GSBuilders / Green Studio Builders Inc.

The first reason we would highly recommend Green Studio Builders is the reason we selected them in the first place from a pool of candidate contractors: They listened to us. We appreciated that they were willing to work with our vision rather than trying to upend our ideas. GSB is a design build firm, but we found them surprisingly flexible compared with several architect-contractors we interviewed. The second reason we would recommend GSB is that they finished our project on time and on budget, even though the bulk of the construction took place during the course of the pandemic. They hit their targets even though they were forced to work, unexpectedly, with our family in the house and under foot the whole time. This was no small challenge for all of us, but GSB worked with us to limit the impact and finished the project on time despite the unexpected. The third reason we’d recommend GSB is the quality of the work. From framing to finishings, from the cleanliness of the job site to the custom shelves, their work really is top notch. Nicoleta’s recommendations and her attention to detail helped us improve our design. Our new space – a second story addition and new room off the back – looks stunning, even better than we originally envisioned.

I highly recommend of Green Studio Builders based on my recent experience constructing my custom garage. Throughout the course of construction, Green Studio employees displayed a high level of professionalism, experience, dedication, commitment to quality and workmanship. With the knowledge and experience of Green Studio Builders did a outstanding job of orchestrating lots of build teams from design thru construction. Chris demonstrated outstanding project leadership and experience to overcome challenges during design and construction. With the cost engineering skill and sensitivity to my budget, Chris was successful to bring my building precisely in budget and on time. Green Studio Builders/Chris completely understands building standards, regulations, zoning and procedures that come along with creating a fantastic building. Chris did a outstanding job of communicating with me and providing all necessary paperwork. This recommendation is to thank you and your entire staff for your efforts in making the construction of my project as painless as possible. Green Studio Builders can be depended upon to “take care of business and to turn out an outstanding product.”

Since at first there were a number of uncertain factors where only an "allowance" could be made, it took a while for Nick to determine how to shape his bid. (It was finally agreed to specify a price for the two bathrooms but do the kitchen on a "time and materials" basis.) Once the contract was signed, Nicoleta immediately became deeply involved both in design and in supervising the team of highly skilled workers. Not only does she have excellent taste and sense of design, but she also quickly sensed our taste and spent an enormous amount of time working with us on decisions from layout to choice of floor and wall tiles, countertops, light and plumbing fixtures, bathroom hardware and paint colors, and everything in between. She also handled most of the ordering and then dealt with vendors when any problems arose. Not only did Nicoleta have creative ideas, but GSBuilders' skilled team of electricians, carpenters and painters came up with unique solutions to challenging problems such as how to "build in" a microwave oven into a limited existing cabinet space (with appropriate venting) so as to free up counter space. When there were glitches (and I have yet to hear of a renovation project where there were no glitches), Nicoleta and the team quickly responded to ensure that everything was 100% right. Renovation is a disruptive process at best, but everyone from GSBuilders exerted great effort to minimize the disruption and to ensure that things were left as neat as possible at the end of each workday. They were totally reliable and while we were not sad to have our house back to ourselves when the project was completed, we felt very comfortable having them in our home. The project was not cheap. But we deeply appreciated the caring attention and skillful work that went into it and we feel the price was fair and that we got excellent value and made some new friends along the way.

The five-month journey that we spent with Chris, Nicoleta, Nate, Elmer and all the team at GSB Builders has beaten any of our expectations and delivered a beautiful second-floor addition, which includes a master suite and office space. After a lot of hesitation, Chris, Nicoleta and Nate convinced us to take the step forward, captured our main ideas and proposed a design that has greatly improved, not only the space and appeal of our own house, but also the neighborhood. We really appreciated their listening to our ideas, down-to-earth and professional demeanor, and knowledge about all aspects of the construction which helped us overcome our initial fears ahead of an unknown journey. The construction was well executed by a professional team led by Elmer which was always friendly, tidy and respectful of the family’s privacy while workers had to enter the house. Their work ethic and professionalism is truly impressive. We valued the extreme responsiveness of Chris and Nicoleta during critical moments, such as during a thunderstorm which damaged part of the roof under construction. The GSB Builders team reacted swiftly to repair the parts damaged by the unexpected weather conditions, which avoided further damage to the house and major disruption in the family’s life. We truly appreciated Nicoleta’s design expertise and knowledgeable guidance on choosing bathroom fixtures, and her overall warm and approachable personality, which made this project also really fun. In fact, over the course of working together, we have come to appreciate each other deeply and have come to view Nicoleta and Chris as friends of the family. No major construction project is without bumps and stress along the road, and ours was no exception. What mattered is that we were always able to rely to the GSB team to do their best to rectify any problem and solidify our trust. We will continue working with the company on other projects in the future and will recommend their service to friends and family without any hesitation.

