Butel Construction Inc

I initially interviewed Shai and Jason together without my wife and after seeing several other contractors with my wife, Butel was still at the top of my list so I asked them to come back out to win over my wife and they did. That same night. Their bid was a little higher than the other contractors and they didn't have many allowances built into the contract, but they came with a great personal recommendation from a friend and their website gallery looked extremely professional. But what really won me over was that I could tell that they were decent and honest people and it's important to trust the person that is going to be basically living with you for 4-6 weeks. And I immediately knew I made the right decision. As soon as we pulled the trigger they were off. It was like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition the first day with about 10-15 people demoing my kitchen and bathroom. We decided to live in our house with our two small children during the remodel, which was a bit trying, but Shai did everything in his power to make life easier for us. When I complained about the dust, he sent over a professional cleaning crew the next day and sealed up all the bedrooms in my house with zip-up plastic doors. One night during the rewiring we lost power in my daughter's bedroom and Shai had his electrician out there within the hour. Along the way there were a few hiccups, but that's to be expected in any major renovation, but what sets Shai and Butel Construction apart from the other contractors out there is that they own their mistakes and make good on them immediately. If I had any question on the quality of something, it was immediately addressed. This is soooo important. And don't get me wrong, nothing major happened. For example they rushed to finished the bathroom for me so I could have it for the weekend and the caulking got a little messy and I complained and they had it fixed first thing Monday morning. You can't ask for more than that. But it gets even better. The job has been done now for two weeks and I had a question about something and they were at the house the next morning addressing the issue. We didn't initially plan on a repipe, but I knew we needed one so it wasn't a surprise when Shai suggested we do it. But he did it for cost and saved me a ton of money. Other than that, the quote was the quote. He stuck to his number. I had the pleasure of working with all three project managers, Shai, Jason and Eudez and all three were great guys. Very honest. Very helpful. And very reliable. Their crew was also fantastic. I would ask a painter if he could help me move a couch and they would stop what they were doing to help me every time. Anyway, I can't rave enough about Butel. And I wish there was a place on Angie's List where I could post some pictures because the end result was amazing. We couldn't be happier.

Everything went very smoothly. Shai Butel the owner was very helpful and instrumental with details on all stages of renovation. His imput was invaluable and really showed in the finished product. He has alot of patience as we are not the easiest of clients to deal with. We are very fussy and detail oriented and Shai Butel and his team stepped up to every challenge we gave them. Shai is awesome to work with and I would recommend him to the most discriminating of clients.

I needed work done because 7 windows leaked, I wanted the wooden window frames gone, and I wanted the house re-stuccoed. Jason came an hour late, but said he came at the time the office told him. We talked, he suggested new windows, and then he said the stucco guy and window guy were going to come over, but never said when. They both came unannounced when I was eating breakfast. That seemed relatively minor, and later I decided to hire these guys because they really seemed to know what they were doing. Jason gave me a price, and then when I asked for the 10% Angie's list discount, he said it was already incuded. I felt he should have said that in the first place and encourage him in the future to state that up front to avoid confusion. Because he was less expensive than other bidders, I told Jason I agreed in principle to hire him, but I wanted to go over the contract before definitely agreeing. He said he was going to send me the contract, and then I didn't hear from him until three days later when I called him to find out what was going on. Jason then sent me the contract by e-mail. Some requests I had specifically made--such as certain legal terminology, and not being responsible for paying him for simply doing the job but rather for passing inspection (an inspector told me it was common to ask this)--were not in the contract. His reply: "It's a standard contract." Also, when I asked if simply putting new windows in the current openings was going to solve the leak problem, Jason answered, "The windows are guaranteed." That seemed vague to me, so I e-mailed him and said I had reservations about the contract the way it was currently written and that I was going to FAX in the cancellation. He wrote back saying it was just a draft, but if that's so, why did it have a date in the "you must cancel by this date" section? And why did he say that changing the stucco finish would require a change order if the contract truly was just a draft? That seemed contradictory. Jason might be a really good on the job, but his poor communication with me beforehand convinced me to pay more for someone who isn't absent, and whose communication is not vague, contradictory, or incomplete. He might think I was being too picky. The total job would have been over $15K, which is a LOT of money to me, so you better believe I was picky and interested in protecting myself. I wanted every detail of the job and contract worked out before agreeing to hire him. Since I couldn't get that, I'm looking elsewhere. I do not think Jason was intentionally being misleading. I got the impression he was simply buried under work and forgot where we were in the process, what I had previously asked for, and what he had already said. Maybe it's time for Butel to hire another contractor, and in the meantime, for Jason to take and use notes about his jobs.

