ElkStone Basements Inc

I hired Elkstone to finish my basement (about 1700 square feet) in March 2016, so this review is a bit late but can speak to the longer term quality of Elkstone's work. They were very responsive, quick to answer questions that I had, and willing to make a number of changes to the proposed floorplan. Their personnel had some very good--and stylish--recommendations on how to obscure overhead venting, pipes, and a radon mitigation pipe. They worked closely with local suppliers to match my existing house's trim, wall colors, and design motifs. You cannot tell that it was added four years after the house's build date! It's now been three years, and I have had zero problems with any of Elkstone's work. They use quality materials and employed quick, reliable personnel who clearly had the expertise needed to get the job done and done correctly. There are two areas that I feel the prospective client should be aware of prior to hiring Elkstone. Neither of them are reasons not to hire them, but just some minor inconveniences that I encountered. First, if you choose to use another supplier or subcontractor for an aspect of the work (I decided to use Costco for carpet instead of Elkstone's contractor), you will need to be there and coordinate that work. I assumed the Elkstone project manager would be there to let in the carpet guys, but that didn't happen. Second, their overall electrical engineer had some definite ideas about what he wanted in terms of lighting. I had to argue with him to get what I wanted when what I wanted went against what he felt should happen. The man was an expert in his field, and the quality of the electrical work was fantastic; he just was a bit stubborn at times if he didn't like what you wanted to do. In the end he did do what I wanted. This was three years ago, so the gentleman may not even be there anymore. Again, neither of my cautions are reasons to avoid Elkstone. They were very competitive in their pricing (indeed, about $15000 less than another bid for a very similar floor plan), their workmanship is fantastic, and they were a joy to work with. I heartily recommend them to anyone looking for basement finishing services.

We selected Elkstone based on the their statements of delivery in the 5-week time frame and our requirement to have it completed in a timely fashion. They gave us a 7-week schedule, finished in 11+ weeks (we didn't do anything fancy and had approx. 1600 sq ft to finish). Bidding process / Design - Over all went well, but they underestimate your variable costs, so add 10-15%. Once selected and initial walkthrough never heard from the sales team. No follow up on project, during and after. Material Selection - To be a full basement provider, they should be creating design center with all their subcontractors in place to allow for a single point of selections (pictures on the internet are not enough). Having to go to businesses all around Denver and beyond makes if very difficult to see what you are buying and putting together, (many business only open M-F from 8-5, pretty difficult to get to. Construction process - The project manager was a nice young man, but either the company put him in a position of failure by promising something that could not be delivered or he just missed on too many things and scheduling resources. They have a nice portal with a published schedule, but I would have to say it was only correct with the start date, everything else is out the window. Not by a day or two, but weeks and we had to continually ask for updates and when the next contractor was coming. Note: if you are going to publish a schedule, keep up to date! We did have a minor foundation leak, stated on day one and showed it to them. Pictures weren't taken for two weeks to send to the engineer, received fix recommendation from engineer 1 week later. However they didn't do the work for another 4 weeks and it took them about an hour to fix. They entered and change order to add 10 days for the one hour fix to the schedule (I did not accept since it sat without any effort for weeks). Had broken window and discussed with them on Day 1 and that they stated they could fix when their "glass guy" came out. Change order for window received in week 7 and tried to add 18 days to the schedule for that (I did not accept). There were way too many things that could have been done while items sat idle and then caused delays. The whole thing was the most frustrating and stressful process I had ever been through. They will try to state that the delays were the homeowners caused, but don't be fooled and stand your ground. Had two sump pump that we set below ground (included in project bid). Plumber finished about the 2nd/3rd week, holes not covered until after carpet was installed, requiring the carpet contractor to come back multiple times. First cover was just a piece of metal over the hole, not shaped, cut, etc. and you could feel under the carpet once placed. They worked hard to correct in week 9-10, cut should have been done many weeks prior. Project finally completed after 11+weeks - No follow up by their management, sales team or anyone. We are finally able to enjoy the space, but did not enjoy the experience. Final note: If the management / ownership really cared about the customers, there would be follow up during and especially after completion. They have chosen not follow up in any way. Just adds to the frustration and experience.

