Barratt Construction

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While the project did take slightly longer than projected, and there were some minor issues along the way, as with all renovation projects, overall we rate Barratt very highly for their professionalism, attention to detail, and communicative ability. An example of their attention to detail and communication was that Peter would email us details of possible items and fixtures for our house, after discussing with us our options. We tried to minimize costs by purchasing certain items for the bathrooms and kitchen directly from shops, and/or using Barratt's account at Home Depot, etc. There was also quick follow-up when we emailed them links of items such as light fixtures to check if they would fit in the space or meet our needs. They were prompt in attending meetings, polite, and had a good sense of humor. Their crew was professional and cleaned up after each day's work, and any delay in work was usually accompanied by a reasonable explanation. If we ever do another project, Peter and David will be the first people we call.

Peter and his team we're very easy to work with. They gave good advice about the options we had in the small space that they were renovating. The work involved tearing out old floors, moving some walls and facilities, installing a new window, and tiling the bathroom and all the floors. The result is spectacular. We turned a small, dark space into a bright modern apartment.

All the work was completed with the greatest care and quality. We would use these guys again for any type of construction.

We were looking to add on to our Capitol Hill home and talked to about six different contractors. Barratt came back with the most detailed thorough proposal at a price that was reasonable for the work involved. 
Trying to build in DC always involves issues with DCRA which Barratt stayed on top of and helped us to navigate. Barratt also came up with creative ideas to help make sure the space was utilized the best way it could be. 
Peter and Davis's team was in our house for many months and made a great effort to minimize any inconvenience to us and make sure the space was clean while they were working. Their was a great attention to detail with their work and they were very upfront with any potential issues. In addition we didn't feel nickeled and dimed when it came to changes we needed to make during the process. 
These guys were a pleasure to work with and made the construction process a lot easier on us. Would definitely reccomend them to anyone without hesitation. 

Barratt was a pleasure to work with and the crew was very hard working  We hired them to replace the floor joists and subfloors in 2 rooms.  During the demo Barratt came to us about concern with the overall structure of the addition prior owners put on the house. After some additional demo we learned Barratt was correct and our addition had major structural issues.  Our project (and the cost) within a week changed drastically.  However, I don't think we could have ever made it through this project and got the same honesty from any other contractor.  In fact we had replaced one of the walls in this addition 2 years ago due to a sloping ceiling and that contractor assured us that wall replacement solved all structural problems.
Barratt replaced from top to bottom a 1/3 of our house in 3 months even with 2 weeks of permit delays.  Our project included removal of the original exterior brick wall from 1891, 2 full bathrooms, a kitchen, walk-in closet, new deck, new radiators, windows, doors, plumbing for baths and a kitchen, new flooring, heated bathroom floors, and a luxury shower with a bench.  Barratt was aware of our strict budget and concern over costs given the unplanned work and were always there to suggest areas we could save.  For example, they re-installed all our old kitchen cabinets and even fixed some broken drawers.  
Also, if you are someone who prefers various forms of communication with your contractor again I suggest Barratt.  We interviewed several contractors from Angie's List and a lot preferred phone as the primary contact method.  My husband and I spend a lot of time at work and in/out of meetings so constant phone calls wasn't our preferred contact method. Barratt was flexible with communication so we relied a lot on email as it was easier for us.  And we also had face to face meetings as needed throughout the project and phone calls.
I definitely recommend Barratt and we've already discussed other projects we would like to hire them for next year.  

