Chermak Construction Inc

We had considered remodeling our kitchen for several months, but were reluctant to get started. We hired a designer to give us some ideas and that got us excited about the work. We interviewed a few contractors, from large to small firms, and were most comfortable with Matt from Chermak. He was both a designer and a carpenter himself and had lots of ideas that we liked. We had been warned by others that these jobs always take longer than advertised, so were preapred for the worst Matt estimated 8 weeks to complete the job. Suffice it to say we were overjoyed when the job was completed 8 weeks and 1 day later (we decided to have the stair treads replaced the final week and that took the extra day. Our lead carpenter, Spencer, was a gem -- very talented, professional, and courteous. He and Matt both brought great ideas to our job. We worked a variety of sub-contractors for selecting cabinets, countertops, tile, etc -- all great folks. You may pay a bit more with Chermak, but the peace of mind that that brought was well worth it to us. They had the manpower to bring to the jobsite when the need demanded to keep them on schedule. They worked with us to trim costs where we felt we could, and pointed out where we could best strategically cut costs based on their experience. Jeff, the Chermak electrician, was also a pleasure to work with. He made several valued suggestions on the new wiring we would have to have done for the job and presented several workable options. We discovered we would have to upgrade the electrical service to the house and that was accomplished without adding any extra time to the job. Needless to say, all in all, we were very pleased with the work Chermak did on our home. We love our new kitchen just as much today as we did when it was finished four months ago.

We weren't very satisfied with the project manager, the gut that came initially to do the consult. The workers that we had, the electric work and carpentry work were very high quality work but ruined it for was the guy who was coordinating all of it. We did not like the service that he gave us. We were not satisfied with the price that he gave us and he was not willing to adjust the billing, so that kind of soured the whole experience with them. There was a lot more work that could have been done and just based on the initial or the little work that they did, we will not going to continue with them and we don't like the way this was going. The electric work that was done, was very high quality. We very much appreciated the work that was done, so it's not the quality of the work, it's the guy who was coordinating it. We very much like the workers who were here but not the guy who's coordinating. The price was high. For the quote that we're getting for our bigger job, they were double on the fireplace, so it was high. My husband had a problem with the carpenter.

Gave them a target goal and they always said that would work. Finally, proposal came in way over what we talked about. Went with a private contractor. If we had more money, I would talk to them, but on the pricy side.

The remodel went well, It was only about a week longer than the plan. Any issues such as flooring backorders were handled by the company representatvie going with us to the flooring store and finding an even better instock pattern than that which was back ordered. This kept the project almost on time. The lead carpenter was an artist in what he was able to do on site.

We have used them previously on another remodel about fifteen years ago. We have actually used them three times over the last fifteen years. They were on time with the work and stuck with the estimate. They did quality work so we were quite happy with them.

Echo as others stated they are NOT the lowest bid. We choose to use Chermak primarily based on couple of factors including their reputation in the local market and numerous awards plus positive feedback from some references.The project didn't start well at the very beginning. We had customer service issues with two suppliers with tiles and bathroom fixtures Chermak referred us to. The concerns were address by Chermak immediately, and they found us two new suppliers which worked out better. We didn't have luxury of having a complimentary in-house designer available, unlike other bids we obtain, to help us through the selection process for tiles, fixtures, etc. That would have been nice to have free instead of added fee.Progress through the project was sporadic taking more time than originally plan. Primarily the delays due to tiles on back-order or plumbing supplier delivery mistakes or miss details by Chermak. During the delay, Chermak kept us posted. If there were mistakes or issues, Chermak responded in timely manner. Once the project unfolded, we saw the quality work including the work by the sub-contractors. Overall good experience, but with anything could have been better.

