Butel Construction Inc

Last year I wrote a review of Shai Butel's work on my house that included remodeling the garage and remodeling two bathrooms. I concluded the review by writing: "The usual question here is, would I use the company again. The answer is yes and, in fact, they are about to begin renovating my kitchen. I hope I will be able to post a similarly enthusiastic review in the not-too-distant future." Well, it's a year later, so I'm overdue, but the kitchen and laundry room renovations were as successful and satisfying as the earlier remodeling job. From planning the new kitchen -- where Shai and Tom had better ideas for the design than we did -- to the choice of appliances to the staging and scheduling of the work -- everything went smoothly and the results were exactly as I hoped. The timing worked out pretty much precisely as Shai predicted -- none of the last minute delays that folks report with other contractors -- in part because of his ability to weave together the contributions of the different specialists [framing, tiling -- outstanding work once again!, plumbing, electricity, painting, etc.]. When there were minor problems after the job was completed [one low voltage light fixture not working well] they were taken care of quickly. No surprise, I have since employed Shai for additional jobs -- replacing a back-garden gate, etc, -- and I am now discussing some other work.

This is long overdue (I though I'd already submitted a review, but apparently had not) but we were very pleased with the work of Shai and his team last summer (2015). This was the second project we've done with Butel, the first being when they came in to repair the work of a disastrous (non-Angie's List) contractor on our master bathroom (the review of which is later in this list). With this most recent project, we had gotten a quote from another contractor, which was a little lower than Butel's, but given the past experience with Shai, we were more comfortable that his price would be the actual price, so decided to pay a little more. Shai proved us right in that there were a number of challenges with even this small project, and despite some issues along the way (e.g., the mud didn't set right and a crack appeared in the bathroom wall perhaps 4-6 weeks after the project), Shai always went out of his way to ensure we were satisfied with the final results (e.g., with the mud crack, he had someone out the day after we called, and they came back the following day to repair/repaint - no questions asked). The only change orders were for items we required that were not originally discussed, and even in those cases, the changes were for materials, not labor, as Shai was able to absorb any additional work, such as when we talked about the type of door and window molding we wanted, which was originally going to be fairly simple, but evolved into a multi-piece craftsman style that turned out beautifully. I know it took longer to do the molding than he planned, but we had worked out the specifics and he agreed they could do it, and we couldn't be happier. The project did take longer than was originally forecast, which I would probably focus on in our next project with Butel (as I'm sure there will be a third and fourth etc. as we identify new projects) so that expectations are aligned. I would also stress communication up front and throughout the project, as there were a few hiccups that I think could have been avoided. I try not to micromanage, but in my opinion it was helpful on days when I could be home to point out things and ask questions along the way, rather than hope that the instructions provided were clear only to find out three steps later than something needed to be fixed. Bottom line, my wife and I like Shai and the team members who have worked on our projects, and we trust him and his company. We know when we start that we'll be happy when we finish, which is the majority of what I expect from any contractor.

They quoted 10,000 to put in a fiberglass shower, plus cost of materials. He quoted work I did not need. He was dishonest and unethical.

I got a quote from Butel and two other providers; Butel and another provider were very close in price and were the two that understood what I wanted the best. They gave me a realistic schedule (estimating 5-7 weeks but that it could be done in 4 if there were no delays). Another provider had estimated 3 which just seemed too quick for me (given materials still needed to be purchased, etc). I was fine with a longer time frame as long as everything was done in that time frame. They and another provider also said a permit would be needed for the work which also made me feel comfortable (the third potential provider said probably not). I walked through the design that I wanted and showed examples of what I liked. They provided a rough schedule of the tasks in the project and a detailed quote. I had several follow up questions which they answered. I signed the contract and had a walk-thru with the owner to review in detail my requirements and answer any detailed questions he had (and point out water and gas shut-offs, etc). The communication throughout the project was great. They would let me know what was happening that week and answer any questions I had. They let me know in advance any decisions that needed to be made so I was ready for those. They did a great job of blocking off the area under construction so that the dust was limited in the rest of the house. They worked with me on the cabinet design and when we had an issue with a potential design change due to a cabinet not being in stock, were able to work with their sub to get me the item I wanted with no delay. The job was finished in 5 weeks and on-budget. I love how it looks and would use Butel again. My neighbors also had great things to say as Butel Construction cleaned up the common areas every night (if they were sawing, etc outside) and were very respectful of the area. Several of my neighbors have asked who I used and I'm sure will use them. I have other remodels planned and will definitely use Butel again.

