ACJ Remodeling-Joseph Ashley

The work lasted two days. The workers performed a meticulous job on replacing the windows. I had used them previously for windows and they did a good job on the installation. The frame in the bathroom was supposed to be a tile frame. However with the previous owner's installation of the bathroom window being a less than stellar job; the tile work turned out to be a larger task than the quoted price. We reached an agreement on a metal frame installation with some changes to the existing tiles. The workers did a good job with the proposed changes. The window sill installation caused a small amount of damage on my newly built PVC decking. The acknowledged their mistake and replaced the piece of decking that was damaged. It was minor damage but they fixed it knowing that it was a newly built deck.

First the back story. We live in Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY. One block from the waterfront. The new home of Cunard's Queen Mary2, et.al. My wife and I had just finished a one year complete remodel of our three story house; from basement to top floor. The only things left to do were install new inner front door and railings for the new stairs. We treated ourselves to a cruise and (Thank God) hired a house sitter. We survived Irene, so how bad could this Sandy be. Sandy struck while we were on the ship and we couldn't get off. The house sitter was able to deal with managing the sump pumps and had everything under control until Con Edison decided to turn the electricity off. Consequently, the basement and three inches of the first floor were flooded. I'll end this horror story at this point and talk about the recovery. I'm a paid member of Angie's List and have been using it for years. So, in researching the List, the top candidate appeared to be Joseph Ashley dba ACJ Remodeling Inc. I reached out to Joe and he immediately responded and we met that day. Now, be warned, that Joe does not "suffer fools gladly." He is a busy, professional businessman. Although empathetic, he will not join hands and sing "k** ba yah" with you. Presently, he must plan four to six weeks ahead because of the amount of work he's faced with in addition to Sandy. Using due diligence, I obtained three other estimates on the refurbishment. Joe's was in the middle. We signed the contract on 12/18/12 and he began work on 1/28/13. The work was completed on 2/8/13 and encompassed eleven (11) work days. We learned quickly, that Joe will NOT nickel and dime you to death! He did not hold us to the confines of the written contract, which he could have. So, it was comfortable to have some wiggle room and not be reticent about asking to correct issues which were not contemplated for in the formal contract. Joe has two crews: and inside and outside complement. The staff that worked on our job were led by Eric who can do anything and everything. They arrived promptly every morning at 8 AM and were no-nonsense in their attitude, leaving at five PM. They policed up after every job. Joe has factored in a debris removal system that picks up garbage generated at the site and managed by Angel, another one of his great staff. At Joe's suggestion, we replaced the wooden studs with metal in order to facilitate a rapid repair in any future flood emergency. And this made a lot of sense. We allowed the basement to air dry out and had Apex, another Angie's List company, survey the building for signs of mold. Thankfully, we received a clean bill of health. What work was performed: 1. All traces of studs and supporting members were removed. 2. All walls were treated with waterproof coating. 3. New metal studs, headers and footing were installed. 4. Roll insulation was installed. 5. Sheetrock in 5/8ths thickness was installed on walls and ceilings. 6. Electrical outlets (3 feet from floor) and ceiling highhats were reinstalled. 7. Steel door 32x48 was ordered and installed for access to backyard. Outer door was sheathed for weather. 8. Two doors, swollen from the storm, were refitted to work properly. 9. One row of bricks was removed from wall to widen stairway to basement and cemented remainder. 10. Two six panel doors were installed with hardware. 11, Molding was applied around doors and base of all sheetrock. 12. Washing machine and dryer were installed and tested. 13. Laundry sink was installed and connected. 14. Access panels were installed for water lines. 15. Entire basement was painted with two coats of paint. My wife and I walked through the basement and developed a Punch List of issues needing addressing. Joe and Eric replied to every line item without hesitation or complaint. In fact, pointing out things we had overlooked in the walk through. I should also mention that Joe is a bonafide contractor recommended by the CertainTeed Corporation, which is no easy feat, as it requires written testing. I will be using Joe to replace the siding on our house which was destroyed by Sandy. But, we will have to wait until March because of the weather and Joe's other commitments.