I suspect that Chermak was on the high side, cost wise, but I'm a firm believer that you get what you pay for. The workers were punctual and very good about calling when they couldn't show up at a scheduled time. They were careful to clean up at the end of each day and the quality of their work was excellent. Sometimes the mark of a good contractor is how they handle the mistakes which are bound to happen. When some sub-contracting plumbers backed their truck into our gutters, damaging it, I promptly received a call from Chermak assuring us that the cost of replacing it would be covered. When the check didn't arrive from the plumbing co. Chermak handled the necessary calls to make sure it got here. When the same plumbers forgot to turn the gas hot water heater back on, I called Chermak on a Saturday evening and, literally, one half hour later the plumbers were at our house to turn it back on. That's service!

We cancelled the job

Positives: Chermak provided weekly status meetings, very good input and feedback. Owner input and corrections were accommodated where feasible; good alternatives were proposed otherwise. They worked within a small (40' wide) lot, and met numerous challenges. They worked to maintain good relationships with the neighbors. End result was high quality, especially millwork trim and wall treatments. Hardwood floors and stairs are excellent, match original finish. We salvaged the original top-nailed hardwood, and the flooring subcontractor agreed to use it in the two main-floor bedrooms, with new tongue and groove elsewhere. We have lived in it for 4 years now, and are still happy with the result. The Chermak electrician was great! Easy to work with, gave excellent input on placement of outlets and lights. Also wired for telephone, cable and computer access, including two in-the-floor boxes and covers. Chermak stands behind their work; have returned to fix problems, some minor, some significant, discovered after occupancy. Some negatives: They ran behind the original estimated schedule by over 50%. There were weeks when no apparent work took place, sometimes due to subcontractor scheduling. They provided very good project management at first. Then with the economic downturn, the original person was laid off, and some agreed-upon features were lost in the turnover. Example: Blocking in the bathroom walls for future grab-rails didn't happen, now requires removal of shower enclosures if/when we want to add it. Subcontractors for plumbing and heating required owner oversight, rework. Examples: Original hot water recirculation loop did not reach all priority spigots, had to be reworked to a compromise. Three shower/tub valves were installed for thicker shower enclosures than specified, so they now protrude almost 1and quot; too far. One shower spigot is installed about 1 foot too high. Hot air heating vent dampers for wall vent plates from the 1930's house did not work, had to be reworked. HVAC Subcontractor insisted on large central cold air return at ceiling level instead of individual room returns at floor level as in the original (and for which the original ductwork had been retained, but later removed). Concrete subcontractor did a very poor finish on places in the basement floor which cover reworked drain plumbing and a small extension of the basement. It is rough, doesn't match the original smooth surface. Our contract provided for written change orders, priced and approved by both owner and contractor before work. That did not happen. Change orders were lumped together after the fact, and negotiation was on who absorbed the cost, rather than whether it should be done. (Most change orders resulted from non-specific or vague original architect designs, or errors in those drawings, so they were appropriate to be done.). Summary: Work done by Chermak employees is high quality. But keep close watch over the subcontractors as their work is being done. Some, like roofers, painters, framers were great. Others needed more owner oversight. 11/8/12 I upgraded the overall grade from B to A after living in the house another year, appreciating the quality, and observing that the problems we encountered were not that uncommon in the construction industry. There is room for a lot of improvement in that industry, and Chermak is no exception, but they are significantly above the average.

These guys are like a big family. I got what I consider the best material for the job and finished products that I am proud to show off.

He was absolutely wonderful. He just gave me a quote for the fireplace work. He also told me that he would have to go and give me a proper estimate if I was interested in moving forward. He actually talked me out of it for the other job. So that is what I really appreciated. He was really honest with his opinion. He didn't think it was a good idea to do it instead of just taking the job and taking the money. I didn't even bother to ask for an estimate after that conversation because it wasn't a good idea. He talked me out of the add-on just because it would decrease the view from one of the other spots in the house. He quoted me $10000 for the fireplace, window and some remodeling work in the bedroom.