One day I walked past a GS Builders sign in front of a house in our neighborhood where they were putting a second story onto a house that used to be a lot like ours. We spoke to Chris Papadopoulos, the owner and architect for GS Builders, and he explained their process. We paid less than we had previously paid an architect for one design, and received three preliminary designs. We worked with Chris for a couple of months on getting the design to a point where we really liked it while staying within our budget. The design was a collaboration in a way that it had not been with any of the other professionals with whom we worked on this project. Chris and his wife Nicoleta, who served as our project manager and interior designer, helped us to find a bank and assisted with the process of qualifying for a construction loan, without which we would not have been able to do the project. We started work on our project more than a year after our first discussion with GS Builders, in February of 2016. Although we had initially considered staying in the house during the construction, we ultimately decided against it, renting a smaller house nearby. The construction mostly went smoothly, although there were occasional blips in communication. We did appreciate that they kept surprises to a minimum. We had time to look at all the framing work including custom bay windows. It is solidly built and expertly done. While the builders were working on the house, my wife and I were working to find plumbing and lighting fixtures, kitchen appliances, cabinetry and countertops, paint and flooring combinations, and roofing and siding materials. Nicoleta was a fantastic resource, helping us to find vendors and websites, working with us to figure out what we liked and how to create the new space. The tilework, painting and other finishes that the crew from GSB put together is absolutely first-rate. They worked exceptionally hard and took great pride in their craftsmanship. We moved back in almost exactly six months after we moved out. We are in love with our new house. This kind of renovation creates stress in ways that I couldn't have imagined before I went through it and I think that GS Builders could help themselves by improving their communications and planning processes. We feel lucky that we chose to work with GS Builders. If we had to do the whole thing over we would choose them again. And when we save up enough to screen in the back porch, we will go back to them without hesitation. On-Time, High-Quality, and Reasonable Cost. We got all three.

We were very pleased with the overall design and construction process. Chris is a very creative architect and came up with several great ideas during the design phase, and he is a pleasure to work with. The project was completed on schedule in an efficient and professional manner, at a competitive price, and exceeded our expectations. GSB made sure that we were happy with the results, and they have been very good with follow-up items when needed. We were impressed by the results, including the quality of their work and attention to detail, and enjoy the new space every day. We highly recommend Green Studio Builders and would use them again.

We hired GSB for a large addition to our home and were happy with the final product. We initially presented them with rough sketches of what we wanted. They were very attentive and came back with a better vision of our space, including the addition of a powder room and wet bar. We stressed our desired for the addition to preserve the mid-century modern look and feel of our home and they delivered. Construction progressed at a solid pace, with various work crews showing up each day. They took great care to move furniture out of the way of construction and carefully installed temporary walls to separate the new construction from our existing living space, which we continued to occupy during the entire project. Interior tarps were also used to minimize the introduction of construction dust into our HVAC system. They showed great attention to detail in our project from the suggestion of materials to the final workmanship. The overall construction quality was high and the finished product has won rave reviews from visitors to our newly-renovated home. GSB’s contract was simply-written and included notations about possible surprise costs. We noted we wanted to change our roof shingles; they were up front with the fact that our sub-roof may also need to be replaced so we could budget accordingly. This minimized the mid-construction surprises often seen on reality home renovation television shows. Overall, we were happy with GSB on every phase of our project and expect to hire them again in a few years for some interior improvements we plan.

