Building Doctors

They never showed up. They never called.

I had my HVAC system replaced along with new insulation, new bathroom heaters, new ductwork and a new hydronic water heater. Needless to say this was a large job with a lot of moving parts. I can’t say enough good things about Building Doctors, they made my house state of the art in terms of comfort and energy efficiency. They always made my job a priority, none of that disappearing for days like I have experienced with other contractors. They were very professional, knew their stuff and made sure to leave my house as tidy as possible considering the magnitude of the work. They helped me complete the paperwork to qualify for rebates which was much appreciated. It has been 4 years since the job was completed and the system still works beautifully. I have continued with them for maintenance on the system and they have always been friendly, professional and prompt. Recently the Department of Water and Power in Pasadena came out to do an inspection of my system as part of a program they have to cut energy usage. When I told them I had used Building Doctors to install the system they commented that they have done “A lot of work with them and they are top of the line.” I couldn’t agree more.

Although a bit late I needed to give a review according to the work done. I started out by having an energy audit done because our home was always uncomfortable no matter the time of the year. The audit was informative and thorough, explains what exactly was wrong with out current home condition and HVAC. After a long delay I was able to find a way to finance the work (through the ca energy upgrade program). Building Doctors were excellent. Their work is thorough and they do things right. They had to do extra work to make sure insulating around my recessed lighting was done right by building structure around the cans. When you have done things done right, it's not necessarily the cheapest up front but it's cheaper in the long run. They know what they are doing. I feel I got what I paid for and that peace of mind that no shortcuts were taken. I'm kind of picky and building doctors satisfied all of my concerns.

They were really terrific. Nice guys who were all in a cool uniform.

Absolutely awesome, from cradle to grave of the project. From consultation to follow-up post completion, Bldg. Doctors is simply the best for what the offer and provide. No "surprises" in any category: Estimate on cost of materials and labor to be used, final cost and follow-up - All spot on! Thoughtful crews, conscientious of their clean-ups, and in covering furniture and floors - all of it. No complaints.

Although I think the company seems to offer useful services, I found them a bit unresponsive as far as answering emails and phone calls in a timely manner. I'll be looking for another company to work with.

Building Doctors did an energy audit of our 1940s house, reducted, reinsulated and installed an entirely new HVAC system--two actually--for our 5000 s.f. property. I can't recommend them highly enough. The house is strange, with big gaps in the roof that needed to be insulated, an unconventional layout, and some unpleasant surprises (a dead rat in the uptake vent; 60 years worth of rat feces raining down on the workers). The most important thing to know about Dan Thomsen is that he is very smart, committed to doing what makes the most sense logically, financially, and environmentally, and governed by integrity. We spent more than we would have with another contractor, who recommended that we only reduct the top floor "because the bottom floor is a big pain" and I know that in the long run we will have saved not just money but regret for not having taken the right path from the start. That said, Dan also knew where we could save money, and COMPLETELY HANDLED the energy rebate from the government. Who does that?! (Check came directly to us, but he did *all* paperwork and the city inspector who came to evaluate the job told me that Building Doctors' work always gets approved, which he said was not true for most of the jobs he inspected. A rare, excellent, responsible contractor. You won't be disappointed.

Great job. Looking at moving to the next phase of work

We are very happy with the service Dan and Building Doctors provided. The initial consultation was much friendlier and honest than the competition. We felt much more secure with Dan's knowledge and the quality of his initial assessment. The project expanded as we decided we wanted to do more work than originally planned in the garage. They were accommodating and the project rolled out smoothly. Dan did a tremendous amount of research to ensure I was getting the noise reduction for the garage I was looking for. I wanted insulation, new walls, sound reduction, higher efficiency, and temperature regulation. After much research and consultation we moved forward with the agreed upon plan and it was executed well. Dan and his team were willing to come out as needed for small finishing touches, questions, etc. They certainly went above and beyond on multiple occasions. The project did take longer than anticipated, but I've never been involved in a single contracting experience that finished on time, so I don't consider this a problem. It was still completed in an acceptable timeframe.

