I am very pleased with my decision to work with Safa at A Plus Construction.
We needed to repair or replace our decorative exterior shutters and a side gate in our 25-year-old home. These were the original items installed when the home was built in 2000. I really had no idea where to start - when looking for shutters, everyone is focused on internal window shutters. Gate companies were much easier to find but also very expensive.
We looked at more expensive gates, and we also wanted to change the style of the shutters, but the HOA required a filing with a fee to change it from anything other than an exact match, and we wanted to wait for that in order to optimize the process in the near future when we can group many changes into one filing. So, it was important that the provider be able to match the materials, style, design and color exactly.
I used Yelp projects to get many referrals for many handyman and construction companies, as well as some shutter and window companies. I received 5 quotes. The range of quotes was broad and far more than I expected in some cases.
Safa provided a very competitive bid - so competitive, I was skeptical - but he was very up front with his desire to use this initial engagement as a starting point for building trust and a relationship for future work. That was a key part of my decision, and he proved that trust is warranted - I will definitely be using him in the future.
I was apprehensive at first - not just for this company, but in general, as I am not sure how difficult building custom shutters and gates is. I was worried that more general handymen might not be prepared for this kind of work. Safa proved me wrong - the quality of his workmanship is excellent, and the shutters look even better than when they were new. The measurements and cuts and joinery are strong and precise. The gate is solid and a major improvement while also looking exactly as needed and just like - but better - than the previous one. This is carpenter level quality. These items will likely outlast me.
Safa was a very kind and nice person. He was transparent and reliable. His communication was great. He was detailed oriented and proud of his work, and it shows. I was impressed by how hard he worked, all on his own - I assumed he would need a team, but he was able to build and mount and finish all the items on his own which I did not think would be possible.
Safa made multiple recommendations we went with to enhance and enforce the build quality. Even when the work added effort and time to his workload, he did not add onto the cost. Once he committed to the bid, he honored it, even when the effort increased. No nickel and diming, no scope creep. He was also very transparent with materials - having us pay for them so there was no markup, which some might find off-putting, but I was pleased with. He even used his own funds to buy items he needed when we missed them in the first run, and we settled up with no markup in the end.
I definitely recommend Safa and A Plus Construction - especially for this kind of work, which I would have thought might be outside their normal range or service offerings - I will definitely be using them in the near future.
Thanks Safa! read more