COLGAR ENTERPRISES

They came out and gave me an estimate on what we had discussed, installing shower doors, new toilet, etc. This was my second estimate that I had received. I asked him to put the estimate in an email and send it to me so I could further look it over. He never sent the email and I have called twice with no response.

Everything went according to schedule.

Gary came on time and looked at the job. He asked me what I wanted done and he made some suggestions. He called a few days later with an estimate that seemed very reasonable. Unfortunately, I had already decided to go with a different company.

Gary West is superb, all you could ask for in a contractor. He is immensely skilled and quite brilliant at problem solving, especially when confronted with plans that required constant, creative adjustment e.g. (the architect had not taken into account the grade of the land; wherever the plans didn't make sense aesthetically or practically, Gary consulted us and offered a better solution). He is honest, direct, has excellent judgment about matters large and small, technical and aesthetic, and he understands and can handle his clients' anxieties. He doesn't start a job until he can give it his full attention and he stays with it until it is done; along the way he kept us fully informed on what he was doing, how long it would take, and what he needed from us. We were about as ignorant as it comes with respect to the nuts and bolts of creating new rooms; he patiently and efficiently guided us on where and how to purchase the tiles, fixtures, hardwood floors and helped arrange for their timely delivery. He understands budgets and gives excellent advice about how to allocate money--what is worth spending money on, when something generic will work as well. He has an excellent team that he works with (we contracted and paid each artisan separately). and he holds them accountable for doing the highest quality work (e.g. calling the plumber back when he found a minor problem with a faucet, staying on the masons who were overcommitted with other jobs). He takes pride in his own work, and he runs an orderly and clean worksite. Precisely because he is so talented and so competent, reliable, and forthright, he is in high demand. He is worth waiting for. Adjust your schedule to get on his calendar-- you can utterly trust him to do the best job imaginable. We are so grateful to him for making our house more inhabitable.

From the beginning conversation, through a detailed personal explanation of the contract outlining the proposed work, to the final day of work, Gary West and his crew of one, were professional, detailed and courteous. Gary identified and fixed several code violations explaining options to me as he went and waiting for my approval before proceeding. The replaced deck was stronger, and neatly done with attention to the smallest detail apparent. The project took 6 days of hard work in the hot sun. If they stopped work for any reason, such as a thunder storm, I was informed of it and they resumed when they said they would. I always knew when they were coming and when they were leaving and why. At the end of each day, the work site was left clean and any dangerous area was clearly identified with yellow tape forming a barrier around it. I would highly recommend this company. They worked efficiently and respectively.

He was responsive to our needs and fix the door promptly.

We are outside his work circle. But was looking for a quote for porch repair (not such an easy thing to get it seems), but he called me back knowing I was too far away to apologize for it and let me know that he had received my message but would would not be able to quote on the project as a practical matter. Dang. Not everyone here writes back when it is inside their scope or geographical area. It freed me up to try and get a quote from someone else and not wait further. Thanks.

Gary is very professional and personable. He would show up on time and work the entire day. In fact, he never missed a day and the work was completed according to our initial, agreed-upon schedule. We now have a beautiful new living space and are very happy with the results! Aside from great work, Gary is a real stand up guy. One weekday morning when he arrived at our home Gary spotted a flood coming from the basement while we were away at work. Rather than ignore the problem, Gary immediately began pumping out our basement, called us at work and provided us with excellent plumbing and cesspool contacts. Had Gary not reacted as he did to this crisis, we would have had some very serious damage to our home.

The timeline he quoted us was perfect, he was always on time and kept us looped in every step of the way. He goes the extra mile to ensure our satisfaction. In fact, he came on off hours (try and get a contractor to work Sundays) to make certain we were completely water tight during an unexpected rain storm. In fact, he helped us find a generator when hit by Sandy. He works alongside other great trades people and acts as the GC to ensure the job gets done. In short, I trust Gary...and having been burned a few times by other less than honest tradespeople is a strong statement. He's flexible, makes great suggestions to enhance a project and is exceptional in terms of quality. I'll be calling him again and again...

