Barrier Construction LLC

He rearranged his schedules to work around our needs and completed the work as expected and on budget. When we sold the house the second time the rear of the house had been completed. We chose to not even start repairs on the front stucco because we wanted the house to show well. Once we had an offer in hand, Matt met with the buyers and reassured them what was going to happen. His team was extremely professional at all times. I wouldn't wish what we went through on anyone, but Matt and his team were the best.

We called Barrier due to good AL reviews, our desire to use companies based near our own community, and their EPA Lead Certification. Other than the paint issue which is cumbersome but not a huge deal, this is a quick and straight-forward job according to the 3 other bids we received. Garen was vague about when someone would come by, saying "Possibly later [that same Wednesday] or probably the next day." I mentioned that if we weren't home I would leave a written scope of work on the door for them to take along, but that we planned to be there because I am a homemaker and would wait around to make sure we could meet. By Friday afternoon, we had no indication that anyone had come by, and I called to inquire if a bid was forthcoming or not. Garen said they hadn't been here yet, but someone was coming that afternoon. We were not aware of when someone came by for initial measurements, and we were home all day that day as well. Someone did come by the next week to get the written scope of work that they left behind when they were first out here. We were home at the time, but had taped it to the door because we were about to leave. The door was standing open and the person grabbed it off the door and left without a word. We were getting another estimate at the time and standing right inside the door. In the end, of the bids received, Barrier's took the longest from initial call to receipt of bid (7 days), was the highest by 1k (the spread between theirs and the lowest was almost 4k), and is the only one we received without ever meeting face to face.

Sunset Cons. is a very professional and excellent company to work with. Their expertise and employees get the job done right and are very professional while on the job. We got numerous bids and felt Sunset was honest in their pricing and their craftsmanship is amazing. I highly recommend Sunset.

Barrier was one of 4 contractors that responded to initial calls. They offered the best solution to my issues. I had them change my old wood soffit material with James Hardy vented panels. They repaired some rotten wood along the roof edge and then wrapped it in aluminum. They also installed seamless gutters. Everything matched in color. It looks great! Their price was not the lowest or highest. K. Rodriguez

Our project took place in four phases - 1) Design, 2) Tear off, 3) Hardie Board siding and 4) Stonework. The most difficult part of the process for us was the design work. Despite working with Barrier's designer, who helped us select stone that would work with the style of our home and the color siding we were considering, our plan came together after Garen's suggestion to buy paint samples of the color siding we were considering. We were going from a drab, off-white stucco board to Hardie Boothbay Blue (a dramatic change for us) and for some reason, the designer's drawings didn't work as well as slapping the paint on part of the existing exterior and standing back to look at it during different lighting levels throughout the day. Once we had the design finalized, tear off took place the end of August and took a day. The crew was fantastic - our front yard stayed neat and the dumpster was off set on our drive way so we could continue to get cars in the garage - and they were able to answer any questions we had about what would happen when. The Hardie Board, which went on the second story of our home and across a front porch and attached garage, took about three days to install. We had selected a shake style for the second story and lap siding across the garage and front porch. The finished siding exceeded our expectations in how it looked from the front, as well as how nice it looked where it butted up against the existing siding on the sides of our home. The stonework was last and took two days to complete. The product that arrived looked like what we had selected (I worried because I've heard stories about how they can be different assortments than what you see in the sample). Once the project was complete Garen had us look everything over for a final walk-through. We had three minor punch list items to fix and these were noted and promptly addressed. All in all, everyone from our newspaper delivery man to the neighbors have commented on how nice our home looks. This was a 1984 traditional two story with a shallow front sloping roof and no interest to speak of. Barrier helped us give it some visual interest and we are very, very happy with the end result. die

