Renovate Construction, LLC

My wife and I have been on a 18 month journey with Renovate to plan a significant basement remodel which included replacement of the main beam of the house and a dig out of a crawlspace to expand the footprint of the basement. Along the way, Amanda and her team (especially Jeremiah and Ross) have been utterly professional and helped us craft an amazing vision for the project, with lots of changing scope and financial constraints on our side that changed along the way. It was always easy to get on the phone with someone there and to talk things out when we needed to discuss something or revise our plans and they were always great about working out multiple options to solve problems as we encountered them. What we wanted to do was really ambitious and they always had a steady hand at the wheel. We were especially grateful that, in order to save us money, they would allow us to contract with an excavation company directly in order to bring the project within budget. Ultimately, we had to shelve the project until financing it would be more feasible, but Amanda was extremely gracious and understanding even about that turn of events. And, in the end, we have engineering drawings and floorplans that we can keep until the time is right to do the work, so it wasn't all for naught.

I am very pleased with Renovate Construction. The original project was to completely redo one bathroom (replace existing fixtures in the same place) and add a shower to a very small half bath. During the project we discovered a few additional things that needed to be fixed (a gap in siding on the outside of our half bath was causing a leak, a leaky window in the basement meant that we needed to redo the drywall downstairs, and I asked to replace carpet on the upstairs with hardwood plus repaint the stairwell), and they were helpful and reactive to each new project. Everyone, whether the Renovate Construction crew or a subcontractor who worked on the project, was very good at their job. There were a few small mistakes, and they were fixed with no issue. Additionally, every person that I interacted with was professional, but more than that, they were nice to be around! That is so important when a crew is working in and around your home for weeks on end. Our project ended up being bigger than I had initially planned, for the reasons above, but the team stayed on time, on budget and in good contact with me throughout the process. I am pretty picky about fixtures and things, and they worked with me when I wanted some very specific tile, a customized sink, asked them to install vintage or Ikea elements, etc. We were having separate electrical work done at the same time, and they did a great job of coordinating with them as well. I loved their ideas and their work; I would definitely work with Renovate Construction on another project. I'm already dreaming of what my new kitchen will look like.

Everyone at Renovate was excellent to work with, communicated well, and obviously cared about doing quality work according codes and rules. Our project had a couple surprises (asbestos!), and we ending up spending more than we thought, but the whole team made it a positive experience, and we would love to work with them again on the next phase of our basement!

Last winter we set out to tackle a non-trivial remodel to update the main living spaces in our 1960’s north Seattle home. Our home had a failing original deck placed in an awkward location and end of life kitchen, so we worked with an architect to draft plans to connect a new deck to the kitchen and dining areas, while updating these rooms as well. The plan required removing old sliding doors to the awkwardly placed original deck, adding two new sets of doors onto the new deck location, adding a new window in place of the old door, and modifying several interior walls. With plans in-hand we set off to gather bids from builders. Many builders that we contacted simply were too preoccupied to follow through, and some carried an off-putting sense of “my way or the highway” attitude. One builder stood out quite starkly from the rest, with a humble attitude and a genuine customer centric approach. They appeared to actually want our business, listened, and put together a detailed and competitive bid. As you might guess, the builder was Renovate Construction, and we subsequently chose them to move forward with the project. Communication with Amanda and Derek from day one has always been excellent, and the project started off as well as could be expected. They worked swiftly with our structural engineer and architect to work out kinks and manage the pre-inspections process with the city. Towards the end of January, we were already ready to tear down and rebuild the new deck. Building materials were delivered, deck demolition happened, and then….COVID. This threw everyone for a loop. To Renovate’s full credit they handled this setback as well as any small business could. They remained agile and in constant communication with us about new protocols, possible timelines, and our own comfort levels with go forward options. Following recommended protocols we resumed the outdoor deck portion of the remodel in spring as soon as regulations allowed. Amanda and Derek both showed strong leadership to ensure and encourage a safe environment for both our family (who were stuck at home from our own work quarantines), and for their crews. The deck rebuild was led by Oleg and a team of very skilled builders. It was amazing to watch the deck come to life in real time while we were stuck at home ourselves, and also gave our young kids something to watch other than iPads and Zoom calls. Oleg’s team can be summed up with the word “meticulous”, and it was obvious that they took a lot of pride as true craftsmen. Needles to say the deck turned out beautiful. The next decision was a little more difficult for us to move forward with, and that was whether we were comfortable with demolishing our kitchen/dining/living area with crews inside the house in the middle of a pandemic while being stuck at home 24/7. With Renovate’s help and full cooperation we were able to come up with a solution that temporarily “walled off” the entire construction area from the rest of the house, and also rig a temporary sink/laundry area in other areas of the house. This provided a manageable temporary living solution that gave us the space necessary to safely continue. As soon as regulations allowed, Renovate was ready with the required safety protocol and plan. As doors, windows, and walls were removed and added, Derek was instrumental in making sure the impact to us at home was as minimal as possible. His crew was so well planned and prepared, there was not one instance where a removed door or window was not in place within the same day. In other words, there wasn’t a night where a door or window opening didn’t have a fully attached window or door in place. It’s these types of customer centric details that make Renovate a little different than other builders, and it takes a different kind of builder mentality when you are doing work in someone’s home while they are still living there. As the project quickly progressed, Amanda, Derek, and Oleg were always in great communication with us. As any construction project does, there are instances where not everything goes perfect (building plan discrepancies, finish details, billing adjustments). These things happen to some degree in every construction project no matter what, but the big difference between builders is in how they are handled when encountered. Renovate never shied away from accountability on the handful of small issues we encountered, and always immediately addressed a solution with perfect communication and a customer centric approach. Renovate was also very flexible with us on many components of the project. When I told Derek that I was having second thoughts on countertop materials, and was considering the notion of building my own decorative concrete countertops instead of quartz…he not only didn’t say ‘no way!’…he actively encouraged me to do it (which in hindsight was somewhat questionable advice - knowing how much work it is now 😊). My wife and I were also particular in the finish that we wanted on the doors and windows, and decided we wanted to do this ourselves. Derek was a cheerleader for us, and fully let us become a small part of the build. Fortunately, we didn’t totally screw up these details we wanted to do ourselves, but it wasn’t lost on me that most builders wouldn’t put the fate of a remodel project, with all it’s dependencies, in the hands of some hack homeowners. Derek listened to us, gauged whether we were capable of what we said we wanted to do, and then fully encouraged us to be an active part of the remodel. With the remodel now done, it’s really hard to imagine our house the way it was before. It truly turned out better than we had imagined from the drawings. And while COVID thew our timeline for a bit of a loop, the project was still completed at a good pace…and just as important, Renovate’s bid was pretty darn close to on-target. I’m very glad we chose Renovate to work with on this project, and have nothing but good vibes from our updated home. Considering we completed this safely and thoroughly in the middle of a pandemic, it’s really a testament to the people at Renovate. My only worry about writing such a good review for them is that they’ll be too busy to take on my next remodel project. Regardless, they are a great company with great people – and their continued success and growth is well earned. Thank you Renovate. Very happy with our house!

