Palmer Construction

In the middle of my new roof installation by Palmer Construction, it was determined they would not be able to save my gutters as they stated they would. So Bill walks around the house does some math and quotes me a price over $1800. I told him that was too much and that I did not need new downspouts. He did some fiddling around and changed the price to $1441 and I said ok. I gave him a credit card for 25% down. They told me they would call to set up an installation date. In the meantime, I decided to call around and get some quotes. I called two other gutter companies in my area, each of them quoted me $3.50 a foot for gutter and $6 or $7 for leaf guard. I needed 103 foot of gutter and leaf guard. I knew that Palmer charged $8 a foot for their leaf guard so if you do the math, $824 for leaf guard and $617 for the gutter. That figures out to $5.99 a foot for the gutter, almost twice what the other companies charge. Too late now, I already signed a contract. My major concern was how many feet of gutter was I being charged? Bill never told me what he was charging me for, just gave me a final number. If you have read my review on the roofing job, you will know I decided to replace the fascia across the front of the house myself since the back was new from the roof job. I came home from the store with all the supplies in the back of my truck to find the gutter installation in progress. No one called to tell me they were coming out. I told them to stop work and that they could not install the gutters on the front of the house but allowed them to install them on the back. During installation, one of the workers broke a ceramic solar light. When I pointed it out, he just laughed and said "Big Foot strikes again" No apology, just a laugh. I sent them on their way with the front gutter laying in the yard for installation after I had the fascia replaced. When I pulled the metal fascia down, I found the fascia rotted up into the foundation of the roof (the roofers just covered it up) So I had Palmer come out and replace the fascia with my supplies and then scheduled the rest of the gutter installation. The "Big Foot" installer came out and during installation he said he was sorry about my solar light and was I able to fix it. I couldn't but only really wanted the apology. During the final inspection by Palmer when they went around with a magnet picking up staples from the roof job, they found dozens of gutter screws in the yard and driveway. The gutter guys did nothing that would have protected the lawn from dropped screws. The gutters look wonderful and I am happy with them. But when I received the bill all it said was "Install seamless brown aluminum gutters on complete house with Leaf Relief" $1441 So I called the office to ask how many feet I was charged. Gail was very curt on the phone and said she would have Bill call me. But Dan the job foreman called me and after expressing my concern about how many feet of gutter I was charged, he could not tell me. I told him about the big difference in price compared to the other estimates and he said they charge more because their work is better. I called Palmer to give them my credit card information to finalize the bill. I was transferred to another line that rang and rang and finally went to vice mail. I hung up and called back and Gail answered. I said I wanted to pay my bill and was transferred to a line that did not answer. Loudly and rudely she said "Well, I am answering it now!" I gave her my billing information and hung up. I would not recommend Palmer Construction at all. The fact that they won't share what they actually charged you for makes me think they are hiding something. This was an extremely stressful venture and I am happy it is over.

