Urban Building Group

As was the case with our $100K+ renovation/addition performed by Urban Building Group in 2011, our experience in 2012 was equally outstanding. John Morgan (the owner), Eric Wagner (lead estimator) and Stan Miller (project manager) all responded immediately when apprised of the driveway cave-in problem. They dispatched Stan, who is tremendously professional, courteous and skilled, to assess and repair the driveway. In concert with masonry subcontractors, they fixed the problem in 2 days by devising a creative workaround that redirected water from the abandoned foundation pipes to another innocuous location, away from the driveway. Although this work scope was small in comparison to what we hired UBG to do in 2011, the result was the same: superior responsiveness, attention to detail and eagerness to please the client. Hire UBG and you won't ever be sorry.

Over 18 years ago, my mother had a house constructed by a builder, and particulary near the end of the construction, we experienced some difficulties. So with that in mind, it was a daunting task for me to find a builder who could successfully renovate my mother's kitchen. I started researching builders in the surrounding area near the end of last year. My husband and I are fully aware of the significance of finding a reputable builder who in turn has reliable subcontractors. We were the contractors of our house that we built 18 years ago. My husband has experience building houses in the years past, and I have a degree in interior design that I obtained from UNC-G. As I began my search, what initially impressed me about Urban Building Group was their company website. It is very comprehensive. The president of the company, John Morgan, has a video presentation of his concept of "design-build" which has as it base that every space should not only be aesthetically pleasing to the eye but also functional and structurally sound. The members of the Urban Building Group include interior designer and architects. As we began the renovation process, the first person we worked with was Amy, the interior designer. Once the newly designed floor plan was presented and approved, Amy's guidance in the selection of style and colors of the cabinetry, backsplash, countertop, and hardware was invaluable. Amy was sweet, kind, and very understanding during the entire design process. Due to my mother's language barrier, Amy's patience was much appreciated. Like Amy, the operations, manager, Susan, was very helpful and punctual in responding to all my e-mails. The construction began with Dan as our project manager, and we could not have been more pleased. He is hardworking, conscientious, and dedicated. He was very knowledgeable and talented in his work and gave great attention to details of his work that surpassed our expectations. We are so appreciative of all his work and efforts. We do wish to recognize Stan, another project manager, for pitching in to assist Dan, and he did this quite frequently. When Dan was away for a week on a scheduled vacation, Stan stepped right in and continued the work with a seamless transition. He gave care to this job as if this were assigned to him. Stan was always pleasant and enthusiastic. They're a great team. They proved themselves to be extremely trustworthy and punctual in every detail. When the job was completed, there was no punch list to work. The kitchen turned out to be the showpiece of the house, and my mother who was apprehensive in having it done could not have been happier about the finished product. We were so pleased with Urban building Group that the my mother is having another work done by them. In meeting with the president of the company, John Morgan, he was very cordial and professional. Having worked and corresponded with Amy, Susan, Dan, and Stan in the last three months, I feel that this team is a reflection of John and the Urban Building Group.

Great. Dan was very helpful and responsive. Everything was done to exceed our expectations and very professional.

Great experience. Have used UBG for multiple projects and will always go back. Great to work with and wants whats best for the customer. Would highly recommend.

Urban was referred to us by a good friend who had them do a complete remodel of his home and we couldn't have been more pleased. They were very professional and efficient from the design service to demo to installation. They weren't the cheapest of our offers, but we were most impressed with how detailed they were in explaining their process and what to expect - we just had a better overall feel with going with them. Amy Kachin was our designer and she did a great job leading us in the right direction and helping us narrow our focus. Amy was great with suggestions and a huge help with guiding us through the process. Joe, our demo and tile guy, was great. We were amazed at how much work he got done in such little time, especially considering the quality of work he delivered. Dan Messina was our project manager and did a fantastic job keeping things moving forward, communicating with us on a daily basis and keeping as low a footprint in our house as possible. We have 2-year old twins and a nanny and Dan was great with accommodating their schedules. Overall, we had a really good experience with Urban - we have and will continue to refer them.

