Knight Construction Design Inc - Home Renovation

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We had a total kitchen remodel and it turned out FABULOUS! Knight Construction made our vision come to life from the initial consultations and drawings to the last item on our punch list. They coordinated the work schedule with quality service providers and made recommendations on additional reputable and competitive vendors when we were responsible for specific selections. I could not have done this on my own with our hectic family schedule. They were a pleasure to do business with and have already recommended them to my neighbors. A quality company to be sure.

We called Gary Knight on a Saturday afternoon in early 2008 to discuss some remodeling ideas. Gary called us right back that afternoon and we met with him the next week. While we needed a new kitchen, we were also wanting a better general layout for our expanding family. Gary was very polite and professional, and was able to offer several suggestions as to what our options could be. My first impression was that Gary was interested in doing what was right for us and did not hurry us. There were several back and forth discussions and many questions about what our life style and tastes were. The best part of the experience was how Gary and all others listened. Because my wife was pregnant, there was a specific timeliness, which was met within budget. Jeff Harrison, Gary, and many others were in direct contact and kept us updated on their progress. I never felt any question was a dumb question and, most of all, every professional involved in the process was considerate of our home and home life. One great value-add, was that knight provided a designer which was instrumental in leading us down the right path when selecting styles, colors, and combinations. We are consistently complemented on the quality and look of the project. The best kept secret is the customized cedar screened-in porch in the back. This is a home we very look forward to coming home to each day. Thank you Knight. * Please note, I made no comment on price, only because I believe there is too much subjectivity, and no one project is the same.

Knight Construction provided the turnkey approach we were looking for. The company's president, Gary Knight ,met with us to detail the entire job and get our inputs. There was a superviser introduced to us for each phase of the work. They were available to discuss any questions or issues, and to provide suggestions on various aspects, but always leaving the decision making up to us. The workers were friendly, skilled, and very professional. The timing of the work was set to accomodate our schedule. The quality of their work was excellent and the job was finished according to schedule

Gary Knight and his designer Kristen Peck came to our home ,where we worked together to come up with a design that would fit our budget and accomplish our goals. During this process, Gary and Krisien were instrumental in designing and bringing great ideas into the eventual finished plan. After a few design changes we decided on a final design, and moved forward into the construction phase. I can't say enough about the quality of the sub contractors that worked on our house. Their workmanship was outstanding and at anytime where there was a need to correct ,change ,or just please us, Gary and his sub's fulfilled our request! Gary and Kristen constantly kept in contact during the whole process, helping make decisions on selections such as colors,lighting,and hardware. During our remodel, Gary's construction manager Jeff, was on the job daily making sure everything was done to our satisfaction and also answering any questions or concerns we had about the project. Jeff was also very punctual in answering any phone calls we made with questions or needs. He kept us updated on the project and the schedule for each phase of the project. We decided to stay in our house as much as possible during the remodel. Although I"m not sure I would do it again, Jeff and Gary made every effort to accommodate us.

We have had extensive remodeling done on our home by different companies in the past 20 years, and we have had the very best experience with Gary Knight, and his staff. They were all very professional, on-time, and did what they said they would do. Gary and his designer Kristen put together a design/plan for a Master bedroom and bath remodel that integrated perfectly into our cottage style rambler. You would never know there was an addition put on the house. They have given us a space that makes us feel like we are vacationing in a luxury suite everyday! They did not scrimp on ideas, details, materials or anything else. Jeff was the foreman on the construction, but Gary was always following up and there when you needed him. Jeff was great to work with and very upbeat. He kept his guys on task and they completed the remodel on schedule. The guys were great about cleaning up after the days work, and everybody was really nice. I would definitely use Gary and his team again.

They are an excellent service. They put together the total package. You know exactly what the work will be and what it will cost. They show up on time and have quality workmanship. The same crew does the project throughout and the final product is stunning.

