James L Graves Construction

They were very timely and professional. They did an excellent job! The price was a very good value.

This contractor was very thorough and fair. The B for responsiveness is because communication was a little lacking, I had to follow up on some things before the job started. Other than that, all good. This was a small master bath (4 feet by 7 feet) - we had it gutted to the studs. Several problems came to light during the job; they were handled well. Total job was less than three weeks. The quality of the work was very good. Most of the workers were employees; plumbing and electric sub-contractors were responsive to the contractor, and did equally good work. Work included - framing for drywall, plumbing, electric, drywall, replacing a small window, tile shower stall and flooring, painting, installation of cabinetry and shower doors, installation of accessories. All people on site were careful of the premises. I would recommend them with no hesitation.

All aspects of the job were excellent from the quoting, scheduling, installation and cleanup. The contractor's knowledge, professionalism and skill far exceeded expectations. Great company to work with. Would use again; highly recommend.

Extremely satisfied. Did what he said he'd do, on-time, and at contracted price. Bonus: Not only was the *repair* top-notch, but he did something more impressive: He?diagnosed, and solved, the *cause* of the problem, so I won't have to go through the repair again. Can't ask for much better than that. BH NOTE: 'B' for Price was only because it was more than I would have liked; but it matched the job, and you get what you pay for. BH

We had all our finished products sitting in the basement after our first contractor fell through. I contacted Jim and he was able to come out and take a look at our bathroom. We had previously done an estimate via email several months earlier... so he was somewhat familiar with the project. This time we were able to get our schedules to line up a bit better so that he could actually come out and take a look at the bathroom himself. Jim was very friendly and professional and showed up on time. He got back to me in a few days with an updated estimate (there were some changes and updates since the original email estimate). He was up front about waiting about 10 to 12 weeks to start because they were very busy. We signed the contract and began to wait. About 10 weeks later I began to follow up with Jim's office to see where I was on the production list. Unfortunately because of all the bad weather this winter, a lot of their other projects were backed up, but Jim told me that they should get to me in a few more weeks. I did tell them that we were going on vacation in a couple of weeks, and as it turned out that's when they had planned to start. So we ended waiting another week and a half because they had other projects to start (this was just bad timing... not anyone's fault). Two days before starting Jim gave me a head's up via email and two days later the bathroom was started! Joe, who was handling most of our project showed up every day promptly and was very professional. All the coordination (with plumbers, tilers, etc.) was seamless, and everyone was there when they were supposed to be, which kept the work moving forward. The project lasted about a week. The bathroom looks great. Our tiler had a difficult task matching up to older tile, especially on crooked walls and a previously crooked shower pan. He didn't have an easy task, but was meticulous in trying to make it look as best as possible. We did have a few gripes with the caulking at the end (it was pretty messy), which Jim agreed needed to be addressed. Some over the other items that needed to be fixed was a non-draining shower (plumbers had accidentally forgotten to take the tape off the drain pipe... which wasn't visible) and adjusting the temperature settings on the shower faucet. Jim assured me everything would be fixed to our satisfaction and all issues were corrected within a couple of days. Re-doing some of the caulk was a pain since silicone caulk is a pain to get off once it's on, but it now looks great. We would definitely use James L Graves Construction again and plan on using them eventually when it becomes time to do our other bathroom and kitchen. Just be prepared to wait a bit... but the wait is worth having a good experience.

Great! Fast, efficient and excellent with all the details.

I can't tell you how pleased my wife and I were with James L. Graves Construction. Jim's crew chief Jeremy treated our home as if it were his own. He was in daily contact with Jim about the job. Throughout the job, which took about three weeks, Jim emailed me about any concerns or questions I had about the work. Every day, Jeremy and his crew cleaned up after themselves and tidied up the work area. There we no surprises in terms of extra costs or construction. They gutted the bathroom and put in a shower and toilet, closed off a window, put down tile, put in a vanity, a cabinet, and all new fixtures. My wife and I are brand new to the remodeling business. Jim provided us with the name of a person with whom he did business to provide advice on tile, and we took advantage of it. We could have chosen anyone we wanted to. There were no high pressure tactics about using one of his fellow contractors. The tile was beautiful and modestly priced. We bought the vanity and toilet from Lowe's and our cabinet from another store in town. The job took the time Jim said it would. He inspected everything before he gave it the green light, and he has been in touch with me more than once since finishing the job to see if I'm pleased with everything. He will guarantee the work for a year, and I would not hesitate to call him up if I had a question about anything. My wife and I cannot recommend James L Graves Construction highly enough. We will use his company on our next home project.