We met with four contractors for our basement project. ElkStone was recommended by a friend and we are so happy we decided to have them finish our basement. We were impressed with the thought of a five week project, we were a little skeptical that it could be done that fast, but that was the biggest factor in choosing them. Not only was every single employee friendly, knowledgeable and professional, all of the contractors that they used were also. Our finished basement looks better than we anticipated and they were on time, even with a few hiccups along the way. I cannot recommend them enough!

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The whole process went extremely well.

Keith was the one with the eye for design and saw opportunities that I would have missed. Phil was the best and most pleasant Project Manager who kept things exactly on track. All of the subcontractors were pleasant, mannerly, and professional.

There was only one time that I had to call to discuss something that wasn't to my approval. One of the subcontractors had arranged to have a porta-potty placed in my driveway. I had specified in early discussions that I did not wish to have that on my property. It was not the fault of Elkstone and they had the mistake taken care of asap.

The estimate and budgeted cost was within $100 of the final expenses!
The ongoing work was often ahead of schedule even with the holidays. The project was finished in exactly 5 weeks.

I highly recommend their services!

With the exception of the purchase of our house itself, finishing our basement is the largest investment we have ever made. We knew we would have to completely trust the company we chose. Looking back, we are thrilled we chose Elkstone! They never betrayed our trust. From day one, Keith was honest, informative, helpful, and sincere. He didn't say or promise anything to try to and quot;close the saleand quot;. In fact, Keith was very up-front about realistic costs and timelines. Once things got started, Elkstone's online project management system was very helpful. All documents, schedules, contact information, change orders, and much more, were always just a click away! Our project managers, Troy and Phil, always responded to phone calls or text messages almost immediately - even after hours or on weekends. The crews that Elkstone used to do the work were very smart guys who really knew their trades well. The level of professionalism from the workers was surprisingly high. Many of the guys who worked on major systems (like plumbing or electric), did not simply come in, do their work, and leave. On the contrary, they served as expert consultants for us - offering advice and guidance, educating us on the nuances and specifics of our home, and helping us to make better decisions. When the very few, rare problems came up, Troy and Phil fixed them immediately. The end result is truly amazing. The quality is unprecedented. We are absolutely thrilled with our basement! We will be forever grateful to Elkstone for making this process not only painless, but really fun! Thank you, Elkstone! You rock!

unknown

REVIEW DATE:  4/9/16 (Work was done May/June 2015, and I'm well-overdue to give this great company a review!)

LOVE ELKSTONE!! I HONESTLY CAN'T SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS COMPANY.  I found them through Angie's list.  At the time the reviews all said they did a great job on estimating, but pricing was too high, so another contractor was hired.  Well, we got estimates from 3 companies, and found Elkstone's to be not only the MOST REASONABLE, but as promised, the most detailed.  If you want to know exactly what you're getting, and to be able to pick out the finishes that YOU want, then go with Elkstone.  They definitively answered any question we asked, whether technical or otherwise, raising our confidence in them.  We can't say the same for the other 2 companies we saw.  We also liked that they proper permits for the job.

David Eskins, our Estimator, gave us the most detailed and well thought-out walk through, especially pointing out venting & piping to be rotated or tucked up to provide for a clean sheet rock/ceiling outlay.  (The other 2 contractors didn't make note of those items at all!)  We felt we could trust David's judgment, and there was good review/discussion of the final estimate to make sure we'd get exactly what we wanted.  David was highly available for these conversations, and highly professional. 

As Elkstone's website promises, the estimate is very detailed, so you know exactly what you're paying for.  There are 2 parts to the estimate:  (1) The work Elkstone performs is a fixed amount.  So during the project, if you want to add an extra light here or other detail there, they'll give you an estimate and you can decide whether to proceed.  On our project, thankfully they pointed out that we didn't have a sump pump in the well, so we added that on.  (2)  Variable Items - these are the finishes that you pick(tile, carpet, cabinets, wall sconces, etc.   We were even able to pick up gym mat flooring for our gym area!).  You receive a "to do" list that's very detailed, so you know exactly what you need to be ready with and by when.  (I strongly recommend you get a jump on it from day 1, as you'll want to do some viewing/comparing before actual buying.)  The list includes suggested vendors and price estimates.  The variable estimates are based on moderate price-points, so you may go higher or lower depending on the quality of finishes you ultimately pick.  We found ourselves going in both directions across the items, largely coming out even except for the carpet.  We wanted a much higher grade carpet then what most people want for a basement, so that's on us, not Elkstone!

