Globe Bath & Kitchen Remodeling LLC

The workmanship was excellent and we are very pleased with the final results in each of the 3 rooms. There were some delays while we awaited the arrival of products we'd chosen and when we were out of town, but all of the work got done - it was worth the wait. Adem was accommodating and Luis is a skillful workman, and he was responsive to our interests and pleasant. His team cleaned up the space on a daily basis and the rooms look great now.

ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING! I really cannot say enough good things about my experience with Adem and Globe. This company is small, only a few employees and in high demand. Even though they are highly recommended and sought after, I felt like I was their only customer. Adem arrived promptly to do the measurements and then had his kitchen designer Amin do the kitchen layout. Amin's design was provided when he promised it would be. Adem let me take my time in choosing the cabinets, knobs, lighting, flooring, tile, etc... Even though I changed my mind several times on all the elements, Adem was extremely patient with me. Upon giving him my final choices, he looked at all the elements with a critical eye and concurred that my choices would look really great once the job was complete. When I was floundering and at a total loss about the tiles for the flooring and backsplash, he made some recommendations that really pulled it all together. His experience was what brought the whole thing together. The workers were EXTREMELY prompt every day and the quality of their work is really, really impressive!!! They protected my home from all the construction dust and worked at my convenience. They worked quickly to do all the demolition of the old kitchen, promptly removed all the debris and dishwasher, and were courteous and accommodated my needs in terms of my still being able to prepare food, etc... It's hard to live without a kitchen! But they did their best to make sure I could still prepare food, feed the dog, etc.... I met with them briefly every morning to discuss what would be done that day, answered their questions about small details on placement of things, etc... and asked them questions about small concerns I had during the process. I felt that those 5 - 10 minutes every morning kept us all on track and kept my expectations in check. Every single little thing I asked for (placement of an outlet, height of the bar, location of a switch...) they accomplished willingly and expertly! They were polite and courteous every day. The job was done very quickly! When I would tell others about the progression of my job, everyone remarked at how quickly it all went! I heard horror stories from friends and co-workers about kitchen remodels that took months upon months to complete! The bulk of my job was completed within 2 weeks! The overall quality of the labor and materials was just outstanding. I have a very critical eye and actually looked for things that might be a bit 'off'. I couldn't find a single thing to complain about! There was one little spot that need a bit of caulk near the backsplash, and Adem had them come right back and take care of it for me. No problem! I will definitely look to this company to do my bath remodels, when the time comes. I think that when working with a small company, you really have to keep your expectations in check! They don't have a huge staff of people to wait on you and cater to you. If you want that kind of service, you'll need to go with a big company...and be prepared to PAY $$$ for that. However, if you like working with a small business and having flexibility...then go with a small company...I liked working with this one, in particular.

Worst experience I've ever had with any service company. Unprofessional, horrible customer service, won't return phone calls until you leave multiple messages. Rude and insulting owner, who wouldn't even tell me his last name until I asked three times! When I complained about poor communication and missed deadlines was told, "We're busy with other customers, it's only a small job". $7,000 is a small job?! And why say that? How rude!! The salesman measured at my home on 4-3-2012. As of today, 4-18-2012, I still don't have an standard estimate despite repeated promises. In the meantime, two other competing contracting companies have measured and supplied estimates in less than a week. When I called to ask for a different salesman, the company owner Adam Siraze was rude and defensive from the start. He couldn't understand why I wanted estimates for BOTH Corian and Silestone/Quartz so I could compare (which shouldn't be at all unusual). He didn't care about the terrible customer service. Why would a business owner be upset that I wanted a typical estimate?! Is that normal? He thought "about $7,000 for everything" should be enough when I had a 15 item list and was considering several different options on several home projects. I wouldn't buy a pencil from this company, much less kitchen and bath remodeling. Added 4/23/2012: No, I wasn't given a detailed estimate. Only one number given, the project total of $7,000, for a job that covered over a dozen items in several rooms. There was no breakdown in the estimate, no subtotals. No materials, no labor, no separate subtotals for flooring or countertops or drywall in bathroom. Just one number. Other contractors did not have this problem.