Overall, the remodel went great. We purchased this home a few years ago and this bathroom remodel was our first experience with a project this large that involved hiring a general contractor. We initially interviewed 3 different contractors, and while Butel’s quote was perhaps one or two thousand dollars more expensive than another quote we received, we ended up choosing Butel for several reasons. Our initial meeting with Jason went very well – he was informative both from a design perspective as well as about local code, he was patient in responding to my many questions (being a newbie after all), and his responses were thorough and detailed especially in describing how the Butel team works. We also appreciated his direct communication style; his low-pressure consultation was refreshing after our experience with other rather aggressive contractors. His promptness for meetings and use of email were small details that we appreciated and knew would complement our work style. The structure of the Butel SOW is what really tipped the scales in their favor – it showed experience, thoughtfulness, and attention to detail. But really it was a trip to a previous job site that is what sealed the deal – the work spoke for itself. The first step in the process was selecting tile, fixtures, and countertops. We used vendors recommended by Jason and were extremely pleased with all three of them. The design assistance was spot on, prices were competitive, and customer service was incredibly responsive. All three will get my business again in the future. Once the project kicked off, the Butel team was led by Eudez who brought in many of their own team members as well as several subs for specialized tasks like electrical, plumbing, and glass. The Butel team members and subs were great – friendly, competent, efficient and clean. Our only minor issue was with the sub contractor for the vanity and cabinet. The lead designer was great to work with but the quality of the installation left us a bit frustrated. The contractor installed the cabinet before they put on the stain/varnish finish. Our bathroom has tight corners which led to stain getting on our brand new tile, not to mention all over the internal hardware and cabinet interior. Also the door handles weren’t installed plumb which is frustrating for a detailed orientated people like we are. I’m not the professional here, but it seemed like many of our issues with the cabinets could have been avoided had the cabinet and vanity been stained/varnished prior to installation. I would be remiss if I didn’t give proper praise to Butel’s tile guy, Jose – his work is outstanding. We felt similar about sub-contractor Rick from Vasquez Glass Studio. He was super patient in helping us design the shower enclosure, and the glass came out beautifully once installed. We really appreciated working with Jason, Eudez and team during the process. Both Jason & Eudez were very communicative with us, giving us frequent updates about the current status of the project as well as what to expect as next steps. Eudez often communicated through email which I very much appreciated – it’s my preferred form of communication for quick updates. Even as minor issues occurred, the team responded quickly and made sure that all items were resolved. We are very happy with the final results of the remodel. We will definitely use Butel again in the future and recommend that other angielist readers do so as well.

I think they were very professional, responsive and they do good work.

This was a total kitchen remodel which was completely professional and beautifully done. The workmanship is without compare and included professional cabinetry, ceramic tile and marble-type counter top installation, excellent plumbing and renovation of the electrical system. There was excellent pricing and quality of all the new appliances as well as interior painting and sale and installation of flooring. Butel Construction has earned the best possible rating in my opinion: A++.

We had an excellent discussion about what we wanted and he listed and asked great questions. Before getting the bids they were on the top of our list, but we were surprised to see how many pricing conditions were placed in the bid. Ultimately went with another contractor because I felt like every little detail would turn into a change order.

They did an excellent job. They were very professional and they were amenable to all our plan changes.

They also installed a new sink. They truly were quite sensitive to our design choices. They were punctual and on budget. My experience with them was great.