This was the first home remodeling project we've undertaken, and I wasn't sure quite what to expect. Urban Building Group has set the standard for any projects we endeavor to take on in the future. I interviewed 8 prospective contractors, and UBG was the only one I considered doing business with. They understood from the get-go both my aesthetic vision and my desire to not remodel my kitchen in a way that would price our home right out of our neighborhood. The end result was even better than I imagined. Our designer Amy listened to what we wanted to accomplish and help guide our finish choices accordingly. Again, she understood exactly the look I wanted to achieve, and helped me achieve exactly that. Dan, our project manager, seemed to anticipate questions before I even asked them, and had issues resolved almost immediately. Not only was the quality of the work top-notch, every individual involved in this project is someone I would personally recommend to anyone. I look forward to working with Urban Building Group again in the very near future!

The crew was very professional from start to finish. They had great communication, strong technical capability and beautiful design.

They were very easy to work with and did really great work. We were very pleased with them.

We first met with Adam, the architect, to discuss what we were looking for and to get his ideas...he told us about how UBG worked, that they are a design/build company and that the architect is involved in the process from start to finish. Adam was involved throughout the entire project. He made sure things were progressing smoothly and that all issues were addressed. He would check in with me and the project manager, Dan, on a daily basis. Any question or concern we had, I felt like we could ask Adam as many times as possible and he was always open to help with a wonderful attitude. We met with John (the owner) and Adam together several times to finalize which projects we were going to proceed with...their advice was practical....we appreciated how they were able to come up with creative ideas that allowed us to do the work we wanted while staying within the budget. John looked at the projects we were considering and offered us advice on which would help increase the value of our home and also helped us eliminate some of the ideas, ones that wouldn't make a difference in the value of the home. John was also kept very up-to-date on the project throughout and offered advice that was always in our best interest, even if it meant UBG needed to re-address something....his standards are very high and if something isn't right, it will be made right, no doubt....all of this with a positive, caring attitude. Dan (the project manager) was in charge of the day-to-day work taking place...he managed all workers (electrician, plumber, carpenter, cabinet guy, etc.) ...Dan was efficient, conscientious, responsible and considerate to our family and our neighbors. He was always willing to add any concerns or issues of ours to his list of things to be done and he addressed these things as quickly as he could. He rebuilt some of our windows that we moved in our house so that we wouldn't need to purchase new ones...he offered to take items to Habitat for us... he was always looking to help us out whenever he could Top-notch attention to detail and quality work applied to all workers representing UBG..always friendly, caring, responsible, thoughtful... they have very high standards and make sure any worker representing UBG has the same work ethic...they tried as best they could to minimize disruption in our lives while lots of work in different parts of the house was taking place at one time Kitchen cabinets....built new cabinets to match existing so that we didn't need to do a full replacement... Carpenter....superior quality, attention to detail, considerate Operations manager and interior designer....very friendly, organized, willing to offer advice and suggestions, answer questions, kept the project flowing smoothly at the office end Overall, superior company, they love what they do...they have a positive energy and it can be felt in their strong team.

