518 Remodel

I asked him to come out and look at the job beforehand but he said the way I was describing the project, it sounded like it would only take one day. The first day they came to the job, Leonard showed up at 7:00am he went over everything with me for about an hour. What needed to be done and what he recommended, he said it would take 2 days. Once they got into the project, it was taking much longer and became a very slow process to the point that they could not commit to the 2 days any longer. We agreed upon $40/hr for an 8 hour work day but the final bill reflected $45/hr for 10 hour work day. I was charged for 34 total disputable hours, and the job wasn’t anywhere near being done at that point. I don’t think the work that they did complete would have taken 34 hours which is why I am disputing it on top of the actual quality of work was not to my satisfaction. Additionally I was told that the time the worker went on break, would not be included, but it was included in my final bill.I also believe Leonard stated hours that he was at my house when he wasn't.Miscalcution in actual hours worked and charged. Ex. charged an hour to clean up his tools on one day. and said he came to my house at 7am one day to start work when he actually did not arrive at my home until 730am.On the first day of starting the job, Leonard went to Home Depot 3 times that day to get supplies. when he said Sal the owner, would go get all supplies so he would not leave the job and loose time. I was charged for all trips and supplies.(unethical and inefficient) None of the supplies were authorized by me. I have asked to see receipts however they have not been shown to me. At one point, I didn’t like the way Leonard put up the trim, Leonard didn’t like it, and Sal didn’t like it. They suggested that I get all new trim and start over, which to me was not an option. The other contractor that I hired did it to my satisfaction, and without getting new trim. I had many concerns about the workmanship and the ability of the worker himself since he admitted that he was under the influence of alcohol on the job sight. The door trim was put on with big gaps and not aligned properly and huge guage where the switch plate is. Sal told Leonard to change it and Leonard decided he didnt need to and it looks awful.The shelf under window is not even and level on both ends. He also put guages in my wood stairs when he removed old ceiling, because he didnt protect them like I requested,mudding,taping, and sanding was done poorly.Said it was customary to put 4-5 coats of mud on an area?New sheetrock on ceiling did not meet up and kiss adjoining wall(left big gaps),trim never put up,messed up my electrical in that room which affected my electrical in garage and I had to call electrician,took down partial ceiling and removed all cellulose and did not ask me what I wanted to do to replace insulation(put up celing sheetrock with no insulation)now it is not energy effecient. No caulking done or filling of nail holes.Workmanship took way too long for what was done and was left incomplete from original request and very poor quality. Kept having to redo tasks or tell me it was going to unnecessarily take longer than originally thought. When I brought this to the owner’s attention, he never acknowledged it. He became hostile and verbally abusive when I addressed my concerns with him, at which point he told me to get someone else to finish the job. I also asked him to speak to my cousin to explain further why exactly they had to do things the way they suggested.It would help me understand better,since we were getting way off track.Both the owner, Sal and Leonard refused.Leonard got offended and said "why do I have to do that?"and Sal said "why don't I get my cousin to finish the job if he lives in the area". Sal never offered to come see the job and look at my concerns or complaints. He just took his worker's word for what was done. he did not actually see for himself or verify hours worked,ect. I attempted to reach out to him through Angie’s List message center, to rectify the problem however he never addressed the issues he just sent me the bill. I told him I was on a budget in the beginning,that's when he should of said he couldn't preform what needed to be done in my budget or my satisfaction, if that was the case.He actually kept saying I will work with you and it's no problem. He went way over budget and he knew that.He should have been up front and with good, honest business practice from the start.By day two, he saw how long things were taking and told me he wondered about my budget and the time it would take to complete the job on his terms.After saying he would work with me, he sends me a bill for more that twice my budget for the job. He knew I was a single mon and I felt very taken advantage of by him on all accounts.

The team arrived on time, did a great job, cleaned up, and were out earlier than anticipated. The price was inline with what I expected based on a previously done energy survey of the house by a different vendor.

