More Testimonials/Referrals

Dear Lisa Kauffman Tharp,

Additionally they didn't just do the job and then disappear but have helped me out with small things after above and beyond the call of duty afterward. I was so pleased with their work that I had a party for them and all of the subcontractors afterwards. The quality of the work was excellent, and everyone who visits comments on the quality and how wonderful the space feels. They not only managed the schedule but finished the project ahead of schedule. They managed the budget and worked with me to keep the price within bounds. When the price did go up it was because I decided that I wanted something extra and once because of structural requirements and the city's zoning board for more structural reinforcement (not caused by anything Two Storey did or didn't do).

Often they came up with solutions to problems that were better than mine and that cost less than what I been thinking. Since I continued to live in the house while the project was ongoing with the exception of one month when I chose to take a vacation out of the country they became a major part of my life. Not only did my confidence in their skills and capabilities increase over time, but I found them easy to deal with, respectful, and professional for the duration up to the present day. They brought the project successfully to the finish line very smoothly. All of my requests - which were many - were thoughtfully examined and discussed. I was surprised time and time again by their coming up with innovative solutions to problems. And by them handling things promptly, cheerfully and with great final results. The way they worked allowed me not to worry. This took an enormous burden off of me.

This was the second major construction project that I've lived with, so I do have something to compare it to, and I have to say that working with Doug, Bill and Matt and their teams of subcontractors was so extraordinarily rewarding for me that I refer people to them whenever anyone asks. If I were to do this project again I would certainly recommend them. When I initially hired them it was because I checked out their references and people wrote positive letters like the one that I am writing now.

One person said "One of the reasons we hired them was Doug's use of project planning software. I knew that any builder that knew how to do that would have no problem properly managing our project." Since I'm a computer person I liked that because I'm also a busy person and I needed a quick, easy and dependable way of communicating. And because of email I could keep records of every request and decision. This is useful to do. Just this morning I decided I wanted to paint a stool the same color as a wall and I have a record of the color.

I also liked that this reference said "After they are done you will be very pleased with the ongoing customer service." This is so true for me too. "They have come back whenever it is necessary to deal with anything that crops up. Nothing major. Just some touchup stuff and they always come with no complaints and in a timely manner." I also agree with this comment that "I [would give] gave them the business without any competitive bids." I should also mention that since I lived in the house during the construction they built a door to separate the old and new construction which improved the quality of my life during the project. Extraordinarily thoughtful and protective of me and my existing home.

One previous reference said "I think it really helps to know what you want. The more you know about what you want the clearer you can be with them. I was amazed with how many decisions had to be made in each area of a project." This is soooo true. In my case I had only ordered plans from the architect that would secure me a building permit, because I could not afford to have the architect along for the duration of the job, nor did I want to. This meant that I had to make many decisions that you may or not have to make. Nonetheless Two Storey advised me of what I needed to decide in a timely way so that the schedule was not disrupted. I want to second this references comment: " Make sure you know exactly what you want ahead of time. We found that the number of decisions to make over the course of the project was vast - beyond expectations. Knowing all of these as far in advance is preferable. It will keep you and the contractors from stressing and making decisions that you might regret later. We are incredibly specific about all aspects of our project, which can be stressful for contractors. Two Storey, because they are well organized, generally kept us apprised of upcoming decisions, but there were a couple of times when we had to make decisions in short time." I agree with this reference, and must say that there were no decisions made in the project that I regret and I never once felt pressured to do something before I was ready. I do think it is a good idea to pay attention to what the subcontractors are doing to be sure that you are satisfied with things. There was only one subcontractor that was problematic and in response to my concern that subcontractor was promptly fired and replaced.

Please feel free to contact me. I unequivocally, and without reservation highly recommend Two Storey Building for your residential building project, and if I had to do it all again I would hire them again.

