White Crane Construction LLC

The project went very well! The space in the attic was a very tricky space with tightly angled walls/ceilings, not an easy design for a bathroom and closet area. The end result is great, great flow and amazing use of space . . . it is now my master suite retreat! I worked with Katie (Designer at White Crane) on all the design details and finishes, we worked together to keep the budget in line. I showed her some designs that I liked and she had great ideas and finishes all selected as options for me to choose, which made it easy to complete the design details. The central air and heat is working great up there . . . I was afraid it would still be quite a bit hotter upstairs in these summer months, but its the end of July and its only a few degrees hotter up there, I am very pleased with how that turned out. The thermostat is downstairs and I keep it at 73 in the summer and I sleep upstairs comfortably, even on the hot days. Caleb (White Crane Project Manager) was great . . . he was on top of all the details, all the contractors, inspections, and the dependencies between them. We kept in touch weekly at a minimum, he let me know what would be happening each week/day; and between if needed . . . and of course in person at the house often. He negotiated all the issues that came up with the subcontractors and gave me good options and needed info when I needed to make decisions and trade offs. He brought Katie into the dialog when it potentially impacted design. Caleb was a master of the schedule and kept it on track, even getting inspectors out asap to keep things moving. I have pets and an alarm system and we figured out how to make all that work with all the workers coming in, even when I was traveling for work. He is very easy to work with and easy to have those tough construction discussions with. I found all the contractors White Crane used to be polite, courteous, and professional. They all had a good sense of when to ask me something if I was home and when to call Caleb. Susan (White Crane owner) was in touch with the project from beginning to end, making sure all was meeting expectations on all fronts.

We had an excellent experience working with White Crane Construction. They take customer service seriously and we always knew what work was going on and what work was ahead. They use an online system for tracking the project that is available to the homeowner as well. They are a design/build company, and we appreciated their design process that gave us a reasonable amount of choices without overwhelming us with options (or just sending us out to purchase stuff). It might be a little more expensive to work this way, but we really appreciated the expertise available to make sure our project was a success. In comparison to other contractors we have worked with in the past, White Crane's level of service and professionalism was exceptional. And to be clear, the project was a success, and we are very happy with our new 'lower level'! The work is of high quality, it was completed on time and the entire process went very smoothly. In fact we brought them in for another project this summer that is also going very well.

Susan was terrific, but we couldn't come to terms regarding budget.

We hired White Crane to remodel our 100+ year old kitchen. The existing kitchen was very small with a tricky layout and actually stumped three other designers we consulted with. Lynne from White Crane came in and was actually able to visualize our kitchen in a completely new location! By moving the kitchen to the center of the home, we gained a great entertaining area with the kitchen, living room and dining room now all connected. We were also able to transition the old kitchen into a mudroom and office. Her ability to think outside the box really won us over. She was a pleasure to work with from the initial consultation, all the way to the finishing touches in the kitchen. Kevin was our project manager and even though I probably had the most questions out of any of their clients, he was very patient and responsive. He sent us regular email updates, and we had weekly meetings at our house to go through the accomplished tasks and what was coming up the following week. Bill was the finish carpenter on our project and he is amazing! What he was able to accomplish in a 100 year old, not quite level home, is complete magic. His attention to detail is top notch. White Crane did an excellent job at staying within our budget, keeping the project on time and leaving our home in great condition at the end of each work day. We felt very comfortable with all the sub-contractors they worked with and always knew everything would be up to our standards at the end of the project. Susan has a great team at White Crane and we can't recommend them enough. We cannot wait to have White Crane back for our next remodeling project!

The person was very personable, very knowledgable, and returned the calls promptly.

The finished product was beautiful and their follow up has been excellent thus far. The best advice I can give is if you have any concerns with your project while dealing with White Crane contact the owner Susan. Every time we did, the response was quick, professional, and inclusive. She cares very deeply for not only the quality of work being done but the state of mind and happiness of her cliental. Keep on them to make sure that the project if fnished within a reasonable time and do not be afraid to approach Susan with questions about what is happening with her crew and the subcontractors. If you have a project that will require a lot of expertise, detailing, and creativity White Crane is an excellent choice. Our addition was awarded second place in the COTY (Contractor of the Year) for Residential Addition over 200,000. Even when compared to work done that cost millions (which ours was not even close to) the work White Crane did shone above the rest.