After Sandy hit NYC, we found we needed a new roof. Based on the reviews here on Angie's List, I called ACJ Remodeling and the next day Joe arrived and we discussed what needed to be done. The roof was a tear-off. Joe showed us articles on products, samples of the materials he uses as well as photos of other jobs he has done. He explained everything that the job entailed and how things would proceed. He was knowledgeable and professional, and took the time to answer all our questions. We inquired about siding (which also really needed to be replaced) and in the end decided to go for the siding too. We received an estimate of 26,500 for all work, cart services, etc. The date for the work was an estimate for January (weather pending). On Thursday, January 3, Joe called to see if we were set to go. As promised, some of his crew showed up at 8:30 am on Saturday to receive delivery of products and set up some scaffolding. Starting Monday, a full crew was at the house at 8:30 each day. The workers were professional, courteous and hard-working. They did an incredible job paying close attention to detail, were responsive to our concerns and cleaned up by 5:00 pm every day before leaving. I would hire ACJ Remodeling/Joseph Ashley in an instant for any other work that needed a contractor and I highly recommend him.

Joe said the whole job would be completed before Thanksgiving and it was. I give this example first because he is absolutely trustworthy at his word, which to me is really important. He is the consummate professional and I couldn't be happier with the results. His crew showed up every day at 8 and worked until 6. He checks on them daily and since I work, he called me daily to make sure I was happy with the work. He and his crew went above and beyond to make sure I was completely happy. I have recommended him to family members and they are as pleased with his work as I am. You can never go wrong when you hire ACJ Remodeling. I would never call anyone else !

He came as when said he was going to come. Inspected the roof gave me a honest opinion that the roof didn't need replacing. I was told what the job entailed and how long it would take. The workers came over started replacing the skylight and found out I had a more rot then expected. He called me up and and had to up the price. I honestly understood and was bracing for the hit. He asks for fifty dollars more for the wood, I laughed and let out a big sigh. He even patched a spot on my wall. Fair and honest. Which is what everyone pretty much wants.

We initially contacted Joseph Ashley from ACJ Remodeling Inc. for an estimate for replacing our roof. It was a job that was long overdue on an 80 year old house. Joseph came out a couple of days later and spent a lot of time with us (actually up on the roof!) and thoroughly explained what to expect. His quote was in our range and we felt very good about him, so we signed the contract that same day. He gave us an approximate start date and how long it would take, and true to his word despite 30 degree weather, his crews started and finished when he said they would. Joseph was also on-site on several occasions to monitor the work. The quality is excellent, the skilled crews were hard-working and friendly, and Joseph stayed within the budget! They also cleaned up very well. We highly recommend ACJ Remodeling and were very pleased with the work. We would definitely call him again.

Always make sure you are clear upfront. Work was done as contracted without an issue.

I found ACJ Remodeling on Angies list. Seeing many positve reviews I decided to call them for an estimate to have my mother's roof replaced. Spent a week playing phone tag as ACJ Remodeling apparently does not have anyone answering phones in the office. Finally managed to catch up with Joe. I explained what needed to be done to Joe, one flat roof, one garage roof - regular shingles and two shingled roofs over the porch in front of the house. Explained that this was not storm damage related. I did however want the work done prior to the winter setting in. Asked for an estimate. Joe insisted that I be present for the estimate. Explained to Joe that I traveled on business and lived 65 miles away from my mother. Made no difference, Joe insisted that I be there to make an immediate decision. He wanted no part of doing an estimate unless I was willing to sign on the dotted line immediately. After telling him again that I needed an estimate first, he hung up on me.

I met with Joseph Ashley with ACJ Remodeling and received a free quote for a new roof. I called ACJ Remodeling and left a message. Joseph called me back and we set up an appointment to meet. He was prompt, Joseph from Joseph Ashley came at appointed time showed me his license. He took measurements of the house and was very informative. He told me what he would do based upon what he saw. I needed a new roof and he would take it all off down to the wood and if the wood needed to be replaced he would do it. he was also going to give me free liters and gutters with a complete roof which sounded very good. He sounded very knowledgeable and was attentive to me and his overall price was $22,500. I liked him more because of his confidence in doing the job . As we spoke he mentioned someone that I actually knew from down the block that he did work for. I liked everything about him and he wasn't pushy and what he told me he was able to back up. He told me not to take his word of it and that he would give me names of the people he worked for and that I could go and ask them about his work. I applauded him for that and he says he stands by his work and I believe him I don't recommend a lot of people but I wouldn't hesitate recommending Joseph Ashley. from ACJ Remodeling