Green Studio Builders (and specifically its owners, Chris and Nicoleta Papadopoulos) helped me take a financially devastating situation with my house and turn it into an opportunity to create a home that I love. A little backstory: I bought my home in Hyattsville in 2009. It was a single family detached colonial with a three-story addition on the back-side of the house. In 2010, I was told by a county inspector that the addition was un-permitted. It wasn?t clear until 2012 just how faulty the construction of the addition was. Long story short, it became clear that the repairs needed to bring the addition up to code were going to cost 150K or more. It took me a year find a way to finance the repairs. Once I had, I hired an engineer and architect to draft rough plans to inform estimates. Enter GSBuilders. When I met with Chris for the initial walk-through of my home, he was sympathetic, attentive, and optimistic. I felt immediately at ease and could tell that he was an expert who would take great care in fixing the mess I?d inherited. He recommended a complete demolish and rebuild, adding valuable square footage and ensuring that things would be wholly right. He was the only contractor to suggest a complete rebuild. The added value was double the added cost! When his estimate came in as one of the most competitive for a rebuild, I was delighted. Chris and Nicoleta made their support clear from the start. Chris spent his own time cleaning up the messes in the plans drafted by the architect and engineer I'd previously hired. He and Nicoleta both helped me navigate a personal health crisis in the middle of the project, meeting me on site to provide reassurance and welcoming me to their offices regularly with advice and espresso. Nicoleta spent hours helping me coordinate finishes. She acted as my designer at no extra charge. even making trips to tile stores and walking me through other finished project sites (with owner's permission) for inspiration. Nicoleta has a generous heart, exquisite taste, and great strategies for creating beautiful spaces on a budget. I also owe a debt of gratitude to William Reyes, the foreman assigned to my project. When Chris and Nicoleta had to tend to a family crisis of their own, William stepped in and held my hand through every step of the project through completion. Every renovation has its hiccups and I always knew I could count on William (Mr. William as I took to calling him because he always called me Miss Pamela) to come up with a great solution that would keep the project on track. In some cases the obstacles became opportunities for improvement! I couldn?t have asked for better. I could write for pages and pages about the specific ways in which GSBuilders saved my house and my sanity. Thanks to Chris and Nicoleta, my grief over this unexpected financial blow has become delight in my beautiful home. I am forever grateful and cannot recommend their services highly enough. I can, however, offer individuals venturing into a project with GSBuilders some advice that will make everyone?s life easier. 1. Start your project with GSBuilders from the drafting stage. My only regret is that I didn?t find and work with GSBuilders and their engineers and architects from the start. They have a well-coordinated team and the quality of the work for the price can?t be beat. Save yourself the headaches and trust them with it ALL! 2. Know the specifics of your budget and start collecting photos of spaces and finishes you love. Nicoleta can work magic within your preferred style and budget, especially if you have specific price points for finishes and have a clear aesthetic. And even if you don't, Nicoleta will help you figure it out. That is tremendous added value. 3. Keep the GSBuilders team on speed dial and never hesitate to call. Chris, Nicoleta, and William all made it clear to me from the start that they were willing to help at every turn, but sometimes I didn?t reach out because I didn?t want to be a bother. MISTAKE! It became clear that transparent and regular communication made everyone?s lives easier. The team always got back to me within hours if not minutes and was happy to be in the loop. A connected team is an empowered team. 4. Stop by the office. The espresso is hot and strong and you may even come on a birthday and get a cupcake! In any case, you?ll get a warm welcome and all the support you need to navigate your renovation. Thank you to the whole GSBuilders family for your love and support in this journey. I?m eternally grateful for you all!

The team at Green Studio Builders have truly turned our dream into a reality. The team is not only extremely knowledgeable, they were dedicated to completing the project on schedule and they ensured that every detail was taken care of with the highest level of quality. Just as a few examples, once the project started the team was on site 6 days a week (every week) until the project was completed. The attention to detail from the architectural design, the craftsmanship of the work, to the selections for the interior design finishes was above and beyond expectations. Throughout the entire process we felt that we had a true partnership in transforming our old home (built in 1930s) into a brand new house that we truly love.

We hired Green Studio Builders to build a two-story addition on our home. The addition included a master bedroom suite, a kitchen, and a renovation of the existing space to match the new part. We also ended up digging the basement under the addition but have yet to finish it. We interviewed six builders for the job. Chris (owner) was by far the most realistic about time and money. Most were saying the job would take around 4 months. Chris said 6. He finished in 5. Chris does design/build. We already had architectural drawings done in advance but the first step Chris took with us was to improve them. Chris assigned us a foreman, who we had day to day contact with. The communication was great, the workers always respectful and the job site was cleaned up daily. We have two young children and we lived in the house throughout the construction. The team made sure to time the job appropriately to lessen the impact on our lives. For instance, they moved us out of the upstairs and worked up there through completion and then moved us back up there and worked downstairs. When it was time to demolish our existing kitchen we got plenty of warning as they prepped the area and worked with the cabinet makers on the delivery date to leave us as short a time as possible without a kitchen. We were amazed that we were without a kitchen for only three weeks as we have heard horror stories about kitchen renovations from our friends. Chris's team worked six days a week, every week. All of the workers are his employees with the exception of the plumber and the electrician, who were subs that he uses on a regular basis. The process was fairly seamless on our end. They worked with the county for inspections and allowed us the peace of mind to live life as (somewhat) normal for the duration. Another huge perk of GSB is that Chris's wife, Nicoletta, who also works for the company, helps with the interior design. She helped us select tile, paint, and fixtures that would match our style and she has an excellent eye. All in all, we were extremely pleased with the company, the process, and the final product! The work is top notch and we are constantly showing it off to friends (who are equally impressed). We will certainly hire GSB again when we are ready to finish our basement. Chris and Nicoletta are wonderful people and run a top notch company with excellent skills and service.