I called Palmer Construction in July and set up an appointment for an estimate. Bill came out, climbed up on the roof, did his thing for about 15 minutes or so and quoted me $6565 plus time and material to replace any fascia boards. This included 3 boards of foundation should they need replacing. He mentioned they would replace the foundation ?as needed?. He also told me they should be able to save the gutters. I told him I was getting estimates because I was having quite a few things done and wanted to know the total amount I would need as I was withdrawing money from my retirement account. I decided to let Palmer do the work. Withdrew my money and on August 14th gave Bill a check for 25% down. I got a 5% discount for paying cash. Because previous workers who were moving antennas and receivers off my roof asked me if the foundation was being replaced as the roof felt spongy, I asked Bill if he would go back up there and give me an idea of how much of the foundation would need replacing. He came back down and told me the entire thing and it would be an additional $2625. At no time during his initial estimate did he ever state that the entire foundation would need to be replaced. So now I needed to scrounge an additional $2700 plus for the roof. Installation day came. The first thing I told the crew was my concern regarding the fascia, both front and back as the gutters were sagging. They told they would have to replace some in the back but the front was ok. They stripped the back side of the house and when they saw the extent of the damage to the fascia, explained they would have to remove the gutter (63 ft long piece) and that they would not be able to save it. They finished the job that day and Bill returned to talk me into buying new gutters, an additional $1440. I decided to replace the 28 feet of metal across the fascia in the front myself before gutter installation and when I removed it, I found the fascia was rotted, including about 6 inches of rot up into the original roof foundation. The roofing crew just covered this with plywood rather than pointing it out to me. This resulted in them having to come out and replace the fascia so the new gutter could be installed. I also had to have them return to remove a large amount of roofing staples in my backyard where my dog runs around. The final bill came in. I was told there would be a breakdown of the work; an itemization, as I wanted to know what I was charged for. I watched them load a full sheet of fascia metal as well as fascia board onto their truck. Did I get billed for that? Have no idea as they do not itemize. The bill says Install shingles $6236, Extra for new decking, $2625, Extra to install fascia boards, $350. Total bill - $9211. And this does not include the gutters. Remember I was quoted $6565 minus 5% plus fascia installation, big difference. The roof is beautiful and the new gutters look great. But I feel like I was taken by a used car salesman. You know, you purchase the car and drive it off the lot where it dies. And then you find out that you need to spend a small fortune to get it running. That is how I feel about the way this job went with Palmer. They were not up front with me regarding the foundation on the roof and the additional cost. If other workers could feel how spongy it was, I have to assume Bill could as well. He did not point this out until after he had my signed check in his hand. The fact that they won't share what supplies I was charged for does not sit well with me either. Because of this, I would not recommend Palmer Construction at all. After reading Palmer's response, I wanted to point out that I only had the original roof on my house, not "multiple layers on a roof deck" So the spongy feeling was felt through one layer of shingles and one layer of decking and I still believe ignored in the original estimate.

What a great experience to have contact with Palmer Construction and their employee who came to look at the problem. Upon inspection, we were told it was a moisture stain from where the ceiling had been painted years before. Not only were we relieved to know we did not have a new roof problem, but we were so impressed with the individual who came to inspect our problem and for the honesty in his evaluation. We could have been told we needed extensive roof repair and we would not have known otherwise. Also their phone staff was friendly and knowledgeable. We would recommend Palmer Construction anytime - no roofing company is better in our estimation.

It went very well. We received an initial estimate that was within my expectations. Inspection of attic area revealed need for additional information. They completed the entire job in one day. Very satisfied and would recommend them highly.

Dan at Palmer Construction came to our house to explain the bid. He was able to work us into the schedule at a time that worked really well for us. The crew was friendly, professional, and efficient. Even my neighbor commented on how much he liked the way they operated. They were very organized, from the way they placed the dumpster and their work trailer, to the way they laid out their materials in my front yard. Their clean-up efforts were very thorough, leaving no evidence of nails, shingles or any other materials on the ground. I had Palmer Construction replace the roof on my previous house, and knew them to do high quality work. I had no hesitation about hiring them to do a roof on this house. I would highly recommend (and have!) to others.

They did a great job! They were thorough, kept working on the project until every detail was taken care of, and the owner came after the work was done to check and make sure everything was done properly. They did a fantastic job! The workers were both very professional and easy to get along with.