Thank goodness for a comfortable home at last! When we bought our new home, a flip, we were assured that the vast differential in temperature between one end of the home and the other had been "fixed", and then when I called the installer to complain, I was told that the system needed to "settle in". This was untrue. Other contractors had given us quotes for "installing baffles" but only Building Doctors considered the whole system including the spotty insulation in the older part of the house, and proposed a comprehensive fix. This is a high tech machine, and has to be installed by experts to work to fullest efficiency. It's a little more expensive to start, but will result in savings down the road, extending the life of the HVAC, and lowering our heating and cooling costs. Dan and Mark with their team, showed us how poorly the system was originally installed. They have instruments that measure airflow, and a computer program to design the proper placement of every register. The team moved each one, removed some that were extraneous, contributing the imbalance problem, and then Victor used "the machine" to measure and customize the air flow in each room, until we all felt satisfied that the temperature differences were slight. They installed a second air return to bring the area up to spec (it had been about half that was needed) and sealed every joint. They also sealed around our recessed lights, which will stop heat transfer. Most amazing is that our heater is totally SILENT, and the cold air conditioner is almost so. The fan used to make a huge racket as it struggled to draw in sufficient air to work properly. They blew in insulation to the two attic spaces, and constructed new insulated covers for the attic access holes. While they were up there, they also noticed some torn screening in the attic vents, which they quickly replaced. Even though they only just finished, we can already tell that the temperature is within a degree or two throughout the house. In the past there was a noticeable change as one walked down the hall. We are feeling very happy, comfortable, and looking forward to finding out about our California "Green" rebate from all the new insulation. The added advantage is how quiet the house has become. The guys papered the floors of our house, and did a good job of installing plastic to protect furniture and control dust. They have some ingenious friction posts with padded ends that they use to hold up plastic "walls" that minimize the taping. They cleaned up at the end of every day, and even brought their own bathroom supplies for their use. Either Dan or Mark came by every day. Our only problem is matching the exact paint color of our ceiling white, which was actually my task! I'll have to try a different brand at a different home store. Dan and Mark have a real passion for their work, and a great deal of knowledge about energy efficiency. They like to take things beyond code. Our roof insulation is now R38. My husband and I have enjoyed working with them, and feel like our home is better than ever, and we have increased the value of our home as well.

We were very impressed with the in-depth analysis conducted and the very thorough in-depth report provided post-visit.

5 star. Perfect. Dan and his guys are top notch. He has the system down to a science. From the clothes to the truck to the tools to the contract. Not a typical bait-and-switch operation just trying to get your money. They want to help and do it right and give you all your options.

Great company to work with. Owner is very professional and knows all about the Energy Upgrade California program. It was easy to schedule the initial energy audit and work with them to customize the work to be done. Installation went smoothly. Technicians were always on-time, professional and worked late to complete the work in a timely manner. House was left clean and work quality is very good. There were a few minor post-installation issues and the owner worked with me to have them corrected in quick order. Overall, Building Doctors was very customer focused and worked closely with me on all aspects of the job. I appreciate it when a company is willing to work with me and review options. The owner also submitted the rebate forms for the Energy Upgrade California and also worked out all the necessary permits with LA County. He even went the extra mile when the Energy Upgrade California inspector needed proof that the old knob/tube wiring was replaced (by the previous owner). The only area I give them less than an A grade is on price. The energy audit costs (both initial and post-installation) are high and are not applied to the cost of the work (other companies offered free audits and/or stated the costs would be applied to the overall project costs). Installation and material costs were also somewhat expensive, but the quality of the work, responsiveness and punctuality make the extra cost worth it to me.

