After purchasing a 1920’s Arts and Crafts-style bungalow,
I wanted to do some major remodeling. I worked with an architect to reconfigure virtually the entire 2nd floor.
As we were working through this design, I asked the architect if he could recommend any contractors for the project, I received only one response. “Phil. You really have to work with Phil on this. He’d be perfect for this kind of project.”
About 3 days into the project, most of the demolition was completed and that was a humbling moment. I stood at the top of the stairs in my “new” house, and looked at a completely gutted space. No floors, walls, ceiling… nothing. It was then that I really realized how much faith was resting on Phil’s ability to bring this back to a completely finished house.
Fortunately, my fears abated quickly. “Hey, I think this is going to work out,” turned to “You know, this is actually looking pretty good.” And then, “Wow. Wow wow wow… wow.” I literally went through those stages. On the final day, my jaw was literally fused open. Remembering what it looked like after the demolition, that was a euphoric moment. Not only did I dodge a bullet, I won the lottery!
Phil is focused on doing quality work. He is extremely conscientious when it comes to the details, and the details are really the difference between a good result and a great result. He also does a fantastic job of managing schedules – sub-contractors, vendors and suppliers, inspectors, and other workers. Third, and I can’t stress this one enough, communication. Phil had an uncanny ability to provide me the information I wanted to know, yet not overwhelm me with details that weren’t important.
- Brian Lebakken, St. Paul
With any remodeling projects you have two concerns – the quality of the end product and the process of getting to that product. Working with Phil, both the end result and the process were fantastic.
Phil took excellent plans from our designer, added his own ideas, and crafted an inviting, attractive – and functional – kitchen that we love. And getting here was about as painless as a remodeling project can be. We knew what was being done when. If there were delays, we knew they were for a good reason (usually it was because of something I asked for). I’ve heard horror stories from friends about remodeling contractors who didn’t return phone calls and who disappeared for weeks with the job half-done. I usually tell those people they should have hired Phil.
- Chad Snyder, Minneapolis
My wife and I had been trying to figure out how to make our 80-year-old home’s small cooking kitchen connect to the rest of the house. We met with several contractors. Until Phil they all came up with similar designs. Phil’s vision was not only way different, but it did everything we wanted. We now use the space much more, it feels like part of the original style of the house and we could not be more pleased.
- Dale Bosch, St. Paul
We could not have enjoyed working with Phil more. From the very first meeting to the last day, he was a joy to work with. Besides his excellent skills in cabinetry and carpentry, a couple of things truly set Phil apart from other contractors we have had work on our house. The first is he really did take care of every detail of the job. We didn’t have to do a thing. When I hire someone to work on our house, the main reason I do it (besides having inadequate skills) is that I don’t want to have to do a thing. So many contractors don’t take care of the little details like repainting the area that has been under construction. He also took meticulous care each day to clean the construction area so that it was as clean after he had been there as it was before. The second thing that really sets him apart is that phases of the project were finished exactly as he said they would be. He does a very good job of planning his time and knowing how long each step of a project will take.
The worst thing about working with Phil is that when he was done with our project, we didn’t get to see him as much. I work at home and very much enjoyed having him around!
- Kristin Dean, Minneapolis
Phil really cared about our quality of life during the project. With three small children and my wife’s elderly father living in our house, our kitchen and bathroom remodel could easily have been a very difficult experience. Phil went the extra mile to make sure that we had a functioning kitchen every day of the remodel.
- Kristofer Sween, St. Paul
We were thrilled with Phil’s creative solution for our problem space. Several other contractors gave us suggestions and quotes, but no one had the eye for beautiful design and a dedication to maintaining the integrity of an older home while still providing us with function. . . . If you want quality craftsmanship, Phil is the guy.
- Jeff & Sarah Mann, Minneapolis
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