We hired MEC/Ryan to remodel 2 bathrooms in our 1960's mid- century modern house that had been a rental property for years - bathrooms were in bad shape - estimates were provided in a timely fashion and we felt the pricing was fair compared to other bids, etc Ryan and TJ were personable and answered all questions, etc. They started on time around the beginning of Feb 2026. The project took a significant turn once the bath tub was pulled and we discovered significant damage to the old cast iron drain lines under the concrete slab. Ryan and his plumber navigated this flawlessly and we all decided this needed to be corrected and repaired so we re-piped all the drain lines to the front sewer main - this was not in the original scope but this was the time to repair and do it correctly - we felt the change order was fair and this thru us off by 2 weeks. Once we got back on track the sub contractors always showed up on time and ryan was great with his communication and organization. The baths were completed yesterday and we could not be happier. We will plan to use MEC for the master bathroom and eventually a kitchen overhaul read more

MEC Design & Install - General Contractors Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

If you have an IKEA kitchen/bath install, hire MEC! I have hired them three times now, and always have 5 star service. I moved my kitchen to a new location with a lot of crazy angles 7 years ago. Michael Early - the previous owner - did a spectacular job, both in planning and execution. As the pandemic began, I had a house flood and needed a bunch of new cabinets in the laundry and playroom. Ryan, the new owner, had his crew out here getting the job done STAT as things came to a standstill. My kitchen fronts were SemiHandmade - a story for another day - and they delaminated. Fixing the problem was tricky as the SH doors/panels are thicker than IKEA. Not to mention the work now needed to be done with the countertops in place - not ideal. But Ryan's experienced crew figured out ways to anchor the large panels without the usual access they would have had before the countertops were placed. Every member of the crew cared about their work and the craftsmanship is impeccable. Highly recommend. read more

I am so grateful to Ryan and his team for installing my IKEA kitchen. We used custom cabinet doors and drawers from embolden which really made a huge difference. Ryan is an excellent communicator and followed through on everything. He was able to give me some really good design tips. Danielle went over and above to help me with colors and flooring and so many other little things. I'm very appreciative and love my kitchen. The Installation team was super, including Steve and Ray and the rest of the crew. Thank you so much! read more

MEC Design & Install - 2 tone cabinets - came out perfectly :) - General Contractors Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

We used MEC for a whole house remodel. New kitchen and bathrooms with IKEA cabinets, tiled master shower, paint, drywall, everything. Ryan and his team were responsive, reliable and consistent throughout the entire project. We trusted their expertise and they helped us work through problems that came up. We are a little high maintenance but never felt like a burden to the team! We're so happy with how everything turned out and would not hesitate to recommend them! read more

See all

My wife and I purchased our first home last year and loved the custom cabinets that were installed. I tracked down creators, MEC Design & Install, when we decided to add a Murphy bed/storage cabinets to our guest bedroom. We told Ryan what we envisioned for our addition, and he went above and beyond to ensure we got exactly that. Ryan hunted down the original finish to make sure the bed matched our existing cabinets exactly. It was his team's first Murphy bed and they did an excellent job. Ryan's team member, Ramon, built our bed and cabinets in a week. Ramon has an amazing attention to detail and spent extra time working through the finer details of the project. Both Ryan and Ramon kept us in the loop with new developments and questions as the project took place. Ramon's expertise and attention to detail resulted in a high-quality installation that we couldn't be more happy with. Overall, we are extremely happy with our newest home improvement and highly recommend MEC Design & Install to anyone reading this. read more

MEC Design & Install - Murphy bed - General Contractors Near Me - San Diego, California

My fiancé and I did a full kitchen remodel with Ikea boxes and Semihandmade fronts and Ryan and his guys knocked it out of the park. They were responsive, reliable, and even came to fix something a few weeks after the job was done. They made a kitchen remodel as painless as possible. I cannot recommend them enough. In a world full of unreliable work.. MEC is reliable! (Also all recommendations on countertop and tile were amazing) read more

MEC Design & Install - After - General Contractors Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

We had an excellent experience with MEC - we designed our kitchen through IKEA and MEC handled the install. Ironically, Ryan's father-in-law Michael installed our first kitchen twenty years ago. We would highly recommend MEC and would be happy to answer any DMs. read more