Overall, our experience was terrific. The work done was top notch. Great result and was exactly what we wanted. The space works exceptionally well and Gary and his crew spent a lot of time up front asking good questions and helping to plan our space accordingly. The crew first demo'd the existing kitchen and got ready for new flooring and new cabinets. A number of walls had to be removed and replaced. We had Gary's crew remove the office wall and we planned to use that space as a "project room" for kids and their homework etc. Once the demo started, we ran into a problem with the original windows which resulted in us having to remove the windows/replace them and also replace the siding at the same time. It was unexpected but really necessary. It delayed our overall timeline and expanded our budget but we felt we needed to do so. Gary gave us some other, less expensive options but we decided to do the fix. We then got back on track and the entire first floor was completed. The mud room is probably my favorite because it works EXACTLY as we needed it too. Gary's crew was prompt, respectful and talented. I would use Gary and his company again in a heartbeat. I highly recommend Knight Construction.

From our first meeting with Gary, to see if they could even do anything with our small kitchen, we knew we could work with him and his company Knight Construction. Their Designer Kristin came up with some great ideas for finding the storage we would need once the hanging cupboards came down. We were always informed on what was happening and who was coming when. We were, of course, able to still live in our home while this remodel was being done. They were able to create some much needed space for my spices, which has been much used and appreciated. When painting was being done everything not being painted was covered with plastic. At the end of every day the waste was removed and the space was left in good order. Finally, we had a new wood floor installed four years ago and wanted that to stay, so with no two footprints being alike they had to get creative with the bare spots. I had four extra boards that could be used for fillers AND they were able to accomplish the task and you would never know where that had been done. What a pleasure to work with a PROFESSIONAL TEAM!!!!!

Overall, the job went quite well. It would have been done in less time than it actually took, but only if we had not kept adding to what we wanted done. It would have cost considerably less, but again, we kept adding to the list of what we wanted to do. Are we pleased with the job that was done? A resounding YES. The part of the work that can be seen by neighbors gets high praise, plus we've had people driving by stop and give positive comments on how everything looks. Our house was looking 1977 tired, and now looks like it belongs in the 21st century. This was the second large project we had Knight Construction perform on our house, and we would not have gone back to them, if not completely satisfied with the first job. Also, we are now talking with Knight about some additional work, and if we do go forward, we expect to be as happy as with the first two jobs. Pleases Note: On the "Overall Experience" rating, I gave a 'B' grade to 'Price' only because I always want thing to cost less, not because I didn't receive value appropriate for the expense on this project.

All projects were well defined, estimates were complete and accurate, most projects were completed as scheduled.Complications arise in any building or remodeling project but fortunately Gary had contractors and expertise to accommodate these issues. Delays resulted from weather or material shortages. When the projects were interrupted we worked with Knight to reschedule and they accommodated our needs. Another important aspect of all these projects was the final complete cleanup. We are starting a new interior remodeling project in a country home that will exceed $150,000. We are contracting Knight to complete this project over the summer. Our past experience gives us confidence that the project will be completed without issues and will be exactly what we have envisioned. As a bonus Knight has a great interior design person who took us through the maze of selecting plumbing and bath fixtures, lighting, flooring, carpeting. tiling and paint selection.

I had a very specific date I needed everything inside done due to a family wedding and Knight Construction finished up on time and in budget. Gary Knight has been very thorough on following up with any concerns or tweaking that had to be done. I would recommend them without hesitation.

Really well! We made a few changes and they were able to stay on schedule.

