Adam's Construction & Engineering

I got Adam's name and number from Angie's list and called him the first or second week of March. He quickly returned my call, I told him what work I needed done, and he came by the next day to check out the project. He was prompt and professional, answered all of my questions along with asking me quite a few, and then offered several suggestions and options for me to consider. He gave me a rough estimate of the cost, and by the next morning had sent me a contract and said he could start the job the following Monday. On Sunday he came by to take another look at the room and at that point, we changed our minds about a few things (windows, doors, bookshelves) and revised the plan. We then discussed tile and paint and went to Lowe's and Home Depot to pick out tile, ceiling fan, light, etc. Adam was very paitient while I made decisions on tile and paint while he was conscientiously keeping the schedule he had set out to complete. His two workers, Sergio and Miguel, could not have been more friendly and professional. They finished the job in the two weeks Adam had set aside, and I could not be more pleased with the results. Along the way, Adam came up with more ideas and finishing touches, which was such a welcome change from any previous contractors I've encountered. I will defnitely call him when I want my bathroom and kitchen remodeled--he is creative, intelligent, talented and dependable--and definitely worth the money.

If you are a Los Angeles area homeowner who has utilized a contractor, you?ve probably determined that it is sometimes a rough and tumble environment. Like the Old West, it can be a land where lawless, shady characters peddle their goods and services across the vast Basin to unsuspecting townsfolk. The closest law enforcement is the Contractors State License Board?the sheriff if you will?but they soldier a heavy burden and aren?t exclusively interested in protecting your claim. In short, it is truly caveat emptor when it comes to vetting and signing an agreement with a contractor. Conversely, I bet if you asked licensed contractors they would contend that homeowners seek them out BECAUSE they are licensed for their trade but frequently expect work to be done on a dime. In fact, more often than not the property owner has unreasonable expectations for what licensed/insured labor costs to perform correctly to applicable code. Somewhere in the middle the two sides must meet, though, to successfully complete the project. Which brings me to Adams Home Builders? Adam Othman is a consummate professional who takes pride in the work he performs. It?s not simply ______ (fill in your job description), but instead another opportunity to apply his vast skills and problem solving abilities to satisfy the client. My first meeting with him began with a handshake and a quick tour of the prospective job site. Simple enough. I then found myself in his car, however, venturing to another job site that was nearing completion. (He wanted to show me what Hardi-backer exterior siding would look like in a Craftsman installation.) Further, the customer at this location was more than glad to break out his iPad and show me the job from start to finish. He heartily recommended Adam. I knew then Adam had the skills to perform the task, but had to check other bids for pricing. When compared to the other estimates I obtained, Adam was the 2nd highest of the bunch. One was more and two were less. Some of what drove the higher bid, however, was the use of a full-blown architect to develop the plans for approval. As this was an unfinished garage, I felt this cost would not actually be seen in the end product. Additionally, I could have used either of the two lower estimates, but this is where the age-old adage of cost vs. value comes into play. Sure, they cost less but would this then translate into a structure that would develop issues over time? Granted, I was having an unfinished garage built and not livable space, but again, any money spent should return positive value regardless of the scope of the work. Also influencing my decision was that Adam takes one job at a time. Yes, the owner of the company and General Contractor is on the job site. Every. Single. Day. And because of this, the construction schedule is airtight. When he tells you framing will be done by Friday, he means Friday. In short, he tells you what he will do and does it correctly and to applicable code. Period. I ultimately chose Adam because I knew the garage would be constructed better than my house and would yield a positive return (ie, no structural defects) on the investment. In fact, every step of the way we spoke and cut back on expenses where possible. This smart allocation of spending is also an indication that Adam has your (checkbook?s) back. Obviously he has to make money on the project, but he finds common ground and attempts to spend your money wisely. I have a slew of projects I was going to DIY because of some poor contracting in the past. Now, however, I will at least obtain estimates from Adam and let the pros handle it if it makes sense. I cannot recommend him highly enough.

Adams Home Builders suggested I look at some of his jobs and talk to the individuals who used him which is impressive because he is very confident in his work. He wanted me to get a good idea of how good his work was and to get an idea of what my addition would look like. Their professionalism was great, they were always on time and Adam(the owner) was here overlooking everything daily. He always kept in touch with me on what he was doing and it was all very easy.

