AINSLIE-DAVIS CONSTRUCTION

Overall the work was done within the promised time frame, professionally, and neatly. Much to our satisfaction and within the estimated cost.

We interviewed a number of contractors and eventually selected them on the basis of their strong references and our belief that they “got” the vision that we had for the house. We could not be more satisfied. We have no regrets whatsoever. Neill and Allison make a great team. Allison works like me. She runs the numbers. She provided us biweekly updates on project status, including run rates on expenses, tracking of expenses relative to budget, receipts for all subcontractors and expenses, change orders, etc. The cost estimate that they provided was extremely detailed, and, ultimately, extremely accurate. We built the house on a time and materials basis, largely because many aspects of the design were not sufficiently detailed to allow a fixed price quote when we started. This made me nervous, but I rapidly developed a trust that they would treat us fairly, in large part because of the great documentation that Allison provided. Allison also did a great job of seeking bargains for us, and suggesting less costly options for our hare-brained design and décor ideas. Ultimately, the final cost was 99.8% of the cost estimate, and virtually all variation came from change orders that we initiated, with some driving the price higher, and some lower. Neill oversaw the day to day construction and managing of subcontractors. He was there to constantly reassure us that, yes, in fact, it would finish on time. And we did finish just a few weeks after the targeted completion date. I am confident that we would have been early, had it not been with delays with one window supplier that delivered our windows about four months late. Even with that, Neill did a great job of reworking the schedule to change the order work was done, so that we lost minimal time. But perhaps more importantly, Neill was the visionary. Neill teamed up very effectively with our architect to work out the final details on how things would go together. My wife and I grew to trust Neill’s design sensibilities, and by the end of the project, we just knew that he would make it “right”. When decisions were to be made, my wife’s standard reply became, “let’s see what Neill thinks”. I am confident Neill could have been an architect or an interior designer, had he chosen not to be a builder. I could not be happier with our experience, or with the house that they built for us.

HE DIDN'T RETURN PHONE CALLS, AND WHEN HE FINALLY DID COME OUT HE DIDN'T REALLY EVEN LOOK AT MY LIST OF TASKS. HE WAS UNRESPONSIVE, HIS CELL PHONE WAS RINGING THE WHOLE TIME HE WAS HERE, AND I DIDN'T FEEL CONFIDENT THAT HE COULD DO THE JOB. HE DID NOT FOLLOW UP BY PROVIDING AN ESTIMATE OR BY SHOWING EXAMPLES OF HIS WORK. HE KIND OF HAD THE ATTITUDE THAT HE WAS DOING ME A FAVOR EVEN COMING TO SPEAK WITH ME.