Utmost Renovations

Utmost did an excellent job and were very reliable and professional. I would hire them again for any masonry repair.

Went well. In time frame outlined. Higher priced then other offering, but was more knowledgeable of work being performed.

The work went well, It took a number of days to complete. We originally had some scheduling problems as we weren't available at times, and Mark, Huffer, the owner, was often busy with several work crews and didn't answer our emails or phone messages right away. We eventually got the work scheduled and properly done. Seth, the stucco person, was very nice, personable and did excellent work. He explained everything and was very responsive. Van, who did the chimney repairs, was also very nice and explained everything. Seth and his helper also discovered a clog in the gutter over our family room and repaired the problem. He made recommendations for future work on our gutters.

The team at Utmost was responsive and very in-depth with the quote and work. I liked they gave me options on the repair to upgrade or refinish certain features. I would use them again.

Mark was very responsive and came out to the house promptly to review the conditions and discuss the issues he observed and plan for repair. A proposal was submitted the same week. The repair was able to start ahead of when it was initially anticipated and all the crew and superintendent were professional throughout. Mark was prompt in all his responses and we'd highly recommend his services.

Very well, chimneys look like new, the workers made on us a very good impression.

Was very pleased with their work as well as their prompt response to my requests. They did it well and I would use them again as well as recommend them to others.

Excellent workmanship and attention to detail. The workers kept me informed throughout the repair project. They did the entire exterior chimney and was not just a repair job, rather it was a restoration.

Van and his crew did a great job! The brick on our ranch style home had a lot of spalling due to age and the softness of our particular bricks. Mark recommended that we repair the bricks rather than replace them. This was definitely the right advice. His guys did top quality work blending the repaired bricks with the existing masonry. We also wanted to accent our chimney so they recommended painting it with a Sherwin Williams masonry paint. It turned out beautifully. I think my wife nearly cried tears of joy when she saw the results. They cleaned up well when the job was done and gave me advice on what to do to keep our bricks looking great for years to come. We couldn't be happier with the end result!

Over the last 8 years I have had business transactions with many contractors in my personal and professional life. In my experience, nothing is ever perfect when work is being done and something usually goes wrong. I have found that the best businesses are the ones that own up to the issue, apologize and correct the problem. I understand that as a customer I many not be right, but my questions should be taken seriously and responded to with respect. Unfortunately, my experience with Mark Huffer, the president and owner of Utmost was the exact opposite. Below is the contract and issues that transpired. CONTRACT: SCOPE: Clean all steps/landings on the front and back of the house (4 ct. total), remove all loose, spalled, broken, and/or larger cracked (does not include fissures and/or hairline cracks as agreed unless the brick is truly cracked all the way thru, etc.) bricks and replace the broken ones (this doto match existing and relay all of them in new type S mortar (harder, laying mortar) color, spot-tuckpoint all open, loose, missing, very bad mismatched color/finish of previous repointing of joints, cracked, and/or crumbled mortar joints via grinding out to a min. depth of 1/2" to 3/4" and repoint using a type n mortar (softer, repair mortar) with mortars to match the finish of existing joints very closely (we will do samples for your approval), reset the loose handrails and final clean new mortar. We will warranty our labor and materials for one year (it is flat work). Terms are a third down and balance on completion. My initial experience with Mark was easy and professional. His pricing (even after our negotiated price) was higher than all my other bids but I wanted a highly qualified mason to do my steps. The work began July 9th and on July 16th I was told most items were done however they still waiting for replacement bullnose bricks. July 19 - Mr. Huffer's son is inspecting the job site. I point out several areas that still have cracks and crumbling mortar. This includied the horizontal joints next to the risers. July 22 - I am told by Mr. Huffer's son: 1. The mason could not finish my project as he was called out to work on another job so he would be finishing the project. 2. They would like to repair the horizontal joints closest to the risers of each step with Caulking. 3. They were unable to find the matching bullnose bricks so they were going to use bricks without a bullnose edge. 4. Mr Huffer's son removes and resets the right handrail to our front porch. I was concerned as "caulking" was not part of the contract. It was never discussed and it just did not seem like a permanent fix compared to repointing. I researched online and I was unable to find one proponent who recommends this solution. Next, I contact a mason and he list numerous reasons why the joints should be completed as outlined in our contract. My husband and I agree that we should stick with what was described in the original agreement. This evening we notice that Mr. Huffer's son damaged the base of the front porch handrail. Please note that the base looks like it was rusted and would have broken eventually so I do not hold them accountable for this. However, they reset the entire handrail without notifying us that the base has a large, extremely noticeable hole in it. We will need to rip out all the work that was just completed to replace this piece. It just does not make any sense why this was not brought to our attention. I inform Mr. Huffer. July 24: I realize Mr. Huffer's son and crew put mortar on all the riser joints without removing the old mortar. The new mortar covered more than 1/3 of the brick in some areas. Mr. Huffer's response : "the joints in question are too narrow to fully grind out at an angle without potentially cutting into the bricks and no one wants that. The loose mortar was removed and I know how it was pointed back so I think it will last and it’s is under warranty. This type of joint is not flat and another reason why I also recommended caulking it. It looks fine as well. If you want us to attempt to grind it and we cut bricks and have to replace any bricks as a result it will be an extra and the bricks themselves are not cheap." Jul 24, 2019 - my emai to Mr. Huffer: Can you tell me: 1. Will the appearance of the riser joints change. These currently are wider and look worse then the original "patch job". Mortar extends to over 1/3 of the brick. 2. Is this the gold standard for repointing riser joints? (I.e. Not removing old mortar and just placing new on top?) 3. Are the risers and sides of the staircase included in the estimate? 4. Would you be happy with this job if it were your home? Mr Huffer's response: 1) when we clean them, yes, they will get a little smaller the way we brushed them etc. and 2) the new mortar will come off of the brick. Again, should be a convex joint so water sheds off and doesn’t lay there and or have been caulked (BUT WHAT DO I KNOW?!🤪) 2) This is close to the other joints as far as looks and pointing techniques and it is even acceptable on historic projects with architects etc so I KNOW IT"S GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOUR RESIDENTIAL REPAIR AND ANY JUDGE IN THE LAND ETC 3) yes, they are included and we will do a little more spot pointing that was missed but why was this not addressed before now— you’ve had plenty of time to review the work, etc and have we not continued to show you and ask you if things look good, etc every time we see you? It is what it is but let’s MAKE **** CERTAIN IF THERE"S ANYTHING ELSE, YOU PUT IT IN WRITING and even show and give it to my masons next time they are there. ***I had reviewed these items with his son on July 19th. 4) yes, it’s more than acceptable and I’d be happy. I have to say at the risk of being a little too frank but I guess you don’t believe the local experts—us—you hired for a reason and rather rely on doing on line research which is a joke, quite frankly. This is very frustrating. Thus, if you are not happy with the few newer joints once we clean them, it might come down to where I can just give you a small discount and you do the work and finish it yourself or use another mason. HONESTLY, I HAVE TO SAY THAT I'VE RARELY HAD A HOME OWNER, EVEN IN "NEW ALBANY" BE THIS WAY.... There are several other emails from Mr. Huffer but I think this one gets the point across. The only expectation I had of Mr Huffer and Utmost was that the work be done per our contractual agreement. I had made no other requests. On three separate occasions he claimed that the handrails were not included in the contract when they clearly were. He claims the handrail in the back is not under any warranty as he chose to epoxy it instead of resetting it. (another breach in contract). He did not repair any of the horizontal joints near the risers per the contract specs. He wanted to charge me for bricks if he damaged them. There is nothing about this in the contract. I am not sure if his way of doing things with caulking or new mortar on top of old are his standard practices but I can tell you other local masons consider this as unacceptable. Obviously, I would not recommend Utmost because of how unprofessional and reactionary Mr. Huffer is. To be honest, I am pleased with the quality of work done by the first mason. Unfortunately, I can not say the same for Mr. Huffer's son or his crew. The quality of the work is night and day.

