Apple Wood Construction Inc & Apple Wood Kitchen

Lenny and Lisa are great. During the demolition phase, Lenny took great care to cover our hardwood floors and cleaned thoroughly while removing the countertops and backsplash which really helped to keep the dust level down. Lisa recommended vendors for our granite, tile backsplash and sink - they were all so helpful. We have never done a kitchen renovation before and were a little anxious about the process and making choices. Lenny allayed our fears and was spot on with suggestions. Lisa was always available for communication and answering questions. The sub-contractors were all excellent, personable and professional. The whole job was finished ahead of schedule which allowed for our 18 month old granddaughter to come for an earlier visit! Overall we are thrilled with the outcome and will definitely use Apple Wood for future projects!

It's been three years since the kitchen was remodeled and I love it just as much now as I did when it was first completed. The materials have all held up beautifully (cabinets are perfect fit) and the layout works. There isn't a thing I wish was different. Lenny is a perfectionist with his own work as well as his expectations for the work he subcontracts. I had an all around positive experience.

They were quicker than most to provide us an estimate (fairly thorough). Met at the Windham, NH showroom which is beautiful. Had an OK experience with Lenny. Upbeat guy. Quote was the most expensive, especially considering it was for an 1163 sq ft house, and just the bathroom alone. This was for as basic as it gets, too (no upgrades except tile shower/floor). Did not include vanity lights, mirror, wall fixtures, etc either. All other communication via email about the project, costs etc were done by his wife. She's not particularly polite, kind of a "B" if you know what I mean. Was told that it was unreasonable to think we could remodel a bathroom with a budget of 16,500. The irony, is that's despite our first email from her which stated " You will need to realistically budget between 12-15k for a bathroom". If you do with with them, try to avoid the wife. Lenny is much more pleasant to work with - and except a big show with big cost. Unsure if the delivery is done well. Probably won't go back because of the wife, it's all I can think of when I think of these guys now.

poorly. No estimate for office and much time wasted at our house and my office waiting for Lenny and painter and having my significant other at home as the repairs for the water damage was done. They could not adjust to our schedule and we only could work within there time frame, even though we were paying.

Did not use Applewood, as they did not share electronic or hard copy versions of designs. The project also would have been limited to using cabinets for which Applewood was a distributor. It was a nice design though. If we had wanted one stop shopping they would have been a good choice.

After having a horrendous experience with a contractor in the past, the professionalism and timeliness of Apple Wood resulted in a very positive relationship and result. Lenny and Lisa are a pleasure to work with and they were very prompt and responsive to any issues that arose during construction. They provided a schedule in advance outlining who will be at the site on each day and the project was completed within these time lines The sub-contractors were all very well qualified and professionals. The job was well done and we are quite satisfied with the outcome. I would call Apple-wood again for future projecdts. Highly recommended

In my experience, contacting Lerry and his wife Lisa (the office manager) from Applewood was a colossal waste of time. Here?s why: I begin my due diligence of screening potential general contractors (GCs) for a standard tub to shower bathroom remodel. I contact several GCs and make appointments with a couple to meet them and to discuss the project. I liked Lenny and Lisa for their experience, technical skills, and responsiveness so I decided to consider them. They were family run and had time in their schedule. We clarified requirements and Lenny offered ideas. Their prices were reasonable and they were making the short list. Then progress hit a roadblock on the contract, however. The reason is because the Applewood team proved completely inflexible on their contract terms and conditions. They claimed that their contract was fixed and could not be altered. Really? I?ve dealt with more contracts and GCs than I care to admit over the decades with all of the elder care renovations I?ve completed in multiple states and this simply not true. A reasonable contract is designed to protect both parties, not one. More specifically, here is what they objected to and did not agree to add: - my requirement that they and all their subs required insurance. Non-negotiable if you are smart and research it. - estimated start date (within a couple months) - clause that ?time is of the essence? and that ?work will proceed without substantial delays?? you want this clause so they don?t start the job and then not show up for days or weeks at a time. It is grey enough to be flexible and protect both parties. - their text had reference that contractor is ?authorized to do work in his opinion is necessary and plans may need to be altered of the contractor?s discretion.? Result: blank check. I asked that we simply add ?with consultation of owner? and they disagreed. Note that I was reasonable and did not seek a more balanced ?consultation and approval of owner?. - no cleanup clause, they could leave your place a mess and you have no recourse - no GC pays subs reference. So they can take your money and the plumber and electrician won't get paid. - no building permit reference -did not want to add "good" before "workmanlike manner? in the context that "all work is to be performed in a good and workmanlike manner". This standard clause means if they do shoddy work you don't have as much recourse. You get the idea?only concerned about protecting their interests and could not care less about the client's interests. I cannot speak to the quality of what work they do but if they hide behind a contract in this way, I would not consider them. I?d advise you to not waste your time with Applewood. Shop around and identify GCs who have more knowledge, experience, and trust. Find one that is more balanced and reasonable. Find a GC you are comfortable with and establish a good rapport built on mutual trust and balanced, flexible terms. What do they have to hide? What are they afraid of? Walk if they say they are not open to changing their contract. The GC I went with never hesitated to add all these things to my contract and the result was worth waiting for. No one wants to go to court but you won?t have much leverage if you sign their contract blindly. Your first source of leverage is the schedule of payments but after that is the contract. Suggest you not just focus on the price but pay special attention to the contract terms. You don't need a lawyer. Research this as much as you research whether you want radiant heat, tiles, epoxy grout, and plumbing fixtures. Take your time and select the right GC...Good luck!