In the fall of 2014 we set out to hire a general contractor to perform a complete gut and remodel of our cooperative apartment kitchen. The space was original to this 1966 structure and was in dire need of some TLC. We had been planning for well over a year before we even started looking for a contractor, so we had a very good idea on the design and didn't need any help in that arena. We opted to go with Green Studio Builders (GSB) for a couple of reasons. The first is that we saw their work first hand in another apartment within our building and we were very impressed with the craftsmanship especially considering the complexities of that project. Our project was similarly complex and it was reassuring to know that they had experience to tackle more than the run of the mill project. It's also nice to work with a contractor that already knows the building, the management staff, the rules and regulations, etc. The second reason was the result of our interaction with the owner of the company during his onsite visit to our apartment during the assessment phase. One could describe Chris as passionate. During the walkthrough he was a terrific listener and clearly was able to grasp the intensity of the project. The project consisted of gutting a 20' x 12' kitchen right down to the studs and concrete sub floor, removing walls between the kitchen and living room, walls between the kitchen and dining room as well as a wall between the living room and dining room. We were going for an open concept and amidst that there was re-routing of trunk phone lines for apartments above and below us as well as a thermostat relocation. Work began in February and completed 4 months later in June. We were assigned an operations manager and supervisor to the project. Between them they were to coordinate all of the onsite activities. Despite the assigned leadership, I assure you that I was keeping a strict eye on the project at all times. We were not about to part with this kind of money with no personal oversite regardless of GSB?s reputation. While the project was a huge success, I assure you that there were several conversations throughout the project to have minor elements corrected or to re-educate the crew members on the expectations of the project elements. This type of open communication was vital and GSB?s entire crew was excellent at following through on my every concern without ever making us feel like we were overbearing. The demolition was completed in two phases; the first was an early prep to remove the old cabinetry and appliances to prepare the space for the asbestos abatement company (with whom we were expected to contract independently with). Once the asbestos abatement was complete, GSB returned immediately to resume with phase two of the demolition where they removed the walls. During this process our apartment was thoroughly draped to try and contain the dust and protection was laid on our hard wood floors to protect them from damage. The debris was removed from the apartment in a timely manner. With demolition complete, the new walls were framed and GSB coordinated for the electrical and plumbing sub-contractors to complete the necessary work. The walls were then drywalled, mudded, sanded and primed. GSB then installed the floor tile absolutely perfectly. They followed through on my pattern flawlessly and the installer took great care to insure a proper installation. We opted for long and narrow tiles and if the thinset underneath is not perfect it can cause future cracking , the installer took his time to ensure our complete satisfaction. GSB did a great job of coordinating the timeliness of the subcontractor for cabinet delivery and installation. One of our longest delays followed cabinet installation. We opted to go through GSB and their subcontractor for countertop installation and had already selected out stone, but there were several breakdowns in communication which resulted in a couple week delay. While this was a sore subject for a few days, I assure you that GSB took complete ownership of the issue and made the situation right in a way that was agreeable to both us and them. We never expected the project to be easy, but when snags do occur you need an organization that will own up to their promises and GSB did exactly that. Backsplash tile installation followed the countertop install. Good news is that GSB sent the same crew back and like the floor work, the tile was installed exactly to specifications. Once this was complete, GSB coordinated the final electrical and plumbing work as well as painting. The operations manager came onsite for a physical assessment and the creation of a punch list of final to do?s and those tasks were completed expeditiously. We have enjoyed out new kitchen now for just shy of two months and every day we are appreciative of the fine work that was done to bring us to this point. We recommend GSB and their crew.

