Lakewood Restoration

My thanks to Brian Hurley and crew. Even though I'm not using this company it was a pleasure dealing with them.

As a professional carpenter and cabinet maker, I had been confident in my ability to restore the all-wood 100 year old house my wife and I purchased when moving to Texas. Over the course of the first year, I realized my confidence wasn't misplaced, but it would take me approximately eleventy bajillion more months to finish by myself than I had originally estimated. Admittedly in over my head, I started looking for reinforcements. I contacted about a dozen companies from referrals and online reviews. Enthusiasm and prices were all over the board; after many dropped off the face of the earth or were clearly not that excited about taking on a difficult, grueling job, I selected Brian and his crew from the remaining three. His pricing structure made me a little nervous (weekly rates versus a flat bid), but I appreciated his excellent communication (very rare, I discovered) and his instant understanding of what I had gotten myself into. Brian's crew was excellent. They showed up on time, we collaborated on an initial plan of attack, and his guys immediately set to building an incredibly intricate series of scaffolding - which allowed them to get up close to third-story areas I had all but given up on. After three months, the entire house had been transformed, and we were receiving raves from anyone passing by about how great the place looked. In a neighborhood known for constant high-end renovations and battles against mother nature's destructive powers, Lakewood Restoration's results were clearly way above the norm. And this is coming from an unusually persnickety craftsman/carpenter (whom they graciously contended with all along the way). My only minor issue came with the cost. It was difficult to compare them against other bids, and my wife and I wound up spending considerably more than we had initially planned (but when doesn't that happen). We would have probably spent even more with other traditional companies and dealt with unending change orders, though, so in the end I'm fully satisfied with their value. I don't regret signing off on anything I shifted onto their scope. It was also clear that they were not the turn-and-burn type of contractor who were just out to make a buck; they do great work at the appropriate speed without trying to race on to the next job or constantly up-sell services. In the end, I highly recommend using these guys, especially if you have a non-traditional project that requires more attention and communication than one of the giant companies can provide. I've already recommended them on other projects in which I'm involved, and I'll continue to enthusiastically enlist their services when I have the need!

I called Lakewood Restoration for a bid to handle water damage caused by a leaking HVAC unit. Within 3 hours, Brian and Cliff were at my house inspecting the damage and recommending solutions. They also hooked me up with the GREATEST A/C guy on the planet at no cost and worked with him on the replacement and rerouting of return vents to improve air flow on the ground floor. Five days later, I had to leave town for a family medical emergency and left the guys in charge of the project. After a few weeks, I came home to find the project progressing beautifully and ahead of schedule. Their work is careful, cost-efficient and done with purpose-- they will work with you through every possible complication and will make sure the job is done right. The repairs and improvements turned out beautifully and have added real value to my home. I completed 2 previous remodeling projects before working with Brian and Cliff and the experience with Lakewood has been light-years ahead of the others. I cannot recommend these guys highly enough -- they do beautiful, reasonably priced work without drama or any waste of time and as an added bonus, they are some of the nicest people you will ever meet. Hire them-- you will not regret it.

Sent Lakewood a message & was contacted fairly quickly. They came out and spent 45-60 minutes with me, seemingly pretty excited about the job. At least they seemed excited until my partner came home as he was leaving. Days go by, no estimate or contact I email Brian who responds in a odd manner. He states that he will get the estimate to me, but did not think they would do the work because of their heavy workload. But in both my previous conversations with Brian & with the gentleman who came to the house, they stated that they would be able to get to my job quickly and that it was a short job. I found his about face odd since I had very clearly stated that I was very flexible on my timeline, I responded to that effect. That was two weeks ago & still no estimate or reply. Since I get no response and no estimate, plus the change in attitude once they determined that we were a gay couple, I can only assume that this is a company that chooses it's client based upon prejudice.