We started our project in the wet rainy spring so there were some hold ups due to weather but that was understandable and out of their control. Our work crew was professional always arrived on time and cleaned up everday before they left in a timely manner. We were actually out of town for 3 weeks of the project and never worried about leaving our house alone in their hands. Garen the project manager kept in touch with us throughout the entire project. Garen always replied to any questions we had by calls, texts or emails . Garen stopped by often to check on the progress and we always felt that the project was handled in a professonal and personal manner. We also needed a new front door for this project. Garen worked pointed us iin the right direction to find a quality provider for a new exterior door and Barrier installed the this door for us also. The project was finished within timeframes projected and we are absolutely thrilled with the outcome. Our neighbors who walk by stop and tell us how much they love the color and specialty touches of the house. We would definetly recommend Garen at Barrier Exteriors for their professional service, quality products and attention to details. David and Sandy Gerdes

I will contact Garren when I need exterior work on my next property!

Moisture inspection by a testing company revealed major damage behind the stucco at my Savage MN property investment property which I was trying to sell while living in Pittsburgh. I had a buyer, but this surprise issue threatened to kill the deal. Matt Roach orhestrated a meeting with my buyers, our agents and myself where he presented a plan for repair that was key to saving the deal. His presentation was outstanding. He gave my buyers confidence that their new home would be repaired correctly and on time. I was very pleased with his bid which included a range from worst case to best case. His experience with stucco issues was the key to my "going for it" with his company. I was not dissapointed. The work was done on time and per plan and cost was in line with his estimates. The home is a showpiece today! We also found moisture problems with a home we were buying in Lakeville MN so we again called on Sunset. Several windows and some siding had to be replaced. Again, Sunset came through on time and on budget. Matt's crews did everything they were supposed to do and they did it right. Also, the site was cleaned up and spotless at the end of every day. I was delighted with their cleanliness and professionalism.

The project went very smoothly, with no stress on our end. Workers showed up when promised and seemed very knowledgable. The house looks wonderful. There was a little miscommunication with the owner regarding pricing. As long as you make sure to have everything in writing, you will be fine.

I was very happy working with Barrier Exteriors and will call them again if I ever need siding work again. I attribute the success of the project and my happiness to Garen Nitzschke the Barrier Rep I worked with. Garen was everything I wanted in a contractor(note my score of all A's) Garen help me find a product that was within my budget, added extra insulation to my home and looks great! I needed help in all these areas since I didn't know anything about siding, the extra potential for insulation and I have NO IDEA how to pick out colors. Garen was very easy going and willing to work at my pace which ranged between very slow(picking a material) and fast(scheduling his team for installation). At the very least, give this company a call, ask for Garen and I'll bet you choose him as your contractor.

Very good. They were very pleasant to work with.

My wife and I recently received some storm damage and needed to replace our roof. After receiving several bids and consulting with other contractors, it was clear that Barrier was the right choice for us. We were immediately impressed with Barriers's (Garen's) level of detail and project knowledge. HIs ability to manage our expectations throughout the entire project (material selection to clean-up detail) consistently met or exceeded our expectations. I would not hesitate to call them on another project for our home. Marc

Barrier (Garen N) and their subcontractors were all great to deal with. Barrier got the tear-off and residing done in a very acceptable number of days. The brick matching was as good as can be expected with a 22 year old house. The masonry was very well done, and the mason came back very quickly once the outdoor faucet was installed (no one anticipated that either the existing one would have to be extended and we decided to have a new one installed and are glad we did as the angle of the spout now allows us to fill a watering can without the hose attached.) Hudy did an EXCELLENT job painting and once they started, they finished as soon as weather allowed. All workers that we dealt with were very professional. The only thing that could have been done a bit better was in the caulking area. You could tell that certain areas were done by different people and some caulk was smoothed much better than in certain other areas.

