Rose City Construction

Nick and his company were recommended by a co-worker who was already having his 3rd home remodel project done by Rose City Construction. We couldn't have been happier with the tip! Nick very clearly laid out the scope of work and scheduling, walked us through every step of the process, and helped us find vendors for flooring, tile, counter tops and lighting where he was able to pass on a discount. He helped us find a less expensive vendor to remove asbestos flooring and popcorn ceiling for the project, smoothed and primed all the walls and ceilings, installed pre-made cabinets that we had ordered, put in engineered hardwood flooring, installed quartz counter tops, lighting, and a gorgeous subway tile backsplash, and flawlessly installed all of our new appliances along with the necessary new plumbing and electrical. Nick and his crew were professional, always on time, and we were impressed with how clean and ordered they left our home at the end of each day. Our 3 year old looked forward to the crew's arrival every morning, and no matter how busy they were, Nick and Gary always made time to talk with him and show him the tools and materials he was interested in. They are a class act. I really felt like we never had to worry about the quality of the work they did in our home. Nick and his crew WANTED to do a good job. Rose City Construction never cut corners and even went the extra mile on taking care of things that we didn't think to ask about or know to care about. We had pipes running to our kitchen sink that were not correctly positioned within the framing of the house, and not only did they re-route everything correctly, they even put in insulation where there never had been any before. I got a call one rainy day because some of our vents were leaking on the roof. Nick went out then and there to buy sealant and he and his crew climbed onto our roof in the rain to make everything ok. The job was completed efficiently and our beautiful kitchen was done during the quicker time frame of the estimate. I would definitely call them again - in fact, we've already asked for an estimate to remodel the master bath.

This was our fifth contract with Rose City Construction and with this job we have completed the remodel of our house. For this project, they gutted and remodeled the kitchen, refinished existing woodwork, installed custom cabinets in the kitchen, living and dining rooms, and replaced windows and flooring throughout. They painted, installed lighting, repaired exterior siding, and painted the exterior. The job involved new plumbing and electrical,completing upgrades started in prior contracts. Previously, they had remodeled bathrooms and bedrooms, insulated the attic and installed new HVAC, and did a makeover of our garage. Nick completed the job on-time and his change orders are always reasonable. He is able to scope the project accurately and helped us to select the right materials and designs. From bidding the job to completion, we couldn't be happier with Rose City Construction, Nick, and his crew.

Contractor Nick was very helpful and honest. He did not feel I needed the 3D renderings as much as an architect to draw out plans and present to Building Office. He gave me a referral for that.

The kitchen reno and bath addition went very well. All work was completed on time and on budget. Only a few problems cropped up and they were dealt with quickly. Changes I requested were properly accounted for and costed. Nick and his crew show up and leave exactly as expected and leave the work area in good order. Nick's experience is extensive and he knows all the questions to ask early in the process and he is excellent at making sure all key decisions and customer purchases are made ahead of time so surprises are minimized. I chose materials and made design choices that Nick had worked with before, which also increases the predictability of the job. Quality of work from Nick and his crew and all subcontractors is very good. No issues. Pricing is laid out very clearly. I could probably have accepted lower bids, but if you want a smooth experience and high quality, you have to be willing to forgo the lowest bid. I've been living in the new kitchen and bathroom for a couple of weeks now and there've been no problems. My old kitchen was an embarrassment, and now I feel good every time I use the new space. I'm glad I found Rose City Construction.

Rose City Construction is awesome. We would use them again any time. They are punctual, do good work, clean up every day. We love our new bathroom!

Nick is the man. He is upfront and honest. He tells you straight up he is expensive and why he is expensive. The most impressive thing was that even though he knew I was out of his price range, he still took the time to educate me and even give me names of other contractors to contact. It's not everyday you find people willing to help out. As I promised him, if I ever make a ton of money, I'll reach out to him to re-do my home.