The legal action against Knight was for numerous issues - multiple breaches of the contract, walking off the job with my money and leaving my home a disaster, grossly overcharging for the amount of work received, grossly shoddy workmanship throughout, outstanding code violations and more. In short, my experience with Knight mirrored the Angie's List reviews from 10/22/12, 11/29/10, and 6/29/10, only by the time Knight was in my home, it appears that their bad practices had escalated to an all time high! Please view the photos on Angie's List & the dozens more on Yelp.com which show the quality of work Knight performed in our home. Quality? - NO WAY! It is deceitful & unconscionable for Knight to claim that we were never their customer & that all of this never happened. It also takes gall for them to threatened us & manipulate other review sites to get poor reviews removed. Knight should have completed my project within 8-10 weeks, but after 10 MONTHS, no work had started in the kitchen and just 20% of the basement work had been attempted. The second story window work had to be done twice. The first time Knight did not get a permit and the work was not performed to code, plus they tore the new screen and would not replace it. The second time, the finish work for sheet rock and molding around the window was done so poorly, that I later paid another company to redo Knight's work. The owner of Castle Gate Construction in Chanhassen corrected Knight's work personally and did a great job. Dan is honest, hard working, and knowledgable. I felt at ease with Dan. The difference between the work and how I was treated by each company was like night and day. I plan to hire Castle Gate again to do other corrections. Knight never provided me with a copy of the signed contract. I finally got a copy from the investigator at the Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI) when I filed a complaint against Knight with them. I received other paperwork from DOLI which was an eye opener and helpful to my case. I had to hire an attorney to have my rights protected. During my dispute with Knight I sought help from the police, the sheriff's office, all levels of government, NARI, BBB, Builder's Association, home inspectors, other contractors and tradesmen. Knight NEVER provided me, my attorney, DOLI, mediators, or the arbitrator with a complete contract or with ANY substantiation of costs i.e. canceled checks, detailed receipts and invoices, employee records. In retrospect I would not have settled with binding arbitration, but would have sought to have my case heard before a judge and jury. BREACH OF CONTRACT, SHODDY WORKMANSHIP, POOR SUPERVISION,POOR COMMUNICATION, BULLYING, MANIPULATION are just some of my experiences with Knight. Knight did not correctly measure for flooring, cabinets, windows, ceiling lights, a stairway landing, etc.. Knight had to do things twice, sometimes three times, and things are STILL WRONG! I have the photos, their designs, and my home as proof. We bought the three foot level that Knight employees used, otherwise they eyed in some of their carpentry work and it greatly shows. Walls are bowed. Corners are not square. Soffits are not level or square. Pockets doors are not aligned. A home inspector reported on this. Everyone that sees the construction that has taken place drops their jaw. So much is wrong in such a small space. It has been emotionally and financially devastating to have hired Knight Construction Design Inc.. Contract work was omitted, proper credit was not given for work that was not being provided, changes were made that I did not approve of, I was pressured to accept lower quality materials than what was specified in the contract and pay more for them! This is just scratching the surface. Knight made a fiasco and mess out of my home remodel project. So much money was paid to Knight, but very little material and work was received. Knight could not legally account for what became of the tens of thousands of dollars taken as progress payments. In the end, Knight had to pay back about $30,000.00. We lost all trust and faith with this company after having to work so hard to get what was due under the contract. A bad man can act good sometimes, but a good man can not act this bad -ever. MY ORDEAL WITH KNIGHT CONSTRUCTION DESIGN, INC. HAS BEEN A COSTLY AND DEVASTATING KNIGHTMARE!!!!!!!!!!! For more information & insight, please, read my review of the MN Department of Labor & Industry for the part they played that was both good & bad for us & the public at large. We were encouraged by an investigator for the Hennepin County Prosecutor's office to write about what happened to us as a means to help others. 03/28/13 Counter- Response to Knight's claim that this is all a lie: My ordeal with Knight Construction Design, Inc. is true. My lawsuit against Knight Construction is public record. It can be looked up at the following website [website removed]. The case number is 27-cv-09-11325. Had Gary and Kelley KNight not written the checks to cover the settlement ( approx. $30,000.00 ) which was to help pay me back for project overcharges, shoddy work and code corrections, then the court and the Dept. of Labor and Industry would have gotten involved, until then, it was left to me, the homeowner, the victim, to fight, using the legal system, to get back my own money and get some compensation to correct the multitude of problems Knight had created inside and outside my home. A+ ratings, numerous awards, memberships, having numerous web sites - its all marketing. I would never hire another contractor unless I could see the work, first hand, in the home of a friend or family member. Shame on you Knight for claiming that our ordeal with you is untrue. If postings and photos of the work you did in our home and sharing details of the legal action taken against you makes you think twice and keeps you on the straight and narrow, then the positives of us sharing our experience for the benefit of others seems to outweigh the exposure for you. Also, shame on you, again, Gary Knight, for threatening legal action to those that write reviews that you don't like. How many times have you tried that tactic to silence unsatisfied customers? That is very poor behavior for an Angie's List provider to do. Very poor! Many more photos of Knight's work & case paperwork can be viewed on Yelp.

