BasementRemodeling.com

Basement Remodeling finished our nearly 100 year old unfinished DC row-house basement. The location was very tight and required some creativity but the final product looks great and very functional. Prices were reasonable and upfront pricing model allows you to have an idea of how much each extra bell and whistle will cost.

Pavel and his team were outstanding. We couldn't have asked for a better experience with our basement project. Pavel's pricing was clear-cut and easy to understand and there were no surprises or adjustments to the scope of work on his end throughout the project- he included everything in his price up front. He made sure every time we made a change to the scope of work, which we did several times, the pricing adjustment was outlined clearly and accepted by us before the change was finalized. One of the greatest things: He is incredibly organized and runs his entire project based on a detailed project plan and Gantt Chart, with every little task outlined to the exact date the project is planned to be completed and he STICKS to that schedule. Each time we changed the scope of work, he updated and sent me a new Gantt chart that reflected the change in scope and the new completion date so I knew exactly when to expect each part of the work and what our responsibilities were in the project. The project only ever varied by 2 days at most. This was amazing! Pavel and his staff are incredibly detail-oriented. Everyone on his team was incredibly friendly and professional, and went above and beyond to answer all of our questions and make sure we understood every step of the process. We weren't the easiest clients- we made a BIG change to the scope of the project in the middle of the construction, greatly altering the layout of the project and as a result, altering much of the framing, plumbing, electrical, cabling, etc that Pavel's team had already done. Pavel was great about it- he adjusted the price very fairly for the changes and didn't miss a beat on the project. In spite of all the changes and the fact that we threw off his carefully planned project schedule, he adjusted his contractors and they kept moving smoothly. Pavel was so responsive - anytime we had a question, he responded very quickly and was very transparent. He was incredibly helpful throughout every step of the process. And the quality of the work was outstanding - everyone who sees our basement raves about how great it looks! The outcome was phenomenal. We are so happy with the work. We would recommend Pavel and his team to anyone considering having their basement done/remodeled. We had a fabulous experience with them and are so happy with our new basement!

Basement Masters is absolutely AWESOME! We get so many compliments on our basement and we are truly enjoying it! I met with 3 or 4 companies before deciding on Basement Masters. They are not the least expensive company but they are definitely the best and worth every penny! My neighbors used them as well. Their basement style is very different than mine but just as fabulous! From the very first consultation, Pavel, the owner of the company came out, gave me some ideas on designing my basement, provided a package of materials, an itemized price list of every conceivable option and a timeline. He wrote down my ideas and went into problem solver mode to find solutions. My basement is between 2000-2500 sf so it was a lot of work. Pavel is the consummate professional as is everyone on his team. I have worked with contractors before but never a company so organized. His operation runs like a well-oiled machine. He was available from start to finish to answer any questions and address any issues. He works 24 hours a day because I would send emails at 11pm and he would respond immediately. He had a full team of specialists, including an interior decorator and project manager, paint team, drywall team, electrician, plumber. This company has truly thought of everything to help you realize your dream basement and enjoy the entire process. I still use one of the companies that I learned about thru Basement Masters. If you are finishing your basement, you owe it to yourself to check out Basement Masters!

Our sump pump backed up while away and flooded our entire basement. After the remediation process, the carpet had been stripped bare, the drywall was cut approximately three feet up along the entire perimeter of the basement, and the vanity, built in cabinetry and wet bar were all ripped out. As stressful as dealing with all of this was, Pavel and his team exuded the highest level of professionalism and workmanship in repairing and remodeling our basement. Pavel himself served as the project manager, and kept in constant communication with me via text message. Irrespective of the times I'd text him back (sometimes late in the evening) he would always respond in a prompt manner. Before we signed the contract, Pavel walked us through the detailed timeline of how the work would be completed. Although there was a slight delay to some materials not coming timely, Pavel always provided us with updates. Each step of the remodel from the drywall repair, to the painting, to the laying down of new flooring, to the building and installation of a new wet bar were done impeccably. We were pleased with the final product, and at all work was done at a competitive price. I would highly recommend at least contacting Basement Masters for anyone looking to remodel their basement.

Basement Masters transformed a finished storage room into a beautiful bedroom by replacing an acoustic tile drop ceiling with drywall and adding an egress window, electrical outlets on three unwired walls, and recessed lighting. They also transformed a functional but unappealing 1/2 bathroom and closet into a lovely full bathroom with standing shower. They completed this work in about 5 weeks despite delays associated with scheduling permits and inspections.

