We had a very disappointing experience with Meridian DesignBuild. I want to be fair because not…read moreeverything about the process was negative. In the beginning, Joe was personable, responsive, and the initial meetings gave us confidence that we had found the right contractor for a major home renovation.
Unfortunately, things changed once we started making payments. As the project progressed, the estimated square footage of our remodel seemed to shrink while the overall price continued to increase. We continued making payments because we believed we were close to having finalized plans, but there always seemed to be another delay or another step before everything would be complete.
Joe did provide us with a nearly complete set of architectural plans, but the kitchen design process was outsourced to someone in another country. Coordinating meetings across time zones was difficult, and we were asked to make our final payment before we had even completed our final kitchen design consultation or reviewed the finished plans. Looking back, that was our mistake, and I take responsibility for that.
As interest rates rose and construction costs continued increasing, we decided to put the project on hold. Rather than walk away entirely, we asked if the approximately $20,000 we had already paid could be applied toward a smaller renovation project in the $40,000-$50,000 range. Joe declined, explaining that our deposit had already covered the time and work invested in developing the plans. After further discussion, he agreed to apply only $1,000 toward a future project.
I understand that design work has value and that contractors deserve to be paid for their time. My frustration isn't that I expected everything back. It's that throughout the process I often felt pressured to continue making payments with the promise that we were almost at the finish line, only for another delay or another reason to come up. By the end, I no longer felt like we were dealing with someone who was looking out for us as clients.
Everyone's experience may be different, but if you're considering Meridian DesignBuild, I would strongly recommend making sure every phase of the design process is complete, all plans are finalized, and you fully understand how your deposits can be used before making additional payments.