Thomas Somerville Co

I did an online search and found Somerville showroom, and based on their location, figured this might be a store aimed at my price point. I was pretty convinced that I would get the typical sales pitch of any showroom, so I figured I would just say that I was looking for a faucet and see how that discussion went. My plan was to purchase a faucet there knowing that the plumbing supply stores typically carry higher quality products than the big box retailers, but get the remaining items at Home Depot and save some money. Figured to spend about 20 mins from start to finish and walk out with a faucet. Upon entering the store I was greeted by the receptionist who directed me to Jeremiah (sales rep who is no longer there, but Justin is great too). I explained to him that I was looking for a faucet and he asked some general questions as to the tile and layout and asked if I had about 15 minutes to review some things. I thought oh, here we go with the sales pitch that will ultimately end up costing me 3 times what home depot would cost. But I wanted to humor myself. Boy was I surprised at what I learned in those 15 minutes! The first thing I discovered is that bathroom and kitchen design is based on color palettes and visual artistry. My original plan was to install brushed nickel faucets, but after Jeremiah showed me how "cool" and "warm" palette colors can clash, I realized that my original plan was not well conceived. He explained how the finish and style of the various products really goes a long ways into the feeling of whether a bathroom simply had a lot of new fixtures and tile, versus a bathroom that was planned and really felt right. I then brought our tile into the store and he went around to different finishes to show what would best compliment my design (warm=biscuit=nickel/bronze, cool=white=chrome). We started with the faucets, and he showed me how faucet handle style should be accented by things you might not think of such as the toilet bowl and smaller items like the finish plates that go around towel bars, all should have a similar profile. I was still thinking ok, so when is the push to go with the higher end products coming. Jeremiah showed me the Moen and Kohler faucet lines, along with the high end German manufacturers, at which point he said, the only real difference is that the German stuff has the reputation behind it, but that the Moen would be perfect for our price point and would last 15-20 years with no problems. He then demonstrated a couple different shower setups at the full size mockups in the store. This is great if you are considering body sprays or anything of that nature as you can feel the pressures and see what type of coverage they provide. Can't do that at home depot or online! From there we looked at toilets, medicine cabinets, tubs and cabinetry/vanities. Everything turned out so well with the first bathroom that I immediately started working with Jeremiah on the basement bathroom, and the master bathroom. For the master bath, I worked with Justin on the cabinetry since we went with a custom build out option using the Yorktowne cabinets. He was able to work with us through multiple design revisions, each time creating an elevation profile that showed what the cabinets would actually look like in our planned space. Pretty cool for those who need to see things laid out on paper. Overall, I'm extremely pleased. I was able to leverage their experience and knowledge to complete my ideal bathroom, and do so within a manageable budget. Most importantly, I didn't feel like I was being upsold. They pointed out the differences, the benefits if there were any, and then let you decide. Jeremiah had to reign me in a little bit and remind me that Jacuzzi sunken tubs typically are not found in hallway bathrooms. What I really liked was at one point we discussed tub drains, and there were $35 and $75 options. He said I'll show you the $75 option, but really, save your money and put it somewhere useful. You get the feeling working with these guys that they realize money doesn't grow on trees, and they realize not everyone is making $200K a year in DC. Sure, you could go to home depot and buy everything, but you won't receive any real personal guidance on the benefits of the various manufacturers/fixtures, or how everything will fit together to compliment the desired look and feel of your project. And, the end price would have been higher since home depot does not stock a lot of the nicer fixtures and cabinets and charges a premium to special order. Good luck ordering any special cabinets at home depot, I used them once and never again! Home depot doesnt really care about customers. With Somerville, I was kept updated and had a person I could talk to whenever I had questions. I price checked online stores, and except for one item, Somerville was cheaper or the same price, with no haggles. I'll go with the local shop every time and keep someone employed who knows their craft!

I had a very pleasant experience with this company, notably the salesman, Dan Frixione. I had been trying for weeks to find exactly the right bath walls I wanted but was unable to even find a store close to me that sold them. I finally found Thomas Somerville online and I visited them one weekend. Dan walked me around the showroom and let me look at different samples. He explained the pros and cons of everything, made recommendations and did not at all pressure me to make a purchase. When I finally decided what I wanted, and I must admit, I was very indecisive because of the various choices, Dan calculated the prices for me and even gave me a discount. When my order came in, he personally called me and told me that my items had arrived. Everything was perfect and just as he assured me they would be. I have since used Thomas Somerville again for a smaller touch up area my bathroom needed. Dan helped me again and I have no complaints.