IMPROVE AMERICA INC

The toilet had been leaking into the sub-flooring which had rotted the floor. Improve America completely replaced all the sub-flooring, the bathroom flooring, and installed the new tile floor. They extracted the existing bathroom cabinet that was originally custom designed around the tile wall (very difficult to remove), and replaced the vanity with perfection. Installed the new toilet, brand new granite top and faucet including plumbing and hardware.

Improve America met with us over a six month period before the remodel began 2/1/2015. As part of the pre-planning stage, Mel Madaris contacted the cabinetry subcontractor and the tiling subcontractor to meet with us so they could see our vision and assist us with our choices and certain items that we had not yet considered. Financially, we were able to make sound decisions as to what expenses we were ready to take for the best quality of materials and craftsmanship.This was needed on our part to plan financially as well as time to choose flooring materials, cabinetry, backsplash and counters, sinks, appliances, and other items. Just as the subfloors were exposed, we had several snows which tend to shut down the south. There was about one-week delay, before everything began flowing together again. Mel Madaris, the contractor, was present several times a week and/or called to update us concerning the project?s progress as well as our level of satisfaction. During one visit, we expressed our concern that the painting was substandard. He had the painters redo the work twice. After that he replaced the original painter with a superb painter that competed the painting and the finishing of all the millwork and stairs. This was our only glitch during the project. We were appreciative of the way Improve America was responsive to our concerns and remedied the difficulty with diplomacy. All promises and contractual agreements were kept. All the subcontracting crews worked well together. The project clean-up was efficient and well done. Over the previous ten years, Improve America has remodeled two three-quarter baths with major shower/plumbing difficulties and the master bath had a major reconstruction. (The total expenditure of the three baths was approximately $30,000.) The consistency of subcontracting with workmen who demonstrated excellent craftsmanship in their particular area laid the base for our selecting Improve America for our major house renovation. A few subcontractors, who had previously had worked on our baths, were employed to work on the large renovation. They invited other workers and subcontractors who were new to our home to see our master bath. These workers were very proud to share the finished product with their fellow construction friends. To remodel our forty plus year-old home, we have sacrificially saved over the years so we would not place ourselves in debt. Therefore, procuring a contractor to take our ideas and assisting us to make the best use of our resources in making those ideas become our reality takes a lot of trust. Trust takes time. With each project that we have enlisted Improve America to partner with us, the experience has deepened the layers of trust that we feel that we can recommend them to anyone. Once we have the finances in place, there is one more project; which includes replacing the subflooring to add hardwood in two bedrooms and two closet/storage reconfigurations in those rooms. Hopefully, in the next year, we will once again be calling upon the services of Improve America.

Ended up beautifully. It took about 2 months as Mel used quality trades and it was a busy time of year. It started in May with the demolition of a wall and removing all the fixtures. Then the subfloor and framing was done. New plumbing was added along with electrical. It went from a 6x14 to a 24x14 bathroom with a soaking tub, steam shower, double vanity, separate toilet room and a 5x5 storage closet. We had to wait on some of the trades to work us into their schedule but it was worth it. What we love about Mel is that he has integrity and sticks to his quote unless we add something new. He also covered some small mishaps done by the workers and made sure everything was done to our satisfaction. We have used him in the past and will use him in the future if needed.

1. We were not sure what we wanted to do to our porch - screened in is what we initially thought. However, Improve America suggested putting windows along with the screens all around with a sliding glass door and screen. They did a very good job and we are thoroughly enjoying it. 2. Again, we knew we needed another bathroom that would include room for a washer and dryer and a guest bedroom. Improve America designed the perfect bathroom and bedroom with the area and cost that we had available. All workers were very professional. That is what was done in May and June of 2013. 3. Improve America not only installed two new doors leading to the outside but went with us to help select them. They also helped select a new bathtub. All installation was done very professionally. The painting done after the tub installation was excellent. The color in the bathroom was one we wanted to keep but was hard to match. The painter matched it perfectly and it did not cost nearly as much as it would have if the paint could not have been matched.