He did not use a licensed independent plumber or electrician which resulted in the heating service being completed incorrectly. I now have to have additional work completed to have the work done correctly. My problem is that the contractor hired someone to complete the work that did not have any idea how to complete the work correctly. It has been a tremendous inconvenience and has now caused my ill mother to be very upset. He had promised me that he would try very hard to remove the mold very carefully which ended up causing additional problems because he was not careful. We discussed that he would save and restore everything in the bathroom and he actually threw things out without informing me. I now will have to spend additional money and he does seem to want to cooperate to make sure my needs are met. He expects me to pay half and he keeps changing the plan on how to solve the problems. The whole process has had a lot of communication problems.

The job went great! We couldn't have asked for a better company. We had already dealt with two other companies that were a waste of our time and money. The previous companies we worked with took advantage of my mom because she is elderly and did horrible work. The work ACJ did was needed due to the crappy work done by the previous companies. Thankfully Joseph Ashley turned out to be the right man for the job. He assured us that we would be very pleased with the work his team would do and we most definitely were. He walked us through the details and was always reachable if needed. His team was on time every day and finished the job in less than a week. We are very very very happy with the finished work!! Thanks Joseph for keeping your word. If we ever need any more work done, we will definitely call you first. Keep up the good work!

Joseph from Joseph Ashley came at appointed time showed me his license then estimated the project for my flat roof replacement. He provided an optional material selection, which I choose the upgraded "brilliant white", a written contract at a fair price and later threw in 2 vents at no extra charge!. Joe is very personable, fair and easy to talk to! Eight of his workers arrived at the scheduled date and did a 1st class professional job, were responsive to my concerns and were very courteous and respectful! After the job was complete there was one area of concern several days later. He responded by sending 2 of his best mechanics the next day to recheck entire job and address that concern! It becomes clear to you from the very beginning, customer satisfaction is Joseph's primary concern. I don't recommend a lot of people but I wouldn't hesitate recommending Joseph Ashley.

Overall it was well. The roof for the house had to be replaced entirely, with certain portions of the roof needing wood replaced. It took five to six weeks to get the job started because he was so busy. One the job was started it took five days. The gargage roof needed to be replaced down to the skeleton and even though I expressed this to Mr. Ashley, he did not believe me until he stripped the roof, then there was an additional cost for the wood needed. I was not pleased because I told him to replace the garage roof entirely and give me an estimate for it. So the original estimate did not include the cost of replacing the garge roof entirely. Apart form that incident, the job was well done. The men cleaned up after themselves. The company provided their own dumpster and securley covered it at night. I would recommend this company to any friends and family based on the high quality of work.

Our garage roof which was in desparate need of long overdue repair. The rafters and shingles were rotted and threatening eventual collapse. Joe Ashley of ACJ Remodeling found on Angie's list as top rated in Roofing and remodeling. He turned out to be the right choice. Joe brought his workers and finished the job in two days and the end product was not only a roof repair but an extraorinary facelift to my property. His workers were the most skilled and dilligent guys I have seen in this business. They finished the job in record time and left my property showplace clean. He even checked my home roof and secure some shingles that may have caused a problem during the past stormHis price quote was right and he was good to his word, I look forward to working with him on future home projects and highly recommend his talents. Thanks to Angie's list and Joe Ashley of AJC Remodeling Inc.

