James L Graves Construction

Working with Jim to choose the fixtures and aesthetic options was fun. He has excellent taste and his suggestions for improving the bath were a big help. In addition to aesthetic choices, he suggested: moving the floor register to a wall, installing a recessed light over the tub/shower, re-piping a wall to recess the medicine cabinet, and installing glass shower doors. I recommend anyone else doing a bath to consider these ideas. The crew had all worked with Jim for several years. Their experience and team approach was obvious. They were on-time and called if they were going to be late or there was a change in plans. Work was done in a timely manner. Care was taken to protect the carpet and the rest of the house from dust and dirt. All cleanup and trash removal was done promptly and carefully. There was a supplier problem with the tile. It had been discontinued by the manufacturer in Italy and they did not have enough tile on hand to complete my bath. Jim worked with his vendor, Versa-Tile & Marble, to locate the last of the tile at the manufacturer and find more at a vendor in another state. We appreciate the extra effort to get us our original tile choice. Jim's attention to detail ensured that the finished project was everything we wanted and that the process was a pleasant experience.

Graves did a great job given a very short time frame to complete the project. He gave a fair estimate, had his people show up for work and do a good job. The only reason for not giving him a perfect A grade on all items was that his guy doing the work was right in the middle of quitting and getting another job. He spent more time on his cell phone with his wife and prospective employer than he did doing the work. If that did not happen the job would have been excellent. The work was great the, employee soon to be gone was not. This was no fault of Graves and his company. Just a bad circumstance with poor timing for me. I would definitely use his services again.

It went unbelievably well. Neighbors were stunned that: a) Jim completed the complex work on time and on the quoted budget; b) the work was so perfectly done; and c) at the end of such a major project, we still loved our contractor. We found James L. Graves Construction on Angie's List. Entering a huge project on our 200-year-old house we knew we needed a great contractor if we were to live through the experience. Not trusting references or casual sidewalk conversation, we looked for Angie's top-ranked contractors in our area. And we got the best! Among Jim's keys to success is that he does meticulous planning in advance, so that everything is lined up to do the job on schedule and with minimum surprises. (Our only delays were caused by Baltimore Gas & Electric dithering in moving our electric meter and installing natural gas, and Jim even worked around them to catch up.) In selecting among three contractors, we asked their subcontractors how it was to work with the company. Jim's said he was the best they worked for because when he said they should come Tuesday to put in, say, the wiring, he always had the job ready for them; there was no, "Oh, we had a hold-up; come back next week." Jim's bid came in at two-thirds of the other bidders and when we asked how much overage we should expect, he said: "None. If I do my job right, this is what you pay." And it was. The only additional costs were the inevitable additional work my wife and I added on. ("As long as we're doing this . . . .") His contract itemizes everything, including his profit. His personal style and business methods like this gave us a great deal of confidence in those moments when a third of our house was stripped to a shell. Jim assigns a lead person to each project and ours, Greg Stimson, could not have been better. He was knowledgeable, careful and calm -- the last helping us keep calm throughout the process. He came up with an elegant solution to every puzzle he ran into, and in a 200-year-old house there are plenty. Jim's other regulars were all nice fellows and all knew about Jim's standards for doing the job right and keeping the house as clean as possible while doing it. And we had Greg and whomever else he needed every day during the project, with Jim coming by regularly to check on progress. There was none of the "Oh, I have an emergency at another job and have to pull my crew over there for a week." The key people in the company (Jim, his wife Bonnie and daughter Nichole) stay in touch and are quick to respond to phone or e-mail queries. Jim also uses first-rate subcontractors. For example, Hands-On Painting was literally awesome. When doing our exterior window scrapping, repair, sanding and painting, they came in wearing white jumpsuits and covered everything not to be painted, including the ground, with plastic. When they were done, there was not a paint chip or splotch to be found. Jim truly cares enough to do it right. More than once, he spotted something that we hadn't noticed or thought was acceptable and made sure it got done over right at his expense. An example: Where our ceiling changes levels, the original installer had left a break in the crown molding where the level stepped up. "That's not right," said Jim, and had them make the molding continuous. He had the marble installer come back twice to get it right. He even instructed the hardwood floor crew on how to fix some flaws in the wood. Two other differences between Jim and some other contractors show in the end game. He completed our project in less than half the time of similar projects in our neighborhood. And he actually finished: He is a stickler for getting every last little piece done and done right now, unlike some contractors who get 95% done and then disappear. We are recommending James L Graves Construction to everyone who asks about our project or is contemplating one of their own. Thank you, Angie's List!

