Butel Construction Inc

They were professional. They were very skilled and knowledgeable in their trade. Extended extreme courtesy, tried to please client. They were punctual. Easily accessible by phone and in person.

On June 6, 2012, I met with Shai Butel of Butel Construction, Inc. I had prepared a list of things I wanted to update in my townhouse. Shai and I went through my list and my house and spent a couple of hours discussing what could be done within my budget. Shai prepared a home improvement contract and list of terms and conditions. He was straightforward and clear about what could be accomplished which gave me the confidence to agree to work with him. We agreed on a start date. The next day Butel Construction, Inc. had prepared a rough estimate schedule for the project. (I had decided to move out to temporary housing and to have furniture and household goods put in storage.) Shai reviewed the schedule with me and explained how the work would begin on June 20. The schedule showed the approximate number of days that would be spent on each of the components of the renovation for an estimated thirty-three work days. By July 31, the project was complete except for a few minor touch-up and clean-up items. I moved my belongings out of storage August 1, and moved back completely by August 8. Butel Construction, Inc. workers were efficient, thorough, and always pleasant and informative when I stopped by daily to see the work's progress. I am very pleased with the results: it is like a new house. I still have work to do to improve the bathrooms and will contract Butel Construction to do that work in 2013.

He was kind and on time. I would use him in the future if I decide I want to pay that much. But he did give me some ideas of what I want to do to my backyard.

We could not be happier and are already talking to them about other projects. To give a good example of the integrity of the company, we first met with them last summer, when a project manager came out and gave us a quote. Unfortunately, it took another five months to get through arbitration with the original contractor, and when we went back to Butel, the original project manager had left the company. When the office manager learned of our situation, he arranged a meeting with Shai Butel (the owner), who personally came out to our house, reviewed the original proposal (now ~6 months old) committed to stand by it, and said he would take personal responsibility for seeing our project through. From start to finish this was night and day from our original situation. Shai and his team (including his field manager, Eudez) were a pleasure to work with. They made commitments and stuck to them, they were flexible and accommodating when they could be, and reasonable when they couldn't be. For example, the main plumbing line into our house was old, and they weren't able to get the water to shut off entirely to replace the plumbing. While this could have delayed the entire project, instead Shai simply replaced the main valve at a price far lower than had I gotten another plumber, and the work continued. Shai was very candid about faulty work they discovered while going through the project, and he was able to repair much of it without any additional cost. Unlike our original contractor, Shai was the first one to point out anything that he thought was not first rate after his team had been to work, which resulted in a very short punch list at the end of the project and no disagreements about the quality of their work. Shai was incredibly patient with us, and took extra time to help us understand what needed to be done to complete the project, which was invaluable having had such a nightmarish time over the previous nearly two years (!) with the first contractor. Shai was not happy until we were, and he treated us with professionalism and respect throughout. He was a pleasure to work with, as was his team. Three people in particular to call out are: 1) his cabinet guy, Gil, who built a custom vanity for us that would be at home in a Pottery Barn catalog. It is a beautiful piece of furniture that meets our exact specifications; 2) his plumber, Avi, who was tireless in trying to repair all the shoddy work done by the original contractor. He replaced essentially everything, rather than trying to just tweak things, and went above and beyond in working with the plumbing manufacturer (Newport Brass) to address damage done by the original contractor without incurring any additional cost. When another problem was uncovered with the original contractor two weeks after the project ended, Avi came out the same day, at 7:30pm, to fix the situation; and 3) Miguel, one of Shai's all around workers. Prompt (at times almost too early!) and thorough in his work. On one of the last days of the project, we had noticed some very minor touch up items that we told him not to worry about, but when Miguel saw them he refused to NOT fix them and took care of it right away (I'm talking about things like an unobtrusive notch in the paint by the floor next to the toilet - he wouldn't leave until he had covered everything). Top notch, all the way with these guys. In summary, it was a complete pleasure to work with Shai and his team, all of whom seemed to take great pride in their work. Even for smaller things, Shai was concerned that the work be done well (unlike the original contractor, for whom words like "straight" and "level" and "correct" might as well have been in some foreign language). There was never a sense he was trying to cut corners or do less than a reasonable person would expect. He really seemed to care, which is why we've already invited him to propose on three additional remodeling projects. In summary, I can see why they've received the number of positive reviews they have - they salvaged the nightmarish, unusable money pit the original contractor had saddled us with and left us with a beautiful bathroom that we love.