Adem and his team at Global Kitchen and Bath were professional, knowledgeable and responsive to me. They made it very easy for me to remodel my Master Bathroom. Like many people in this area I do not have extra time to drive to the tile store, head over to lighting showroom, or search the internet for the right toilet. I need a one stop shop where I can select the tiles, the shower door,the toilet, the bathroom accessories, etc... and then get back to my job. Adem came by my house to perform the estimate and listen to my wants and needs for the remodel. A week later I received an email with pictures and links with his professional suggestions. He also included a written price estimate. Once we agreed on a price I visited his showroom to select tile and cabinets. From on-line links he sent me I selected lighting and faucets, towel bars, and other accessories. It could not have been easier. Liz and his install team were timely, efficient and clean. The job wentsmoothly and I credit their experience and planning. During the job one mistake was made, the wrong toilet was installed. However it was not a problem, I called Adem and they corrected it quickly without discussion. I would use Global Kitchen and Bath again and I recommend them to Angie's List members.

Owner Adem and his designer came out within a few days of my call to look over and measure the kitchen for a remodel, to include knocking out a wall and installing new cabinetry, granite counter, a pocket door, lighting, tiling, and more. They never asked what my budget was, which I found strange, but I assumed that was their process and we could deal with that once the estimate came through. (Every contractor I have spoken with about this project handles the budget conversation differently.) The designer was very personable and friendly and very attentive to my wishes as the homeowner and client, and Adem's input was more in regards to how the actual work would be performed. I found them to be an effective "team" in that regard. We spent about an hour doing measurements and making up my "wish list". When they left, I felt that they really understood what I was looking for and I was confident that they would be a serious contender in our search for a contractor. They said that they would be back to me within a week, and I never heard from them again. No calls, no emails, no smoke signals. Nada. I had read their reviews on Angie's List and was impressed enough to call them in the first place. I suppose if I had read more closely, I would have seen that this lack of communication and follow-up in a recurring theme for Globe. I guess they have enough work and money and don't need this client.

I contacted Globe to get an estimate for a master bath remodel and ceramic tile in all bathrooms and the kitchen. I spoke with Atem, who was very pleasant and helpful. I emailed him photos and measurements on march 1. On march 5, he emailed me, stating that his estimate would be emailed to me on march 6. I have yet to hear from him, and the date is march 15.

The company representative was punctual, took several measurements, and listened to our vision for our kitchen. However, the design he sent had omitted major elements of what we had discussed - and we were only provided with one design option, vs. other companies which provided several different choices.

It went well with Adem (the owner of the company.) He is professional, punctual and very responsive. They finished the whole work in approximately in 2 months (much shorter than any other kitchen designer) and very good quality. We worked with another person before (who is working with Adem) and he was not good with client relationships, he was not listening our needs and he didn't meet our expectations. However then we dealt with Adem, who provided all our needs, meet our high quality expectations and did a great job. After the job is finished, he was paid, he was still responsive whenever we need something. If we have a problem with anything we always call him and he is always responsive and solves our problem.

I found Globe Bath and Kitchen (GBK) through the internet and not on Angie’s List. I was searching for a remodeling company who were CAPS specialist (Certified Aging in Place Specialist). A CAPS certified professional has been specially trained regarding the unique needs of seniors when it comes to remodeling their home. They address the most common barriers to aging-in-place in the home such as the ability to get in and out of the home as well as the ability to move around in the home, safety, and most importantly, easy access to things seniors use in their daily life. My mother (wheel-chair dependent, partially bind and deaf) and father (ages 95 and 88 respectively) were interested in purchasing a for-sale condominium but first wanted some ideas regarding the cost of remodeling to make it more handicap-friendly. I saw Globe Bath and Kitchen listed as CAPS and contacted them. Amin called back immediately. I told him I needed a proposal urgently so we could consider making a bid on the condo ASAP. Amin and Adem met me at the condo the next day and both were quick to make several recommendations that would enable my mother to move around the condo more independently. A proposal was sent within a few days and my parents and I were surprisingly pleased at the cost estimate. Based on GBK’s proposal and price, we placed a bid on the condo which was eventually accepted by the seller. During the entire phase of renovations, Amin and Adem, as well as Luis and his crew, showed a great deal of patience and respect to my parents who frequently visited their condo to see the progress. My parents were contacted by the team prior to installing shower seat, grab bars, mirror placement, lights, and other bath and kitchen fixtures. They wanted to make certain these features were perfectly placed. We liked their work so much we asked them to give us another estimate on remodeling the kitchen which they did within 2 days of our request. The changes made by GBK have made it easier for my parents to live and function independently. As a nurse practitioner, and daughter of these parents, I am blessed that I found them so easily.