The folks at Basement Masters were fantastic. Very professional, punctual, and understanding of our needs. The work to be done was pretty extensive and they fulfilled all of our special requests. I highly recommend this company. Kudos to Pavel, Lucas, George, Oscar, Ziggy, and the entire team for a job well done.

Spoke with Pavel and he took the time to listen to the details of my project. Unfortunately he does not perform the work I needed done. No Problem. I will consider him in future if something comes up.

We are very pleased with the results of the work and the professionalism that Basement Masters displayed. From the beginning, owner Pavel understood and incorporated features that we wanted, while respecting design and cost considerations. The firm has a good process that kept things on schedule. This despite a situation that arose when the original project manager had to resign for personal reasons and the assistant manager took over. He was responsive, kept us informed, and the project was finished on schedule. The firm uses a group of regular subcontractors and the quality of the work was very good. We felt as if we were a part of the project and the responsiveness of both management and subs to questions and requests was excellent. Pricing is competitive and we are very pleased with the outcome.

Pavel, the guiding green light behind Basement Masters, models your highest expectations for your renovation project. He, along with his staff, remain on top of the tasks from beginning to end. Not only are they accessible, returning calls and emails in a timely manner, but these communications almost always result in action that brings you one step closer to the completion of your project. Pavel was meticulous regarding obtaining permits and arranging the appropriate inspections and corrections where needed. Pavel is very quantitatively oriented, showing all kinds of possibilities on his notebook. But he is always positive and personable, and gives you just the right amount of time to clarify plans, both at the beginning and as the project progresses. He is able to think outside the box and works with subcontractors who are both skilled and reliable. Pavel is comfortable discussing costs, and is fine with working with your choice of subs, such as tile, carpet, or plumbing suppliers. We found him honest, straightforward, and a pleasure to work with. As veterans of several construction and renovation projects over the years, we felt that Basement Masters goes to the head of the class. We highly recommend Pavel and his company. Note: After completion of the project, we noticed some minor issues that needed attention. Pavel and his crew made sure that the issues were addressed and fixed.

Beautifully. A previous review was posted for Basement Master with details

Basement Masters was wonderful to work with from the moment we began our process to the day it was completed. Pavel worked patiently with us to understand how we could make our budget work best for our needs. Before the project began, he provided a break down of individualized costs so that we could have a true understanding of where our money was going. Elena, our project manager, was incredibly responsive to any questions or concerns we had and went above and beyond to make sure that we were happy with the process throughout. The teams that came to our house to complete the work were respectful, polite and hardworking. To finish our entire basement, they predicted it would take 8 weeks and with one or two setbacks (one of the workers got sick and wasn't able to make it for a few days), they were fully finished in just over 9 weeks. After each step of the way, they also made an effort to find out what could make the process even more successful. They truly care about the experience of their customers. Overall, I was very pleased with the work Basement Masters provided and I would highly recommend their services.

What a great experience! From my first meeting with Pavel to my final sign off 8 weeks later this huge job went off without a hitch. Elena gave me weekly schedules and excellent assistance with decorating options. The whole team was responsive to any questions or concerns I had, and the finished job looks spectacular. I couldn't be happier.

I scheduled an appointment online for partial remodeling estimate. They called me an hour before they were supposed to arrive to say my project was not big enough for them give an appraisal on. They didn't ask the scope of the project or review with me to understand what we needed. They just said they only focus on full remodels but their site suggests otherwise. They wanted to reschedule for later in the week but with the state of our damaged basement we decided to cancel for someone who could move faster.