I chose Barratt construction from among about 7 other contractors also rated highly on angies list who came out to bid on the project. They immediately stood out to me for the attention to detail they had in the initial site visit and their ideas to make the project work better and reduce cost set me at ease. Even though they were not the lowest bid, I chose them because there wasn't a question I had that they couldn't answer and they had the most complete bid documents that set out every cost area and clearly explained where the money was going. Both Peter and David the proprietors were great to work with on site, very responsive and their crews performed high quality work with attention to most everything and willing to come back and fix any small issues I had. They never deviated from that attitude during the job and always gave me options when coming upon something unexpected in the work. Best of all I got a great apartment that we have rented for more than we expected and the tenants have never lived somewhere better. So it was a good investment because of their quality. I only wish they had someone to do procurement services for a lot of finish materials and fixtures since I had to specify and purchase those, but that is standard and understandable as they are not designers- they build what you ask for-and it saved me a lot of money so in the long run it was worthwhile. I'd use them again on any remodel or building project we do in the future.

The Barratt team was clean and fast.  The project took two days and nine years later the roof is still leak free.

Not only are we completely thrilled with our end product, but we enjoyed working with the Barratt Construction team throughout the project.  From our first initial meeting until the end of the project, Peter and David were upfront about costs, gave candid opinions, and didn?t try to nickel and dime us through the change request process.  Their team was in our house, on all three floors, for about three months.  They treated both our home and our family with respect, and minimized the intrusion whenever possible.  The workmanship and attention to detail of the construction work done is impressive and it actually exceeded our expectations.  I would not hesitate to recommend Barratt Construction to anyone, and have told many friends and neighbors to give them a call when starting on home projects.

Bottom Line: If you want the best, hire Barratt Construction. 
I'm a homeowner on Capitol Hill with significant remodeling experience and our project with Barratt Construction was nothing short of outstanding at every stage.
Peter is a true professional: he is completely trustworthy, provides honest and sincere recommendations, follows through on all of his responsibilities and is an all around great person. His guys are wonderful: totally trustworthy, and all work directly for the company, meaning no sub-contractors. In fact, most of his guys have worked with him for multiple years, which is nearly unheard of in the GC world.  
Peter controls the work and the quality which is key to the client remaining in control of the project. You can have direct interaction with Peter as he is onsite nearly every day to inspect progress and quality. Our project grew in scope throughout the construction due to unforeseen, but expected, challenges of renovating a 100 year old house. Peter and David were there at each stage to recommend fixes and provide options. In fact, despite us adding about 3 weeks of work due to change orders, they still nearly met the original timeline agreed to in the contract. Also remember that you will be purchasing tile, appliances, cabinets etc.  They will install everything and rough in the needed infrastructure, but they don't pick the finishes.
To finish, one piece of advice to potential clients of Barratt from someone who knows remodeling projects.  These guys are EXTREMELY busy due to their excellent reputation and high quality of work.  If they don't return your phone call within 10 mins of you calling when you are looking at obtaining a quote, don't freak out.  Give them some time and they will get back to you if they think your project meets their availability/capabilities.  That is another huge plus about Barratt, they aren't trying to turn business away or be 'RUDE' to you, they are giving you honest feedback about how they think your project might be able to fit into their current work schedule. This prevents both the company and the customer from getting frustrated as it cuts down on the potential for time and cost overruns if they undertake projects that don't meet their availability or scope.  
I will recommend Barratt to all of my friends, which is my biggest endorsement of a company, and use them for any large future projects that we might need.

Very easy. Would not hesitate to work with the team again. Of all the quotes that I received, they were the only ones that even mentioned insulation. Initial estimate was way below my budget and the team had worked with me to increase the scope of work adjusted to my budget. Would not hesitate to use them again.

When we met them, we were first time homeowners with little clue about how to renovate a house. They worked with us to create architectural designs, get permits, and to renovate our entire house while we lived in it. They are thoughtful and professional. We were very lucky that they took on our job and are forever grateful. Our house has been completely transformed. In the one year we worked with them, the appraisal for our house more than doubled. Their workmanship was excellent. Whenever we changed our minds on something, they accommodated us with a smile. They always came through on their word, and we can’t imagine any better general contractor to work with. They also let us do some of the work (demo, painting, exposing a brick wall, removing a chimney, removing our radiators, etc.) ourselves. Throughout the year-long process of renovating our home, they were more like combat companions or close friends than contractors – just all around good, honest workers – the kind that are really hard to find. Our friends and family can’t believe the transformation that our house has gone through, it is really amazing. Their team – Andreas (general), Satch (A/C), and Eliot (electrical), Jose (carpenter) and the others are great too. Thanks guys!