Jason is friendly, clearly knowledgeable on all aspects of remodeling, and communicates in a way that makes the work clear to a novice remodeling client. His estimates included possible costs (rewiring) that other estimates did not, but which we ended up having to pay to meet permitting codes. His time table for the project was also more realistic than the company's that we used. Trust his estimates and time table. We wish we had gone with Jason and Butel Construction.

All work went very well. Workers were very dependable and trustworthy. The contractor and or manager were always keeping work on time and organized. Everything was very well planned. What really impressed us was the amount of care taken to protect our existing home and valuables while work was being done. Cleanup was exceptional. Very happy with results. We would recommend Butel Construction to all.

They provided excellent services. From planning and permitting to finished work, everything was professionally and carefully done. Work was completed on schedule and budget. We highly recommend this excellent company.

Butel Construction remodeled my kitchen and my master bathroom. The price included all labor and kitchen cabinets, granite countertop, bathroom cabinet, and marble countertop for the bathroom, as well as the steam shower unit. I provided the rest of the materials such as hardware, bathroom fixtures, etc. This is in addition to $50,000 I paid to Butel. However, I used fairly high-end materials so the project could have been a lot cheaper had I used less expensive materials. There were bumps along the way, but my general contractor, Jason and the field manager, Eudez fixed all the problems that arose during the whole remodeling process. Also, works were done continuously without break, so it was relatively fast. Every day, there were workers here working on something, so I was glad. They also listened to my specific instructions on what I wanted for the kitchen and the bath. Any mistakes that occurred were fixed. They also had a reasonable payment schedule based on certain milestones reached during remodeling. Never really pressured me to pay, so I felt really comfortable that this company would not take my money and leave me with unfinished work. The final result was quite impressive. My neighbors and my family all gave high praises on how beautiful everything looked after the remodeling. Thank you Jason, Eudez, Angel, and Jose, plus the rest of the team.

The job is not yet complete, which is why I haven't get rated the quality of the workmanship. However, Butel Construction, and particularly the project manager, Jason H., have been so fabulous that I thought I should submit something already. The quote was provided in exquisite detail within less than 24 hr. I am almost always able to get a hold of the project manager on his cell, but if he doesn't pick up, he calls back or emails within a few hours. The price seemed competitive, although my time frame was such that I couldn't wait for the other contractors to get back to me with a bid before accepting the offer from Butel. Concerns that I have raised have been addressed essentially immediately. I never thought dealing with a contractor could actually be pleasant!!

The contract was written with required clarity with respect to the work to be done and price with the schedule for completion. The payment schedule was tied to the milestones of completed work. Once the old dry walls and ceilings were removed a few plumbing challenges were discovered but effective solutions were achieved. The quality of the work was very good. Shai, Jason, Jose and Julio were very responsive and tended to our needs. Overall a very positive experience.

After scheduling an appointment w/ them, they later called to reschedule, which we did, then they were late to the rescheduled appointment. But, when the contractor came, he was very friendly, thorough, and helpful. He took his time answering all of my questions and offered to give an estimate on any other projects we were considering. They gave me a complete brochure w/ a business card and several pictures of past work they've done.

A few other issues happened that I think could have been avoided but I'll just chalk that up to standard crappy time management that is so common in construction as well as the hiring of cheaper labor over experienced labor. Basically some dumb mistakes happened (IE: Shower door broke in transit, then replacement door had towel handle at a foot higher than it should have been, not to mention shower door was installed upside down at first-i had to point it out to the installer). Throughout the whole process Jason was easy to reach, called me back and was willing to listen. That bit made the process seem better since Jason would listen to what I had to say. had Jason and Butel construction not been willing to talk and own up to their mistakes I would have kicked them out of my house but they are very professional and understand that their reputation was on the line. Would I recommend Butel Construction? Yes I would, however I would just tell you that you need to be detail oriented and call them out on the little details that their employees over look. I paid for my bathroom to be remodeled and I want it to be perfect unless I mess something up myself. I'm not paying for a crappy paint job so if you aren't happy with the paint job and see missed spots, call it out. Its your responsibility as a client to do that and as a vendor Butel is willing to listen. Once again, I will reiterate that you must have an attention to detail and if you do, Butel Construction will uphold that attention to detail. My bathroom looks absolutely stunning and very impressive but the pain and suffering I went through to get to that point was only bearable because Jason and Butel construction cared about their work. (for the record, the job was supposed to take 3 weeks but ended up being almost 8 weeks(1.5 weeks was not their fault as i halted work due to company) I have left out details of the remodel that were extremely annoying and inconvenient but if you can read between the lines you will see that there were problems and Butel did everything possible to correct them)

