Mahogany Builders

My interaction with them went fine. The person that came out and did the estimate was very thorough and went through a lot about what we were going to talk about. He took measurements and got back to me within three days with an estimate.

They were A overall. They are really meticulous. They give an itemized estimate and statement telling what is that you want to be done and what it would cost. They do what they say would do and come when they say they are going to come. They are extremely clean. They always clean up after themselves perfectly. They are talented and meticulous. They are expensive for handyman services. Everything is great about them except their price. I will use them for contracting services but not for handyman service.

Mahogany's work exceeded our expectations. We couldn't be happier with the end result, and the process for getting there was painless as well. Matt and Paul spent a significant amount of time planning the project with us upfront. They were very consultative and helped us understand the pros and cons of various approaches. The upfront planning paid off as the project was completed on time and on budget, and there isn't anything we would have done differently. Paul came to our house every day to review the progress and make sure the work team had all of the materials they needed. The work team arrived on time and put in a full day of work every day. They were friendly, courteous and professional. It was obvious that they took pride in their work, and while they were extremely efficient, they took the time needed for a high quality end product. We used Mahogany previously to add a bathroom on our first floor and were pleased with that work as well. I'm totally sold on Mahogany and wouldn't hesitate to use them for future projects.

They returned my call promptly. The man was very nice and asked for more details about what I wanted done. He explained to me that it would cost more than what the bookshelf was originally worth, so wouldn't be worth the cost. He was very thorough in his response, which helped me to make my decision.

They did a very good job. They were professional, fast, polite, accessible and reliable. When one of the tiles they installed came loose, they came and fixed it for free.

The amount above is an approximate total for the project; I paid about $27,000 to Mahogany; I have an enormous kitchen, and it is a top-of-the-line project. Mahogany Buildiers did an amazing job throughout. This remodel started with a small water leak under the main sink while we were out of town. The water damaged our hardwood floors; they warped and damaged our center island. We decided it was time to just redo the entire kitchen, a project we were planning in a few years anyway. Sarah Nettle of Mahogany guided me through design choices at Spaces and Views, Waterworks, Abt Appliance, Clark & Barlow Hardware, and GP Stone. We started with repairing the floor, replacing the warped boards; while waiting for the ordered materials to arrive, I was able to live with a partial kitchen, which anyone who has been without a kitchen for a complete remodel can really appreciate! Once the cabinets arrived, Mahogany stepped into high gear. The old kitchen was demolished; they moved furniture so my floors could be refinished from the tv area off the kitchen, through the kitchen, and into the dining room. Then the new cabinets were set in. Everything flowed on schedule. When we realized that the new cabinets were a bit deeper than the old, meaning the cabinet crown molding wouldn't fit neatly on the soffit, they rebuilt the soffit-- this is such a seamless build you would never know it was done if you hadn't seen it being built. Crown molding replaced, paint applied-- all part of the cabinet installation! The island was a particular challenge, 5 feet by 10 feet, with columns in the corners-- some of this needed to be custom altered on the spot, and Mahogany did this seamlessly as well. I wanted the leaded glass from my old cabinets reused in the new, and they safely removed the panes and installed them into the new cabinet doors. Over the 2 months of the project, from the first day removing cabinets to the final day of cleaning and moving furniture back, Mahogany arrived each morning on time at 8 a.m., and worked until 5. Each day they ended with tools neatly stacked and debris cleaned up. My newly finished floors were protected with paper and boards throughout the project. The guys were good about asking guidance and letting me know what was planned for each day. And they got along with my two Siberian Huskies, to the point that the dogs asked them when they needed to go out! I live in a 46-unit vintage building; there is always work being done here by a variety of contractors. The building manager, engineer, custodian, and doormen all have commented on the professional way Mahogany works in the building. They even vacuum the service elevator--definitely a point-winner when you live in a communal setting! The building manager has gone so far to say they are among the best to work in the building. In the end I have an amazing kitchen having suffered a minimum of disruption. I will be talking to Mahogany about redoing my master bath soon!

It was a great experience. They were very helpful in the design process and available and flexible with the installation process. The fireplace looks great and we are very happy with the results.

