The Pond Doctor
4.6(
53
)

Serving Middletown, VA and surrounding areas

In business since 2006

Emergency services offered

Credit card accepted

"Everything was done perfectly. Mark responded to my call and quickly got the necessary new pond skimmer. Installation was done very professionally and on a very timely basis. I've been relying on Pond Doctor for several years now and have always had an outstanding experience. I highly recommend them for all pond maintenance needs."
Kids and Ponds
Plants and Ponds
Small Ponds
Fountain Bowls
Basalt Columns

+1

Recommended by93%of homeowners
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Excavating questions, answered by experts

Downspouts should be buried at least 5 to 10 feet away from your foundation. This can vary depending on your local building codes, soil type, and property slope. The main goal is to ensure water is directed away from your foundation.

Your contractor should handle dust control during the project. It's best to speak with your contractor beforehand to check if they plan to cover your furniture, protect your vents, or use fans to redirect dust. Eliminating drywall dust is a particularly large challenge during construction, so always take this into account during your planning phase.

Sewer lines can be buried anywhere from 18 inches to 8 feet deep, with a common average depth between 18 and 30 inches. The exact depth depends on local factors like climate and soil type. In colder regions, pipes must be buried deeper (below the frost line) to prevent freezing, sometimes as deep as 8 feet. The digging depth can also impact the cost of sewer line replacement. To find the specific depth for your property, you can check the building plans for your system, which should be on file with your city or local sanitation department since permits are required for installation.

There are several methods to hollow out a tree stump, and the best one depends on your tools, experience, and priorities. Common methods include using a chisel and hammer, a chainsaw, or burning.

  • Chisel and Hammer: This is often considered the easiest approach for those with limited tools or experience, though it is the most time-consuming.

  • Chainsaw: Using a chainsaw is the fastest method, but it comes with significant safety risks, especially for inexperienced users.

  • Burning: This can be an effective method, but it is not recommended unless you can first drill holes into the stump. Without holes, the stump will be difficult to light and may not burn completely through.

A power drill with at least a ⅜-inch diameter bit can make the job quicker and easier, regardless of the primary method. While you can use a chisel or chainsaw without a drill, it will require more time and effort. Always wear protective goggles and thick gloves, as splinters are an inevitable risk.

To locate an underground downspout, you should start by identifying where the above ground gutter drains. Look for an entry point, such as a pipe or elbow leading into the ground. Follow the surface path for signs like depressions, landscaping disruptions, or wet areas after rain. You can use a metal detector or plumber’s snake to trace the pipe underground. For deeper pipes, a professional locator tool or camera inspection may be necessary. Visual markers or utility maps can also guide the search.

The Middletown, VA homeowners’ guide to excavation services

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