Homecraft Builders

First of all, Jeff was incredibly professional and helpful from start to finish. He was able to guide us through our design choices, make recommendations of what would and would not work for our home, and find solutions for us that would control costs but still get us a wonderful deck. For example, our existing deck had a staircase down to ground level, which would have been very expensive to rebuild. Homecraft was the only company to suggest to us that we could get a slightly larger deck for less cost if we didn't need or want the staircase. Homecraft handled all of the issues surrounding the building permit for us, and were ready to start construction earlier than we had expected. The demolition was completed in a snap, and the construction went much faster than we thought it would. A project that had been estimated at 10 days completed in just a bit more than 5, and their guys worked HARD. They regularly stayed on the job until dusk, and then were back first thing the next morning. And the final quality was just tremendous. We had a (community-association-mandated) challenging railing requirement, which they were able to build with great attention to detail. Our final product is just wonderful. The railings look incredible, the deck is solid, well-built, and looks like it will be standing long after the house falls down. The county building inspector even made a note on his final inspection that it was a tremendous job. As I said, Homecraft's crew were very hard workers, and unfailingly polite. They tripped our circuit breakers several times when running power tools, and were always very polite when asking us to turn them back on. They helped my wife put all of our furniture back outside on the new deck and were very gracious about it. We did have a bit of a language barrier at times (neither of us speak spanish, and the crew was clearly much more comfortable in their native language) but overall we were thrilled with the quality of their work. I would enthusiastically recommend Homecraft to anyone. They were not the cheapest contractor we could have found, of course, but they charged a competitive price for an extremely high quality product. We couldn't be happier we chose them.

My husband and I had Homecraft tear down my old townhouse deck and replace it with a new low maintenance larger deck18X12 AND I LOVE IT!!! Originally, Jeff Slutzker showed up with toooo many samples (LOL) but we finally went with AZEK for the floor and white vinyl for the railing.The whole job took a week and a half. Jeff,Marc and Mike completed there work everyday and took there trash away with them. I am impressed that they take it to a Recycling Center.The whole process was quite smooth with Homecraft removing all trash, showing up when scheduled, and helping me with the design of the deck. I dealt directly with Jeff and his crew and I'm quite pleased with their work. After this experience, I arranged for the company to replace the shingle and gutters on my roof. I highly recommend these guy!!!!

I contacted Homecraft Builders for a deck estimate after a friend recommended them. Jeff came out and gave me an estimate the very next day after I called him - his knowledge and experience made me feel at ease. This is my first house and it came with a 20 year old deck. I knew it needed to be replaced but thats about all I knew on the subject. Jeff took the time to go over a number of designs and the benefits of different materials. I chose to go with the low maintanence decking. I booked them for the job and they were able to fit us into their work schedule in a timely manner. The crew was prompt, respectful, and very knowledgeable. They were able to complete the job right on time, as I was planning a house warming party. Jeff was at the job site everyday to make certain that we were happy with the work, ensuring that we would be repeat clients - and we will! Thanks Jeff and crew for an amazing

From start to finish, Jeff and Marc were professional, timely and created an outdoor space that we will enjoy for years to come. We had received four estimates for this project. Homecraft's estimate was substantially lower and did not change at the end of the job. The craftsmanship was outstanding. The area was cleaned, leveled and grass seed planted when they were done. They did an excellent job! I will not hesitate to have them do work for me in the future.

Our initial contact with Homecraft was sending them an email on a Sunday. Within 2 hours, Jeff called. We received estimates from Homecraft and one other contractor. Both were very similar. Before we even asked, Homecraft offered ways to get the project within our budget. by changing materials and exploring options. We appreciated their initiative and responsiveness. Work began in early January 2012, about 3 weeks after signing the contract. They made steady progress even with a few weather delays, working on weekends to make-up for snow/rain days. The new portion of decking required additional support posts to handle the weight of the hot tub. It's very sturdy. They did a great job of marrying the new deck to the existing deck. We're very pleased with the craftsmanship. The guys working on site were friendly and kept us informed as the project moved along. The cost of the project at completion was the same as the estimate. Total time for completion was 5.5 weeks. We love our new porch and are very happy we chose Homecraft.

Had a very poor understanding of structural building requirements, and were constantly making poor judgement. Made little effort to understand the needs of the project from me, and went off on their own doing what they thought best. They were nice and agreed to tear out all the mistakes and redo them, but too many mistakes to count, and the result was a hassle and not quality work.

