DESIGNfirst Builders LLC

The team was very easy to work with. They took measurements and created plans for an addition which they showed us in 3D via the computer. In the end we decided that we were not ready to take on the cost of the addition at that time.

It was a wonderful experience. There was one snag and it was dealt with quickly and professionally. They are definitively worth the price. I would use them again in a heartbeat. They made suggestions that no one else thought of that really made the kitchen efficient and functional as well as gorgeous!

There were some bumps in the road, but a few years later the work has held up very well and we are very happy with the professional fit and finish of everything. We learned a lot from the experience and would make our expectations clearer up front in the future.

Dan and Peter arrived sharp at 10 AM as scheduled. They listened to our situation and shared wealth of their experience and suggested a Re-Build for any re-modeling on a compromised structure is just cheap cosmetics without substance. We agreed to re-build. Dan assured to check with the Village Office for certain zoning permission required for our discussed/agreed upon re-build ideas prior to any architectural blue prints versus estimates and promised to call back later in the day. Indeed he did call around 6 pm to discuss zoning concern leading us to abandon the project! I never wanted to sell our property for emotional attachment with our first owned home; but Dan's advice/experience/candidness/authenticity allows us to list the property for selling very next week and we are at peace as a family with this decision.

Several weeks later, Someone from the company called and apologized for the poor interaction, and offered to make it right. This was unexpected, and very well appreciated. They acknowledge in a non-defensive manner where they went wrong and apologized. I appreciated any company willing to call, and talk to me to confirm what went wrong. They even offered me compensatory cooking classes.

Everything went great. Heather was on time, very professional, and extremely helpful. We have a small outdated kitchen and she came up with some wonderful design ideas to help us not only utilize the space we have but to get creative and come up with more space. At this point we were in the very early stages of getting some ideas and some quotes put together. When spring rolls around and we are ready to do some work we will definitely be reaching out to Heather at DESIGNfirst!

Dan and Pete were very friendly and professional when they came by for their consultation. They provided excellent ideas with what to do with our kitchen, what was possible based on their inspection of our property. Pete even provided a mock sketch up of our current kitchen, what it would look like after a remodel on the spot! They were very thorough and were planning a second meeting with a 3D rendering of the planned work. Due to financial restraints, my wife and I had to postpone a kitchen remodel, but would definitely work with DesignFirst again!

It went exceptional, Danielle and the team here were really nice and easy to work with. We had an initial meeting in person at our house and discussed our needs and they took some photographs. In discussing the project we covered our budget, must haves, wants, and their team was so nice to talk to and really helped ensure we were covering everything based on our needs and helping guide us on what might be a good fit for our growing family. We did send some updates on additional thoughts we had after our initial meeting, they were well received and some were an ongoing conversation, where Danielle was really patient, helpful, and responsive. Our second meeting in person was at their showroom and office, it was absolutely beautiful and really showcased a lot of different product, styles, and great layouts. The results of the initial meeting and ongoing discussions were absolutely stunning. I really can't speak highly enough of Danielle. They provided us two different options that we went over in their cutting edge and really beautiful digital presentation format, where we could look all over from any angle and even change things around on the spot. Danielle and their team's design was absolutely beautiful, you could really tell they spent a lot of time putting everything together, no detail was spared, and everything we wanted, was fit in to our budget. It couldn't have been a more perfect process. We felt the pricing was fair, it was in our budget discussed, but found out we were expecting a new arrival, so unfortunately we are still holding on to our old house with a few minor projects to avoid major renovations during pregnancy, toddler going to preschool for first time, etc. etc. We absolutely intend on going back to Danielle when we're ready to move forward. The work done on my father in law's house; absolutely beautiful. They basically tore down the entire house and rebuilt it (I think they actually did do that, except for one wall or two). I wasn't very active in the project or process but did get to see it from start to finish. My father in law is a born project manager and "extreme" DIYer, so I know he was very demanding and "detail oriented" throughout the process, he knows what he wants and notices everything. This team really knocked it out of the park, the house went from old ranch to modern, elegant, and absolutely stunning. Raised the roof, beautiful ceilings, removed a room, an absolutely beautiful kitchen, baths, tile, flooring, doors, garage, attic, you name it; it was all absolutely perfect. I know he was satisfied with the process and project, his only frustrations were in village codes that wouldn't allow him to do certain things he wants, or forced him to add some things he didn't want. I highly recommend this company and would high suggest you check them out. The services they provide are an incredible value, you can't put a dollar amount on the expertise and peace of mind they provide.

They replaced all the crown molding and they did a gorgeous job. They're actual craftsmen and top quality.