When shopping for a condo, my husband and I decided that we would have our bathroom renovated to be fully accessible before we moved in. I am disabled and use a scooter for mobility. We wanted a bathroom that was functional for my needs without looking like it belonged in a hospital. Based on its Angie's List reviews, GBK was one of the companies we contacted for an estimate. Sirage Adem, GBK's owner, promptly returned my husband's call and arranged to meet us at the condo on the day of our choosing, which was within a week of our initial contact.. (The situation was a bit unusual, because we had not yet closed on the purchase of the unit, and after closing rented back to the former owners for 6 weeks, so we didn't have absolute control of coming/going from the unit). At the estimate, Adem suggested that we come to see another Arlington condo bathroom that GBK was in the process of renovating for accessibility, as it had many similarities to what we were seeking. We did, and that visit led to our choice of GBK. While their estimate was not the lowest we received, being able to see the quality of work the company was doing made the difference, and convinced us that GBK offered the best value. We had to get approval from the condo board for our renovation project, and wanted to do that as early as possible to ensure we could get on GBK's June schedule. So we needed to have our request and supporting documents to the board in the first week of May. Adem was very responsive in getting us everything we needed to assemble our package, and we got approval in early May. We made a single visit to GBK's Falls Church showroom to choose tiles, cabinets and granite for the countertop. Adem's assistant Amin was very helpful in this process -- in fact, we credit our choice of granite (Giallo Vicenza) to him, as it was his subtle but strong suggestion.We paid approximately one-half of our estimated total when our materials were ordered. As we agreed with GBK, our work started on Wednesday, June 1st with the complete demolition of the existing bathroom -- removal of tile, fixtures, everything down to the studs. Since we had not yet moved in to the condo, GBK used the adjoining master bedroom as a staging area. Luis was in charge of (and did much of the work on) the project. (Adem described Luis and his crew as the "A-team" among GBK's crews for renovations for accessibility). The tub was replaced tub with a barrier-free shower with a fold-down teak seat and hand-held shower head for me, and a ceiling-mounted rainfall head for my husband (which he loves), and two recessed ceiling lights that brighten the space and highlight the tile work. It is partially enclosed by a panel of clear glass with a shower curtain for the remaining area (note -- it took a little bit of adjustment to use a hand-held shower head with this kind of opening without flooding the bathroom floor, which I did more than once. Getting a curtain that is long enough, and weighted across the bottom, has done the trick for me) The standard-height toilet was replaced with a comfort-height toilet with a pull-down grab bar next to it. The sink is now a roll-under (not a necessity for me right now, but prudent planning for the future) with a single cabinet to one side beneath it. This was one area where we made a mistake (and we wish GBK had been clearer in saying "that won't work"). Because we had the under-sink cabinet removed, we were concerned that we would not have enough storage, and ordered both a narrow cabinet and bank of drawers for the space. It was apparent when they were delivered that both pieces together were much too big for the space, and made it nearly impossible to navigate on a scooter. Oh well..now we have a very attractive bank of drawers and granite top sitting in a closet unless/until we can figure out a place for it. We visited while the work was in progress on the day Luis did the rough-in for the tile, to settle the placement of the accent tiles we had chosen, and on another day for the placement of the shower seat and grab bars (this was particularly important, as based on measurements alone I would not have been happy with the height of the seat). While our work was in progress, Adem went to a trade show and saw some new products for the accessibility market that we ended up using in or shower, and I can't say enough good things about them. One is a corner shelf with an integrated grab bar, and the other is a soap dish with a ring that also serves as a grab bar. You can see them in the Invisia Collection catalog on GBK's website. It's no exaggeration to say I use both every time I am in the shower. So, did everything go without a hitch? Well, no....we said throughout the process that we were moving in on June 29th, and even had a completion date of June 27th included in our contract. So we were dismayed to go to the condo on the evening of June 28th to do any necessary last-minute straightening up before moving in and find that some things were not finished, and a variety of supplies remained in the living room. A call to Adem got that situation resolved promptly. He had Luis at the condo Wednesday morning to finish up, and we were moving in by noon. There were a few minor things that had to be completed after we moved in; none limited our use of the bathroom. For example, it took a while for the manufacturer of the double doors we had installed in two locations to provide hinge plates in brushed nickel instead of polished brass. GBK ultimately painted everything to be the proper color. We're still working with Adem to get an issue with the hand-held shower resolved -- the shower head slides to the bottom of the pole on which it is mounted, instead of staying in place. It continued to have this problem after GBK replaced it once, so Adem suggested that we try replacing a particular part, so hopefully that will resolve things. Bottom line -- the bathroom looks great, and I can make full use of it without any worries about my safety. We are very likely to hire GBK again to updates our kitchen (which will be minor in comparison to the bathroom project) once we are ready to take on another project.

