Always Building Custom

prompt, courteous and friendly.

Months ago, Steve installed new doors throughout my home. I purchased the high quality doors new from a local supplier. I've had great luck with such composite doors in the past two homes I built and expected similar performance on these. However, Wisconsin's humid summer has done its best to thwart my plans. While the composite door structure has proven stable in my past experience, four of the doors appeared to have swollen slightly and/or bowed. The geometric change in the doors was ever-so-slight ... almost invisible unless one looked really carefully. Nevertheless, the doors 'caught' on their surrounding jambs, making closure and/or opening difficult to impossible.

I called Steve, to see if he'd be willing to take a look at my door situation in the next few weeks. To my surprise, he agreed to come out the next day. When he did, Steve expertly re-fit / re-aligned the doors. He patiently showed me what was causing the problem. As before, his communication was efficient and effective. It was clear to me that this was design problem and in no way reflected on his previous workmanship. If anything, it reflected favorably on his workmanship that the other 13 doors he installed continued to work as flawlessly as they do.

As before, there was minimal disruption (since I work from home) when Steve did his work and he cleaned up thoroughly afterwards.

The biggest surprise? No charge! Steve performed this work at his own expense, even though the cause of the problem was clearly the product I'd purchased for him to work with. Would I recommend ABC / Steve Uselmann for future work? How could I not? In any significant home renovation / repair, there will likely be emergent challenges that nobody could foresee. As much as we, homeowners, would like the tradespeople we hire to bear full responsibility, we also don't want them to price their jobs to reflect those contingencies. Hence, hiring an honest, seasoned contractor like Steve, who possesses great communication skills goes a LONG way to making such jobs more palatable.

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This is what was sent to the BBB on 8/3/15: "By providing the new wall prep answers in writing with corresponding receipts would have put my mind at ease. Now the grout cracks, pin holes, shrinking of unsanded grout around edges for the size of the tiles and joints it should not be happening so soon after completion - literally within 8 weeks.   Nor should I have heard 2 pops under my cabinet.  He put in writing to me ?this would not happen because he has been doing this for 30 years?.  Steve has a disconnect with his responsibility as a service provider - looking nice with the exception of the door (the day of his final payment) versus quality of work. 

What is happening to the grout is evidence of little knowledge of what type of grout should have been used with the size of the joints and tiles.   Now it is the end product from services performed and he takes no responsibility for the work he did that should have lasted for a very long time with maintenance.  Steve is not customer service focused, nor is he a professional and because of the complaint he lies which I expected nothing less.  Of course I would be contacting him AFTER I paid him with all the problems I am experiencing and experienced.  How does he not see that?  I have made my last changes because of what I learned BBB - see below.  

Steve Uselmann blatantly lied in his response to my request and complaint and I responded to those lies because the work has to be corrected.   I was in bed most days due to my health.  The back door was left open and he came and went most days without a word.  If I bothered him all day as he said, the wrong tile would not have gone on the walls.  All products / fixtures available from suppliers were mistakes he made.  Steve did not show the vendors the emails for pickup as directed.  Steve requested I do not ship the fixtures to my home. He specifically requested to pick the fixtures up himself.  I received the store emails with pickup instructions, forwarded to him and he picked them up.  He picked up the wrong items, or no items at all.  I did not bother him until the grout issue.  But none of that matters.  What matters is the quality of work.  He does not stand behind his work nor as I just discovered, there isn?t a warranty clause in his bid/contract ? which I thought I read, but it was not there.  Make sure it is because the Better Business Bureau requires it.  He falsely advertises his work is guaranteed in organizations such as Angie?s List, Thumbtack but it was not in his contract.  Don't listen to the references - if not family members, they are friends.  I went to him first with my request for information/receipts on how the alcove where the tub / shower was waterproofed per ANSI Standards thinking this would not have been an issue.  I am pointing this out because I naturally went to him first.  The tile experts told me it was necessary to prove the new walls were waterproofed correctly.  

His reference (the doctor) sent me a childish and unprofessional email after my request.  Steve is nice when he wants a job and by his own admission he can do anything (example:  use epoxy grout and epoxy mortar, paint, floors, build houses, extras, etc.). Even though the epoxy grout was discussed at great length before I contracted with him (all in 12/2014 with email confirmation), I found out later he never used it and he said it was not necessary because he has been doing this for 30 years.  The tile he put up was wrong, but it looked beautiful and unexpected.  I found out after I paid him he did not use correct grout for the size of the tiles (13"x13") and the size of the grout joints.  He also said sealing grout is not necessary.  He specifically said to me tile on the floor should go from tub to wall even under the cabinet (although not in the contract) he also emailed me stating he will tile anywhere I want tile to go (again emails 12/2014).  Steve made an issue of this before I contracted with him.  He bought tile that was discontinued (he did not tell me) I had to do the research.  So I have to say I don't know if he finished tiling under the cabinet because when he said he did he did not show me - the cabinet went over wet grout.  He said the doors were a favor to me (I sent him 3 emails before work began stating the updated contract was when he change it to add the doors) he said no the doors should be changed.  

