CHEVY CHASE REMODELING

Company was very quick to respond to requested dates and date / time for consult quickly scheduled. Unfortunately company was a complete no show for design consult at designated appointment date and time and no call from company. Taken as an indicator of overall quality of company. Will not use. Requesting refund from Angies List of design consult purchase.

Update: 9 September 2015 Updating overall grade to B, bordering C, based on quality of work and the provider's unprofessional responses to our review. Just learned from a different contractor who is constructing a screened porch and deck for us that we have a fire hazard (yes, a FIRE HAZARD) on our hands. The under cabinet wiring was run incorrectly behind the siding of our house where they (Chevy Chase) had placed cardboard (even as "inexperienced" as I allegedly am, I know bad wiring + cardboard = house go bye-bye), and they (my current contractor) will have to tear off the siding running the length of the kitchen and rewire all of the under cabinet lighting in order to fix the issue and pass inspection, since, as it is now, it would "definitely not pass". So, it seems that looks aren't everything. If this corner was cut, what other shortcuts were taken? Before this, I would've just said that I wouldn't use Chevy Chase again. Based on the fact that we have, unbeknownst to us, been living with a fire hazard since April, the additional cost we now need to pay our current contractor to fix Chevy Chase's oversight/laziness, and the provider's unprofessional comments since posting our obviously too generous initial review (see below), now I will adjust my recommendation to "Not only would I not use them again, but I wouldn't recommend anyone else to either". As far as using them for an exterior project shortly after they completed the kitchen project, the back of our house looked hideous after they took out the sliding glass door and installed a regular door so we wanted it addressed with new siding as soon as possible. We added new roofing, gutters, and shutters to maintain a cohesive look. We did not want to spend the time or have the hassle of vetting several other contractors, and figured exterior work is pretty straightforward. To the note about being inexperienced, yes this was our first major reno so if our suggestion to move the fridge into the house after the removal of the sliding glass door was not preferred or feasible, then fine; that should have been stipulated when we made the suggestion before work even started. Not just agreed to as it was, and then we were left wondering why the fridge remained in the garage. It is just another example of poor communication. Seriously, putting the blame on the client because they are inexperienced with a massive home renovation project?? Since when does a customer need to have the experience? That's what the provider is hired to provide. Also, might I add, the unprofessionalism of the provider was made clear when he sent me an email after my initial review that started out "Just had a client cancel a contract that was signed yesterday because he read your review. He said he can't afford to have the problems that you had on your job. An 85000 dollar complete renovation." To receive this after simply writing an honest review on Angie's List was appalling to us. The tone and announcing the fact that he lost a 85000 contract over my review (which I highly doubt was the only motivating factor there) were uncalled for and a blatant example of this provider's inability to accept any constructive criticism; apparently I should have just lied in my review and answered "Yes" to the question of if I would use them again, and also not included any negative points. And, I might as well add, according to the contract, the approximate work was to be performed in 6 weeks. Actual project timeline: 3 and a half months. So, as you can see, I exercised a significant amount of restraint in my initial review. I only highlighted a few areas of improvement to explain why I gave them an overall "A" but still answered "No" to the Angie's List question of if we would ever use them again. There were many, many more difficulties, hiccups, and examples of frustration that we experienced throughout the process that we did not include in the initial review and have not included in this update. In conclusion, it turns out that my initial review was too generous; however, it was completely honest. If the provider can't handle this type of honest feedback (as demonstrated by this "defensive" response and two equally defensive emails he sent after the initial review posted) and see it as an opportunity to improve his business, then that's too bad and they need some serious training in customer service. Now we have to hire a professional to ensure everything was installed correctly and no other shortcuts were taken. Something tells me that what lies beneath the surface won't be as pretty. Please feel free to reach out to me directly via message if you have any questions about our experience. Initial review: 24 August 2015 Overall, it went well. The work was completed as promised, and the first level is literally gorgeous. However, the process could've gone a lot smoother and there was plenty of room for improvement in terms of organization and communication. We were not provided with a schedule of events or a list of what to select, when we needed to have it selected, and where to select it from at the outset of the project. Therefore, when Steven would send an email asking whether we selected a certain material since it was needed for the next step in the process, we would be like "ummm...no...we didn't get the memo that we needed to have that selected now..." so we often found ourselves scrambling in the middle of the work week trying to figure out how we could get to the tile place or a granite place as soon as possible, so as not to hold up progress. An example of where communication could've saved some time and effort on the part of the crew was the fact that we suggested to Steven before the project began that the new large refrigerator be brought into the house when they removed the sliding glass door and before they installed a regular three-foot door and sealed the rest of the opening, since we knew the fridge was too large to get in the house any other way. Well, that advice was not passed along to the crew and the process was delayed several days when they had to call a repair service to remove the fridge doors so it could be moved into the house. Another lowlight was when our newly installed washing machine sounded like a space shuttle during take-off and literally walked itself into the kitchen every time we tried to wash a load of clothes. We voiced our concern to Steven and the crew supposedly addressed the problem by balancing it; however, this did not help. We called the manufacturer, who sent out a technician and it turns out the shipping bolts had not been removed (step one on the instructions; it was even emphasized with pictures...). In the final stages of the project, everything was wrapping up and we asked when they would install the under-cabinet lighting; turns out it was forgotten about and we had minimal time to select what type of lights we wanted and the electrician had to get creative to wire the lights; fortunately, they could run the wiring outside since the new siding hadn't been installed. Talk about stressful... Anyway, in the end, all issues, minor or otherwise, were resolved one way or another. Steven is a nice guy and very personable, and his crew and subcontractors are skilled in their work (shipping bolts oversight aside). It seems odd to be giving a contractor an A but saying that we won't use this provider in the future. To explain, I'm giving Chevy Chase an A (an A minus to be exact) for the final outcome (our first level is stunning); however, we won't be using this provider for our second level because seriously we need more organization/meticulousness/communication in our life.