Overall, we are very happy with the result. The workmanship is top notch and the people who came to do the work were polite and professional. The GC, however, was less than professional and we felt that there was a lack of oversight from him. He was quick to blame other members of his team rather than take responsibility for the issues. For example, we bought low voltage pendant lights to hang over the new island. The lights were on premise during the first week of demo and the team was aware of that. No one bothered to look at the lights until it was time to install them and the electrician had created a wiring system that would not support those lights. But, he tried to install them anyway which made it very difficult for us to return these very expensive lights. So, we had to frantically look for new lights which we did not like as much in the end. During this ordeal and throughout the job, it was very difficult to get in touch with the GC and when we did reach out to him, he typically seemed irritated that we had called. As the job was coming to a close, we were informed that there was an issue with the floor tiles we had chosen - they were out of stock. I called on a Friday morning to find out exactly when we'd see the tile - it took eight hours for a return call. Finally, when I spoke to the GC & tried to get a straight answer as to why the tiles were just being ordered (instead of in advance), he became angry, telling me that we must have a personality conflict. The job was completed a week or two behind schedule but we were very pleased with the new kitchen. There were a few loose ends that took awhile to complete (the tape that was applied to paper that covered the floors damaged the finish which had to be repaired) but the workers were very diligent. When we received our final bill, there were several items that we were billed for that we supplied (bathroom sink, interior doors, tile work that was never done) so I would advise anyone who uses this company to review all bills very carefully. Another big issue arose a few months after the job was completed. A pipe in the new bathroom burst, I'd guess due to cold weather, causing water to pour out of the back of that room. Luckily, all the water went outside and there was no damage except to the pipe. All the plumbing and insulation was new and had been installed by the GC's plumber. When we called, the GC did send his plumber out right away to repair the pipe. We were then told that the insulation in the floor was insufficient, a fact that should have been mentioned and addressed during the construction, and that if we did not correct that problem, the pipe would likely freeze again. Long story short, the GC offered to have someone come out to blow insulation under the floor in that room for $1000. We felt that amount was exorbitant given the small space that needed to be insulated and based on our feeling that this issue should have been addressed during the initial construction. He would not budge on the price. We sent a lengthy email detailing our concerns and frustration with how he handled the situation. At present, he has not replied to that email. Very disappointing. As I've said before, the work was quality but the lack of professionalism on the part of the GC would prevent us from using this company again.

I couldn't be more pleased with our bathroom model. If you have any type of project, do not hesitate to call James L Graves Construction. You won't be disappointed. We decided to remodel our master bathroom because of a consistently leaking shower stall that was too small and a bathtub that only got wet when we cleaned it. I came across James L Graves Construction on Angie's List and added them to my list to call for estimates. When Jim came out to look at our bathroom, he listened to my ideas and gave some great ideas of his own. Everything sounded great, but my main concern was getting a quality product that wouldn't leak down the line. Jim explained to me how the bathroom would be remodeled and the steps that are taken to make sure everything is done right - rubber membranes in the shower, concrete board for the tiling, etc. At that point, I knew I wasn't going to have to talk to anymore contractors. Throughout the entire quote process, Jim and his team went above and beyond providing us separate quotes for a traditional bathroom remodel and a his & her bathroom remodel so we could decide which we wanted to do. Jim even met us at the tile store during our tile selection to offer some assistance and opinions. When design issues came up, Jim always had various solutions or alternatives. During the remodel, everyone was very courteous and did excellent work. They kept everything clean. Brian and Carl did a great job with the demolition and the new bathroom's construction. Mauricio's tile work is beautiful. They keep you informed and verify that everything is where you want it and how you want it. If anything doesn't meet your expectations, Jim and his team make sure it is corrected promptly.

just started my project but its going well so far.