It really couldn't have gone better. I really liked working with the whole team and specifically, Derek (the PM) was a pleasure to work with. It was a small job, but they still found the time to fit me in. Because of Renovate, I was able to get electrical, paint, and drywall all done in a week, right before Christmas.

Renovate was excellent from start to finish. They efficiently removed an old carport, deck and storage room, and with expertise installed new siding and windows on the side of the house. The crew was professional throughout the project.

After 13 years in our house we were looking for a modest, cosmetic upgrade to our basement, someplace we could relax, and a space the girls could use when they had their friends over. After looking at a variety of bids, from modest to eye-watering, we chose Renovate based upon their clear, reasonable pricing and their engagement in our vision. They presented thoughts, ideas, feedback and asked sharp, clarifying questions. This set a tone for the whole process, which was (dare I say it?) painless. Any issues were communicated in a timely manner and with a refreshing lack of excuses. We could not be happier with the results and feel that we got way more for our money than we would have anywhere else. I would not hesitate to recommend Renovate to anyone, Amanda, Mike and the whole team were a joy to work with, and the results were equally as fantastic.

Renovate Construction was excellent at every phase of our Magnolia porch remodel! From the beginning of the planning visits, to the start and completion of the project, Renovate was a true partner! I appreciated they kept us in the loop on potential issues, challenges and scheduling. We received expert advice from an incredible team to ensure our project stayed on track and within budget! Huge thanks to Dave, Amanda, Mike and Ryan for an amazing job- we are so pleased with the results and now have curb appeal again! I will definitely refer/ work with Renovate again. Thanks guys!!

I recently had Renovate do a significant remodel of a 50 year old duplex. They built me 2 brand new bathrooms, a new kitchen, an interior wall, and they also strengthened my deck. They impressed me every step of the way with their professionalism, craftsmanship, and problem-solving. I highly recommend them for any project you’re considering; as far as I’m concerned I’ve found a contractor for life. If you’d like more detail, I’ve included some of the highlights of my experience below Professionalism: Amanda reached out to me promptly and sent a foreman to the house within a couple days. She followed up with a detailed, reasonable estimate for the work (and when I say detailed, I mean detailed). The crew was on-site every single day until the work was done. I paid exactly what we discussed on the estimate, except for the surprises (more on that later) Craftsmanship: I was really impressed by the attention to detail in their work. They moved the plumbing in the bathroom to the exact requirements and changed the supporting valves and fixtures I’d missed without asking. The tiles in my shower were laid beautifully, straight, and level, and they replaced a chipped one (instead of just grouting over it). Problem-solving: It’s a old house in the Northwest, so naturally we found water damage in one of the bathroom, from a 50-year old window. It had rotted part of the outer wall and even some structural beams. I was ready to have a heart attack, but they nonchalantly made it good as new, window and all. They charged me time and materials, and their rates are very fair for the top quality work they do. I also managed to mismeasure the kitchen layout somehow, and they heroically moved a beam 4 inches to accommodate the cabinets. That was my mistake and I deserved to pay for it. I’m just glad I had an honest contractor.

They stepped in after another company and were phenomenal, the quality, everything they said they did. It was very impressive.

They were good. The guys were on time and everything. They do what they say and stick to the timeline.

Amazing on all fronts. I can’t express how happy I am with our front porch. The owners and employees are all top notch. If you ever need work done contact Renovate Construction first.