We loved working with White Crane. This was the only contractor that let us see what the designer planned for our basement before we signed a contract to work with them. From this alone I saw that they are truly customer-focused. If a customer wanted to just buy the design work, that is allowed. We were looking for design help as well as someone to act as general contractor for the remodeling. Lynn, the designer, took time to get to know us and to understand well what look and feel we wanted to achieve. I needed help coordinating details and accessories and can feel overwhelmed by all the choices available. Lynn was great in that she showed us about 4 or 5 choices for everything and she showed us groupings so we could see how things were coordinated. That was just the kind of guidance I was looking for! My husband and I took awhile to decide whether or not we wanted a special design feature Lynn suggested, but we eventually incorporated all of her ideas. They were patient with us and gave us the time we need to come to a decision. I'm guessing they thought that was a better plan than for us to have regrets later when it might be more expensive to change. For whatever the reason, we didn't feel rushed beyond our own need to get things settled and get going. Once we chose all of the design items, they got to work demolishing the existing basement. What I really liked is how they tried to reuse as many materials as possible. Other contractors wanted to replace existing outer walls, but it wasn't necessary and would have added to the cost. White Crane kept the existing drywall on the outer walls and insulation and saved us a bundle by that move alone. When our basement remodeling was underway, there were a few hiccups. We decided we wanted a different hearth stone and a more rustic mantel. White Crane coordinated the work between the quarry and the mason to prepare the piece we selected. They hired a fabulous carpenter that found a great piece for our mantel. We also did not like the cutout for the bathroom counter. We had undermount sinks that didn't seem to fit well (too great of a counter overhang over the sink). White Crane worked with the company that cut the counter to fix the problem. They went to great lengths to bring a rep to our home and even researched and located the correct template. They represented us well and had to work hard to convince the suppliers that there was a problem and to fix it. The actions by White Crane to fix the problems or address the changes made hiring them worth every penny! They took ownership of all of this and resolved everything in a reasonable amount of time. My husband and I weren't easy customers, either. We have done a fair amount of work previously on our home, but we just didn't have time to complete an entire basement remodel. We were concerned that we wouldn't like the quality of work completed by others. We didn't have to worry, though. Unlike some subcontractors I have hired, White Crane didn't try to convince us to accept things that we said weren't good enough. The work White Crane completed made us feel like they cared about our home as much as we do. I'd hire them again without reservation.

White Crane communicated with us very well. Their team was super professional, and really cared about our opinion and how we felt about the result. in fact they are still checking to make sure we are happy! They are not the least expensive, but they take on a few big jobs a year and they make sure their clients are taken care of. We highly reccomend them!

There are many quality contractors, designers and builders in the Twin Cities to choose from. However, what distinguished White Crane for us was their commitment to the highest quality, excellent communication, follow-up, professionalism and attention to detail. In addition, they have a talented in-house designer, which made the whole process easier and seamless. After meeting with several contractors, we chose White Crane because they presented a clear and detailed proposal that reflected what we wanted. They carefully listened to us, our ideas and what we could afford. Through this process, they came up with a plan that fit our budget and exceeded our wishes. Once we agreed on the proposal, they worked diligently to keep us informed every step of the way. This was accomplished through an online calendar, weekly meetings and check-ins. Whenever we had questions or concerns, these were answered and responded to quickly and respectfully. This type of service, attention and respect was demonstrated by White Crane's entire staff. We wholeheartedly endorse the work of White Crane. They provide the high quality and beauty in the finished product that anyone would love to live with for years to come. We will remember the process as one that was fair, respectful and professional. We love our new kitchen and addition and have our friends at White Crane to thank.