Jeff came and gave me an estimate that was less than the other estimates that I received for the job. While waiting for my HOA to approve plan, Jeff pulled permits. Approval received on Thursday, work started on the following Monday. Inspectors required that there be support beams and posts next to the house as well as the at the outer edge of the deck. This required additional materials as well as labor. The second inspection delayed job by one day. The crewed came out on Saturday to finish the job to make up for the day lost for the second inspection. Jeff did not charge any additional money for the additional work. The deck turned out great. The crew cleaned up behind themselves and moved my patio furniture or me.

I received estimates for porch repair and replacement from 4 highly rated firms on Angies List. All made appointments, but Homecraft was the only one that responded quickly, and came out for the estimate exactly when they said they would. I didn't choose them for the work, since they are very busy and couldn't get to my job for a while. The other 3 highly rate companies were totally unprofessional, and made appointments but never showed, and didn't even call. They all deserved F's, but i don't want to leave my name and address with such a bad rating. Email me and i'll tell you who to avoid. But I'd surely go with Homecraft if i needed more contracting work done.

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Homecraft did such a great job on our windows, as well as the deck on a friend's house that we knew we'd use them for this job. I'm so exciting about entertaining on my beautiful deck and would recommend homecraft to anyone! Thanks guys!!

He gave a very competitive quote and had good ideas on how to design the porch and deck. Ultimately we did not have this work done as we decided to redo our kitchen instead, ( we did not have the money to do both deck and kitchen at the same time).

We called Jeff to get a quote on building a deck off of our second story dining room. He was quick to respond to our request for a bid. He came to our house, listened to what we wanted to do, reviewed the plan that we had envisioned and offered us alternative layouts. We ended up going with his recommendation. What we decided to go with was a 10' x 18' second story deck with a grill bump out. We added a 4' x 4' platform on the far side of the deck which led to stairs going down half way to a second 4' x 4' platform, where the stairs take a 90 degree turn and continue to the bottom; the stairs essentially wrap around the deck. Jeff estimated that they would be able to start our job 4-5 weeks from the day we signed the contract, which was exactly right. Jeff estimated that the job would take up to 10 days depending on how quickly the inspectors could get out; it actually took 4 days to complete. Two guys worked on our job- first day to dig the holes and start framing, second to finish the framing, lay floor boards and start on the stairs, third day to finish floor boards and stairs and install the railing, fourth day to finish the railing, sand and clean up. The guys worked very long & hard each day. Jeff visited a couple times each day to ensure the work was progressing to our satisfaction. In the end, the deck is very well built. We have 2 rows of 6" x 6" supports so that we can add a roof & screen in the deck should we choose to do so in the future. We requested that the floor boards be screwed in instead of nailed, which they were happy to accommodate. They even routered the railing, which is a nice finishing detail. The workers were very professional. All in all, they did a fantastic job and we are very pleased.

We originally received the estimate 11/08/10 but they were not able to book us til later. Snow and weather prevented an earlier start but once begun they were able to work and finish in a timely manner. Our yard does not drain water well so there was considerable disruption of the grass which they carefully replaced with soil and reseeded.

Awesome experience. Jeff, Mark and Mike are a great team. Jeff met with us just a few days after we called him. He helped us design our deck and quoted us a great price. Within a week after permit/HOA approval, construction started. Mike and Mark did a fantastic job from start to finish - they were very friendly too. My 2 year old loved watching them build and they even played a little soccer with him. The deck turned out beautiful and was completed in about 2 weeks. Since there was leftover material, we asked if the steps leading from our garage to our house could be redone and that turned out very nice as well. We would definitely recommend Homecraft Inc to anyone.

They are wonderful. They are prompt to respond. They are very pleasant and friendly. They are efficient workers. I like them. they are very pleasant people. I would use them in the future.

Estimate was given after first visit. detailed description of plan also. Friendly ,polite and clear about everything. The job was completed in a timely manner. there were a couple of issues that needed attention after completion . They were taken care of immediately . Over all I was very pleased .

They began earlier than expected and finished within a week of starting. Deck is well built and we are very pleased. Jeff took the time on the front end to ensure we received the deck we expected especially given the requirements and restrictions of our HOA. Would highly recommend them.

