Renaissance Development LLC

Was not impressed. I contacted the company to have someone come out and provide me an estimate for waterproofing my basement/repairing my wall from recent water leaking into the basement. The whole point was that water was coming in - it's usually helpful to be able to show someone while the area is wet so there is no ambiguity. They were unable to send anyone to assess the situation until such time as the weather was suitable (read: sunny) and that they would have to cancel for inclement weather. Heh? That defeats the point! Took them 3-4 days to get someone out. When he did come, he was insistent the flooding must have come from a drain outside of the door despite me indicating no less than 4-5 times that was not the case. (He clearly wasn't listening.) Ultimately, he determined that he had no idea what the issue was - or what to fix. (Mind you, this was 1 of 4 estimates I was getting for the work. And, this was the only one that couldn't come up with some kind of recommendation or proposal.) After the fact, I got a call from the company indicating that they could not complete the work because I had a leak in my roof which caused the issue (heh?!). I can only hope that they confused me with someone else.. because my roof was no part of the discussion, and in a 3 story house.. that was not the source of water coming in under a basement footboard.

The work was outstanding in just about every respect. The estimator and then the work crew all arrived on time. The work itself was well done (at least to my novice eyes) -- hopefully the water instrusion has ended. The work crew went the extra mile to reattach drain pipes as needed (and without being asked to do so). And the best part was that the final bill came in $400 less than the estimate (so 25% less than the estimate). The only (minor) complaint I had was that the garbage bags and ladders the workers used sat in the front yard for a day longer than they were supposed to -- not a big deal, but not pretty either. I would absolutely 100% use Renaissance again in the future.

I would highly recommend them. The owner Christina was very personable, very good to work with. She understood what the problems were, she gave me information and basically gave me a lesson in tuck pointing. JJ came out check things out, brought a ladder to get on top of the roof, he was great. Nelson and his crew who actually came out and did the work were awesome. They were professional did a beautiful job on the brickwork. Pricing was very reasonably. I am very pleased with the services.

Renaissance Development provided me with an extensive second opinion for my new driveway. Dr. Christine Wilson, the owner of the company, is a professional in every sense of the word as is her staff. I had total confidence in the work up that she and her staff provided. It was extremely professional and I will use them in the future for masonry work. I recommend Dr. Wilson and her company without hesitation or reservation.

Hired Renaissance to do some masonry repair around my house. They were extremely professional throughout the process. From the quote to the completion of the work they were in communication and willing to answer any questions that I had. The team that did the work arrived on time and worked diligently until complete and did a great job. The entire process was efficient and easy to manage. I would definitely recommend them

Renaissance did a great job! They were always attentive and responsive to my requests. Their business philosophy of one team per job means that any time estimates are accurate and the quality of the work is consistent. I would recommend them without hesitation.

The entire process went very well. They were on time for initial estimate visit. The estimator (JJ) was very knowledgable and helpful and did not try to oversell the project.. They submitted a cost competitive proposal within a day. Communications were great with the office and the field team. They answered all our questions. They set a schedule and kept to it.The work was done in a very effective and expeditious manner. The wall looks great. The team was courteous and cleaned up very well; and the estimator came back for a final walk through, and the owner of the company followed up with a phone call and e-mail to see if everything was completed to our satisfaction. They paid attention to their customer.

They are really good. They were very responsive and they clean up well and they stick to their budget. They have significant experience working on historic exteriors. I've got a 100 year old house and they know how to take care of it.

These guys are awesome!! First of all, they're always on time... from estimate to mid-point inspection to final inspection. When they said they would meet me for something, they were there... on time. Christina, the owner, stayed in contact with me through the entire process, answering questions or just sharing what would happen next. The first challenge was to strip off the paint. It appears it was painted at least three different times. I've seen many places where the paint has been removed with varying degrees of success. I figured there would be paint left in some areas, especially hard to get to areas. Wrong. They removed virtually ALL the paint. I'm hard pressed to find any. Absolutely amazing. Next was the broken window sill. I was able to get some of the paint scraped off to see what type and color the stone was. It was hard to describe. So Christina had the stone mason send samples and Pedro the foreman brought them over. We were able to find a match. Now that it's replaced, it matches so closely you can't tell it's the replacement. The final thing was the tuckpointing. The mortar color and depth is consistent over the entire area. I also had several decorative bricks that were broken. Knowing that the house is over 100 years old, I figured I'd just have to live with them. Instead, Pedro was able to repair them. They look great. Finally, I went home the day the scaffolding came down. Of course it looked wonderful. I also knew I'd have to work on the lawn as all the water mixed with mortar dust and feet had made some of the areas muddy. What I found was grass seeds applied and fresh mulch. Wow. Totally unexpected but very much appreciated. I give Renaissance Development my highest recommendation. Everyone I worked with - Christina, JJ, Pedro and his team - was professional and made me feel like my job was the most important they had. Once they started it, they were there every day but Sunday. Though I believe I went in to this with reasonable expectations, I did expect everything to be done well. They exceeded my expectations in all areas. If you need masonry work done, choose Renaissance Development. You won't be disappointed.