The entire job took less than three weeks once we were issued a permit. Sal did everything necessary to obtain the demo and building permits. Several major items had to be taken care of in order to build the garage which included tree removal, land survey and asbestos survey for demo of the old garage. Sal provided me with several contacts and suggestions to get the trees and surveys done quickly and at a reasonable cost. We had an existing garage that Sal had removed in a day. Sal spent a lot of time answering all my questions and kept in touch the entire time on a day to day basis. He helped us design the garage layout and was able to work within our budget. Sal was very patient with my needs and fully explained why and how they would build my garage. Sal is very knowledgable and not only explained why something should be done a certain way but why not some other way. Sal and his crew not only meet code but also exceed code where it really counts. The Alaskan slab had a rebar grid and double rebar around the perimeter in addition to steel mesh. Code only requires the mesh. Sals design creates a very strong slab that doesn't add a lot of cost for what you get in the end. He also used rebar in the concrete apron in front of my garage. The masons did an amazing job on the concrete. I could see my reflection in the power trowel finish and the sidewalks are perfection. All the lumber used to build the garage was hand selected and only straight lumber that was free of mold and major defects was used. The fit and finish of the garage is flawless. I have walked around it many times and still get impressed. I work in construction and I understand what good work is. The flashing and gutters are also very nicely done. The garage doors are very high quality and when I did a heat load calculation I was pleased to find how well the doors were insulated compared to other designs. They have a polyurethane foam. The garage door openers work great and have a lot of nice features. While building the garage Sal was able to have his crew make repairs to my house that included fixing my roof that lifted at one edge, repair siding damaged by my weed wacker and replace soffit flashing that was improperly installed by another contractor. It was nice to have this work done at the same time and put my mind at ease. It saved me money too because they were already on site with all there tools. Overall I am very happy with my garage and walkways. Sal educated me along the way and was always on time, has a great attitude and works hard to please. I called him all hours of the day and if he didn't answer he responded very quickly. People driving down my street stop and compliment my garage almost every time I'm outside. It's really a work of art. The work site was always kept tidy. Sal kept the area swept and used a magnet to pick up any nails and staples. I could go on forever about how great everything went but you will have to experience it for yourself. If your looking to have work done on your home and you really care about getting it done right then call 518 remodel and see what Sal can do for you. You won't be let down.

..I hired 518 remodel to build a two car garage and Sal and his crew did a fantastic job. From getting the permit to the finish the job took about two weeks,I know every job won't go that fast,but everything just fell into place and the job went really well. Sal was up front with suggestions that would work for me and every one was spot on.The contractors arrived every morning on time and worked very fast.Every aspect of the job was very professional and done with pride. Next time I need a project done,518 remodel will be the first call

I have had several bad experiences with contractors and was hesitant about contacting another. Once I met Sal, however, I was very comfortable with him and trusted him from the start. I was very pleased with the work from Sal Speciale and 518 Remodel. He arrived on schedule to look at the job and to give me an estimate. He often worked past 6:00 p.m. on weekdays, worked weekends and on the mornings he poured the concrete, he was at the house and ready to go by 7:00 a.m. I have had Sal back to pour a new garage floor and blow in insulation in the attic. I have received many compliments on the concrete jobs and have referred several people to him. I will definitely contact Sal when I'm able to do more imporovements and/or repairs to the house.

It went great. Sal provided first rate service in all the areas listed above. The garage is perfect. Sal dealt personally with our town handling all the variance requirements and attending all required meetings. Sal is very fussy and made sure every little detail was done exactly as he felt it should be. Work was done in a timely manner. The workers were all excellent and everything was cleaned up each day before the crew left.

Sal was very professional and very personable. Came within a week of calling to give me an estimate and then he and his crew came back within a week to do some prep work up there and then finished the job the next day. Sal is very friendly and easy to talk to and made sure that the job was done right and was vey concerned about cleaning up and being respectful my home. I would hire 518 Remodel for other jobs in the future.

Crew arrived on time, worked with minimal disruption to us. Thorough clean up when job was completed. We're very happy with the outcome.

They did a fine job of rebuilding this wall, which was in danger of collapsing. They showed up promptly and worked straight through to completion.

Job could not have gotten better. Sal and Leonard were prompt, professional and everything was completed exactly as explained during initial meeting. They removed steps, broken concrete, laid down framework. Had new concrete poured, made sure it was done perfectly. Sal even came back on Sunday to make sure all was well. They completed the work Monday, replaced steps, soil and cleaned up after themselves. Could not have asked for better work or team to work with.

The crew started at time set up by us. They all were polite, kept us aware of all work done. Kept our comfort in mind, always left the area clean of debris.