Chris and his team were wonderful to work with from start to finish. After selecting GSB we started with several meetings to discuss and revise design plans with Chris and Nate. They listened well and not only incorporated our feedback but helped us bring a vision we had had for years come to life. They were even able to quick redesign the addition after we had an issue with zoning department about required set backs. Chris and Nate basically move all of the interior elements around and did so while my wife and I were on vacation for a week. The new design was actually better than the original and because they were such good listeners required only minor changes from us. Chris's construction crew was also a joy to work with. Most importantly he finished on budget (not including a few change orders) and ahead of schedule. Both Chris and his Forman William were always responsive via email, cell phone and texts. When ever I had question or concern they were always right on top of it. We lived in the house during construction and Chris staged the project so that as minimal of an impact as possible. I have had to deal with poor contractors is the past including firing one in the middle of the job, so finding someone has good as Chris and his team at GSB was breath of fresh air.

From my understanding, the business is temporarily on a hiatus while Ms. Papadopoulos takes care of her family. I wish her luck and hope that they can return to work as soon as possible.

I wasn't able to speak to anyone other than the person who told me they were too busy.

This is the second renovation Chris has done on our house (the first time as builder; this time design & build), and I would highly recommend GS Builders for any home remodeling project. As other reviewers have mentioned, Chris is tremendously experienced and passionate about his work. He listens closely to what homeowners want to achieve and, just as importantly, want to avoid. He has an amazing eye for the possibilities of a space, both as a builder and a trained architect, and he?s assembled a talented, highly professional team to execute the ultimate vision. He and Nicoleta are incredibly generous with their time, patience, and ideas, and they are fair in their pricing. The work on our home was finished within the projected timeline. The design process (with Chris and colleague Nate, who is an architect and structural engineer) was highly collaborative and included a variety of design options to meet our requirements. Once construction started, the GS Builders team -- from demolition and framing through tile, trim, and painting -- was prompt and diligent, and their work consistently exhibited their high standards and eye for detail. Nicoleta was an immense help in the final stages, researching and consulting with us on numerous selections. (My one regret is not relying on her expertise more than I did, instead clinging to an absurd idea that I had to do certain things on my own.) Our renovation project was fairly major, affecting ? at one point or another ? nearly every room in the house. And we lived in the house through most of it. Maybe every client says something similar about their contractor at the end of a project such as ours, but I can?t imagine entrusting such significant work on our home to anyone but Chris and his team. We had lived in our house for more than 16 years when we started planning our recent renovations. So we had a very good sense of what was working for us and what had to change, and we had fairly specific objectives for the project, though we were open to ideas on how to achieve them. The new kitchen, for example, had to have more natural light (the old galley kitchen was an interior room), much more uninterrupted counter space, some kind of barrier (i.e., peninsula) between the cook and others in the same space (kids doing homework, dinner guests chatting), etc. We had similarly specific objectives for the dining room, master bedroom / bath, and exterior, plus a few other ?nice-to-haves?. After consulting with several architects and builders who had recently done work in our neighborhood, I contacted Chris. (Twelve years earlier, Chris?s firm had enclosed a our covered porch for a family room and built a full bath and additional closet on the first floor. Impeccable work completed on a tight deadline.) A few minutes into our first on-site meeting for this project, I felt at ease. Not only was this someone who seemed immediately excited by the project, but Chris also saw things differently from the others I?d spoken to. A prime example was with the kitchen. In an attached garage/storage space off the kitchen (too small for a car), which others dismissed entirely or saw as maybe a mudroom, Chris was pulling down the attic ladder, checking roof height, raising the floor in his head, and envisioning possibilities. Today that former garage space houses the main part of our kitchen, with high ceilings; a tall, triple-wide window over the sink; loads of cabinet and counter space; a peninsula into the open and spacious dining area; and more. And it looks beautiful from the outside (i.e., unrecognizable as a former garage). Chris and his team worked similar wonders throughout the house, bringing loads of natural light into our once dark, tight rooms and creating beautiful, open spaces well suited to our tastes and life style. I?m someone who likes to understand how things work behind the dry wall and beneath the floorboards, and, I admit, I?m a bit of a worrier. That combination can lead to lots of questions for a contractor. Chris and Nicoleta were always respectful of my curiosity and quick to respond both to my questions and to any issues that arose. Planning and then living a major renovation is exhausting, messy, and at times downright grueling. Chris and Nicoleta (and their entire team) are highly sensitive to this, and they do what they can to minimize the pain. But mostly they see what awaits you on the other side, and they keep things moving diligently and methodically toward that end, so you can see ? and enjoy ? it too. I can?t imagine we?ll do another renovation on this house (touch wood), but if we did, we?d call Chris and Nicoleta in a heartbeat.