I was afforded "royal treatment." I have never worked with a contractor for a major renovation before, so I was very appreciative of the consultation that James Graves and his crew provided. They struck a perfect balance between giving me advice to prevent me making mistakes, while still allowing the project to be completely mine - totally performed to my exact specifications. Their workmen are perfectionists. The tiles were laid with geometric precision. There is not a flaw to be found in any of the work they performed. Also - they went a bit "above and beyond." For example, I had intended to thoroughly clean the toilet and sink, and install a new flushing mechanism in the toilet before it was reinstalled, but the contractor moved a bit faster than I anticipated - so they did these things at no extra cost. Everyone was very polite, professional, and respectful toward me and my home throughout the process. Once they started, they worked between five and six days a week to get the job done without unnecessary delay, while taking the time to do it right. The final product exceeded my expectations, and everyone who has seen my renovated bathroom has responded with "oohs" and "ahhhs."

The norm is for you to get 5-7 quotes when looking for a contractor. I advise you to include James L. Graves Construction in your search. I will tell you, you should only contact JLG, but you will not believe me, because we are all trained to seek several quotes. So continue to look for quotes, but I guarantee, you will end up calling Jim. I had to wait a few months to get construction started, and that is because Jim is in such high demand. It was well worth the wait. From the first time I met Jim, I knew I had found the right company. He took the time to listen to what I wanted in my dream kitchen and he also provided ideas that I had not considered. He was the only contractor that ended our conversation asking "what is your budget?". That was always the first question of all the other contractors I contacted. It seemed the other contractors were more concerned about my budget and whether the dollar value was worth their time. Jim provided personal attention and has the best construction team you could ever imagine. If your are looking for professionalism and a team whose goal is to provide personal and quality service, then look no further. Jim and his team were always available when I had questions or requested upgrades. By the way, JLG does not just do construction work. When I say personal services, I mean Jim is there for you when anything goes wrong. Jim and his team assisted me and my 82 year old mom when our air conditioning went out one evening. Jim immediately had someone come over the same evening (7 p.m.), diagnosed the problem, and repaired the air condition the next morning, for a small charge. I was blessed, because I would have probably called my regular AC Service provider and would have definitely been charged much more. So, when I need construction or repairs, will I search for quotes? The answer is no. I know the perfect company to call. I plan to retire in a couple of years, and I am hoping I persuade Jim to build my dream home in another state. Again, I guarantee you, you will not go wrong when choosing James L. Graves Construction. Look no further.

Working with Jim is great. he is very responsive, listens carefully to what you want done, and coordinates thet trades to get it all done quickly and efficiently. We are very pleased with the our new home office.

We were very impressed with how hard Jim worked to win our business. We found him to be very professional, but also very pleasant to deal with. We will definitely call him to bid on our next project.

From start to finish, everything went extremely well. I am very happy with the result. Jim was good about helping me visualize what I wanted. The service was superb- all of his staff were very experienced and friendly. They were great about communication. Once the remodel started, I was informed of each detail, they explained everything they were doing and asked me about any changes as we were going. Jim was very good about calling me back when I needed to communicate. He made sure I was happy through the whole process. I love my bathroom, it is gorgeous!

I originally called Jim for an estimate on a bathroom remodel and that conversation led to some work I wanted done on my patio. I have an addition over a patio with a ceiling covered with some old plywood and the posts needed the bases replaced. He presented a great idea to replace the plywood with a white vinyl to make the ceiling look more attractive with low maintenance. After replacing the post base caps he would wrap them in white vinyl as well to match the ceiling. I asked for a quote and arrangements were made to have the work done. His carpenter, Vince and his crew came out and did a wonderful job. There were some problems along the way and Greg Stimson, the project lead, called me explaining them in detail and what they were doing to resolve them. (Just about everything the previous owners of my home have done has revealed sloppy workmanship on their part.) Greg would call to check in & give me updates. When they were done the next day Vince called to let me know and reviewed the problems they encountered and how they fixed them. I thank all the crew for a job well done.