The project was almost overwhelming, but Lynne Shears was able to break it into manageable sections. Lynne always kept the overall goals in mind, and guided my selections along the way. As always, the finished product exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend White Crane for all remodeling projects, large or small.

Overall the work went really well. There were a few hiccups at the beginning, as there always are with major remodels but Susan and Lynn were very responsive to the issues. They were dealing with two people who deal with construction contracts daily as a part of their jobs and have a pretty high bar when it comes to project management. We expected a lot from them and they strived to meet our every need. When we had a miss-communication with our painters, Susan even offered to provide us lodging for the night! We didn't accept, but appreciated the offer and you could tell she was genuinely concerned that her homeowners were inconvenienced. They also are pet lovers and worked well with our two dogs in the house during construction. Lynn is a joy to work with. She's extremely patient, listens attentively to all ideas. The design process with her is extremely easy. She makes the decision making a breeze and is adept at flexing as you change your mind repeatedly. We've had numerous people express appreciation for her design and what she was able to do with our space. For instance, it's amazing what a little paint can do - everyone now knows we have a fireplace in the basement and it's been there since we moved in!! As we worked through design and construction, they were patient with our laundry list of items we had to get resolved. While we had to remind them here and there, everything got resolved in the end and Kevin, their Project Manager made sure to work with their subcontractors to resolve the issue. They also resolved issues that they didn't cause...when one of our dogs decided to chew through the water hose for our toilet upstairs, White Crane worked with the plumber to fix the issue and prevent damage to our home. We didn't select White Crane because they were the cheapest. We selected them because they are a local company that works hard on customer service and has a backbone of superb design with Lynn. The biggest takeaway of working with Susan and her team is that she genuinely cares for the homeowners she works with. She personalizes every job from what I can tell and takes joy in helping people realize their vision for their homes - she's having fun. The little gifts of thank you along the way were a wonderful touch that only a small company can really execute.

We had a great overall experience with White Crane. With any major project, things will not always go according to plan. What is important is to have a general contractor who steps up and takes responsibility for every aspect of the project. Trust is such a critical aspect of the contractor-customer relationship; we always felt that we could trust Susan Denk (the owner) to make things right. On the design side, Lynne Shears was fantastic. She was so patient with us as we went through all the decision-making. Also, she was conscious to both our budget and our stylistic considerations. The subcontractors they used were by and large good quality. When we had issues, they got resolved fairly quickly. Towards the end of the project, things went a bit more slowly, but that was then resolved as we brought it up. They have their own finish carpenter (Bill) who does really high quality and creative work. The finished product was one that we are very satisfied with. We have been very particular on some items, and White Crane did a great job in getting everything done. We had one heating issue come up, and they were active on fixing it within a day. When the city inspector came by, he said, "wow, this is the nicest basement I've seen in St. Paul". Not that that was our aim, but it speaks to the quality of the work. So we can highly recommend White Crane.

From initial contact through design and build, we have been exceptionally pleased with all aspects of the work performed by White Crane Construction on our home. The professionalism of the White Crane staff along with all of their subcontractors was evident thoughout the entire length of the project. They were there when they said they would be and the finished product was in fact, more than we had expected. They guided me in final finnishing selections while keeping an eye on the final look. We absolutely love the screened porch. With screened walls and roof, we can enjoy sitting outside gazing at the stars with no bugs! The quality of the work was top notch. I lost count of how many neighbors or people driving by stopped to comment on the amazing transformation of our home. We appreciated the relationship we built with White Crane and have confidence that they will give us the same dedication on an upcoming project we are considering.

