Reviews
Clients Share Their Experiences With @designREMODEL...
"End results were well beyond what I could have hoped for"
After 17 years of living with two white on white on white bathrooms, I decided to redo both at the same time. I found @designREMODEL on-line and after my first meeting with John, I knew his firm was the right one for the job. Even in the first meeting I could tell he was very attentive to the details and would make the experience go as smoothly as possible. I had an idea of what I wanted, but John was great at bringing ideas to the table and his entire team of craftsman were always open to changes and new ideas. And there were quite a few changes. The project expanded to include not just 2 full bathrooms, one of which had to remain somewhat functional as I was living in the house throughout the project, but a laundry area, wood floors in a master bedroom and the replacement of all interior doors.
Mike, Adam, Al, Rick and Kemp all did an incredible job throughout all aspects of the job. Everyone John brought in had a similar attention to detail and was always open and accommodating to my last minute changes. They always took care to make sure the house was as put together and clean as possible during the 3 month project. As with any renovation there were issues along the way, but they were always handled professionally and solved as quickly as possible.
The project is complete and in addition to unbelievable bathrooms, I feel like I have a brand new house. I was so pleased with the overall renovation that I have already secured John and his team for another project. It is never easy to live through a renovation, but the process and end result were well beyond what I could have hoped for.
Rhonda Snow, Sandwich, MA
"Beyond Thrilled With The Work!"
We recently purchased a condo in New Seabury that hadn’t been updated much since it was built in 1986. We were looking to renovate two bathrooms, update the kitchen with new countertops, a backsplash and all new appliances, paint every room/ceiling, as well as a handful of other projects around the house (e.g. install overhead lighting, upgrade electrical outlets, add French doors, replace screens in all the sliders, etc.). Living 90 minutes away, we knew it would be difficult to oversee each project without hiring a general contractor. From the minute we met with John Clark, we knew he was the right person to manage the project – and he exceeded our expectations.
John gave us great advice on each element of our project, and picked out fixtures and details that were in-line with our style. He was patient in quoting us for different “scenarios” so we could determine what projects could be completed within our budget. He quoted us an estimated six week turnaround time for the project and his team worked around the clock – including nights and weekends – to ensure the project was completed within the promised timeframe. John proactively gave us updates each week so we knew where each element of the project stood. The only glitch we ran into was an issue with our plumbing in one of the bathrooms – something that we could not have anticipated from the outset. The only impact it had on us was setting the project back a week due to the plumber’s schedule. Otherwise, the project was completed as promised.
John is a true professional and it’s worth noting that our neighbors told us how impressed they were with his cleanup each evening – once John and his team left for the day, there was no evidence of work being done to the house from the outside; no eyesores for the neighbors. We are beyond thrilled with the work John did for us. Everything came out beautifully. We had a couple of minor fixes that we asked to be made and John handled those quickly. I would without a doubt recommend John to anyone in the greater Mashpee area looking for a reliable contractor. John is a true perfectionist and paid very close attention to detail throughout the project. We couldn’t be happier with our choice and our new home!
Keith Watson & Keri Bertolino, Mashpee, MA
"Quite simply it is exactly what I had wanted."
John is professional and charming, it was a pleasure to work with him. John makes you feel as if you were his only client, he is thoughtful, generous with his time, and respects the schedule you and he set up. He handles every aspect of the project so well. Whether it is meeting to discuss the project and his design plans, or whether he is in there working, or whether he is introducing you to any of his top notch sub-contractors, John is consistently upbeat, professional and always moving forward.
My goal was to have a high function, simple looking bathroom. John planned in the high function elements thus: a great deal of storage space, heated porcelain tile floor, heated towel rack, top quality, solid plumbing fixtures and bidet style seat for commode. He planned in serene design elements with muted colors, recessed lighting, clean, uncomplicated lines and rich porcelain and stone materials with quiet textures. Quite simply it is exactly what I had wanted.
