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1/5
My wife and I hired BRJ Builders to perform a near gut renovation on our VT cabin after it suffered a catastrophic water leak. After a terrible experience during a previous renovation, we were wary of going through the whole process again.
My wife and I are delighted to report that Ben John exceeded even our highest hopes. From the beginning, his communication was prompt, clear, and organized. He was upfront and honest when there were a couple inevitable delays in procuring material and finding qualified subcontractors. It was clear that Ben John held all his subcontractors to exacting standards, as they were all reliable and did excellent work.
What stood out most about Ben John was his attention to detail, an early sign of which is that he always spelled my wife’s name correctly in communications. (My wife’s name does not follow the typical spelling; there are members of my family who still don’t get it right, and our previous contractor got it consistently wrong. As such, it’s become a kind of litmus test for attention to detail.)
Everywhere in his work there is evidence of this trait. Things that could be easily square cut were carefully mitered; not one tiny strip of masking tape seemed to have eluded him. Where he found preexisting work that was not up to his standards, he corrected it. It clearly bothered him when something wasn’t quite right, however subtle, and he was quick to propose inventive solutions.
In one brilliant flourish, he plugged some holes in our wood plank floors with pennies before applying polyurethane. He knew we would love this personal touch, and that’s the other thing we appreciated about Ben John - he got to know our preferences and end goals, and helped us get there by making thoughtful suggestions based on his years of experience. My wife and I originally wanted to stain our floors a dark shade; Ben explained that he thought a simple polyethylene treatment would add light and warmth. We ultimately went with Ben’s suggestion and are delighted with the result.
During the renovation, my wife and I were often preoccupied with a family emergency and could make only sporadic site vists. Ben John understood that we were less hands-on clients, and he respected our time by not bothering us with minutia, relying on his own excellent design discretion. The punch list was endless in our previous renovation. With Ben John, it came down to barely anything. We’re so glad we went with BRJ Builders and we look forward to hiring him again for future projects!
I was very happy with BRJ Builders. I moved into this fixer-upper with good bones in June 2022, signed the contract in early July, and the project was essentially done by end of October -- exterior eaves and trim repairs, rebuilt bulkhead, new front door, complete kitchen remodel, new laundry closet, rebuilt basement stairs, upgraded electrical (for my goal of an all-electric energy efficient house), new water tank, floors refinished throughout, and other miscellaneous stuff. BRJ Builders' standards of quality are high and they take pride in their work. The crew communicated well, which to me is a vital part of any successful project. I experienced excellent project management, reliable scheduling, and steady progress. The crew was pleasant, courteous, and focused on doing a good job. The subcontractors (plumber, electrician, HVAC, floor refinisher, etc.) were universally solid and pleasant. Emerging issues with the water tank were investigated over multiple visits and solved. Owner Benjamin John and his PM were open to discussion, they listened, they addressed my questions and concerns promptly, and in the rare instance of errors (which will always occur in any project), they acknowledged and fixed them. Ben was excellent in brainstorming the design and details of how to make the project suit my vision. My tea station and laundry closet are two examples (see photos). I unequivocally recommend BRJ Builders. -Rebecca
1/5
1/5
From start to finish we felt confident with Ben, Josh and their crew. Any concerns we had throughout the process were quickly eradicated by their open communication and overall knowledge. Professional, clean, courteous, always available to answer questions and address any possible issues.
Our basement buildout began w a handful of ideas but with their attention to detail, hard work and talented craftsmanship, the most incredible space was created.
We cannot stress how impressed we were seeing our vision come to fruition. The project superseded our expectations. No details left undone, always an extra idea or two to think about and add to the project.
It went so well we wish we had other projects for them! Highly recommend BRJ Builders. -Maria
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