We were referred to White Crane by a fellow business owner from my women's business group. We live in a town home downtown built in the 70s. The location was great, but the layout and design needed a lot of work. Our Kitchen was totally dysfunctional and needed to be completely gutted and replaced. We met with the White Crane team and chose all of our finishes and fixtures, and went over drawings and plans. The White Crane team was great and walked us through the process and worked around our schedules. The designers were conscientious about our budget and came up with great solutions to stay within it. We love to cook and spend a lot of time in our kitchen. Before the remodel the kitchen was not user friendly and was difficult to enjoy. After the remodel is is a joy to cook and spend time in our kitchen. They listened to how we wanted to use the space and included so many things in the design that we asked for. We also love to entertain. White Crane also improved and updated our entertaining space by designing and installing built in cabinets in the dining room and living room, and adding a new mantel and tile surround for our fireplace. The best project they finished for us was a library which can also be used as a guest room. This double function was important to us. They built custom cabinetry with spaces for my husband's Star Wars light saber collection. All the trim, doors, hardware and cabinetry match beautifully. They installed a new hardwood floor. An outdated ceiling fan was replaced with a new chandelier. The air was moved, and cables were run so a tv could be worked into the cabinetry design for his gaming. It is a very sophisticated man-cave. All the projects White Crane built for us have made our lives simpler and more enjoyable. I love having people over, and our finished space make us feel like grown ups . Susan who owns White Crane is a passionate business person who will always make it right and she believes in honesty and craftsmanship.

The basement turned out really nice. If we needed work done in the future we would call them back and recommend them to others.

Dismal. The person who took my phone call could not stop discussing the hazards of lead poisoning. I am a physician who grew up in a town full of centuries-old houses, and am well aware of the issues. I have waited 6 yrs to re-do the siding because my children are finally old enough that they no longer dig for bugs (i.e. eat dirt/lead). I stated that I want an estimate, my children will be removed from the house, and I know it will be a biohazard. Also discussed that we may very well rip it all off and re-side, but would like info and estimates on both options. We could not move onto another topic for at least 10 or 15 min (to discuss the kitchen or take contact information, for example). When we finally did move onto the next topic, I was asked how much I expect to spend on the kitchen. Stated 75-150K (knowing the real number may be 100-200K- this is not our first remodel), and response was: "well, I'm glad to hear that you are realistic." The clincher: she refused to schedule a meeting with me, without my husband present. Evenings and weekends are out of the question, so we couldn't meet for about 2 months. My husband requests to NOT be present and in fact to be as minimally involved as possible, and this was highly irritating for him as well. We will have at least 2 estimates from very good companies by then, so they lost a huge job, in an old house in disrepair that will need several more jobs down the road... This was really disappointing, because this company has been very highly rated on Angie's list and clearly has done great work. Maybe I just had bad luck with the person answering the phone. Or maybe they don't need/want the job.

We hired White Crane to be a full service design contractor and they filled that role very well. The process started with the design phase completed by Lynne Pirkl. When the project was over I wondered for a few moments why we needed Lynn; after all the design was all ours. Not really, she had done such a good job of taking our ideas and incorporating them into the design her hand was very transparent. We would not have gotten nearly as good a result without her participation. When we signed the build contract and made the deposit we were given a project plan that showed what was to happen on each day. It showed seven weeks from start to finish; it turned out to be six weeks with a few events fluctuating on the plan. Being that it was the kitchen being torn apart, time was of the essence. I don?t know that we could have gotten it done quicker with a contractor that did more of their own work but I do know some of the other alternatives we examined would have been much longer. Nearly all of the work was done by skilled subcontractors closely coordinated by Jeff Nelson, White Crane?s field manager. As in all projects some things did not go as planned or hoped for but the White Crane team quickly and efficiently made the necessary adjustments and we moved forward with minimal loss of time and minimum effort on our part. We may have paid a little more but for us it was as close to a no problems process as you can have when rebuilding the key room in your house. We may have been able to have it done cheaper but I am confident we could not have improved on the value.

There are always a few challenges that come with major remodeling. The time you need a great general contractor is when these occur, and you quickly find out what they are made of. White Crane is made of thoughtful people who value their clients and who persevere until the work meets their high standards. As they promised at the beginning, they did not “cut corners” and when a few things, none of which were caused by WC, went wrong, they went WAY out of their way to “make it right”, even if it took more time. They took full responsibility for all the work of the subs. When the project was finished, the quality of the work and the materials was outstanding. If I could give them an A+ for quality, I would. We now have a beautiful and highly functional new space that blends perfectly with the rest of the house. Everyone at WC was highly professional, caring, and worked with us in a fair and respectful manner, which left us with a pleasant feeling about the entire remodeling process. We will definitely use their services again.