We were very impressed with Mahogany owner, Matt who was on-time for the estimate and courteous. He provided us with a very detailed estimate that same day and was matter of fact in explaining his company's approach to kitchen jobs. Matt may not have been the "slickest" of the guys who we interviewed, but I felt that he knew what he was doing and could be trusted. Alas, our kitchen job was a family decision and we ended up choosing another company. I told Matt, however, that I would keep him in mind for future jobs as this is an old Chicago two-flat that is in need of further renovation. By the way, his estimate was reasonable and consistent with other companies that we interviewed.

I interviewed several contractors and felt that Matt and his team were willing and knowledgable enough to deal with our situation. We needed to have flood control installed because of increasing seepage in our 100+ year old house. Matt came out quickly to give me a quote, and was great at explaining and problem solving some issues (we have a knee wall in the front part of our basement that was going to have to be dealt with so we didn't loose square footage). Once I received the quote from Matt, I knew we would be working with them. The quotes are broken down so nicely that you know EXACTLY what your costs will be as well as allowances for overruns. On the first day of the job, Matt left a list of the project manager, construction manager and his contact info, including cell numbers. There were several times during the project where the scope changed (some due to my addtions and some due to unforseen issues) and they had no problems and were happy to include them in the job. Matt came to the job almost daily to check the progress and answer any questions. Mahogony was also able to work well with my flood company and due to addtional flood work, had to set their schedule back a bit, but incorporated it well so that the flow of my job wasn't put on hold. The job wasn't finished until August, but I now have an awesome new basement for my family to enjoy.

Mahogany Builders is the best!! Their estimate comes out a tiny bit higher than others' estimates, but it is worth it, for the following reasons.Of course, their work is beautiful. Their method of estimating takes into consideration a low end - no surprises, and a high end, in case of surprises. MB is 99% prompt - noone is perfect, right? When Matt (the owner) tells you he is going to be somewhere at a specific time, he gets there. When he tells you his workers will be at your home at a specific time, they are there. All of his employees that I have met have been not only prompt, but clean, considerate, professional, and competent. Their work is well done, they prepare their workspace in order to protect my home; if they work more than one day on a project, they insure that my home is clean and completely usable, overnight. Finally, they are dog-friendly.

Overall, from start to finish, working with Mahogany was a pleasure. It started with a very prompt, detailed and professional proposal which outlined the estimated hours for each aspect of the project. He also includes a "contingency estimate" which represents his best guess for unexpected labor fees. Our final bill was at the high end of his estimate due to some unforeseen plumbing issues, but luckily his "contingency estimate" prepared us for this sort of thing. Matt took the time to answer any questions we had regarding his pricing/estimate. The Mahogany crew (2 workers) arrived promptly at 7:00am each morning, worked very dilligently throughout the day, and were very neat and careful in our kitchen. Before starting the project they hung plastic from floor to ceiling to block off the construction zone and laid a very heavy cardboard on our hardwood floors in the work area. We were pleasantly surprised to see how neat they left the kitchen every night. We were expecting a disaster for 2 weeks, but the crew kept everything very neat! Upon completion, they cleaned up very well. On several occasions, Matt and/or his project manager stopped by to monitor the progress. He was easily accessible via phone and email, and he was readily available to answer any questions we had before, during and after the remodel. We are extremely satisfied with Mahogany's work; their professionalism was far superior to their competitors, the craftsmanship was outstanding, and the finished product is exactly what we were hoping for. We would HIGHLY recommend Mahogany for anyone looking to complete a remodeling project.

Matt provided a very thorough, high-level estimate of what it would cost to convert our 2-flat to a single family home including new kitchen, bathrooms, etc. Matt was extremely prompt with all responses and was very organized and professional during both his walk through and in providing his estimate. He was a very good listener and was clearly interested in hearing what we wanted while also providing his expert opinion. His pricing seemed in line with other estimates we received. If we continue with this remodel, we will certainly include him in the bidding process, and we would not hesitate to hire him if his prices are competitive.

My husband had previously met Matt at a neighborhood thing so when we were in a somewhat emergency situation of needing work done, he tracked Matt down to ask if he knew of someone. We didn't think he would would actually have his company do the work because we had seen photos of their gorgeous kitchen and bath jobs. But he said they could do it and squeezed us in ASAP. They had the entire job done in one day and it looked great. You can't even tell there was ever a break-in attempt. Everything matched perfectly, which was vital because of condo association rules. I hated to waste their talents on something as "non-glam" as a door, but they were great and I would definitely hire them again.