From start to finish, my experience with Butel Construction was positive. Shai Butel was prompt and responsive as soon as I contacted him, and prepared a detailed proposal that showed that he had listened to me and understood what I was looking for. After that, I let the project sit for many months, but as soon as I was ready to start the conversation again, Shai responded quickly and we moved forward. His project manager and workers were great - good communications, quality work, kept the work areas clean, and made things as livable as possible for the humans and dogs - which is not easy when you go a couple of months without a kitchen! It wasn't inexpensive, of course, but there were no surprises. The only costs that exceeded the original budget came because of things that I added, and the costs for those add-ons were clearly communicated and fairly priced. It has now been a year since they finished the project. I'm really happy that I don't have to live with that chaos, but I would definitely do it again. I love my new kitchen and the rest of the work that they did, and I have recommended them to more than one friend.

They did professional work. They did everything I wanted and didn't charge me for some of the lights. They did a good job and I was very pleased. Their price was right.

We called to request they give us an estimate for remodeling we wanted to get done on a house we just purchased. They came out, looked it over, and told us they would send an estimate. After weeks, I called several times, asking when we would receive the estimate. They kept telling me I would receive it, but I never did even after calling several more times. Finally, I spoke to someone who said they don't give free estimates, even though the guy had already come out to look at the job. After that I gave up and found a better contractor. Perhaps they do good work if they actually respond, but I wouldn't waste my time with them. If they can't even be professional about an estimate, I can only imagine how they would act during the construction process. In regards to their response, we were not in escrow. We had purchased the house. If they thought that was the issue, they could have explained their concerns and been informed of the truth. Instead they refused to respond and when they did it was with lies and excuses which they are only providing more of now. Which is their choice, but it certainly isn't professional. Once again, perhaps they do good work, but we won't be using them.

I used Butel construction for several remodel projects in my loft/townhome, including kitchen tile/countertops, island installation, cabinetry work. In addition, I had a pair of custom designed large sliding glass doors for a bathroom entrance. My experience with Butel construction was excellent. The quality of the work is top notch, particularly the carpentry work to build the kitchen island. All the subcontractors used were very good, with quality work backed by Butel. I really liked working with Shai, the owner of the company. He never tried to upsell any aspect of the project and had a good sense of design form and function. In fact, many times, he suggested cheaper yet acceptable alternatives to what I was proposing. Cost for the work seemed very reasonale and in line with several bids that I received. The one and only criticism is with the accounting system which occasionally was a bit challenging to figure out particularly when additional work was added. I would definitely use Butel again and highly recommend the company for small projects or large renovations.

It's rare for anyone to say that they enjoyed living through construction in their home. But we've done it twice with Shai Butel of Butel Construction and he's made it as easy, unobtrusive and quick as possible without sacrificing excellent end results. Shai himself is a trustworthy, reliable contractor and an overall great guy. We've been impressed with him as well as all of the guys on his team and all of his sub-contractors. He hasn't steered us wrong with recommendations and is usually willing to negotiate. Most importantly, he stands by his work and if anything is wrong, he'll fix it ... and if it was his error, he'll do it at his cost. Like most contractors, you do need to closely manage the details to make sure everything stays perfectly on track, but he's totally open to that and encourages it. Our most recent project with Shai was our biggest - adding a fourth bedroom/bathroom and three closets as well as expanding our kitchen dining area. We did get other comparative bids (even though we were leaning heavily toward working with Shai again based on great experiences in the past) and he was absolutely willing to work with us within our budget and worked through multiple contract revisions until we were completely comfortable to proceed. It took about a month to finalize the contract - Shai wanted the work and was willing to put in the time to negotiate and adjust the terms without putting on intense pressure. Much appreciated. Shai and his subcontractors handled everything from start to finish - and his right hand man Eudice is fantastic as well, staying in touch with us, providing updates on timing and next steps, and readily available (both Shai and Eudice) for questions... which we always had many. If we needed to meet in person, we could get Shai or Eudice to come out within a day, two max. Impressive. As with any contractor, you need to closely manage the details. While they did provide updates to us, a few times we were surprised with short deadlines to select fixtures, paints or materials. But in the grand scheme of adding onto our home, we believe this is a minor, forgivable point. We started worked in late June and work was completed (with a few minor things to finish up) by late October. Four months is pretty amazing timing for an addition of a bedroom, bathroom, three closets, kitchen dining area expansion, as well as relocation of our HVAC, water heater and rebuilding our cement wall that encloses our backyard. Most importantly, we're thrilled with the work and would absolutely hire Shai and Butel Construction again in the future.