Got several quotes and they were on the higher end but liked their responsiveness and professionalism. Decided to hold off on having work done but would consider Apple Wood we decide to proceed.

Excellent. The only contractor I felt uneasy around was the second electrician. He did some work, then got in his truck and disappeared for about an hour. In that hour, the electrical building inspector showed up and the electrician was not around. Other than that, every worker worked hard and knew what he was doing. In the downstairs bathroom, the plumbers found a major leak. They removed the drywall and found that a pipe connection had worn away. They fixed it (quite well) and reinstalled the wallboard. My only complaint here was that the damaged drywall wasn't replace with new. The tile installers did an excellent job. I had a small problem with the shower door. When I contacted Apple Wood, they were on it right away. Also, the workman who installed the cabinets, countertops, and other miscellaneous items was a pleasure to work with and he did a great job. . . went above and beyond.

We had a wonderful experience working with Lenny and Lisa and their team on our kitchen remodel and the result is beautiful! We felt comfortable working with Lenny from the start as he listened to our thoughts and ideas then presented us with a very detailed plan based on our specifications. He offered many helpful suggestions and ideas and we had him tweak the design a few times before coming up with a final plan. Once we decided to go with Apple Wood the process ran very smoothly from start to finish. Lenny gave us a written schedule showing what would be happening every day and it was followed exactly. All cost estimates were on the mark, and anything that turned into an ?extra? (additional wiring, etc) was discussed beforehand. The attention to detail and excellent craftsmanship from Scott and the other sub-contractors were reflected in the final product. The work was inspected and perfected throughout the process, and the work was cleaned up daily. All of the sub-contractors were extremely professional, competent and pleasant to work with. We are also very impressed with the quality of products used. The cabinets are beautiful and the granite countertops gorgeous (we had a very specific style in mind and we were able to go to the wholesaler and pick out the actual slabs that we wanted, then were involved in laying out the template). Lenny and Lisa are a pleasure to work with. Communication was always open - we had many questions and made a few changes throughout the process and they were always responsive and accommodating. We would us Apple Wood again and would recommend them to friends without hesitation.

The best thing about Lenny Santosuosso and Applewood is, they took what we said we wanted and made it much better than we ever imagined it. We had a rough idea -- blow out a wall, build an addition, and get a new kitchen. Lenny took that input and designed an amazing space that incorporated all the features we wanted, and many that we never considered. He knew what to ask, he knew what was needed, and he knew how to explain it all to us. Lenny also knew how and when to tell us that we probably wouldn't like some of the things we said we wanted, and he was right. We asked for a lot of windows in the south-facing wall, and he designed a lot of windows, but less than I had imagined. But when he layered in the cabinets, the skylights, and the sliding door, it came out perfectly. More would have been overkill. It's hard to imagine how a kitchen could have been built TOO brightly, but he kept us from doing that to ourselves. He also rolled with the changes. Somewhere late in the process I wondered if we could put greenhouse windows in the basement. He came up with a plan that was, once again, better than the idea I started with, and the result was simply great. We're still astonished by the fact that everything went according to schedule. I mean, to the day. Lenny gave us a schedule in November that told us what day in March the job would be finished, as well as what date the old kitchen would come out, the new floors would go in, the cabinets would arrive, and the plumber would be done -- and every date was exactly accurate, despite storms and other incidentals. The guy got everything done exactly as he said he would, when he said he would. And maybe most importantly, he took responsibility for his subcontractors. If something wasn't perfect, he got the source to make it perfect. Even three months after finishing the job, he took charge of getting an electrician to troubleshoot a late-emerging problem (which turned out to be totally unrelated from the work his people did). And he keeps in touch, asking how things are going, does anything need attention, and are we still satisfied. We are definitely still satisfied. I don't think we'll ever need to do another job on the scale of this one, but if we do, Lenny will be our first call, without question. We approached this project with a fair amount of worry because of the scale and the amount of money we'd be spending, and because of all the horror stories everyone hears about lousy contractors. Lenny made every single one of those fears go away. Absolutely nothing bad happened, and the finished job is absolutely great -- it has literally changed our home and the way we use it. We're totally delighted and have absolutely no beefs, knocks, or regrets. How many builders get recommendations like that? None other that I've ever used.