Project went great. Mel started on schedule and had a great carpenter building the deck. He used great materials and had great attention to detail. Any concerns I had through the process were addressed and fixed immediately. Mel was professional and courteous. They also cleaned up very well after the deck was finished.

The owner came out to take measurements and called with the estimate the next day. The estimate was higher then other quotes I received but I decided to go with Improve America because of the reviews on here. The workers were always on time and cleaned up each day before leaving. They did an outstanding job and I love how the wainscoting looks.

Went great! No complaints at all. I'm already enjoying the screened-in porch! There were the delays caused by weather but the work was done as planned, professionally, high quality work. The small problems we had were immediately addressed and fixed. Plus we got a 5-year warranty (longer on the roof).

I have used this company previously and never been disappointed. We were getting a house ready to put on the market and needed many small things done. They were there for the estimate the same day we called and then showed up the following day to do the work. Even though it wasn't a huge job, they didn't minimize it. The work was completed in less time than estimated at the cost given and cleanup was meticulous. I would recommend then to anyone.

I was given an estimate over the phone and purchase the replacement faucet to be installed on the kitchen sink. When the workman arrived, he explained that I had purchased the wrong faucet--not enough pieces. Without making me feel stupid, he put the sink back together and even made an adjustment so that it worked better. I made the exchange, called Improve America, and they were back to complete the work two days later. There was no additional charge for the return visit and I couldn't be happier with the work performed.

