Octavio and his team are amazing.
We have hired them for 3 projects over the last 2 years now. In fact, I'd argue we are looking for excuses to hire them because we love working with them so much; they are completely dependable and accurate with their price and timeline, not to mention the team is nice to have around. They have our complete trust. Octavio has a calming presence and the rest of the crew are golly (you'll often catch them singing) and passionate about what they do. Simply put, the staff at Cornerstone Builders are good people and the work itself is top-notch and of unbeatable quality.
Cornerstone Builders came recommended by our real estate agent. We bought our house seeing potential remodels and ideally wanted to get work started ASAP and she knew just the team. Initially, we met with maybe 1-2 other companies but Octavio really impressed us by eventually spider crawling through a crawl-space to get greater exposure to a wall and determine whether it was load-bearing or not. Knowing whether it was load-bearing then determined the permits and other companies we would have to hire. This gesture was not only physically quite a feat but really showed us that he wanted our business. In hindsight, he may have cost a bit more than the other company we met with, but his professionalism, dedication and general input was something that we preferred, not to mention that he came with a gold star from another trusted resource.
We weren't living in the house at the time of the first two projects: 1) we did a master bathroom demolition and changed literally everything about the space--the layout, the fixtures, added a double vanity, etc. Simultaneously, 2) the crew took down a load-bearing wall (two walls) to open up our kitchen into an open space and we installed an island to overlook our dining space and "living room." Octavio had the foresight to actually save the cabinets that were ripped out of the kitchen and offered to install them in the garage where we had a spare fridge. Why throw them out? Those cabinets have been a god-send over the years, particularly at the beginning of COVID-19.
My husband and I would come by every few days/weekly and it was crazy to see the progress they made. I understand teams can work faster when no one is around but it was really quite unbelievable. We'd also heard horror stories about contractors not showing up on time, leaving early, totally inaccurately gauging price, timelines/how long projects would take them and we had none of that with Cornerstone Builders. I'd argue we were totally spoiled by the experience and it wasn't until years later that we dealt with the "true contractor experience" but I don't mean to associate any negativity with this review. Another thing I like about this crew is that they are clean. Since we weren't occupying the place, they eventually brought in their own cleaning products and basic toiletries to take care of business over the few months they were at work.
One thing I've seen noted that is important to understand is you are the visionary. My understanding is working with other contractors that they might make decisions for you or give you the most popular look. That is not the case here. It is up to you to pick out all your raw materials i.e. tiles, fixtures, cabinetry, layout, design-work, paint color (although we just matched what we had), lighting- you also need to design where you want lights placed, at what angle, have they recessed ceiling lights or lighting fixtures like a chandelier?, toilets, do you want chrome faucets/knobs/etc. what brand? That being said, Octavio does weigh in---he's never forceful or one to exert an opinion but I did find that he would offer input. For instance, we had grey floor tiling in our bathroom and a mint glass accent wall with white tiles. He suggested using a platinum (grey) grout. We've never looked back on that decision. Years later, he suggested a certain color or angle for recessed lighting- we're totally happy with that decision too. He provides options and lets you decide but also will offer input as to his preference and/or what he sees from his clients. As a result of all these decisions, the timeline can be impacted by YOU and/or potentially picking supplies that they get delayed in shipment. Octavio is really good and diligent about letting you know i.e. potential quantity you need and what he needs next in order to continue working in said order.
As far as project 3) my husband I decided to flip our garage into a working space during the pandemic. It's a decision we'd been toying with for a few years and once again, our timing serendipitously aligned and this was just a 3-week project for Cornerstone Builders. Apparently, I'm out of space here but they did a fantastic job. We're happy to be a reference for Cornerstone if you have any questions! read more