It went very well. I felt as though I was listened to and that the resulting layout reflected our discussion. I was not prepared to go into great detail before I had a plan overview, but I now feel prepared to take that step.

If you're looking for a responsive contractor, Steve is your guy. He will take your call at almost any time of the day. We also texted late into the nights sometimes about changes, progress or anything related to the project. His crew is also very highly experienced, goes great work, and makes sure the work is done right, even if the extra work cuts into his profit margin. We purchased a house that had some bad history. The basement was finished at one point in time, but no permits were obtained and when the county found out, all of it was ordered ripped out. When we got to it, nothing remained except electrical, plumbing and ducting. But we quickly learned that the previous contractor did a lot of things incorrectly and not pursuant to code. Steve and his crew quickly got to work. He obtained the necessary permits, architectural drawings and had it set up ready to go from day one. Throughout the entire process, Steve was always looking out for my best interests, construction-wise, design-wise and wallet-wise. There were speed bumps along the way, but they were to be expected with so many things going on. I mean, come on, they transformed an empty 1,250 sq ft space into a beautiful basement with a huge family room (they took down a wall dividing 2 spaces and put in a support beam across; no posts, completely open), full bathroom, bedroom, office, laundry room and storage. They had to fix all the bad plumbing and electrical. We were very hands on; designing, picking out materials and making changes along the way, and Steve was very patient and understanding with us. We finished a bit over budget, but that was due to changes we made and things that no one could have predicted, unless you have xray vision and can detect bad plumbing hiding under the cement. In the end, we are extremely happy with the end product and we could not have gotten there without Steve and his crew at Chevy Chase Remodeling.

The guys were very gracious and kind. They were punctual did the work and it was awesome. I love my new kitchen and would hire Steve and his crew again.

Steve was very responsive to our questions and adjustments, adapted as our schedule changed, managed the delivery of the work on time. There are a few items remaining to be fixed which he is attending to in accordance with our schedule. Entire team was professional and helpful.

It went extremely well. Servicer provider was very professional, punctual and honest in his approach.

The guy came out to do the evaluation, and then did not get in touch with me to give me the plans. Then I reached out to him on 02/24, and gave him my contact information, and I have yet to receive a follow up. The owner indicated in an email dated 2/24/15 that he would give me a refund for the $99.00 since there was a mix-up in communication. I decided to change my rating from a F to B.

The working technician worked throughout the day and was able to give me a finished new floor completely finished and ready to be used after a drying period. A very good looking result. All work was completed the same day.

The (3) workers arrived on time, were courteous, professional and thoughtful while entering and exiting my condo. They did the cutting of the tile outside (in the snow). They came in, did the job, cleaned up and were done within 4 hours. I have no complaints about the service or quality of work!