Ryan and the MEC Design & Installation team did a fantastic job for us! Two kitchens and 3 bath vanities - worked with us on the schedule since there were a lot of moving parts. I would be happy to work with them again! read more

Ryan has been super responsive and helped us achieve speedy results for a kitchen remodel. Check with him for Cabinet recommendations and countertop recommendations too. We tried doing everything through IKEA but he was way quicker on countertops once we purchased from a local supplier. The MEC team helped us get our house re-rented in a month like we hoped for even with all of the hurdles. Will use again on our next project. Thank you! read more

Design & Install. Ryan along with his team: Ramon, Ray and Raniel, assembled and installed our kitchen cupboards, Master Bedroom closet, three bathrooms, bookshelves and storage for our library as well as the garage laundry room and garage storage (using kitchen cabinets). This was our fifth home that we remodeled and our first experience working with such an incredibly professional team. Communication with Ryan was always timely (always the same day). A schedule was provided and it was executed perfectly. The team always had time to do consultations regarding the design and especially the finishing touches. This company and team seemed to fall into the "we don't have problems, only solutions" motto that we use and they exceeded our expectations. Looking forward to using them again on the next home. We had the distinct pleasure to work with Ryan Secrest, Managing Director of MEC read more

See all

Ryan and team were lifesavers with our kitchen renovation. With all the shortages due to COVID, many IKEA cabinets were out of stock. Even though we ended up sourcing from many different IKEA locations, some items were just unattainable or out of stock entirely. Ryan and MEC's expertise put us at ease with some substitution and custom-build options that allowed us to have our dream kitchen even in these crazy times. Installers Ray and Raniel were communicative, skilled, and efficient. Our kitchen came together on schedule and on budget. Ryan as a project manager was on top of everything and super responsive with questions and concerns. His knowledge of the ikea catalog is also super impressive, at many times giving us options we didn't know were possible. I would certainly recommend MEC to anyone looking for work on their kitchens, especially if you are going the IKEA route! read more

The MEC team recently installed a mini-bar/efficiency kitchen in one of our studio suites. The job required additional work including moving existing HVAC ducts, new electrical outlets, and plumbing. The end-to-end process from reviewing the initial plan, modifications/adjustment, finalization of the contract, and installation was well executed. I was looking for something turnkey, and MEC team delivered. The communication with Ryan throughout the work was excellent. He was attentive and was involved in all phases of the project. We are happy repeat customers of the MEC team and would use them again for other projects. read more

MEC Design & Install - Studio efficiency - General Contractors Near Me - San Diego, California

Ryan with MEC came in to finish our ikea kitchen after a different cabinet installer left us hanging with half completed and terrible work. He was very responsive, honest, and truly understanding of our situation. The cabinet installers were timely, professional, communicated with me (and didn't give me side eye for low key watching them work lol). We also had them install our counter tops and were very pleased. Of all the people we consulted with and hired during our remodel- we wish we would have found MEC sooner! We will hire them again when we do a bathroom remodel :) read more

What a fantastic experience we had with Ryan and his team! A year before opting for MEC, we were waiting for Ikea to begin remodels. After debating whether to wait or not, we chose Ryan, and we're so glad we did. Our kitchen turned out amazing. Ryan and his team were highly professional and courteous. I would highly recommend MEC to anyone. read more

Very professional team, well managed and courteous. The kitchen went up in 2 days and they even made a complimentary run to Ikea for us and return visit to finish some work that was delayed due to IKEA Delivery mistakes. I highly recommend this company, they come packed with a lot of experience in the kitchen construction domain, especially when it comes to Ikea cabinets and accessories. Big shout out to Steve and Kenny, the crew leaders during the construction, and to Josh. read more

We have worked with MEC on several big projects in our home. They partnered with us on a kitchen remodel, laundry room install as well as our hall and bedroom closets. We used both Ikea and Semihandmade products. Ryan and the team are excellent communicators, problem solvers and collaborators. They were great to work with and we are very happy with the results. read more

If you need a team that's professional and efficient, I highly recommend MEC Design. Ryan was very responsive and his team got our project done in a timely manner. Ryan was also very helpful and provided recommendations on countertops when his team did our kitchen a few months ago. We also requested them to create a custom hinged filler door, which they did and made sure it met our expectations. After our kitchen was done, one of the drawers was not opening properly as it was hitting the countertop and Ryan sent one of his staff to fix it immediately. I appreciated the fact that they were willing to fix even the little things to make sure we were 100% satisfied. Very happy with how everything turned out and Ryan and his team are definitely a pleasure to work with! read more