I called Homecraft for an estimate. Owner Jeff Slutzker responded by phone within a few hours and we arranged a date and time for him to come to inspect the current deck. He showed for that appointment on time. He recommended an AZEK (synthetic material) deck and said he personally used this material for his own deck. I investigated the AZEK material via the Web and Consumer Reports and was satisfied it was a good choice. The only negatives were it has a tendency to sag and flex, both of which can be easily avoided by spacing joists at 12" instead of the more typical 16". Jeff immediately agreed to this type of construction and wrote it into the contract. Long story short, Jeff and I went back and forth a few times regarding design alternatives and railing choices, but he eventually submitted the lowest priced bid (of 3 Angie's List A-rated contractors I had gotten estimates from) by about $2,000. This included a 10-year labor and workmanship warranty. Homecraft also offered the most favorable payment terms: only $200 was required at contract signing with the balance due in 3 equal payments at job start, flooring complete, job complete. The other bidders wanted 1/3 down although the work would generally not have started for 4-6 weeks. The actual work was top notch. Homecraft acquired a Baltimore County permit and the work was inspected three separate times (footers, framing, completion), passing with flying colors each time. I work out of my house and could monitor the work. It was obvious NO corners were cut. The workers were pleasant to talk to and cleaned up after themselves very well at the end of the job. The only slight concern I had was we had 7 small azaleas along the north and south sides of the original deck. Only 3 of those survived the work. In fairness, they were difficult to avoid given how close to the deck they were located AND we were planning to relandscape the area next spring anyway. But be aware of this if you have precious plants near your deck. We are extremely happy with our new deck. It is beautiful, sturdy, and cleans up easily. I am looking forward to NOT having to power wash and apply stain/sealant every year or 2! I have attached some photos.

We got estimates from several companies but Homecraft gave us the lowest quote by far. The job was completed on time and on budget. The quality of the work is outstanding. We've received many compliments on our new porch.

Jeff was very prompt to respond to my e-mail requesting an estimate for a screened porch. After learning what I wanted, he respnded the very next day with a detailed description of what he would build for me and I accepted. I was impressed by his speedy response and liked him much better than the two contractors who had given me previous estimates! He told me he would be back in six weeks, and promptly on the Saturday before they were to begin work, two workmen appeared in my yard with tools and some materials. The following Monday the great rains began, which hampered the beginning of the project. During October which was rainy, then cold and rainy, the men worked very cheerfully whenever the weather allowed. They were there bright and early at around 7:00 and gradually later as the mornings became darker and colder. They aways began promptly, were always polite, were always very pleasant and always willing to explain what they were doing and answer any questions we might have. I was very impressed with Mike who was the expert at construction of the screened porch. It was obvious he knew what he was doing. His assistant, Gary, was also an excellent worker and very pleasant as well. Mark, who supervised, and Jeff, who wrote the contract, stopped by frequently to monitor progress. It was a very positive experience and they are going to do some additional work for me as well.

Seems like a competent home renovation business. They promptly responded to my request that they look into adding an all-season room off of my kitchen. Very professional in their initial analysis of my options, etc. Problem is that no bid was received despite my on-going outreach to them. My thinking is that they must have a lot of work and my build-out did not fit into their schedule.

Jeff Slutzker came to the house and measured all of our windows. For the high quality windows we were looking for, he gave us a quote that was slightly below the other estimates we'd received. He said the windows would be installed in one day. We've used a lot of bad contractors in the past and were doubtful that the job would be completed in one day and were pleasantly suprised - a huge crew showed up on the day scheduled and the job was completed start-to-finish the same day.

-On time for the initial estimate -Very prepared and notified us of all available options (interestingly enough he was not pushy, but stated he wants us to be happy what we would like that was within our budget) He said you cannot enjoy your deck if you cannot afford it. So we were able to build within our constraints. His pricing is very competitive and allowed us to get exactly the decking options we desired. -Contract changes We had made several changes we needed to make to the deck before breaking ground and Homecraft(Jeff) did not pose any attitude (which I would expect from most contractors) for the additional drawings he was going to have to do. Several phone call were made and I was always contacted within a few hours of contact. The deck was installed as promised...in fact it was completed a day early as I asked if he could do so as I needed to prepare for some other back yard upgrades. Jeff was accommodating and worked extra hard to meet our goals. They also provide a 10 warranty...what else can I say...but I'm well pleased.

Marc Pickus, co-vice president with his business partner Jeff, arrived at my house exactly on time, bringing with him many samples of products available for what I told him over the phone that I wanted. My house is a big, old Victorian, so the number of squares needed for the siding project is around 30, meaning the type of siding that I want will be costly. I knew this is advance, but Marc wanted to reassure me of the fact so I would not be surprised by the estimate, stating that if I were interested in typical vinyl siding the cost would be much lower. Overall, Marc was great: professional, friendly, knowledgeable and gave the impression of being one of the good guys. I really wanted to hire Homecraft, but in the end chose another angieslist contractor who offered a 20% discount on any siding project, which to me meant a savings of $6000--and too good to pass up. The other company is a bit bigger than Marc and Jeff and can afford to offer such a discount. The savings has allowed me to contract for my entire project, including the back porch. However, because I had such a good impression of Marc, I would recommend Homecraft and would consider them again for my next project.

Disappointed at the lack of follow up. If they did not want to bid they could just say so and not ignore our follow ups. This is unprofessional.