This project went so quickly that we were amazed. After signing a contract with Shai Butel on Tuesday, work started on Thursday and continued until completion. If you get multiple bids for your project, Butel may not be the cheapest, but you can be sure that they will be prompt and will produce professional quality results. They started with the hardwood floor in the family room which then was covered with padding and a wood overlay to protect it from damage. Painters then removed the popcorn ceiling. The kitchen underwent complete demolition and rough plumbing and electrical were then added. Painters patched and prepped the walls for cabinet installation. The porcelain tile floor was then added. Workers and various crews came everyday and several things were done at once. The new window was installed above the sink and the outside stucco was patched and painted to match the rest of the house. The cabinets are absolutely fabulous with self closing doors and drawers, spice racks, and a compartment for cutting boards. The recessed lighting is also great and gives the whole space a more open feel. After the cabinets, the appliances were all connected and the granite counter tops were added. The back splash was the final installation. We are VERY pleased with the result. We were somewhat insure of exactly what we wanted when starting this project and got good suggestions and guidance from Butel. They are always available by phone to answer questions and helped us through the decision making process. The most difficult part of the process for us was making decisions quickly enough not to slow down the job. Have an idea of what you want in appliances before you sign the contract because things move very quickly and they need the exact measurements before building the cabinets. We are VERY pleased with the results of our project and would use Butel again in the future and plan to do so. Shai was very professional as was the site manager, Eudez. Office manager, Simon, is always the calm voice on the phone.

I was particularly impressed with the level of attention and direction by the general contractor. Shai Butel was always in contact with us or with his immediate foreman. He was approachable and patient with us and helpful with creative and practical solutions for us. His subs were very good, took our direction and operated neatly and punctually at the job site. Hi tile contractor, in particular, was outstanding, a true artisan. We provided stained glass windows and period medicine cabinet for installation which were done beautifully. Shai Butel is very attentive and respectful of the complex and often chaotic, ad-hoc decision making that can happen during construction. Working with older, period homes can be like opening a treasure chest or a pandoras box, you never know if there's something behind a wall or below a floor. After demolition of our kitchen, for example, we were surprised to find a hidden floor safe installed years ago by the previous owner. Needless to say, Shai was very understanding and his team removed the safe (an arduous task) at a reasonable cost and delay.

They came out and they were fine. They were very professional and I was comfortable with them.

They replaced our water heater, with a waterless tank. They also had to interface the heater with our electrical system. Their work was professional and super clean. I will be using them again in a couple of months.

Our 1,800 sq.ft. English, 2-story brick house was built in 1928. We bought it in 1995. It had not been painted in 10 years and everything in the small kitchen was in great need of repair and updating. We've always liked the style and general layout of the kitchen. The goal was to give it a major face-lift but maintain it's English country character. Upon meeting the owner Shai Butel I immediately felt comfortable with his professional but easy-going nature. He was the first contractor I interviewed that seemed passionate about and enthusiastic with my vision for the project. If he did not bring samples of materials to me, he would always refer me to a good vendor to find what I was looking for. The contract outlined in great detail every phase of the job. The project commenced with the painting followed by the kitchen remodel. The painters showed up at 8am on the dot every morning and worked full days until the job was done....about two weeks. The lead painter (Jose) succeeded in matching perfectly the colors I had from 10 years ago. He checked with me often to see if I was happy with the results and if I wasn't, was quick to correct them. Shai supplied an industrial sized air filter on site during the paint job to keep the air as clean as possible in the house. The cabinet-builder (Tony) was super energetic and did high quality work. The cabinet finishing took the longest, nearly three weeks. This was longer than originally projected but Shai's cabinet finisher (Ismael) is nothing short of a perfectionist and takes his work very seriously. He stripped probably 4-5 coats of old paint down to the bare wood which was in very good condition. He then sanded them so smooth that when the new paint went on they looked brand new. Lastly, he applied a lightly tinted, transparent wash that gave the cabinets and drawers a beautiful antique look. It was worth the wait. There were no odds and ends that the carpenter (Miguel) could not do. What stood out for me the most is that everyone in the company, including Field Supervisor (Eudez) and Office Manager (Simon) were forever courteous and made me feel very important. Problems, and every remodeling venture has them, were always tended to immediately. We are very happy with the results and would definitely hire Butel Construction again.