Meeting could not have gone better. Sal was on time, very professional. Went over every step of the proposed work and more importantly why each step had to be done. Very friendly and answered all my questions. Made arrangements to have his company complete the repairs as price was reasonable, insured and I have confidence it will be done right.

518 was prompt, courteous. 518 workers were exceptional, neat and thoroughly explained the process. Sal was on site directing at all times and assured us that the job would be completed on time and to our satisfaction, which it was.

Crew was always quiet and efficient. Kept homeowners aware of what was being done and why. Asked our input. Always aware of our safety in work areas. Always left work area clean at the end of the day.

When doing a project around our house the things that are important to us include price, quality of product, product delivery, professionalism and leave the job area clear and clean. 518 Remodel receives the highest grades in all these areas. I will certainly call them for our next project and recommend them to friends and family. This recommendation is made without reservation. I have given them permission to use me as a reference for other jobs. Chuck

518 Remodel acquired all the necessary permits and stamps needed to perform the work. This included a separate demolition permit which was critical as my existing garage was two feet from the property line. The execution of the demo to the new concert footings and foundation were flawless, as inspected by the Village of Colonie. Construction of the structure was with the best material quality and performed in a week?s time. Every day I was informed of what was being done and always asked our input, along with giving advice on decisions and to make sure we were happy with the progress. This time frame includes from full demo and removal to complete construction. At all times all debris were removed as to not disturb us, and all tools were neatly stowed away when the crew was not on site not to disturb or daily schedules. 518 Remodel?s crew and sub contractors were extremely friendly and professional at all times. Both of my neighbors commented on how impressed they were with the quality of the work and how fast it was executed. We were SO happy with the quality and professionalism of 518 Remodel, we ask them to come back this year and build storage cabinets and benches in the new garage along with demo and poring of new concrete patio, apron in front and fire wood storage pads around our new garage. HANDS DOWN THE BEST CONTRACTOR RECOMMENDATION I HAVE EVER RECEIVED!!!

I don't know. He never called or came back to quote the job in spite of several calls from me.

It went well beyond belief. There were no issues with building inspectors, plot plans, construction, or any other element of the construction process. The garage was completed a week earlier than given, including additional add-ons, such as additional crushed stone, an extra door, and electrical outlets. We couldn't have asked for a more completely managed project, finished perfectly and ahead of schedule!

518Remodel installed a bathroom vanity, large custom built in cabinet and hung large decorative mirror in my bathroom project. The team of Sal and Anthony were a pleasure to work with. They are professionals with high standards and expertise providing me with good advice what criteria to look for in my various purchases. The end result is a bathroom that is beyond my expectations. This is my 2nd project with 518Remodel. I would not hesitate an instant to use them in the future.

When we told Sal that we had decided against replacing the windows, but were still interested in refinishing the front porch, upgrading the floor, counters and lighting in the kitchen, interior painting, etc, he became livid, abusive and unprofessional. He said he didn't make any money on those things and was angry we didn't want to do the windows. I'm SO GLAD we didn't sign a contract with him, because if anything had gone wrong, we would have had to deal with his abusive nastiness! Stay away!

I used 518Remodel to have extra insulation (cellulose) blown into an old house attic that had very little insulation. Sal provided me with details on what was needed and why. He installed 'proper vents' for appropriate ventilation and suggested an appropriately sized walkway access to make attic accessible for wiring, etc. The day of the insulation the crew was efficient and neat. Definitely would recommend.

The house is a double wide trailer on a foundation. This type of construction leaves a 10-16 inch 'gap' between the house and the foundation. Our gap had been insulated with fiberglass batts. Over the decades this insulation had been mouse chewed, rotted and crumbled making the basement drafty and cold. 518 Remodel installed at least 4 inches of spray foam insulation for the entire perimeter of the gap, sealing holes and cracks. The foam was applied across the entire top edge of the foundation right up to the floor of the house. There is now a continuous seal and insulation between the house and foundation. There is no longer a continuous draft/breeze from the gaps cooling the basement. The basement is already significantly warmer. The crew showed up on time, on the day arranged. They masked off the floors, walls and anything that might be damaged by overspray. They left no mess and did an excellent job. We hardly knew they were there. We typically do our own work, but a previous good experience with this company, as well as an excellent price, prompted us to give them this job. Our trust was rewarded with another excellent result and experience.