Everything went just the way we planned very happy with professionism and promtness and attention to detail.

Absolutely wonderful deal. Steve very easy to work with, very flexible. The contractors did a great job and spent the entire day (8 to 4:30) working on the kitchen areas. I bought a deal for 40 sq feet of tile installed, and ended up using about 39 square feet of material! I certainly got my money's worth, and you will too. I didn't have a backsplash to begin with, so I can only imagine the job taking that much longer if you have existing tile already (it might be a 2 day project). I highly recommend this provider.

I was very satisfied with the way the bathroom came out. I liked the project manager. I was just a little disappointed in time, working within the timeframe and taking a little bit longer than I anticipated the project to go. I know that I changed my mind on a couple of things. The fact that everything is ordered online now and I didn’t think the length of time was necessary. I am very, very satisfied with the work that was done. In terms of punctuality, I went out of town during that period of time. I think I would use them again in the future.

It was good. They did a great job. They were very helpful. They did a professional job. We were very happy with it. They were very responsive.

When he came to do the repairs, he said I was going to have to pay an additional $100 for the repairs since they were not minor. The work was good and it has been holding up.

They showed up on time, and did a great job installing the backsplash. There was a minor issue with some cracked grout, and they sent somebody to patch it up a couple of days later.

A toilet overflowed and caused extensive damage. CC Remodeling was on time for an inspection and then provided a fair estimate. We asked that they complete the job by Thanksgiving and it was even done before that date. Steve corresponded with me in a timely manner via email and phone calls working out the specifics. He accommodated our schedule when we would be at home. When I wanted to be able to order some of my own materials, such as flooring, CC Remodeling had no issues with that and they worked around the delivery. Once the job was finished, when we discovered some issues, he made sure his team fixed them in a timely manner and again came up with some creative remedies even though the issues had nothing to do with their performance, such as a change in carpet thickness causing a gap that was then rectified. We would highly recommend CC Remodeling as a general contractor and would use them again in the future.

We contacted Chevy Chase Remodeling to get an estimate for a floor remodeling job. Steve was very amiable when we met with him to discuss the job and was willing to talk through various ideas we had, which we did not end up going with. We contracted with them to update the flooring and paint 2 bedrooms; once we finally picked out the flooring, the work was completed within 10 days. We are very happy with the new floors and the paint job but would have appreciated clearer communication during the whole process.

I bought the Angie's List Big Deal for $399 for a New Ceramic Tile Floor or Backsplash Installation. The deal covered 40 square feet, so I knew up front my floor was larger. The best thing about this deal was it allowed for someone who had their own tile to have it professionally installed. This fit my situation perfectly because my husband and his son were going to do the work, but they ran out of time and energy to do it before the holidays. The listing provided a discounted price for extra work per square foot - so I was able to estimate the final cost fairly accurately. The owner, STEVEN DEPOLLAR, came by promptly to do a firm estimate. His price was in line with my estimate, so I was happy. He asked all the right questions during the estimate - who was going to remove the trim, dishwasher, stove, etc - so there were no surprises when the men showed up to work. They were able to book the work within 2 weeks of the estimate - I thought this was fantastic. Sure enough, they showed up on time and got right to the demolition of the old linoleum floor. This was a LOT of work to remove. There was a second layer of floor under the first. We asked them to remove that as well since we were worried about the overall height of the new tile floor if they didn't. They weren't sure they could get the second layer off at first, but they persisted and got it done. This tear-out alone would have killed my husband and son-in-law. They did a beautiful job - it took them two days - I can only guess it would have taken us 5 days or more. My only minor suggestion for improvement in service is the two men who came to do the work didn't speak any English. They were lovely, but it would have been nice if someone had come with them at the beginning to introduce us and make sure there were no questions. This is a minor thing - and we need to learn Spanish anyhow. The guys were very sweet, hardworking and accommodating. My husband used Babblefish to get some phrases translated when he wanted to make sure they understood something. My only other comment is a general caution to anyone installing a new tile floor with existing counter-tops - double check your clearance height for the dishwasher! We thought we had the clearance, but ended up needing to remove the tiles under the dishwasher. This has NOTHING to do with the current contractor - it was a situation inherited from the previous owners. Bottom line, I highly recommend CHEVY CHASE REMODELING. Their tile work is wonderful, and I would use them again!!