Gary came out promptly in April to give an estimate on the project. His projected start date was at the end of June. However, after many delays of other projects, he began in October. We were disappointed but were so pleased with his professionalism and the quality of his work, we quickly forgot about the delays! During demolition, Gary found rotten wood in the beams, but even with arranging delivery of materials and getting a Building Permit, little time was lost. The project was completed in the original timeframe. The deck turned out great.

Colgar Enterprises is a one-man business (Gary West). Gary is an excellent carpenter, very capable with heavy duty and complex projects. This project needed additional help and Gary assembled a capable crew that helped him throughout; however, he continued to manage the details of every task performed. Gary's original proposal included fixed price for labor and materials with a variable price for home repairs (repairs that could not be estimated until after the work began). The final cost reflected a very reasonable addition for the extent of the repairs required. Gary also recommended a very qualified architect to draw up the plans. Certification of the plans and all required inspection occurred with absolutely no issues. Gary has an easy going style and sense of humor, enabling him to resolve potential issues fairly. This was especially important because the lumber company, King Lumber, badly estimated the required materials, including underestimating some materials, overestimating others and sending the wrong items for several. Gary was forced to wait for further delivery in some cases - but continued to move the job forward as rapidly as possible with no impact on price. He advised on many aspects of the work including exterminating insects and adding additional flashing to prevent future water damage. We already have additional projects for Gary and will proceed with those as soon as he is available. Note: Because he is highly qualified and this is a one-man company, Gary is in demand. In our case, we had to wait nearly four months from the time of proposal to the start of the work. This is not an issue as long as the homeowner has the flexibility.

Once the process got underway, West checked in with regular updates, ran interference with the buildings department when it was clear that it was going to be a larger job than originally anticipated, explained to inexperienced clients how to purchase necessary fixtures, etc., co-ordinated with the plumber, electrician, painter, and glazer he recommended (all of whom were excellent), and finished the job in two weeks as promised. We would trust West with doing any home renovation project and expect to rely on him again. Excellent, skilled work.

Gary was very responsiveness and provided ideas on how we might update our old bathrooms. We received a verbal quote in a timely manner but decided to decline. Primary because his schedule didn't meet our timeline and also because we would have to hire a plumber and electrician separately.

I wanted a contractor to walk through a fixer-upper that I was thinking of buying. It needed substantial remodeling of kitchen, bathrooms and some living areas.Of the three A-rated contractors from Angie's list that I called, Gary was the only one who returned my call. He showed up exactly on time. He didn't rush me through anything and made some very helpful suggestions regarding what needed to be fixed and what didn't. He seemed knowledgeable. I did not end up buying this house so this project never materialized, but I will definitely consider Gary for future projects.

A person took the message, but no one called.

Second time using Gary. He's great and will continue to use him for the following reasons: --Shows up each day he says he will be there and on-time. Try saying that about other contractors.--Pricing is competitive. Although a bit higher than others, you get what you pay for.--He works with you. Have a change or a thought on what to do? Unlike other contractors who know only one way to do something or simply want to bang it out and get to the next job Gary will take the time and actually talk over options with you and make the finished product according to your specifications.--Works clean. How many times have you hired a contractor only to have a mess on your hands daily. Not with Gary. As for the finished product, we're very happy with our new giant walk in closet and already have Gary locked in for another remodel project in late August.

It was a small job but my house is always full of surprises due to past odd work done by previous owners, so there were a few minor surprises (skeletal remains of 15 mice to start with). Some construction had to be modified to deal with field realities but Gary always came up with a good way to fix the problem. Once the demolition was done, the framing went quickly, all inspections were passed on the first go round, and the job was basically completed within 2 weeks. I had to run out an get new floor tile but that was not his fault. He laid it beautifully and I am very pleased. He was very nice and did a few additional minor fixes that were not part of the agreements without charging me for them.

The project went very smooth. I loved the results and am completely satisfied with the work Gary did. As a result, I have Gary now doing a complete remodel of my master bathroom.

From the promptness in giving the estimate to the completion of the work...I was completly satisfied.