We were on the market for a home in Plymouth and came across a stucco home. We were aware of the stucco/moisture intrusion issues with homes built in a particular time period so we searched around for a qualified contractor with experience in stucco remediation to help us assess the issue. Before we purchased the home, Matt with Sunset Construction Group met with my husband, our realtor and myself on site and offered a very informative presentation on the “Stucco Stigma” issue and offered a nice summary of moisture intrusion and its common cause. Matt then educated us on the options we have on repairing this home, which included a stucco tear off on three sides, addressing the cause of the leak (windows/deck attachment) and installing James Hardie siding. I am confident after hearing Matt’s explanation of the moisture issues and reviewing the repair photos they offer, that Sunset CG’s redesign of the walls will prevent the issue from coming back in the future. He offered us the option and explained the benefits of installing a drain plane behind the new siding as well, which we decided would be a good investment during the rebuild considering the history of moisture intrusion on the home. It was a pleasure working with Sunset Construction Group and their crews. Their knowledge and experience related to stucco and moisture intrusion issue allowed us to purchase and repair the house we loved with confidence.

I took bids from 3 local contractors to install siding to the wall I had framed around the perimeter of my front porch. It was a relatively small job (around 500 square feet) and I was a little concerned that I would have have trouble attracting contractors to do the job at all, let alone make it a priority on their schedule. Two of the bids were within $100 of the other. One bid was $1000 higher than the next lowest! Barrier Exteriors was not the lowest bid, nor were they the most expensive. I chose them because they seemed genuinely interested in doing the work. When I called to request an estimate, a living person answered the phone. He (Garren) asked me to send him an e-mail detailing my project, which I did, attaching a few photos. By the end of the day he e-mailed an estimate to me. Within a week he had visited the site and scheduled two employees to do the work. It took them two half-days to finish the job and then Garren came back to do a walk through with me. Top notch job. Professional fit and finish, way better than I could have done myself. No up charging from the original estimate. Good communication via phone and email.

As we were purchasing a home, we came across the ideal home in an ideal neighborhood but ran across some moisture intrusion issues behind the stucco. The inspection report suggested major damage behind the stucco so we consulted with and selected a stucco remediation specialist to tear off the stucco and make repairs/improvements to the exterior walls prior to the reside effort. When it came time to select a new siding product, Barrier Exteriors offered us samples and detailed explanation on the various products available to us. In the end, it came down to James Hardie Primed and Paint vs. James Hardie ColorPlus options. We decided the benefits of grouping the siding material and siding finish under one manufacture was the best value for us. Barrier Exteriors explained the history and improvements of James Hardie?s pre-painted system including cover sheets to protect the finish during install and the hidden fastening system on the trim boards to prevent nail holes on the face of the trim. I was confident in Barriers experience in installing the new siding correctly, which was very important given the history of the home. We couldn?t be more pleased with the reside effort on our home and continue to get compliments on the new siding and color. I would recommend Barrier Exteriors to friends and family who are in need of a reside project.

Had interior ceiling moisture damage from ice dams last winter. Some moisture went un-noticed and led to some minor mold on a closet ceiling. I knew I needed a GC because the potential damage scope bridged too many specialties. Sunset was the only GC that was willing to come out and give me an estimate. Matt came over to take photos and visually inspect the affected areas. He said he'd have me a quote in a few days. This actually turned into quite a bit longer I believe due to not getting prompt quotes from his subs. In addition, the insurance company wanted to get their adjuster involved. All said and done it was over 2 months before the work was actually started. Matt, the owner, tended to come off poorly over the phone, but in person he was very professional. Josh, the Project Manager, was very prompt, courteous, and knowledgeable. He also kept me constantly updated via calls and texts once I let him know that communciation was very important to me. John, the Carpenter, ended up being the only actual sub for the whole project. He was very courteous and knowledgeable. John's work was excellent on the carpentry side, pretty good on painting, adequate on drywall. The only reason I say that is that I've seen professional drywall guys, and they could have done much better. But the fact that John tackled it all was pretty good. Besides the fact that Matt was willing to take such a small project, the best part of working with him and his crew was the flexibility. At the onset, it was unknown if there was more mold in the ceiling, so we had to keep the scope small. Once John was able to inspect the affected areas and conclude that the mold was only superficial and limited to the one closet area, then we were able to change the work scope and include replacing the skylights. In addition, we found some rotted siding while they were here, and I asked if they would replace that as well. They had no problems adding that to the project and it was completed fast and well. In all, John added new soffit vents to increase the air circulation, removed and replaced all of the interior entryway drywall and insulation, removed and replaced the skylights, added insulation over the closet area, removed and replaced affected drywall in the garage, painted the interior ceiling, painted the affected interior walls, painted the affected garage area, and removed and replaced the rotted siding. I've already recommended them to others.