Adem, Luis, Mike and the GBK team are all great to work with. They are expert at kitchen and bath renovations and specialize in "Aging in Place, Universal Design." This turned out to be the perfect apartment design approach for my needs as I hit 50 and deal with a degenerative back problem. I solicited three bids from contractors I found on Angie's List. GBK was the highest of the three, but Adem also stood out among the people I met with as someone who is a serious professional. When Adem came to look at my place he showed me several design options from actual clients using photos he had loaded onto his iPad. We reviewed all the work I needed done, then Adem sent me a preliminary bid. After another site visit with an assistant, he drew up some draft plans with layout options. I went to his showroom in West Falls Church where I was able to pick out all the materials I wanted, for the entire renovation, in a couple of hours. Adem, Luis and Mike had excellent suggestions, based on their experience, that we incorporated -- they all proved worthwhile. There was absolutely no "hard sell" on anything -- the team was seriously interested in how to find the right spot between what I wanted and what could be done from an engineering and aesthetic perspective. A very strong point to note is the price quoted after the preliminary design phase stayed the same for the duration of the project. No surprises, no new charges, no increases of any sort, even though some aspects of the job turned out to be more difficult than expected. It's also worth noting that the price included all the materials -- new cabinets, vanity, all plumbing fixtures, wiring, lighting -- GBK will provide everything you need after you pick the items out online or from their showroom. One stop shopping. This is a huge bonus if you're not interested in trying to micromanage a major renovation. GBK knows what they're doing and have good taste, based on experience. That said, they will ask you what type knob you want on your cabinets, and show you several options. I moved out of my condo on July 1, with the hope of being back by the first week of August. This was the one downside to the renovation -- what we hoped would take five to six weeks ended up taking nine full weeks. Because of labor constraints and two technical problems (one with the electrical work having to be reworked to meet my condo inspection requirements and one with a plumbing trap problem causing a three-day delay), the completion date was past the expected date. The other area slow in process was installing the new wood floor, which had to wait until the rest of the apartment work was completed. GBK's strong suit is kitchen and bath remodeling. The floor seemed to be a job they weren't experienced in, with some minor construction stains to the wood. Overall, the floor itself was beautifully laid and they did an excellent job with the trim work. To finish the job, GBK painted and plastered the entire apartment. I've had no problems with any of the work GBK did on the apartment. Everything works perfectly. The kitchen and bathroom are both beautiful and functional. Under "do's" and "don'ts:" Do meet with Adem and give him as much detail as you can about exactly what you want done. He's an expert craftsman but not a mind reader. Be as specific as possible. He's great at asking questions that at first seemed to me a bit detail-oriented, but later I was glad he was so thorough. These folks have a lot of experience, but they need to know what you're looking for. Do plan on being able to come by weekly to spot-check the work. By checking on progress you may notice something not quite the way you wanted it -- if you flag it while the work is being done, GBK's great about fixing it without any added costs. Do get a written letter of agreement spelling out exactly what work is to be done, including what materials and appliances GBK's responsible for and what you are responsible for -- this was very helpful when we reviewed the final invoice. There were a couple of very minor discrepancies (less than $500 on a $35,500 job) that we were able to resolve by going back to our letter of agreement. Do get in writing an estimated completion date. Consider building in an on-time completion date bonus clause -- I think if I had such a clause, we might have met the desired completion deadline. Don't make Adem and his crew do guesswork. Don't expect them to read your mind. If you're having demolition work done and have particular items you want saved, note them in your agreement letter. I had some antique brass light switch face plates that I didn't identify as "save," so they were tossed in the demolition phase. I should have flagged these items as "keepers." Those are the sorts of things you shouldn't assume a construction crew is going to notice -- don't expect the crew to be psychic. A serious plus of going with GBK is Adem's knowledge of "Aging in Place, Universal Design" for people approaching retirement age who want to remain in their own home for as long as possible. GBK also has experience building kitchens and bathrooms for people with special needs while maintaining excellent style and functionality. As I prepare to spend the next 20 years in my newly renovated, Universal Design apartment, I'm comfortable knowing I have intelligent designs in place to meet my future physical constraints, avoiding costly "one-offs" in the future . I'm also confident the excellent work has significantly increased the resale value of my property. Throughout the entire renovation process, Adem and GBK were always available by phone or e-mail to talk about the project and any concerns I had. Although they had several projects underway, I was always able to get same-day, usually within an hour, call back or e-mail if I had any questions. I highly recommend GBK. They're trustworthy craftsmen who do excellent work.