Renaissance was very easy to work with. The representative came as scheduled and took measurements to replace the whole patio. An estimate was sent by mail promptly. I was confident they would do a good job. In the end, though, I needed also to do some plumbing work, which they could not do. In interviewing other masonry specialists (along with plumbers), I found a masonry company that seemed to have a more immediate grasp of all the issues involved and a clear vision of what our patio needed, so we went with him. I would definitely interview Renaissance for future masonry projects.

They came out promptly to do a site visit and prepare a quote. Their price was significantly less than some of the other highly rated companies that perform repointing work. All of the communications were handled very promptly. We had to wait a couple of weeks for the work to begin, but once it started, everything was completed very quickly, with very little disruption. They cleaned up thoroughly each day and at the end of the project.

Renaisasnce Development did an excellent job, and was definitely one of the most professional contractors I have dealt with in the DC area. Renaissance tuckpointed my home which I was renting out at the time, so I conducted business with Renaissance via email and telephone as I was overseas. From the first contact I made with them, the represeantatives from Renaissance were polite, informative, and professional. They quoted me a very competitive price and stuck through the estimate. There were no surprises whatesoever throughout the business relationship as they kept me informed and stuck to the original budget we agreed on. There was minimal disruption in the neighborhood and Renaissance even put plastic on ours and the neighbors windows and informed next door neighbors when work was about to begin, informed them of what to expect, etc. Renaisasnce also sent pictures of the completed job via email. The end product was incredible. Not only did we stop the moisture problem but the brickwork on the house look like new-- they really made such a difference. I would use Renaissance again for any masonry service and give them the highest recommendation. What a pleasure it was working with this company!

Once again, I am very pleased. Christina and J.J. sought my opinion and approval at every stage of the project and contacted me periodically to ensure I was satisfied. The final price matched the quote- I trusted this would be the case yet it's reassuring when a company doesn't use "inventive math." The work is top notch and J.J. took the time to explain in detail what was done and where. He patiently answered my twenty questions and sincerely thanked me for my business. Renaissance is an excellent company that I highly recommend- they stand behind their work and value their customers.

Excellent from start to finish. They know how to work with the older homes on Capitol Hill and with the historical society. Avoiding that headache was quite nice! They may be a bit more expensive than their competitors and that may scare some away, but this is an area where you get what you pay for. JJ arrived when scheduled to deliver an estimate, walked me through it, answered my questions, and was completely honest. Work began promptly and was uninterrupted- they do not put your project on hold if a higher priced project comes in the queue. It turned out that a sizable number of bricks needed to be replaced. Christina, a senior rep from the company, called me and emailed me pictures to demonstrate exactly which bricks needed to be replaced. I was pleased to be contacted in such a thorough manner. JJ did the walk-through and explained what was done. There was no pressure to give them positive marks. His primary concern was my happiness with the project. In addition, he offered to come back free-of-charge if I noticed a problem or had a question. In summary, this is a company to choose if you want the job done right, a company that stands behind its work, and a company that values its clients.

Quote was given within 2 days of first call. Communication throughout the project was excellent.

Quality was our main criterion, but not at the price of an elaborate cost. Renaissance's estimate was fair. They started the job as promised. I was delighted to meet Carlos, the job foreman, on the first day. He clearly understood all my concerns and I could tell he was a professional who knew his craft. The job was completed as promised, and we were delighted. The work was of fine quality. They used all of our bricks, and in addition, others from their warehouse that matched our bricks. We would definitely recommend them.

This is my second great experience with them. My front crawl space vent cover had a gaping hole in it. After attempting to chisel it out myself and replace, the bricks around it started to give, so I contacted RD. Despite the fact that this is a very small job, they were able to schedule me within the week. Showed up right on time and got right to work. They installed a vent cover that I had purchased and painted, and touched up the bricks around it that were not looking so good after my attempt with the chisel. They did the job very quickly and the new vent looks beautiful. Again, they were meticulous with every detail, including leaving my front patio spotless and neatly rolling up my hose.

The Renaissance estimator, JJ, showed up on time, on June 2nd was very thorough and knowledgeable. He indicated I would receive my estimate later that week, however I did not actually receive the information until June 13th. I received one call shortly thereafter asking if I had any questions about the proposal and I indicated I did not as I had not yet had a chance to read through it in detail, and that was the last I heard from Renaissance. I ultimately selected another, comparably priced contractor (who also knows the importance of using lime-based mortar for the older DC homes) for a couple of reasons. First, the other contractor was consistently following up with me to find out if I had questions, offering additional references and locations I could go to see examples of his work and generally just letting me know he wanted to win the work. The one and done follow-up from Renaissance, plus the delay in getting the proposal to me, left me with the impression that Renaissance was busy and my job wasn't an important "win" for them. Renaissance also has a clause in their contract that requires access to the interior of my home so their team can use the restroom, otherwise they'll install a port-a-john on my premises for an additional $250. While the need is perfectly understandable, and I am certain everything would have been just fine, since everyone in my home works during the day I would have had to leave a key with the team so they could let themselves in the house - which would have then required I remove my pets from my home for the estimated 7-10 day duration of the project. Alternatively I would have had to pay the additional money to have the port-a-john in my backyard. The contractor I chose did not have this requirement (or another way to see it, did not make it my problem). I have seen Renaissance's work in other locations first-hand and the quality I observed is what prompted me to call them for an estimate for the work on my home. In the end, though, I chose a contractor of comparable price and quality who seemed more "interested" in my project and gave me the impression of being more flexible and easier to work with given my circumstances.