This project, as with any I suppose, threw us some curve balls and John had to take my house for remedial lessons in how to have straight walls, running water, insulated bathroom walls, and more. But he managed the crazy obstacles with aplomb. He came up with great solutions. I would say that he quite likes the chance to solve a problem here and there. He is efficient and very fair minded.
Working with John on this project turned out so well that I am already discussing another project with him; I have an idea that I will be back on here posting another positive review afterwards.
Jayne Irvine, Falmouth MA
"Has Redefined Our Entire House..."
Given that we live in Manhattan, we knew that our Cape house remodel was going to be challenging. However, after exchanging at least a dozen emails with John Clark, prior to even meeting him, we felt comfortable with the relationship that was developing. John’s attention to detail, exhibited by the questions he asked and the ideas he proposed, gave us the confidence that he was as particular about the aesthetics of the project as we were. Over the last year we have remodeled every surface of our house, as well as undertaking a complete “gut” remodel of our kitchen this past fall.
This approach of John’s continued throughout the execution of both phases of our remodel. The work was done according to the plan, according to the schedule and within the budget. The work was thorough and meticulous with the details, and the rest of the house was treated with care. We were consulted about various additional things at the house that were identified as needing attention, though a few things were simply taken care of at no extra charge.
The team that John assembles to carry out the work (carpentry, electrical, plumbing, etc.) is superb. These individuals share his approach. John always gives the team full credit for the results, but takes full responsibility for any bumps along the way.
At our most recent meeting, following completion of the second phase of our remodel, John asked if we were pleased with our kitchen? In retrospect, we believe that question surfaced due to our apparent lack of enthusiasm over the completion of the kitchen. We were guessing that what John did not realize was exactly how high our expectations were regarding the kitchen remodel, and that we fully expected it to look as amazing as it does. The truth of the matter is that the kitchen remodel has not only completely redesigned the space, but has enhanced both the efficiency and the aesthetic dimensions of what is possible in a kitchen. In essence, the kitchen remodel has redefined our entire house.
We are now about to embark upon the addition of a bathroom and laundry space on the lower level of our house, and we continue to have complete confidence and trust in the fact that John Clark will hear and address our concerns and vision of the remodel, while maintaining the design and integrity of our house as a whole.
John and Denise MacKerron, Falmouth, MA
"Unbelievable Handle On Projects..."
The review below was posted on Houzz by the homeowner:
The project consisted of a complete remodel of our Maushop Village Condominium. The scope included new kitchen, new bathrooms, wallpaper removal and complete painting of interior, wide pine floors being refinished.
John from @designREMODEL made the process of remodeling our summer home a complete stress free experience. As you can imagine being a second home we were not able to be onsite everyday and in fact only came down a few times during the 2 1/2 month construction. With that said you really have to have complete trust in the builder you choose. John not only met this but went beyond including sending us almost weekly updates along with pictures.
We had some issues with structure once the drywall was removed in some areas, but John explained the issues along with pictures and made the decision to fix the issues easy. We had one issue with a wrong accent tile strip being ordered, but John fixed the issue before we even had time to worry about it.
We feel we were treated with complete respect during the construction and John has a unbelievable handle on his projects and even remembered items that I brought up during our first meeting but had forgotten about, but John incorporated into the final project.
John developed his own punch list of items that did not meet his own quality control measures. When John told us some of the items such as a small blemish on a lighting fixture that 9 out of 10 people would never have noticed, I knew we had made the right choice in choosing John as our contractor.
It is this level of quality and commitment that John brings to his projects that I enjoyed the most!
Dan and Nan Kleeberg, Mashpee, MA
"Three separate projects spanning three years"
The review below was posted on Yelp.
John Clark of @DesignRemodel is absolutely wonderful! Thanks to him, we now have 2 beautiful bathrooms, a laundry center, and a refurbished dining area. Our modest Cape-style home is becoming much more upscale, because his work is always meticulous. I can't wait to have him re-do our kitchen!