We first looked up bathroom remodelers in the northern Virginia area on Angie's List, then we learned from the Angie's List that GBK was favored by many customers and we also learned from the GBK website about "CAPS" certification which we never heard of before. Upon researching what CAPS meant, we were immediately knew that we found the right company to do our remodel because we are nearing retirement age and need to remodel our entire home for aging in place issues, since we have decided that the home we currently live in is the home we will retire in and live out our lives. We contacted GBK, and went to their warehouse. They have many different types of aging in place things and the really great thing is that these items don't really look like aging in place items. The seat folds up to provide max space in the shower, so we keep it up until the day we need to use it, the flex shower head is really great so we can move the shower head all around the body without having to move around as with a stationary shower head. And the items that help us stand up and sit down really don't look like assistance devices, they look like decorative items which is really appealing and makes the home look less like a hospital feel and more like a contemporary feeling. The removal of the cabinetry and leaving the bottom of the sink exposed really enhances the appearance of space. But the once thing, the one absolutely greatest thing about dealing with GBK is the honesty of their workers. I am no builder but when the GBK workers starting removing the tiles from the old bathroom, they told me that the proper bathroom should have had waterproofing materials between the tile and drywall, our did not, the tiles and grout was applied directly onto the drywall which explains why I have wet spots down below on the ceiling on the floor below. It was things like that which really showed me the quality of workmanship and honesty and integrity of GBK and their workers. They could have done exactly what the original builder did, but they did not and made my new shower waterproof and no more leaks. For that, I will not only continue to use them to remodel the rest of my home, but highly recommend them to my family, friends and anyone out there who is looking for a remodeling job. Thank you GBK - great job, great team.

My wife and I located this contractor on Angie's List in late August 2011. Their chief designer met with us about three days after we initially contacted them, and discussed what we wanted in terms of remodeling our two kitchens (one upstairs and the other downstairs). The designer was most professional and immediately demonstrated a thorough knowledge of what was required to give us the finished product we wanted. About a week later, he presented us with detailed drawings and most impressive models of the proposed remodeled kitchens; he also listed the materials needed to complete the job and the prices for these items. A week later, after reviewing this information, my wife and I met with the designer and the project manager at their Falls Church, VA office, where we viewed samples of the materials to be used, agreed upon a price and timeframe, and signed a formal contract. We paid one-third of the contract price at that time, and the contractor immediately ordered the necessary materials. Those materials arrived three weeks later, just as the contractor had estimated, and the work itself began two days later. The three-man work crew assigned to our project were most professional and cordial, and they quickly demonstrated that they knew their job well. They maintained a clean and well-ordered workplace, and consistently minimized the inconvenience their activities posed to us. We did experience a nearly one-week delay during completion of the project because one cabinet had to be reordered to better fit the irregular contours of our upstairs kitchen. Beyond that, the project was completed without delay, and the finished project truly meets and exceeds our expectations.

I call this Co. due to its high ratings. I called on Monday (1/9) to set up two appointments - one on Wednesday (1/11), 10am, to visit its show room on Hartland Rd., another one on Friday (1/13) morning for design plan. After the appointments had set up, I called back the same day to ask if there was any fees involed with the design and how much details the design would present. Half an hour before 10am on Wednesday, I call the contact to make sure that I will meet him at site. No one answered, so I left a message. Another phone call after 10am, I found that the contact did not arrange any of the appointments saying that I did not call back to "confirm". Of all the conversation that I had with the contact, I did not say I would cancel any of the appointments, nor did the contact mention that I "need" to call back to confirm. Very disappointed.

This person is too busy to see if he can help a neighbor recover from a flood!

The estimator, Adem, came to the house but never did give me an actual $$ estimate for the work. I emailed him on three different occasions and each time he replied that he would get back with me. He never ever did come through with the estimate as promised. I feel this company totally wasted my time. I ended up hiring another company to do the work which ran about $6,000 so it wasn't a tiny job. It would have been much better if Adem had simply informed me at the outset that the job was too small or that they were booked up rather than keep stringing me along with empty promises. I am a very busy professional and I appreciate a company which is efficient and straightforward. I would never contact this company again and suggest that others steer clear as well.