We had a large amount of exterior and interior work we wanted to have done on our rather large 60-year old home.  After interviewing a number of firms for the exterior and interior work, we decided to divide the work into two contracts ? one for the exterior work and one for the interior.  We decided to hire Barratt Construction Services LLC to do the roofing, window and door work on the exterior of our home.
We based that decision to retain them, among other things, on their dozens of rave reviews on Angie's List, and were not disappointed. The quality of their work was first rate, the experience of working with Barratt was wonderful and their pricing for the exterior work was eminently fair, giving us very real value for the money we spent on this project.  Based on this highly successful project, we then retained Barratt to undertake a full scale renovation of the interior of our home.  This review relates solely to the exterior work.  The interior work is currently in progress, and going extraordinarily well.  I?ll submit a separate review regarding the interior work when it?s finished.
Barratt Construction is managed by business partners Peter Tatchell and David Jackson. They?re  a terrific team. Based
on the very substantial amount of work they've already done for us, we recommend them without qualification. They do wonderful work and run an excellent business.  Here are some of the reasons we think so: 
  
--Peter and David are expert at what they do and provide exceptionally useful advice about structuring a renovation project.   
--They?re extremely helpful in suggesting creative solutions to design and technical problems.
--They do exceptionally high quality work¸ with great attention to detail.  They personally review all aspects of the work.     
--They have an excellent & stable team of specialized workers in their employ and thus have a predictable work force and don't need to use subcontractors.  You know who's coming to your home every day.     
--They set very high standards for their team of workers, and their workers meet those meticulous standards.         
--They have an extraordinary level of professionalism and responsiveness.  They don?t stop until they ?get things right,?
addressing any and all issues and concerns one might raise about any aspect of the work.      
--They?re excellent at communicating about work status & open issues and both flexible and considerate in accommodating scheduling issues.       
--Peter and David themselves are decent, refined, likeable & very considerate.  They both have superb taste.  They are scrupulously honest.  They are both simply wonderful to work with.     
--Last but not least, they provide real value for what they charge, and what they charge is fair for the service they give you.        
--We think they're first rate, as do so many other Angie's list clients/reviewers.  Indeed, based on the superb job they did on
the exterior of our home, we hired them to do a complete renovation of the interior of our home.  
I?ll submit a separate detailed review of their work on the interior renovation when that work is completed, but at this point I can report that they?re some months into that interior work, and what they?ve completed so far ? including among other things installing three gorgeous renovated bathrooms,  refinishing all the wood floors on the top floor of the home, installing a new wood floor in and completely upgrading a family room ? meets the same exceptionally high quality of the work on the exterior of the home. 
We feel enormously fortunate to have found Barratt Construction through Angie?s List and recommend them without qualification or reservation to others considering these types of projects, whether involving the doors, windows and roof on the outside
of the home or renovating bathrooms, redoing wood flooring, painting the interior of the house, renovating the kitchen or other projects on the interior of the house.

PS:  Clarification:  My answer to the  question below regarding "surprises" during the work identified a week long power outage.  That power outage was of Mother Nature's, and not Barratt's, doing.