The cost would have been $175. They were great. They came in the highest. They were really friendly and the bid offer was pretty detailed. One thing that stood out is that they use a designer beforehand. I have to pay separately for it but they do hire a designer for me. I didn’t use their designer because I had to use their bid too.

Lenny came to our house back around April 2013 to walk through the existing basement, take measurements and, most importantly, discuss our goals / objectives for the remodel. After reviewing estimates and plans from Applewood and other remodelers, we quickly knew Applewood would be the correct choice for us. They were neither the lowest or highest bid, but their attention to detail and the obvious care they took to incorporate our needs was evident. Lenny made a bold claim that they could complete the project in about half the time of others. To the credit of his entire team, they were both on time and within budget. Speaking of the team, all members of the team were well skilled, professional and pleasant. I'd like to specifically call out Scott who went out of his way to answer questions and calmly deal with my (unwarranted) anxiety about the project. Post project glitches unexpectedly appeared and were quickly dealt with. It's been a couple months since the project completed and we could not be more pleased with how it all turned out.

Lenny of Applewood Construction and his crew do stellar work from start to finish. I was hesitant about how replacement windows would look in my home but I couldn't be happier with the windows Lenny recommended (Harvey Classics). The installation went smoothly. Lenny kept me informed along the way, and the house was cleaned up at the end of every day so there was minimal disruption for me. The windows are beautiful and so much more functional than the old ones! Lenny also lined up a painter for the interior of the house who did a magnificent job (ask for Jack!). There was a lot of trim painting and a lot of repair and prep work in the house. It now looks updated and fresh. Most importantly, Lenny accommodated my request to time all this with a week when I would not be home so that the windows went in before I left and the painting was done while I was away. The painting continued into the week I returned home but it was done with consideration of my needs so that I had rooms to live and sleep in while they finished. Everyone involved was here when they said they would be and worked hard to get the job done well. They were clean and courteous and helpful. A first-class job! I would not hesitate to hire Lenny for any project, big or small. He is fair and honest and brings in talented, trustworthy people for specialty work. He and Lisa keep you informed of timing and any issues that may come up. Pros and cons of change orders are discussed and agreed upon without any pressure. This was my second project with Applewood Construction. I couldn't be happier with their work ethic and the finished results. Absolutely no complaints.

I thought they were pretty good. They've returned phone calls and responded to e-mail quickly. I didn't go with them because they didn't provide the visual design of the future remodeled kitchen and bath and it was a hard decision not to go with them but we went with someone with a comfortable price and did supply the official designs. Overall I thought my experience with Apple was very good and I would have went with them if they would give me a visual design. It was all different prices for everything but the whole job probably came up to about $86,000 in total, it's a multiple bathrooms and a kitchen remodel and hardwood floors and complete update of flooring.

We ended up not using AppleWood. However, I wouldn't hesitate to go back to them when we remodel the kitchen.