These guys are fabulous! Certainly not the lowest bid, but so worth it! I have used the lowest bid before on projects, and wished I had not. I never wished I had not chosen Chermack.

They are very good and we will continue to use them.

After finding them on Angie's List, we contacted Chermak Construction for a bid on new decks. Darren came out and told us that our 20 year old decks were in better shape than we thought and suggested what to do to make them look better and last longer. He told us that they should last another 3-5 years and that we could wait to replace them, thereby saving us a lot of money and keeping good wood out of the dump. He also noticed that a support beam for our roof needed shoring up and told us what should be done to fix it. He will give us a bid on getting the deck ready for staining and also for shimming the beam. Darren couldn't have been nicer or more helpful and we look forward to using Chermak in the future.

We did not have a good experience with them. They gave us an estimate for a price and time frame that kept going up as the project continued. They had a revolving door with some of the workers through the months of the project. The job was on a cost and material basis. They repaired the issue adequately. The cost, time and issues were far bigger thane expected.

It was excellent. I work with them on other projects and they are just really really good to work with. They're professional, friendly and they get the job done right.

When the design was presented to me it was almost three times the budget. When I refused and told them to tighten it up they came back with a few thousand dollars taken off. The original bid for cabinets was $17K. When I pushed back they found someone else who was "just as good" who priced the same cabinetry for $7K. How come they didn't go to this firm in the first place? Then I suggested some other areas to cut and after multiple revisions the final bid was still 25% over budget. They never told me during the development of the design when I was near or over budget. They expected me to accept any price. I was up front from the beginning about my goals and budget. They started to pester me and when I asked them what they were cutting to lower the price I found they were cutting things I didn't even know were in the design. I have taken the design and gone somewhere else and I got a bid that was within my budget.

Todd Chermak came out on April 21, 2008 to discuss the project. I found him to be thoughtful and he spent quite a bit of time with me. Unfortunately, he never sent me a bid.

Overall, I would say this company is easy to work with. I have not had them perform any work yet, but I would say by what I see they are very good to work with and will do a good job.

Company rep. came out and tried to convince me that I didn't want tile, that I should go w/ a cheaper alternative, promised me that he would give me a contact of a person/company to go look at this alternative product (for shower), and would be giving me his bid. I never heard from him again. This person really really was more interested in what my potential maximum budget was that in actually giving me a bid. It's clear that he was trying to maximize his profit by steering me towards very cheap products (vinyl squares instead of tile w/ heat under them!). I would never call this company again.

Joe was supposed to give me quote on the work, but it never came. After one week, I called again but could not reach him. I called the next week and he said he wasn't going to send a quote. When we talked on the phone, he gave me a quote that was much higher than he was originally suggesting and more than double what others had quoted. After a few weeks of trying to track him down, he had the gull of suggesting such a ridiculous amount for the work needed. I think it is dishonest from a business standpoint. If they were too busy to do the work, they shouldn't just quote a huge price, but instead should have just told me they were too busy to do the work since others told me it was a small job. I think businesses should treat both small and large jobs with respect and simply tell individuals if they are too busy to do the work.

Chermak was absolutely wonderful to work with! From the initial contact through the work by the carpenter to the final painting of the walls where the doors were opened up, everything went exceptionally smoothly.

Representative came to house to evaluate our project and listen to what we wanted, very professional. Described the proposed process from design to finished project. Estimate exceeded our budget for the project, so we will not proceed. If money were not an issue, we would use Chermak.

I called the company at the end of May. We scheduled a time for an estimator to come out in mid-June. He came on schedule and took copious notes. I called two weeks later and was told by the receptionist that he'd probably have the estimate soon. I called again a month later and was told he was on vacation, but would call when he got back. It's now the end of August and I haven't heard a word. If they don't want the job, it would be nice if they'd let me know. I wasted many weeks when I could have been contacting other contractors.

THEY REALLY TOOK THE TIME TO DO IT RIGHT.