The project was seamless! The team of people who work with Mahogany Builders are professional, prompt, punctual, and they follow through on what they promise. They showed up to take pictures, get measurements and walk me through how the project was going to go, and then they met every deadline and made every appointment that they said they would. When the time came for installation, they showed up early, moved my furniture and rug out of the way and prepped the work space, worked diligently all day to install the shelves, and then cleaned up and returned everything to its place before they left for the day. They returned the next morning and repeated the preparation process, finished the job, and once again cleaned the space when they were done. They were respectful of my time, space and things and they were a pleasure to work with. The bookshelves look gorgeous! I would highly recommend this company to anyone looking for remodeling/rehab or construction services.

Mahogany Builders did a PERFECT job from start to finish. The work crew preparred the worksite and protected the area with all the appropriate materials. The crew was polite, professional and accomodating through every stage of the project. The design of the tile job was quite labor-intensive, with several intricate and delicate areas that needed to be carefully considered. An important note here: I am extremely picky when it comes to certain things, no, make that all things. While there are probably an infinite number of way s to execute a tile pattern, and undoubtedly, easier ways to go about it, I had a specific idea in mind. I consulted with Matt Lederer's crew before commencing, and discussed my plan, the installers were eager to make it happen. To my delight, the work was performed PERFECTLY according to my exact specifications with absolute precision. "My way" meant more pre-measuring, more intricate and labor-intensive cutting, essentially more work all-around. The "Mahogany way" meant happily and expertly providing an efficient and skilled installation, and the end result is a SUPERB product. The entire worksite was picked up and cleaned from top to bottom. Not a single thing out of place, nor spot of dust left unswepped or unmopped. This job set a performance standard by which I will judge all others in the future.

After interviewing 3 companies, Mahogany was the only one that broke out the costs. They provided a brake down of labor, materials, time, etc... They worked with me to make it the bathroom I wanted. I decided to design it myself (pick out the fixtures, tile, etc..). They would do the labor. On the first day, they arrived on time and started protecting my floors, walls, furniture, then began the demo. It did take a while to complete, but that was expected, I had a lot done. Several days into the project, I was contacted to review an issue that arose when the toliet position needed to be changed due to a supporting stud. I was given the cost and my options. Checking on the progress each day, I saw work was progressing at a decent pace. When finally completed, the workmanship was EXCELLENT. The cuts and angles on the tile and shower surround was AMAZING. Much better then I ever imagined. Not to mention, the final cost came in below their estimate.

I asked for a pretty simple and straightforward kitchen and remodel estimate, with four options: replace or repair the floor, and two potential configurations for cabinet replacement. I asked several other companies to provide estimates, and they cheerily understood what I was looking for and did so. Sarah, the sales rep, seemed to understand what I was looking for. The owner, however, consistently didn't get it. He called me beforehand trying to explain how "multiple options would be difficult", but when I explained to him that the options were really rather limited he seemed to get it ... then after I spent all that time waiting for the appointment and waiting for the estimate he finally called and declined to bid. This guy seems like someone who doesn't really understand how to handle customer expectations, so he just fires customers rather than setting clear expectations with them and understanding the difference between a savvy customer looking for solid results and an aggressive customer trying to squeeze you for every penny (I am of course the former!). Very disappointing -- especially given how much time I've invested in this. If they were afraid of estimating options I wish they'd told me up front so I didn't have to waste so much precious calendar time on this project.

Although I feel this is grossly overdue I can not omit saying a few words about Mahogany Builders. These guys are great! Matt and his team made it possible for me to fulfill a promise to my wife by having the nursery and second floor remodel completed with time before the baby came. I may have been slow to write this review but I have been dropping jaws by telling friends of our experience. Mahogany did an amazing job of tracking and communicating on their efforts. The project was kept on time and on budget even with the challenges of a one hundred year old home. We were impressed with Mahogany?s creativity in coming up with solutions to our challenges. They made an absolutely disruptive experience a genuine pleasure, with a friendly crew so on time that you could set a watch to them. We have never seen a crew that showed every day at seven sharp! In addition the worksite couldn?t have been cleaner each night which made my pregnant wife very happy. I am happy to say our baby loves her new digs and we love our new master bedroom and bathroom. I am certain we will be having them back again. Excellent work!