Everything went well. I found Mark Huffer personable and easy to work with and his crew was friendly. He was prompt with communications, worked around our schedule and the finished project looks good. Price was much better than other bids.

excellent experience. fast, efficient work. fair priced. will definitely hire again if/when needed.

They were very professional and efficient. Mark came for an estimate soon after I contacted Utmost. Their price was reasonable and with the great quality work and the efficiency I would say it totally worth every penny we spent. After you paid the down payment, Bruce and his subcontractors will come to fix the house. They were very friendly, professional and always clean after themselves. At the end of the job, we did the final walk through with Bruce. We addressed some minor issues and Bruce was able to fix them right away. Overall, it was a great experience with Utmost renovation.

Originally, they sealed the flashing that was installed by the roofer. I still had two leaks that they found later doing a water test. They concluded that the only way to stop it completely was to re-flash the entire chimney and reseal the entire thing. Since then we had had some very bad storms. The inside of our house and fireplace is now completely dry! Their workers are not only very knowledgeable but also very conscientious and through. I would recommend these folks to anyone needing stone/masonry repair work of any kind.

For the most part, it went smoothly. Some unforeseen issues added to price but was worth it for “one stop shopping” to get the job completed. Looks BETTER than the original chimney

Excellent work was done timely. Attention to detail and willingness to make the extra effort to do the job right. I would definitely hire them again.

I had to repair cracks in the stucco for a relocation company. The company was extremely difficult. All cracks had to be repaired and the repaired stucco need to be painted with similar color. Mark was very responsive to all of my requests. He understood the urgency and importance of having the repairs done correctly for inspection and the quick sale of my home. He also had a good sense of humor which brought levity to a stressful situation for me. His team did a great job - all very professional and approachable. The repairs passed inspection the first time, without additional work. I would hire them again and recommend them to anyone in need of masonry.

The project went well. Mark and his crew were responsive and answered any/all questions. They did a great job, high quality and got it completed in a reasonable time frame.