David and Peter and their team are absolute experts. We cannot recommend them enough. They were responsive to every request that we had and always finished the job they said they would. We did not need to worry about details in their quotes, because if they said they were going to do a project that meant that they were going to make a finished project that both we and they are proud of ? a great finished product. Did not think of water spickets for an outdoor hose, drains for icemakers, electric for garbage disposal, or the dozens of other things that come up in a large project? Doesn?t matter, they have it covered ? it?s part of the job, not a change order.
As an example of their character, we ordered big windows to our specifications, but they found that they would be too close to an I-beam, and they picked up the tab for new windows because they had not pointed out that the big windows were not feasible earlier, though we had not really asked. This level of professionalism is what you want to expect, but don?t always get. We really enjoyed working with them, they are great people and anyone would be lucky to have them on their project.
They also spent a lot of time communicating with us, being here almost every day. There are a few unfair Angie?s list comments from people who never worked with them and did not get a call back on the initial call. Sometimes professionals offering high quality service realize that they are at capacity and have to decide whether to hire someone to call every lead and write every proposal, which is a cost that would be passed to their clients. The fact is that they are responsive to clients, and it is not their responsibility to follow every job lead. Angie?s list should be about comments from existing, not potential, clients. I am glad that they spent their time responding to our needs once we hired them.

We are extremely pleased with our decision to hire Barratt.  Their experience and professional approach proved effective in managing a very difficult project.  We met initially with Peter and David, to discuss our scope, budget and timing.  They were very realistic about what could be accomplished and the timing for completion of the project.  In addition to their knowledge, we were impressed with their honesty and commitment to excellence.  The construction crew was composed almost entirely of Barratt employees, as opposed to subcontractors.  Consequently, we became familiar with their staff, who were skilled, polite and worked effectively after arriving promptly every day.  We definitely feel that we received exceptional value for our money and are extremely grateful to Barratt for their taking on our project.

We decided to have a screened in porch built on the back of our house, replacing a small existing porch.  At the same time, we wanted to expand and re-do the walk out space and stairs below the porch but leading to the basement because the concrete steps and retaining wall were starting to crumble. The new porch is approximately 4 feet deeper than the original, and the walk-out area was also dug out to match the size of the deck. The porch has a completely new roof, new stairs, and is fully screened in, which will be a treat when the mosquitoes eventually make their presence known. Which they always do.

Because we live in a historic district, specific rules apply, and this added another level of complexity in arranging for permits. Barrat handled this expeditiously.

Once the city granted permits, the work began immediately and progressed without delay. Digging out the extra foundation space for the basement walk out took longer than expected, partly because of the city's unclear requirements, partly due to the hard clay, and partly due to pulling out the stump and roots of a bush in the way. After the digging was completed and the concrete poured, the rest of the deck went up very quickly.  We never felt that we had to "babysit" the project--the work started before 8:00 every day and we could see progress every day when we came home.  

We selected man-made materials for the deck and railings, which is somewhat more expensive than pressure treated lumber and pressure treated lumber for the porch frame. We really wanted a porch that will last for decades and that is what Barrat provided. We are, even nearly a year later, still as happy to be out on on the porch as we were when it was completed.

As for the financial aspect of the whole project, we believe that Barratt's price for the work was fair.

Overall, we are very happy with the final product and would certainly ask Barratt to do additional work at our house. We give Barratt our highest recommendation.

This was a complete kitchen remodel, including demolition, redesign and rebuild.  All the existing problems were overcome by the renovation, thanks in good measure to the extensive design assistance of the two owners, Peter and David.  Overall, it was a very positive experience, the work was excellent and the outcome highly satisfactory.  The work crews were punctual, exceptionally neat and their workmanship very high caliber.  All requests and modifications were handled promptly and courteously.  Would highly recommend this team!

The floors in our house were a bit of a mess - there was a bulge in the center and a slope to either end of the house. We looked at several different contractors who all had different ideas of how to fix the problem. Barratt came up with the best plan for fixing the slope with minimal damage and upset to the rest of the house. They did a fantastic job, and the new floors look great. And we liked working with them so much that now they're starting a bathroom remodel for us! They are very friendly and professional, and they work fast.