John has done this work in 3 separate projects, spanning 3 years. The initial project took more time to plan, as John was getting to know our likes and dislikes, and as we got to know how John organizes the projects, and what kinds of materials he uses. By the third project (the gorgeous upstairs bathroom) I think we only had to spend a few hours arranging the details with John, because we had such a good sense of each other's tastes and abilities!
It is easy communicating with John by email or phone to arrange all of the little details that go into these projects. John often sends suggestions as links in his emails, which makes for very efficient "shopping".
One of the things I like best about John is that he will work within your budget and your personal tastes. If you want affordable yet high quality cabinets, fixtures, etc. he is familiar with the pros and cons of the major brands.
John knows how the work should be done to achieve superlative results. During projects, he has incidentally found potential problems with the old windows, roof, trim, etc. on our house. He has solved the problems efficiently if they relate to the project at hand. He has also suggested ways the problems might be dealt with at a later date, in a cost-effective and timely way. If it isn't a major undertaking, he usually just fixes the problem at no additional cost, and moves ahead with the project.
John is very organized! He has the project planned and the materials on hand before he begins the project. He has a trailer loaded with his tools and miscellaneous hardware, and rarely needs to interrupt his work to go to the store for a critical piece of hardware or materials.
Above all, John is very considerate of the fact that people have to live in the house during the construction. He keeps the house CLEAN AND TIDY while he is doing the project. He lays down heavy paper to protect the floors where he needs to walk through the house. He vacuums up the dust and litter at the end of the day. He tries to leave the materials he is installing out of the way for as long as possible. He tries to notify everyone ahead of time when things will get noisy.
I can trust John, his crew, and his contractors 100% if they are in my house when I am not there. I also trust them 100% to make things work out right when there are glitches in the construction project (and with an older home, those glitches do come up!).
I recommend John Clark and @DesignRemodel without reservation!
Sue & Lary Ball, North Falmouth MA
You can read about the fabulous new bathroom in North Falmouth here.
"@design may not come in with the lowest bid for your project..."
"Finding good contractors on Cape Cod has proven to be quite difficult. Most times you're lucky if someone even shows up and if they do you start wishing they never had after dealing with all the painstaking problems throughout the duration of the project. Those that do put on a good front you're afraid to even contact because they're probably way out of your price range.
We had dealt with pretty much all of the above on various smaller renovations on our historic little Cape Cod. Until we hired John from @design Remodel. I had good feelings from the very beginning when he called to tell us that he was a few days behind on getting our design ready. This small courtesy of communicating everything continued throughout the process and really put us at ease about talking to him about any concerns we had throughout the renovation.
@design may not come in with the lowest bid for your project, but you certainly get what you pay for and then some. John was very understanding when it came to our budget and never made us feel like we were being forced into anything. He took care to find us products that were on sale, allowed us to take part in some of the smaller tasks to save money, and did his best when picking products and manufacturers to keep to our budget. This was particularly important for us given today's questionable economy.
John had a rigorously planned schedule that even included keeping us, the clients, on task by reminding us about decisions we needed to make in order to keep to the greater schedule. The order of operations was meticulously planned to prevent any destruction or potential damage to areas that were already completed and John took extra care to keep the rest of our home as clean as possible.
Even though we ran into a few issues with manufacturers that delayed the whole process by a few weeks, John made sure we had a working kitchen during that time and checked to see that we were comfortable with how things were going. Not having to deal directly with all of the plumbers, electricians, cabinet companies, painters, inspectors, countertop manufacturers, etc. really made things seem less stressful and I always had full confidence that John was on our side.
John's attention to detail, professionalism, and down to earth personality are some of the things that make him stand out from other people in his industry. He has a wonderful way of getting to know his clients and I was rather impressed with his ability to understand our style and what we we were looking for right from the beginning. This was something I hadn't experienced before and really saved me from the exhausting task of describing every little detail of what we wanted or didn't want.
He also made great suggestions for ways to keep the design within the 'look' of the rest of our old house. The end result was an amazing kitchen and a content feeling that I no longer had to put time and effort into finding a good contractor."
