Brainard's Woodworking For Your Home

Derek had a lot of good ideas and laid multiple options at the first meeting. After two days, he came back with very detailed plans and an estimate. His plans included such details as how he was going to find a paint to match our current cabinet color and how he was going to look for proper paints to save on the installation time. Project went very smoothly as planned and the result was outstanding. We were extremely happy with the way it turned out. Actually, it turned out much better than we expected. The support built was very rigid and strong, and the decorative finish was just beautiful! Painting and the trim works were done so carefully to match the rest of the cabinetry. We are enjoying the work done by Derek every day!!!!

Derek is very responsive. He is very professional and does a super job. His quote was approximately 20% higher than the other two we received, but he has done work for us in the past and we have always been very happy with his craftmanship. For that reason we chose to accept his quote.

When we moved into this 1920's home, our children chose the third floor as there bedroom. The room is fairly large, but the ceiling is pitched and there were no closets. Derek installed a very useful, attractive closet. During the build, he found at a local supplier a beautiful 6-panel door that was a return and was being sold at a discounted price. He bought it and installed it at the same price he quoted for the standard door. This really added to the look of the closet and didn't cost me extra! Derek was very easy to work with and offered ideas and suggestions that were helpful in planning the look of the closet. Most important to me was that he is very trustworthy. I had no problem allowing him to work in our home when we weren't present.

Although we are not ready to proceed with the work, we were impressed with Derek's professionalism and will have him do the project when we are ready to proceed.

We wanted a special design on the stool top. He not only did what we asked, he made it even better. He also suggested that instead of painting the stools complete, to stain the top to coordinate the other pieces in our hallway. They also coordinate the bookcase that he made to go between them.

As mentioned elsewhere in these reviews, Derrick is a true craftsman whose product speaks for itself. My wife and I are extremely happy with his work, and will hire him again. Please see the photos for a glimpse of the quality he delivers.

We were particularly concerned because the work area was a stained, full wall, custom built bookshelf and desk work area. Derek's work was exceptional. He matched the stain perfectly and the completed product looks as if it was included in the original work. He was very creative in suggesting alternatives to achieve the look we desired including development of aesthetically pleasing access panels to the plugs and cords. His work was very clean and he was very deliberate with his measurements and cuts to be certain no mistakes occurred. At the beginning we informed Derek we were flexible as to time but he still provided a reasonable work schedule which he met. We received frequent calls updating us as to his progress and clearing up any questions which arose. After completing the project (and receiving payment) Derek called back with a suggestion as to changes which could be made to make the finished product look even better. He offered to complete the changes at no charge. Derek is a true professional with exceptional skills and customer orientation.

He was punctual, polite and careful to get our opinions as to how we wanted things done. It was pleasant to work with him.

Derek came to our house and took measurements of the work to be done, provided advice on the work, took a sample of scrap wood to match the stain, and later mailed an estimate. After notifying Derek that we had selected him for the job, he was back in two weeks with the wood stained and finished and mostly pre-cut. The indoor trim was completed the first day, but due to rain, he needed to come back another day to completed the outdoor work. While completing the outdoor work, further damage was noted and Derek promptly determined a solution and repaired the damage. All work was completed with great care and we are very satisfied Derek's work. Derek called several weeks after completion of the work to see if we were satisfied.

Derek did a superb job! I love the finished project. He is very precise with measurements as is required in this type of work. You can't go wrong with having Derek do the job.

He took the stand the day he came to give the estimate and had the stand back within a week.

He did a fantastic job and I am very happy with the results, the shelves are exactly what I was looking for. Not only was he extremely professional and everything was done in the time frame needed, but he was also very friendly and was always checking in with updates. I would definitely hire him again if any other projects needed to be done for our house.

I found Derek to be very pleasant to work with. He was very detailed in his measurements and came back a second time to make sure the measurements were correct. Derek checked in several times during the project to let me know how things were going. When he delivered the cabinets, they were exactly what I was looking for. Derek did a wonderful job on our built-ins and they've added a lot to the room.

We were very pleased with the project. Derrick came to our home and spent time discussing our likes and dislikes. We agreed on a plan and Derrick constructed and stained the mantelpiece off-site. He provided samples of stain options and spent a good deal of time getting the finish to match just right with our other cabinetry in the room. He returned to do the installation. The project was completed in a timely manner, was affordable and we are very pleased with the finished product. Would most definitely call Derrick again for future projects!

He showed up when he said he would, was very attentive, and made more than one trip to make sure the job was done right. He is also very neat and tidy.

The owner, Derrick, is just wonderful to work with. He is very responsive and I am very pleased with the work. The price was very reasonable too.

We had a great experience. The work was performed in a timely fashion, and the end result is beautiful. It matches the pre-existing bookshelves so well that it looks like one unit (he went and got the same brand of stain as the previous units). He attached the three together to improve the safety of the bookcases.

He was very prompt with returning calls and arriving on time. As he worked he calls to fill you in on the process, and gives an accurate account of his work. He is very easy going and great to work with. I would definitely use him again. He really did a wonderful job, he was very particular about his work.

Our experience with Derek was great. He was professional, on-time and very respectful of our home. He gave us an estimate and then went above and beyond the promised work, making minor repairs to our patio door at no cost and pointing out additional areas of concern (more rotten wood) that we had missed. Derek was a joy to work with and we will definitely call him the next time we need a carpenter.

Job 1: Job 2: He was on time, kept his appointments and stayed on the job until it was completed. He was not able to come one day, which is nothing. Most of all, he was very thoughtful and caring about doing quality work. He was a perfectionist and at the same time recommended ways to cut cost. He has a photo album of other work he has completed for individuals as well as for a museum. He has worked for me earlier this month on another project and I will definitely use him to build my family room cabinet unit.

Very much a perfectionist. He goes the extra mile to do exactly what you want. He thinks things through before doing everything to make sure that it will work well. He uses his ingenuity.

I have never been this pleased w/ a project from start to finish. The result is absolutely amazing! Derek was prompt, considerate, courteous and his attention to detail was incredible. The end result was absolutely beautiful. He is an incredible craftsman. I would very strongly recommend him for any sort of wood work!

We were very pleased with Derek and the way he arrived when he said he would and completed the work in the time he thought it would take. I will definitely have him back to either do repairs or possibly do some custom wood work in our house.

I called Derek Brainard after consulting Angie's List for someone with carpentry and woodworking skills. I'm glad I did. Derek's work is first rate. Derek made several suggestions about different ways to accomplish what we needed done. After settling on a solution, Derek gave us a price quote and we scheduled the work. He called the evening before the work was to be done to make sure everything was ready for the next day. Derek arrived on time and the job was completed in the time he had estimated. The quality of his work is excellent. Our base cabinets are now installed much better than they were originally. Derek meticulously shimmed and checked the cabinets for level and top flatness. The repairs he made were equally good. I plan to call Derek again for trim work later in the project.

I was told by a professional installer of plasma's that the TV wouldn't fit. Derek worked around the issue and made it work. This saved us hundreds of dollars and the effort of trying to return the TV. Derek was fast, courteous and most importantly got the job done in a timely manner.