The problem was that the basement suffered from hydraulic pressure forcing water up through the perimeter of the slab as well as at joints in the slab, damaging walls and equipment stored there. It made the whole place a damp, moldy, mildewed mess. The crew showed up on the date arranged, came early, worked late, worked through a weekend. The job was completed in about one week. All the workers were professional and pleasant. They cleaned up after themselves every day. We experienced no mess. Everything they touched was left better than they found it. The job was a lot of backbreaking work in a bad environment. They had winter weather to contend with throughout the project. They removed and hauled away rotted wall studs, paneling and insulation. They cut the concrete slab for the entire perimeter, about 180 feet. They dug a 24 inch wide by 1 to 3 foot deep trench and replaced the silted up stone, installed drain pipe and laid new concrete. There is now a perimeter drain around the entire basement at the foot of the wall. The sump pit is now very generous and should provide sufficient capacity to buffer us against the spring thaw and rains. They installed a plastic sump well and a new sump pump and connected it to existing plumbing. They removed about 30 yards of waste clay, gravel and concrete in 5 gallon buckets and hauled it to a preselected spot on the property for fill. The new floor is smoother and more level than the original. The basement has dried out, and the constant musty/moldy smell has left the house. We typically do not hire contractors for our projects because of quality issues. This fellow delivered. I will gladly have him back!

My first impression of Sal Speciale and 518 Remodel was very good and I was not disappointed. 518 Remodel came as they promised. The work was done in a timely fashion, but more importantly always of high quality. Sal and his team were very polite and cleaned up everything after the job. I will hire 518 Remodel for any remodeling or repair work I would have. I will also refer 518 Remodel to my friends and family.

Sal arrived on time for our initial appointment for the estimate on getting a 2 car garage built. His price based on the scope of work that needed to be done was comparable to other estimates. Originally, we were only going to have a garage built but discussed it and decided to have the siding for our house and 2 sheds changed at the same time. It was a project we wanted to do for a while, but it just seemed right to do it all at once. We discussed the job timeframe but it was contingent on decent weather. Sal took care of obtaining all permits and arranging for building inspectors to visit at required intervals. When they started, one week later, it was too hot (June heat wave) to pour concrete for the garage floor so the siding was done first. When the old siding was removed, we found almost no insulation covering the house (the house is 60+ yrs old). We also were alerted to the poor condition of the roof supports once the overhangs were exposed. The previous owners did a make-shift repair that was now rotting away. We discussed the additional costs involved and Sal worked with us (knowing our budget) and had a quality repair job done to shore up the frame and replace all the rotting areas. Once all the siding, windows, and parging of the foundation concrete (to improve the appearance) were complete, Sal's crew was ready to build the garage. The weather, however, didn't prove ideal. Sal didn't want to pour the concrete on a day that was either too hot or was raining because the concrete would not set properly. As such, we had to wait until the conditions were right. That delayed the project by another 1 to 2 weeks. During this period, Sal had the area dug, leveled, and stone compacted. Next, the area was framed and rebar and wire mesh added (more extensively than what was required by building codes). Finally, the rain stopped, the weather was comfortable, and no rain was predicted so the concrete slab was poured. It was leveled and machine troweled for additional smoothness and stability. Once the concrete was cured, the building of the garage took almost no time at all. Our electrician added the electrical outlets and power for the garage door openers, working with Sal to have all done timely. The siding was completed and the framing was done for the 3 foot sidewalk all around the garage. The concrete was poured and the grating of the sidewalk was done. After that, the driveway pavers recommended by Sal (Egan Paving) rebuilt my new driveway. Sal and I then arranged for he and his employees to landscape the area where the construction disturbed the backyard. They did it in 2 days, including seeding, and now the grass is full and beautiful. The entire property is beautiful. We couldn't be more pleased. Throughout the construction, the work crews were neat, professional, and respectful of our neighbors, ourselves, and our property. Neighbors commented on their work ethic and politeness when they would come to "check out the progress". Whenever there are major renovations, additional hidden costs arise. Sal did his best to give us high quality, good service, and reasonable prices whenever the unexpected happened. I would highly recommend 518 Remodel to my friends, family, and neighbors. Even though the work was completed a few months ago, we are still getting complements on how nice everything looks now. I can't say enough about how happy we are with Sal, his crews, his quality of workmanship, and 518Remodel. I had never heard of 518Remodel before I contracted with them, but I would not hesitate to use them again!