Arts Home Improvement

The experience with Art's improvement was a good one and It went very well. I think there was more work to fixing my steps than they originally thought, but they did everything necessary to complete the job in a very satisfactory manner. I am happy with their work and will hire them again for other work. They were prompt, reasonably priced, cleaned up the area, and completed the job on time.

Based on the great reviews posted on Angie's list, my husband and I decided to hire Art's Home Improvement to remodel our master bedroom and powder room. The reviews posted on Angie's list are great, however, we believe these reviews do not do Art (the owner) and his professional team justice. It is hard to describe in words their professional and friendly service, let alone their great sense of humor. Their meticulous plumber Richard treated every pipe like a piece of art drawing your attention to the pros and cons of every decision during this three week long remodeling process. Art, Billy and Sam took care of the rest, from demolishing to tiling to painting, with the same meticulousness and care, treating our bathroom like their own. At the end of each day everything was cleaned up. As much as it may be unpleasant to remodel bathrooms, it was an enjoyable experience working with each and every one at Art's Home Improvement. If you are considering remodeling your bathroom, look nowhere else, Art and his team will not disappoint you. They quite rightly deserve the number one position on Angie's list and we highly recommend them to homeowners in Northern VA.

Art and his crew Billy and Richard came in and removed all my old cabinets, bulk heads, counter, sinks, appliances and stripped the room bare. They also moved a load bearing wall a couple feet to the left to provide a niche for my refrigerator to fit into snugly. At this point we had a new wood floor put in to match with the other wood floors in our home. We used our own floor guy and Art was ok with that. After the new floor was put into place Art and his crew began to install the new cabinets. Next, the cabinets were installed the granite was delivered. Art hooked us with his granite supplier and gave us his discount. The appliance came next and then lighting. My husband and I went to a tile supplier and picked out our backsplash tiles. Once again, Art gave us his discount and picked up the tile from the supplier . It was a well organized process..1,2,3...! He produced receipts at the end of job for materials and I paid him the balance of what I owed him. Art did not submit a contract, he just told me the figure up front for labor and I was responsible for buying my own cabinets, appliances, hardwood flooring,faucets and light fixtures. I liked this approach because I hand picked every item down to the hardware. The end result was a kitchen of our dreams. This is the second time we used Art and his team. Thank you for a good well done!

Arts Home Improvement were very good at helping me, like lead me along.

Overall experience was wonderful. They worked while I was atI work and left before I returned...they worked while I was at work and when I came home, the place was neat and usable. They cleaned up after themselves very well. I wanted a spa-like bathroom in the master and that is exactly what I got. The bath is awesome. The hall bath, I just wanted it dressed up a bit...the dress up exceeded my expectations. Both baths look awesome and the design suggestions made by Art and his team were right on point. I absolutely love my new bathrroms. Job was done very, very well and within budget.

Art and his team were professional, always on-time, and finished the project on schedule. Art often provided helpful suggestions as we moved along with the project. Art was transparent as he provided all receipts for materials purchased, so you knew eactly what he paid for materials/supplies. His team kept the work area clean and returned unused supplies/materials for a credit. Highly recommended.

Art and his crew took over a previously abandoned project on the main floor of my home. They did a phenomenal job. They fixed numerous items which were poorly done by the previous contractor. They finished the project within two weeks. They are professional, courteous, and most of all honest. I can't say enough good things about Art and his entire crew.

He just did a great job! He had his workers there on time, and all did an excellent job. Everybody that looked at the bathroom really loved it. They cleaned up after themselves everyday, which is very important.

They did excellent work, good clean up, and left everything look good. They were reasonable and I would use them again.

He did a really good job. I liked Art's service a lot. I liked the fact that I did not have to pay him until the work was finished and I was completely satisfied. He was not pushy at all for payment and really wanted to make sure I was happy with the work. I would definitely hire him again.

Great.....on time and within budget.

Art and his team arrived as scheduled and were not only professional but very knowledgable about the project at hand. Art had great recommendations and was able to steer us to alternative ideas. Art and his team came out the first day and gutted the kitchen leaving no mess behind. They arrived everyday on time and in good spirits and ready to work. They prceeeded to take the wall down and erect the new wall when my husband came home that night ( he is a perfectionist) he wanted to make sure the new studes were level at floor level and that they were at the correct angles. Low and behold he found that the studs were off about 1/4 of an inch and told Art the next mornng. Without blinking an eye Art took the studs down and redid the studs to my husbands satisfaction. We could not have been happier. Thought we might have an argument on our hands but that was not the case. Art's philosophy is " This is your home and I am here to do it the way you want it done". This held true through out the rest of the renovation. Since there were no other isssues I assume he would have handled it the same way. The job Art and his crew did was trully great. I have called him back to touch up a small item and he did get back after a small time but I understood that he and his team are very busy and got us in as soon as they could we now have a new s[pacios kitchen and are still in love with it after 2 years. I have referred Art to neighbors and they have used him also with their renovations and are quite pleased also.