As you can see by what I typed thus far he says a lot, talks fast, but he doesn't do what he says.  He implies he does extras and talks so much about those little things that you think you are getting deal.  He can do drywall from scratch in his sleep.  That seems to be an art form for him.  But he does not pay attention to detail.  Thumbtack says he does all, but he doesn't!  Steve seems to complain and blame others as he is working.  I thought it was because he had multiple jobs as this also was put in email as a concern at which time he blamed the vendors.  Steve said I was the first person to be so concerned about mortar and grout. The experts said I should be concerned more about new the wall then the thinset mortar and the grout he used. I had water problems for 3 years from that bathroom.   He does not listen and it is everyone else's fault...vendors, current customers he is providing quotes for, even me for picking floor tiles for wall, etc.  In his response to my complaint he blamed me for other challenges of which I had no control over.  I have 2 new doors - one is warped and the detail of hiding the nail holes over the molding/casing - he doesn't do.  Because he did not provide me with the documentation and corresponding receipts, the problems with his lack of knowledge of tiling larger tiles, grouting and his method of communication (verbally, contract, and followup emails I do not trust him.  It is always someone else!  The fixtures I purchased, the cabinetry, the mirror, even the handles for the cabinet, etc.  ? all look beautiful. The tiles, wrong grout, then the doors, tile popping under the cabinet ? all have problems.  

If you choose to contract with Always Building Custom Homes, LLC make sure everything is documented in the contract that was discussed and his contract specifically states there is a warranty no matter how small the project is.  

Again, he can be very nice, he'll say he does extras.  Make sure he did the original job correctly before listening to him about any extras he says he is doing and make sure everything discussed is in the contract and all changes are used via change order.   The materials I picked out were beautiful.  Initially I believed I hired someone who knew and took my water concerns very seriously, and of course what his references told me about his work, specifically his friend the doctor.  I also know it is part trust and I had to believe he did the job correctly.  Too many small challenges, then the wrong tile going on the wall, then epoxy ....too many issues he did not take responsibility for.   I paid him too much for what ultimately happened.

  

Steve was wonderful to work with!  He was extremely knowledgable and helpful throughout the whole process.  We literally did a whole house renovation in three weeks and we could not have done it without Steve's help and guidance. Steve was able to assist me in ordering custom cabinets,  He helped to defer the cost of the cabinets by helping me order just what I needed.  Because his skill set is so high, he was able to do the work of 3 contractors - Rough carpentry, drywall, painter, saving me time and money.  Steve was very professional, always on time and very friendly.  We would not hesitate to use him in the future and HIGHLY recommend him to all of our friends.

Due to schedule conflicts, it was challenging to connect initially. However, once Steve Uselmann agreed to do the work ... look out: couldn't stop him :-)

He delivered high quality craftsmanship, came when he said he would, cleaned up reasonably, performed numerous miscellaneous services above & beyond the call of duty (at no additional charge), offered constructive & cost-effective suggestions when unexpected challenges emerged, caught a significant material error (from the materials supplier) BEFORE it turned into an expensive fix, and priced fairly when work scope increased rather than gouging.

If Angie's List offered A+, Steve would get one.

At first meeting we were presented with a list of things that he would not do. It soon became clear that he did do these sort of things (bathroom work) but would not do them with this deal. Okay - we were not happy but wanted to make the best of it so we went to plan B. We had a small are in the basement that needed lie. We could have done it but we needed to use the credit we purchased so we handed the job to him. He took a couple of hours to lay 35 tile. We grouted the tile and finished the job. Later we needed the floor in the front room replaced. We picked up the new flooring and then ripped op the old floor and then left the room with an underlay and pad in place ready for the new floor. While the floor was being installed he informed us that he would soon get us a written tally of the hours of the credit that we had used and how many remained. This never occurred. I attempted to reach him directly and via Angie's list but there has been no reply. So $1500 got me about 5 hours of work. Obviously, we are not pleased.

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Room built is 13 feet by 12 feet. This is one of the most beautiful jobs I have ever seen builders do. So professional. This company went above and beyond to bring my room to completion exactly like I wanted it. I highly recommend this provider and will be raving about them to my friends and neighbors!