Overall we were very happy with the end result of our project and continue to enjoy our new addition. We did have some construction delays which added an extra month to our project which was frustrating and could have been avoided For instance, the windows/door were ordered to late and were not available when the framing was done so very little work got done for 7-10 days. Second, the wood for the flooring was ordered late, so it sat in the house for 7-10 days to acclimate before the hardwood floor guys could do the install, meanwhile we couldn't move on to the next phase of the project. There were other minor delays but these were the two we felt could have been avoided. As stated the project took 4 months instead of 3 which caused us to have to cancel two events previously scheduled at the house. One complaint regarding the quality of the work was with the new ceiling in the dining room. It's a large ceiling and you can see the seams of the drywall in some areas. Also, we got a few cracks in the seam of the drywall in one area on the outer wall of the dining room. This may be from settling of the new foundation. They did come out to patch and repaint that area. Also, the hardwood over the new foundation is cupping very slightly which may be due to moisture. Lastly, some areas of the hardwood floor got scratched when the guys were installing the appliances which really irritated me. They did touch up those areas, but it never looks quite like new. All these issues are cosmetic not structural but these cosmetic issues are why we gave them a B for quality and not an A. Now, on a more positive note, Jason the project manager had many good suggestions in our project design which we incorporated into our plans. He's patient and always available. They worked within our budget and didn't nickel and dime us for every change in plans. When major changes were agreed upon new work orders were written up and a negotiated cost was added, otherwise, many modifications were done at their expense. For instance, we had a major problem with our new floor about 6 months after they completed our project. We developed water damage on about a 3 by 8 foot section of flooring where the floor was buckling and rotted from moisture. They brought out a specialist to try and find where the water intrusion was coming from but no source was found. They removed the damaged floor and 6" of the new foundation, dug under our old foundation, poured a new cement foundation and sealed it with our old foundation. Then put in new floor joists, plywood and hardwood flooring. Brought in a cabinet guy to match the stain and polyurethane seal. They covered the entire job under their warranty at no cost to us. For a contractor to do that we felt was amazing. Our new island is beautiful and functional. The cabinet guy was excellent. He matched our old cabinets perfectly and did an amazing job on the "piano style" doors under our stairwell. The stone work in the backyard looks beautiful and the deck looks amazing. The new kitchen/dining room layout is exactly what we wanted. The space is more functional and open which is great for entertaining. We would definitely use them again for other projects in our home in the future.

Absolutely outstanding, professional service from beginning to end. Contractor was responsive and communicative. Arrived when they said they would, got the job done on time, did an excellent, high quality job, involved us in all decisions. Excellent at communication and customer relations. Work crew was friendly, reliable, efficient, and highly skilled.

We ran into some difficulties that led to further costs. There were plumbing issues that were not related to the actual job. If I back out the costs that were absolutely necessary, it was pretty close to budget. I've used him 3 or 4 times and I have recommended him.

Extremely happy with the work and the results. Butel Construction was professional and courteous. Always kept us informed about the progress of the work. Took care of all the paperwork (permitting, inspections, etc.) with the city as well. The price was very reasonable. The job took a couple of weeks longer than expected but were happy we were always told the reason and what is going to happen next. Would definitely recommend to all friends and family.

It went very well. I liked just about everything. The project manager and the guy who came out to give the estimate were all very patient and thorough. They made sure that I was comfortable with everything. If I had any issues they listened to me and took care of it. Everything went very well. I got other estimates that were cheaper. They were a little more expensive than other estimates I got.