The remodel went very well. We have two children and they worked around their schedules, family friendly. They were environmentally conscious and recycled things. Very friendly individuals as well!

White Crane Construction responded immediately to our request to provide a proposal. The initial meetings with White Crane Construction were held promptly and managed efficiently and the proposal was very clear regarding scope of work. All coordination work including communication regarding needs for dumpster and storage were given well in advance. Materials were ordered and delivered as promised. All milestones for the demolition, repair and reconstruction were met. Housekeeping was excellent during the construction and did not interfere with our household. The original budget was accurate and there were no cost additions. The White Crane Construction Supervisor communicated with us daily on progress and resolved issues quickly. White Crane Construction brought in a structural engineer to verify the issues with the deck and den support structures. The original builder from 2000 had constructed our home with major structural defects. Deck and den supports, footings and concrete and deck joist supports were all inadequate and White Crane Construction and their engineering consultant worked together to address and correct all of these defects. A final waldown was completed and punchlist items were completed quickly and to our satisfaction. We would certainly use White Crane Construction and have recommended them to others.

White Crane is top notch from service, workmanship, budget and professionalism. The White Crane staff and sub-contractors were wonderful to work with on our project. They finished the project on time and on budget.

Started on time, nice and professional. we hired them because they promised to do the job while we were away. It did not happened and draged on for a month after we returned. Poor communications: will promise for example "painters tomorrow" and painters will come 3 days later. Wery difficalt when you have 2 small children at home. still are not done despite emails and phone calls. If time of the job important to you, do not hire them. Otherwise their price was compatible with other estimates.

My relationship with White Crane lasted for almost a year and the overall experience was great. From the first planning meeting, I appreciated their personal approach to customer service, the attention to detail, and the care they took to ensure they understood what I wanted. Zoe Kardasis in Sales did a great job of helping me understand my options and proposed various ways to stay within my budget. As a first time remodeler, they did an excellent job explaining what I could expect and preparing me for the experience. I enjoyed working with the subcontractors they recommended for materials and those that came to the house were very professional. One thing that amazed me the most was the level of respect they showed for the property. Given the amount of work that was done, I came home to find the house amazingly clean and they intruded as little as possible. When minor issues arose (and any remodel of this kind will have a few), the team was very quick to respond and took care of it to my satisfaction. I have a great eye for detail and I have to say that the quality of work is amazing. Jeff Nelson is the Lead Carpenter that completed the kitchen and I couldn't have been happier with his work. While the estimate may come in slightly higher than others, the end result is worth it and it is worth it to have a stress-free remodeling experience. What you can rely on is that the pricing you receive at the beginning will be very close to the payments you make at the end. Their estimates were incredibly accurate. I would not hesitate to use them again for remodeling projects...but I don't have any left.

They showed up when they said they would, and the project was completed pretty much on time. Any delays were due to me getting the flu, and requesting they give me quiet time to recover. There were a few glitches along the way, but they were taken care of very professionally and without any bad blood whatsoever. Susan was very prompt in returning emails and phone calls, and followed thru on whatever she said she would do. We have had many experiences with various contractors, but never ANY that were half as smooth and professional as this one! We are picky.

The job went very smoothly, from start to finish. I only flew back to inspect the job site 3 times during the two month process. I ended up adding on a few things during the project. Now that I have worked with White Crane, I feel that I would only have to fly back to inspect once prior to a final walk through. their designer did a fabulous job of choosing colors, materials, design. The communication between team members is very very good and they seem to take care of their clients as a team. I particularly liked the owner's billing and invoicing procedures. The invoices were very clear, detailed and the bid materials descriptions were detailed enough to be used in marketing descriptions for the home's resale. The job site was always clean, according to my neighbor.