ELLIS KITCHEN & BATH STUDIO

What an incredibly negative and strange experience. We began conversations with Dave Norton about some minor remodelling to our kitchen. Things started off well, we met several times and initial plans and a topside estimate for the job were provided. Even at this early stage we found him unresponsive. It took a week or so to get a call back. The first real issue we had concerned the subsequent estimate we received which was 40% higher than the original estimate. Despite this we were willing to proceed and work on the costs by trimming back our plans. Dave agreed to revisit the costs....and then disapeered. My husband and I emailed and called him and the office staff innumerable times (probaly 15-20 total). We never received the courtesy of a phone call or email from Ellis. If our job was too small (~$40K), I wish he had just old us. Instead he wasted 4 months of our time and energy. Frankly, I think that is a disgraceful way to do business. One word descrbes Ellis to us....APPALLING.

The company advertises that they can work within a customers budget so we took that literally and told Dave Norton how much we wanted to spend. He said it would be tough, but not impossible. He seemed like a nice guy who knew kitchens. The rough draft of a plan was fine, but the proposal he came back with was twice as much as we planned to spend. Their references checked out, but we couldn't work with someone who blatantly ignored our budget. He didn't offer alternatives as to how to cut the cost. We are hiring another carpenter/contractor and purchasing the cabinets through Home Depot.

This was the worst experience that we have ever had with a remodeling company. Kevin our designer did not keep notes of our conversations, and I had to repeatedly remind him of what we talked about, and what needed to be done. The job was to have taken 6 weeks, but ended up taking 4 months to the day! There were repeated mistakes with items that were ordered. Cabinets were incorrect, and wrong finishes on the mirrors. The tile installers cut the slate tile in the bedroom, dust blanketed the entire house, including rooms with doors closed, and inside drawers. The shower door was installed incorrectly, and we had to convince Ellis that it was wrong. The electrician and plumber repeatedly did not show up when scheduled. We love the finished bathroom, but the experience with Ellis was miserable.

THE CARPENTRY AND INSTALLATION WORK WAS VERY HIGH QUALITY, THEY CLEANED UP EVERYTHING AND IT WAS DONE TIMELY. WE CHANGED THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT FROM THE ESTIMATE AND ELIMINATED A NUMBER OF ITEMS ON THE LIST OF ITEMS IN THE ESTIMATE. I WORKED WITH A LADY IN THE OFFICE WHO WOULD NOT PROVIDE A REDUCTION IN THE ESTIMATED PRICE DURING THE PROJECT. NOW THAT THE PROJECT HAS BEEN COMPLETED SHE WROTE ME A LETTER INFORMING ME THAT BY SOME MIRACLE THE ESTIMATE WAS RIGHT ON EVEN THOUGH WE CHANGED THE SCOPE. WE ELIMINATED DRYWALL WORK AND ADDED TAKING 10 ROWS OF TILE OFF THE BACK SPLASH. I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THEIR UNWILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH THEIR CUSTOMER. I WILL NOT USE THEM FOR THE REST OF MY KITCHEN REMODEL.

WE WERE VERY PLEASED WITH OUR EXPERIENCE WITH ELLIS. KEVIN, OUR DESIGNER DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF DESIGNING AND HELPING US DECIDE WHAT CABINETS, TILE, ETC. WE WANTED. THE QUALITY OF THE WORK WAS FIRST CLASS. STEVE WHO DID A LOT OF THE WORK AND OVERSAW THE PROJECT DID AN OUTSTANDING JOB. WE WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND ELLIS.

THEY WERE VERY GOOD AT HELPING IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS. THEY HAVE A VERY GOOD SHOWROOM. THE WORKERS WERE EXCELLENT AND VERY PROFESSIONAL. I AM VERY HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS.

REPRESENTATIVE ON THE PHONE SEEMED PROFESSIONAL AND INTERESTED, BUT NO ONE SHOWED UP TO DO THE ESTIMATE. DON'T KNOW WHY THEY BLEW US OFF. JOB TOO SMALL?

THE STAFF IN THE OFFICE, CATHY AND SHANNON, WERE EXCELLENT IN RESPONDING TO OUR NEEDS AND QUESTIONS - AND FINDING SOLUTIONS TO WORK AROUND THE UNIQUE ODDITIES OF OUR OLD HOME. STEVE, THE MAN WHO DID THE WORK IS AN EXCELLENT CRAFTSMAN! WE WERE THRILLED WITH THE LEVEL OF SERVICE AND THE QUALITY OF THE FINISHED PRODUCT THAT ELLLIS PROVIDED!

I FEEL THAT THE COMPANY REP BELIEVED THIS JOB TO BE TOO SMALL, AND NEVER CALLED BACK AS PROMISED WITH AN ESTIMATE EVEN TO INSTALL NEW COUNTERTOPS.

EXCELLENT COMPANY - EXCELLENT DESIGNERS