Urban Building Group turned out to be the dark horse candidate in the competitive bidding process we conducted to construct our new two-car garage and new bedroom/bathroom above the new garage. President John Morgan and Lead Estimator Eric Wagner were extremely professional, collaborative and patient during our initial conversations. One element of their presentation that helped set them apart from other builders: the percentage of their previous year's work that was constituted by jobs worth $50K and up. When we looked at their record and compared it to the jobs registered by competing builders (which is publicly available information as long as builders secure the necessary permits to perform jobs), it was clear that Urban Building Group is in an elite class of local companies that do a great deal of high-end, high-dollar work. To our surprise, Urban Building Group was also the most competitive bidder on price. This meant that we felt we were getting excellent value for our money. The entire Urban Building Group team was highly professional, adaptable, friendly and helpful. Urban Building Group is clearly focused on customer satisfaction, and we greatly appreciated their responsiveness throughout the project. Emails and phone calls were routinely returned within minutes, not hours or days. Eric Wagner and Susan Miller from the UBG office ensured our project stayed on track; Amy Kachin provided exceptional interior design guidance and input; and we were extremely fortunate to have Stan Miller assigned as the on-site project manager. Stan balanced his multiple assignments quite well and was very thoughtful, understanding, and dedicated to ensuring our happiness with the progress. Communication with Stan was constant and he never once seemed put out that we were calling for the second (or sometimes third) time of the day. He is an exceptional person, as well - someone you are glad to have in your home every day. We were just as lucky to have Lance as our carpenter throughout the project - his skill, attention to every detail, and eagerness to please made him a true pleasure to have on site every day. There were a few unexpected setbacks during the course of the project, but this was expected with a job of this scope and magnitude. Urban Building Group did a tremendous job and we are extraordinarily pleased with our new garage, bedroom and bathroom, locker room and pantry. If you are considering a sizable addition to your home, you would be wise to invite Urban Building Group to show you why they are well-suited to do the job and do it exceptionally well.

From design to build everything was very professional and beyond expectations. Mr. Adam (architect) was fabulous and Mr. Shawn (project manager) was always on top of everything. He was a wonderful person to work with daily. Highly recommended.

The lead estimator was reluctant to bid on the job without knowing who the other providers we contacted were. He finally did visit the site and took the plans developed by Robert Porter. His opinion was that the plans did not define high enough quality construction and was too general for them to bid the job to their standards. His rough estimate was about 20K more than anyone else. We never got detailed costs. Our opinion is that their overhead must be excessive. It was not clear why their costs were so much higher. One photo of a 30K screened in porch was basic and somewhat drab.

They are excellent. I think the price is very reasonable for the value you get; they are very competitive. The quality of their work is excellent. They are the first company that I recommend.

They were good and very knowledgeable. They had some good ideas. They were just out of our price range.

We spent approx 2 months interviewing 4 to 5 different potential companies to under take this project. When we first met John and Adam they asked us about our vision for what we wanted, what our goals for the potential new area were, and we vaguely discussed a budget range. We then continued meeting with other companies, visiting carious previous projects by all. We felt that to properly deliver the quality and look we felt that project required that UBG was the clear choice. We then spent time discussing design elements with Adam, as he put out vision into architectural plans. I highly advise using a firm with true architects on board for a project like this.

Urban is a bit more pricey but their quality is good and there service is good. We had people tracking through our home every day and we did not have any issues with it being a mess. They always made sure the work was quality and came back until it was done to our satisfaction. Urban has a good building process. Although it takes a long time up front to complete design and pick out everything it is the right process to set expectations all the way around. They have an excellent design team.

We are very satisfied with Urban Building Group. We contacted them for a quote in December and hired them for design service. They offered and consulted on 3 design options for our kitchen/laundry/pantry in Jan based on our feedback on wants/likes/needs and best use of space. We decided on a great design and hired them to perform the remodel in February. We worked with the in-house designer to select design choices (cabinetry, countertops, tile, etc) Feb-Apr. In mid-April, the remodel began. The remodel was extensive, including gutting kitchen and laundry, plumbing, electrical, removing layers of old flooring from all spaces, lots of drywall and adding hardwoods throughout. We moved our living space temporarily to our basement starting in mid-April and were able to move back into a fully functional kitchen, laundry and living space in mid-July. So in total, the job took three months - right at the original quoted time from UBG. The final job was complete with all inspections and punch list closed by early-mid August. UBG was great to work with! They were very flexible with our schedule, being willing to meet at alternate locations and early morning or late afternoon hours throughout the project. They were also very accessible by email, phone or in-person as needed. Communication was thorough on expectations then status of the project throughout. They were also incredibly proactive and responsive when minor setback happened with suppliers - either a defective item came in or the wrong item came in. They worked with both us and the suppliers to expedite resolution to the issue and rework the remodel schedule to keep us on schedule to complete the project within the estimated time period. UBG was also a strong consultant, offering recommendations on small details to improve our space, along with the major design of course, with options of price intervals to meet our budget. For example, they recommended wood vents in our flooring rather than prominent metal vents to hide them and make them flush to the floor - a much lower cost option that re-doing the HVAC in that space. The in-house designer also helped with paint colors (even though we did our own painting), curtains, furniture, lighting and other minor decor. UBG also has a strong network of suppliers and recommendations for where to go for the best price and quality. Overall, we are incredibly satisfied, particularly as we hear stories of friends that remodeled a kitchen only (much smaller job) and it took much longer than our extensive remodel. We would certainly recommend UBG to friends/family, and in fact already have. We would also work with UBG in the future for any remodel or refresh needs.