My latest kitchen done by MEC. I am really happy with the result. I have used MEC for the last 20 years, and I have had 6 kitchen installed in different houses. They are fabulous to work with. read more

See all

I am surprised at all the positive reviews on Yelp. Friends? Family? MEC installed our kitchen and the results were sloppy and unprofessional. They rushed and got it done in one day and left drawers incomplete, misaligned, misdrilled holes, and left trash inside. When I asked them to return they gave a bunch of drama and blamed IKEA quality. IKEA quality has nothing to do with attitude and unprofessional workmanship. I would never, ever use them again. See pictures for examples. read more

See all

This was my first remodel and they came highly recommended by a friend. Ryan was amazing to work with. He always kept us informed day to day of the time the workers would be there and the progress of the protect. He went above and beyond getting all details right. Ramon was great. Al the guys were professional and on time. I LOVE my new kitchen. Highly recommend these guys. It was a much smoother than I had anticipated. read more

See all

Ryan and JT are absolutely outstanding. I had a complete kitchen replacement, one small bathroom and a big sliding door to do, and I am extremely happy with both the quality of the work and the service in general. Ryan is super organised, he juggled demo, installation, plumbing, electrical work, drywall and painting work, in 3 different places in my house, almost every day to not waste any time - and zero issues. He even got new ikea pieces for me when we discovered some of the delivery I received was unusable. I could not have done this without him. He communicates perfectly, quickly, he really gives a lot of confidence that everything will be taken care of and there is no waiting, no uncertainty. I will call them back soon for remodelling my other bathroom and all the doors in my house. read more

MEC took care of our kitchen remodel this year and we highly recommend their company! We decided to go with IKEA cabinets, and MEC was recommended to us by a friend. We put together a layout using the IKEA online planner, then met with Mike and Ryan to discuss implementation. Mike was able to take our basic ideas and fine tune the plan so that the results were better than we could have imagined! Ryan managed our job, and always kept us informed about the schedule and progress. They were able to complete the project on time, even with delays from IKEA. I do recommend you have MEC take care of the purchase from IKEA as the list of items was over 8 pages long, and with inventory issues it was well worth the small increase in materials cost. All employees and subcontractors (plumbing, electrical) were courteous and professional. read more

See all

Few people realize how complex a kitchen remodel is, but MEC really understands the entire process, from beginning to end. From initial design to finished product, Ryan and his workers accomplished their work on time and very competently. Their complete service includes scheduling an electrician, dry wall specialist and plumber. Ryan closely supervised his own tear out and installation team, and they were all consistently pleasant and punctual. His team also made helpful recommendations that saved me money in the end. I give this group 5 stars! read more

MEC Design & Install - General Contractors Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

We had an amazing experience with Ryan and his team at MEC for a kitchen remodel. From day one, Ryan was a pro-- he was very communicative, punctual, and supportive. The team always seemed ahead of schedule. In the middle of our remodel, we decided to make a spontaneous change to pause the work and not only was Ryan understanding, he also advised us on what steps we should take. The final project was better than we imagined and we couldn't be any happier. One other note that was especially impressive about Ryan and MEC: we have had a lot of work done over the years by different contractors. MEC did all the little things-- that normally might drive you crazy-- when working with others. They showed up on time. They stayed on schedule. Everyone that came into the home was polite and respectful of the fact that we were working from home. They didn't drag equipment through our landscaping or leave debris everywhere. The end result is what we want and too often we have forgotten to consider that the process of getting that result can be disruptive/frustrating. Ryan and the team didn't make us feel that way for a minute and we wouldn't think twice about contacting them again for a project. read more

MEC successfully completed a remodel of two living areas, master bath and kitchen. There was removal of walls and it opened up our home to an open concept of living areas and kitchen. MEC kitchen installation team was professional and true craftsmen. Ryan was responsive to questions and concerns and always worked toward a viable solution. The project was completed in a timely manner. We are enjoying our new living space and would highly recommend MEC to others. read more

