The Model Home Look

I had a remodel done by them 5 years ago. The remodel went well but I remember how long it took for the to finish and I had people moving in. Fast forward 5 years, the remodel included plumbing with started leaking under the garage. I talked to Mike once and he said he would call me back, which he never did. Placed numerous follow up calls to his office with the same results. I told him that I would pay for the work but he didn't call back. Paid for the $3000 repairs to another plumber who corrected the bad plumbing his crew put it 5 years ago. They fixed the problem in about 2 days. So, I will never use him again.

Mike and his company were extremely professional and a pleasure to deal with. The project was completed as discussed and on time. We were doing the contracted work to prepare for the sale of our house. The design and implementation by The Model Home Look made our house so appealing that within 24 hours of placing the house on the market we had two full asking price offers and hours later, a signed contract. We are certain that without the excellent work performed by The Model Home Look our house would not have sold so quickly and easily. They made a big difference in our experience of selling our house. We would highly recommend The Model Home Look to anyone whether they were updating their house for sale or remodeling for their own enjoyment.

We hired The Model Home Look for a complete kitchen remodel, including making a larger window, and installing new floors throughout the main floor. Mike and his team really made my design come to life and my husband and I love our new kitchen. Cooking and entertaining in it is a dream! The 3D layout Mike does is a great way to picture the specific layout and work out some of the specifics you never would have thought about. Mike offered unique suggestions to help us get more cabinet space without sacrificing floor space, such as insetting cabinets into the wall. We had several companies provide quotes for the work and proposed remodel layouts. The Model Home Look was not the cheapest, but was also far from the most expensive. My husband and I have had several remodeling projects completed in our homes over the years. Unfortunately, it never seems as though a project can be completed without some hiccup. When our kitchen cabinets came in the wrong color, Mike and his cabinet maker responded immediately to take the cabinets back and make the correction. Unfortunately, this meant that the project took much longer than expected. If this issue hadn't cropped up it is likely the work would have been done early. The cabinets really are of amazing quality with soft closes even on the doors which we did not expect. When the new plumbing for the sink/dishwasher sprung a leak, Mike and his guys responded immediately and remedied the situation. Mike was readily accessible via phone, email or text throughout the whole project. Mike had great suggestions for places to look for fixtures and countertops, but was able and willing to work with other vendors we found if necessary. In the end, the kitchen is beautiful and we're so happy with how it turned out! We got great quality for the price.

Highly recommend! Mike met with us and modified our original kitchen remodel plans to provide us more space and a more efficient design, while keeping our basic “wants” intact. Mike and his team worked within our budget range and allowed us to search for specific equipment and materials that we found on sale. His recommendation on kitchen cabinets was of the highest quality and worth the extra cost; they are awesome!!! Whenever he and his team ran into unexpected issues (termite damage, out-of-code plumbing, electrical issues) he presented recommendations and proposals before moving forward. His work team, headed by Gilmer Beltran, was fantastic, courteous, hardworking, and proud of their craftsmanship; the tile worker was especially awesome, as we used a special marble tile as “backsplash” which required expert measuring and cutting. Everyone who has seen our new kitchen thinks it’s gorgeous with lots of efficiency and storage space! Would absolutely use Mike Ford and his company again! Two partial photos of the kitchen below; (two storage shelves on sides of Fridge not seen.)

Not imaginative or helpful. BUt they did do a design.

We asked Mike to completely remodel our Master Bath and upstairs Hall Bath. He also did some remodeling of our laundry room. Mike and Kristine (project manager) and the entire crew were very pleasant to work with, as were all of the vendors he recommended to help us make our selections (tile, plumbing fixtures). I greatly appreciated that when things did not go exactly right (and you have to expect that in construction), or if Mike himself noticed things that were not up to his own standards, he was very willing and insistent on making things right. The project timeline ended up being much longer than we all had planned but the end results are really beautiful. We hope to use The Model Home Look for future projects.

Perfect!!!! I thought I knew what I wanted. But with the professionalism and skill of Mike Ford and his team our kitchen turned out better than we could have ever imagined.