So… these guys are the absolute best. I have had such disappointing experiences with contractors in the past. One just wouldn’t finish the job, another did really sloppy work, others started and then turned part time, etc etc. So I put off completing the final parts of the remodel on our 1920’s bungalow. In the end we couldn’t live with the horrendous mess that was the bathroom any longer, so I trawled through Angies List and came up with 5 contracts to bid on the work. A guy called Tom came out from Butel and put together a bid that was in the middle of the pack in terms of price, and absolutely at the top in terms of thoroughness, detail and understanding of the scope of work.So I chose Butel. I couldn’t be happier. Shai Butel (the owner) is fantastic. Miguel the project manager / foreman was great. They brought the project in on time, on budget and at top notch quality levels. Their workers were great too, had positive / happy attitudes (really important as we were still living in half of the house), were here every day, and took great pride in their work. They had great communication, and nothing was too much trouble. Despite a few small redirects from me here and there, there were no nickel and dime change orders (unlike my previous contractors who seemed to have them waiting up their sleeves). So yes, all in all a great experience. I am recommending them to all my neighbors, and will absolutely use them again.

I cannot say enough great things about Butel and his team! When we decided to redo our kitchen, we received multiple bids (the range from highest to lowest was a $70,000 difference!!). We ultimately decided to go with Butel not only because we were happy with the bid but also because we really liked Tom and his design ideas. I asked a TON of questions before signing the contract to make sure I understood everything that was included (or not included) and any potential additional costs or expenses. Tom and Shai thoroughly and quickly answered all of my questions by email, and were willing to jump on the phone to walk me through anything I did not understand. (And they did it without ever showing any sign of being annoyed!! :) When we finally made the leap, they started immediately and our kitchen was totally gutted within the week. They had quoted 5-7 weeks, and boy did it move fast. There were, of course, some minor unexpected additional costs, but I felt they were honest and fair in all of their dealings. Shai kept me reasonably informed of what would be happening each week via text, and his crew was lovely. I was able to notify them of any issues that came up via text, and they were quickly resolved. The end result is BEAUTIFUL and everything I wanted. I have heard so many nightmare stories of contractors gone wrong - these guys are professional and delivered on every promise. (I'm counting the days until I can call them back to redo the bathroom!)

Butel was wonderful to work with; they were very helpful and patient with us, since we were first-time homeowners and wanted to restore our 1920s Spanish style home that was not in great condition. They were responsive and provided us with resources like subcontractors and places to source material, but were also flexible and worked with whatever we wanted to use, regardless of whether or not we sourced from them. Whenever there were unexpected challenges they worked with us to make sure we were satisfied. A few additional costs and delays came up during the job, but they were all 100% justified (again, old house with crazy things like asbestos pipes hidden in walls) and handled very well. The house looks just the way we wanted it to, and everything finally works (when we first moved in pre-renovation just about nothing worked right)!

Construction is stressful-let's make that clear. And we had other projects (kitchen remodel, electric re-work, attic insulation, etc.) going on at the same time as Butel was doing their project so we had to make sure that everything matched up with respect to timing and who did what and when. But the timing worked. But the communication was good. I could always text or call them if I had a question (and I always did). The payment terms were very reasonable and the cost was reasonable for the work done. We had existing plans from a separate architect, so that part went well. Butel helped us with getting city inspections done on areas that they were not even responsible for, so that helped a lot. The best part is that several months later I can look back and honestly say that the quality of work that they did was superb. The roofing they had to repair (No leaks!), the plumbing that they did, and the electric that they did was excellent. Recommended: Definitely.