Nick and his crew are extremely professional and extremely good with what they do. I first met with him 6-8 months before the project actually began to get an estimate and discuss the project. His estimate was within a few hundred dollars of two others that I had received. Nick likes to discuss details about what' needs to be done as well as the process of accomplishing the work. He doesn't hide anything and you can tell he's very knowledgeable. Furthermore he's a very friendly and likable person. These are all qualities I seek in a contractor and this is why I chose him. Originally we were to begin the job at the beginning of February but my original tile choice didn't arrive as promised ... or ever! This was due to a problem with the manufacturer of the tiles. After multiple delays I re-selected all of the tiles which is probably a good thing as the bathroom is more marketable should I choose to sell the house. So the work began the lass couple of days of April and went on into June. Nick estimate 6 weeks of work but I think it was 8 or 9 weeks. It seemed slow at first until I realized that Nick does things right and he doesn't rush in order to achieve a positive outcome. All of his subcontractors seem to be the same way. Every day we would have a morning meeting to discuss his plan for the day and the way ahead towards completion. Nick really is professional. It's hard for me to convey just how good he is. I have a rudimentary knowledge of many of the things he needed to do as my Dad was a general contractor. I guess some of that rubbed off on me. Perhaps I could have done the bathroom myself ... but I didn't want ok or just "good" and since it's my only bathroom I couldn't wait the better part of a year for its completion. I wanted great work in a reasonable time. With Nick and his team that's exactly what I got. If you want a fast job or good work then find somebody else. If you want a GREAT/QUALITY remodel that you'll be satisfied with for years to come then choose Rose City Construction (Nick).

I called and asked for an estimate. When I told them I wanted a bathroom remodel they said they were busy and couldn't come out for an estimate. They were rude on the phone and treated me poorly because my job was so small.

This is the second time I've used Rose City. Previously, they installed a gorgeous back splash in my kitchen, so I have been looking for the right time to use them again. Nick assisted me with the design of my new master bath, including recommending layout of fixtures, what type of tile would best suited for the various surfaces, and even helped me save a little money here and there, advising me on where it made sense to save vs. spend. Rose City Construction will never be the cheapest bid, but their prices are very fair, considering the high quality and professionalism of the entire team. In addition, they will never try to "nickle and dime" you to death with change orders. They were always on time, or called to let me know if they would be running late. They were always respectful of me, my home, my animals and kids. They always cleaned up at the end of the day, which I greatly appreciated because I was still sleeping in the master bedroom, through most of the construction! I cannot recommend Rose City more highly! I wish I had more rooms to renovate, because I enjoyed the process so much.

We first discussed this project in late October, and I asked Nick if he would be willing to do the work over the Christmas & New Year's Holidays. I only had this period available to me, and luckily, they were willing to take on the job at this time. As the kitchen wall locations did not need to be changed, the electrical needed no modifications, and the plumbing and floor work was minimal, it was possible to do this work in a short time by measuring for the counters and cabinets and fabricating them in advance. We began on Dec 16 with demolition, floor work and plumbing ending on Dec. 17. On Dec 18, the counter and cabinet frames were installed and the measurements made for the counter tops. We actually finished one-half day early that week, so I was able to go to work on Dec 20. On Dec 26, the counter tops, sink and a matching quartz window ledge (a last minute add-on by Nick) were installed. Again, we finished about one-half day early this week. On Dec 30-31, the dry wall, texture, crown and base moldings were added, and the plumbing connections were made. On Jan 2-3, the cabinet doors arrived and were installed. Also the major appliances were installed and hooked up to the power, water, and gas. Almost everything was installed and working at the end of the day on Jan 3, and we have enjoyed putting all our things into the new kitchen this weekend! Each day, Nick showed up at the appointed time with his workers. His sub-contractors likewise showed up on time and with the needed materials. All his workers and subcontractors are competent and well-mannered. All of this required meticulous planning and execution at a time of year when many firms slow down for the holidays. I have to hand it to Nick that we were on time or ahead of time throughout the project. This is the second job he has done for me (the last in 2011), and both were excellently done.

He was nice. He made a mistake but he came back right away to fix it.