My wife and I started designing our kitchen a year ago with the help of Mike from the model home look. And although the work has taking a little longer than we had hoped to do to some unforeseen circumstances, we are near the finish line and I wanted to share about my kitchen and how it is change the environment and us. We spent a lot of time designing the flow of the kitchen, that means: where will things be when you need them, where is the sink, where are the trashcans where is the refrigerator in relationship to the sink / prep area and stovetop. For the first time in 25 years as a homeowner, I have the dream – kitchen that is designed to entertain while cooking, with the perfect “mis en place”and I must share a little story: This past weekend, we finally put everything back in place and set our new kitchen up with thought and functionality. We were preparing for my daughter‘s birthday dinner where we entertained for 12 people. I have been known to be very stressed out in kitchens in the past, mostly because I didn’t have the space or functionality that I needed and I ran around like a crazy man giving off negative body language, saying, “get out of my way” without saying it verbally, which is actually worse. I prepared 12 poached lobster‘s, homemade bacon vinaigrette over spinach salad with homemade croutons and haricot verts, blistered, salted baked potatoes and my wife made Tiramisu for dessert. My family commented how enjoyable it was to sit around and watch me cook and for the first time see me actually cooking happily and free from stress. And I, couldn’t have been happier because I finally have the kitchen I always wished for. My vice to the readers: don’t wait to design your kitchen, do it now so you can enjoy it, not just to sell a home down the road. Take your time designing the flow of the kitchen, it makes a huge big difference so think about where things go. And lastly, take the time to do it right, especially if you’re going to be in your home for the next 20 years. Thank you to Mike, and his crew who were very professional and a joy to work with. I work in the restaurant industry, and wanted to bring some of my own trusted contractors in to do some of the work, but in the end decided to let Mike and his crew doing amazing job and I am very proud of the work that has been done.

The Model Home Look does simply wonderful work – as good as it gets. The talented designer and manager, Mike Ford, is a patient, artistic perfectionist. He starts by creating realistic 3D computer designs - showing you ahead of time how the project will look while making changes you suggest. He then guides the process along expertly, helping to pick materials and fixing any seemingly impossible problems you may come up with. The cabinets are the finest we have ever seen, and the workmanship and service is too. Our penthouse was one of six homes chosen for the 2017 Reston Home Tour. The event planners chose a photo of our awesome new Model Home Look master bath to advertise the home tour in Reston magazine.

After working with Model Home Look, I will never work with another contractor. Model Home Look is truly the best. We initially hired them to do our kitchen remodel. Mike came with a laptop and some great ideas that he was able to show me as he designed it. As a result the flow in my kitchen is much better and it is easier to work in. They did such a tremendous job that we asked them to remodel our family room and half bath. Mike designed a vanity that fit better in our bathroom and it is beautiful. During the family room remodel our master bath tub began leaking, and we needed to replace the tub. We decided to renovate instead of replacing the tub, since we were planning to do it anyway. Again, Mike had some great ideas. The bathroom came out great and it was done in less than two weeks. The entire crew that showed up for these jobs were very respectful. They were hard working and always cleaned up after themselves. I never saw them smoking in my yard or found a cigarette butt in my yard - which is something I don't care for. Since the remodel, if I have a problem with anything in the house or need advice, Mike is the one I call. He is old school in that he cares about his customers and about doing a good job. He is a man of his word and I completely trust his work.