In addition to great recommendations on Angie's List, out of the four contractors we asked to bid on our addition, we chose ImproveAmerica, Inc. because they guaranteed the lowest price, claiming the other three contractors were "wasting our money" or trying to cheat us by saying the existing structure (a two story screened-in porch) needed to be torn down. Mel Madaris assured us he could save us a lot of money by just modifying the existing structure (turning the screened-in porches into a sunroom and deck). However, after many attempts to build something one day, then tear it down the next, ImproveAmerica, Inc. ended up tearing off the existing screened-in porches and building a new structure. Had we known ImproveAmerica,Inc. was going to do this, we would have hired one of the other contractors. That was a big mistake and one we deeply regret. Potential customers: if you read no further, read this: Don't do business with these people! You will regret it. Between my husband and I, we have hired over 11 building contractors to renovate and build homes. Naturally, things don't always go smoothly or perfectly, but we have never dealt with such dishonest, hostile, and unprofessional people. First of all, we have not finalized our business with ImproveAmerica, Inc. because they refused to finish our job and started demanding non-scheduled payments prior to completion AND final inspections. ImproveAmerica, Inc. hired an attorney and began sending threatening letters demanding we pay them the balance ($14,576, which changes, depending on the mysterious and undocumented "extras" ImproveAmerica, Inc. decides to add). Because of this, we were forced to hire our own attorney and, as yet, have not resolved this: the Madaris' continue to refuse to reimburse us for expenses they asked us to pay (with the promise they would remove this from the final bill),and they refuse to finish the job, repair property damages, and obtain final inspections. Furthermore, they are attempting to charge us for new, bogus "change orders" and change orders we have previously paid. We hope integrity will prevail and that they will do the right thing, and we have no doubt our claims against them are legally justified. Mel and Paulina Madaris', the owners of ImproveAmerica, Inc., have been hostile and difficult to deal with from the time they cashed our first check. Prior to getting our business, they were lovely and seemed competent and experienced. However, things went downhill very quickly. First of all, ImproveAmerica,Inc. never had a plan, although they assured us it wasn't necessary. When we asked for one--even a rudimentary sketch--Mel claimed he wasn't "artistic" or an "architect," and couldn't provide one. This happened more than once throughout the process. On October 11, 2014, we signed a contract with Improve America, Inc. to "convert the existing screened porches to sunrooms extending these spaces 10 feet. Window and doors as described will be altered." After we signed the contract, Mel obtained a building permit from the City of Chattanooga for $54,800. His application to the City of Chattanooga stated: "We are extending the existing screen room out 52" and turning into a sunroom, 2 story." His building permit was issued November, 11, 2014 for $54,800. The contract value per October 11, 2014, was $71,800, Shortly after construction began, Mel told us he was "up all night worrying" because he had recently been told the city sewer line ran across our property at an odd angle, and we wouldn't be able to build the addition we had discussed with him. We were flexible and willing to redesign. The good news, according to the Mel and Paulina Madaris was, this mistake would "save us a lot of money." It didn't. Even after this, Mel refused to give us a plan. ImproveAmerica, Inc. claims they do not owe us explanations or documentation for additional work orders. These included: I. ImproveAmerica, Inc. charged an additional $400 "to remove the overhang on the top story addition and move the ceiling joists up to allow the height of the room to be maximized," which is something they had to do anyway to build the addition. II. ImproveAmerica, Inc. charged an additional $200 to put "R19 between floors 10 x 17" III. Improve America, Inc. charged an additional $924 for "Special tests for the permit process not originally figured: 1) Dye Test (to prove sewer active)=$190; 2) Camera to locate sewer=$449.00; and 3) to move washer drain (in footing)=$285." However, ImproveAmerica, Inc. had these tests conducted on un-permitted, unlicensed (in the state of Tennessee) work. We had to hire our own plumbing contractor who was licensed and permitted, and we paid this company over $5000. When we asked Mel Madaris about charging us for inferior work that was unlicensed and un-permitted, he said it wasn't his responsibility: it was his plumbing subs' responsibility. Rather than catalogue the entire debacle--and it has been fraught with outlandish charges and lies--here are a few of the highlights: Mismatched Shower Tile and Grout: Our contract states Improve America, Inc. charged us $3200 to "create a tile shower and install customer's tile and faucet in a predetermined 3 x 3 area." The $3200 is for the labor only. We paid for all materials. ImproveAmerica, Inc.'s tile subcontractor "accidentally" used two different types of tile and two different colors of grout. This is one of the things Mel and Paulina examined and admitted was a mistake that needed to be repaired (although they expected us to provide the new tile and grout). We expected them to follow through on this, but they have refused to repair it. Driveway and Yard Damage: On December 27, 2014, we signed an "Additional Work Authorization #9" amending "the original contract dated 10-11-2014," which states: "we will grade and level soil disrupted during construction of sunroom to match existing terrain." Our yard is precipitously sloped and has deep ruts running across it from the grading equipment. Mel Madaris told us he had refused to pay his excavating sub because he (the sub) didn't do the work to Mel's satisfaction, and that there were still things he wanted him to do. In ImproveAmerica,Inc.'s latest letter from their attorney, he claims that he didn't state this and that the grading is completed. Delays: When we began the work in October, the plumber disappeared and Mel told us he was having "legal problems." This delayed the job for 3 weeks. It is 6 months later and the job still isn't finished. Mel continually blamed the weather for the delays (and we certainly understand how weather adversely affects construction), but there were entire weeks we had perfectly clear weather and no one showed up because his employees were working other jobs. His employees told us, "Mel (the owner) keeps pulling us off of this job." Attitude: Very unprofessional and hostile. Whenever we questioned Mel and Paulina Madaris' calculations or their work, they became defensive and hostile. They claimed we just didn't understand their "accounting software," which is ridiculous. My husband was a CPA, and was very familiar with the software, and I kept books for two companies. What we didn't understand were the random, undocumented charges and the numbers that just didn't add up. When we realized we were in trouble, we went to the City of Chattanooga Land Develoment Office and obtained copies of ImproveAmerica, Inc's permit applications and documentation. When we showed them to Improve America, Inc., at a meeting, Paulina asked us, "what possessed you to go to the City?" Marketing Tricks: Mel and Paulina Madaris of ImproveAmerica,Inc. presented a variety of documents in their sales package, including awards from Angie's List for being "complaint free." We aren't quite sure how they managed to obtain these awards, because there have been complaints registered against Angie's List ( and I strongly encourage potential customers to carefully read these complaints and note a pattern: Please don't minimize the complaints or believe ImproveAmerica's response, as we did). Upon closer inspection, they use only the awards from the years they were complaint-free. Furthermore, ImproveAmerica,Inc's sales package included a "5 year guarantee" on all of their work, but the document was unsigned and remained that way, so ImproveAmerica, Inc's "5 year guarantee" is worth the paper it is printed on. We have extensive experience with building contractors and knew better than to expect perfection or a smoothly running job. Even with the most reputable builders, things go wrong, work gets delayed, and old houses are full of surprises. We have survived multiple renovations and new home construction, and we were always able to resolve issues promptly, amicably, and professionally--without involving attorneys. However, Mel and Paulina Madaris of Improve America abandoned this job, hired an attorney, and started demanding final payment before anything had been resolved: they simply refused to finish and demanded payment for work that had not received its final inspection from the city. We have never worked with someone as inept and hostile as ImproveAmerica, Inc. They became, quite frankly, downright menacing. I have provided some of the details of this disaster, but I have much more information substantiating how we and others have been duped. Of course, we can expect Mel and Paulina Madaris of ImproveAmerica,Inc. to respond to our complaint as they have to other dissatisfied customers in the past, and that is by blaming the customer. However, I can assure you, we are honest, hardworking individuals and we have tried to work with them, and we have lowered our expectations repeatedly to make this work.

