Girsh Development Inc

Before we decided to hire Girsh to build our home, Len brought us to meet a former client. At the door, the homeowner gushed at the sight of Len and then hugged him on the way in. I whispered to my wife, "Never mind a hug, if we are even speaking to this guy after he builds our home it will be a home run." Well, I guess it was a grand slam because now we gush when we get to see Len or Mark. They got our home done on budget and on time. More importantly, when the inevitable (minor) problems arose, they handled them with professionalism, frankness and honesty. We were lucky enough to have Girsh back to do an extensive build-out of our basement (although I don't know if they would still do a small job like that now). Even though their business has grown, Mark and Len always take the time to return my phone calls to this day, should I have a question about maintenance or repair of our home.

GETTING STARTED I am a designer and had very particular interest in being involved in the details of the building process, along with our architects' input. Girsh Development was attractive to us because it is a small company with personal service. A son and father team made it an interesting experience. Mark Girsh who runs the company from a business perspective, handled the estimating and contracting details with us. This was a comprehensive process that included review of our plans, the land, the engineering information on our land and the options and variables with the building materials. Our architect had provided custom plans with certain details or perimeters within which to work. Mark was diligent and thorough in making a bid that allowed us to manage the budget and fulfill on our desires for finishes. CONSTRUCTION The construction process was relatively smooth and timely, with exception of one unforseen land issue that required some remediation. The quality of materials and workmanship is very good. We never felt there were any corners cut. In fact, in many situations some added value was included as standard practice for the company. A couple of examples of added value were insulating some extra spaces and using upgraded damp location drywall throughout our entire lower level. Also, our master bath shower and laundry room floors were done as wet bed tile installations. They included fiberglass spray prep done on the sub-floor and lower walls to ensure no water leaks would ever be an issue. The construction timeline moved along well and as planned for our 8-9 month window. As mentioned earlier, there was a one-time setback due to some land remediation impacting our foundation work. This was nothing to due with Girsh Development since our land and engineering was all part of the lot purchase we did on our own. When this issue was discovered going into winter months, we had to break and make sure we had the correct plan for properly managing the wet ground and high water table conditions. Mark and Lenard were very helpful to work through this process with us and the site engineers. They were extremely generous in making the corrective actions cost as little as possible. I mention this issue, since building a custom home on virgin ground can lead to unexpected issues. And, we managed to get through it without bankrupting our project. We had the the partnership of our builder to get us through it. The quality of construction is really very good. We never saw corners cut and when there were places to evaluate we did it as a team and never felt we were not part of the process. Working with a builder is like a relationship, and being able to communicate and work together is very important. Some people may not have the time or interest to be directly involved like we were. In that case I would have no issue to trust Girsh to make sound decisions. In our case we approached things together and it was rewarding. Lenard, the senior of the two, was on site most every day managing the build details and the subcontractor trades. He is quite knowledgable about the trades and obviously has seen most everything over his years of work in this business. He was quick to address any issues and was right on top of the trades to get their work done. We also had the chance to weigh in on the major trades and subs equipment such as HVAC, electrical and plumbing. There are many deltas to building a quality house and we always thought Girsh Development was considering our best interest for the budget. COMPLETION The final stages of the project are always where the details matter. Taking the time to do the finish work and get flooring, painting, cabinets, etc. done right takes time. Our experience was getting it all together on time, but not rushing too be certain it was done right. We did many walk throughs and reviews. Items that needed to be addressed were handled. After moving in we had the usual punch list of items. Mark was willing to send the trades back as needed over the first year to make sure everything was taken care of. OVERALL EXPERIENCE Our experience was as if Girsh was building our house to be their own. There are always bumps and real time decisions to make when building a house. We felt we had a solid relationship to make good decisions and result in a favorable outcome. Additionally, our house is a modern style, so we required attention to detail that is not always typical in our region. I would certainly recommend Gish Development for building a custom or semi-custom home. We are 4 years living in our home and still stay in touch with Mark. He checks in and asks how things are going. He even helped us with a couple of warranty items that were no longer his responsibility. It's very apparent that Mark and Lenard Girsh care about each of their clients and the houses they build for them.

We decided to work with Girsh Development because of they spent the time and effort understanding our project and what we were trying to achieve. We were tearing down a 1950 split level and had designs ready for a contemporary house. What set Girsh Development apart from other construction companies was their ability to come up with ideas to further improve upon the design we had while also suggesting cost effective alternatives to help with overall budget targets without sacrificing overall design concepts. Mark Girsh was very responsive throughout the project and talked us through what to expect upfront with a tentative timeline. During the construction he communicated with us regularly keeping us updated on the progress and getting our feedback. The quality of work done by Girsh Development has been excellent. Even after the construction was completed, they continue to remain responsive and address any questions and concerns we have. They have gone beyond the call of duty to ensure we have the house we had dreamed of!