Their bid was a little higher than other masons, but their Angie’s List reviews were stellar. They tuck pointed our chimneys (both of them), repaired the caps, and rebuilt the arches on our side porch. Their mason and his assistant were incredibly thorough and honest, and very communicative of what they were doing, even taking photos as the process proceeded and showing me (since I’m not on the roof 8-). They found an additional problem with our chimney bracing, and repaired it within the current estimate. They worked really hard to match the materials to the original color and texture, which was very important to us. The estimator came when he said he would, and the boss was communicative throughout. I’m very pleased with the company.

We had two chimneys leaking and had, what we thought was a repair, completed from another company. This actually worsened the problem. We then had Mark Huffer with Utmost Renovations out to assess the issue. He gave us a quote which beat the competition. He was readily available by phone and actually personally returned to answer further questions. He also offered a warranty on the work, which no other company was willing to do. He was professional and cared a great deal about the quality of his work. He thankfully fixed our chimney issues. Would highly recommend Utmost Renovations!

Work was done really well and communication was fantastic.

Their performance was very good. However, they did not keep in communicating with me what day/time or even ringing our door bell. I provided the manager my text number but he or his crew did not use it for communication. I had to go after them. I hope they will improve next time.

Mark and his crew were awesome. Everyone was super professional and personable. We are already looking forward to working with them again next year when we have our front porch re-done.

The Three Chimneys were in bad shape. Tuckpointing had been done approximately 10 years earlier, but the individuals we hired did an unsatisfactory job. This time we decided to hire Masons to work on our brick Chimneys rather than a Chimney Company. The chimneys now appear more stable, back to their condition when the house was built in 1976. Mike, the Master Mason who worked on our project, did an excellent job tending to details and performing true restoration work on our Colonial Williamsburg reproduction. We are very pleased with the way the Chimneys look and are hopeful they will stand the test of time. This was a two week project. But, we were more interested in the job being done correctly. For we did not want to have to redo it again in several years due to hastiness. They moved our patio table and flower pots out of the way, before beginning work. And once the project was done, they cleaned up the loose brick and mortar that had fallen to the ground while they were working. We plan to hire them for additional work needed around our property. The owner, Mike Huffer, was easy for me to communicate with. The Master Mason Mike, was a pleasure to talk with and I always felt he was performing his craft to a superb artistry level.

We engaged Utmost in the winter to get an estimate for repair work on our chimney. Mark was responsive and came out quickly to provide a QUOTE. He gave us a quote, and when we told him we wanted a multiflue chimney cap he said it would cost extra and had to do measurements but he would do that before the job got started and give us a sense of the additional cost. His quote said it would repair and replace all spalled bricks. He started his job with a subcontractor (something he didn't mention during any part of the initial process), and said he didn't get around to measuring for the cap until on the job so he didn't know what it would cost. Obviously, our preference would have been to know ahead of time. After his crew started work, I got several calls and emails from Mark that said the chimney had pieces falling out and that I shouldn't worry and that "he'd be kind to me". Since he bid the job as a fixed price (we had people quote hourly), I asked what he meant by that and said he would have to charge me more. When I asked how much - since he was being ambiguous, he said $1,000 more, and when I pointed out that he quoted me a fixed price job, he said he quit the job if we didn't pay him more and that he was being more than fair. The additional cost did include the chimney cap, so I figured all would OK. The next day, he emailed me saying that the cap would cost $700 (apparently he didn't figure the cost of that when he was threatening to quit the job) and that I should be "singing his praises" and that, and this is an exact quote "it's a good thing I'm loaded". Well, that cap came two weeks after he started the job - don't worry he left his scaffolding up the entire time, and it was the wrong size. So it took another week for him to install and finish the job. I know you will say there are two sides to every story, and far be it from me to tell you how to run your business, but since you felt the need to be a jerk about it, let me give you a few tips from the consumers' perspective on how you should run your business. 1. if you say you are going to do something prior to a job starts, you should do it. Waiting 3 weeks to have a chimney cap installed after the rest of the job was complete when we had paid our deposit a month before resolves both the issue of customer waiting on a 99% complete job AND the surprise on the actual cost of the upgrade. I would have gladly cut you a check for the cost of the cap if i knew what it would have cost at first. Oh, and it helps you get paid faster too. 2. Learn the difference between a quote and an estimate. When you emailed the scope of your work, it literally says "this quote is good for 30 days". Legally, you weren't even allowed to do what you did, but I let you do it anyway. Maybe you should be singing my praises...but I'd settle for you adding something to your ESTIMATE saying that actual circumstances may necessitate a change in scope and additional charges will be applicable at a daily rate of $1,640/day. 3. It's not becoming to brag to your customers about your wealth, homes and cars, especially when you aren't even working the job yourself, and even if you were being ironic or sarcastic. You may want to let people know that you use third parties to do the work for you from time to time - or maybe all the time. Lastly, and since I know you will say you didn't make any money on my job and that you bent over backwards. That is your fault, not mine. You gave me a firm quote, not an estimate. Just because you didn't foresee the issues that arose, doesn't mean you get to upcharge. Just like the customer doesn't get refunded if it takes you less time to complete a job than you expect. You didn't measure beforehand and when you proposed $1000 additional that afternoon, you still somehow didn't know the cost of the cap until the day after. The work you guys did was fine, and absent how you handled your business, I would have hired you again.