Absolutely fantastic service. Estimate was professional and all the details spelled out in the contract. They started all projects on time and actually finished on time despite some changes I requested. This is not a first time I have used this company and I will definitely use them again. Shie, the owner, always responded to my phone calls promptly. First time I hired them I was shocked everything went smoothly and without any drama. Second time I used them, I expected the same and I was not disappointed.

Shai and his team were a pleasure to work with and I recommend them highly. I have a small 1Bdr, 1Ba + Loft Condo. I stayed in my condo during the renovation which I wouldn't recommend for the weak of heart! Butel Construction lessened my living impact by accommodating me with a temporary utility sink and they were very quick to complete critical phases in the bathroom. Shai and his team kept me updated on everything they were doing and also on what I needed to provide or decide. They were always available to contact with any questions or issues that came up and responded quickly plus they resolved every issue without any fuss. I absolutely love the quality of the finished work that they did and am thrilled with my beautiful new kitchen and bath!

They were exceptional, they did everything that they said they would, any unexpected items or issues were always dealt with quickly, professionally and happily. The end result was brilliant especially the tiling - we used marble subway tiles and the result was perfect. Shai is always solution focussed and I highly recommend his services. The best contractor I have worked with.

We got a low bid from Butel, and they did a wonderful job on our bathroom remodel! They were on time, neat and clean. Beyond our expectations! So we had them paint and patch the exterior of our home, then install new hardwood flooring. They did a great job again and I highly recommend them to everyone!

Not much to say here, having only had a phone conversation, but feeling hopeful! Very helpful office manager, he will speak to the owner and get back to me about working out of their area. I've spoke to a few contractors from AL, with bad to VERY bad results. Hope these guys can come out and get our house remodel back on track and pushed forward a bunch!

I felt the estimate was reasonable, but ended up deciding against doing much of the work (putting it off for a future date) and the rest of the work was able to be accomplished by my painter for a lower price. However, I want to give Butel Construction a good review because they were prompt and professional and seemed very knowledgeable about all aspects of construction codes and practices and I would definitely consider using them at a later date if I decide to go ahead with the rest of the work we discussed.

Great! They were so friendly and helpful, and put up with all of my nitpicking and questions. If I didn't like how something was done they would fix it, and were fast, clean and professional. Great work!

We had a WONDERFUL experience with this remodel! I know that sounds crazy since I had terrible experiences with two previous contractors on different projects, but I got so lucky with Butel Construction. I'm telling all of my friends because they have wanted to remodel but are concerned with the process of finding the right company. After all, finding an honorable contractor is like finding an honorable lawyer. I married an honorable lawyer, so I got lucky twice! :) Shai Butel is a man of integrity, and he only hires subcontractors who meet his high standards. Let me give you some examples. First of all, his people show up! Every day, Monday through Friday, his team is here working. If I have a question or want to make a change, I can reach someone if not immediately, then definitely within a few hours. He is so responsive! He is not out to rip off anyone. Some of the things I wanted to do cost a lot of money, and he had ideas that saved us money and ended up with the same quality of work and beautiful result. He takes pride in what he does, and he stands behind his work. If something goes wrong, he will come back and make it right. I had two occasions to call him with emergencies, of course they both happened on holiday weekends. One was his plumber coming out at night to relight our pilot light so we would have hot water, and the other was his guy coming out on the 4th of July to get our air conditioner going again for a problem they didn't even cause. Shai and his team take care of all of the details--meeting with the inspectors and engineer, making sure the products are delivered on time, etc. I am a very hands-on person and unfortunately, I have an eye for detail. If one thing is "off" just a little, it seems like a mile to me. Shai and his team did every detail (and then some!) to my satisfaction. His tile and finishing guys are true artisans and their work is gorgeous! I have had so many compliments on my tile, cabinets, and finishes. This project came together better than I ever could have imagined. I was nervous too before starting this remodel. It could have been a nightmare with the wrong contractor and I was terrified I would pick the wrong company. I am thrilled that I chose Butel. Working with Butel was like watching my dream house unfold before my eyes. It is wonderful to know that good guys are still in the construction business. Security like that is hard to find. You can reach Butel at (323) 938-6360.