Another great remodeling job from Globe! Last year they completely remodeled two of our bathrooms (master's and kids') and did fabulous work. Our kitchen is exactly what we wanted, and everything went smoothly from start to finish. Luis Romero and his crew worked on this job as well, and I cannot say enough good things about them. They are very professional, polite, hardworking and responsive to customer requests. They also do a great job of cleaning up after themselves at the end of each day, which minimizes the disruption to daily life that a remodel job can cause. Luis and his crew are excellent craftsmen. Adem and Amin were also very responsive to requests that came up along the way. Big John, their subcontractor who did the ductwork, was great. We are VERY happy with the work and would highly recommend Globe Kitchen and Bath to anyone.

I did not use them because my client did not get the contract ratified. They were professional with the estimate. It was a little bit high but not terribly so. I would consider using them again. The price included the labor but not the appliances for the kitchen. I liked the way he approached it. Some of his software and presentation were something like I would have seen 5 years ago and not in 2011. He used an Excel format for the price list and things like that. He did have a very nice group of links for the presentation. I liked the presentation itself. I would absolutely consider using them in the future.

I am very positive about my interaction with them; their estimate, professionalism and ideas. I thought the salesperson/designer had a lot of good ideas and showed up on time. He provided me with a number of references and directed me to his website where I could see some pictures. The estimate was very thorough and contained links to products that I would need for the remodel so I thought it was easy to review. I plan to use them for this project.

We have renovated several houses and this was the best team that I have worked with in more than 15 years. Adem is consistently reliable, responsive, helpful and professional. The work was done in a timely manner. At all times the spaces involved were well cared for, mess was kept to a bare minimum and at the end of each work day there were no signs in any other part of the house of the long hours spent on the projects. The team of men responsible for the onsite work was polite, neat and easy to live with for several months! I highly recommend this company.

They do good work. There were a couple of things here and there that we weren’t happy with, but for the most part they are good designers and good technicians. They were mostly on time and it was good value for the money.

We never heard back from him, so we didn't use him.