I contacted three contractors listed on Angie's List and got three responses, but Nick's from Rose City made the most sense and he seemed genuinely interested in taking my concerns one by one and addressing them the best way we could, knowing my budget was tight. I also appreciated that he was very accessible by email both at the beginning and throughout the project. Now, I had done my homework prior to selecting a contractor, but working with Nick made me even surer that my ideas were going to be workable and satisfying. Before we began, we noted that my water wasn't fully shutting off. Nick determined that it stemmed from a common problem we have in my condo complex regarding water pressure and the design of the shutoff valves to each unit. His first job was to replace that shutoff valve with a proper pressure regulator setup, and that was handled quickly and professionally by his master plumber father, Jack. This was one of only two change orders we had to do on the project. The next issue was taking down some of the first-floor ceiling drywall and seeing what was going wrong upstairs. It turned out to be leakage from the cracked tub (and some pipe joints) that was flowing along the pipes and dripping onto the drywall ceiling below. None of the joists needed replacing, thankfully, but the bathroom sub-floor ended up needing to be replaced. This worked out, too, because the original toilet rough-in was only 10" and that severely limits options for toilets, so when the new floor was put in and plumbing was laid in for the new tub, Jack extended the rough-in distance enough to accommodate pretty much any toilet on the market. I was also happy to find out that the internal construction of my condo was better than I expected, as no new joists needed to be added to hold up the much heavier cast iron tub I wanted. It took Nick and two strong helpers to wrestle that tub up the stairs, but they did it expertly and carefully, with no damage to the walls, or to themselves! Nick did a good job scheduling the initial demolition stage followed by the rough-in and plumbing work, and everything proceeded smoothly with regard to putting in new floor and wall covering. Nick used high quality materials throughout, and helped me select items I was unsure about. My designer daughter (http://www.ijentrify.com) also helped, especially with the color choices, and tile and flooring choices. Nick was somewhat unfamiliar with the Marmoleum flooring we specified, but his flooring sub-contractor (Apramian in Pasadena) knew all about it and installed it beautifully. This reflects Nick's willingness to accommodate his client's desires, even if they don't match his own, and to find out about new materials and techniques. Nick confided to me after the project was finished that he wasn't too sure if my daughter's color choices for the dark gray floor, light gray walls and back-splash, and the shower tile accent strip would work with the "espresso" color of the cabinetry, but seeing it all together, he said he liked it. As I'm color-blind, I've always deferred to daughter Jen's color judgment, and once again it's proven a wise decision. When it came to tile, I wanted a pony wall at the end of the tub, which presented a challenge for the tiler, but they solved the problems it entailed beautifully. I also wanted an L-shaped shower curtain rod that would be permanently attached to the walls, and Nick had to work to find a good one with which we were both satisfied, but the one he found is terrific and exactly what I had in mind. This was the other change order, as the cost of the this rod was double what had been anticipated. Because of the problems I'd had with excess moisture in the bathroom, I requested a good exhaust fan with a heater option, and the ultra-quiet Panasonic unit Nick chose to install works better than I could have hoped. Even after an extended hot shower, there is no condensation or mist to be seen in the room! Nick also installed a motion-detector switch that shuts off the lights, fan and heater 10 minutes after the bathroom is vacated, so that will give additional peace of mind regarding moisture in the bathroom. I was without a shower for about a month. Nick had said that the project would run 4-6 weeks, and he was correct. Throughout the project, Nick and his team would leave the area neat and tidy each day when they left. There was only two delays when it came to materials, one of which was tile through Home Depot, and the other was the shipment of the shower rod. They weren't lengthy delays, and Nick made the best of it by bringing other elements of the project forward. At the end, when we got together to go over everything in the completed project, Nick told me he wants to return to do a couple of paint touchups, and to make another pass on the seam created in the living room ceiling drywall (with popcorn texture) to see if he can blend it even better than he did when they covered over the section they removed at the beginning. I personally didn't see the things he saw, but Nick says he won't feel satisfied until he takes care of these things. He won't charge me for that visit, so who am I to argue with an artist? ;-) Bottom line: Nick is a very conscientious contractor who operates his business "old school" - he cares about his clients, he wants to do the best job he can for you for a fair price, and he wants you to be happy with his work. Talking to his sub-contractors, they echoed this assessment of him. They said he deals with them with the highest standards as well. One of the reasons I chose Nick for my project was the number of reviews on Angie's List that came from people who used Nick for multiple projects. To me, that speaks volumes. He also told me once at the end of the day as he was leaving to go see a client he'd already done work for, that nothing made him happier than getting a call to do more work from a previous client. Again, "old school" values. This was my first project with Nick and his team. But I can tell you, he'll be the first guy I call next time. He has my highest recommendation!

Rose City Construction did an excellent job remodeling my kitchen. Nick worked with me on the design and offered ways to cut costs while still maintaining the vision I had. He was easy to communicate with and every member of his staff were professional and respectful of the house. During the remodel they discovered some dangerous electrical issues and fixed them at no extra cost. Nick hooked me up with various places to get the raw materials and appliances at reduces prices as well. This was my first major renovation and Nick made it very easy! The crew did so many extra little jobs that were necessary that I ended up paying them more than the contract stated even though they didn't ask for it. I couldn't be happier and love the new kitchen. I strongly recommend them!

Nick of Rose City Construction left a great impression, even on the first visit where he gathered information to write the proposal. You can tell he works a lot in the Pasadena/Alatadena area with the "aged" houses that are common here. He pointed out a few details that all other contractors we had gotten offers from had missed and also suggested solutions we liked right away. He was also very open to our questions and suggestions. During the actual work, he and his team were very flexible to adapt to our schedule. On the work days, the teams arrived on time finished the promised work and cleaned up to leave in the afternoon on time as well. When new surprises or problems emerged during work, usually because we have an old building which has lots of quirks and a rich history of upgrades. Nick had good suggestions on how to fix the problems and his charges for extra work were very reasonable. We would definitely recommend Rose City Construction for others and will contract Nick and his team again when we have future work to be done.