It honestly couldn't have gone much better. After speaking with our home insurer, we contacted Barratt Co. based on their high ratings here on Angie's List, along with 2 other providers. One of the providers couldn't manage to make it to our home within a week, and the other just came across a little sneaky from the way he spoke.  Barratt Co. on the other hand just seemed like a couple of good guys and were quite responsive to our request to have the work done ASAP. We provided Peter and David with the itemized list of things that our home insurer had indicated needed to be fixed (sans pricing info) and ask Barratt Co. to provide us with an equally itemized estimate. They obliged and were remarkably close to our insurance estimate (even though they have no affiliation).

We gave them the green light and they began the work almost immediately. David was our project manager and was on site every day for at least a few hours overseeing the work. The rest of the team seemed really focus and engaged and didn't need much supervision.

Overall, we really loved the communication, dedication and willingness to always "get things right" that Barratt Co. had. So much so that we can't wait for them to completely remodel our basement for us soon!

They did a great job. We have been very happy with their work. We are going to use them again.

We have used Barratt in the past for other large jobs, but they really helped us out when our roof started leaking after the hurricane that hit the DC metro area.  We weren't living in the house at the time, but came by one weekend and discovered a 6 foot wide collapse of the ceiling caused by the excessive rain.  I called multiple roofing companies who were backed up for weeks or months to get estimates for the insurance company.  We then decided to call Barratt and just pay for it ourselves. We new they would do the job right and give us a good price.  

They came over the next day and had a crew up there working on Monday morning.  The new roof looks great and the new insulation really helps out on noise and temperature control.  

The other roofing companies eventually came and gave us estimates after we all ready contracted with Barratt.  They were way more expensive and didn't even include the new insulation for the roof.  We will just call Barratt first if we ever need  another project done.  

We can't thank them enough for helping us out after the storm.

This was our second project with Barratt Construction.  We had them relocate an existing exterior door with a full glass door with a side window.  They also installed 2 custom ordered glass and steel doors for the basement and installed new interior doors throughout the newly renovated areas. 

We wanted new windows and with Peter's guidance he helped us select the perfect color of window to compliment the new siding. He didn't just show us the stock stuff which would have been faster to order and install but allowed us to get exactly what we want. 

We also replaced all the siding in the back of the house with James Hardy concrete shingle siding.  This was a custom ordered shingle that resembles cedar shakes.  The color looks amazing. The finished siding looks amazing and always gets compliments from the entire neighborhood.  They matched the siding to custom windows.  This really updated the back and sides of the house.  We are  also had them install new insulation under the new siding.  The result is amazing.  The whole house is so much more quite and warmer than it was before.  

Barratt gave us an excellent price and the workers werre always curteous, clean and respectful of the neighbors and the house. 
As always with these quys,  A+++ rating.  

Peter and David were wonderful to work with.  We have used them for several jobs.   The largest one included a complete renovation of the back half of our DC row house.  This was a large project lasting several weeks..  They raised the flooring to match the existing hardwoods, installed new hardwood flooring in the addition and installed new porcelain tile in the newly added laundry room.  The quality of their work was superb.  The new floor transitions with the old seamlessly.  No awkward raised transitions  between the hardwood and the porcelain tile.  The new half bath looks like it was always part of the house.  The design of the renovation works perfectly with a 100 year old house.  They also installed  a new A/C system with minimal soffits or destruction of the original hardwood floors.  I would highly recommend these guys to anyone who needs a contractor for a complete project.  All of his employees were polite, professional and considerate of my neighbors and our house.  They cleaned up the construction debris on a daily basis and made sure the house was locked up tight every evening.  I had no problems with any of his workers.  I gave them the highest rating on Angie's list would allow and can't say enough how well this project turned out in the end.

