Built Tough Construction of North Georgia

Hi Brent, I’m sorry to hear of your disappointment. Unfortunately, what you have explained in your review is untruthful and I would be happy to explain the facts about your project and working with you and your wife, Joan.

The initial project evolved into a different design due to the city restrictions, setbacks, etc.

The initial project did NOT include a complete master bath renovation and addition, kitchen pantry renovation, new half bath addition, fireplace, etc. There is something called Scope Creep. This is when a client adds substantial work to the original scope, during the design phase. Of course, this will affect and increase the cost of a project. We followed your instructions, increased the scope, and of course the result would be increased cost. We had many meetings, and we did explain that the project cost was exceeding your initial budget. You did not express any concern and focused on what you wanted, like your garage addition for tools.

After presenting the initial design construction cost, where you were not satisfied, I scaled back the project creating a smaller, yet very similar in appearance, design. I prepared that design and created a 12-page set of totally new drawings, all at my own cost and free of charge to you, in good faith. It’s always my goal to satisfy the customer. That new design was still slightly over your budget by $50,000 because you added a garage addition and large master bedroom closet addition.

Construction cost budgeting is one of the most difficult aspects of this line of work, as explained clearly in the Architectural Contract. There is no way to know the actual and true cost of a project until a full set of detailed architectural drawings is prepared. A preliminary budget could be prepared using square foot costs, but this information will only get you in the range of the actual cost.

After providing you the second design and construction cost, we didn’t hear back from you about the project for about 1 year, where you just contacted me this January 2022. Your wife Joan emailed me a drawing of a totally new design for your project which indicates all new spaces and additions, totally different from the last design I prepared for you. In your review, you are calling this a ‘small modification’ which is absolutely incorrect. I was kind enough to do a free budgeting assessment that took 2 hours of my time. I asked Joan what your budget was for this new project, she responded, $115,000. I clearly explained in an email to Joan that based on the square footage of the new design, I felt that the project was in the $270,000 range. Joan responded on February 22, 2022, to proceed with the Architectural work.

Approximately 3 weeks later I sent this email to Joan:
Hi Joan,
I apologize for the delay; we are very busy right now. I have given this much thought and I will need to decline the work. We are building two new homes and we have several other projects underway, and I don't see where I will find the time. Your new project is basically starting all over again. A new set of drawings will take a week to prepare and then structural engineering coordination, new calculations for the county, etc. I hope you can understand.
Kind regards,
Steve

I’m glad that you posted your review, to show that projects aren’t always easy and there are difficult clients with very unrealistic expectations. We are professional, we are expert problem solvers, we are truthful and respectful.
All of our outstanding reviews here on HOUZZ from our FANTASTIC CLIENTS far outweigh your untruthful information.

I was not disrespectful to you or Joan in any way. We accept projects based on our current workload and availability.

A simple phone call to me would have been such a better way to express your concerns rather than attempting to tarnish our reputation online. Open communication and truthfulness are always the best approach.

Best of luck to you with your new project.
Kind regards,
Steve

Thank you Giovanni's Tile for the outstanding review of your experience with working with us! Your attention-to-detail makes for perfect match with the highly detailed Design and Construction services that we provide. We love working with Giovanni's Tile!

Thank you Mrs. Cocco for your awesome review! We are very pleased that you are highly satisfied with our Design and Construction services. Your new first floor looks tremendous and we are proud that we made your vision a reality! You did a great job choosing materials and cabinetry. We are looking forward to assisting you with your next project!

Thank you David and Barbara for your 5-star review of your experience with working with us! We thoroughly enjoyed designing and building your new stand-alone building two-car garage and 2nd floor studio apartment project. The design of the new building is truly harmonious with your existing residence and we are proud of the outstanding outcome. Working with you was a pleasure and we are looking forward to serving you again in the near future.

Thank you Mark for the excellent review! We enjoyed converting your deck into a screened in room and creating a new deck space for your barbecue grill. You mentioned that you were impressed with my carpentry skills. I'm proud to say that I am a woodworker and carpenter along with my Project Manager Jim. Jim and I do not hesitate to put our 'boots on the ground' and physically perform work. Carpentry and the scent of sawdust is truly therapeutic to us! Our company focus is attention-to-detail and I am glad that you were thoroughly impressed with our Professional Design and Construction services! We are looking forward to working with you on your next renovation project.

Jean, thank you for the outstanding review! We are very happy that you were highly satisfied with our Professional Design and Construction Services. Your newly renovated master bathroom looks outstanding and you made awesome choices with materials and plumbing fixtures! Every new client is now asking for the same freestanding tub and shower design! We are looking forward to working with you again very soon.

Susan, Thank you for the excellent review! It was a pleasure working with you to create your amazing new family room. I am super excited to see the completed construction and you enjoying all of the new spaces in your home. Best regards, Steven

Anastasia, thank you for your kind thoughts and the awesome review! I thoroughly enjoy working with you. I'm looking forward to having you photograph some new projects of mine very soon. Steve

Justin, Johnna,
Thank you for the great review! Working with you on your large basement finish project was a wonderful experience. I can't wait to see the finished construction!
Best regards,
Steven