Once estimating is done and a contract signed, the project is handed off to your Project Manager (Justin for us), and you receive a detailed calendar of progress for the project.  There's a kick-off meeting with Justin & David, to check final details, and set expectations.  David was still very available to help with any vendor questions/issues that arose.  The men, and just about all the materials, come/go through your basement egress window the stairway to the upstairs is tented off, so there's no dust and mess upstairs in the house.  Workers were pretty timely, I never felt uncomfortable even when they arrived as I showered upstairs getting ready to go to work (and that's unusually for me.  I come from NY!!).  I left them in my house alone all day and had no problems.  And when Elkstone says they're done in 5 weeks...they were done down to the exact day.

We were nervous about the 50% upfront payment at the job' start, but Elkstone explained that the job moves so fast that the deposit ensures their contractors get paid, and continue to show up for their jobs.  That sounded like a good explanation, and the job proceeded smoothly.  We never looked back after we paid it!

Also, when they say "construction projects never go perfect and we want to know about it and fix it so you're happy" they are NOT lying!!  I tortured myself for 1 1/2 days because the bathroom floor tile got laid wrong.  Finally I called Justin to confront the issue.  He was so mellow, helpful and accommodating.  Basically said, "If you're not happy, we fix it, and that's it.  No worries."  I'm paraphrasing, but that was the gist.  So awesome!  We had 2-3 other minor problems which were equally, easily addressed.

The project came out beautiful.  Our friends have raved repeatedly to us.  I know they're not lying to be nice because the other day I had an AC Contractor down in the basement, and just as he got down there he commented on what a "really nice" basement we have, and that par for the norm.  One friend who's still in an apt., told me that her husband dreams about our basement, wishing they had one.

And finally, Elkstone also makes good on it's 1 year warranty.  (The advantage of posting so late is that I can share this tidbit with you!)  We had an electrical breaker go bad (not the box, just 1 breaker), and they sent someone right out to fix it.  We also had some settling in the shower grout, which I understand is normal and not necessarily under warranty.  We were going to try to fix it ourselves, and wanted to make sure we wouldn't be invalidating a warranty, but again I heard "We want to make sure you're happy with your basement", and so they sent someone out right away to fix it.

Again, I can not say enough good things about Elkstone. We were impressed from start to finish with their professionalism, attention to detail, and overall handling and outcome of the job.  You probably can find someone cheaper (although we didn't).  BUT, you may not find someone as thorough, properly licensed, the job properly permitted, and entirely customer satisfaction oriented as Elkstone.  I strongly, STRONGLY recommend them.

unknown

Overall, a great job. They give you an online schedule which allows you to know what will be happening when. They give a fixed estimate with variable costs outlined and the fixed costs didn't change except with a few changes we made. The estimate for the items we had to purchase was pretty low. Great communication and they kept on schedule. My only complaint was wanting to meet with the trim carpenter in advance and not getting to which led to some confusion during the trim phase regarding built-ins. We do love our basement and feel Elkstone did a great job. 

We were very pleased with Elkstone. All work was completed on time - 5 weeks - and within their contracted price. The trades people were professional and polite. They showed extra care for our belongings stored in the basement and managed a very clean worksite. The quality of work was very high and we have received many compliments. The project manager was accessible, responsive, easy to work with, and ensured the project was completed on time. They have this type of work down to a science. We were given a detailed project plan and every task was completed as scheduled. Though not cheap, they were well worth the investment. We would happily work with them again and recommend them without hesitation.

They were very professional and completed the project in 4 weeks as promised. I was in the driver's seat on quality and costs. They did an excellent job.

Everything went well, and it was a great experience.  The contractor was very professional, communicated well, and did a very good job in all respects.

This had to be one of the best construction projects that we ever have done. Elkstone was very prompt and efficient and provided an extremely positive experience. From our initial consultation to the final walk through of the project it was very pleasant. They started within a week of the time we sign the contract and then the 1362 sq foot project wad completed in less than four weeks.

They have outstanding subs that were professional and courteous and very well qualified. They seem to know what Elkstone wants from them and they went out if their way to make sure they were done when they were scheduled for completion.

From the beginning I knew we were dealing with professionals. We had a schedule from the first day and knew what would happen. they had it set uo to download to my iphone so i could make sure that we had all the things picked out and on hand to keep there schedule going.