They did outstanding work and were very professional. We are very happy with our new basement and would highly recommend James L. Graves Construction to anyone.

We went with Jim Graves because the reviews on Angie's List had been really good and the estimate he had provided was aligned with other estimates we had received. Overall they did a quality job with the bathroom re-model-the floors and shower are impeccable and we get a lot of compliments on our new bathroom. The reason we didn't give them an A rating was because there had been some issues regarding project management and communication. When the crew was running behind schedule, this wasn't proactively communicated to us and we had to call and find out when people would be showing up and how much longer the project would be delayed. Also, there were a few incidents where there was confusion or disagreements about a particular portion of the work being done and we felt the communications and interactions were less than professional. While we did have these issues during the work period, we were pleased with the final product.

Overall I had an excellent experience working with James L. Graves' construction. The work was excellent, the workers polite and responsive. We had several changes in the midst of the order and they were always happy to adapt and update the order. The only warning I would give about them is that they were slow to get started. I was aware that they were busy and that it could take a while to get me on the schedule, so it did not bother me at all, and I think the wait was well worth it. Once the work started they worked quickly and efficiently.

Everything was done in a professional manner and in accordance with the project specifications. I especially liked how He laid out the pieces of the project and the cost associated with it. In fact that was the main reason we chose him, because we were fairly certain there were no hidden costs or markups in the pricing. His crew was very professional. The project moved along quite quickly. We are very pleased with the outcome.

Our Baltimore City row home, which was built in 1920, has been my home for the past 12 years. Since getting married in 2011, my husband and I have shared this space for the last 2 years. The home was built to house the laborers who moved to Baltimore from West Virginia to work in the mills. As are most homes in Baltimore, ours is small (1040 square feet) and very crooked. The rooms were claustrophobic and most of the space was eaten up by walls. The staircase was leaning to one side, the walls were wavy and uneven and the floor sunk at least two inches in the back of the house. I love my house, don't get me wrong, but sharing a 5 x 6 foot bathroom and tripping over each other walking through the hallway made us realize it was time for an upgrade. When we approached James L. Graves with our proposal to remodel, he was responsive, efficient and very thorough. As the job progressed, I was very much involved in the decision making and Jim was always available to discuss the many, many questions I had. His crew was also very personable, responsible and willing to answer questions on the spot. As a woman, I never felt belittled or taken advantage of and always felt respected and that Jim had my best interests at heart. When the job was completed, and my husband and I were finally able to spend our first night in the house, the quality of the work became even more evident. The bathroom was like a resort spa and the bedroom suite felt like a chic New York City loft. It was like we were on vacation. And to this day, we still feel the same every time we go upstairs. We are so grateful that Jim's crew took the time to pay attention to the details and to craftsmanship so that we can relax and enjoy the space without worry. It is still baffling to me, that Jim and his workers were able to take our crooked, decrepit little house with all its imperfections and turn it into a beautiful work of art. Here are just a few examples of their excellence: * Jim gave us numerous helpful suggestions that were both aesthetic and functional. He often stopped me from making choices that were not consistent with our design. He is very experienced and has a really good sense of what works visually. I trusted his judgement. * One particular example of their craftsmanship and carpentry skills is where they were able to actually mold the side of the window trim to match the irregular surface of an adjacent brick chimney. This is the kind of problem solving that was required throughout the project, and no problem was too daunting for them. * The crew was always accessible and very easy to work with. Derek, our foreman, was exceptionally knowledgable and helpful. * Our neighbors commented several times on how respectful, clean and non-imposing the crew was throughout the project * The plastering, done by Mauricio and Julio, was simply amazing. They had to deal with terribly uneven surfaces and were still able to create an even flush wall. In addition to the plastering they are master tilers and did an incredible job laying the bathroom floor which had a complicated pattern. * The crew was on time every day and, overall, stayed within the projected time frame. * We had interviewed a number of contractors before deciding on Jim, and given the outcome we can assuredly say that his pricing is very reasonable. Overall, we are more than satisfied with the finished product and its quality and would definitely recommend him for any project no matter how challenging.