In general we had a very positive experience with this company. We started talking with Jim around the time of the monster February snow fall, so things got started a little slowly. We received the quote from Jim in March. It was a very detailed list of items, material, and labor with specific prices for each line. This was much more transparent that others quotes I had seen. The overall price was in line with others, so we decided to go with Jim based on the detail of the list, the price, and the Angie's List feedback on his previous work. After deciding to go with Jim he sent us to his tile vendor and cabinet people. The tile people we very friendly and helpful. My wife found a tile she liked quickly and the designer made some great suggestions on the pattern and layout. After seeing the finished product we really like the choices and advice. We looked at the cabinet choices, but decided to purchase our cabinets separately from another vendor. Jim was fine with this. Jim also provided us with a website he uses for bathroom supply such as faucets, toilets, lighting, etc. The website has a huge selection with fairly easy search and filtering. This made it quite easy to look for fixtures. Also, Jim came out with his plumber and electrician to get a refined estimate and do some up front planning prior to the start of the project. I think this helped things go more smoothly. We provided Jim's office with our choices, and they reworked the quote to include our items for a final estimate. Our cabinets were quoted as 6-8 week delivery time, so we did not actually get started on construction until early June. On the first day of construction it seemed like everyone showed up at once and on time. Vince immediately went to work putting adhesive plastic carpet protection up the stairs and in the bedroom. This was followed by plastic sheeting between the bath construction area and the bedroom, brown paper on the hardwood floor in the foyer and drop cloths over that. In the mean time my wife and I were working with Jim, Greg (the project lead) and the plumber discussing layouts, exact work to be done, etc. Once that was squared away they demolished the existing bath, installed the new tub, started building the new walls and wiring the new bath. The electricians noticed that the original wiring had both baths on a single 15 amp circuit and suggested moving them to a new 20 amp circuit. This was going to be an additional cost, but we decided to do it which was the right decision. Also the final additional cost was about half of what I expected. We also had them install a new outlet in the family room. While the plumber, Gary, was installing the diverter valve for the shower, we mentioned that the hall bath flow was pretty poor. He looked at the existing fixture, determined it was broken, and went ahead an replaced the diverter in the hall bath as well so we could have decent showers for the next couple of weeks. He even picked up an inexpensive chrome fixture for use right away since our final oil rubbed bronze fixtures would need to be special ordered. Next came the drywall and tile installation. This was done by the same crew. Mericio and his guys did a very good job on the dry wall and patching the ceiling where the wall had been. They did an even better job with the tile installation. Shortly after laying the floor tile on a diagonal they noticed that the floor was not level near the toilet wall, so they pulled up the few tiles they had already set and leveled the floor with mortar. Mericio also worked very patiently with us to layout the exact location of the tile pattern around the tub. This was not a straightforward endeavor, but he got it right. The tile took the most effort with Mericio and his guys working long days for a week or week and a half. In the end we are extremely pleased with the work and Mericio was very friendly and accommodating. After the tile work things moved very quickly with trim, crown molding, and painting. Following that the cabinets were installed. Next we visited Jim's granite guy, picked out our slab and edge profile, and they had our counter tops made a few days later. The electricians showed-up finished installing the outlets and lights, hooked up the fan, and the plumbers returned to finish installing the faucets and toilet. Greg came by to provide additional finishing touches. The entire master bath project took about 3 1/2 weeks from start to finish. Due to vacation plans and scheduling Mericio around another job we started the hall bath 2-3 weeks after the completion of the master bath. This was actually a good thing. The respite gave us the opportunity to install shelving in the closet, and move back into the room before starting the hall bath. Once the hall bath was started it was pretty much a repeat of the master bath experience in less than half the time since there was less actual construction involved. This took about a week and a half to complete. Overall, we are very pleased with the results. The new bath looks beautiful and we really love the tile work. Everyone was very friendly and accommodating throughout. There were a few minor issues along the way, but I really expected more. I worked very closely with Jim and his guys before and during the project to plan as much as possible. I think this really paid off. We did a kitchen remodel three years ago and used a different company. While that project was not a nightmare there was certainly many more headaches and issues throughout. With this bath remodel we had very few surprises and only a handful of change orders (that were very reasonably priced).