He only handles one main job at a time, so is on the job site at least 75% of the time, ensuring quality and efficient crew supervision. He is very professional, and charges a fair and reasonable fee for the full attention he gives your house. I visited him on his previous job site and was able to observe first hand how he works. He is really good, very honest and has the homeowners interest in mind. He has strong referral network for new jobs.

Adam delivered the work ahead of schedule, was very responsive to our questions, and educated us on every part of the project and making sure we understood every step along the way. Adam worked diligently to figure out aspects of work that were not included in the contract. We are very happy with Adam?s workmanship and plan to work with Adam in the future on other complex home improvement projects.

We had Adam do an add-on to our home about 2 years ago. At that time we considered a skylight in one of our bathrooms, but decided against it, until now. Adam came out and looked at the house and our request for a skylight. He also checked the status of all of the previous work. We pointed out some minor grout issues on the tile in the kitchen and bathroom. He pointed out that these were part of a normal "settling" of new construction. We scheduled the day of work. Adam and Sergio, his helper who also worked with Adam on our previous project, arrived on time and set to work. In one day they installed the new skylight - amazing difference in lighting- and repaired the grout and tile issues. In addition, Adam looked for the source of leaks we had experienced from a previous roofing job. Adam did some roof caulking in possible problem areas. He also remedied a potential problem we had with the seal around our kitchen sink. This was work done by another contractor and not Adam's responsibility, but he did it anyway. And, surprisingly, he notice that the front doorbell connection was not working and replaced and repaired that. At the end of the work, Adam patiently explained to me all they had found and all the work that was done. My wife arrived home during the explanation, and he thoroughly explained everything again. Adam did all this work for nearly the same price he had quoted us for the skylight alone almost 2 years ago. We consider Adam to be our "family contractor", based on his committment, personally and professionlly I think, to make sure a job is done right and at a fair price. And our experience is that he will be back to make sure all the work holds up and works right. Based on our experience of Adam's quality of work, honesty and committment to our satisfaction (and his) with all the work done and fair prices, I would not hesitate to call him for future work.

Thanks to other members on Angie's List - we found a great egg!

A few months back we were crazy enough to willingly purchase a home WITHOUT a garage - no existing foundation to build upon, nothing. Who does this?!? Apparently, we do and it was definitely meant to be, because we have now found our general contractor who will be doing ALL our projects around the house.

Adam?s initial price felt high so we did our due diligence of soliciting bids from other contractors, five to be precise. In the end - Adam proved the most genuinely interested. Since this was our first-ever viable need for anything requiring a G.C. we needed that enthusiasm - not the "been there, done that" attitude we received from others. Enthusiasm aside, Adam's Construction and Engineering was attractive to us for a variety of reasons: he has access to a junior draftsman, so we were saved from hiring an architect; secondly, he has a true love for the Craftsman period, which showed with the choices he made; lastly, he is licensed for engineering as well as landscaping, which means he took other issues into consideration. His attention to detail for a project like ours was a great testimony to all we expect in the future - if he puts forth this much concrete (25 cubic yards), stem-wall rebar (3 layers) and effort for "just a garage" - we can't wait to see what he'll do for us on the inside of our home.

As for choosing those details firsthand, ever have a G.C. go shopping with you? Adam did so, and on more than one occasion. The first time was before we even broke ground - we found these fabulous entry doors at a salvage store. Since Adam would need to build custom frames for them, he wanted to give his thumbs up. The second time was for a small electric hot water heater and a laundry tub, but we think that was "client intervention.? Construction stress and making decisions "on the fly" finally got the better of us.

In the end, with only a minimal delay due to our choice of windows, and the unwelcome surprise of needing a new main water line, the garage (including a half bath) was built in record time. He delivered a quality product within the time requested and we now have the missing link we needed on our property, which allows us to move forward onto other projects.