I spent about $25000 on the last service. I like that he was professional, he came in on budget and all sub-contractors he did I thought did very quality work. Whether it was the electrician, carpenter, plumbing, drywall people, or the painter all did really good jobs. It is a reflection on him because he was the one that hired them.

Butel immediately drew up plans for a customized stand for my heater/AC located on the roof which stopped all leakage from the unit. They installed gutters with leaf guards which has resulted in greatly improved drainage, even during the massive rains of December. The fence is gorgeous and so stable, 2 inches off the ground to avoid moisture and rotting, made of the highest quality cedar which then received a coat of sealant. I have used Butel twice before for bathroom and kitchen remodeling and couldn't be more pleased with the result.

We have worked with Butel Construction on several projects over the last year and a half ranging from a small bedroom addition, to bungalow units & a 4plex remodel on our rental property. Our first project was a 25 square foot addition to a small bedroom last summer. The work was performed while we were working and living in the house, and Butel took great care to make sure our daily lives were as uninterrupted as possible. The work was finished beautifully, on time and on budget in just a few weeks. In November of 2009 we began a complete down-to-the-bones renovation on a 10 unit rental property. We began with 5 units and would later add two more, plus exterior land/hardscape, fencing and a high tech security system. Butel's team were consumate professionals interracting not only with us but also our existing tenants on the property. These 5 units were gutted to their studs, and everything including plumbing, foundation, insulation, electrical wiring, kitchens bathrooms and bedrooms were completely redone. We added central HVAC, surround sound wiring, redid the floors, the windows and brought the framing up to code. When we encountered problems with City inspectors requesting changes to our original scope, Butel worked dilligently to ensure that the disruption to our project was minimal. Our project manager Jason developed a solid relationship with inspectors, planning departments, engineers and the building department in West Hollywood, critical in a project of this scope. Every trade that Butel brought to our jobsite did a fantastic job and exceeded our expectations. Whether it was the daunting task of getting plumbing for 4 bathrooms in one wall, or digging out crawlspace clearance that was 6" and needed to be 18", or making sure we replaced the sewer line *before* putting the new pavers in on top, everyone worked together to make sure things were done right, in the most efficient order, and in the most cost effective way. After we completed the interior units, we moved on to bring a new look to the exterior of the property. With several new tenants and lots of new dogs, the challenges of working within people's schedules and 4 legged friends can be challenging. We've never had a single issue, in fact many members of the Butel team have gone above and beyond helping tenants with every little "While you're here can you look at this little thing" or "Hey I broke my bedroom door can you help me replace it?" As a landlord it's incredibly helpful to have a contractor who is willing to be part of the daily solution. As the exteriors came together, Butel brought in the most beautiful paving stones, and an amazing crew to install them in 90+ degree heat. The custom fabricated fences that came after that were beautiful and met our design concept perfectly. The security & camera system installed covers every inch of the property and gives us & our tenants great peace of mind. Communication and the ability to solve problems as they arise are the key to any sucessful project. Ours was no exception. With daily updates and weekly scheduling, we always had a very clear picture of what was being done, when, by whom, and how that piece fit into the scope. When the power company delayed us for nearly two weeks last year during the rains, or our showers failed to ship from Home Depot and and arrived 2 weeks late, consistant communication between our two teams made sure we lost as little time as possible. In my 13 years of property ownership and management, I have worked with many different contractors, large and small, easy to impossible. Our sucesses with Butel outshine the rest by far. Everyone from the owner of the company down to the painters on my jobsite and everyone in between has delivered excellent quality of work and been a pleasure to work with. I'd reccomend them to anyone.

