Dollman Construction, Inc

Beware of Dollman construction, also doing business as Essential Improvements in the Roanoke, Virginia area and beyond is a company to avoid. They employed somewhat dirty practices in my opinion and while it may not be the fault of Dollman himself, the guy I was dealing with was Tracy White, design consultant. Ironically, he's no longer with the company. If my situation had contributed to that, Dollman made the right choice in getting rid of him. While I have copious notes as to what happened here, for the sake of the review, and my fingertips, I'll do my best to keep this brief. I was looking to get a workout building built (16x20), concrete flooring, walls, lights, etc. Tracy guesstimated they could do it for within 65k while several of the others I had gotten quotes from were north of 80k. His confidence gave me confidence and that was my biggest mistake. He wrote up a very quick design contract/commitment where I had to provide a 5k deposit and if they came in above 65k, I'd get my money back if I didn't want to proceed. I signed it, this was my second mistake. The agreement I signed didn't have enough parameters written in, just that they had to deliver a workout room / building conceptual design for a project within a 65k budget. A couple of months went by and I had met with Tracy White and Jimmy Dollman once to go over the initial design, after my signoff the quote would be provided. Jimmy was unaware that we had this agreement and the budget was 65k and it was never brought up in our face to face meeting. We just discussed the design, changes I would want and some recommendations he had for me. Price was never brought up but the quote would be coming. Some weeks later Tracy asked if he could stop by with the quote and I of course was fine with it. He came over empty handed, I invited him in and he told me it was going to be 92k. I asked him why, he said that it would have been 65k base cost with no profits if they were to do it for themselves. The 92k was because of the distance between them and myself. I told him it was odd because he had confidence they could do it for 65k. He nodded and then said that he didn't want to tell me over the phone, text or email and he felt I deserved a face-to-face meeting. I reminded him of the agreement, he said he had it but took a picture anyway and said he'd talk to Jimmy about returning my 5k. Within that same week Tracy reached out and told me that he spoke to Jimmy and was told that they can do the project within 65k but obviously some things would change. I told him not to bother and just refund my 5k. He responded with things along the lines of "you can't expect us to work for you for months for free" and "the 92k was because of all the things I wanted". That's simply not true. This left me feeling gutted because at this point I didn't want to use them anymore and what would this design look like? No walls, lights, ceiling or roof? I had some options, but I wasn't going to chase it too hard, however the route I decided to take was to email Jimmy Dollman directly, take accountability for the mistakes I feel I made, mention that I felt Tracy didn't communicate openly or honestly with me, him and/or his team. There was some lapse in communication beyond me and my control. I proposed that he refund $2500 to me because I didn't want anything for free, however I still wanted the agreement to be upheld with honesty and integrity. Dollman never replied to my email but in a separate email communication with Tracy asking where this magical 65k quote and design was, he told me that he spoke to Jimmy and understood I wanted $2500 and then to terminate our relationship. I told him I still wanted that if they were agreeable. He said they were and I'd get the check within 2 weeks After 2 weeks I didn't get the check, I called Dollman, I spoke to someone else there, gave her the background and forwarded the emails. It was at that point I was told that Tracy was no longer with the company. That's a small victory. I had to followup again after Labor day weekend 2024 and they finally sent out the check, it's deposited in my account and while I'm not happy, I'm content. Beware of these dirty practices and keep your head on a swivel. Go with a company that doesn't require a design agreement. Get a detailed quote without that and go from there.

The crew that was onsite during the renovation was great as well. They always kept the site clean and was respectful when asked questions about the process. They were also very knowledgeable about construction and codes to make the house very sound. The house is around eighty years old and with the work they have done I can see it being around another eighty or more. The office staff was always willing to help with any questions or concerns we had and would promptly respond if they could not answer right then. Working with Dollman Construction was one of the best choices we made. People do not even recognize the house now that it is complete they did such a great job.

We have used Dollman twice to finish basements. They do very high quality work at a reasonable price. Always professional and show up early or on time and meet their deadlines.

The company owner came to our home and we spent a lot of time showing him the kitchen and discussing the work that we wished to have done. He made notes, took with him the specifications for our new hood, and he said that he would get back to us with a written proposal. That was the last we saw or heard from him. At the very least, he could have contacted us to say that he was too busy or that the job was too much for him. Instead, he failed completely to follow up with us.

Still in the completion stage.

If you want high quality work with an attention to detail delivered in a courteous, professional manner, Dollman Construction is for you! I contacted 4 contractors about this project. Only Dollman and one other company even bothered to call me back. I just can't say enough wonderful things about this company. We heard so many nightmares about our friends experiences with remodeling projects, we were nervous about this project. Dollman made our experience pleasurable. On time and on budjet! Our kitchen is AMAZING!!!!! Don't mess with any other company. Do yourself a favor and hire Dollman Construction for your project as well. Thanks to everyone at Dollman!!! We actually miss seeing you guys!