The quality of the project is outstanding and we could not be happier. They are definitely an A++ company and we can't wait to work with them again in the future to remodel our bathrooms.

Joe was very prompt in getting someone out to do an estimate which was appreciated. When Dave came out to do the estimate he had some great suggestions for the floor plan and features that would give the basement unique characteristics, like a built in bookcase that was also the access door for the mechanical room. The framing crew was amazing and Marco, the lead, ended up showing some excellent craftsmanship at the very end with a difficult trim transition. The granite company we went with was a recommendation from Dave and the company was spot on.... Thank you YK Stone. The carpet guys were wonderful and did a fabulous job..... Same with the drywall crew. The project was done within 3.5weeks as promised which is practically unheard of and we were on budget for the most part.

If there were any weak links I would have to say that a couple of the subcontractors weren't as shining as the ones mentioned above. While the tile sub did an "okay" job, my husband felt he could have done it better. There are some very high and low spots with the slate.... In some places there is a half inch difference. Also, the wall tile in the shower has some low spots and it is ceramic. I had also laid out the shower tile as an example of how I wanted it to go down and then I see it was put up completely different. Finally, there was confusion over whether a "brick pattern" was a "straight pattern" or not and whether a brick pattern would cost more. I believe the shower tile was laid in a straight pattern as I threw a fit over additional cost for a brick pattern.

Also, the electrician would come and do a few things and then not complete items, having to come back a second or third time and was very resistant to some of the suggestions we had, only to find later that it wasn't as big of a deal as he made it sound.

And, there were a few issues where my husband or myself had to step in and make suggestions for fixes or work arounds in some cases and in others my husband actually had to do the work. For example, the wood floor at the top of the stairs needed cut but no one had tools to do it with. Also, there was a base board that was clearly not level at one end due to the high spot in the slate. My husband had to gride the slate down and then I had to eventually suggest raising the corner and bringing the slope to the opposite trim piece that wasn't visible.

With all of that said, I think that the people at Elkstone were wonderful and kept to their word even when there were a few hic ups. I know that finding good construction subs can be difficult as I have worked in new home sales/construction and real estate for over 15 years. The key is staying on top of the details and having a good construction manager to keep the subs on track. I would recommend Elkstone because the finished product is professional and the contruction manager, Jake and our first contact, Dave, were very hands on to ensure things got done.

Over the summer we purchased our home. It all kind of happened quickly; but we knew we were getting a good deal on the home. The basement was not finished and we wanted to go move forward with getting it finished as quickly as possible so we could use the space. After going to the home show and talking with several contractors and receiving bids. We decided to look on Angie's list and see what there was. That is when we found Elkstone. My husband called them and a guy came out the next day. They were professional and knowledgeable. They worked with us to provide a floor plan that would fit our needs as well as make the basement not look like just another basement. They came in competitively on price and helped us stayed on budget. Once we decided to move forward with Elkstone, the work began immediately!  The crews that came in worked tirelessly to get their pieces accomplished. They were kind and considerate and cleaned up after themselves. 3 1/2 weeks later our basement was finished and we could not be happier. I would recommend them to any of my friends and family.

My kids are small and it was their spring break. They guaranteed that my basement and loft repairs would be done in three weeks and they delivered. Their quality of work and material was perfect and awesome. They kept to their schedule perfectly. I love them.

The design expert came to the house right on time, looked the project over and had a design ready in one week. We needed very few changes. The work was begun on time and finished on time. The workmen used the window wells for access to the house,so I was disturbed very little. The workmen were very professional and efficient. The work was finished in the five weeks allocated for the project. I,m thrilled with the basement. I would recommend Elkstone to anyone.

We couldn't have asked for a better experience.  With $45k invested, we were naturally very committed to make sure things went well.  We researched many companies on Angie's List, and had 2 give us quotes.  The other company was clearly a very small-time operation.  Elkstone has it together from the initial design consultation throughout the project:

-Detailed proposal during the design cycle with proposed plans, itemized list of expenses we would need to pay for outside of the fixed project fee.
-When the project started, we received a detailed schedule with what was happening every day, what we needed to have selected, and recommended vendors that would be able to meet their schedule.
.Design and finish considerations we didn't think to ask for, but Dave (the designer) had anticipated.  For example, lights in the unfinished storage area, reconfiguring air ducts to provide noise insulation.
 -A phenomenal project manager/superintendent, Phil.  Phil kept everything, including us, on schedule.  He came every day to check up on progress, make sure our questions were answered, and keep us apprised of work the next few days.  Phil clearly knows his stuff, and knew the details of every trade.  There were several times when my wife and I would note something we wanted to be addressed, and Phil had already seen it and set things in motion to take care of it.  He approached the project with the same enthusiasm and care as if it was his own house (he didn't say it, but it was clearly the case).  
-The few changes we had mid-stream were easily accommodated and we knew exactly what they would cost.