When I pointed out the code issues (undersized header, not level and improperly supported) the carpenter stated that they were trying to match the existing header (that spanned a small window) and could not understand my complaint. I asked if the structural engineer had sized the header and was told yes he had. When I did a 2 second Google search for header sizes, all responses noted that an 8" header was insufficient. Framing 101, and the contractor did not know this! We had to call back 3 times to repair the exterior 6' X 12' deck which was not installed on appropriate footings, and still is not bearing on the footings, after the 3 call back. We ended up abandoning the job with this contractor and hired a different contractor to finish. I can understand and excuse mistakes, they happen, but when improper methods are used, then told that they are correct when questioned and then not understanding what the correct method should be, you are not a journeyman level craftsman. I also found it interesting that in conversations with the contractor, statements from other AL reviews were used as common colloquialisms making me question who, indeed, posted the positive comments about this company.

Not only did we receive high quality workmanship, the level of service and responsiveness of Brian and his crew is simply something you don?t see much of anymore. When was the last time you sent an afterhours e-mail inquiry to a contractor and received a response within 24 hours, much less that night or early the next morning? Well, that was our experience with Brian. But it was more than that ? it was the passion and pride with which the work was performed. Throughout the process, Brian remained focused (probably more than us) on maintaining the history and integrity of an 80+ year old home and surrounding neighborhood.

We didn't get a bill, he would give us a bill each week. Ryan Hurley was here late last year and I hadan issue, and I tried to call him in March, and I was told that he was on stage 4 chemotherapy.

Ours was a relatively small project, and I had spent months trying to find someone who would do it. Brian arrived promptly for our appointment, and was sympathetic regarding our situation. He said he would find a carpenter to take on the project. The man he sent was Travis Ripley of Ripley Renovations. WHAT A FIND! He was prompt, thoroughly professional, an excellent cabinet maker, and an all around great person. Pleasant, respectful, and understanding. He created a counter top out of reclaimed lumber, painstakingly fitting it to a very crooked wall, then built in bookshelves to compliment the existing cabinetry below. I will always be grateful to Brian for sending Travis, and to Travis for fitting us in to his very busy schedule.

I called three different contractors. Lakewood Restoration was the only one that got back to me and seemed interested in doing the work. Brian is pretty knowledgeable contractor. He was able to get an engineer out to review my issues with the windows. If anyone has dealt with leaks before, its pretty difficult to narrow down the source. After a couple weeks, Brian resealed the windows with the issues. He even went out of his way to reseal another first floor window without charging me any extra. His painter did a good job in fixing the peeling paint problem from the moisture. I would hire him again for any work big or small.

We have done a number of remodeling projects on our home and this was by far the best experience we have had with contractors. The owners, Brian and Cliff, checked on the progress multiple times each day and we felt as if our relatively small project received the same concern and attention to detail as much larger projects they had going on. The carpenter, TG, and the painter, Roman, were both very conscientious and did wonderful work. The project was completed quickly, on-budget and they communicated with us every step of the way. They were accomodating when we added additional items to the scope of work along the way. Everyone involved was not only professionally skilled, but friendly and easy to work with. They were knowledgeable regarding working on historic homes and creative in their approach to addressing the unique issues that can arise. We would give them more stars if we could and recommend Lakewood Restoration without reservation.

Brian was on time to our consultation appointment and brought his engineer with him. They spent a long time in our house measuring, drawing tentative plans, and discussing our options with us. They were very thorough and meticulous. The engineer ("T") was extremely knowledgeable and definitely knew what he was doing. We didn't end up using Brian, but he quoted us with a great price and I appreciated his professionalism. I would definitely consider using him for future projects.

The air conditioning went out in the late afternoon and I have a large collection that is extremely perishable so maintaining temperature is critical. I explained this to Brian and he came over at once. He and the licensed AC associate figured out what was wrong quickly. It was too late in the day to pick up the needed part, so Brian generously offered to let me use a window unit in the meantime to keep my collection at the right temperature. By 10 the following day everything was fixed and running beautifully. To say Brian is timely and efficient would be quite an understatement. Brian saved me from a potentially expensive situation and I will most certainly use him again! With his positive Angie's List feedback and my own experience tells me this is someone you can count on.