The whole process was seamless and smooth, and I was informed the whole time of the progress. The job was finished much earlier than estimated, which caused some concern, but they seem to just give worst case scenarios. No corner cutting was evident. The backyard was meticulously cleaned and the exterior wall looks great.

Renaissance Development (RD) is a professional outfit that gets their work done quickly and well. We requested an estimate and received one within 3 or 4 business days. Initially, RD was a good bit more expensive than our other options, but they also were proposing a more thorough and high-quality restoration (our exterior masonry had been parged by previous owners and RD proposed to remove parge, restore brick, tuckpoint, etc.. They also use no-concrete mortar, which is reportedly much better for the old brick found in parts of DC and VA). Regardless, they were willing to negotiate and we decided to work with them.Dr. Wilson takes pride in the work and her crew. She's also very responsive to requests or questions. More than happy to help answer questions. Her crew (Nelson was foreman on our project) are nice guys who work their butts off. It was in the 90s during the two weeks they worked on our house and they were pulling 10 and 11 hour days. They estimated it would take about 11 days to complete our project, including pulling permits, erecting scaffolding, tuckpointing and clean-up and they did it in 10 days. So, everything on time.Very good work, good clean-up, on-time and on-price. We're happy customers who would use them again.

Phenomenal. Came out on a weekend and performed the most detailed and professional estimate of all four companies I was looking at. Answered questions on site and then proposal sent via email a couple days later. Quickly made time on their schedule to perform the work, which was done in four days. The onsite crew was very well run. Scaffolding was erected and the area always looked very clean and presentable despite the fact there was a considerable amount of work being done. The work itself could not look any better. They replaced bricks where needed and left bricks that were in good shape. They also fixed a few other minor problems, like a hole that was patched with putty from a previous electrical upgrade. They used lime based mortar, which I discovered through research is not only in keeping with the historical character of old DC rowhouses, but a necessity when it comes to structural and moisture considerations with the bricks used in these homes. I gave them access to the house during the day to use the bathroom, and the house and bathroom was always spotless when I returned. Little things like this go a long way. From the production manager, to the front office, to the workers, to the company owner, they were outstanding to work with and very up front. Never felt like I was being sold anything, just an honest assessment of what was necessary. The team was also very forthcoming with recommendations for painting and maintenance that probably exceeded the scope of what the job itself entailed.

The person came to evaluate the job that needed to be done on the outside wall of our house that is showing signs of humidity. He said they needed to do work on the bricks (it's an old house). We said the roof had just been fixed a few months ago and that before doing the brick job it might be a good idea to verify that the humidity coming down the wall was not due to the recently done roof work (maybe something that had not been done well). He categorically said it was not a problem with the roof without even going up to check!!

JJ arrived to do the estimate on time and sent us a very detailed and impressive proposal (with full contract outlining terms of service that give you a great idea of what to expect, a list of other projects they'd completed, references with contact information, and information on restoration of historic brick townhomes). Their price was about $19,000 (with a 10% first time customer discount if the contract was ratified within 30 days) for repointing the entire house. They were also willing to do the work in stages (i.e. 1-2 walls at a time) and offer a 10% returning customer discount for the second phase, which I thought was nice. However for budget reasons we decided to go with a different contractor offering another option - partial repointing only where cracks/weak mortar exist for about $6,000. If we had the means to do the full repointing, we would not have hesitated to go with Renaissance as a solid option. The references we checked were stellar.

Excellent job. They were professional, clean, safe, and punctual. Christina does a good job running a professional organization, and JJ is simply a knowledgable, nice guy and good to work with.

I've been wanting to do this tuck point job for a long time, finally did, and very glad about it. I had a very good experience with Renaissance from the initial visit with J.J. to the final walk through with the company owner Christina Wilson. The crew was great, very well coordinated and on scheduled. The got off to a late start on the first day, but I was ok with that since I was home for the day. They did everything agreed upon in the contract. They installed scaffolding, placed netting to contain dust, covered windows on exterior, cleaned up afterwards. I saw the progress of the work on a daily basis. The crew was professional. They were great about controlling the dust that comes from replacing mortar. I covered my furniture in the house thinking mortar dust would seep through the walls, but not a speck of dust entered! I was impressed. It took them 3 days to do the work. The clean up was thorough. They cleaned all of the windows. The front of my house looks great! The owner came on a Sunday morning to do a walk through and we talked a lot about the process. She also spent time giving me advice about another project I'm considering having done on the rear of my house.