On October 25, 2012 I met with Mr. Joseph Santillo (owner of ACJ remodeling Inc.). As soon as he entered my home, he had his license in his hand ready to show me that he is a qualified contractor and takes his work/company/livelyhood VERY seriously. Upon the initial pleasantries, I explained that my roof has been leaking each time it rained. Mr. Santillo decided to go and take a look on my roof to have a better idea on what he may be dealing with (he also checked out the rooms where the leak occurred). Based on his assessment, Mr. Santillo stated that I needed a new roof (the roof have never been replaced, just patched numerous times since the house was purchased over 20 years ago). Mr. Santillo explained the type of products he use, the best products on the market and the techniques he use, he went as far as provided me with newspaper clippings of bad roofing jobs in the surrounding area that caused fire, which could have been avoided if the workers used a different material. I LOVED the fact Mr. Santillo was prepared to answer ALL of my questions, had documentation to back up what he believed, showed me his license, and he was professional as well as personable. We then discussed pricing. I MUST say, Mr. Santillo's price was VERY reasonable based on the type of job needed on my roof. He also added our porch roof to the scope of the task for FREE!! Let me explain- the porch roof was also in bad shape, when it rained, the porch looked like a waterfall! However, due to financial stresses, I did not tell him about the porch cause I knew I did not have enough funds to cover the main house and the porch. Upon exiting my home, Mr. Santillo looked up and saw how bad the roof was and asked if I wanted to get it done as well, I said, "umm, no because I don't have enough funds to cover it, so maybe next time".... Mr. Santillo waved my comment off and said, "I'll throw in the porch for free, don't worry about it, there's a big storm coming (Hurricane Sandy) and it needs to be done! That gesture made me cry on the spot! He did not have to do that!! This shows that Mr. Santillo does not only do this type of work for money, BUT he does it because he cares and actually changes people's lives! Living with any house issue causes stress, especially when funds are minimal!! The entire job took two days to complete, and Mr. Santillo oversaw everything. It has now been a full week since the job was done, and sure enough, Hurricane Sandy made her presence on the East Coast. And, MY ROOF DID NOT LEAK! IT WITHSTAND THE FORCE OF SANDY!!! I would definitely recommend ACJ remodeling inc to anyone and everyone that needs their roof done! They really did a great job! Thanks ACJ Inc!

I called ACJ Remodeling and left a message and Joseph called me back and we set up an appointment to meet. He was prompt, but he didn't take a ladder out. He took measurements of the house and was very informative. He told me what he would do based upon what he saw from the street level. I needed a new roof and he would take it all off down to the wood and if the wood needed to be replaced he would do it. I think that he was going to throw in several new sheets of wood free and was also going to give me free liters and gutters with a complete GAF or ELK five part root system which sounded very good. He sounded very knowledgeable and was attentive to me and his overall price was $18,000. I liked him more because of his confidence in doing the job and making my roof a new roof and being 100% problem free. As we spoke he mentioned someone that I actually knew which was Dr. Manner who I know personally that he did work for. He then asked me to go to his website to see Dr. Manner's house before and after pictures, so I had my computer and went online an saw what he was telling me and that boosted my confidence in him. I liked everything about him and he wasn't pushy and what he told me he was able to back up. He told me not to take his word of it and that he would give me names of the people he worked for and that I could go and ask them about his work. I applauded him for that and he says he stands by his work and I believe him because I saw those before and after pictures and it was impressive. I thought the price was still kind of high so I continued to shop around.

Does it seem odd not just to have survived the difficulties of renovation work but to have actually had an amazing experience? All I've ever heard are war stories from other people - but I guess those folks weren't working with Joseph Ashley. Let me set the scene - a poorly built extension on my brick row house in Carroll Gardens was begging for some serious work after a leaky roof collapsed on my work table. My assistant and I emptied and gutted the entire studio to see how bad everything was and it was clear I needed a brand new roof ? I mean the whole thing had to come off and be rebuilt. An architect friend helped me come up with elegant and supposedly easy plans, but in the end they were just too complex for my budget. I just needed someone who knew what he was doing, and would do it right. Joseph and I came up with a great simple plan, which included a new roof pitched the correct way (instead of peaked towards my neighbors') and a new window on the second floor to accommodate it. I went for a really nice rubber roof, with insul-board underneath, plus two skylights, new wood windows and french doors to the garden. I appreciated the way he broke out his estimate, down to the number of 2x6's, which kept it clear that I was getting a fair price and made sense to the way I do things. (I used to design and art direct sets for TV commercials.) What's truly amazing is how fast and easy it all went. Once we were ready (and I didn't wait long, though he's a busy guy) it took maybe ten days total. Instead of having just a few guys toiling away bit by bit, Joseph brings a big crew of seven or so, and they just get it done ? nice, polite and professional guys, too. In the end there were a couple of extras, as there always are, including a last leak caused by my neighbor's bad stucco. Joseph and his guys made sure it was taken care of before they left, at no extra cost. Honestly, I'm saving now for the next big thing I can do here. I have only the highest praise for Joseph Ashley and his crew, and I can't wait to work with them again.