Start of Work: August 28th, 2017 Job Completed: Oct 12th, 2017 Total time: 7 weeks 3 days Mike came out and did the design phase on his computer (using an educational copy of the software that cost him a onetime fee of $99). He offered several options for the design (we ultimately went with one I came up with that was not suggested by Mike). Mike did a lot of head nodding like he understood what we wanted and that certain things could and would be done. Looking back, it was the same head shaking my dad would get from the used car salesman. We were told that we would have a project manager onsite every day...not the case. We were told the project would take at most 6 weeks, it took over 7 with very little getting done weeks 4-7. We asked for new baseboards throughout all three rooms, but somehow that got translated to only new baseboards in the bath? When I asked Mike how he planned to fix baseboards in the bedrooms to match what was already there, he said he would get new stuff of the old style. I've never been able to find that style from the early 80’s, so I assumed it would all be new style. We told them three times to save a piece of the baseboard to use in the 3rd bedroom, which they did, but with the lack of job oversight, it got thrown out. Did Mike go and find the same old style? No…he went and found something new and pieced it in, which did not match up at all. We ended up paying an extra $400 for baseboards. Mike, I'm still waiting for you guys to find the old style to match. The ceiling had to come down in several spots, and insulation was removed and thrown away prompting us to ask them to correct the issue. On the final day it got fixed, not with the blown in style that was thrown out, but the rolled kind. We needed a bath fan added to the bathroom. I asked Mike if it would be vented to the outside wall. He said yes. I thought we were getting a new hole in the house with an external exhaust port…like a pro would do. We got a pipe that is pushed up against an already existing attic square vent. They installed a bathroom vanity, but we had to ask to get the shelf cut so it would fit and could be installed. Isn’t that something a job manager should have spotted? To the same point, we had to ask for light bulbs for the vanity light, something that just should have been done. We asked for 1000 lumen "warm" LEDs. They installed 1000 lumen "daylight" LEDs. I had to get a ladder, pull one down and convince them that they were not what we ordered. We ultimately ended up with 800 lumen warm lights. The electrical switches had to be fixed several times. Wrong kind of switch, switches not working, switches upside down, polarity backwards. We wanted two electrical outlets in the bathroom. One on each side of the vanity. They had the framing exposed for the recessed medicine cabinet. Did we get new work boxes that are more stable because they nail into studs? Nope, we got old work boxes that float in drywall. Did they at least get them even to each other since they were able to put them anywhere? Nope, one is higher than the other. We asked for insulation in the walls of the bathroom. We got a lot of head nodding, but when it came time to put up drywall and I asked where it was, I was told "that wasn't in the statement of work". Had to go buy and do it myself... The tile guy used the wrong grout on the shower walls, so that had to be completely redone (again lack of onsite oversight). The plumbing for the sink was done in the 1st three days, but then had to get moved after the vanity came upstairs weeks later. Thus putting and leaving large un-necessary holes in the framing. They put in a brand new 30" door frame and all, direct from the Depot. After the drywall went in, we noticed that the door was not straight in its frame. How do you not hang a brand new door straight and even? They had to re-hang the hinges on the top and middle to get it better, not perfect. Now we have recessed gaps around the hinges. They hung two new sets of closet doors. One with the handles in the right spot, one with handles in wrong spot. How does that happen? They put in two sets of pocket doors. The pros will put brackets down on the floor inside the wall to keep the pocket door centered and not hitting the sides…not these guys. These guys wanted to put little plastic brackets on the outside of the trim, right where they would get kicked walking by. They said it would not be “adjustable” if the brackets were inside. Adjustable? Once it is centered, why would it need adjusting? Don’t even get me started on the painters. Why does new drywall, trim and doors end up with bumps and large runs and drips? Oh yeah, no sanding prior to painting and complete lack of caring. We ended up with paint on carpet in two different locations where work was not being done. Paint ended up on the step outside to the garage. Paint footprints all over the deck. Paint on the hose and nozzle. Mike told us that the “industry standard” was to stand 6 feet away from a wall and if no imperfections are seen, then it’s good. If I am 6 feet tall and the ceiling is 8 feet, how do I get my eyes 6 feet away? Crawl around on my knees so it is 6 feet away from the ceiling? Same principal for the doorways and trim. Where did the extra supplies from our job go? I saw extra items (some unnecessary) purchased using our money for our job, not used and gone the next day. Are the supplies I paid for being used on another job and that person is also getting charged? You betcha! We finally got to a point where we were just so fed up, we gave final approval. We were told that if anything came up to give them a call. We had carpet installed by a different company just a few days after the final (and the final check got delivered), and none of the newly installed will close. The baseboards were installed up off the sub-floor in anticipation of new padding and carpeting, but not the doors? We called Mike about it and he started talking additional costs. Really? Never mind Mike, I’ll do it myself so I can be done with Model Home Look forever. Our upcoming master bath and kitchen remodel will definitely be going elsewhere. All 8 of the installed LED lights in both bedrooms are flickering randomly. This morning my son turned on his bedroom lights and power in a 3rd room was momentarily lost. This is very concerning as I don't want my family to burn up in our sleep. How did this pass county inspections? Looks like we will have to a hire professional to come and ensure our family is safe.

