LA Design and Construction

My husband and I used LA Design to finish half our basement in 2020, and after completing other sundry renovations with other contractors over the years, I can unequivocally say that our experience with LA Design was, by far, the most superior. The beginning of our experience found us speaking to Larry, and I appreciated that he provided a comprehensive plan after our initial conversation, including a diagram and a cost estimate breakdown. Having the visuals helped us figure out what worked best for finances and family needs, and what is more, the estimate was accurate and did not exceed the quoted price which has not been our experience with other projects and other contractors. Throughout the process we appreciated how Larry would keep us updated on the progress and the projected timeline. The project was finished roughly on time, and we appreciated the professionalism of the workers, their attention to detail in their work, and how they cleaned up each day. Larry, our project manager, was easily accessible and often came to supervise the work and check in on the project. Finally, the finished product was excellent. I love the details--there were three small ideas pitched (a barn door, cubbies for beneath the stairs, and an area that boxed out some sundry electric necessities) that lent a comfortable and friendly feel to our space. Going forward we anticipate calling LA Design again for any of our construction needs.

We had a fire on Thanksgiving that destroyed our family home. Our insurance company left it up to us to take care of boarding up the house, which was an impossible task on a long holiday weekend. However, on Black Friday when everyone else was enjoying the holidays LA Design showed up. Within an hour they had the house boarded up and told us, "Don't worry about a thing, we will handle everything." Those words would turn out to be their mantra the entire process of the rebuild. Their knowledge of the insurance process made it possible to secure every penny available to us by our insurance company without issue. Even when we ran into trouble with our bank issuing funds, they did not stop work like other companies would have for non-payment. LA Design kept working and knew exactly how to handle the situation. They just went above and beyond for everything. The work that they do is outstanding. They are true craftsmen and employ some of the best workers around. The house they built for us is truly beautiful and we couldn't say enough about it. During the construction we rented a house nearby, allowing us to stop in at any time to check on the progress and nearly every time Larry Jr. or Larry Sr. were on site. In the rare chance they were not there, if we called with questions they would make it a priority to stop by. Larry Jr. and Larry Sr. didn't see this as constructing just a house for us, but building our home. They understood the pain we were going through and actually listened to everything we had to say. They were humble, caring and had a great sense of humor, making the entire process a lot easier than it could have been. You hear horror stories about contractors, and this was quite the opposite. We can't thank them enough The Robinsons

The initial response was very good. They kept the appointment and then made the repair to our roof. We then asked for a quote on something else. He never showed up for the appointment. He apologized and made another appointment which he kept but never gave us a quote (even after I called to remind him). The original repair began to leak again at the same location. We called and made an appointment for the person to assess. He never show up AGAIN for the appointment. We called and left message and never received a call back.

I really can't say enough good things about my experience with Larry Sr. and team. We were facing a major overhaul after a pipe burst right after the new year. This compounded with some previous damage from a pair of roof leaks and a burst water heater. Long story short: water is not our friend. Add to that the fact that my wife was in her third trimester and it was a recipe for disaster. Larry Sr. arrived on the scene and immediately instilled a sense of calm. We had met with a handful of contractors that were either very cavalier about the scope of work or very alarmist. Larry Sr. took charge and immediately and thoroughly started compiling an estimate on the spot. He also noted that they have worked directly with our insurance company and that he would negotiate directly, something the other contractors never even brought up. Over the course of the next several weeks -- in which time were moved out of our home and praying that the baby did not come before we made it back -- the team worked at a furious pace and still managed to keep everything under control. We received a daily update with photos of progress, and were given suggestions but never felt pressured as it related to everything from paint color to floor stains. Our place looks brand new and, more importantly, is more structurally sound. I would whole-heartedly recommend the LA Design team to anyone that will listen, especially if you are looking to remove yourself from the headache of volleying back and forth with insurance adjusters.

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We wanted to hire a contractor from our town to give money to local businesses but that back fired with this contractor. We contacted LA Design and Construction mid July for an estimate for the work and were told 5-7 days we would receive the estimate in an email. After a week, I reached out to business and spoke with the office manager and stated she apologized for the delay but would make sure the estimate got to us shortly. She even emailed us some photographs of their past work which was nice. Another two weeks go by and yet no estimate. I emailed the employee I had correspondence with but received nothing in return. I called again when it reached one month and was advised they were extremely busy but would make sure I would get the estimate soon. It has been over six weeks since someone came to our house and STILL no estimate. I have family in construction and know if someone does not want to take a job they will tell you flat out and not continually string you along. I know estimates are free to the customer so it is low on the priority list at times but this is ridiculous. How many times do I need to call or email? All this company had to do was come in around our budget and we would of hired them as they were local and seemed to know what they were doing. They were all friendly and the employee that came to our home was punctual, seemed to know his stuff and knew what we wanted. He touted how they were busy and expanding throughout North Jersey. Apparently this local contractor grew too quickly for themselves. Even if they gave me the estimate yesterday, I would not be able to trust them as they would most likely blow off my job like they did the estimate.