I'm writing this review a few years after finishing my home remodel with Butel. It's probably good to have some distance from the emotional process of redoing an entire house. Price. We got about 8 different quotes and Butel came in around mid to low compared to others. The thing is that once the work started there were a TON of things that came up that should have cost more, but Shai did not charge us. Of course large unknowns did come up and those increased the cost (this is totally normal for construction and we budgeted for this), but there were so many little things that Shai just covered. I don't think you should expect this from them if you hire them, but he was exceedingly generous with me in order to do a quality job. Quality. My partner was a contractor, so he is very picky about quality. I am very pleased with my house, but there were a lot of things we had to point out along the way. Since I'm writing this three years after the remodel, I need to note that I've had a few problems with some things (due to supplies I chose, not workmanship), and I've always contacted Butel about those things for repairs. Shai has always sent people out to fix problems for free. He stands by his work, even years later. The few problems we had. This might be specific to our choices, but we selected penny tile for the bathroom. The tile install process took at least 5 attempts to get straight, which delayed the entire remodel timeline. Most frustrating was that I had to be the one to tell them it was crooked, and that's including some very obvious misplaced tiles. Now, it's beautiful. But I would be cautious with tile. I would also say that their team is not familiar with honed granite. They put a plastic cover on our counters that melted into the granite in the sun, and had to be treated to remove the spots left behind. The spots are not entirely gone, but I gave up on this. One weird thing is that we had new exterior doors installed, and the cost of painting the stucco to match the house was not included in the overall cost. This seemed weird to leave doors looking so unfinished. We didn't pay the extra for painting, so they left the job with doors looking like they were newly installed and unfinished. There were other minor clean up issues, including leaving the extra hardwood floor pieces in a heap in my garage. What they are really good at. My kitchen (counters issues from above aside) is amazing. The kitchen cabinet guy rules. We also had some things with the city about moving our electric panel and they made magic happen to move it. My house is pretty crooked and they did some carpentry to make things line up that is really smart and looks great. I generally think the rough work seemed top notch, and my contractor partner agreed. Since my remodel I referred my parents to Butel for their bathroom remodel. Even with the above problems, I think Shai and Butel are contractors who are very trustworthy and stand by their work, so even if there are problems, I know he will fix them.

Work has since been completed for approximately $60,000.00 less by another contractor, and I'm extremely satisfied. Not sure if contractor would have done the same quality of work, but it doesn't matter. His prices were off the charts. Also, felt as though the contractor was not much interested in my concerns, as some of my questions were disregarded. The date submitted above is approximate only, as I did not record the date of our meeting for the estimate.

I needed to renovate two bathrooms and turn the garage into a library [after building a shed behind the garage to hold tools, garden supplies, etc.]. I found Shai Butel on Angie's List and called for an appointment. Tom [Rotem Shenon] made an appointment and gave us a clear sense of the scope of the project, contributing useful ideas on possible design options. He sent a detailed proposal soon after and we agreed to proceed. I wanted the project staged -- first the shed, so we could move things from the garage that we were keeping -- then the garage to library conversion; followed by two bathrooms [as each was renovated we were able to use the other one. Understandably, this was a long project, with many moving parts, and it took around five months in total, but I was impressed with the efficiency of the work. Shai is very skilled at keeping the various components and tasks coordinated, so we were not held up waiting for something to be done so that other things could progress. He employs, or subcontracts with a range of skilled specialists -- carpentry, painting, tiling [excellent tile work!], electricity, plumbing -- and they are all used to working together to keep things moving. Unlike other projects I've had done, or witnessed with friends, this was not a situation where the final stages were endlessly delayed. We were also able to select and order the bathroom fixtures, using a colleague of Shai, Yossi Sasson, who was able to provide excellent choices and arrange for purchase and delivery with minimum fuss. When unexpected or additional things came up, as they always do, they were handled without undue fuss or excitement. The usual question here is, would I use the company again. The answer is yes and, in fact, they are about to begin renovating my kitchen. I hope I will be able to post a similarly enthusiastic review in the not-too-distant future.