What a crew! They knew what they were doing, they gave great advice, and they did a great job!

Dealing with Art?s Home Improvement for the remodeling of my bathrooms was like a breath of fresh air compared to my consistently disappointing/negative experiences with approximately 20 other Northern VA bathroom remodeling companies who were all top rated by Angie?s List. Most of the others did not even respond to my initial inquiry. Some that did either did not bother submitting a bid after they had visited the property, or submitted a bid that was ridiculously high. To give the reader some idea, I had one bid on the remodeling of just the 6x6 tub and shower room part of the master bath for about $11.5K . I had another bid for the same 6x6 tub/shower room at nearly $6K . Art responded immediately to my inquiry, looked at the bathrooms, listened to my plans, and made an immediate on-the-spot bid on the master bath remodeling. This on-the-spot estimating, which I think any really experienced remodeler should be able to do (with appropriate caveats if necessary), gave me confidence in his knowledge, experience, and professionalism. Rather than submitting a complicated estimate with allowances for tile, equipment and the like, his bid was a price for labor only, with the customer paying directly for the actual cost all materials. He also provided an estimate of the likely costs of materials (dry wall, grey board (under tile), plumbing supplies, cabinetry, tile, etc.) with the acknowledgment that the actual material costs could be substantially higher depending on the cost of selected tile and cabinetry and sink top (e.g., granite or one of the more expensive man made substances). Besides his attractive bid, I liked Art personally; a good man to work with. Incidently, he is nearly always available by telephone when he is not actually on-site. No up-front money was required. I selected and purchased the cabinetry and tile (porcelain) directly from Home Depot, after looking at several other Northern Virginia tile and cabinet sellers including some recommended by Art. I could have had Art do some or all of this, but this way if something were wrong with something I could deal directly with the store. I had a few minor issues with the Master Bath cabinetry which were quickly corrected. Incidently, no matter where you buy, most of the cabinets have to ordered and take up to 30 days for delivery, which you should plan for. Based on a time estimate for the job of about 2 weeks, at the end of the first calender week I paid Art about ½ the labor costs and his costs for supplies to-date. I had no qualms about doing this since he had made great progress and I now had great confidence in him and his crew. As it happened, since I was very satisfied with the quality of the work being done, and because with his equipment on site Art made me an offer on the powder room which I could not refuse, I had Art start the downstairs powder room as the master bath was being completed, and essentially paid him for most of the balance due for the master bath at the end of the second calender week. I was very satisfied with this pay-as-we-go billing. All the other supplies including the new tub and the toilets for both the master bath and powder room I had Art buy and pick up. Note that I specified that I wanted toilets 16" high to replace the original 14" high ones. Particularly for us older folks, the higher toilets are much easier to get off of. Toilets do come even a bit higher if you think you might need them. The only deterrent to 16" toilets is if one has small children in the household for whom the higher toilets might be a problem [maybe a temporary platform for them?]. Analogous to this is that on a recent European Cruise the toilets were 18" high which for me (5' 11") was uncomfortable. In addition to the new toilets I put grab bars next to them to assist sitting and arising. Art and his crew were very hard workers who did high quality work. On several occasions he made recommendations regarding my plans, and in most cases I went along with his suggestions as being improvements over my plans and ideas. For example, he recommended using clear shower doors since it made the room look larger as compared to textured doors, which it does. In another example, he came up with an innovative design for a small closet that I wanted added to my master bath area. My one regret in this regard was in agreeing to have them replace my fully working but somewhat stiff 30+ year old 4+ gallons per minute Moen tub/shower water control with a new one whose max flow rate is maybe 2.5 gpm, which makes for a really wimpy shower and slow tub fill. A slow tub fill is even more of a problem if the bath tub is far away from the hot water heater. In my case I could have easily replaced the old unit in the future if need be since there was a blank wall in the room behind the shower control that could have been used to access the plumbing from behind. Think twice about having a high flow rate working control replaced with one of the new mandatory restricted flow ones, particularly if there is a room or closet on the other side of the shower wall. My second regret was that I had originally decided to have an oversized bath tub installed, but unfortunately completely forgot to tell that to Art until after everything was installed and I had used the tub the first time. Oh, well! Because of morning traffic problems, the crew tended to start later in the morning, which does not impact the price but might extend the disruption of remodeling by another day or so. But once the crew was on the job they worked like beavers. Art and his crew were in my house for 10 straight work days (no weekends) over 3 calender weeks, doing the 2-room master bath upstairs and the powder room downstairs. The total labor costs including a couple of drywall repairs elsewhere in the house was slightly under $9K (I think Art would agree that he slightly underbid the job). The total costs for all materials, both bathrooms included, was about double Art?s original $3K estimate (master bath only), but the cabinetry I selected was somewhat more expensive and more extensive than originally envisioned. I used Master Bath (Home Depot vender) cabinets in the master bathroom with a more-expensive-than-granite man-made counter and sink, and a special buy cabinet and sink in the powder room. Without looking a every single item ? and I am still making some enhancements ? I think the total costs will be somewhere between $15K - $16K for the entire job. As mentioned earlier, I liked Art personally. I also liked his crew members, and had great confidence in the abilities and professionalism of all of them. Art was accommodating and would do whatever you wanted him to do. But he would always give you his opinion and recommendations which I really appreciated. I don?t want yes-men if I am doing something stupid. I would recommend that anyone considering a bath room remodeling should at least talk to Art. Incidently, he also does kitchens and if and when I ever get around to my kitchen, Art will be the first (and maybe only) one I contact.