They did a great job and stayed on budget.

Failed to call or return calls as promised; failed to keep me posted as to when he was unable to show for our first meeting. Customer service over the phone was poor. Brian is a busy man. He stated on one of our phone conversations that he handled his business loose and laid back; that he had 7 other projects. Here is what happened--Saturday, he was supposed to call us about 8:30 a.m. AT 9:00, I called him. He said he could be there around 10:00 then at nearly 11, I called him when he hadn't called or come by. We had explained to him we had a noon soccer game and a 2:00 appt. Needless to day, after 4 calls between Brian and us, we called it off. His behavior left us with a bad taste. We do not want to do business with someone that runs a loose and laid back business. We want punctuality and good communication. Brian did call back before we left for the soccer game and appologized for his lack of responsiveness and comments. We were disappointed to say the least. Brian had grown up in our neighborhood just a few houses from ours. Initially felt a connection.

He was great. We were having the flooring done at the same time and he worked around them easily. I wanted the house ready for the holidays and he did a fantastic job with the whole project.

The Lakewood Restoration crew came in this time because I had a leak behind my kid's bathroom wall. The tile in the bathtub walls needed to be replaced as the soap dispenser was about to fall off. They removed the old tile and shower door. Added new tile with black and white accents that gave the bathroom a whole new look. Replaced the shower door with a new glass one. They repaired the sheetrock on the bedroom wall where the leak was and repainted that wall matching the rest of the room. The project came right under budget and the bathroom turned out beautiful!

went great. As with all tile you have some setting time etc. I would recommend to anyone.

The first time I call, the owner ( I presume) told me that he was about to leave the country. He asked me to text him my address and phone number. I did. He told me he would get back to me when he returned. I waited about 2 weeks. I never heard from him. I contacted him again. He told me he would have his cabinet maker get in touch with me. I waited another week. I still have not heard from him (the owner) or the cabinet maker. Perhaps the job was too small or just not important to him. At any rate, I ended up contacting another business.

I had several remodel items I wanted done and scheduled contractors for bids. Brian Hurley (owner of Lakewood) came to my home and reviewed the work I wanted done, giving me some suggestions along the way. One of the things he suggested was breaking the remodel into "projects", allowing us to manage the process and become familiar with his work. I really liked this idea and after visiting with the other contractor as well, chose Brian to begin with my doors. I wanted the large windows in my living room to be replaced with one french door, and one that looked like a door but did not necessarily have to function. I also wanted the pass-thru from the old wet bar in the den closed off and the wall made whole. Prior to beginning, I also asked Brian to replace my aging front door. He suggested where I should shop for the door and added that to the project list. He began work on October 31st. , assigning a worker to replace the front door. He also scheduled someone else to begin taking out the windows to be replaced. The front door was finished in a couple of days, and since the worker was available the following week, I asked about having my deck furniture cleaned and stained, and oh by the way, could we do the deck and fence too? Brian had no problem arranging the extra projects, and those began the following Monday. Replacing the windows with french doors took quite a while longer. The man doing the work had a limited schedule, working only 3 to 4 hours a day. I had said I was not in a hurry, so long as it got done! We had a couple of issues with weather stripping, electrical outlets, old ceiling fans and how to complete the doors that would accommodate my alarm system, but the doors were mostly finished and "prettied up" in time for my Thanksgiving guests. The finishing touches were completed on Friday, Nov.26th. Even though it took significantly longer than I had thought, the project was completed to my satisfaction and to Brian's exacting standards. AND I got two unscheduled outdoor projects done while the weather was nice I All-in-all, a great job. I will schedule "phase 2" shortly.