We couldn't be more pleased with our new kitchen! Ryan and his team did a wonderful job putting together and installing our IKEA cabinets. I designed the kitchen myself and purchased all the parts, but Ryan was always available to provide feedback or advice when I needed it. The workers were always on time, courteous, and skilled. read more

I had a wonderful experience getting my IKEA kitchen installed by Michael and his team. I was impressed by the responsiveness to all my communications, and the scheduling flexibility. They did a wonderful job assembling and installing the cabinets, and Michael was excellent in handling a unique challenge with my dishwasher panel. The kitchen came out perfect! read more

MEC Design & Install - General Contractors Near Me - San Diego, California

See all

This was the second kitchen refresh we have used them for and both times we had excellent service and results. Their team has great attention to the details that make a difference. We highly recommend them! read more

Michael Early needs to reconsider his career choice. We had our kitchen and bathrooms remodeled by him. The work he did himself looks like a 5 year old did it. I have fixed so many things in the last month since he "finished" I can not count them. I spent a few hours yesterday fixing 2 thresholds he had put back himself after tile which had already come loose 1 month after completion. My wife was 8 months pregnant and she did more organization and scheduling than they did. There were 5 days she sat at home waiting for workers to show and no one did. Also in the middle of the entire process Michael took a 2 week vacation and none of his employees were competent enough to do any work without him. If you want an ikea dresser built maybe he is your guy but any real work he is afraid of. We knew it was bad when we would tell his sub contractors "Michael is going to do that himself" and they would roll their eyes and laugh. Don't make the same mistake we did. You could probably do a better job yourself! read more

Ryan and his team are great to work with. Very responsive, fair, and excellent quality of work. Highly recommended.

Ryan was able to set up my installation in record time. He sent out three young gentlemen one of which installed the railing on the wall and did all the cutting of the cabinets that needed work. That gentleman did excellent work my cabinets look wonderful in my dining room. Thank you for your prompt attention for my need of my installation of cabinets and for sending out competent people Thank you again read more

Ryan & Ramon did an amazing job on our laundry room re-do. We had started with a different company but were unhappy with the service. Ryan provided great insight and guidance with the space we had and his pricing was very fair. We installed cabinets and a barn door. Ramon was so careful and thoughtful about everything - for example, when he noticed our barn door was catching on our uneven wall after install, he provided a creative solution (and a toddler-friendly one too!) and made sure it was perfect. There were some delays on materials due to the pandemic and they were both extremely communicative and worked with our schedules to complete the install as efficiently as possible. They left the space neat and tidy with every visit and followed up to make sure everything was to our liking. I would definitely use them for other projects in our house and would highly recommend. We are so excited about our new and improved laundry room. read more

See all

MEC is one of the most unprofessional, incompetent companies I've ever had the pleasure of working with. They don't listen to their clients. When we weren't happy with the way the plans were turning out because they put things into our plan that we specifically said we did not want, MEC did not try to accommodate us in any way to make things better. It was like pulling teeth just to get them to do what we asked/paid for with no motivation on their end to make things better. They just don't care. We paid for the Ikea kitchen design plan and measurement. We struggled with the software online and decided it best to have it done by the professionals. After about 4 revisions, we never got what we had asked for (simple things, like the fridge on the left wall, and moving the placement of the dishwasher to the other side of the sink to make room for a corner lazy susan cabinet---things that we saw him write down while talking to us!) and ended up just doing it ourselves. We were also told that we would get a CAD drafted plan as part of the plan, which we never received. Although the overall experience was quite horrible, the one positive that came out of it was that the guy who came to field measure had a catalog booklet of various interior cabinet fittings that could be customized and worked into strange 4" size spaces. Actually getting MEC to implement any of this into their plans, however, seemed to cancel out this space-saving potential. In the end we were so fed up with the exhausting process, that we just gave up on MEC and will be taking our business elsewhere. read more

I'm very happy with the outcome on this project. I started out with a trip to Ikea to the kitchen section, for cabinets and such. Michael Early Construction was recommended by Ikea as a partner for the install. Michael came with some good ideas for what turned out to be a much bigger project that extended into the bathroom and other areas of my condo. There are always opportunities for improvement when it comes to projects in any services industry, but I'd say overall MEC did a fantastic job keeping things moving along and on track. Mike had some design ideas but didn't pretend to be a designer, so be ready to create your own design and he'll provide his thoughts and figure out a way to make it happen. Cindy and Kacie in the office are very helpful and informative. Great job! read more