Awaiting his price for consideration. As of today have not see his proposal. |I sure he busy this time of the year.

The original estimate was very detailed and was completed only after I had selected the major items (tile, commode, sink, and fixtures). The work was done professionally and in a timely fashion. The crew was respectful and attentive to dust control and did a clean-up after each day's work. The office staff was responsive and promptly addressed any and all issues. After completion of the work, a "punch list" of items was created (touch-ups, dings, missed areas of caulk). All the items were promptly addressed to my satisfaction. I am planning a kitchen remodel and will definitely use Jim and his company again.

They were not only on time, they were early. I thought it would take all day--it only took 2 hours. They were extremely courteous and conscious of my concern for my hardwood floors. They cleaned up and made sure everything was ready to go, even taking off all the stickers on the oven. My husband and I were in awe and will definitely use this service again.

My husband and I are very pleased with the results of our project. We knew we were in good hands with Jim Graves during our first meeting to discuss our ideas and plans. He shared ideas as well as told us why several of our ideas would not work as we thought they would (and he was right). Jim sent us to his vendors, we selected all of the components, and finalized a terrific redesign of our kitchen. The project took 8 weeks from start to finish. As anyone who has gone through a renovation knows, our life turned upside down. Jim was very patient and professional with us when we called with our daily list of atleast 5 questions or observations. The project encountered a hurdle when our site supervisor realized that there was a problem with the floor support in one area of the kitchen. Because our HVAC and plumbing systems were involved, there was rework that had to be performed along with adding support beams and joists. A week or so after this was accomplished, we realized that we had the same problem in another area of the floor elsewhere on the first floor. Jim and company reinforced that area and we now have a very sound, strong support structure for the entire house. Overall, his subcontractors were great. They were courteous and made sure that they cleaned up at the end of each day. We had issues with the countertops and flooring but Jim handled it and we are very pleased with the outcome. We are beginning to think about a bathroom (we have 3) renovation project and will definitely ask Jim Graves to be our contractor.

This is our first major project / remodel so I was concerned with how it would go. We signed our contract and we were told it would be 8 - 10 weeks until they could start, based on backlog. Sure enough about 9 weeks later they were ready to roll. We were a little caught off guard when we were called on a Friday stating the guys would be out on Monday, however Jim and his team were flexible and were able to give us some extra time to get our kitchen cleared out and all of our ducks in a row. Throughout the project Jim Graves (and his team) were very responsive and professional. The people he sent to our house to perform the work were considerate and did not hesitate to call us with any questions. We have 2 indoor cats that had to be kept in the basement the entire time (along with the water cut offs and the electrical panel) and they were really good about minding them. The work looks great and what shocked us the most was the speed of the project. Our kitchen is not very big (approx 10'x12') but our understanding was that once we started the project we would be without a kitchen for 4 to 6 weeks, which we were totally OK with. They got it done in 9 working days! Once the job was completed we had a few touch up issues to address, which they came out and did within a days time. As a result of this experience we are going to have them give us an estimate to build us a new deck. All in all we would say this was a very positive experience for a first time remodel and would recommend them to friends.