We had multiple quotes made for our bathroom renovation, and from the get go, Gary West's work stood out. The quote was competitive, and unlike many others, detailed and clearly broken out by component. Once we decided to go with Colgar Enterprises, the work proceeded smoothly, with the schedule as initially discussed and the project completed as estimated. The area was left clean at the end of each day, even though it was in an unused area of our home. We were also pleased with the subcontracted electrician and plumber. We are very happy with the finished project, appreciating the attention to detail. As an example, we were open to suggestions with our tiling, and Gary worked with the materials purchased and applied a welcome aesthetic touch. Having bought an older home, we have had numerous issues that have needed work and have cycled through different contractors. Since finding Colgar Enterprises, we've been very happy and have had other smaller jobs completed. Unlike previous dealings, with either exorbitant quotes for smaller jobs or constant delays, Gary has been very professional with other smaller projects giving reasonable estimates and performing the work punctually. We would whole heartedly recommend him to others, and will ourselves contact him with future needs.

As stated above, this was a job started by another contractor. This issue alone scared off a few of the other contractors who don't like to get involved with another job. Gary was one of six contractors contacted. Four provided estimates. From the beginning Gary was professional, punctual and clearly knew his stuff. He gave us his thoughts and ideas on options. But unlike many contractors you never got the feeling that he was 'steering' you into an upsell. We always felt in control. Every day he said he would be there he was; and by the time he said he would be. He would call after completing a days work to advise me of his progress. Having dealt with contractors that you'd have to chase down, this aspect alone is huge. Workmanship was outstanding and the finished product exactly what I'm looking for. And in the timeline he promised. I would not hesitate (and will as I have a lot more work to get done) to use Gary and Colgar in the future.

Fine It was a relatively small job On time and on budget and fully met expectations No mess and no fuss afterward

Gary was a pleasure to work with. He was referred to us by our plumber. We had just bought our house, and it was Gary who discovered that one of the main support beams under the bathroom floor was completely rotted. Had he not discovered it, we might not have found out until someone fell through the floor. He had the bathroom floor replaced in one day, so we never had to do without a bathroom overnight. We had a mold problem in the kitchen, also not discovered until after we bought the house. My husband replaced the drywall, then Gary came in and installed all the cabinets and countertops. It's been six years, and nothing has shifted out of place in any way. It's as perfect as the day he finished the installation.

Throughout these projects, my wife and I have been consistently very pleased with Gary?s work, and in those very few cases when something bugged us, he was great about setting things right. Based on our experience, we have complete confidence that he will do the project BETTER than planned, mostly because he anticipates problems or opportunities that we didn?t consider. As a result, all of these projects evolved as we discussed them with Gary, and later as the work progressed. The kitchen and the bathroom projects involved the work of plumbers and an electrician, and we came to regard Gary practically as a general contractor, working with the other trades to push the work through as efficiently as possible. On top of the quality of the work, we found Gary?s prices to be reasonable. The only expenses beyond the original quotes were those that we agreed, beforehand, would improve the final outcome. As disruptive as projects such as these necessarily are, with lots of heavy and large things being moved around the house, the place was kept neat without any collateral damage. In sum, I don?t think you can do better than Colgar Enteprises for a wide variety of projects. It has been a very satisfying experience having Gary work on these jobs, and I recommend him unconditionally.

Originally I just wanted a deck rebuilt. But Garry discovered that some framing of the house was rotting and had to be replaced. That required approval from our town's building department. And they required even more work done. It ended up a much bigger project in time and money than either of us expected. But Gary was able to handle it all on as timely a manner as possible. Although the final cost was more than double the original estimate, I did not feel that his pricing was unfair. That is, he did not take advantage of the fact that I had little choice, but pay him whatever he asked for the extra work. He is very competent, and his work was high quality, but I was disappointed in one thing -- namely the quality of the wood he chose for the deck. It was not the best wood esthetically (showing knots). But more seriously, a couple of the planks are warped so that water stands in their concave form. I am quite sure that it is not supposed to be like that because decks are actually supposed to slant a bit to avoid this exact problem. To be fair, we did not discuss the choice of material before his estimate, but I feel he should have pointed out that there are options. On the other hand none of the contractors giving me an estimate discussed material quality either. I would have no hesitation using him again, but I would discuss options regarding wood quality beforehand.