Two things stand out about our experience with Butel. First, they do quality work. The materials are all first rate, the tradesmen know what they're doing, the specialists (cabinets, hardscape guys) know they're stuff, and the finished product looks great. We couldn't be happier, and have had zero problems. Second, they're very easy to work with -- timely, courteous, conscientious, and clean. We have been very happy with everything Butel has done. They are total pros. The initial estimate was done in a very timely manner. Our job manager Jason helped us pick finishes and fixtures and was always willing to answer our questions or meet us to talk something through. The workmen were all very skilled -- the tile work in our bathrooms is immaculate. Every crew arrived on-time, was courteous, worked around our schedule when needed, and cleaned up their mess at the end of each day. When we fired a landscape firm, we were so happy with Butel's work on the house, we asked them to bid the backyard. We eventually went with them, and they did very nice work completely remaking it -- re-grading, demolishing existing structures, building new stairs, installing paving stones, new fencing and re-plastering the pool. Same great quality as in the house. While we hope never to need so much work to be done again, we can't say enough nice things about Butel. We've already recommended them to our neighbors. And we'd use them again in a heartbeat.

Mr. Butel came out and gave a competitive bid for the entire job. He also had some good ideas about the remodel that we agreed to for the final remodeling plan. He and his crew were all very easy to work with, very pleasant people. Their work was top grade all the way through. They were very responsive to our questions and quickly took care of minor tweaks and adjustments as needed.

All of this was done in a little less than a month. While I was not home for most of the work there were usually workmen here when I did get home ? sometimes as late as six or seven at night making sure they completed a job before moving on. As a matter of fact in order to maintain the schedule the tile guy came in on a Saturday and half of a Sunday to complete his part of the job. Their craftsmanship was good and their price, while not cheap, was very competitive. I have already asked they to bid on another job that I am planning for next year. The cost listed above includes all appliances, flooring, tile, and fixtures, which I purchased separate from the actual construction cost.

The work went really very well. They were awesome. We had a problem and they followed up very well. They had left something uncompleted and they came back and finished it. The work was done almost a year ago. They were very good overall. Their quote was competitive, but the cost by the end of the work went up. It was not their fault though as we had to get some work done again.

We interviewed three contractors for our bathroom remodel project. Shai gave us the best quote and had great reviews on Angie's list, so we decided to use his company. We were living in our home during the remodel, so Shai and his crew remodeled the master bathroom and 1/2 bath first while we used the 3/4 bath. Once they were done, we moved back into the master bedroom and they remodeled the 3/4 bath. They estimated nine weeks total for the project and came in right on time. Overall, we had a terrific experience with this company. Our project manager Eudez was wonderful. They always showed up on time and if we had any concerns they were addressed right away. After each day of work they cleaned up the work area. Our neighbors never complained.

It worked out better than I could have possibly imagined. It was finished on time and on budget.

Jason was prompt and professional from start to finish. In fact, he responded to my initial inquiry within an hour, and all of our interactions went pretty much the same way. We had a lot of questions - both during and after our meeting - and he seemed happy to answer all of them, and also knowledgeable in his answers. His followup was excellent and he was patient in addressing new issues as they came up. He was willing to hear our input and flexible in trying to give us what we needed. Plus we felt he was very straightforward in his recommendations and that he was considering our best interest and not trying to "sell" us. His final quoted price was fair for all that was included, right in line with the other contractors we talked to. It was really hard for us to make a decision because we had multiple bids from contractors who all seem really great. In the end we didn't choose to go with Jason, but it was certainly not due to any negative experience we had with him. I would definitely consider working with him on another project.

This was a very positive experience. I am looking forward to working with Jason in the future.