Unexpected Roof Renovation Well, it was not totally unexpected...The monsoon rain(s) of August caused water penetration under the gutter at the back of the house. Water made its way into the kitchen from an overflowing gutter, and unsealed fascia board and brick. We looked at several contractors. We chose Joseph Ashley Roofing Contractors (DBA: ACJ Remodeling, Inc.) Joseph has been in business for himself since 1984--Italian boy from Staten Island. He has a steady crew of professional workers--no day labor here. He told us his son is also in the business. He's personable and no-nonsense. He made the time to come out and quote personally. As we looked at the job, initially we thought of doing just the gutter. The gutter repair was quoted out at about $1200. To repair the gutter, the roof needed to be cut back and a new fascia installed. OK, so this prompted us to consider re-surfacing the roof. In order to accomplish this properly, the coping stones would need to be replaced, so the roofing membrane material (GAF roll cold-adhesive adhered with a white pebble granular coating) could be extended up under the coping stones, thus giving a complete seal. And, while doing the roof, the skylight should be replaced with a vented one...and a new roof-hatch...all told, $7700. Two days work with a crew of 5-8. The work over the two days (Aug 31 @ 91 degrees and September 1, 2012, at a slightly lower, 89 degrees). I was hanging with the crew on the roof for the duration--8-10 hours a day. The crew arrived on-time, and worked steadlily and methodically throughout the two days. Replaced the old coping stones: The old roof was laid up to the underside of the stones, and not up and under them. This was done back in October 2009. Cheap job done by the former homeowner. Not the way to go. Corrected nicely by Ashley's crew. There would be a re-build of each of the front parapet walls before the new coping stones could be installed. One continuous roll of roofing material is applied to the parapet walls and lapped over the top and over the main roof. The material was applied using a heavy-duty flashing cement, Bulldog brand, and flashing cement and fiberglass mesh was used to seal around roof protrusions. Overall, we could not be more pleased. I'd highly recommend Joseph and his crew.

Joseph Ashley met with my wife and I to discuss all of the work that might be needed. He gave us prices on the new roof which would depend on how bad the old roof was underneath the part that could be seen. His prices were, by far, the most reasonable of the roofers that we got estimates from. He was able to start the job almost immediately and was able to complete it in 2 days because he sent a lot of workers to do the job. The new roof came out beautifully. My wife and I could not have been happier when we saw the final product. If you need a roof repaired or replaced, get some estimates from other companies. Then call ACJ Remodeling. Then you will appreciate the work and prices that they offer. PS read the reviews from other clients. My experience was the rule not the exception.

We could not be more pleased with the high-quality work performed by Joe and his able crew. Built into the side of a steep hill, our house is taller than most and the roof is difficult to access, requiring elaborate scaffolding. Several other contractors refused the job or simply failed to return with an estimate, but Joe didn't even blink. His response to the challenge: "No problem, my guys can do that." Indeed, they could. They were seemingly unfazed by any complication our 100-year-old house threw their way. Dozens of old birds and bees nests were no problem. Cracked, flaking stucco was no problem (they replaced it). When a violent thunderstorm moved in several hours earlier than forecast, the crew scrambled to secure the gaping roof with multiple tarps and not a single drop came through, despite a pouring rain that lasted through the night. No problem! The crew arrived on time each day and made extra efforts to make a messy, noisy job as unobtrusive as possible. They cleaned up beautifully at the end. The single most important thing we learned about Joe over this 7-day project is that he is 100% committed to client satisfaction. He was determined to make sure we were happy with each and every aspect of this project and he and his team went above and beyond to make it so. We have not hesitated to recommend their work to our neighbors and we look forward to bringing them back to restore our porch in the future.