The installation of the backsplash and floor tile was done very professionally. Daniel and Javier, the installers did an excellent job. They were very courteous and worked real smart and cleaned up afterwards. I am very pleased with the workmanship. Daniel is an excellent installer and has an eye for detail. Mr. Steven and Mrs. Jennifer, the owners of Chevy Chase Remodeling are great people to work with. Mrs. Jennifer is a very patient and kind women. I can't tell you how many times I had to call her with questions and reschedule the work to be done because of some unforeseen personal things that were happening in my life. They were very accommodating and worked with my schedule. I would highly recommend them to others and if I need any additional work done, I will seek them out first.

Scheduling the appointment and service was fast. the communcation was good. They responsive to emails. They also scheduled the work quickly. Overall good experience.

Chevy chase remodeling did a fantastic job overall. Steve and his crew all demonstrated outstanding professionalism - punctual, sticking to the plan and great workmanship. I highly enjoyed Steve's communication style. He is a man of his words, straightforward and very honest. His crew are hardworking, making significant progress everyday and delivered all the work flawlessly. The sewer backup happened about two weeks before Thanksgiving. I had a guest coming from far away and a big gathering planned. I almost panicked when it looked no hope of getting the big mess fixed before Thanksgiving. Yet Steve came at 9:30pm 9 days before Thanksgiving day. The next morning, I signed the contract while he brought in one of his teams, about 5-6 capable men. Following a well made plan, they kept up the fast paced work for 8 days, finishing everything planned plus quite a few extra pieces of work added by me. This is a quality company of quality people. I highly recommend them.

We have wanted to refinish our basement since we bought the house a couple years ago. I met with 7 or 8 different contractors of all varieties, one man shops all the way up through full service GCs, before picking Chevy Chase Remodeling and we are so happy with our selection. The finished product far exceeded our expectations. I tend to like to be pretty involved and invested in the project , as that's just part of my nature, and the CCR team were always accommodating as well as making much appreciated professional recommendations to bring our vision to life. We provided our own plans and did most of the demo prior to receiving the quote from Steve in order to ensure an accurate read on the project. Our lead on the project, Jung Y., was dedicated, punctual, and worked extremely efficiently while maintaining high quality of workmanship. This was our first major renovation, but it went incredibly smoothly and I never felt that any of my asks were 'stupid questions' (even if they may have been). We take a lot of pride in our home, and would definitely use Steven and CCR for any future remodeling projects we have - as well as recommending them to friends.

Dear Angie's List, I ordered the coupon existed to work with Chevy Chase Remodeling! They came to the house to estimate the size of the job. When they saw that there was glass tile included they said there would be an extra cost involved. I was so shocked, I didn't really know what to say at the time. They told me it would cost $200 more then the coupon. I told them I had another contractor in who would do it for $50 more, he said he didn't like cancellations/refunds on Angie's lists deals and would honor the quote of other contractor. I thought about it and was upset and felt ripped off by the bait and switch nature of this interaction. There was nothing about extra cost for glass on the Big Deal -- not even in the fine print. I waited to address this issue until I knew exactly what material I would use. My job is straightforward -- no removing of existing tile, no demolition of anything, or installing new concrete boards on sub-floor. Just straight cutting of some tile, putting it on the wall and grouting. Additionally, I, in the end, chose glass as only a slight highly of the overall back splash. So, MINIMAL cutting of MINIMAL glass -- and all of the tile I have is those sheets of tile. So, honestly I feel as though this was a big bait and switch and I am truly disappointed in Chevy Chase Remodeling. I have contacted the company directly about this and they have been polite and civil about it but refuse to budge. They claimed they would talk to you about it -- but, they never got back to me about what you said. So, not sure what happened there and the deadline for refund was approaching. So, in the end I would like my money back. I would rather go with somebody else that I feel is being upfront and honest about pricing! Thanks.

I met with the owner and described the project. He worked up a price that I thought was fair. He later lowered the price after agreeing that I could do some of the work myself. I then had to ask him to postpone work on the project for personal reasons. I was very accommodating. Throughout the project the owner and his employees kept me informed on progress, answered my call promptly. A call was even returned when the company owner was on a short vacation in Florida. The office staff was very efficient and polite. A pleasure to work with. Overall the company fully lived up to its contract. I would certainly do business with Chevy Chase Remodeling again.