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It was worth the $75.  It was an Angie's List deal

Things overall went well. Did excellent tile work. Interior paint was good. Exterior paint looked good, but now that spring is here, I can see multiple areas where bubbles have formed or peeling because paint was laid atop unscrapped areas. Roof and gutters are excellent.

There was a dispute regarding changes and cost; however, it was resolved.

Excellent service! Steve's work is professional grade. He did a great job fabricating and installing custom French doors for a basement bedroom. While he was at the house he fixed little odds and ends that he happened to notice. He did this free of charge. He finished the project in the time frame we had initially discussed. He is a great guy to work with. I highly recommend him.

We couldn't have been happier with the results! In both places, after we painted over the patches, I'd dare you to find where the repairs were done! We'd definitely consider this company in the future since their work was excellent and they were very professional in carrying it out!

I had a bad situation this summer after I bought my home. A structural beam was rotten and it needed to be replaced before winter. It was a tough tricky job, and Steve from Always Building Custom got the job done for me. He gave me a very competitive estimate, put my mind at ease, and got the job done on time and on budget. I recently had a situation where an electrician drilled through a floor joist and it looked like it might be cracking. I was concerned after the last structural issue, so I called Steve. He was at my home the next day and looked over the situation. He told me that the beam was fine and that I didn't need to worry. He didn't even charge me for the service call. If you have an issue with your home do not hesitate to call Always Building Custom. They will get the job done right and the first time. Not only are they great at doing the work, but they are also a tremendous resource for information on the best way to handle a project.

It wasn’t as beneficial as we thought. He came to our home and measured the basement. He later emailed us a basic drawing of the basement remodel. We were hoping for more creativity and didn’t find the experience useful.

Repairs did not blend in with the wall.  Contractor used the deal as a way to find potential customers for large remodeling projects,
which is a good idea, but he discerned I was not a potential client for a remodel.  Perhaps that is why the job was not great.  At any rate I would never consider him in the future. ABC owner seemed nice and at least the holes are gone, but I did not think that his work was worth the cost to me.              

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I called Steve when my dishwasher hose came off and flooded my kitchen and basement. The flooring and bottom cabinets were ruined and I needed someone as soon as possible. Steve returned my calls, quickly provided a contract and was available to start the work. While the kitchen work was stopped because of waiting on the cabinets, I asked Steve if he could go ahead with the living room and hall painting and removing the back entryway wall. He had all that done by the time the cabinets arrived.
Steve was prompt, came when he said he would, returned calls, worked cooperatively with the Home Depot kitchen designer and was flexible about working in other areas of my house while waiting on the cabinets and countertops. I had to go out of town a couple of times during the project and had no concerns about Steve and Tyler being there while I was gone. He was also careful about not letting my cats run outside. Steve also made sure my kitchen was as useable as possible during construction, temporarily hooking up the sink and moving the stove and refrigerator back into place before leaving for the day. He also was good about keeping things cleaned up as much as possible.

Did work promptly and kept space clean.

I purchased an Angie's List Big Deal for this service. They did a design and gave me an estimate, but it was way too high so I ended up not going with them. The design part of their service was fine and I don't remember any interaction issues.

Drywall repair. Great job!

What more can you say other than Steve can do it all.  Kitchen was taken down to the studs and rebuilt with Steve replacing the drywall, installing the new cabinets and range hood.  Family room had cabinets And beams removed with a new mantel installed (custom built by Steve).  Two walls were removed to develop the open concept.  Subcontractors (plumbing and electrical) he hired were just as professional as he demonstrated.  He was always willing to listen and then suggest ways to accomplish changes.  I have found the contractor for all of my construction needs.  Roger

I had a huge problem with a home I just purchased. The attic was poorly insulated, so heat from the house would melt the snow on the roof and cause ice dams, which would damage the roof and cause water leaks, which ended up rotting a support beam supported the roof.
Steve from Always Building Custom took care of the structural work, and gave me some beautiful new aluminum soffits and facia. But I wanted to keep it all looking beautiful, so I needed more insulation.
Before I knew the extent of the issues with the roof structure I had another company bring the R value of my attic from 8 to 30. Well, got very spotty work. Some areas were R25, some areas were R0. Not good. I asked Steve if he could even it out. 
Even it out he did! He built a little wall around the entrance to the attic so the insulation would be right up to the edge. I took a look up there and the blown in was at a constant R44 throughout the entire attic. 
What this means is that in the summer my Air Conditioning will stay in the living areas of the house, and in the winter my heat will keep me nice and warm, not the snow on the roof causing ice dams. 
Once again Steve and Always Building Custom have improved my home. Do not hesitate to call them for any issue, large or small. I have every confidence they can solve any home related issue.