Adem, Luis, Mike and the GBK team are all great to work with. They are expert at kitchen and bath renovations and specialize in "Aging in Place, Universal Design." This turned out to be the perfect apartment design approach for my needs as I hit 50 and deal with a degenerative back problem. I solicited three bids from contractors I found on Angie's List. GBK was the highest of the three, but Adem also stood out among the people I met with as someone who is a serious professional. When Adem came to look at my place he showed me several design options from actual clients using photos he had loaded onto his iPad. We reviewed all the work I needed done, then Adem sent me a preliminary bid. After another site visit with an assistant, he drew up some draft plans with layout options. I went to his showroom in West Falls Church where I was able to pick out all the materials I wanted, for the entire renovation, in a couple of hours. Adem, Luis and Mike had excellent suggestions, based on their experience, that we incorporated -- they all proved worthwhile. There was absolutely no "hard sell" on anything -- the team was seriously interested in how to find the right spot between what I wanted and what could be done from an engineering and aesthetic perspective. A very strong point to note is the price quoted after the preliminary design phase stayed the same for the duration of the project. No surprises, no new charges, no increases of any sort, even though some aspects of the job turned out to be more difficult than expected. It's also worth noting that the price included all the materials -- new cabinets, vanity, all plumbing fixtures, wiring, lighting -- GBK will provide everything you need after you pick the items out online or from their showroom. One stop shopping. This is a huge bonus if you're not interested in trying to micromanage a major renovation. GBK knows what they're doing and have good taste, based on experience. That said, they will ask you what type knob you want on your cabinets, and show you several options. I moved out of my condo on July 1, with the hope of being back by the first week of August. This was the one downside to the renovation -- what we hoped would take five to six weeks ended up taking nine full weeks. Because of labor constraints and two technical problems (one with the electrical work having to be reworked to meet my condo inspection requirements and one with a plumbing trap problem causing a three-day delay), the completion date was past the expected date. The other area slow in process was installing the new wood floor, which had to wait until the rest of the apartment work was completed. GBK's strong suit is kitchen and bath remodeling. The floor seemed to be a job they weren't experienced in, with some minor construction stains to the wood. Overall, the floor itself was beautifully laid and they did an excellent job with the trim work. To finish the job, GBK painted and plastered the entire apartment. I've had no problems with any of the work GBK did on the apartment. Everything works perfectly. The kitchen and bathroom are both beautiful and functional. Under "do's" and "don'ts:" Do meet with Adem and give him as much detail as you can about exactly what you want done. He's an expert craftsman but not a mind reader. Be as specific as possible. He's great at asking questions that at first seemed to me a bit detail-oriented, but later I was glad he was so thorough. These folks have a lot of experience, but they need to know what you're looking for. Do plan on being able to come by weekly to spot-check the work. By checking on progress you may notice something not quite the way you wanted it -- if you flag it while the work is being done, GBK's great about fixing it without any added costs. Do get a written letter of agreement spelling out exactly what work is to be done, including what materials and appliances GBK's responsible for and what you are responsible for -- this was very helpful when we reviewed the final invoice. There were a couple of very minor discrepancies (less than $500 on a $35,500 job) that we were able to resolve by going back to our letter of agreement. Do get in writing an estimated completion date. Consider building in an on-time completion date bonus clause -- I think if I had such a clause, we might have met the desired completion deadline. Don't make Adem and his crew do guesswork. Don't expect them to read your mind. If you're having demolition work done and have particular items you want saved, note them in your agreement letter. I had some antique brass light switch face plates that I didn't identify as "save," so they were tossed in the demolition phase. I should have flagged these items as "keepers." Those are the sorts of things you shouldn't assume a construction crew is going to notice -- don't expect the crew to be psychic. A serious plus of going with GBK is Adem's knowledge of "Aging in Place, Universal Design" for people approaching retirement age who want to remain in their own home for as long as possible. GBK also has experience building kitchens and bathrooms for people with special needs while maintaining excellent style and functionality. As I prepare to spend the next 20 years in my newly renovated, Universal Design apartment, I'm comfortable knowing I have intelligent designs in place to meet my future physical constraints, avoiding costly "one-offs" in the future . I'm also confident the excellent work has significantly increased the resale value of my property. Throughout the entire renovation process, Adem and GBK were always available by phone or e-mail to talk about the project and any concerns I had. Although they had several projects underway, I was always able to get same-day, usually within an hour, call back or e-mail if I had any questions. I highly recommend GBK. They're trustworthy craftsmen who do excellent work.

We received estimates from 4 or 5 companies, and Globe's was just over half of most of the other estimates, so we were a little bit nervous about going with by far the least expensive, but Adem, Amin, and their team did outstanding work for a great value. We had a few ideas about what we wanted to do with the kitchen and bathroom, but not anything detailed or definite, so their showroom and assistance picking out cabinets, counters, tile, etc. was very helpful. We had a small galley kitchen and wanted to create a bit more space, so they were able to remove a corner pantry and move the sink to the shorter wall to create a small L instead of a galley, as well as open up a few of the doorways that were originally framed out. The work started pretty promptly, and moved along relatively quickly, although we were expecting to be able to move back in within 2 weeks when the bathroom was finished and weren't able to move back in for 4 weeks because of some delays. But the overall timeline for completion didn't slip much, just the order of the work. The quality of all of their work is outstanding - the cabinets, backsplash, granite counters, wood floors, tile work, etc. are beautiful and just what we wanted. There were a few issues with the installation of some appliances and waiting on finishing up the last few little things, but compared to other contractors that we've worked with these issues and delays were really minor. Adem was generally very responsive, although I would have liked to have more regular updates on the work, schedule, etc. - it seemed like they had quite a few projects running at once so he wasn't as involved with the day-to-day work. Overall we're extremely happy with the work and with Globe - it's an amazing upgrade from what we had before and for a very reasonable price. We would definitely use them again - we've recommended them to friends and one friend is already hiring them for a kitchen remodel.

Based on the Angie's List rave reviews this company has received, I called Globe Bath for an estimate on a half-bath remodel. They were responsive, prompt, courteous, and professional. However, I got estimates from three other companies as well for the same work. I can't tell you how shocked I was by the estimate I received from Globe Bath. The next highest bidder for the same work was less than half what Globe wanted. Because of the reviews Globe gets I have no doubt they do beautiful work so if the sky's the limit in your budget by all means call them. But if, like me, you're on a limited budget, I highly recommend that you get additional estimates from other Angie's List providers before you decide. The company I ended up using did a fabulous job for half the cost.