As previously state, Graves Construction sent a subcontractor to my home with the samples I was promised. The subcontractor left numbers and information on two other companies --Top Granite, Inc., and MMG Marble & Granite. What happened to my Angie's List recommended company? Five days after taking measurements, no one from Graves, MMG or Top Granite has contacted me with an estimate. Given that I have been given the unattractive offer to deal with Graves, MMG and Top Granite, I am assuming that this project is going to be excessively expensive and unfold messily. This was a total waste of time, having set a pre-arranged appointment on a Saturday morning, all to no avail. We're off to a very bad start with Angie's List. Because of this, I am postponing my plans for a granite counter top until I can talk to more competent, ethical vendors. Can Angie's List help with this?

We LOVE our new kitchen! We had a wall opened up between the kitchen and family room to give us a more open floorplan. There used to be a bulkhead above the cabinets, but we had that removed and now the cabinets go all the way to the ceiling! The cabinets and countertop are beautiful! James L. Graves Construction handled every aspect of our remodel; Mr. Graves has experts in every area, coordinates everything, and works through any issues that arise.

What started out as a simple kitchen remodel which turned into our dream kitchen. The initial work uncovered a number of flaws from the original construction as well as some do-it-yourself mistakes that Jim Graves resolved. The biggest challenge and most time consuming was addressing uneven floors attributed to poor original construction. The crew was very professional cleaning up each day. As the work progressed we saw opportunities to improve on our vision and Jim Graves and his team were flexible and incorporated those changes. The crew not only did the required work but also added touches that were great improvements over what we had. Wood trim was added to resolve poor quality in the original tie into the flooring. To avoid marring the center island cabinetry the outlets were built into a false front in the center of the island. We ordered a large cooktop and venting system which required out of the box thinking to make it work one of the great features in the kitchen. at the end of the construction our first floor area was thoroughly cleaned and when they left we had a beautiful kitchen and new floor and no mess to address. The construction took longer than we anticipated but was due to the problems encountered not because of anything Jim Graves did not do. There were so many small things wrong with the house that Jim Graves' crew resolved. The crew also were very attentive to the smallest details. The effort of every trade contributed to a dream kitchen that we enjoy every day. We plan to have them come back for more work in the future.

This project was enjoyable for me as well as for my wife. If you have ever been through a remodel experience, then you will appreciate the fact that we actually "enjoyed this project". The process started on July 1st and was completed around the first week of August. The scheduling of trades was excellent with minimal wait time between the trades. All of the workmen and trades were professional and enjoyable to have in our home. Clean up occurred on a daily basis and my wife commented on the fact that we had very little dust or mess to the rest of the home during construction. The superintendent (Mark Wardlaw) called every morning to advise me on what was on schedule for the day and if he was to be late, he always called. Mark was excellent. Jim Graves stopped by on a daily basis to inspect and check on the progress. Jim (owner/general contractor) served as our advocate with the trades. He is well respected by his subcontractors and they respond immediately to any issues he may come across during his daily inspection of the job. I really saw the benefit Jim brought to the project through his supervision and oversight of the project. The end result was everything we expected and more. The work was completed timely, with attention to detail and a high quality product upon completion. I will use Jim in the future and will recommend him to others.

I called this company on 8/20/13 and left a message on their answering machine.They called back on 8/21 and asked my address and told me that they would have to see if I was in their service area. They would get back to me the next morning. They didn't call back until the next afternoon. They left a message on my answering machine after checking online for directions and stated they could not drive all that way and would not be interested as I was outside of their "service area.. Mind you they list Anne Arundel County Maryland on the Angies page as one of the areas they "service". I live in Anne Arundel County. I picked this company because it appeared on your website on a search of companies within 25 mile radius of my home, they do this type of work and they were highly rated by customers etc. I checked a map provider and found they were just over 25 miles from my home. The young lady that returned my call said that I was over 1 hour driving time from their office. Not so on the web directions I used. I am wondering what exactly is their "service area" and found that this was a waste of time for me. They must not need the work or need to add that they do not "service" southern Anne Arundel County Maryland. They should list their "service area" on the web page accurately. They may be very good, but they waisted my time. I have since gotten estimates from two other companies, both local and both on Angies list.