We definitely would have hired Matt but for our limited budget. His price was, surprisingly, extremely competitive, and in certain cases much lower than, the five other general contractors we had bid on the house. Matt had a keen sense for things without me having to tell him what we needed done. In addition, he brought a certain amount aesthetic taste that most contractors do not display. He showed up exactly when he said he would and took notes in an Excel spreadsheet. I greatly appreciated this fact, because it helped me consider his organization as a major sticking point. When I found out that he was a engineer with a degree from Washington University - St. Louis (extremely reputable), I was pretty much sold on his skills and completely trusted the quality of work he would provide. More than that, Matt often spoke about his family during the walkthrough, which was a very comforting, personal touch as well; my wife and I are considering starting a family. The only complaint I have is that he was a few days late with his estimate (which, by the way, is presented in thorough detail, giving both a high and low estimate - very professional). The estimate was completed, and I was told I would receive the estimate in one week. One week came, and no estimate. However, I did receive an email from Matt on the day the estimate was supposed to arrive explaining how busy he had been and that the estimate would arrive in the next couple of days. It did. In the end, we decided not to hire a general contractor and that we would sub the various trades out ourselves in order to save money; we have a laundry list of small projects that are just going to take a long time to complete. In the future, if we decided to do another project that is room-specific (i.e. complete kitchen or bath remodel), Matt and Mohagany Builders will be the only number I call.

Matt, Paul, Sarah, and the crew at Mahogany are an incredibly professional and talented team. We out-of-town owners of a rental condo in Chicago that experienced a significant amount of water damage. We were terrified at the prospect of managing such an enormous repair long distance, but Mahogany Builders turned what could have been a nightmare into - dare I say it - a fun project. Our project was completed absolutely on time and under budget. They are responsive to email and phone calls, their estimates and billing procedures are fair and transparent, and they take an enormous amount of pride in their work. We received photo updates and never felt out of touch on the progress of the project. (pics available at http://2012repairs.blogspot.com/) We are especially grateful to Sarah, the project manager and designer. She stayed in constant communication, and went above and beyond, working with our insurance adjuster, suggesting fixtures and materials, and even meeting our tenant to arrange details. We are enormously grateful to have found Mahogany Builders and recommend them without hesitation.

Mahogany builders did an excellent job. Matt came to meet with me and give me an estimate. While the estimate was higher than others, it was accurate (ie, I didn't get surprised at the end with extra charges). Matt's crew was there on time every day, and worked incredibly hard. They were also very conscientious and very clean, even creating a plastic 'screen' behind which they worked to minimize the dust, etc in the rest of my house. The work was completed within the estimate and on time. After the work was done, both Matt and Paul came to see the results themselves. I am very pleased with how the project turned out and would definitely use them again.

They were very responsive, but they were way more expensive than the other builders. Their bid was $17,000, but we paid $4,800 with another contractor. They were very nice.

We got a bid from Mahogany about a year and a half before they did the job. We had to get another right before they did the work, and it was a bit different but not much. They started work about a week later, and finished the job in about two weeks. Their workers were always on time, courteous and very neat. They did a great job. After work was finished, we noticed two small problems (loose toilet paper holder and broken drain in the sink), which they came by to fix right away. We did have some damage to the paint in our stairway, from moving down a large tub - my advice is to do your part protecting your walls if it's important to you. Also, do keep a close eye on the pricing in your bid and the week by week budget/progress on the job to keep things on track.

We thought they did an excellent job. They were on time and thorough. The owner was delightful to work with. I think our only complaint was that it went a good deal over the estimate.

They were excellent and very professional. They had some VERY GOOD IDEAS on what we could to remodel the condo for comfortable living. It was a tough decision between them and who we ended up hiring because: 1) I felt the other company was a little bit more realistic on the time frame to complete the work. These were vintage units and it was not like we were remodeling a 1970s or 1980s home. These old buildings are very tricky and complicated at times and we wanted just the right people to do the job. 2) The published hourly rate was somewhat higher than the company we went with. I thought they were very good and one thing I should point out is that they offer INTERIOR DESIGN options for client le who would like to utilize such services, and I thought that was really convenient.