They did a good job , after a visit to our house and consultation with us , we received via an e-mail a very good deign which was as we had indicted . The work was good and we will use them again.

Very well. Mike (the owner) created a virtual kitchen on his laptop to help us with design options, set us a fixed price, and his project manager helped a lot with our horrible decision-making abilities. The work crew was prompt , pleasant, diligent and as tidy as possible, and worked steadily for about 7 weeks. There were surprises, like pipes where we wanted a window or doorway, and a supporting beam in the "wrong" place, but all were handled with an attitude of "everything is possible." We only paid extra for one cabinet we wanted deeper and wider than we anticipated. There was a very long delay before they came back to finish the last few details, but the quality of the work is excellent, and I would definitely use them again.

It went well and we could visualize ideas if we decide to do a kitchen remodel. Mike worked within our meeting request and his drawings were great--even revising when we asked.

Mike was excellent. He showed up at the appointment on time and provided nice advice and drawings.

Great! I would hire them again. Very prompt and professional.

The Model Home Look staff did a fantastic job that left us satisfied in every respect. Our original plan was to freshen up a guest bathroom, but we were so pleased with Model Home Look's work that we asked them to remodel two other baths, including our master. We could not have been happier with the outcomes, worth every penny. Equally important was the responsiveness of our project manager, Peggy Reno. She kept us fully informed through the process, adapted to our busy schedule, and made sure that any gaps in the work schedule were kept to a minimum. It was a pleasure to work with her. As well, the work crew was punctual, skilled, trustworthy, and pleasant.

Mike did everything he was supposed to do, including providing good drawings. In the end though the total cost for redoing the kitchen was more then I was expecting and more then my budget so I have decided not to remodel the kitchen.

Excellent company and professional and experienced team. We are very pleased. The scope of work was large, and we moved out of our home for five weeks to allow the team total access without having to factor in working around our family. Mike Ford is pleasant, knowledgeable, exacting with his crew, and highly motivated to provide the highest level of customer service. In the end, our kitchen is exactly what we hoped for. The bathrooms are as well. Mike was great at using his software to help us finalize design, and was also helpful in suggesting finishes and types of high end appliances. I would highly recommend Mike Ford and his company.

The remodel work done is wonderful and gorgeous, and of high quality. Both the materials and the workmanship were excellent. There is a pretty intense up front planning process, which involves sharing ideas and seeing different drawings of the proposed remodeled spaces. Mike Ford (owner) was great at making suggestions, and was attentive to our own ideas. At the time of our work, the MHL did not have an in-house designer, so we did a lot of our own design and then worked with Mike and his team to find the right materials and options. This is the first large scale remodel we have undertaken, and we could not be more pleased with the results. The MHL team is very professional. They were careful to leave our home as tidy as they could, and were conscientious at all times. Mike was almost always easy to find for questions and was responsive to our queries. He was also great at reassuring us, as novices in this area, about what to expect. We are very pleased and would use the MHL again.

Everything went well, and I am proceeding with the project.

Mike Ford contacted me promptly and came out within the specified time for our appointment. He was very nice and professional. I purchased the deal with design renderings but because of the type of house we have, it was difficult to make and print out that kind of thing for me, but that's ok. I really just wanted ideas and to see if what we were planning was possible. We are in the process of getting ideas and estimates, and they are still on our list.

That was excellent. They were very responsive. He gave me what I paid for and did a very nice job. I asked him to design me a bathroom that would allow for a bathtub and shower, and he gave me a design with only a shower. I decided not to put a bathtub in, so it was fine.

The deal to get these designs was $99.00 We feel it was worth it to realistically look at space limitations as well as force us to consider budget limitations. Mike spent nearly two hours with us looking at options and talking about what could and could not be done. He was punctual in keeping the appointment and very methodical in his approach. He invited us to look at past work.

My experience was very good in person. The only thing for me that was an issue was the fact that the diagrams were very good and he was very responsive. However, the measurements were just a little bit off. So, I had to have them redone from a different company.