IT WAS FANTASTIC. THE REPAIR WAS MUCH BETTER THAN PREVIOUS BUILDER 12 YEARS PRIOR. THE PATIO DECK IS BETTER THAN WHEN I BOUGHT THE HOUSE 20 YEARS AGO. ADAM FOLLOWED THE WORK SCHEDULE AND FINISHED ON TIME. OLD FASHIONED WORK ETHICS OF DOING THE BEST WITHOUT TAKING THE EASY SHODDY SHORT CUTS, OF WHICH I HAVE EXPERIENCED TOO MUCH OF.

Adam and his helper, Sergio, were superb! They were punctual, polite, very professional, and they worked very cleanly. Adam gave us a progress report whenever it was appropriate to do so. He listened to our concerns and did his best to meet and exceed them. He offered many good suggestions to us as the work progessed. And, when Adam and Sergio finished the job quality was better than we expected. I would definitely have him work on our home in the future. In fact, I'd prefer it.

Adam is the consummate professional. He came to us because we were doing a larger landscaping project-adding a patio- that required removing the railing from the concrete stairs from our kitchen and possibly adding another stair for a step down. The landscaping contractor wanted to get an actual building contractor's opinion before commenting on the stairs. We were on a very tight budget and though the stairs were a bit damaged and not beautiful, he suggested a way to avoid redoing the stairs at minimal cost. The landscaper actually removed the stairs and as Adam predicted, the corner crumbled. He fixed it properly with rebar and a wooden frame and warned me about a shaved area he repaired. He was incredibly affable and explained everything and anything. The stairs look better than before and I would hire Adam again in a second flat. I recommend him whole heartedly. He is truly does not fit the negative stereotypes of contractors. He was completely punctual, responsive, generous and a pleasure to work with.

We had used Adam Othman from Adam Home Builder last summer for a major home remodel and were very satisfied, so it was logical to contact him when we were ready to do this work. Adam recommended "Hardi-Plank" siding which is a cement fiber board for the siding and whole new construction of the framing, using large water resistant redwood boards to replace the flimsy wood framing. Adam referred us to another job in our area where he had installed the product. We researched Hardi-Plank and it seems like a long lasting, low maintenance product. It purports to be particularly resistant to moisture, which is a problem for us. Adam did the whole job in about 6 days, working on Saturday as well. He removed the old wood and, as he progressed, each window was also removed and reinstalled. He constructed substantial redwood framing for the windows that is impressive and very attractive. The weep holes are now visible and will work as designed. He installed the Hardi-Plank over the existing wood, including under the drains and over the wood fascia. He also removed a very old, heavy and inefficient air conditioner and installed a new A/C we purchased at Sears, including the new framing necessary for the smaller unit. He also rewired the outlet from 220 volt to 115 volt. Then he painted the exterior wood and siding with colors we chose to match the house. He also took out an old personal garage door that was a wooden interior type door. The replacement door is an aluminum, exterior door. The work required reconstructing the door frame, with careful attention to not damage the external stucco on the garage, surrounding the door. This job was done successfully as well. Finally, he installed extra support beams in the garage to insure that the trusses were strong enough. The siding and window framing turned out exceptionally well. The result is a very attractive (in our opinion) exterior look that also is substantial in substance and form and should provide the protection we were looking for. Adam, as before, provided solid advice and options for us to consider throughout the job. He and his helper, Sergio, completed the job in a very timely manner and each day they were considerate of our needs. We continue to be impressed with Adam's overall commitment to doing meticulous high quality work that thoroughly satisfies our objectives. He also provides an esthetically pleasing result that enhances our enjoyment of our home. Please review my before and after photos of the window and siding work.

Adam Othman was professional and thorough. I always had a complete cost estimate up front. I corresponded with him regularly during construction. He regularly consulted me on little, and not so little, decisions concerning details of the construction. He provided good advice and gave me multiple options on high-cost items. The quality of his work was high. I am pleased with the finished product. He is very trustworthy. For example, I felt comfortable having my kids in the area when he was working (provided the nature of the work was not dangerous). We developed a positive rapport and remain friendly to this day. There have been several minor items in the two years since the construction was completed, and he has always responded in a timely way and without expectation of compensation.

