House Renovation

Customer reference for KS Construction as told to pickapro by Gilbert Louis from Dublin 15 on 23-Jan-2008

When was the work done?
The work was done in mid 2006.

What was involved?
It was a pretty extensive renovation. I had moved into a 3 bed semi detached house and there was a lot of work to be done on the ground floor. A separation wall between the kitchen and dining room was removed to create more of an open space, new support beams needed to be put up and all of the ground floor walls needed to be stripped down to the plaster, replastered and painted. The kitchen was repainted and tiled, the stairs needed fixing, the bathroom was completely renovated and new wooden floors put down in several areas. It was a lot of work involving electrical, plumbing, plastering, painting, carpentry, flooring, tiling and Kevin oversaw all of it.

How did you choose KS Construction?
I knew of Kevin because we we're both avid sailers. I knew he was a carpenter because I had seen his van and asked him if he would take a look at my house and consider the work I had in mind. I've heard a lot about "cowboy" contractors but felt that since we both belonged to a common organization I could trust him. Another reason I chose Kevin Stanley was the fact that he would be overseeing and project managing the whole job. It was easier for me to deal with one person than lots of individuals.

Had you definite ideas in mind before you talked to Kevin Stanley?
Nothing definite but I did have a general idea of what I was looking for.

Did Kevin introduce new ideas?
He did. Kevin was very good about making recommendations on the practical matters of the job. That was the type of relationship I appreciated having with Kevin since I wouldn't have the knowledge myself of what was best in certain circumstances.

How did the project run?
The whole project went very well.

What was the biggest benefit to you of using KS Construction?
Peace of mind. It's hard to hire and trust someone to do the work because of the number of cowboy stories you hear but Kevin was someone I felt comfortable with. Kevin did the right thing by me and I really got the finished job I wanted. I also want to state that Kevin stands behind his work 100%. A short time ago a plinth had worked loose and I called Kevin about it. Despite the fact that the work had been done almost 2 years ago, Kevin sent somebody out straight away and fixed it at no charge. I was impressed.

Would you recommend KS Construction to others?
I recommend Kevin highly and as a professional myself in the service industry, I do not reference anyone lightly.

Any tips for other people?
A good tip I've learned from personal experience is to try and get a contractor who can oversee and manage the whole project on his own. It's much easier to liaise with one person than deal with each separate tradesman.