I. OVERALL Basement Masters - Pavel, Elena M. and the team - dramatically improved the value of our house and our enjoyment of it as well with a truly spectacular basement. There are some specific aspects of the process that Basement Masters should improve (see below), but overall, we could not be more pleased with their execution and with the final project. This is really an amazing basement. We paid a little more with Basement Masters than we would have with similar companies, and a lot more than if we went with some of the handyman-style guys who we talked to. But we're glad that we did. With Basement Masters, you are paying a little extra for a few things: clear plans; clear process; excellent project management of crews; management of permitting; and accountability for execution. II. ABOUT OUR BASEMENT Our basement is one of the larger ones that Basement Masters has taken on. It is over 2,000 square feet (almost 2,500 with storage space) and was completely unfinished. No framing, small utility windows, just raw concrete. We wanted an extensive rehab - with two to three bedrooms, wet bar, gym and other features - so this was a big project. III. PLANNING We found out about Basement Masters via their website, basementremodeling.com. We put in a request for a quote and then either contacted or were contacted by BM (I forget who initiated). The first thing you'll notice about Basement Masters is that the owner, Pavel Abaev, is the guy who returns calls. I was pleasantly surprised to hear from the owner directly. After talking on the phone we set up a time to meet. Pavel came in, checked out the basement, and then gave us an overview of the process. ***This was the first impressive point: the process is very detailed and very, very clear.*** Pavel outlines in great detail each phase, from planning through framing, through electric, etc., supported by a helpful colorful document that walks through everything. You will also find a ton of info about the process on their website. We actually met with Pavel several months before we decided to move forward. He came back out a second time and walked through the info and plans again, and after locking in our payment methods we got started. Basement Masters will ask you a ton of questions about small and large details in these early meetings. Like, where you want electrical outlets; what hardware you want on doors; how much noise reduction you want; etc. They don't give a lot of info before asking you to make all of these decisions. Some people are probably more prepared to answer all of these questions, but we were not. We should have slowed Pavel and later project manager Elena down, asked them to carefully explain all options, and then make decisions. We felt a little rushed and like we were not making fully informed decisions. This led to adjustments and corrections later on. ***TWO MAJOR POINTS ON BASEMENT MASTERS' PLANNING*** First, Pavel did not explain to us that a basement's floor is not expected to be level. This may be obvious to some, but it was not to us. We probably would have paid extra for him to pour concrete and make sure the floor was as close to dead-level as possible, but this point was never clear to us and they should make it clear to others in the future. Second, while they are excellent at process and project management, and superb at execution of the actual construction, they are not necessarily experts at space planning. We had some close friends come in and look at their plans, and our friends showed us how the bedrooms were way too small, and how we could enclose some of the exposed poles within walls to make the bedrooms much larger. Our friends ending up being completely correct, and our basement is much better because we had someone else look at the plans. I would encourage others to double-check their plans as well or explore a range of options with Pavel without being rushed. IV. EXECUTION Our full project took about 3 months (again, big job). Our project manager, Elena, was fantastic. We can't say enough good things about her. There are several work crews coming in succession - framing, plumbling, electric, painting, finishing and more - and she sent a weekly email letting us know who was coming, what they would be doing, etc. We had no long stretches where people were not working, unlike other projects we've heard about. Also - and this was great - Elena did a wonderful job managing our county's cumbersome permitting process and securing relevant permits. This is what you pay for - a legal basement with flawless permitting - and it was perfect. I was especially impressed with the framers, the guys who did our egress windows (knocking it out in a day), the painters, and the plumbling guys. Drywall was great too. Our only minor complaint from construction is with Basement Master's go-to electrician. He also is someone who rushes you for answers rather than explaining all options clearly. For example, we had to basically force him to move our movie screen because of a miscommunication on his part, putting in the wrong place. He rushed us through options to pre-install outlets and we missed some things, or had to make him go back and change some things. He seems like a nice guy, but is more focused on getting finished than getting the customer exactly what they want. He's the only one like this though - everyone else is awesome (especially their go-to fix-everything guy, Djorge). But overall, they're great. Elena gave awesome design suggestions for the floor, fixtures, appliances, etc. You tell them what you want, and they'll order it, pick it up, and add it to your bill. Elena and Pavel both have good design eyes and as you'll see in the pictures, their choices were fantastic. They also installed custom features - like a Murphy Door we ordered, a built-in cabinet in one room - and found ways to save money on these or implement complex carpentry solutions. Construction took a while, but it was worth it. V. FINAL THOUGHTS A few other misc. items: --Spend a lot of time getting your ideas in order BEFORE finalizing with Basement Masters. Look closely at Houzz, Pinterest, even Google images, and show them exactly what you want. --Payment is in 4 installments, Elena A. (Pavel's wife) will come to your house to pick it up. --Pay whatever you need to get egress windows to make rooms legal basements; and pay for the highest level of soundproofing you can afford. Trust me, you'll be glad you did. --Don't pay for fancy built-ins if you can accomplish the same effect with simple painted framing. We did that in a few places and saved a lot of money. --Pavel is very cut and dry, and can come off as abrasive. It's just his personality, and he doesn't mean anything by it. The upside is that he is exacting and precise, and it shows in their work. --Elena M. is a godsend - request her on your projects. --Overall, we are very pleased - moreso than we've been on any other home improvement project. Even with the minor suggestions, we can't recommend these guys highly enough, and are excited to enjoy our basement for many decades to come. Check out some pics!