The contractor was exceptional in all regards and went out of their way to be helpful and responsive. The upfront planning and scheduling went smoothly with ample and creative design input. The Urban staff was very helpful with item selections (granite, splash, etc). The actual on sight management of the project was outstanding with schedules met and effective communications between the customer, project manager and subs. The project was done on time and within an agreed upon (supported by scope of work/contract) and fair price. I would highly recommend, without reservation, Urban Building Group for any remodeling and/or construction work ... big or small !!

The job was superb. We had a few hiccups that were handled immediately & with care. We lived in our basement while all, but 2 rooms in our main house were being remodeled over an 8 month period. A plumber fell through the ceiling into our downstairs area & clean up was done quickly. When we were not happy with the way the den cabinets were set in place, Urban helped us work through a resolution that meant reinstalling the cabinetry, but also that meant us now loving the corner area of our den. Our project manager was the best! We were constantly updated on status of our project & kept in the loop if something was not going to happen in the time frame planned. He was always courteous & respectful of our "downstairs" home within the remodel project and handled any issue or concern as soon as possible, sometimes before we could even mention we were not happy with the way something looked. He did his best to keep our upstairs cleaned at the end of the day & week knowing that our daughters would be upstairs in their bedrooms (not in project scope). And he handled all of the subcontractors' scheduling with only minor delays that were out of his control. Two follow up calls for minor repairs after project completion were resolved the day after the call! We were under construction for approximately 8 months from demo to moving back upstairs. We were glad to be on site with easy access for review & questions. Office staff checked on us frequently as well and everyone was easily accessible by phone or email as needed.

Created the additional space needed for extended family in an appropriate time frame.

We contracted Urban Building Group to do the complete remodel of our home which more than doubled the square footage. The job was completed a week before scheduled, and the process which took around 8 months went very smoothly. We are very satisfied with the floor plan which they designed. The owner went above and beyond working through all issues that came up due to the existing house which was built in 1951. The project manager was always very responsive to my calls and concerns and would address them quickly.

Our experience with UBG was wonderful throughout the entire process. We met with the team members of UBG who listened to our wants and desires and they delivered beyond our expectations!!! UBG designed and built the project so it was truly a turn key situation. I cannot say enough good things about UBG. UBG has nailed the Residential General Contracting from A to Z. While working with UBG we realized that this is a team run company from the office manager to the president of the company. John Morgan, the president of UBG, was at our job site at least once a week to ensure that everything was running smoothly and that we were happy. John even came out on a Saturday morning to check the progress of our job!!!! The customer service that we received from UBG was A+. We were extremely satisfied and will use UBG again for other projects.

Urban Building Group was professional from estimation through project completion. They listened well to what we wanted and needed and it really showed in the design of the project. The attention to detail continued in the construction phase. Our project manager was well organized and communicative. We are very happy with the end results. All the rooms not only turned out to be more beautiful than before but far more functional also.

I would like to give major kudos to "ADAM KALOZ" the architect that designed my outside deck with a kitchen. It was more beautiful than we had expected. This is a reputable company.

They were the first company that we spoke with that actually listened, took our ideas and developed something that they were capable of doing. I was very pleased with their work. They were prompt; showed up on time. They were very professional. The end result was more beautiful than we imagined.