I was extremely pleased with the person who came to give us the estimate, Dan Smeeks (not sure I spelled the name right). He was friendly, professional, and thorough. He inspected our roof thoroughly and took several pictures of both the roof and the chimney. When he finished, he sat down with us and showed us what the issues were. We had a few other companies look at the roof, but Dan was the only one who showed us pictures and explained everything that would have to be done and why it would be that way. Having the reasons explained so clearly was instrumental in our decision to choose Palmer (along with seeing the ratings on Angie's List). Their estimate was not the least expensive, but it wasn?t the most expensive either. We have learned our lesson about ?going cheap? and still live with the disaster of that lesson. We learned not to allow cost to outweigh other considerations in our choices. We had decided that we were going to repair our chimney when we had the roof done, so we asked Palmer Const. about doing that work, too. They were unable to do the chimney because their masonry person had just moved to another city, and they had not found a replacement who met their standards of workmanship. We chose a masonry company unrelated to Palmer Const. (see other review); however, we asked Dan to give us some idea about costs, and he was willing to do so. That was very helpful when we were choosing the masonry company. In addition, Palmer emailed us the pictures of our roof, and that helped the masonry company when they came to give us an estimate. After making our decisions about the roofing materials and looking at the estimate, we made an arrangement for Palmer Const. to repair an immediate problem and then come back after winter (this discussion occurred in November 2012, but the roofing was done in April 2013). We made a down payment, the repair was done, and we waited for Spring to come. During that time, we chose the masonry company, and Palmer coordinated with that company to make sure the chimney and roofing would be done at the same time. In late March, Dan called us and set up the date for the roof to be done. That date was delayed one day due to bad weather, but the next day they showed up and began work. Dan was quick to return any calls and answer all questions we had. The crew was polite, efficient, hard working, and swift. They covered everything and were careful not to hurt or damage anything. Dan checked everything they did and even alerted me to a small issue the mason had overlooked (the masonry company came immediately to fix it). I was very pleased that Dan did that. They did most of the job the first day but had to leave when a rainstorm turned to lightning. They completed the job by noon on the second day, cleaned everything up COMPLETELY, and left. The roof looks BEAUTIFUL. We are thrilled to have that work completed so swiftly and so well. The company was very easy to work with. They flexed to accommodate a decision change after the contract was signed (they swapped out one exterior repair for another of similar cost). We are planning some very extensive remodeling to our home, and we will most definitely use Palmer Construction for that. I feel that Palmer Const. is a solid company with excellent business practices that will still be in business when we have do this again.

They did a good job in a short time. I wish they were in Traverse City!

The service was excellent! All of the repairs were discussed with us beforehand. Several options were presented to us. The repairs were done well and the cost of the repairs was reasonable. Also, the carpenter who did most of the work was excellent!!! We are very satisfied with the work and would definitely recommend Palmer Construction to others!

Excellent, Andy Palmer and Dan Smeak took careof every detail with out asking them to..

I called them for an estimate on building the addition on my home and never received a return call. I was surprised and disappointed. I guess they have plenty of business.

The original boot was installed on top of the shingles. No doubt, the original builder had the roofing done before the plumbing. Dan came over after the shingles were delivered. He pulled up the boot and the shingles around the vent pipe. He put down a new boot and new shingles over the boot (like you're supposed to). He came back down and showed be before and after pictures. It looked much better. The shingles don't match exactly, but you can't tell from the ground. Shortly after the repair, we received a very heavy downpour. I am very pleased to say that there was no leaking. Now, I can clean up the cosmetic water damage with full confidence that it will not return. Thanks Dan!

It was a very positive experience. I thought the estimate price was fair. he was punctual, professional and he gave me a lot of options but I could not go with him at that time when he came out. I'd give him all A's.

From the first meeting through clean-up, Palmer Construction was professional, timely, and efficient. They were recommended to me by a friend and I have recommended them to friends.

My experience overall went very well. They did a great job with the roof. The staff was very friendly and professional. The pricing was reasonable. I would highly recommend this company to others.

They're outstanding and they're very good. They did our roof in one day. When I left in the morning to go to work and they came in and they were all in uniforms and they were so polite and so nice and so clean, really clean cut nice young man. And then I came home and before I even got home that night they were already done with the roof and my husband is very hard to please and he was aesthetic. We didn't find one thing in the yard they have stock everything. We didn't find a nibble. They were amazing. When I got a free quote they're 40% or if not 50% below what the next other company. The time they did the job it was very hot and they did a good job.