We can't begin to describe how happy we are with the work that was done on our house and the final product. From start to finish, everything with Chris, Nicoleta and their team was handled beyond our expectations. From the beginning, Chris was so easy to work with and we truly felt that he had a vested interest in giving us exactly what we envisioned for our home. He was also very patient with us, meeting with us on numerous occasions before we even decided this was something we were ready to commit to as it was such a big project. Throughout the project, the team that worked at the house daily did such an exceptional job, they were also so nice and respectful of the rest of the house as we were living in the house while the renovations were happening. One of my biggest praises from the project was the response time on any questions or comments I had. Their response time and attention to detail was above and beyond our expectations and it really made the project go as smoothly as possible. There was always someone available anytime I needed them. It was also a huge benefit to be able to work with Nicoleta on the design of the bathroom. She has great taste and great ideas and I was able to give her ideas on the style and design that I liked and the final product is absolutely amazing. All of our friends and family keep raving over how great it looks! We would definitely use Chris and his team again in the future if we ever decide to do additional work on the house and we HIGHLY recommend them to anyone that is look for a high class team and great service!

You can be assured that the other glowing reviews on Angie''s List are accurate! so I'm not going to repeat a lot of what has already been said. Chris and Nicoleta make a fabulous team! The project was started and completed within the expected time frame even with the additional work we requested. The contract price was not the lowest bid we got but not the highest either. From what we could tell it was a fair price. From the start Chris listened carefully and was very flexible. He was attentive to our needs, made helpful suggestions and was willing to go the extra mile to get things done. Communication was easy. Chris and Nicoleta both responded promptly to phone or e-mail messages. This is a highly professional business. We started this project with a general idea of what we were looking for. Chris and Nicoleta helped us turn the general ideas into concrete specifics. In particular, Nicoleta was a huge help to me when it came to picking out bathroom tile, bathroom fixtures, lighting fixtures, counters and counter tops, designing a walk in closet and choosing paint colors. Kept me from having a nervous breakdown over it all! They also work with a group of highly competent vendors in the area if you need recommendations (we did). We are extremely pleased with the end result and expect we will be using Green Studio Builders again for other projects in the future.

Chris was great with the initial follow up and arrived on time at my home to look at the space and provide some rough numbers for a small laundry room addition. I was pleased with our discussions and the materials he showed me regarding some of the company's projects. He took some notes and some measurements and promised to get back to me within a week. After several weeks passed, I reached out and he apologized saying he was swamped and would get back to me. I never received the formal estimate. After a couple months passed and I considered expanding the scope of my project (I had put my contractor search on hold), I again reached out and asked him to consider a larger addition. He made another appointment with me, called when he was running behind schedule and even showed up despite having a terrible cold.. Again, he was pleasant but the range for his rough estimate for the initial project had jumped by $8,000-10,000. We discussed two options - initial and expanded project scope - and again he left promising a formal estimate. I never received anything from him. I was pleased with our discussions and Chris was very respectful. His company seems to do good work from the reviews here and the materials I have seen. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a formal estimate so we never made it very far in our negotiations. I suspect, like many contractors, the season and availability of other projects greatly impacts the efficiency of staff in producing estimates as well as estimating the cost of the job.

Chris met with us several times, at length, to discuss what we want, make thorough measurements, and propose options. He produced several sets of drawings in response to our requests and gave us relevant alternatives for certain aspects of the renovation. He was always timely, produced the product when promised, and showed a lot of energy, enthusiasm, and imagination for the work. His own suggestions were very valuable, showing his own creative thinking as well as his sensitivity to our wishes. He helped us prepare to present these drawings to our local town planner to obtain the initial approval, so that we can now proceed with the detailed contractor drawings. We were also very pleased with his proposed fee structure. Unlike other architects who insist on fees based on a percentage of total project costs, Chris has been very flexible and proposed reasonable fee alternatives. Overall, our experience has been excellent.