They're a little more expensive. The guy who was here, who did most of the actual hands on work, was such a sweetheart. We even hired him and two of the other guys to come back after the kitchen remodel and sand our floors in the living room and dining room entry and hallway so that the wood floors we put in the kitchen would match the other floors

Mark from DesignFirst was incredibly responsive and punctual. He visited our house to help us brainstorm options based on our needs. He also helped with indicative cost ranges for different options. After he left he did a bunch of research on our property to see about square footage constraints imposed by the city. He did all this free and quickly. After we got the information and as we were deliberating Mark followed up and let us know he was there to help. While we decided not to proceed with the project, we definitely would have used DesignFirst if we had.

DesignFirst provided great ideas, visualizations, and walked us through what the project would look like and cost. They were punctual to all meetings, both at our house and in their showroom. We ultimately decided not to move forward with the project at this time, but if we decide to remodel in the future, we will get in touch with DesignFirst.

When I first called DESIGNFirst, I made it clear that I was probably not in a financial position to add a second floor to my home at the present time, but was interested in exploring what such a project would entail and obtaining an estimated cost, if undertaken in a year or two. Despite the fact that they were not likely to make an immediate sale, DESIGNFirst sent designer Danielle House to my home for an evening meeting arranged for my convenience. She spent nearly 2 hours asking questions about my vision for the project, walking around the inside and outside of the house to assess structural features, and then going over options for a second floor (various sizes, features, configurations), and finally, providing a range of costs we might be looking at for each. She left informational materials with me to review at my leisure. Danielle's professionalism, courtesy, creativity and enthusiasm for the project were outstanding, especially given the fact that it must be one of the smallest ones she would be working on. She followed up discretely and without any "hard sell" to get me to undertake the project sooner than I was ready to. When I AM ready to implement this project, Danielle will get the call!!

Overall, it was a large job but it still took a little longer than I would have liked. But the results and overall quality of the work resulted in a terrific living space. The team was generally very responsive and having the job done over the holidays likely caused it to take longer. Family get togethers are better than ever with the more open space and the wonderful design. Many compliments every time!

"Managing every step of the way" by them has enabled us to make confident clear decisions. Danielle House, senior designer, spent two sessions with us asking pertinent questions that thoughtfully narrowed our wide range of ideas. Her wealth of knowledge and experience was evident. This enabled us to focus on what our true needs were resulting in a scope of work that is precise and exactly what we hoped for. At our second meeting, we were shown CAD design renderings which were a result of how productive our initial consult was. Also, a tour of the showroom plus a general overview of their client friendly website allowing for direct communication was appreciated. The discussions that have since followed have gone smoothly due to her expertise. Design first professionals have easily accessed them easily building and expanding their recommendations off her initial planning. We are confident the rest of our planning and completion of project will go as smoothly. We know they will guide us through the process and as a team we will mutually make further decisions that will mutually benefit all involved.

Our experience with Design First was awesome! We used them to gut and remodel our kitchen which included removing a wall to create a beautiful open living space, and a lovely “new home.” We selected Design First because every reference we checked provided great info and very positive feedback. Design First was very willing to work with us during design to get our project’s budget where we needed it to be – which was a huge factor. They allowed us to manage certain elements of the project to help us save money. Kim and Mike provided great ideas during the design phase, and they were so patient as we modified our initial plan and hashed out all the selections. Before we started construction, we inquired about finishing our project before Thanksgiving, and they said they would do everything they could to make it happen. Our project manager Matt and his lead man Damien did such a great job throughout the entire construction phase. The quality of work was perfect. Any concerns or questions we had were immediately addressed. The construction team was clean and courteous. They were always on time and if the schedule needed to be tweaked, they let us know as early as possible. We were in constant communication with Matt and team, which made the process flow smoothly. People always say kitchen remodels are a horrible experience and it is so inconvenient, but our experience was nothing but positive and so fun to watch our home being transformed. We could not be happier with our “new home” and the work Design First performed for us. We would definitely hire Design First again and highly recommend them. They finished the construction a week early, and a week before Thanksgiving!

Design First remodeled and expanded my main bathroom on the second floor of a vintage bungalow. --Working with a designer as part of the quote process was helpful. The designer came up with a great idea of how to expand the bathroom with minimal loss of space in the adjacent bedroom and an overall better closer configuration on the second floor. --They spent time in the quote process looking at the challenges of working in an older home. As a result there were almost no change requests that resulted from something that was discovered after the project started --Having the design service included led to a much more polished look than I could have done on my own. --They were pretty accurate in the estimate to complete the project. They followed up on the punch list and didn't let things fall through the cracks. --I am a technology-oriented person so I liked the customer portal they have. I could ask questions or follow up on issues through the portal. I could also see the status of costs, etc. --The project manager was great at working through any issues where there needed to be an adaptation of the design as the project progressed --Overall the project came in close to the original quote. I did choose to do a few upgrades along the way First Design probably won't be your cheapest alternative, but I was willing to pay a bit more to have a major project run more smoothly.