We appreciated at the initial meeting that Pavel didn't try to oversell us. We were in a hurry to start the project ASAP and Basement Masters was able to start right away. The Project Manager was good about keeping on task and informed us about the weekly calendar. Like all renovations, some things were surprises and things didn't always go smoothly, but they were very responsive to any hiccups and provided solutions right away. In the end, even with some surprises, they finished right at their target deadline and we were very pleased with the end product. They are not the cheapest way to go, but they're a good value when you factor in the timeline, and value for service.

We interviewed three separate firms regarding our basement finishing project. Of the three firms, Basement Masters was the best in terms of cost, project visualization, and communication. One of the reasons we choose Basement Masters to finish our basement was their clear pricing which Pavel went through in a very detailed manner so that there were no surprises after the project was started. Even during the construction process, we were able to request options not initially selected knowing what the additional cost would be. At the end of the project, the only additional costs were ones which we knew of based on changes we requested. They easily grasped how we wanted to use our basement and were able to provide suggestions on how to best achieve a beautiful and functional use of the space. The project manager and interior design specialist, Elena, worked with us to choose elements which looked good together and fit within our budget. We have since received several compliments on the finished project. Communication throughout the entire process was seamless. Once the major aspects of the project were agreed upon, Basement Masters took care of the permits and worked with us as we navigated the HOA approval process. Although the HOA required additional documentation, Basement Masters quickly provided it and enabled us to secure our approval without any issues. Elena provided a weekly schedule so that we would know what was going on and who would be in our home. Any time that workers would be in our home outside of a normal 8AM to 5PM weekday, Elena coordinated with us prior to in order to ensure it would not adversely impact our family. Elena quickly addressed any questions we had throughout the process. All of the personnel, including subcontractors, which were in our home during the course of the project were courteous and professional.

Basement Masters is a top-notch company led by the owner Pavel Abaev, who has high standards for his company and those who work for him. Pavel is honest, detail-oriented, and has an in-depth knowledge of the remodeling business. During the eight weeks of our remodeling job, we had a couple of unexpected issues, and Pavel's response was timely and thorough. To his credit, he takes accountability for any mistakes by his employees or subcontractors. The mistakes are few and far between. We chose Basement Masters over other contractors due to their high standards and the result is a beautiful basement, which enhances our home. We would readily refer Basement Masters to our friends and neighbors.

We recently purchased a single family home with an unfinished basement (~1450sqft). We arranged for a couple companies to come in and provide estimates. Basement Masters was by far the most organized and professional company to come in. Pavel, the owner, personally came by one 2 occasions to discuss with us our ideas and desires. What impressed us the most of his organization and upfront honesty. He first listened to what we wanted and clearly explained why some of those ideas really wouldn't work with the layout we had and the effect we wanted, then provided some better design options. Other companies clearly tried to push options us and suggest options that wouldn't fit or that we simply didn't want or ask for. When it came to pricing and the estimate, Pavel had all the documentation to explain how he would calculate the estimate, to include base materials/options and even upgrades. This gave my wife and I confidence that the quote we were getting was fair and justified. One company walked in with no paperwork, didn't take any measurements, then quoted us a price that was $25,000 higher than any other one. You could tell Pavel had years of experience because he was very knowledgeable and professional and was able to answer all of our questions. He even worked with us to keep the project within a budget that we could afford. Once we decided to go w/ Basement Masters, Elena was assigned as our project manager. I asked her from the get go to keep us on track for our budget as my wife and I were concerned about it. There were a couple changes that we thought we wanted, but she was able to explain what that would do to our concept we were looking for (from looks to loud noise from particular doors). From our initial meeting w/ her were we designed everything out to project completion (~7 weeks) she was always in constant communication with us via email or text. Her experience also showed as she was able to explain what some other customers did and steer us away from some potential costly mistakes that we thought we wanted to make at the time. We are really glad we took her advice. We simply love our new basement and are looking forward to many years enjoying this improved to our house. All of the workers that came in and completed work on the project were very professional, they even cleaned up everyday after they were completed for the day. Hard to believe we made it 7 weeks with NO complaints from the HOA. If we had another basement to do, my wife and I would not think twice about hiring Basement Masters again.

