Hi Jim-
This is much delayed. I just wanted to let you know our house was was absolutely fine during during the hurricane. We were evacuated and there was flooding and power outages and our house came through unscathed. I’ve told everyone it is because of our amazing builder! I just wanted to let you know that we cannot find a thing wrong. I hope you and your family came through okay
We enthusiastically recommend Jim Carpenter.
We needed to build our home from 400 miles away, as we were living in Richmond, Virginia at the time of construction. In our due diligence we felt that our choice of builder was the single most important decision in the entire process, as we had heard legions of horrible stories of construction projects.
Several things stand out with Jim and his team.
First, we always believed that they treated this project with a pride like it was their own house they were building, and we fundamentally came to believe that Jim “treated it like it was his own money”. They met all quality specs and really took care of the overall product. On an ongoing basis Jim would offer practical suggestions that would very often save us money and make our house better, which often enabled us to entertain additional project components that could be funded out of common sense savings.
Second (and related), he completed our project on time and on budget. All from 400 miles away. With integrity he was always thoughtful in the commitments he made and in how he priced work, and he absolutely delivered. Wow!
Lastly, we really believed in what we called Jim’s “toolbelt” approach to projects and would strongly advise prospective clients to consider how Jim manages projects. He is active and onsite in a way that other builders would not and could not commit to, and we really believe that this hands-on approach was a critical factor to the overall success of our project. Jim was accessible at all times at the site, he had first-hand details on the activities at the site, he was banging nails and doing work on the house, and he was basically our eyes and ears. It is hard to over-emphasize how valuable this was to us.
As we got to know Jim we came to see that he is a person who takes great pride in his work, and is a person of extremely high integrity. We think these attributes are what really differentiate him and make us so enthusiastic in our recommendation.
We would be happy to provide additional commentary to any prospective clients.
I cannot imagine building a house WITHOUT Jim and his team! His attention to detail, his ability to come in on budget, his work ethic and his relationship with his subs are just a few of his many attributes. Not to mention that he created the house of our dreams and he he did it in the time promised. You will find that Jim always goes the extra step so that you won’t have to worry, now – or in 10 years!
As we progressed I learned how much I could trust Jim to do the job the way it should be done. He has great taste and a great aesthetic.
We are happy to recommend Carpenter Construction not only for the quality of their work but more importantly for their integrity and honesty.
We are in the final stages of a major renovation to our home, which included a full kitchen remodeling, laundry room, bathrooms, a bedroom, family room, mud room and new HVAC. Jim and his team of professionals became fast friends with our family. Jim and his brother Danny were onsite every day quarterbacking the process and making sure that all work was being done to the same exacting standards they would demand if it was their own home. Naturally, we would walk through our house at the end of each day to see what work had been done and if we noticed something missing we would make a list and speak to Jim or Danny the next day. We quickly learned that Jim and Danny already had their own list so trust came quickly and we gave up micromanaging.
When you interview general contractors they all give you a portfolio of past projects and most go to great lengths to explain their value add. The one topic that is most likely overlooked is the general contractor’s relationship with the long list of sub-contractors that will be in and out of your home over a several month period and many times when you aren’t home. In Carpenter Construction’s case, Jim has worked with all of his subs for years if not decades. Every single one of the subs were polite, willing to go the extra mile, great with our children and seemed genuinely happy to be working in our home. We felt so comfortable with all of them that we let Jim hang a key to our home outside. If you are looking for the lowest price then your general contractor of choice likely has a cut-rate and high turnover relationship with the people working for them. At the end of the day, who are you letting into your home?
We are fortunate to have used Carpenter Construction. We made a home we love even better and feel like we made some friends along the way. We will miss having Jim and his team around as they made a big disruption in our everyday life fun.
Quality and Reliability
In January 2011 our home received a great deal of damage due to the ice damming. We searched for a reliable contractor for weeks and found Jim Carpenter through a referral from a friend. This was
the best referral we could have received. At a time in which we were battling with the insurance company, Jim provided clarity, realistic expectations and comfort that things would be back to normal soon. Jim laid out a clear plan on a weekly basis for progression of work to be completed and
his team met this plan every time. His team was always on time, polite and trustworthy. Jim’s estimates were timely and accurate. Jim and his team conducted themselves in a very professional, reliable, meticulous, and organized way. He would be the first person I would recommend to any of my friends and neighbors.