Call whomever you want but make sure you call Jim. The Beginning: Came to visit as promised, on time. Listened to ridiculous questions and remained professional. Corrected me before I could do something stupid to my kitchen (and home). Honest and up front with pricing, scheduling, etc. The Work: Came on time, worked all day, efficiently and CLEANLY! His employees were very professional and always took the time to tell me how everything was going and what to expect next. Always on time. I cannot give them enough credit for the quality of their workmanship. No detail was too small to address, even in cases where I thought some minor detail was not worth it, Jim and his people would not ignore it. They dealt with it perfectly. The work schedule Jim laid out was either adhered to exactly or work was ahead of schedule. An example: The granite counter tops were installed in 48 hours from the time I selected the stone! There were challenges in the job but all were dealt with very well and all to my satisfaction. Make no mistake: Kitchen remodels will cost a few bucks. So get someone who is professional, courteous, and provides professional, meticulous craftsmen to do the work. Call Jim Graves and have his company complete your project. I am not related to Jim Graves!

I waited 20 years to do this project because of the horror stories I heard from friends and acquaintances who suffered through remodeling projects. My experience with Jim made the wait worthwhile. My journey started by reviewing Angie?s List for companies that did bathroom renovations that had ?A? ratings in several recent reports. It was not until I met with Jim that I learned that not all A-rated companies are created equally, so read the member comments thoroughly. Jim doesn?t give estimates that are based on allowances. He had me do my homework to select tiles and fixtures and then gave me an itemized estimate. As an accountant, I was absolutely delighted! I knew exactly what I was getting. Don?t worry, Jim will give you as much guidance as you need to make the right choices. I was most impressed by his dedication in helping me with my tile selection and layout. He saw that getting the effect I wanted would present challenges and he worked with the tile manufacturer and developed a solution. And this was done BEFORE he gave me his estimate and I signed the contract. I couldn?t think of anyone investing this much effort before getting a signed deal. Once Jim and his crew are in your home, they make every effort to protect your furnishings and contain dust. Furniture was covered; my hardwood floors were protected and dust barriers installed and the job site was cleaned every day. Look, in every construction site a little dust will fly, but on a Jim Graves job, you won?t be living in a blizzard of construction dust. Jim has exacting standards for his crew. If he doesn?t like what he sees, it gets re-done until it?s done right. For example, the tile setter on my project worked all weekend to lay the mosaic floor, but when Jim saw it on Monday, he said it wasn?t up to his standard so the tile was taken up and re-laid. There was also problem with the stain on the closet doors that Jim addressed promptly and thoroughly. Jim encourages his clients to tell him if they think things aren?t quite right. He calls everyday to see how things are going. If you?re not happy with something, tell him. He will make it good; he treats you like you are his most important client. At the very end of the job I noticed that his carpenter forgot to fill the nail holes on the new closet casing. I mentioned it to Jim as a joke since I had filler pencils and could easily fill them myself. Jim insisted that his carpenter come back and fill them. Jim is a firm believer in the job isn?t over until the customer is completely satisfied. He tolerates no loose ends. I had a fantastic experience working with Jim and his crew. The bathroom turned out great; it takes my breath away. The closet he built looks like it?s always been there. Now that I know I will be in good hands working with Jim, I?m looking forward to starting on my kitchen renovation!

Everything went well; it did take some extra time and the workers were having to work in the bitter cold of December 2010; they did such a professional job and one of the workers came back to finish a touch-up paint job.