My house, being built in the late 20's has always been very hot in the summer and really cold in the winter. I tried everything but nothing seemed to solve the problem. I got in touch with Dan at the Building Doctors. I never wanted to insulate because I thought it was going to be a huge messy job. After speaking with Dan, I realized that not only was I wasting a ton of money on heating and cooling bills due to lack of insulation, but my heater and a/c were old and costing me nearly double what it should to heat and cool my home. After expalining in detail eaxactly what needed to be done, I hesitantly agreed to get the work done. Oh joy! His crew was always on time, cleaned up after themselves and went above and beyond to make sure everything went smooth. Even when they ran into some unforeseen items, Dan did not come back to renegotiate but instead did what needed to be done to do the job he had promised. My home is now energy rated, I rarely have to use my heat or air and when I do, the bill is almost nill. It was a "breath of fresh air" to finally find a company that does what they say they are going to do in the time they said they would do it. We need more companies like the Building Doctors and more people like Dan around.

Very professional, clean, respectful of personal property, reliable, attentive to detail, returned calls and answered questions in a very timely manner, All the workers were well trained and Knowledgeable. They were dependable eager to accommodate and hard workers. I have nothing but praise for Dan Thomsen. He was on top of the job and able to resolve some difficult and unexpected issues in a most satisfactory and productive way. My experience with contractors has always been negative, however, Building Doctors renewed my confidence in the industry. Building doctors is a first-rate company and a pleasure to work with. I would and have recommend them with complete confidence.

I like the ease of emailing to set up an appointment that is convenient to both Building Doctors and my schedule. The crew does a good job and Dan's priority is to provide quality service to my satisfaction if any question or concern comes up.

From day 1, this provider was excellent. Our project was somewhat complicated, as we did not have existing AC, did have asbestos ducts in our older home and the placement of our furnace made the addition of AC very tricky. We had multiple other providers come for a quote, with most being unsure of how to proceed (read:gave a quote assuming they could probably do the job) or simply walked away without providing a quote at all due to the complexity. At the initial consult, Dan at building doctors had the perspective and vision about how we could accomplish what we wanted in a way that we needed. Additionally, he has a gift for explaining technical building codes and efficiency factors in a way that was fully comprehensible and empowered us to make informed decisions. This provider's ability to provide a "one-stop shop" that was able to coordinate asbestos removal, completion of some required renovation for this project, as well installation of a high efficiency AC system (operational just as the weather turned especially HOT) was nothing short of excellent. We elected to stay in the home during the work (never a fun thing to do). However, The Building Doctors were very careful to consistently clean the work site on a nightly basis, making this much more bearable for us. They were always very responsive to any requests, patient in making sure they understood and addressed any concerns we had and assisted us with all paperwork associated with energy upgrade rebate programs for which we might be eligible. We were also very happy with the high quality of the work done. While home improvements of this scope often leave we home owners somewhat anxious about incurring such a high expense, we were very satisfied with the final product (which included some finish work) and believe that the project cost would have been considerably higher had we gone a more 'piece meal' route. We were randomly selected by the utility company to verify the scope of work performed by this provider. Even the 3rd party contractor hired by the utility company was impressed with the quality of the work, noting the high quality 'hospital grade' duct work utilized. In short, this is an extremely professional, competent and responsive provider whom I would not hesitate to recommend.

Building Doctors came out to do an energy audit and upgrade for my house. They did the work in 1 day. They took many pictures, did many tests, and gave me advice on how to make my house more efficient. We made the suggested changes and got a green rating for our house. This was on top of their great job changing the air conditioning, heating, and insulation on our house the year before. My house is now much cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter, and consumes less electricity. I was going to get solar panels for my house but my electric bill is now lower, so it may not be cost effective until the price of solar panels and installation goes down more. Due to the rebate from LA County, I got a $2000 rebate. Therefore, the net cost of the audit and upgrade was almost zero.