Tim & Alicia Miller, West Falmouth MA
"There was a problem in the installation..."
"My wife and I have been living on Cape Cod for over thirty years. Locating a professional to provide dependable and proper service in a timely and efficient manner has always been a challenge for us. Some make promises they do not keep, while others leave work unfinished or sloppy. John met our needs and wishes. We are pleased to have had John help us remodel our bathroom by adding a beautiful shower.
From soup to nuts, from estimate to successful completion, John remained true to his word and cost. He was hard working and genuinely caring. There was a problem in installation that was discovered near job's end and, without hesitation, John addressed the problem to our satisfaction. I highly recommend John and would not hesitate to seek his help again."
Dr. Robert Fournier, Sandwich MA
"We were nervous and apprehensive about starting our next large renovation..."
"We have used the same professional contractor for over 25 years. When he retired last year, we were nervous and apprehensive about starting our next large renovation, a Kitchen and 3 Bathrooms. John and his team were just great to work with. The quality of his work and his communication with us during this process (of remodeling) was just fantastic. Certainly way beyond our expectations.
We believe we have more then replaced our former contractor... hopefully for the next 25 years!"
David & Carol Orloff, West Falmouth & Norton MA
"Thank you for putting professional skills and your integrity to such effective use on our behalf..."
"John, It's been almost a year since your team installed our new shower. It is with great satisfaction that we send the following:
1) Pre-installation - You responded immediately to our "cold call" and immediately began working with us to design the bathroom modification. Your patience with our sometimes strange ideas, willingness and professional approach to recommending better ideas and explanation in plain english 'why' set the stage for a successful modification. The details in the finished plans was exceptional.
2) Installation - You and your team successfully executed the installation with the minimum of inconvenience. Your attention to detail in the removal of the old facilities and the preparations for and installation of the new shower was, in keeping with the plans, exceptional. Particularly in dealing with some unexpected challenges. The post installation cleanup was spotless.
3) Post installation - We have made very good use of the shower and its features including the variability of the fixed head shower head, the convenience of the European shower hose and the control features. The bottom line -Thank you for putting professional skills and your integrity to such effective use on our behalf."
Gerry and Sam Klein, Waquoit MA
"The originally quoted price was adhered to…"
"Now that the work on the house in Chatham is complete, I wanted to let you know that I truly appreciate the diligence, professionalism and attention to detail that you demonstrated throughout the project. Although we faced many challenges in a home as old as mine, they were all handled with creativity that I know only comes with experience. I also appreciate the fact that despite the numerous changes, the originally quoted price was adhered to by your company. It was a real pleasure to work with you as you made the whole process, which I feared would be a real hassle, as painless as it could possible be!”
Robert Culnane, Chatham & Boston MA
"You were up front about the few delays we had..."
"John - Thank you so very much for the fantastic job you did remodeling our master bedroom/bath space. We were so impressed with how organized you were, your attention to detail and the craftsmanship that went into the project. You and your contractors were dependable and extremely respectful of our property. I think you left our home cleaner than when you came! You made the process very easy for us since you brought samples of the cabinet doors, shower enclosure, knobs, etc. to the house - and gave us some great choices. I particularly love the heated floor in the bathroom. Great to stand on with stocking feet!
As I told you throughout the project, I really appreciated your communication. You were up front about the few delays we had and if you said a contractor would be there at 8 the next morning, he was there! Keep up the good work!"
Larry and Wendy Bennett, Marstons Mills MA
"Wasn't sure how the project would turn out..."
"We were especially impressed with how well the work went. Your attention to detail and the extra time you took to make everything right was well appreciated. You and your contractors always came on time; if there were any unexpected obstacles encountered during the remodeling, you always let us know what they were and how you were going to handle them: and at the end of each day the work area was always cleaned up so there was no mess to have to deal with. Having built our house and dealing with contractors for more then 8 months, I can't tell you how important this was to us! John and his team exceeded our expectations.
Bob has admitted he wasn't sure how the project would turn out, but since then has told me he is happy with the results."
