Old House Modernised
Customer reference for building, converting services as told to pickapro by Marian from Dalkey on 08-Mar-2008
When was the work done?
The work started at the end of October and finished shortly before Christmas, 2007.
What was involved?
The house I live in is old, it was built in the 1920's and it needed a lot of work. The sitting room in addition to other areas needed to be done badly. I needed insulation behind the walls because there wasn't any, the walls needed to be patched, plastered, skimmed and painted, the ceiling needed work and
doors needed to be replaced. A new wooden floor was installed and the stairs in the hall leading to the upstairs were carpeted. In addition, plumbing, tiling and electrical re-wiring work needed to be done.
How did you choose Killasolan Construction?
I was on Google looking for a builder and I found Larry on pickapro.ie. I read testimonials from previous customers and looked at photos of work he had done. I met up with Larry and we discussed the job and what I wanted. He came back to me with a quote that I was satisfied with and we scheduled the work to begin. I liked the fact that Larry had his own team of professionals he could rely on to do all of the work that needed to be done.
Had you definite ideas in mind before you talked to Larry Clarke?
I had some basic ideas but the house I live in is old, I wanted a builders input and advice as well.
Did Larry introduce new ideas?
Not only did Larry give me good advice that I'm happy to have taken but I got good advice from the painter and flooring specialist on Larry's team as well. I had put off doing this job for quite awhile because I wasn't sure about what I really wanted. Their input really helped.
How did the project run?
Very well. A few things took a little longer than planned but that was OK as I wasn't in a major hurry to get the project finished quickly. I just wanted the job done right the first time. As long as it was finished by Christmas would be fine with me and it was. I'm very pleased with how it turned out. The sitting room has been totally transformed.
What was the biggest benefit to you of using Killasolan Construction?
This was my first experience with a big job like this where there would be quite a few different types of trades work being done; Building, plastering, flooring, painting, electrics and plumbing. Larry was able to coordinate all of the work himself with his team. It was much easier having one team do it all than hiring separate people to do different jobs. I work during the daytime and it would have been impossible for me to have to
work half days or come home during the daytime to accommodate separate contractors. With Larry, I just left him the key and he took care of everything.
What's your favourite part now?
Overall, I'm pleased with all of it but if I had to choose one thing, it would be the floor. I really struggled with the decision as to whether to put down carpet again or go with wood flooring. I chose wood and I'm very happy I did. A lot of my friends who have come into the house since the work was done really like the new doors that were put in.
Would you recommend Killasolan Construction to others?
I certainly would, yes. In fact, I'll be bringing Larry back myself to do some more work upstairs in the summer of 2008. I want to change the doors up there and maybe do a few other things as well.
Any tips for other people?
I think it's important to sit down with the contractor to have a chat and discuss various ideas, options and get their recommendations before work begins. They have valuable experience homeowners can really benefit from. Take your ideas and their recommendations and come up with a plan. When I hired Larry I was able to benefit from his knowledge as a builder and
the same from the flooring specialist and painter he has as part of his crew.