This is really difficult, which it why it has taken me so long to even start this. As to whether I would work with them again, the answer is "maybe", but that's not an option. The work started in April 2010 with an estimate of 8 - 12 weeks, so at worst it should have been done the end of June. My recollection is that we were finally able to move out of the guest bedroom and back into the master bedroom around the end of August, and everything was finally finished sometime the end of October, beginning of November. So their "punctuality" was abysmal. They will likely say that some of that was my fault. They're wrong. I had every item they needed before they needed it, and when they wanted my dogs out of the house, I got them out. Except when they called me at 8 a.m. (or even later) and said they needed the dogs out that day, and I was in Court, or already at my office, or driving somewhere. As far as paying, they got their checks almost before the ink was dry on the invoice. So that wasn't the problem either. I am also amazingly easy going and nice to work with, so that wasn't it either. No it was the usual thing. 90% of the money was paid by mid-July and so everything stopped for the next 7 weeks. In the beginning they were fabulous. They were there every day, day in and day out, with few days missed. Then they missed a day here, a day there, and then they missed a week here, a week there, and finally they did nothing for about six weeks. I tried everything. I begged them, cajoled them, threatened them; toward the end I told them when the handyman would be there to finish their work. But Butel got here before the date the handyman was scheduled to be here, and finally finished everything. Don't get the idea that the entire experience was miserable. The work was absolutely beautiful and I really liked Jason, Chi, and 90% of the workers. Even the one subcontractor who did the wood doors (that look like french windows), and was snotty at first, was much better the second time he came to the house. Although nothing happening for so long in the end drove me round the bend, I actually still like them, which is why I really didn't want to ever do this report. But when I joined Angie's List I took on the responsibility of reporting when I used someone on the List and I finally forced myself to fulfill that obligation. For five years I'd been looking online at bathrooms and trying to figure out how to make my bathroom really special. In all that time I never saw a bathroom I loved. The only way to describe the master bath is phenomenal and WOW! I'll upload some pictures if I can take pictures that do it justice and figure out how to upload them, but everyone who sees it was stunned because I'm not generally known as creative, and although I'd done by entire backyard (a project that was a nightmare until I fired my contractor and the reason I joined Angie's list to begin with), I'd never really done any indoor remodeling. I got a little help from my friends, and Jason picked out the really amazing tile for the back wall and the face of the soaking tub. Once I had that, picking out the rest of the tile was not hard at all. To apologize for the ridiculously long time it took to complete this job, Jason had my entire patio covering (about 20' x 40') painted for free. But I would have rather had the job completely on time - or even a month late. Almost everyone did their job beautifully, but there were those little gliches. One example was that I told Jason there needed to be 3/4" pipes into the soaking tub so it didn't take me a month to fill it, and I happened to be looking around before they put up the drywall and noticed that the piping into the tub was the same size as all the other piping; they fixed that without complaint. I have no doubt that had we not discovered it until the drywall was in, Jason would have had the drywall taken out and not charged me anything. We were just lucky I noticed because construction is definitely not my area of expertise. As is often the case, apart from the ridiculous amount of time the job took, it was the little things that drove me insane: the remainder of the concrete poured near my backyard trees (and subsequently dug up by me so I could re-plant the grass); failing to return the unopened boxes of tile and leaving all the leftover tile (and paint cans) sitting about 60 yards from the shed with me finally getting sick of waiting and hauling them (slowly and painfully) to the shed; treating my yard as storage for their equipment (the concrete mixer, wood, dry wall, etc., etc., etc. sat here for weeks after they no longer needed it); leaving nails and other sharp items all over the back yard (where my dogs roam freely); leaving wood and junk under my bushes from where I had to haul it out and toss it; the electrician never returning to mark the new electrical panel until I finally hired and paid the Electrician Magician (who is fabulous and also on Angie's List) to mark the panel; leaving the ceiling fan out in the elements so long that it now rarely works and I'm going to have to buy a new one, and have it installed, of course; my sprinkler timer and outside outlet just happening to die while the electricians were working (they fixed the plug but said the timer was not their fault), etc. Too much to go into here. By now you have, no doubt, decided I'm insane to still like this company and maybe that's true. But the work is so beautiful and so perfect in every way, and every contractor (but one) who I've worked with has been "challenged" in some way, that if I did another big project I would at least have to think about using Butel on the principal of "better the devil you know"! At least I know their work will be good. I just have to plan for it to take three times the amount of time they say it will!

From the start, he is responsive when we had questions/concerns, kept us constantly updated on status of the job, and in general made us feel at ease that things were going to get done right and our liking. The work is stellar and his subs are terrific to deal with as well. Have recommended him to all our friends.

I don?t think they are the cheapest but I thought their price was fair. The quality of their work was excellent. I've had them bid on thing since then and I may use them again.