Bob & Jeanne Nichols, Sandwich MA
"I must admit I was a bit nervous..."
"From the moment you stepped into our house to assist us with the design and preparation it was obvious to us that we were dealing with a true professional. I must admit I was a bit nervous about knocking down of walls, removal of fixtures and a large bathtub. Your crew did an excellent job of cleaning up. We are very pleased with our remodeled bathroom and have received many compliments from family and friends"
Dr. & Mrs. Ted Keary, Falmouth MA
"John was a delightful person to work with."
“John was a professional from start to finish. From taking me through the various steps of gutting and redoing 2 bathrooms to the budget review to going over the various materials that he uses, John was a delightful person to work with.
My house was clean from start to finish, as promised, and he was on budget and on time. I appreciated the progress reports along the way and the care John took to make sure the bathrooms came out the way I had planned. I'm delighted with the end results"
Katharine Bullock, Osterville & Wellesley MA
"I never had to worry about a thing"
"From the design and actual building stage I never had to worry about a thing when you started the work on our home, I could continue with my own responsibilities knowing that you would take care of everything. As always you handled everything with true professionalism."
Eric and Charlene Shea, Mashpee MA
"We appreciated the thoroughness of your proposal"
"We were pleased by the attention to detail that you demonstrated on the exterior work you completed for us last summer. The little things like matching the shingle line as it wrapped around the corner of the house and cutting the shingles to ensure that there were no irregular seams indicated that you understood your craft. We also appreciated the timeliness of the work and definitely felt that you had provided real value to us. When the time came this year to look at the kitchen and the bathrooms, you were the only contractor we considered.
We appreciated the thoroughness of your proposal which meant there were no bad surprises at the end. You also were great at communicating with us along the way, letting us know when different pieces of the project would be completed. The attention to detail on the little things like towel racks, hooks and other fixtures resulted in a project where all the pieces worked together. When the project was completed, not only did we have a beautiful new bathroom and kitchen, the house was returned to us completely cleaned and in move-in condition."
John & Robin Hoagland, Osterville & Boston MA
"You have made believers of us!"
“You said you took pride in a no-punch-list level of thoroughness and completion. You have made believers of us!”
Bill & Donna Oglesby, North Falmouth MA
"Our kitchen was completed on time and within our budget"
"John and his team were extremely helpful and hands on - from the design stage to the finishing touches of our kitchen renovation project. Our kitchen was completed on time and within our budget. What impressed us most was the ongoing communication John provided; there were no surprises, and this communication was very important to us. We now have a beautiful kitchen and will not hesitate to hire John for our next project. We have already recommended him to several of our friends."
Tim and Cindy Crossman, Barnstable MA
"My wonderful new kitchen"
"I just wanted to write and thank you for my wonderful new kitchen. The entire process was handled so professionally and smoothly, from the design to the demolition and installation. It’s rare today to find a contractor who not only lives up to his timetables, but makes the experience as painless as possible. I appreciated all the attention to detail that allowed me to have all the features I wanted and still have space to move around freely. Everyone involved did a great job, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the results! Thank you for making my kitchen remodel such a pleasant experience…"
Lisa Kane, Mashpee MA
"Finding a trustworthy contractor to remodel my bathrooms"
Searching for a trustworthy contractor to remodel my bathrooms was nerve-wracking for me, so finding John was a great relief. He is thoughtful and professional - a delight to work with. He made many excellent suggestions for small features like the curved shower rod and the robe hook, which I really enjoy.
Living in a house while both bathrooms are under construction presents some challenges, but John was very considerate and installed the new shower as quickly as possible. I should add that my house remained remarkably clean while all this construction was on-going.
One of the best things about working with John is his attention to communication. It was wonderful to receive frequent updates on my project and have questions answered promptly. There were no surprises; the whole remodeling process was remarkably easy!
I love my new bathrooms and I recommend John to my friends and co-workers as someone who will do quality work, be on time and on budget, and be great to work with.
Kathie Ferguson, Harwich MA