I bought my silver lake home in 1996. It had an old furnace and wall ducts with some insulation. No central air. As the years passed and the climate changed my home became less and less comfortable. I had a wall unit for AC in the summer and my home was wasting energy. More important, we were miserable in the hot summer months. In comes the building Doctors. The crew showed up for a house audit. Of course my place was a mess. I knew it and dan knew it. So I went for the whole nine yards. The boys came in like grant took Richmond. Dressed in doctors scrubs they took out truck loads of old dangerous insulation in a complete professional manner. They were friendly, fun and courteous of my pet. All the ducts were changed. A new heater that looked like a Star Wars ship was placed under my home hung in quiet suspension. A brand new digital thermostat was put in. All new insulation in the walls, floor and places where one wouldn't have thought. Cracks were sealed airtight. A beautiful AC unit was brought in. All the gear is quiet as a mouse. Next up, the inspection. A man came over completely independent of the building doctors and inspected the work. When he asked who did the work again he laughed and said, the building doctors? Well this will be easy, they are the only company that passes. Once he saw the work he was more interested in playing with my dog! He said your on good hands my friend. This inspection is over. Shortly after I received $3,700 from the government! The results? My house is amazing now. No more dirty air. No more dust. I never have to clean as much. I never sneeze or cough through the winter. The heater is amazing and the AC magic and quiet. The real charm is that if I shut all the doors and the inside temp is 70, I can leave for five hours with the heat off and the AC off and when I return my house is still 70 degrees! That is an air tight green star rated home. Thank you building doctors. Thank you Dan and the entire crew for making my home of 20 years brand new. Bring on the heat or the cold this building doctor home will will be comfortable for years and years. A plus!!!

They were nice. I would recommend them to others. They were professional and knowledgeable.

They were very professional and very detailed oriented. They take into account the whole system and know how to maximize the efficiency of the entire home. I was pleased with the final results and would recommend them to friends and family. The price was fair.

The audit was great. Very detailed and thorough. The estimate was a little ridiculous. I think lots of things were recommended that weren't needed. For instance. I don't need my floors insulated for the love of a few hundred dollars in rebates. In addition, the estimates were WAY high. And every time I asked about additional things, only the most expensive options were quoted. I don't need to launch rockets from my water heater, thank you. The provider had very very detailed estimates and was a complete professional. But when I asked the brand of heating unit he'd put in, he would not answer clearly. I found this disconcerting. If I had a very expensive house, and lots of money, I'd TOTALLY use these guys. I believe he knew what he was talking about. He knew his business and was courteous, prompt and attentive. In the end, however, I had to have the work done by people who didn't insist on sealing off my entire house.

I called up the Building Doctors this week and they have been really helpful. I was calling to find out how much an energy audit would cost and to find out what they knew about the energy upgrade California program. They were so helpful and they were so patient, I set up an appointment for an audit for next week. I'm looking forward to their findings.

The energy audit was completed in one visit with coordination ahead of time to provide my electric power and natural gas bills for analysis. The person who visited my house was very personable, knowledgable, and thorough. I went about my business while he checked gas appliances and wall insulation. The analysis of the flue venting of my natural gas furnace was much appreciated, giving me the confidence that my furnace isn't venting exhaust fumes into my home. The thermal infrared camera analysis of my wall insulation was especially helpful to see where the problem spots are in the various parts of my home that were clearly built at different times. Still, I think the most valuable test is the whole-house leakage test using the big blower assembly at the front door of my home. As I expected, Building Doctors confirmed that my antique windows and loose exterior doors are a major source of air leakage.

I contacted The Building Doctors and spoke with Dan about a blower door test for a town home. This house has many mysterious drafts that we want to seal. I explained to Dan that because this was a town home, it wasn't feasible to perform a Whole home energy audit. I also explained that before we spend money on replacement windows, doors, insulation, etc. we want to find out exact location of air leaks. Dan spent a considerable of time discussing the blower door test and said he could do it for about $150. I told Dan I would review with my husband and get back to him. When I did call Dan about 3 weeks later to confirm what we previously discussed about pricing and locating exact source of air leaks via the blower door test, he asked me to send him an email so he could get back to me with confirmation. That was 2 weeks ago. I haven't heard back and assume they don't want my business.