They are really good guys. They are fair in price. They are very professional and enjoy their work.

From start to finish, Art's Home Improvements was terrific! We agreed on a price for the work they would do and the schedule for payments I would make as each phase of work was completed. The work went without a hitch, except that we found one of the walls needed considerable re-finishing and leveling with drywall compound...no problem, though, Art called in his "mud" expert and fixed the wall within 2 hours for minimal extra cost! Gutting the bathroom could have been messy because access to the work area was up the stairs and through the master bedroom, but Art and his team took exceptional care to keep things neat and clean each day. Work was done on-time and within budget. My wife and I were very pleased with everything!

Art and his crew were very organized. One the first day all the existing cabinets, old pantry, countertops, sink and old dishwasher and range hood were removed. Over the course of the next 10 days dry wall was replaced where necessary, wiring was installed to accommodate new lighting and microwave. New cabinets, crown moulding and cabinet trim were installed. New granite countertops were installed as well as new sink and faucet, dishwasher and over the range microwave oven. Tile back splash was also installed. At the end of each work day the crew cleaned up all areas that they had been working in. The entire project was completed in 10 days and every detail had been addressed. I was very pleased and impressed with the end result.

Everything went great and I'm very happy with the work. Art charges for labor and I was responsible for paying and choosing the materials. Art and his team came when they said and were completely reliable and they stayed until everything was completely done. As noted by other reviewers, Art often purchased the materials on his business credit card and then I paid him based on all the receipts. I also was very happy with other service providers that Art recommended. Manolo did a great job of refinishing some walls that were torn up from removing some wall paper; Art suggesting Mosaic Tiles in Lorton for the tiles. I worked w/ Janelle on picking the tiles and she was completely great for me. I need to retile my kitchen floor and will contact Art about that work as well.

Overall, we are thrilled with the work performed. As with any "construction" project, there are always unforseen conditions such as a hidden duct or a drawer that doesn't fit with the new appliances. Art was always there for solutions and didn't nickel & dime for the little extra. I felt like he treated the project like he was remodeling his own kitchen. He always went the extra mile. If you want to have an individual that you can trust, will deliver quality service, & will give you value, give Art an interview. If you select him, you will not be disappointed.

They did a good job. I was very happy with them, and we decided to have them do work for us at the end of the year. They seemed to know what they are doing, and their price was very fair.

I liked the honesty, the price quote and the willingness to work with me on the estimate. They did very good work, were very professional and always showed up on time. I can't really say that there is anything I didn't like. I will use them again in the future.

