Calabrese Home Improvement

We used Calabrese Home Improvement to renovate our recently purchased rowhome in Alexandria. It was built in 1942, so there was quite a bit of work that needed to be done. We essentially gutted and rebuilt the entire interior by the time we were done — and we absolutely could not have done it without the help of Justin Kennedy and his incredible team. It was an all-around amazing experience from start to finish, and we couldn't be more pleased with the end result. It all started off on the right foot from the very beginning. We interviewed several different contractors immediately after purchasing our home, and were very clear that we were looking to move forward quickly. All of them said they would get us estimates for our work with a quick turnaround. Out of all of them, Justin was the only one who actually stuck to his word and got us his estimate on time. We greatly appreciated the detailed, line-by-line estimate he provided us with (not everyone does that, we've learned!), and the reasonable and competitive pricing. Throw in the fact that he seemed like a genuinely great guy and a breeze to communicate with — we were sold! Once it came time to actually get started on the work, Justin shined ever brighter. We were first-time homeowners and first-time renovators, so all of this was very new to us — but Justin was fantastic in helping us make tough decisions. He would give us all the information and options we wanted and even give his opinion (but only when we asked!), but he was never rude, overpowering or dismissive like other contractors. He genuinely wanted us to be happy with outcome, and he wanted to help us make the decision that we felt was right for us. He was incredibly open and honest about every aspect of the job, and he clearly knew what he was talking about. It was great to have an expert that we could trust guiding us through this very big project. We felt like we were in great hands the entire time. Communication was another big factor for us. Justin is incredibly responsive — via text, email or phone — and always made himself personally available to us. I know he had teams working on several other projects at the same time, but I always felt like ours was the only house he was working on. He met us regularly at the property to walk through and review the work that was going on, explain what his guys were doing and why, answer our many questions and make sure we were pleased with the quality of the work. I knew that if I had a question or a problem, I could get in touch with Justin almost immediately at virtually any time — and that speaks volumes about his professionalism. In terms of the quality of the work, we found ourselves equally impressed. I am exceptionally detail-oriented and have incredibly high standards, but the execution of Justin's crew was second-to-none. Francisco (the crew lead) and his team worked quickly and efficiently, while never sacrificing the quality of the work. They accepted every challenge we threw at them and ended up coming out on the other end with a finished product that exceeded our expectations. (Not to mention they were all really nice guys!) They worked incredibly hard and showed great dedication to their craft, and ultimately finished the project on schedule and on budget. No excuses, no runaround. They got the job done when they said they would and did great work in the process. We were ecstatic. All in all, we couldn't have been more pleased. Renovating an entire house can be an incredibly overwhelming process — and I know that we could not have made it through the whole thing alive without Justin and the Calabrese team. They guided us step-by-step with the highest possible level of professionalism, integrity and quality, and made a tough, stressful task into something manageable and (almost) enjoyable. And now we have an absolutely gorgeous home that we love to show for it! It was a pleasure to work with Justin, on a personal and professional level, and we will certainly be using him and Calabrese Home Improvement again for any and all future home improvement needs, large or small. We strongly recommend you do too!

We used Calabrese Home Improvement for a recent kitchen and bath renovation at our 1900s row home in DC. From the first meeting, Justin really understood what we wanted for the renovation and set about to develop a plan to achieve it. We wanted a look that would complement and stay true to the age and style of our home. Justin and his team got it right at every turn. The initial estimate was straightforward and the documentation for the project scope was also clearly defined and easy to see the steps that would be complete and when. We originally just wanted to do our kitchen, but after seeing the work begin, we were so pleased that we added a much needed bathroom remodel to the scope. Justin added the bathroom project and didn’t miss a beat. His communication was great and he kept us informed of progress at each step and let us know what selections we needed to make at each step. His contacts with local manufacturers and suppliers was exactly what we needed! Our cabinets and countertop were perfect choices for us and he helped navigate us through the thousands of choices by narrowing it right down to what we needed. Through the process, Justin and his team made suggestions for a better way to achieve what we wanted in either a more cost effective or less invasive way. Our troubleshooting sessions resulted in some of our favorite and unexpected additions. They also went the extra mile in suggesting improvements to our plan for things we wouldn’t have through of, but that have made our project so much better. Out 10+ year old hot water heater died about halfway through the project and Justin got us an estimate that afternoon and his crew replaced it the next morning. The price point was very reasonable and we felt that it was fair and competitive, especially in the DC area. The quality of the craftsmanship, carpentry and finishing were top notch, giving the look a top-of-the-line look and feel. I’ve been in renovations where it is clear that the materials were pricey, but the finish was mediocre, so the end result looked shotty. The opposite is true here. The attention to the finishing details and molding created the perfect, high end finished product. Overall Justin and his crew delivered a final product on time and within budget that exceeded our expectations. I cannot recommend Justin and Calabrese Home Improvements highly enough. They will be our first call whenever we need to do work on our home in the future.