The essence of our relationship with Adam Othman, our contractor for all of the work we had done began with the feeling we could trust him and his work. He reinforced our trust and satisfaction with every facet of the work he did and supervised. Initially, we spoke to Adam about some minor repairs. He was recommended to us by our landscaper who had used Adam for a remodeling project. From our first meeting we asked for and received an estimate for a new bathroom to be added to our master bedroom. From this point to completion, Adam was intimately involved in helping us to refine our designs, arranging for a draftsman and surveyor to meet the Planning Dept. requirements. Adam then walked the plans through the City Departments and began construction on schedule. We ultimately used Adam and his sub-contractors for building the new bathroom, including custom cabinetry, custom shower enclosure with tile, choosing and installing all fixtures, remodeling our kitchen with new custom cabinetry, sinks, quartz counter tops and wall tiles. Adam also arranged for and supervised sub-contractors for new custom cabinets in our living room, crown moulding, wood floor resurfacing and repair, wall and ceiling resurfacing throughout the house and complete interior re-painting. Adam added a new closet to our master bedroom as well as 2 new windows. He re-located our heating vents in our living room to allow for the installation of crown moulding. He also discovered that our stove exhaust was not actually vented to the outside. He repaired this also. He sub-contracted and supervised the electric panel upgrade and relocation needed by the new construction. Adam also helped us to resolve a problem we had with the disastrous texcote application on the complete exterior of our home. The new stucco was and is an economical solution to an expensive problem. When we reached an impasse (ours not Adam's) on colors, etc., Adam recommended his interior designer who was an invaluable resource for many decisions we made from that point forward in our kitchen and all other rooms that were painted and tiled. Throughout the work, Adam was a very valuable resource (and continues to be so), beyond his design, engineering and build abilities. Adam always listened to our ideas and then offered very insightful and productive options. Then we would go forward with the best solutions that usually involved money saving options. Adam's employees and subcontractors were all honest, courteous and hard working professionals whose work we would recommend for any future jobs. Adam did complete the job ahead of schedule and on budget, and he is more than willing to discuss any questions we have. We are already planning additional work with him in the future.

Adam went above and beyond the call of duty for us. Not only did he make space in his schedule to fit us in but he ensured that the work done was the highest quality with the highest standards. We were working with a very small budget and very small timeframe which for most contractors meant cutting corners. Not Adam. He would not hear of it! He worked with us to come up with safe solutions that fit our budget and was always on hand to suggest ways to make the process more efficient. The work flowed on schedule despite a few quirks discovered mid-construction in our existing structure.

Adam came in to oversee electrical and some minor home repair/upgrade. While here, Adam was wonderful in his suggestions that could be accomplished while the guys were working and for very little additional cost. We ended up with lovely new kitchen lighting, new back splash and no doubt that Adam is our new favorite contractor. Our initial electrical issues were handled supremely and professionally by Nick Glaros who was overseen by Adam. Cannot say enough wonderful things about the team.

We had one room in the house that was shaking everytime you would walk in. Since Adam is also a Mechanical Engineer and we had such a great experience the first time around we asked him to investigate. He went underneath the house (about 2 1/2 feet crawl space) to find 2 supports missing. He made us a drawing to show what he found and told us in detail how he would fix it and that is exactly what he did. He spend days underneath the house to complete this job. No more shaking and the support is like new.

Adam came highly recommended from Bill our landscaper. He gave us an estimate and started work promptly. He worked very close with Bill so that the project went very smooth. Not only did Adam help us with the design, the end relsult is stunning and everything he said it would be. He is really organized very safty conscious. He also makes sure that everything is exactly the way you want it.

We started the job using another contractor. Adam was helping the other contractor and did 90% of the work. Once we were able to work solely with Adam, all work was done with an expertise rarely seen in the industry. The City inspectors even commented on the high quality of work they were viewing. Adam holds an engineering degree, and also specializes in finishing; all the work was expertly trimmed, painted, and all edges were square. It was not uncommon for him to spend his own weekend time to engineer and finish up a project stage he was working on. We would absolutely hire him again, and in fact have. He is currently working on a close family friend's house doing a similar job as was done on ours, and just completed another project which we recommended him on involving a complete kitchen make-over. All final cleanup was done to our satisfaction. AND HE ANSWERS HIS PHONE.