These people are horrible and unprofessional. They don't care how the cabinets look they were all off alignment and beat up. We had to call them again to come out and repair the stuff the messed up. Plus they didn't even clean up their mess left all the wood carvings in drawers and on floor. I would never use them again. read more

This is a great company to work with everyone is friendly, helpful and answers all of you questions. They installed my IKEA kitchen and even took a cabinet and customized it for our cutting boards, so the space wasn't wasted. Highly recommend Michael and Company you won't be disappointed. read more

I had a horrible experience with Michael early. He came out to my residence told me he would be able to do the whole job construction and everything and so I paid him money to give me a kitchen design. What I got back from him was a complete joke. It's something I could've done in a matter of minutes on the kitchen planner. They wouldn't revise anything and then also told me that he will not do any of the construction he will only install 10 cabinets for the low low price of $5000. They are a complete rip off and any of these reviews that say their five stars have to be planted by friends and family. They were very unprofessional when I asked for my money back also. All in all I'm glad that he did not do any of the work because judging from these other reviews I think it would've been a disaster and cost me a lot more money. Buyer beware. read more

If you do an IKEA kitchen HIRE MEC to install! They are 100% WORTH IT! The service I received was incredible. The install was flawless. The crew made MANY modifications to the IKEA kitchen cabinets to make my kitchen look and feel "custom" for me. I was very anxious about doing an IKEA kitchen as I had read the install can be very difficult. I decided to hire MEC. Michael (the owner) came out to confirm all my measurements & confirm everything I was going to order per the IKEA kitchen planner software I used. FYI.... I found Corrine & Angelica to be extremely helpful (they are experienced staff members at the IKEA kitchen center in mission valley SD) to help with your IKEA planner. The $75 charge by Michael to measure my kitchen was credited back to me as soon as I booked my install. Michael had great recommendations & made sure my order was complete. I was told my kitchen would take 2 days. It took exactly 2 days 9-3:30.The quote for my install was very clear. They charge per cabinet. I paid additional for install of an undermount sink & rough top (plywood for my countertops). The crew arrived on time. Michael returned the second day to review the job & check over everything. They did a beautiful job! The crew was very neat & clean. They installed kitchen pantry cabinets in my laundry room. They customized all of the 24 inch deep cabinets to 18inches to accommodate the space I had in my laundry room. I had them modify a cabinet door to create a cat door so I could put a litter box inside the cabinet in my laundry room. All my cabinets were raised and installed so crown molding installed flush to the ceiling. Looks awesome. The cabinets look amazing! The precise install made my inexpensive IKEA cabinets look & feel custom. Friends are shocked when we tell them our kitchen is IKEA. MEC was worth every penny. They are experienced and know how to work with the IKEA product. FYI......Michael also gave us an excellent referral for counter tops to Rainbow Stone off Miramar Rd. The prefab quartz we found was a 1/4 of the price we had found anywhere else. read more

Absolutely wonderful !! Had the best experience with this contractor and his crew. Michael is a super nice person and very good at running the job. His office staff was excellent. Cindy can organize and implement like no one! It's was so organized and timely. They referred me great people for the sub portions as well as worked with my subs I liked. My kitchen is beautiful. I love it! Ended up doing our rental property kitchen with them the following week! The quality of the product great. They did wonderful trim and customization on light boxes I wanted over the windows. They cleaned up. Even the last details were handled. I feel so lucky and blessed I worked with them and a new kitchen will change your life! Thank you guys and gals!! read more

MEC Design & Install - General Contractors Near Me - San Diego, California

Michael did a big remodel on my kitchen two years ago that even required a removal of a wall. Was so please with the result I knew who to call when I needed two bathrooms done. Michael had a few challenges with my requests but came up with great solutions. I have two beautiful vanities and a large wall cabinet. Can't say enough good things about his crew. Always on time, courteous and professional. From tear down crew, plumber, electrician, shower floor prep and Sergio the tile master perfecting a marble encasing of a round window. Plus everyone cleaned up every night making the remodel painless. With Cindy at the helm directing the project every thing went smooth and on time. Cindy is a gem! Ahh, what will be my next project? read more