Very responsive and alert to my detailed concerns. The lead wasn't Jim but rather Greg Stimpson for this project. Greg was on top of the project from day one and listened attentively to all the questions I had and tried his best to satisfy the concerns along the way. The project turned out great, and Greg went above and beyond to make sure it did.

Jim and his staff were very prompt, courteous, very flexible to accomodate my schedules and did a fantastic job overall. The price quote was the lowest among the 3 contractors we looked into. The best part we liked was that Jim suggested improvements that we would never have thought about. We give Jim and his staff 5 stars for their work and professionalism. We will surely use Jim's services in the future when we remodel our master bath. Thanks Jim. -Deepa & Vikram Krishnaswamy

We met with Jim and liked him immediately. He was punctual, professional, and easy to work with. He acted as the general contractor for the various trades. We gave him a budget and he worked with us to meet it. As an architect, I appreciated his virtual showroom, where you can select the exact plumbing and light fixtures that will go in to your renovation. We purchased tiles from a distributor that he recommended. We also selected counter top materials on our own that he was able to match through his own fabricator. He has a wonderful eye for detail, as well as the technical competence to get the job done. His sub contractors are some of the best we've worked with. They were always punctual and professional and cleaned up after themselves. They were also fast. We started work in November and completed all of the work in February. That includes the blizzards inbetween, as well as the week that Jim was down due to a bad fall. We will definitely be customers for life and plan to call on Jim again for any work that needs to be done in the future.

The whole project was smooth from start to finish. Jim is very easy to work and his price was competitive. He provided an itemized estimate so we were able to make adjustments that best suited our budget. Jim had some great cost-effective ideas to maximize floor and finished storage space. His crews came in and literally attacked the basement and work progressed at a steady pace the entire life of the project which is surprising because the county inspectors were throwing curve b**** from time-to-time. Extra ducting had to be run to satisfy the HVAC code and ALL smoke detectors had to be upgraded. I was expecting a delay of a few days and a pretty significant expense but no work time was lost and the extra cost was really just a few hundred dollars. All of the work is top notch. The bathroom especially is amazing considering we were on such a tight budget. The job took approximately 4 weeks from start to final inspection. Because the bath in the basement is so nice, we are now looking to have the two additional bathrooms remodeled. I won't bother soliciting bids, I'll just call Jim.

When we talked about doing the deck in the back, and I have an architect that I work with, somehow, it was kind of strange and I'm not quite sure how the whole architect thing came out, but my husband talked to the architect and I think the architect assumed that he was actually going to be doing the work and providing the drawing both to the contractor and to us to actually do the work, but we never talked to Jim Graves and said "yes, you're our contractor. We want to go with you and go ahead and get started on the plans for the deck." It was very strange, so he kind of jumped the gun on that one. We ended up having to pay the architect to do the plans when we didn't really want them. We really didn't need them at that point. There was some miss-communication. I guess Jim Graves had given the architect our name and phone number and said call them to set up a time to do the drawing for the deck. Somehow, he did that, but we still ended up having to pay for that even though we had not signed any contract with Jim Graves Construction and he didn't start any work at all. It was kind of an odd situation.

They were friendly and very professional. We haven?t hired them yet.

The frame of my house was rotting in places, and he helped me out with that.

The service and work done by Jim, his employees, and subs was top notch from start to finish. Of the three contractors I received estimates prior to start of the job, Jim was the one who took the most time to understand my needs and bring his considerable expertise to bear on recommendations for a solution. I appreciated the fact that he was able to work within our budget and time constraints while still providing quality service and results. Even though it was a relatively small job, Jim was involved every step of the way and kept me informed of any issues that came up. He made sure to follow up on all the work that was done to ensure quality control. His people were very professional and did as much as possible to minimize dust and debris from the work; at the end of each day they did a thorough clean up. I would definitely recommend Jim Graves Construction and will consider his company for any future work.

They did a great job. The results were great and they handled several unique challenges of the job well (tiny space...walls needing more framing than expected, etc.) The staff were very friendly and professional and Jim (the owner) was very hands-on and made sure details were great. Also, Jim worked with us on our budget constraints which was very much appreciated.