This was the first time I used Angie's List and after reading the reviews about ACJ Remodeling, I decided to call them for an estimate. Within that same day, Joe called and set up an appointment with me. Upon his arrival, we walked around my property and it was a real education for me. He was extremely honest and took the time to answer all of my questions. One of the things that most impressed me was that he was very professional and showed me his licensing upon meeting me. In the past I have had some pretty horrific experiences with contractors. ACJ Remodeling was a breath of fresh air. He worked with me as to the start date, arrived precisely on that day and was true to his completion date. His workers showed up the same time every day and worked a full day. They never left my property. Not only is his work impeccable, but every day they left my property safe and clean. Since I work, I was always able to reach him by phone with any concerns or questions. Upon completion of the job, we walked around together to make sure I was satisfied with everything. I was so pleased with everything from start to finish that I entered into another contract with him to refinish my basement and do some window replacement. Contractors like Joe are rare. He takes pride in his work and he should. My neighbors are still commenting on the beautiful job he did on my house! Moving forward, if I ever need additional work done on my house, there is no question that I would only use ACJ Remodeling.

Everything went very well. They were prompt, professional, and tidy. The roofers left the yard cleaner than they had found it.

This company did a great job. They were very professional and prompt. They also had very good workmanship. I recommend them to others.

Our house needed a complete tear off all the way down to removal of the original cedar shingles, and then installation of plywood sheathing over the entire roof. It's a major job so we searched extensively for a reputable contractor and we interviewed and took estimates from more than a few roofing contractors. Joe Santillo of Joseph Ashley was very knowledgeable and experienced, and spent time answering all of our questions. He did not rush or pressure us, and gave a list of homes in the area which he had worked on. It was looking at his other jobs, and his Angie's list ratings, which led us to select this company. We then were offered a written contract specifying the work to be done and the material used, along with the guarantee papers for the roof before the work was begun. We asked for, and were given, proof of insurance. Joe and his crew made this difficult job go very smoothly. There was usually a crew of 9 workers on the job, which took about a week and a half, with 1 1/2 days lost to rain. These men are professionals, who work very hard and are pleasant to deal with. Not only did they respond to all of our questions, but they were willing to work with us when we made suggestions or asked that something be done in a particular way. Joe came by on a regular basis to monitor the job. The work was done as agreed to in the contract, and very nicely done. In installing the shingles, existing siding on the roof dormers had to be removed and then reinstalled. The crew was careful and reinstalled all the siding so it looked like it had never been touched. They installed flashing and gutters and leaders, as well as aluminum trim as needed, and did so expertly. They even wore new gloves when they worked with white aluminum, and wiped all the aluminum clean when they finished. The crew takes time to make sure that their work looks good cosmetically too. The lines on the roof are straight and the new roof lies flat, with no uneven surfaces. They take pride in their work, and it definitely shows. The job created a lot of debris, but the crew cleaned up every day. We had rain on 2 days, but no leaks as the contractor worked only in sections which could be completed each day, and covered the roof with tarps. They installed flashing around the chimney, as agreed to in the contract, but then threw in an application of ThoroSeal, so that it was sealed and looked as new as the rest of the roof. A nice touch. This is the kind of attention to detail and pride in their work which this contractor puts into their work. Highly, highly recommended.

They were excellent. They did such a good job that I hired them to do the second phase of my home improvement. They came in and knocked the job out. It was beautiful. Joe Ashley talked with me and kept me impressed. He made me feel comfortable. There are no words to describe Joe Ashley. They were done on time. He even gave me some pointers on some other things. I was so impressed with the job, that I gave him another phase of the work to do. It was great. I checked out three or four of his other jobs. When I checked with the people, they had nothing but high praises. I hired him to do the job on the spot and never regretted it. I know that he does roofing and siding. He put his crew on my house and went to a wedding. He was gone for several days. Those guys that he hired, didn't miss a beat. He called me from the Dominican Republic to make sure I was satisfied and everything was alright. You don't get better than that. I call him the Leonardo DiVinci of vinyl siding. His professional, effectiveness, and ability to do the job is second to none. I would say that he isn't the cheapest and not the most expensive. He will work with you if you have issues. He tries to give you as much play as he can so he can make a buck and you will be satisfied. He is always in communication with you. He checks the job and makes sure it's done properly. I have seen him change things that his standards would not accept. He treats you like family. He makes you feel like he is doing his best.