The transformation was amazing. We love it. They listened to what we wanted and delivered!

We are currently in the design phase. Mark from Design First listened to our needs and then suggested changes to our plans. His ideas and the initial quote were much better than we planned. He took the time to explain design and construction requirements that we hadn't thought of. We are very excited about moving forward with this project.

Did not hire. I did like the drawings of the plan but choose not to hire. Did not want to invest in the project at the time.

We highly recommend Design First. We needed our master bath torn out and redone due to water seepage behind the wall. We added some insulation as long as walls were open and chose to move the toilet and that involved some work with water lines and joists. We chose Design First because their price was competitive and they had positive reviews from others. This was a big investment for us, so we wanted it done right with experienced craftsmen and permits. We also liked the fact that they are very clear and transparent, listing all of the charges in this process upfront so you know what you are paying for before you agree to anything. They were very flexible with us supplying our own purchases and we made changes as needed along the way. The project manager, Derek, was terrific. He was hands-on as a supervisor and really quick to answer any questions we had. He got back to us within hours - sometimes minutes- and took care of any concerns. One example: after the shower was installed we did not like the shiny look of the silicone sealant applied at the base. The next day, they came out, removed it all by hand at no charge to us. The crew that worked in our home, headed by Damien, was skilled, cheerful and very efficient. They got our bathroom done ahead of schedule. We are very pleased with it, and would recommend Design First without reservation.

They've been good. They're pretty expensive. So far it's been good, but a lot of work hasn't been started.

They are excellent. Neighbors comment how nice the house turned out and it's great for our family of 6. They have worked on our past two houses so we are a repeat customer. Would recommend them to anyone to use.

Not well. 45Took over four months. Discovered later that substitution of lower grade roofing took place. Learned this when hail damage to entire roof occurred and pointed out that the roofing over the addition was NOT of the same caliber as the remainder of the roof. Even though the written contract specified that higher grade. Complained to better business bureau. Nothing happened. Contractor consistently failed to follow architect's drawings. Had to remain on site during all work to ensure that drawings were followed. Example of low standards: hardwood floor was extended and remaining floor was refinished. Refrigerator was out of room for ten days for work. Did not have access to kitchen. Why it took ten days is another issue. Team of two is now installing baseboard. One inside in stocking feet and one outside cutting pieces to fit. Great teamwork. Guess what. Phone call comes from Design First manager and one man is pulled from job. Now one person is working. He comes in with shoes on. Scratches all over the floor! Now have to refinish the entire floor. Are kept out of kitchen and area for another days. .... That was the story of our experience. Demanded that they take $500 of final bill for all the hassle, grief, mismanagement, lack of following architect's drawings without our daily monitoring the workman. Should have asked for more. Did not know about the substitution of inferior roofing material until later. Probably would not have know for 25 years if the hail damage had not required a roofing inspection that revealed the deception. In all probability, the roofers did what they were told to do. But is another example of Design First not following the blueprints.

Office / Back Hall: Remodeled the back hall and office to open up the area and include a mud room. This was an outstanding addition - the mudroom has built-ins; full closet with shelves for coats and shoes, open shelving on the side and top for baskets, hooks for coats, etc. and a full length bench with drawers underneath for extra storage. Dining Room: opened up doorway to entry hall, stripped old wallpaper, new paint, and lighting fixtures. Doesn't even look like the same room! Family Room: opened wall between kitchen and family room to create an open floor plan. The fireplace was typical country red brick, with mantle, hearth and built-in book cases on each side. They tore down the bookcases and removed the primary layer of bricks, including mantle and hearth. Replaced with a mantle that expands the length of the wall, modern half wall book cases and a new modern fireplace that looks amazing!!! Kitchen: Total remodel!!! Outstanding design elements and totally brought the whole first floor together. Closed off the sliding glass doors to extend the cabinets and added an awesome, large window bringing the outdoors in; white cabinets and marble countertop and the addition of a new door to the deck. Tall cabinets and 11ft island are dark grey. Kitchen is warm and inviting and we love it!!! New wood floor added to front hall; kitchen and existing floors in dining room and living room were matched. It looks seamless!! All trim was replaced throughout the first floor, colonial woodwork was removed in the entry hall to complete the look. While this was an extensive job, we are very happy with the result and would definitely use and recommend DesignFirst again!