Nick arrived at exactly on time and looked at the bathroom we want to remodel. Unfortunately, he could not do the low maintenance enclosure we wanted, but we did discuss the issues involved in the main portion of the upgrade. He explained how he has his own set of subcontractors and how he runs a job. We were impressed enough that he will be at the top of the list when we do our kitchen remodel.

Nick and his crew plus his subcontractors were professional, prompt, respectful, helpful, highly skilled, and a pleasure to work with. This was our third remodeling project with Rose City Construction and I'm in the process of getting a quote for a fourth project. Eventually, we will likely have completely remodeled our property and I expect to use Rose City Construction for the work.

I called to make an appointment to get a quote for kitchen remodeling. Nick already had jobs lined up until summer so he couldn't start working for us before our move in date even if we were to get a quote from him. I had left a message and his return calls were prompt and he sounded sincerely sorry he couldn't fit us into his schedule. We ended up just hiring painters to paint cabinets before move in. If we were to remodel our kitchen or bathroom in the future, we would consider hiring Rose construction.

It was a great experience despite our having to relocate a few times (not related in anyway to NIck's work), but, because of an unexpected asbestos "find". Nick guided us through the detour expertly. We learned a lot from him along the way. Quality work was performed by him and his subs. We could not be more pleased!

All work that Nick and Rose City Construction have performed has been great and very professional. If I have any problems, I know that Nick will fix them right away, and he has also given me great advice about how to save money on various projects.

I obtained quotes from Rose City and another contractor; both A+ listed on Angie's List. Both prices were comparable but what sold me on Nick's quote was the level of detail in his quote. He took the time of describing what will be covered and I never felt pressured in any of our conversations prior to the signing of the contract. Nick and his team sealed the areas to contain the dirt during demolition and construction and they cleaned up before they leave each night. His attention to detail is remarkable and he communicates upcoming activities so we are kept well informed. After sending countless pictures and a few samples, his cabinet maker was able custom create a cabinet color that we love. Despite his attention to detail, Nick did not nickel and dime all the little things that were fixed or added. The only thing he charged me as change order was painting the dining room as the wall now flows through to the kitchen. He did not have to install my new chandelier, new window blinds, etc. I am so happy with Julio's painting; I look forward to bringing Nick and team back to paint the rest of the house.

We had been searching for the right contractor for many years when we happened upon the great reviews of Rose City Construction on Angie's List. Nick responded quickly to our email and after a few conversations we knew that he was the one. It took us several months before we were ready to sign the contract but Nick never pressured us or appeared impatient. This was a good sign because the remodeling of our two bathrooms took almost four months (working first on one bathroom and then the second so we would never be without a functioning bathroom) because of the custom nature of the work and our slow decision-making. Whenever there was a problem, Nick solved it. One example - when one of the tiles we had selected was on a long back order, he went out and found something else so similar that you can't even tell it isn't by the same tile company. Another example - upon demo-ing one of the bathrooms he discovered a false wall with tangled electrical wires and poorly designed plumbing. He then did more demo to get the plumbing, electrical, and walls safe and designed to last; this resulted in a very modest change order which I was happy to pay, having seen the mess left by the previous substandard job. Nick's crew are all professionals, as you might expect, and we actually enjoyed having them around the house. Nick cleaned up the job site every day, too. Two things I really appreciate about Nick - he takes pride in his work and he respects his workers. I never thought I would say this about a remodel job, but I'm almost sorry they are finished. We plan to hire Nick to do more work - in fact we have a list of jobs including a kitchen remodel in our future. I highly recommend Rose City Construction