First, Dan from Palmer Construction was great to deal with. He was very patient with all of my questions as I'm a very detailed person and wanted things explained to me in detail. He is also very knowledgeable and has his own hands on experience. Dan was also not "pushy", he followed up, but did not push us to make a decision "right now" which is something I personal despise and sends me running. Dan or someone else from the company would periodically check up on the installers to make sure everything was going well from their perspective as well as ours. On final inspection once the job was completed, Dan paid attention to every detail on our walk through and was also very receiptive to any comments that I had down to every detail. I want to note that these were not items that were done incorrectly, but a few items that I wondered if esthetically they could do something about (small pieces around a couple of corners) and they did. I can't complete this review without mentioning the installers, Ben and Adam. THEY WERE OUTSTANDING. These two do quality work, they were a joy to have around and maintained highly ethical work standards. They arrived early and worked long and hard every day (many days when it was very hot). I felt I could talk to them about anything related to the job and any questions/concerns we had they found a solution for. After the job was completed I found two lights we had chosen were too heavy for the plates they had been installed on and were coming away from the wall. I gave Dan a call and Ben was right back over to put screws (matched siding color and everything) in the mount to hold up the lights. So I have no doubt they will stand behind their work for years to come. I would without a doubt recommend Palmer to my friends and family.

They were professional, courteous and prompt. They had a good price.

Prompt, professional and a job well done.

Met with contractor (Dan Smeak) in February and work began in late March -- took approximately 1 month to complete. Contractor explained everything to me including materials and equipment used, procedures, provided photos, walked me around my home and pointed out areas that would potentially need extra work -- water damaged wood near window. The workers (the guys that actually installed the siding) were amazing -- the craftsmanship is excellent. They were very prompt and professional. They also installed our new exterior lights free of charge. I am really pleased with the siding job and will definitely use Palmer Construction again for future work.

Very experienced crew. Protected plants, and garden with plywood frame. Protected window and house with plywood. competed work within 1.5 days. First class job!. I had a couple of last minute changes that they readily accommodated. Clean up everything perfectly. Very friendly and skilled crew. I had a couple of surprises in the roof deck - quickly repaired with new decking. One piece of fascia bucked a small bit in the intense heat of summer - they quickly came out and replaced, repaired it within one day of me notifying them. Highly recommended!!!

It took forever for the guy to give us a quote from him and my husband had to call. It seems like he was on vacation, but he didn't tell us and we are still waiting. In terms of how the service was, when he came to do the quote, he was fabulous. He was very good when he came, but he was not good on follow up. My husband called last week and he had been on vacation, and then he called back. They were here when they said they would be here.

Completed work as promised, and also did some special request extras at no increase in cost. Some delay when materials and work of subcontractor was not completed on time

Excellent! They're not the cheapest, but everyone I talked with, including the workers themselves after the job was started and after the office people had gone on to the next job, inspired my complete trust and confidence. Andy was totally patient in explaining everything and answering all my questions up front. He was flexible about the start date, because I had some other things going on and needed the flexibility. And his crews showed up exactly on time. They got right to work, completed the job in one day, and did a very thorough clean-up. I have no reservations in recommending Palmer Construction for any project you might consider having them do.

One of my rental properties had a reroof done in 2010 and I noticed some things that didn't seem right - so I called a couple of companies that Angie's List rated as reputable, including Palmer Construction. Palmer inspected the roof and noted several severe problems (corroborated by the other contractors I asked to inspect). Their recommendation was another reroof - but to wait until the current roof job was in worse condition. Despite the deficiencies, the roof isn't leaking. Impressed by their professionalism and honesty, I wanted to send some work their way. So, I hired Palmer Construction to replace a patio door that was showing its age. I was very impressed by their crew and their workmanship. It took a couple of months to get on their docket, but I wasn't in a hurry to get the door replaced and they knew it. They did a very good job, including replacing some rotted subfloor that was discovered under the door. After they left, you couldn't tell that they had been there, but for the new door. They even gladly hauled away the old storm windows that went with this patio door.