My wife and I own a 1880s -era rowhouse in downtown DC.  Unfortunately, the house was a rental prior to our buying it and the owner was letting the house go to pot.  Among the surprises we've discovered in our first year + of ownership was a slowly sinking master bedroom floor.  After calling in a structural engineer and speaking with another specialist it was clear the floor joists (i.e. robust boards running the width of the house, spaced every 1+ feet) were the problem, but it wasn't clear how they had been weakened.  What was the culprit?  Termites?  Water damage due to a skylight that wasn't airtight and let in water for years prior to our buying the place?  I cut holes in my first floor ceiling to survey the joists with a flashlight and while there was some discoloration, it wasn't the obvious mold or strong discoloration I had been told would exist were that the problem.  Regardless, when your floor is sinking and bringing down several walls and doorframes with it, you need to do something about it.  Unfortunately, there were only a handful of companies on Angieslist from the DC area that appeared qualified for this work.  I obtained estimates from Barratt Construction and another company and while Barratt's was the more expensive of the two, I felt confident they would do a better job based on my initial discussion with Peter.  He came across trustworthy, knowledgable and didn't have an incentive clause in his estimate.  It's a pet-peev of mine when companies include an incentive claus.  I would rather get an honest quote that states plainly how much time the project will take, than pay a company extra to REALLY meet the deadline they've said they were going to meet in the first place.  

Peter's crew arrived on time, laid down plywood boards and plastic on the ground to protect the first floor and prevent plaster and dust from getting on the carpet.  They installed the supports, raised the second floor hydraulically, and sistered new LVLs to the existing joists with carriage bolts.  They elected not to notch the new LVLs into the brickwork on either side of the house because of the poor condition of the brick.  The team finished on time and cleaned up well considering how messy the project was and with no added costs beyond the estimate.  I would hire Barratt Construction again were I to encounter a similar project.

The earthquake in August evidently caused a network of cracks in the basement floor, which was brought to our attention a few days later when the hurricane caused water to seep through the cracks and soak the carpet. I called Barratt based on Angie's List recommendations, intending to get bids from several contractors but, after consulting with Peter Tatchell and David Jackson, it was clear to me that I wouldn't find a better match for my project (in retrospect, it was perhaps not an ideal match for them - they were juggling several large contracts and my comparatively tiny job demanded a disproportionate amount of their time and attention).

From that point It took a full month to come up with a final proposal, during which time 1) they dug a hole in the concrete so that an outside structural engineer (recommended by Barratt) could examine the foundation and the damage; 2) the engineer provided a detailed report complete with sketches of the necessary structural repairs; 3) I met twice with Satch, their remarkable in-house heating/cooling specialist, and consulted several times with David on flooring and other options. It took as long as it did partly because our job was dwarfed by contracts that they were already working on, and largely because my husband and I complicated the process by requesting things that David had to track down, source, and cost.

The work itself began on Sept 27 and was completed on Oct 26. The workers were a pleasure to have around. In addition to Satch, Barratt keeps a full crew on salary that includes a plumber, an electrician, an amazing finish carpenter, and several construction workers. It's obvious that the company treats their people fairly and with respect - they work their butts off and seem happy to do so! Removing the old concrete and digging out the floor was beyond labor-intensive; because we live in a rowhouse with no basement entrance, the guys had to fill buckets with broken concrete and red clay soil, then carry them out the front door and down the block to where they could park the truck. They worked quickly and at the end of each day they cleaned up as much as possible.
 
I could go on and on. I was surprised by the quality of their work each time that I went downstairs to have a look. Everyone was meticulous in their work. David was a joy to work with - always responsive, honest and open. He listened to me, discussed ideas and options freely, and I always felt like a part of the team.

The end result was really way beyond my expectations - the basement has always been my husband's dumpy mancave, but now it's a beautiful gem of a room that I actually want to spend time in! I wish Angie's had a special "A++ I love these guys" category for Barratt.

I was more than pleased with the work.  They did an excellent job of plugging the leaks and fixing the roofing.  The gutters look good and sturdy.  They also put an attractive cover over the HVAC pipes and wires going to the roof.  It blends in nicely with the house and is attractive.  I continue to find Barratt Construction as an excellent company.  Their roof work was terrific.  They pride themselves on doing quality work and stand behind whatever they do.  I strongly recommend them.  I won't let anyone else touch my house.