Old House Renovation

Customer reference for PJB Construction Ltd as told to pickapro by Alison Leen from Glasnevin, Dublin 9 on 21-Feb-2008

When was the work done?
The project was initially started in December of 2006 and finished in May, 2007

What was involved?
It was a massive job. My husband and I had purchased a house that was in very bad condition with the idea to completely renovate it. Everything, and I mean everything, needed to be redone. Internal walls needed to be torn down and built back up and flooring needed to be put down everywhere. The bedrooms, bathrooms, sitting room and kitchen needed be be gutted and redone from scratch. In addition to everything I've mentioned, the plumbing and electrics needed to be added as well.

How did you choose PJB Construction?
They had renovated the kitchen of a friend of mine and she recommended them to me.

Had you definite ideas in mind before you talked to Philip?
More or less, though at the time I thought I was mad to be taking on a project this size.

Did Philip introduce new ideas?
They made lots of practical recommendations when they thought something would work better but the final decisions were always up to me. At one time without thinking it through, I had planned to put a new bathroom next to the kitchen. He said they could do it but recommended against it as it would use up valuable space in the the kitchen. I'm glad I went with his advice as the kitchen area was so important to me. Another great idea he had was a small extension added to the back of the kitchen to use as a laundry room. It wasn't just that I wanted to get the washer and dryer out of the kitchen but as a place to hang coats and jackets because I didn't want the kids just dropping coats everywhere. It's lovely with an arched ceiling and skylight and has turned out to be the best room ever!

How did the project run?
Let me tell you, they are the easiest to work with and I never had any problems with them at all. They were on time, reliable and worked so clean that even the neighbours commented on it. Philip kept me informed every step of the way and made it clear that if I wanted to change anything, it wouldn't be a problem. Every week there would be a certain amount of work scheduled for completion and it always was. At the end of every work shift the house would be safely locked and secured until the following days work began again.

What was the biggest benefit to you of using PJB Construction Ltd?
The biggest benefit was that even though it was a massive job, They made everything so easy for me. They're excellent builders and did everything I wanted them to do. They were always on time, reliable, worked hard and got on with what what they had to do. I wasn't living on site during the project but I trusted them so completely that I didn't have to check up on them to see if they were working. One last point I would like to make is that Philip really listened to my ideas and treated them with respect. A lot of contractors talk down to women and don't take us seriously but Philip was great.

What's your favourite part now?
I really love my kitchen.

Would you recommend PJB Construction Ltd to others?
Absolutely, and if I ever need more work done myself, I'm calling them.

Any tips for other people?
Don't be afraid of taking on large projects, they're not as bad as you think they'll be. The most important thing is to get the right people to do the work and everything will be OK. Philip made it all so easy for me by keeping me informed every step of the way.