When I first met with Lenny from Applewood Construction, I knew he was the right contractor for us. I initially gave him an idea of what I wanted to do with the kitchen and he took that and came up with an awesome design inserting a few of his own ideas. In order to do any more design work I did pay him a retainer fee of $500 which was to be included in the price if I decided to go with him. That was fine with me because everyone should be paid for their time spent and I had already decided this would be my contractor. We played around with the design adding or moving a few things here and there and eventually he came up with a quote and final design. We went over the quote and final design in great detail at which time I decided to sign a contract with Applewood. We then agreed on a work start date that was a month from the contract signing. I was given a payment schedule and work schedule before the start of work. They did all the work as scheduled and finished on time. I am very happy that I did chose to go with Lenny and his crew and I'll explain why.... From start to finish I was always able to get in contact with Lisa (Lenny's wife) who handled all e-mail correspondence (amongst many other things). She answered any questions or concerns that I had and if unable to do so would get answers from Lenny to me, usually by the next day. Communication overall was very good and I never felt like I wasn't a priority despite how busy this company is with other jobs and the new show room they are opening. The crew was very clean and accommodating. Anybody will tell you that when you get your kitchen renovated you lose the hub of your house and it is pretty inconvenient. Aside from the inconveniences that I expected I was very pleased to have a fridge the entire time and the kitchen was always left clean at the end of the day, even when it was being gutted! I was always kept informed of what days they were going be there and what they would be doing that day. I felt very comfortable letting Lenny and his crew work in my house when I was at work during the day. They always locked up the door at the end of the day and left the keys in a lockbox on the rear door knob. As far as any issues or concerns I had (which there were and will be with any job) Lenny was very prompt at taking care of them, and flexible enough to come up with solutions. He went out of his way to make sure that I was happy with the job right up to the very end. I will say that the job cost more than I thought I was going to spend on a kitchen remodel, but to be fair I do have to factor in the high end cabinets and other material I chose and the fact that it really wasn't just the kitchen that was remodeled. We ended up remodeling the bathroom, and did some exterior work and the electrical panel as well. As far as the price break down goes, I will mention that the price I paid to the contractor directly was roughly $62000. The rest of the money was spent on the material that I was required by the contractor to purchase: including all appliances, cooktop hood, cabinet/door/bathroom hardware, tile, grout, sinks, toilet, faucets, and light fixtures. In summary, I will be very likely to hire Lenny and his crew again for any future jobs that I don't tackle myself, including the garage addition that I'm planning on. I would highly recommend Applewood Construction to anyone considering a kitchen renovation or any other home project. I can't wait to give my family a tour of the new kitchen on Christmas Eve!

Apple Wood Construction was recommended by our plumber for a bathroom remodeling. We met with Lenny and he provided us with an estimate and work schedule. I did some of the demolition and finish painting myself. All of Apple Wood's work was done on time and in a very professional manner. I have another bathroom project coming up and would not hesitate to hire the

The job went very smoothly. Lenny consulted with us on both jobs and helped us match our kitchen.. He custom built some pieces and helped with a problem after the incorrect shelves came with the cabinet.

Project went pretty well. Lenny provided a shedule for all project disciplines and the schedule was kept. When there were problems, they were addressed immediately and rectified to our satisfaction. I found each craftperson accomodating and professional. Most importantly, each day they left the project area, the area was left clean. We are very happy with the results.

The entire project was outlined in detail from day one to its completion. We knew exactly what was going to be done on a daily basis and by whom. Their scheduling explicit and timely. They took pains to keep the areas as clean as possible while working and left the areas clean when they stopped. We just sat back and watched them perform like artist, true perfectionist.

Our communication with Lenny was excellent.

I knew the room needed a new floor and insulation, some sprucing up, but I didn't expect to gain so much more use out of the space. Since it was completed 9 months ago, I use it as a spare office, reading room, breakfast nook--feels like I put an addition on the house, and that's due to the unbelievable quality of the work that was done. Lenny listened to what I wanted and then exceeded my expectations. But, beyond the quality of the work, I have to say that I was most impressed by the professionalism, courtesy, responsiveness, and promptness of the entire crew from start to finish. They were here when they said they'd be here and I always knew what to expect from day to day. It all progressed like clockwork thanks to Apple Wood's oversight and communication. Cannot stress enough how important that is. They hire the right people for the job and they stand behind their promises, down to the details. When the electrician talked me out of a wired-in doorbell as I'd requested and put in a battery-operated one, Lenny called them on it and had them come back and replace it with the one I wanted. (Not at my request, but because Lenny said I should have what I want!) They weren't the least expensive quote, but they were very fair and the best choice by far. I would not hesitate to use them again.

We wanted to convert our computer room into a bathroom. They were very knowledgeable when they came out.

These were three very large jobs, and all three went exceptionally well. Lenny and his entire staff was nice, professional and respectful. Great communication between Lenny,us, and his office. Lenny worked with us every step of the way. jobs started on time progressed as scheduled and finished on time. Lenny handled changes and upgrade outstandingly well and took care of all unforseen issues. Workmanship and materials used were top notch. We are so pleased with our new additions we have already recommended Applewood to our family and friends. We can't wait to hire them again for two more projects we have planned.