Knight Construction provided us initially with a poorly qualified project manager that led to months of delays. The project took over a year to complete because our job never seemed to be on anyones radar, namely Gary Knight's. We tried to contact Gary about dissatisfaction with process and managing staff, but were sidelined. Ultimately, Knight fired the project manager and assigned a master carpenter to us who got things moving imediately. Details and selections were missing and we had to walk Knight through our own history, rapidly, and bring THEM up to speed. The workmanship was very good, but we were not impressed with customer service, communication or even how they treated some subs, which affected the work on our project. Gary Knight himself did a very poor job of stepping up to the plate after the major delays and frustrating early months. I would never recommend Gary for any project.

We had visited other builders and remodelers trying to find the right design and personality to work with. We finally met Gary Knight at a Parade of Homes Remodelrs showcase. While we had already paid $1k to another remodeler for a design that was subpar - Gary and his designer came in with some new ideas that were great. We received Knight's proposal and drawings within a week or so and found their price to be in the middle of their competitors - but their product appeared to be superior - so we moved ahead with Knight. The project went very smoothly and working with their project manager and designer was excellent. Their subcontractors were all very professional and friendly. And although we had two minor roadbumps (timing of furnace install ahead of schedule and we were not ready for it, and poly floor finish took longer in drying time than communicated), Gary and Jeff were quick to respond and address the issues to our satisfaction. The final product is unbelievable. They have transformed the space from the 80's to something you would expect to see in higher end Parade of Homes. The quality is excellent, the cabinets are high end, the design was what we wanted and the end result has exceeded our expectations.

Down payment was made in October of 2005 with the expectation that the work would be finished before it snowed. They did not start until February of 2006 and didn't finish until June 2006. Averaged about 2 workers working about 6 hours 3 or 4 days a week (some weeks off). Near the end of the project they told us we needed to re-side the entire house because of the siding they had taken off around the windows and that was outside of the contract and estimate (we hired someone else who re-did just the area around the windows). The city posted a stop-work because Knight had not pulled a permit and then they didn't show up for the city inspections either (which didn't pass on the first round). One window wasn't installed properly and we got water in the house after the first rain. The first order of windows wasn't the right jam size so they added an extra jam frame (rather than a smooth transition). The molding they ordered did not quite match the profile of rest of the molding in the house (around the doorways). Roofing, painting, siding, and drywall work/estimates were all subcontracted out. Detailing out their invoices, there was at least $5k unexplained.

Everything was excellent. They were very efficient, and the quality of their work was high. They completed the work in a timely manner, and I was very happy with them.

Employee was quick to respond to email request for estimate. Scheduled an appointment 1-2 days after initial contact. Looked at bathroom, gave an a verbal minimum estimate to remodel, asked our ideas, took photos in a 15 minute visit. Seemed irritated that I started to ask about how, if we chose them, the project would progress. Asked when we wanted to remodel (3 months out from estimate) and then offered the estimate in about 2 weeks. It's been over 3 weeks now, and if they've called about the estimate, they've not left a single message. Disappointing.

THEY WOULD NOT RETURN PHONE CALLS, PROMISED TO COME OUT AND FIX PROBLEMS, THEN NEVER SHOW UP. IT TOOK REPEATED NAGGING TO GET THE JOB FINISHED.