Working with Sunset Construction Group was a great experience! Before buying our house, Sunset's President Matt worked with us to help educate and understand the issues around stucco houses....the good and the bad. He was able to recommend a reputable moisture testing company, and then met with us to go over the report and describe the extent of the moisture issues. Matt also agreed to meet with the seller and their agent to help them understand the issues, and educate them as to why repair was needed. Matt was extremely professional and prepared an easy-to-understand presentation with examples of houses he's encountered with similar issues. With Matt's help, we were able to negotiate with the seller to pay for a portion of the repair costs. The Sunset crew got to work shortly after we purchased the house. The crew worked very diligently, always kept us in the loop, and did an excellent job repairing the problem areas. Crew leader Josh was also very professional and made himself available for any questions or concerns. The crew worked hard to get the job done on time, with outstanding workmanship, great customer service, and came in at a reasonable price. I would highly recommend Sunset Construction Group to anyone. Before we chose to work with Sunset, we sought out a bid from a competitor as well. While Sunset was slightly more expensive, we investigated the scope of work by talking with an independent third party expert. They confirmed that Sunset was not cutting any corners while their competitor's bid was either cutting corners or providing a low ball bid to win the project, and would likely be increased as they worked on the house. Sunset did not cut corners, and came in under the original estimate. While the unknowns of buying a stucco house can be a bit daunting, working with Sunset Construction gave us a much better understanding of the process and made us much more comfortable with our decision.

It was like watching a ballet as the workers came and went. One would come and perform his job. Then the next one would come (nearly immediately), and do his job. He'd be followed by the first one who would come back to complete what he couldn't do without the second one doing his job, etc. There were four or five specialists scheduled to perform services, one after the other, and then back again. I couldn't have arranged all this on my own. The work was great, the price was right on target, and the communication was excellent. After it was all done and paid for, I noticed a very minor issue, and Sunset Construction came back out and took care of the issue right away -- no problem.

We are selling the house and we had to get estimates for the work that the buyers want done. They didn’t even come out; they were willing to look at the home inspection report and put together a quick estimate. They were able to get information together quickly and turn it around.

He was very professional. His estimate was a lot higher than another estimate that I got. He gave me a written estimate.

Overall very well. On plan $$ and schedule. No surprises. Good communication. Property kept as clean and orderly as possible during the project.

The job went very well--it was a tough job because of the height of the building. Plus it was older and not as square as it probably should be. Matt's crew did a great job and the new look is great. We also wrapped the home with tyvek and added foam insulation before putting the siding on. The windows also have a great look and have provided the renters with more comfort compared to the 100 year old windows we previously had. The crew cleaned the property up when they finished---home looks great!

Contacted owner Matt Roach via phone, sent photo of back porch, and explained that we wanted the timbertech product. Matt sent an estimate and arranged for crewmember Josh to do the work. It was somewhat unusual not to have the estimate in person, but based on my conversation with Matt on the phone and the positive reviews on Angies list, I was comfortable with the process. Josh came out one morning (it was VERY COLD) and removed the decking. I was also confident in his ability after talking with him. He came back after the weekend and completed the work. He did a great job of fitting the boards against some parts of the uneven stucco and cement which meant cutting the boards carefully to line up. He also did a thorough clean up. I highly recommend this company.

The sellers paid for it. The interaction was very good. They were very easy to work with and they always called us if there was a problem. They came on time and the work was really good; we can't tell there was a problem beforehand. Their price was right along the same line as everyone else that came to bid the project.