Good Luck, and Enjoy,

To Whom It May Concern:

It is my sincere pleasure to write this letter on behalf of Doug and Bill Storey and the entire staff of Two Storey Building. My husband and I along with our two children had the good fortune of having Two Storey build us a brand new home this past year. Our project involved tearing down our existing home and building an entirely new home including a new foundation.

From my initial meeting with Doug, I was not only impressed by his professionalism but also his understanding of how important the relationship is between a homeowner and a builder. With the scope of building a new home from scratch you end up being intimately involved with your builder often times on almost a daily basis. Doug was not only very knowledgeable but also very well organized and excellent about keeping in close communication with us both by email and phone. He was also very flexible in working with us to keep things within our budget but also help us maximize our investment and realize our dream of building a beautiful home for our family. Doug did a very good job of estimating the cost of our project and anytime a change was considered, Doug would discuss the pros and cons of the change and give us a written change order before going ahead. For example, we ended up upgrading our windows and going with a pre-cast foundation system and Doug prepared us well for the implications of these changes on our budget. In terms of selections for our project, both Doug and Bill are very knowledgeable and experienced and quickly became trusted advisors in helping us make decisions. However, they are also very attentive to and respectful of their customer's own tastes and opinions and certainly are as accommodating as possible.

As the building phase of our project actually commenced, Two Storey's excellent organization and efficiency became even more apparent. The only delay we had in starting our project was due to KeySpan (our gas company) which took over 3 weeks to shut the gas off from the street. When this delay occurred, Doug was on the phone with KeySpan several times each week trying to get the process moving. When building began, it was amazing how quickly the new foundation and framing of our home was completed. The high quality of Two Storey's craftsmanship was also quite clear. Many aspects of building which would have been upgrades with other builders (such as 2x6 construction) are standard with Two Storey. They wouldn't consider putting their name on substandard craftsmanship. Between Doug, Bill, Dave (who does excellent finish carpentry work), and Matt, they really made the actually construction process as easy as possible while also building an extremely well built and beautiful home we can truly enjoy and appreciate. Some examples which really stand out to us are the following. For our floor plan, we wanted an open feel between our kitchen and family room. Our plans included two half walls which required posts which would have partly blocked our view from the kitchen into the family room. Knowing we ideally wanted this space all open, Doug and Bill were able to rework the plans so the posts were not necessary which we didn't realize was possible. Their talent and patience was also extremely evident in helping us build a wall-to-wall built-in cabinet in our family room which they did simply from drawings my husband and I made up. This built-in surely has become a focal point of the room and one that visitors compliment frequently. Also, in the family room which has a cathedral ceiling, they worked with us to build decorative beams simply from drawings and pictures my husband and I gathered. The beams really came out beautifully and are also frequently complimented. It is not only Two Storey's craftsmanship, trustworthiness, and reliability that make them such an excellent company to work with but also their problem solving abilities. For example, my husband and I had ordered a hearthstone for the built-in in the family room. The stone was delivered while both my husband and I were at work. Bill called to let me know that the stone yard had made a mistake when cutting the stone (it was actually fairly complicated as it went the entire length of the built-in). Within an hour, Bill had called me back to say that they had figured out how to make it work and again it came out beautifully. As two working parents who were also juggling the undertaking of building an entirely new home, I can't overstate how invaluable it is to have a staff of builders who are not only so talented but have such problem solving abilities and take such pride in their work.

When we originally told family and friends about our project and that our builder estimated it would take between 6-7 months to complete the project, they all said we'd better plan on a year then. I am very happy to say that our project began mid April 2007 and we were able to move into our new home on October 5, 2007. It was truly important to Two Storey that they keep their word and deliver the project on time which we certainly appreciated not only because it was so nice to be in our new home but we were also paying the cost of a rental to which they were very sensitive. We have now been in our home for a little over 4 months and are truly enjoying it. We were very fortunate to have found Two Storey building and we would absolutely recommend them to anyone without hesitation.

Sincerely,

Lisa Lentino

Joe Lentino