I contacted Art (and several others) after reading reviews posted on Angies List. Art responded immediately and came to give an estimate on the hall and master bath remodel. He not only gave a good estimate but also had some good ideas regarding the remodel. His estimate was right in the ball park, a little above a few others we received but well below a few as well. In the end I liked him the best. I thought he had some good ideas and he seemed trustworthy (which is very important when you have to give a guy a key to your house). He seemed like the best fit for us so we offered him the job. He was able to start a week later. His estimate is for labor only. All major items are to be purchased by the homeowner and available on site (toilets, vanities, etc.). If needed, Art doesn't mind picking things up for you if you have no way to get it to your home. And if you want to leave all decisions to him, he'll even pick things out. The smaller items (caulk, copper pipes, sheetrock, etc.) his crew will pick up daily as needed. Art will charge these items to his business credit card and give you the receipts to pay him back later. This next part might scare a lot of you. There is no paperwork involved. No written estimate, no receipt (from him), no written guarantee/warranty. I know all the websites/articles out there tell you to get everything, even the smallest details, in writing. But there is none. Just his word and a handshake. Art gives you an estimate, gives you a verbal one year guarantee on labor, and he stands by it. Like I said, trustworthy. I don't think there's many contrator's like him anymore. As far as the work goes, let me start by saying that I do most of the home repairs/projects myself so I am a total perfectionist. Things I brought to Art's attention, most people wouldn't notice. I checked everything his crew did each day and probably annoyed the h*** out of Art. Yes, there were a few things I wasn't completely happy with but Art fixed them to my liking. There were even a few times Art brought something to my attention that he didn't like and had his guys do it again - costing him time and money. And yes, there were a few small things I found and just fixed myself because it was easier to do so (open holes in wall behind mirror from improperly placed screws on first attempt, bath vent fan exhaust line just lying on attic floor after replacement of fan and not put back up to outside vent). There are bumps in the road during any remodel and that's to be expected. Rest assured Art will do his best to remedy every situation and make sure you are a happy customer. When I was having an issue with a certain granite company, he even intervened to get things done well and at a good price. It has been one month since Art and his crew finished the job mid April. I delayed writing a review because I was waiting on shower glass to be installed and I wanted to use everything for a bit to make sure there were no issues. I'm happy to report that everything is working fine and there are no major issues with installation. I did have to reinstall a faucet handle that came off (not properly tightened) and had to adjust the water temperature on the master shower which was easy enough with the instructions (since there was no shower glass installed yet, it made testing the shower temp at install a little impractical). Overall, I am quite happy with the final product and the price charged. I wouldn't hesitate to use Art again or to recommend him to friends. He'll get the job done well at a great price. High points: 1. Art's drywaller/painter, Manolo, does superb work. I had him do some extra work for me fixing cracked ceilings. 2. Art recommended Mosaic tile shop and Janelle to help us pick tile and color designs. She was fantastic. I will use her again and again. Low points: We spent a lot of money on the Accucolor XT grout which was color matched to the tile. Every bit of grout in the two bathrooms has an ashy gray appearance (efflorescence) and is not near the color it's supposed to be. Everything I've read indicates that too much water was used during the cleaning phase of the grouting. Granted, Accucolor XT is a finicky grout but let's just say the tiler knew better than the instructions on the bag.

We called Art and his team as we were in the process of purchasing a townhouse in which the bathrooms were in serious need of updating. Though he had a few other projects going on, he was able to squeeze us in on short notice. For two bathrooms, his pricing couldn't be beat! What I liked the most was that we got to meet him and his team on the day they gave us an estimate. I wasn't dealing with a designer or anyone else who wasn't going to be doing the actual work. He brought a little photo album with before and after photos of other bathrooms and kitchens they had completed. He was also able to give me a timeframe for completion that worked for us. The quote he gave us was for labor not including materials. Because I already had an idea of what I wanted to the bathrooms to look like, I was glad Art wasn't going to push any design ideas on me. I was able to tell him what I wanted and he gave input on what materials would work best. He also recommended a good tile store in the area. All he asked was that most of the materials be available before the work was started. I purchased most of the little items on my own and gave him a list of the big ticket items such as the toilet, bathtub, shower doors, vanity, etc. He purchased them all and gave me the receipts for everything. Art, Billy, Rich, Jason, and Manolo were very professional and always cleaned up after their messes. I couldn't be around while they were completing the work because I had already taken time off to do the move. So, I gave them a key to the house. They gave me absolutely nothing to worry about! For both bathrooms, Billy and Jason started with the demolition. They were very clean and removed all of the debris without any problem. Once the bathrooms were gutted, Rich came and replaced the shower pan/bathtub and made sure the plumbing was ready. Then, Billy and Jason returned to re-tile the walls and floor. Next Manolo painted the walls before Billy and Rich installed the vanity, lighting, mirror, toilets, etc. They were very quick and efficient. With Art juggling other projects, he was in and out making sure everything was being done as we envisioned as well as making sure we were staying on budget. Not only did they do a great job, they were fun to work with. Plus, we had our brand new bathrooms in less than 3 weeks!

I found Art and his team through Angie's list. I got 3 estimates for the job. Art was willing to do the job I wanted without pushing me to do more and was able to stay in my budget. They did a great job and did it quickly. It was about 2 weeks from meeting Art to completion of the project. I let Art pick out the tile and fixtures and I completely agreed with his choices. His team even replaced a leaking piece that I didn't know about under my sink, free of charge. I would hire Art again for future projects and would recommend him to friends.

He was very friendly and he communicated well, however his price on just the bathroom exceeded our total budget.