It went great.? I have nothing bad to say. One thing that I really appreciated about them is how punctual they were, and how they followed up with us on everything.? We had one issue after the work was done, and they came right out to fix it.? They are honest, ethical, and always cleaned up after themselves.

I emailed the company regarding a master bathroom remodel and received a prompt call to schedule a meeting. I was told that the owner of the company would be sending out one of his contractors on a sunday but was told that they would need to confirm with that contractor if he was available on that date and time. Since I was at work I asked the contact person to call me back to confirm my appointment. No call back occurred and I emailed the company thru Angie's list for the details. The contact person was quite apologetic and gave me the details of the meeting for an estimate including a date and time on a Sunday. I was surprised that a Sunday appointment was available and quite happy since the weekdays are horrible for me and sunday is the only day me and my wife are available. A couple of days prior to my appointment I received a courtesy call regarding my appointment date and time as well as asking for confirmation. I confirmed the date and time during the call and was quite happy with the company's responsiveness despite the earlier mishap with the initial confirmation of my meeting with the company contact. It is currently Sunday and 2 hours past my appointment time with the contractor. I understand that things come up but I do expect communication since it is key to a successful business. I also understand that people are busy and things do fall thru the cracks at times but a courtesy call would have been nice and would have alleviated concerns about this company's punctuality and reliability. I would like to add that I received a call from the company this afternoon apologizing for the missed appointment in the morning and an offer for someone to come out this evening. I appreciated this offering and although I will probably not be using them for the work on my home I do appreciate the contact this afternoon.

Fantastic! Shai is great to work with, provides good advice, and executed exactly to my plan with excellent results.

We'd?originally called Butel Construction in late summer / early fall as part of a series of quotes that I was getting for the bonus room / bathroom expansion project.? I didn't end up pursuing the project then, but with multiple sets of in-laws heading our way for the holidays,?we decided that we needed the extra space / shower in a hurry.? Butel's quote came in a little lower than the other one that I'd received and both had good reviews, so we went with Butel.? Despite the several-month's hiatus on our end, Butel said they would honor the original quote and that they could get started immediately (early-to-mid December). Shai and Tom showed up to take the initial look and draw up the plans for their workers.? They were very punctual, professional, and also easygoing.? True to their word, the demo took place almost immediately and the framing started soon thereafter.? Whenever there was a question (e.g., how high did I want the shower opening to be?), Shai would call or text me to get a quick answer and keep the momentum going.? Small changes were accommodated on the fly and the pace was very fast through the whole project.? Throughout all the steps (demo, framing, plumbing,?hot mopping, tiling, painting), the bonus room floors were protected with ram board, walls were appropriately masked / protected,?and all trash was hauled away each day so there was never any mess.? The tile guy Angel deserves a special shout-out for working weekends and really taking pride in his precision tile-laying.? The tiles were all flush and the?grout lines between both the wall tiles and the floor tiles were super fine and even. Incredibly, things got finished in the nick of time (the same day that the in-laws arrived), despite the tight timeline we gave them and even though there were a few hiccups (e.g., the tile distributor ran out of the shower pan tile we ordered).? The in-laws loved staying in the bonus room and marveled at the shower and bathroom. All in all, good people, and excellent work.? I don't know how often we'll be needing any major work like this done around the house, but if we ever do again, we would trust Butel Construction to do it quickly and to do it right.

made a appointment for Friday 1/23/15 at 8am. They called on Thursday late afternoon and left a message that I had to call them to confirm the appointment. I got home at 8pm, called them and left a message to the fact that I was confirming the appointment for Friday. They did not show on Friday. I called them and they said I did not call them during office hours. I told them I got home from work at 8pm, called them and confirmed the appointment. They said their office was closed. Obviously they don't review their voice messages. I am not using them.

It went very well and they are great. Their work is excellent and they are very friendly, but scheduling is a little bit difficult. I think they are a little pricier, but they are very thorough and always follow up with their work. I am well taken care of for the money that I spend. They will take care of whatever service they do and they will check up to provide me with any help if anything goes wrong.