I will start by saying that if you have an older house that needs to be restored tastefully and carefully, you MUST contact Nick and his crew. He is the best at what he does, and you can trust him to take great care of your most prized asset. Last fall (2011), my wife and I bought a craftsman-style bungalow house in the South Pasadena area. We knew that it was a bit of a fixer when we bought it, but the previous owners were living in the house at the time so we figured "how bad could it be?". Once we had the keys to the house, we began calling contractors to get bids for the work we needed. When we met with Nick, he was the ultimate professional -- he took careful notes, listened to what we wanted to do, and gave us good advice. I could also tell that even though the house wasn't in great shape, he could see what we wanted to do and the style we wanted to achieve, and he made us feel confident that he could do the job the right way. We met with a few other contractors, but we never got the same feeling that we got with Nick. Fortunately, the price he quoted us was right where we were hoping it would be, and we moved as quickly as we could to lock him in. When the work got started, we could tell immediately that we had made the right choice with Nick. All of the guys he brings in are incredibly friendly, hard-working people. As the work got into full swing, Nick was in communication with me via phone and email all the time -- I never wondered what was happening with the job. He and his guys were at the job site every single day, and on the rare occasion when they couldn't be there, he would always let me know. They put so much care into restoring the original features of the house and really helped make the wood details shine once again. As with any old house renovation, surprises will come up, and when they did, Nick was great at communicating what he found and explaining all the different options we could take to fix the issue. He always worked hard to fix unforeseen issues quickly and he has high standards for his own work so you know he's not going to take any shortcuts. Our safety and comfort were always the first priority for him. The end result of our renovation is truly magical. We couldn't be happier with the way the house has turned out, and we will definitely be using Rose City Construction when we made more updates.

From the bid process through the final details, Nick was a reliable professional. He always kept his appointments and would confirm with us via phone or email. We always knew what Nick would be working on and when. We got three quotes for the remodel and Nick's price was within 5% of the cheapest estimate, but his level of professionalism was far superior. We live in a 1911 Craftsman home, which means nothing is exactly level or straight. Nick was able to accommodate for this in his work so that the end result looks great. Quality work and attention to detail is at the forefront of everything Nick does. Even during the demo work, Nick was very detail oriented. He ensured everything was tapped off so that dust did not get into all the kitchen drawers/cabinets not involved in the remodel and each day he would sweep his way out of the house. When any minor issues did arise, Nick quickly addressed them, including coming to the house on a Saturday morning to ensure we had a fully functioning kitchen ASAP. Nick is friendly, professional, trustworthy, and a joy to work with. We are already hoping to use him again on an upcoming bathroom remodel. I would recommend him to anyone interested in doing any sort of remodel or new construction. His contractors are talented and he stands behind his work 100%. I know that if any issues arise after he has officially completed work, he will address them during his various "check-ups" at 1 week, 1 month and 6 months following completion.

Nick and his team at Rose City Construction did an amazing job on our master bathroom and our garage. They were always on time when they said they would be there, and they were very conscientious of keeping the work areas clean and making sure to clean up after themselves. We've always been hesitant to do any kind of remodel work due to the fact that we work from home and have two large, energetic dogs; however, these guys were extremely considerate and respectful of our daily routine. Nick made sure to talk with us at the end of every day to go over exactly what was done that day and let us know the next steps. There were no surprises when it came to the budget. We interviewed two other contractors, and while Rose City wasn't the cheapest, they are worth the price and then some. We had some surprises that came up--particularly with the plumbing--and Nick didn't charge us extra for replacing pipes or having to re-route pipes. And when we were unsatisfied with the look of the medicine cabinet (our fault for misunderstanding when we ordered it), Nick worked with us to come up with a solution for it. Julio who handled the patching/priming/painting did an incredible job with both the back of the garage and the bathroom walls--comparing what he did with the work that had been done previously is like night and day. Ohannes who handled the electrical work also helped us with our old, faulty circuit breaker switch that had been acting up ever since we installed a light in our entryway. The only extra overage that happened was the garage roof--we had not planned on replacing the entire roof, but after demoing the back house, we discovered that there was potential leakage due to the build up of leaves and other debris from a large tree that shades the garage. After weighing out the options (fix entire roof or not), we opted to go ahead and replace the roof and George did a great (and fast!) job of replacing the roof. Timeline-wise, the only delay that happened was due to a mix-up of parts from the manufacturer who had sent the wrong parts and we had to wait two extra days for them to ship the correct part. Inspections were passed very very quickly. Nick and the rest of the guys at Rose City really do take a lot of pride in their work and it really, really shows. We had heard so many remodeling horror stories from friends and family, so it was a great surprise to us when everything moved along at such a quick, productive pace and everything was in budget. We really value their communication to us and the dedication they have to their craft.

I got 9 estimates for floors, windows, painting, and kitchen remodel. Rose City was one of those nine companies that I got an estimate for. Nick came out to give the estimate. He seemed very professional and courteous. He is respectful, and he spoke his mind. He gave a good quality estimate, but I thought the price was high. There are definitely cheaper alternatives that still provide quality professional work. I did not choose him in the end to perform the work that I needed, but I believe if you choose Rose City you will not be disappointed.