Upon reaching out to Improve America, the response time was great. Mel, the president contacted us and made arrangements to come by for a quote. We obtained additional quotes from a couple other vendors as well. While the quote from Improve America was not the cheapest (or the most expensive) we went with Mel because of the positive reviews for his company. Our project started just before Thanksgiving and began with the carpenters coming out to frame out new skeleton walls to attach to the block walls and remove the existing carpet. The carpenters were polite, on time, and did a great job. When they were putting up the wall, one of the wall outlets apparently had a loose connection and it popped a circuit breaker. While there may not have been anything wrong with the 30+ year old wall boxes, the guys replaced the outlets and outlet gang boxes without being asked or charging extra. This was a nice touch that showed they wanted to go the extra mile. Next came the drywall guys. Mel mentioned up front that when you get to the drywall stage, expect things to slow down a bit. This set our expectations. The contractors hung the sheet rock and tape and applied the first round of mud. Then they came back for round 2 of mud, and finally came back again to sand everything down to prepare the walls for paint. This was the longest part of the project since it seems like the drywall guys bounce between jobs quote a bit while they wait for mud to dry, etc. They too did a nice job. At that point, the carpenters came back to finish things off by attaching the trim, wainscoting and chair rail trim. The quality of work again was great. One wall attached to another wall that was still intact, trim and all. Another example where they went the extra mile was seen in the fact that when they replaced the baseboard trim, they used new trim for the entire length of the wall vs reusing the old trim that had been removed and set aside to be reattached to the intact wall. Nice! The carpeting was handled as an allowance/estimate which seems to be the norm in these type of projects. Mel recommended a couple places that he felt offer the best prices but advised that we could go anywhere. We visited both places he recommended, made a choice, and worked out the payment details with Mel. The carpet was installed by the carpet company. They too did a good job. The carpeting guys were apparently very efficient in their laying of the carpet and had very little waste. So efficient that they were able to carpet a smaller storage room that was not on the original scope. While it would have been easy to simply go with the cheapest quote, we firmly believe that you really do get what you pay for. In the end, we look for contractors that perform good work, go the extra mile to do things the right way, have excellent attention to detail, and perform the work at a reasonable price. Mel and his team met these expectations.

It went very well even though rain delayed the deck a little. The Master Bath had new lights and medicine cabinets installed along with a handrail for the whirlpool tub. The deck was tripled in size with lattice work around the bottom. The deck is very sturdy and looks awesome. It also has an aluminum cover to keep out the rain and now we can use it almost year round. this is the second time I have used Mel for a major project and I will use him again as he is great to work with and his staff does exceptional work.