I researched then called three companies to get a quote to fix a broken pocket door in our guest room. Our home is approximately 60 years old and this was the original door that simply quit working... One company's quote was extremely high (over the phone), another company returned my call a week later, and this company returned my call immediately. The owner came to my home and assessed the problem and gave an estimate with regard to time and cost. The owner and his son work as a team. Their work was excellent and I would highly recommend them. I have hired them to renovate my bathroom as well as replace the facing on cabinet doors and drawers in two other bathrooms in my house. Their pricing is fair (not cheap) but they are professional and they perform quality work.

Went very well and we now have a 'new' house. The schedule was tight as we had a wedding on our property. The work finished the week before. Very happy with the work performed and would definitely use Brian again. it is very valuable to have a contractor who is also a designer/architect with good taste and experience.

Overall, I am super happy with all the work, and enjoyed having these guys in my home. I will no doubt use them again. In fact I am discussing a special paint project with Brian already. I have also recommended them to friends and family. Brian, Clif & Jose did such a great job. They finished in one day, instead of the estimated two, AND the total charge was well below the original estimate of $1500. Along the way, Brian was very kind to answer my many questions about the house and future fixes. He also made a point to offer money-saving suggestions, while still maintaining quality results. They were amazingly clean as well. Regarding the sheetrock repair, Jose did an amazing job removing the old, replacing with new, and then texturing to match the surrounding walls. After I paint, I'm sure my guests will not know where these walls were repaired. On a side note, they were also very dog-friendly, which is something I personally value.

It couldn't have possibly been better. Brian had a vision for the house the first time he saw it. I pretty much let him do his thing and trusted his judgement all the way.Every idea he had was wonderful. From opening up the kitchen and turning the solarium into a fabulous tiled showplace, taking down walls to create a great office and guest room, to creating a Austin stone and cedar front porch that looks straight out of a travel guide. I can say without a doubt my home is a million times better than I ever dreamed it could be and that is because of the team of craftsmen at Lakewood Restoration. I could literally go on for pages but I think you see how I feel.

I cannot speak highly enough of Brian. I found him on Angies List and called him around 10am and I think he could sense in my voice some urgency. I got married over the weekend but last week prior to getting married my dryer vent line became clogged again (the last time I had it unclogged I was told it would be better if the vent was completely moved). He told me he would be here at noon and he showed up early. I know how difficult it is to get my huge front loading washer and dryer out of the tiny space but he and his assistant did it so delicately with showing extreme caution for not damaging the hardwood floors. Once they got it moved, he found an idea space to move the vent to on the inside and measured outside my home to make sure there was enough space. He then created the new dryer vent on the exterior siding making the air flow so perfect I doubt I will ever have lint clogged again! He cleaned up after himself on the inside all the sheetrock (I wouldnt have cared since it's in a space no one sees) and made sure everything was perfect. I never even asked him in the beginning a price because I knew it needed to be done (haven't been able to dry clothes in a week) and he was the first person I called and considering he was here 2 hours later, I honestly was prepared to pay whatever price he gave me. When he was done, I asked him the price and he told me "This is a wedding gift, just pay me for parts." I am SHOCKED considering I just met him! He literally saved my life! His work was beyond perfect, everything is wonderful, he was here at a moments notice. This is exactly the kind of person I look to do business with. He is honest and is there when you need him. I will not hesitate to refer all my friends and use him again.

I scheduled an appointment with Brian on Tuesday, he said he only does appointments from 10-noon on Saturdays. Saturday morning, he texted me at 9:40, 20 minutes before I expected him here and said "see you in a couple of hours" At 12:30 he still hadn't called or texted back. I called and texted him. He finally called at 12:53 and said he couldn't make it due to a family emergency I know cable companies like to give you a 4-6 hr window and expect you to sit around and wait. I didn't expect this from private contractor. A specific appointment time is much more professional and if you can't make it that is fine, but a simple phone call would be expected.