My wife and I contacted Dollman Construction in early October with a challenging request.  Basically, we needed to double the living space in our newly purchased home and to do it by the middle of December in time for her to move the contents of our home in Northern VA here and be settled in by the holidays.  A lot to ask we knew, and after meeting with several other contractors in the area that were not willing to attempt to bring us in within the time frame we laid out, we were very pleased not only with Dollman’s “can do” attitude, but also with their professionalism and honesty with respect to the project.  We wanted to finish our entire basement, including adding a full bathroom, great room, abundant storage space and an office/bedroom combination.  From the onset, we were pleased with the approach.  First we met with Jimmy Dollman the owner, and with his senior team to discuss every aspect of the job, there were several on-site meetings that included all of the sub-contractors that were going to be involved and then before we proceeded with anything, we were provided with detailed architectural drawings that covered every aspect of the job form the framing, plumbing and electrical to all of the side notes, the little things we wanted done that made this job unique.  Throughout the project, we met regularly with the project manager assigned to our job, discussed any issues as they would arise, continued to get estimates on the timeline for completion and we were always in the loop, never blind-sided by anything.   In addition, every contractor who worked on-site was respectful, treated our property with respect and were very clean, in fact the job site was left clean at the end of each day.  All in all, we could not be more pleased with the job Dollman did for us, the quality of the work is excellent, the job was completed on time as promised and there were no unresolved issues or surprises at all.  If you want your remodel done right – I would personally recommend Jimmy Dollman and his team of professionals, regardless of how small or large the job, your job is treated with the same attention to detail and the same priority.

This was my second project completed by Dollman Construction, Jimmy Dollman met with me personally and understood exactly what I envisioned. Anyone who worked on the project was neat, courteous and punctual, and did an excellent job. The project turned out beautiful.

Roof is leaking ! I contacted DOLLMAN about our roof leaking 5/23/16 . The roof was still under warranty. He kept putting me off for so long to fix it that it got so bad I had to call another contractor for repairs. The new contractor took pictures and told me our roof was nailed wrong . Also our vents was not sealed right. I cannot get the pictures on here. I feel that Dollman took advantage of us because my husband is a disabled Veteran and could not get on the roof to look at it. I have made several calls and sent e mails to Dollman and he will not respond any more ! We thought we had a good new roof put on. We had to pay for the roof ourself because we had just got new homeowners insurance and was afraid they would cancel our insurance if we turned anything in so soon.

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My new construction defines quality. The appraiser stated that he had not seem this level of quality during his entire career which spans 25 years! Not only is the construction top-notch, but the design service is equally amazing. Jimmy is a true artist. I'm the pickiest person ever -- if you can please me, you've really done something! I could not be happier!

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We contacted Dollman in spring of last year. From the very start, we knew this was the company for us. Jimmy Dollman met with us several times during the design process. We didn't have a good idea of what we could do with the house but Mr. Dollman provided us with several optional designs and was always available to answer our questions. We finally settled on a design that would meet our needs and budget and we found the itemized options to be a very nice part of the design because we were able to choose the things that we found the most important to our family. The construction went very well. We were updated frequently and Dollman sent us photos of the house along the way. Even our bank's inspection person told us that our project went seamlessly. We are very happy with our home and we would definitely recommend the Dollman guys and gals.

They responded to my inquiry on the repairs very quickly and Mr. Dollman came out to give me a "ballpark" estimate.  For the water heater replacement, another contractor that I had gone to only had the solution of cutting into the wall on the outside of the room, replacing water heater, and then fixing the drywall hole that was made to get the water heater replaced.  Mr. Dollman took several measurements, and then suggested moving the door to the room slightly and installing a wider door.  After I heard that there was an alternative to just "fixing" the issue for a one time replacement, I was sold.  He went through all of the issues that I had with me, and told me what he was planning to do to resolve them.  After the inital inspection, he quickly provided me with the design plans that he had drawn up to resolve the issue for the room holding the water heater, showing the new layout of that room.  They also contained a description of the work to be performed for all of the repairs, and the cost of all.  Once I accepted the proposal, they were out to complete the work very quickly.  They were probably the best company that I have come accross for cleaning up, at every step of the repair process.  When I had some things that I wanted "tweaked", they responded promptly.  I am very pleased with the results of all of the repairs, and I am planning to use them for another home project that I will be completing.  All in all, I would highly recommend them!

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This was our third job with Dollman Construction. They did a full kitchen renovation for us last year.
Our two new bathrooms are big steps up in both form and function. Jimmy Dollman worked with and improved on our design ideas and saw a great solution to make our master bath requirements work. By pushing back a knee wall and expanding a dormer by less than 30 sq feet, our new master bath feels twice as big. The addition of a transom window (with a mountain view) gives the room an open, warmer feel. Our house is 90 years old and in a historic district, so we were worried about getting approval for the part of the work that altered the exterior of our home. However, the job was approved without a hitch - Dollman understood the process, the requirements and was thorough.
As in the past, both Dollman employees and subcontractors were professional and we were comfortable with everyone who came in and out of our home. The Dollman employees who did the demolitions and the exterior construction were especially hard working and conscientious. The project manager, Bradley, was good with creatively handling the kinds of challenges you run into with older homes. He also found and corrected a pre-existing issues with a drain vent that could easily have gone unnoticed and uncorrected. 
I assigned a "B" on punctuality because "B+" is not available. There was more down time during the first half of the job than we expected, partly, I'm sure, because managing subcontractors is often like herding cats. But to be fair, if we weren't living in the house during the work, we probably wouldn't have noticed, and it's not likely that any other general contractor in the area could have done better.
We're not planning any more renovations any time soon; twice in two years takes some recovery time! But we'd certainly use Dollman Construction again.

