OUT OF THE WOODS

I have used Out of the Woods on several occasions over the past 11+ years. Most recently he was called upon to help us in an emergency situation involving extensive tree damage to our historic home. He took charge and managed all the subs I had already contracted for the specialized repairs (slate roof, chimney, copper gutters, stucco, etc...) and I knew the project was in safe hands with him at the helm. Because of the seemingly endless weeks of rain, he personally got up on the scaffolding and constructed a massive canopy over the roof and chimney so that repairs wouldn’t suffer any more delays. His overall knowledge, professional demeanor, and genuine concern for a perfect and timely outcome, shows through in all his work and that of his crew as well. Greg is about as good as it gets!

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The project went very smoothly, from the first visits by Jim to estimate the work, through some extra visits by the carpenter and electrical folks, through signing the contract, all the way through the completion of the work. The new door is doing it's job well and we are holding off for a few weeks on the painting (by a separate contractor) due to vacation scheduling. We have worked before with Out of the Woods, so we were confident everything would be fine. Their estimate for the project was not the lowest we received, but we chose to go with them due to this confidence and very positive prior experience. We do not regret this decision.

Any renovation of this size will involve some pain but what distinguished Out of the Woods was the way they managed it. When we went in for the initial discussion, they clearly explained their policies, contracts, working methods and pricing. Over a total of a 7 month project, they have stuck to just about everything. When we had a complaint or question they were very responsive. The very few issues we had were resolved to our satisfaction. They are not the least expensive company but "you get what you pay for". They did what they promised, on time and on budget. With really excellent quality. And we can now enjoy our new space.

WARNING * WARNING * WARNING * WARNING * WARNING * WARNING * WARNINGS * WARNING * WARNING * WARNING!

When they put the windows they did not replace the outside of the windows. They never put insulation around the windows and my contractor found that when they were working on my house. They were leaking really bad. We were going to sue them for it. In other words, they just put the windows in and put the shingles back up. After the contract they said there were extras and it came to 3000 dollars. They were a horrible company. Update 10/1/2012: I just read Out of the Woods Jun 2011 rebuttal. Two responses: 1) When I said they didn't replace the outside of the windows, I meant and quot;Sure, they put in the windows . . . BUT then put the shingles back up around the window frames WITHOUT PUTTING IN ANY INSULATION OR CAULKING. Which let in cold and leaks over time. Which didn't get noticed the first few years until it got bad enough. Which is NOT a and quot;job for a painterand quot; but for a window professional. In short, they cut corners. The owner (forgot his name, don't feel like looking him up, this is old history) was never around, so he didn't watch what his workers were doing. They cut corners. But it's ultimately his responsibility. 2) We didn't pursue this after the lawyer's first contact with him because fighting with someone is vexatious to the spirit. And hiring a lawyer to do it is expensive. It was clear from his hostile first responses that he wasn't willing to negotiate or make right, so we dropped it rather than drag it out with more lawyer and possibly court fees to get back a lousy $1500 when we'd already spent nearly $50K. Life's too short and I'm not The Jerk Whisperer.

GREAT QUALITY RESULT. THE PROJECT COMPLETED AS I HAD HOPED. ATTIC LOOKS GREAT. THEY CLEANED UP EVERYTHING AT THE END. THEY PAY ATTENTION TO DETAILS, ESPECIALLY IN THE FINISH WOODWORKING. THEY'RE HIGH PRICED BUT DELIVER QUALITY.