First I have to say that after building a custom house years ago, I was no fan of the home construction/remodeling business. To state it mildly, my past experiences were not positive. What a pleasant and welcomed surprise to work with Jim Graves. I can?t say enough about the Graves team's professionalism, efficiency, punctuality, and adherence to quality standards. I called the Graves office asking for an estimate for the job. Hours later I got a call from James Graves who came over in a few hours. Jim patiently listened as I explained my vision for the remodeling project. He talked to me about the project and did not try any high-pressure sales or push more costly products or renovations. Every step of he way, Jim supervised his team?checking for details, accuracy, and quality. If the inspection did not meet Jim?s high standards, he had his team fix the problem. There were issues that Jim identified as flaws that I did not notice. These minor repairs/fix-ups were immediately addressed. I was also impressed with the team?s courtesy and how careful they were with covering my furniture and floors and cleaning up and hauling away trash. Finally, not only is Jim?s construction crew top rate but his billing and office staff is as well. The invoices were detailed and easy to understand. You can?t go wrong with Graves Construction. I recommend them highly!

As someone who has experienced the worst of contractors, I think working with this company is about as good as it gets. Not only is Jim Graves knowledgeable and easy to work with, he has assembled a great team of employees, subcontractors, and suppliers. After submitting a request on his website, I received a call from Jim the same afternoon. When he came to the house to discuss the project, he talked about his strategy of requesting that the homeowner select all of the materials for inclusion in the contract. For me, this turned out to be a recipe for success because I do not make decisions quickly, preferring to check out my options thoroughly before making final selections. Since I did not hire a designer (a decision I would re-think if a quick turnaround was required), picking everything upfront took me several months but meant fewer decisions on my part once the project was started. Working with the tile supplier (see my review of Versa-Tile and Marble) and the granite supplier was a positive experience as they both were friendly and helpful. Once the project started, Tom the carpenter was designated as the lead and my main contact. Tom kept me informed of who was coming and going and what was to happen next. He is a quiet guy but does his job very well. The whole team of Tom, the plumbers, electricians, painter, tile and drywall guys worked well together which is good because there were a few times most of them were here at once working in a cramped space. Sometimes they stayed into the early evening to finish up their jobs. Everyone was pleasant and treated us and our home with respect. This is a huge consideration in selecting a contractor because it does not always happen. Of special note is the incredible drywall work done by Mauricio and Julio. We had major cracks in our walls due to unusual circumstances and they worked wonders in getting the walls back in shape. They also did beautiful tile work in the bathroom - absolutely meticulous in setting the tile. The plumbers were the nicest plumbers I ever met. The bulk of the work was completed in three weeks. A few change orders were necessary due to the quirky nature of this old house. A note to other Angie's List members - with so many people coming and going during a remodel, if you have questions, you should not hesitate to ask. A good contractor will be happy to explain and work with you as did the JLG Construction crew. The bottom line is I love my new bathroom. Recommending this company to others is easy. If you have to wait a few months to get the work scheduled, it is worth the wait for a major project such as a bathroom or kitchen remodel.

When I made my initial email inquiry for an estimate from Graves Construction I was contacted that afternoon. An appointment was set up in two days for Mr. Graves to come to my home. Mr. Graves was punctual (I had contacted another contractor who gave me the run around for a week). Jim is very professional, knowledgeable about his business and explained in depth what we could expect with the process. I had an estimate within a few days. When the renovation started the men were timely, professional and very cautious about protecting our stairs and floors. At the end of each day the entire area was cleaned up. I was kept informed every step of the way what would be happening with each step. Mr. Graves and all of his staff, on sight and office, were wonderful to work with and very helpful throughout every step. Everyone from the demo crew to electricians, plumbers, tilers, carpenters were absolutely great to work with and almost like old friends by the time they were finished. There was a mix up with the soaking tub I ordered, which wasn't returnable, Mr. Graves ordered a new tub without charge to us. That's the kind of first rate service this company provides. The bathroom was quite a job and it turned out so much better than we could have ever expected. I have other projects on my list (husband permitting) and I will only be having Graves Construction do the work. I would, and have, highly recommend Graves Construction!