then we had asked several times if our flowers were in the way and we would move them so they would bloom next year. They said no, they weren't but they destroyed about $100 worth of flowers (with the shipping costs). The room is not square, the trim is poorly done and this job has taken since July 28 and is not finished yet. The men spent a few hours each day with lots of breaks and just didn't do a neat, professional job. I believe the contractor is an honest and good man who had a crew that just weren't dedicated to the job and wouldn't stick with it long enough to be focused, thereby causing lots of mistakes. We love the room, although if it were not part of an apartment that doesn't belong to us and were our own home we would be very upset about it. they just didn't stick to the job

I have done business with this company for 10 years and my family has used them since they first began. My first project was taking a condemned house to one that I lived in and later sold for more than 4 times the purchase price. They have continued to do other projects over the years from roofing, masonry, plumbing, etc., and all have been completed as promised. They're not the cheapest in town but I find that quality is worth the extra amount they charge. But most of all, I trust them. They don't merely talk about honesty but they live it in all things. Even with the subcontractors they use, the accountability is always there. So give them a chance--YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED.

It was good. They did some bathroom remodel work for me and did a good job. They showed up when they said they were going to do it and in about a week they were done with the job.

We started with an architectural engineering analysis. When we opened the ceiling ... Surprise, the joists ran the other way. We ended up rerouting plumbing, electrical and central vacuum. We had to revise the engineering analysis and provide a beam for support in the room under the kitchen. All this was done within the original estimate cost (I paid the additional plumbing electrical and vacuum). Mel was open to our suggestions and requests, even to working weekends to get done since we had family coming. This is a really professional company and a pleasure to do business with. We are very pleased.

The contractor and owner arrived on time for the estimate and provided several options to fit our needs and budget for the work to be done. He was very courteous, answered all our questions, and provided information to research some of the products ourselves, like the different types of screen materials. Work began on time and proceeded as scheduled. Additional workers arrived as needed to assist in parts of the project, like for the membrane roof installation. We are very pleased with the work done and the project was finished on time with no unexpected or additional costs. Debris was stacked neatly in the side yard during the repairs and completely removed on the last day of work. Overall, a very pleasant experience with very little disturbance inside the home while repairs were being done. The workers took care in their work and were happy to discuss the progress being made each time I spoke with them. The contractor returned for a final inspection to make sure we were completely satisfied with the materials chosen, the work done, and the completed porch. We've really enjoyed our "new" porch this summer and would not hesitate to call them again.

We were very disappointed with how the contractor treated us throughout the process. Before hiring him, The contractor went above and beyond to make sure he received our business. After that, he became rude and disrespectful to us as customers. From day 1 the project was off schedule and did not start on the day we expected and agreed upon. There was little to no communication throughout the project. We tried tom contact the contractor multiple times without getting a response and when there was communication, it was very poor and unprofessional. When we told contractor that we were not satisfied early in the renovation project, the contractor blamed us for our dissatisfaction and was extremely rude. (We were in fact very laid back and patient customers.) This continued throughout the rest of the project.e project took twice as long as we wee told. When we receive our final invoice there was a mysterious $400 charge that we had not agreed to pay for in our contract and was not a charge we were made aware of. We would never hire Improve America for another job and would not suggest their business to anyone. We have never been treated so poorly as people or as paying customers. The contractor of this company is extremely unprofessional and does not treat his clients with respect or kindness. Although the job they performed was satisfactory, we do not feel as though it was done as well and to the standards that we were told. We had to monitor the work very carefully and ask multiple times for tasks to be redone or something to be fixed. Please, do not hire this company for any renovation projects.

Improve America used good materials and all the work performed was done in a professional manner. The workers we interfaced with over a five week period were cordial, knowledgeable and cleaned up after themselves as the work progressed. They were innovative in solving problems that arise with any such project and made helpful suggestions that did not occurr to me. An example was noting that previously unused space under a stairwell could be turned into useful storage space for a minimal cost. This single improvement provided us with quite a bit of additional storage space. The owner and his wife were friendly and easy to work with and provided a detailed estimate clearly explaining all the work to be performed and the price for each piece of work. After the work was complete a signed warranty was provided covering all defects in workmanship for a 5 year period. As with any project involving numerous interfaces (all handled by the owner) with carpenters, electricians, plumbers, sheet rock installers/finishers and painters some delays were experienced. The work could have been preformed in a shorter period, but the owner did make efforts to expedite it where possible. I would recommend Improve America for home improvement or repairs as I trust the owner and his ability to provide general contract services.