This is a review of the design phase of our contract with GS Builders to design-build the second floor addition on our home in Kensington, MD. We tried to be as diligent as possible with our market research. We interviewed 5 other contractors for the project. Some interviews involved home visits; others included site visits to view completed work. Two early impressions set GS Builders apart from other contractors- 1) they are very generous with their time, and 2) they are passionate about architecture and design. For example, all other contractors we interviewed came with a preconceived template. Each interview involved a discussion in which our ideas were either ignored or hastily re-imagined to fit inside of a generic design they already had in mind. By contrast, my wife and I were very surprised when we met with GS Builders. Chris spent over two hours one evening just listening to us describe what we wanted our house to be. Chris was genuinely excited by our concepts, and generously brainstormed with us all evening. We left that first meeting feeling like we had a partner in our project. A partner who listened to what we wanted, and then applied expertise to help us see how we could realize our vision. I cannot stress enough what a unique experience this was compared to the competition. So we knew we wanted to hire these guys. But we assumed the "you get what you pay for" rule would probably put them out of our price point. Nope.They were able to come in slightly under the other guys! By much? no. If you want a huge project completed, you are going to pay within a pretty predictable price range. So we hired GS Builders to design and build the second floor of our home, consisting of a master bedroom / bathroom, two additional bedrooms, one additional bath, and a remodel of our first floor dining room (plus a few other details). I am happy to report that the patient, personalized service has not wavered. My wife is quite particular about what she wants. Chris has met with us in person OVER TEN TIMES to date. Several of these meetings included his architecture partner Nate, and the building process has only just begun. That does not include rounds of texts, phone calls, and emails to refine and deliver my wife's wishes. Do you see what I'm saying here? This is how committed they are to getting what we want. As far as mechanics and logistics go, things are running smoothly. Plans were delivered on time, permits were acquired on time, construction began on schedule. The crew has extended our chimney, started on our interior work, and today they began to dismantle parts of our eve in preparation of removing our roof (I'm assuming). each day when I come home, our home is swept free of dust, and our furniture is all covered. They do a great job of leaving the home in a livable condition despite the reality that it is also an active construction zone. I will post another review to document the finished product and the actual construction phase. For now, I think it's clear that we are very impressed with our design-phase experience, and would recommend GS Builders without hesitation. Feel free to be in touch if you have any specific questions. **** Construction now complete****second half of review below**** I'm back to finish my review of GS Builders' work on the second floor addition of our home. It's late January now, but they actually finished mid-November ahead of schedule. The sink for our master bath was out of stock at Pottery Barn, so we had to wait an additional two months for that to come in. As soon as it did, Chris and Nicoleta had someone out within two days to install it and finish the tile backsplash. I don't usually appreciate one-sided reviews. Pros and cons are much more useful to consumers. But I have to say, I honestly cannot come up with any substantial negatives to share about our experience with GS Builders. They gave us all the time and iterations needed to come up with the floor plan we wanted. They guided us through the process so that our choices were achievable within the constraints of cost and building codes. They always generated interesting ideas for us to consider when we weren't sure of how to proceed. The building crew was timely, professional, and courteous. The quality of the work was always high, in fact it exceeded our expectations. the first phase of the project was heavily dominated by meetings with Chris. As construction moved toward the finishing stages (trim, fixtures, tile, etc), Nicoleta became more involved. Nicoleta is an energetic and knowledgeable collaborator. She is a designer and engineer herself, so when the project transitioned to working with her it was seamless. She and my wife worked very closely to arrive at the tile design for our two bathrooms. Typical for their company, she was very generous with her time. She knows her industry well, and she helped my wife co-design the bathrooms she envisioned. They are beautiful. The whole house is beautiful. The design makes our house look like a new building went up- Not just an addition sitting awkwardly on top of an existing structure- as you commonly see. Closing thoughts. A big construction project is built on a thousand major and minor decisions. Making these decisions can be stressful at times. Having a team like Chris and Nicoleta to provide knowledge and patience makes all the difference. It develops trust. Sometimes decisions lead to changes that cost money. This is important, because Chris and Nicoleta were quite generous about this. Changes were always transparent, and they often made changes without charges. I've worked in construction myself, and I know how easy it is to nickle and dime clients. GS Builders does not do this. That builds trust. If you are looking to have work done on your home, you'd be remiss to overlook GS Builders. We definitely recommend them! James

It was excellent. They just didn't charge.