Elkstone advertises a 3-4 week turnaround, and they delivered exactly as promised.  Neighbors and friends scoffed in disbelief, but the project was finished on time and with exceptional results.  There wasn't a time during the project where we didn't feel it was $45k well spent.

We plan to remodel the upstairs (post kids) and Elkstone will be the choice hands down for any large work.

We used their service three weeks ago.  They were pretty fast and did a good job.  They were best priced.  I thought they had good customer service and building up process. 

Overall, it was a very positive experience.  Elkstone was one of many contractors that provided a bid on our basement project.  Their bid exceeded their competitors in both quality, price, and timeliness.  They had the best design at the lowest price (even after adjusting other contractors' bids to ensure an apples to apples comparison.  Elkstone had the most innovative plan and took the greatest care to ensure the finished product would be an extension of the rest of the house.  They provided the plan and reviewed it with us in detail after about 1 week from taking the measurements.  Their plan was the easiest to follow and their drawing was the most complete we looked at.  They also advertised being able to complete most basements in three and a half weeks, which was much faster than any competitors.  Thus, Elkstone offered the best plan, at the lowest price, and could finish fastest.  They also provided references of recent jobs, which we contacted and found no issues.  There were also A+ rated with the Better Business Bureau.  This was an easy decision to make.  One difference with Elkstone is that they have their customers select and purchase certain items, such as flooring and faucets.  This way, the customers get what they want at a price they can live with rather than having to choose from a few choices the contractor selects and paying a fixed price no matter what is selected.  There were very few items to purchase - just flooring, a vanity, and bathroom hardware.  The rest was provided as part of the fixed cost in the contract.

Elkstone provided a detailed building schedule so that we knew what they were going to be doing each day and when we needed to provide the items that we were purchasing on our own.  They also had several local and online vendors listed for the items we were providing.  The plan laid out a three and a half week schedule and they stuck to it with the exception of observing Memorial Day.  Billing occurred as described in the contract and the amounts for each invoice were as expected.  Elkstone did a great job on the basement.  All inspections passed and we were impressed with how well the finished product looked, especially given the short timeframe in which they completed it.  The foreman assigned to our project was very courteous, kept us well-informed, and was very responsive to our phone calls.  During construction, Elkstone put plastic sheeting up to minimize dust and debris from reaching the rest of the house or entering the ventilation system.  Other than a bit of noise during the day, they did not disturb the rest of the house during construction.

We were very pleased with the result, and Elkstone completed the work on-budget and on-schedule.  This being said, there were a couple minor problems that we should mention.  First, they forgot to state that we needed to provide the shower valve during the first week of construction.  It was listed on the variable cost list, but not called out on the first week's schedule.  We had ordered it along with the rest of the bathroom hardware, but the order was not in on the day they needed it.  We had to locate and find the valve locally to keep things on schedule, which we were able to do with only minor inconvenience.  We found the part at one of the vendors Elkstone had listed and actually found it for less than what we paid from an online source.  Overall, it was an inconvenience to buy the valve twice, but no real change in the cost once we had returned the valve to the online provider.  Also, Elkstone did not account for Memorial Day in their scheduling.  According to their schedule, they were working on Memorial Day.  Their schedule called for carpet to be installed on the next day, so that is when we scheduled the carpet vendor to install it.  However, Elkstone did not work the holiday, and this forced us to reschedule the carpet installation, which was another minor inconvenience, but did not delay Elkstone's work from completing on-time.  We also had a problem getting some bullnosed tile from the tile vendor we had selected.  At the three and a half week point, the basement was complete except the carpet had not been installed and we did not have our bullnosed tile.  The carpet was only delayed three days, and the tile was completed five days later once the bullnosed pieces were available.  Thus, even with some unforeseen problems that were not within Elkstone's control, the basement was completely finished in less than four and a half weeks.  This was still faster than any other competitor that provided us a bid.