This is the best house remodeling/repair experience I have ever had in more than 15 years of home ownership! Basement Masters is extremely organized and things run on time. Really. No surprises with price because every item is a flat fee that's explained up front. Also, the main office is always available, including on weekends and the on the job boss is also always available. Communication is first rate. They handled everything from permitting to painting, from floor to ceiling. We saved a bundle of money doing our project without a separate architectural design firm. Pavel has so much experience he can visualize whatever you describe and then show it in a rendering before the project starts. In some cases he had better ideas that were actually less expensive. This was one stop excellence. I wish they had another department called Upstairs Masters!

The plumber replaced our sump pump, and added a backup pump and also battery backup. Basement Masters got no compensation, even though they well deserved it!

The remodeling project went very smoothly. Basement Masters performed all of the work in a timely fashion. If an issue popped up, they addressed it very promptly.

We chose Basement Masters to finish 1680 sq ft basement based on the ratings and our first meeting with Pavel. The cost breakdown was very clear and the list of options made sure we considered everything we could need or not need. we were pleased with our project manager, Elena, and the entire crew. Weekly emails with schedules of what decisions we needed to make and who would be on site was helpful. Our project added a bedroom with egress window, bathroom, workout room and rec room with bar. We recommend BM.

First, it is impossible to actually speak to anybody at the company. Everything is done through their website. You first write a description of your project to get an "estimate." The "estimate" I received bore no relation to the project I described. I called the company and left a message three times, but nobody ever called me back. I should have stopped right then, but this company has so many great reviews, I figured it was worth trying. I then requested an in-home consultation through their website. I was sent an email and text on March 1 confirming the date and time of my appointment on March 7, and I was charged a $100 fee on my credit card. On the day of my appointment, after waiting two extra hours, I sent a text asking when the rep would arrive. I received a very curt response stating that my appointment had been cancelled and my fee refunded on March 1. This is a flat lie. I did receive a text and email on March 1, but they are very clearly confirming my appointment, not canceling it. Also, my fee was charged on March 1, and it has not been refunded. This company is dishonest, and I can only imagine what they offer their customers to write positive reviews. DO NOT give this company your credit card information to schedule a consultation. Go elsewhere.

They did an excellent job completing the basement on-time, on-budget and in full agreement with what we had initially planned together. Basement Masters was neither the lowest bidder (-$3K) nor the highest bidder (+12K), but they were the most professional and reasonable of the five contractors I had asked for quotes. They worked with me to design the layout of the basement, guiding me through the regulatory requirements and engineering constraints. After we had designed and agreed upon the cost of the project, they began the project on time. The builders were very neat and professional, and the work was completed with minimal disruption to my home or others. The plumber and electricians were similarly very professional and have done a good job. Overall very happy with their work, and would recommend them for similar home-improvement projects.

After almost a year of interviewing contractors and deliberating about whether or not we wanted to finish our basement, we decided to take the plunge. Our house is a fixer-upper and we have hired countless contractors to fix it up throughout the years, so it is safe to say that we have extensive experience dealing with contractors. And it doesn’t always go well. So we weren’t particularly excited about hiring another contractor to disrupt our lives. But we learned that Basement Masters isn’t just another contractor. It is safe to say that our basement renovation with Basement Masters was the smoothest, most enjoyable (Yes, I said it. ENJOYABLE!) experience we’ve EVER had with a contractor. Had we known it would be this easy, we would have hired them MUCH sooner. They were so patient with us, and we really appreciate their project management skills and communication skills in addition to the fact that their work is fantastic. Each week, Elena kept us updated on progress without our needing to prompt her. She was professional, kind, and understanding to our needs. Pavel was also very attentive throughout the process and was extremely transparent regarding pricing. We are thrilled with the final product—our basement is now a warm and inviting place for our toddler daughter to play and for family to gather. I would certainly recommend Basement Masters to anyone who is thinking of finishing or renovating their basement.