This was a complex project and everything went extremely well. For any significant financial expenditure, my wife and I automatically check Angie?s List to get ideas about qualified proven vendors. After deciding to tackle a major home addition/renovation, we did so once again and noted that Improve America (a Mel Madaris company) led the pack of contractors listed in terms of positive reviews. We were immediately drawn to Mr. Madaris, as his previous company sided our house 12 years ago. Our experience with Mel was extremely positive back then, and we felt confident that would be the case once again. Our confidence was not misplaced. In spite of the fact that we dealt with some weather issues, the entire project was completed in about 10 weeks. Our project manager (Wayne) demonstrated an incredible depth of knowledge and very high standards throughout the work. His expertise was particularly invaluable as we opened up areas of the old house to the new addition through removing three different load-bearing walls. In time we referred to Wayne as a ?construction artist?, as the quality of his work was so impeccable. All other crewmembers and contractors involved were wonderful and very professional as well. All workers were conscientious about cleaning up at the end of each workday. As mentioned before, this is a 37 year old home and ?issues? (e.g. bad sub flooring due to water damage) were revealed as the project was underway. All were properly addressed. Everyone demonstrated a ?customer comes first? attitude along the way whenever we suggested minor modifications to the plan. We commend Mr. Madaris for his coordination throughout the project. The number and scheduling of different contractors and service/material providers was extensive (think of herding cats), yet he kept things moving along at a brisk pace. As we finalized project details, Mel offered some great suggestions that enhanced our plan. He was consistently accessible whenever we wanted to touch bases. As a side note, my wife and I are believers in the concept that ?you get what you pay for?. We chose not to shop around a lot for other contactors, hoping to reduce cost a bit, feeling confident that Improve America could handle the diverse scope of project needs and that a high quality of work would be ensured. This turned out to be the case. We are extremely pleased with the our new home and give Improve America our highest recommendations when considering any home improvement project.

It was terrible. They did the job, but there were multiple problems. It took longer than they said it was going to, there were things they forgot to paint. They did a good job after they had to order like rematch the paint and paint the whole side of the house but it wouldn't match and they did a very poor job of cleaning up afterwards. I had to call the owner to make his guys come back and clean up because there were nail and just trash everywhere. There were a lot of communication issues between the owner and his workers and they weren't really doing a good job.

..Although it took a little longer than I expected (due to weather delays), I was very impressed with how quickly and efficiently the guys worked. When you hear the word "teamwork", these are the guys who know the meaning and actually perform as a team. From the initial contact with Mel Madaris, who very thoroughly explained everything that would need to be done and the materials they would use and all the way through the tearing down and rebuilding, both my husband and I were extremely pleased with not only their teamwork but their professionalism and the courtesy they extended to us when we expressed any concerns we might have or if we had questions. Needless to say, the workmanship was superb and even though there were several weather delays, they were only about 2 weeks off the expected finish date, finishing in December 2013. Since that time, we have had so many compliments. We are both extremely pleased and highly recommend this company to anyone

Went with a less expensive option. Company very timely and professional.

I would not hesitate to recommend them!

Mel uses quality people to do the job - from those that did the construction to the painter who was able to match the colors both on the inside and outside perfectly with what was already there. One would not even know that the addition was not part of the original design. My husband was actually at home throughout the process and was so impressed with the people as well as their work. The electrician made some suggestions that we would never have thought of but were so glad he suggested them. One example was having a light for our patio that would be controlled from our new bathroom. That light has enabled us to use our outdoor facilities at night. One great result from all of this is that we now have the names and phone numbers for a quality electrician; a quality plumber; a quality heating and air person; a quality painter; a quality roofer, etc. We won't even have to come to Angie's List for these because we know from experience their work and work ethics. So Mel is not only a pleasure to work with throughout the process but he knows the best people to do the job.