I originally called Chris to look at the basement bathroom. He came promptly and I showed him the bathroom. He got out his tape, squared paper, and pencil and started puttering about, measuring and sketching. He went all over the basement and seemed quite unperturbed by its apparent uselessness, it's dirt, and chaos. Then he asked me: "Why do you want to do up the bathroom?" "Um, well, er" was how I began my answer. I had no idea what I really wanted, or any idea of how much things cost, or what was doable at all. And I had no idea that I had no idea. So it began. Chris came back time after time - to get to know me and my needs, I now realize. He thought I shouldn't just do up the bathroom with no thought to what the whole space might be used for; that it would be a complete waste of money. I realized instantly he was right. He came up with designs which he discussed at length with me. He helped me make a budget, was utterly candid about prices, including what would be included in his estimate and what I would be paying for out of pocket. He made sketches and walked me through different scenarios. He didn't hesitate to tell me what was not worth the price, what might be worth the price if I decided to go that way. I never felt my project was too small, too cheap, too boring. I never felt pushed into spending more money. I felt valued and understood. By this time I thought he was so exceptional that I started murmuring about problems in my ancient kitchen upstairs, and Chris told me that Elmer and Armando could do anything and that we could arrange it for them to work for me by the hour. And now I have a kitchen where everything works, including some things that never worked properly when the kitchen was put in decades ago. Of course I had dreaded the cleaning out of the basement, but by the time a day was fixed to start I was feeling so positive that I did not feel nearly as overwhelmed as I thought I would. And the carpenters and other builders were so polite and kind that they moved tons of stuff for me before I even started. And what an impressive team: skilled, focused, good at problem solving - like a well oiled machine but with a brain. And Chris was always there it seemed - to explain unexpected changes, the odd problem, why no-one was coming on a particular day. Sometimes, depending on what was going on, there would be only one person there, and I could hear the steady noises, nothing rushed, and the cheerful music (never too loud) as one of the team just worked and worked. Were there problems? A few. Unexpected expenses? Yes. Dust? Of course. It was a renovation - these things invariably happen. But always to know why and how, to understand the problem as, or even before it happens, to have it fixed... well that's what a good contractor is all about. And Chris and his team are as good as it gets. Not convinced yet? One evening my phone rang and it was Chris. He said he was at IKEA and that the counter top I had chosen was out of stock. I was so surprised that I could only say: "What on earth are you doing at IKEA?". Chris had actually gone to IKEA for me to buy all the kitchen cabinets and counter top and all. I had naturally assumed that I would be doing that - it had not occurred to me it that Chris might think it was his job. But that's Chris. Do you know what a nightmare IKEA is?

Chris Papadopoulos is a godfather of general contracting. He came to my apartment to give me an estimate, knowing full well that I would only contract for a few or no services. Even so, Chris spent over an hour going over what I want to do, what products I had found, what would be feasible to do myself, what I may need to contract out, and what would look best. Chris helped me sort out the tornado of ideas from designers and magazines and imagine a new island and open concept kitchen. With those ideas, I was able to design my cabinets and move my fridge to open everything up. AND HE CHARGED NOTHING! Chris even provided referrals to a granite provider, who was wonderful, and offered to provide referrals to an architect, an electrician, and a plumber. He also said that I should follow up on his personal cell phone if I needed anything else, offering to be available to consult by the hour ($125). Chris is experienced, creative, kind, and flexible. I will certainly be back again.

I have worked with Chris Papadopoulos and Green Studio Builders in several stages of renovating my house. Our first project with GSBuilders was a design-build front addition with extensive hardscapes in the back involving several levels of walks, patios and retaining walls with brick and stone on concrete. The second phase, a year later (Nov 2013 - Jan 2014) involved a complete Design-Build renovation of my basement as well as master bath and hallway bath. We are finally using and enjoying our basement and all the new bathrooms, we love it! Chris has the skills, knowledge and attitude to turn a construction process into an easy ride, as his attentiveness, positive and proactive attitude is a must in his portfolio. My wife and I felt very confident that choosing to work with Chris and his staff will finalize our long time plans into an actual finished quality project to be enjoyed for many years to come. Chris was involved throughout the process, making sure that every trade involved was following a good schedule and performing their task in accordance to the specs decided. I am in the process of working with GSBuilders on our possible third renovation involving a sunroom addition and we highly recommend Chris and GSBuilders for their addition / renovation and design-build needs

GS Builders is owned and managed on site by Mr. Chris Papadopoulos, who is entiely knowledgable, accessible, and professional. The entire project, start to finish, took a little under two months to complete. GS Builders took care of obtaining all necessary permits and inspections. The home owners and Mr. Papadopoulos made a couple of contract modifications during the course of construction, with no problems. The GS Builders crews worked steadily, with no ?unexplained? days off. All the crew members were very competent. The homeowners are very pleased with the work done by GS Builders, and would work with Mr. Papadopoulos again. We are pleased to give GS Builders a very favorable review, and have already recommended the firm to others who have inquired.