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The experience of working with Dollman Construction was unexpectedly pleasant. From the first time meeting Jimmy Dollman, I was impressed by his professionalism, willingness to listen to ideas, and offer his expertise and insight. I also appreciated his patience as we worked through my goals and budget in relationship to what could be done, which meant that we went through several sets of drawings and numerous meetings and phone calls.
The Dollman crew that did the actual demolition and construction were also professional, on-time, polite, highly skilled, and hard-working. The detail in the carpentry work was exceptional. The trim in the remodeled addition matches the woodwork in the original part of the house (1920s) beautifully. They also salvaged and reused some stained glass cabinet doors in the kitchen. Overall, they seemed to take pride in work well-done as well as wanting to help keep the character of the house. 
Equally importantly, at the end of the day, the worksite was always cleaned up. If on a rare occasion something was missed in the clean-up,  as soon as it was pointed out it was remedied with apologies and never an excuse. As we worked through finishing detail, they also were willing to promptly take care of anything that emerged. 
Dollman Construction did a great job.

If you are looking for a contractor to remodel existing construction or  build new, look no further.  Jimmy Dollman and his team are outstanding.  The work they did for us was beyond what we had expected . . . AND they did all of this work to property in Boones Mill, Virginia, while we were living in Iowa.
I do feel confident in judging good work from bad because  In previous years, we had remodeling done to our home in Santa Ynez, California.  I would never rehire this company to do so much as build me a dog house.
We had a new $1.2 million dollar house built in Iowa when we moved there from California.  The house was lovely, but it leaked . . . in the two story entry, the living room window, the two-story wall of windows in the family room, in the woodworking shop, in the artist studio and artist supply room, in the wine cellar, in the furnace room, in a bedroom closet . . . .  We took nine years trying to get the company who built the house get the repairs right.  Also, most of the doors in the house no longer shut or latch, the deck fell-apart within two years of construction, and problems with earth sinking away.  A year and a half  ago we gave up on the original contractor and hired a company highly recommended by Angies List.  No more leaks or other problems.  All has been repaired.
So when I tell you that Jimmy Dollman's construction people are the best, I do have experience behind me.
Though we were hundreds of miles away from the construction Jimmy was doing, constant communication, calls and emails, from Jimmy kept us current with the building so we could make decisions.  Jimmy was also able to suggest some extra ideas and find ways of including them at a cost savings to us.  The plans he prepared for the two projects were excellent, while accommodating our special needs.
The day we arrived to use the bedroom constructed by Dollman, there was a worker there with the towel bars and handicap bars so I could decide just where I wanted them and all were quickly installed per my request.  Jimmy knew we would be arriving to spend Christmas with my daughter and her family, so he pushed hard to get the bedroom/study and bathroom ready for our arrival!!
The job was done to perfection . . . AND besides "taking orders" from me (because I paid for the construction), he had to work within  my daughter and son-in-law's wishes (because the house and land belong to them).
We are anxious to get our house in Iowa sold because we are looking forward to working with Jimmy Dollman Construction when we have a new home built for us on a lot we have purchased in Boones Mill, Virginia.
Jimmy is very easy to work with and, without arguement, is willing to take on challenges and find ways to satisfy.  He is a very positive person and with that attitude into the difficult projects, he enjoys finding ways to accomplish the wishes of his clients.  He is right on the spot with all of the "governent", covenant, and legal necessities.
Right now, Jimmy is keeping tabs on our progress  toward moving and building in Boones Mill.  He wants to be prepared when our Iowa home finally sells and we make the move to Virginia.
If you are able to get Dollman Construction to accept you construction request, I know you will be very pleased with your project because Jimmy will make sure it is RIGHT!!!

It was done very professionally. Always kept us informed. Foreman was very attentive to details. Also assisted us when furnace failed, by helping getting it back online. Job site was kept neat and clean. No surprises in the costs. Quality workmanship.

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The building permit was secured and the job started promptly on the date agreed to. The removal of the old deck was  accomplished with haste and the job site was cleaned in prep for the new deck. All materials arrived promptly and the work commenced. The two gentlemen working on my deck were courteous and pleasant to  deal with. The total time of the job stretched to 12 days, but I now have a beautiful deck that you could drive a truck on and not get shake number one. All my criteria for the design were met and I am very pleased with the finished product. The job site was kept clean and picked up thru the whole operation and was left in better condition upon the job completion that when they arrived.These folks take pride in there work ,and it is justifiable. I plan on using Dollman Construction again in the near future.