We chose Pristine Construction for an extensive remodeling of our Valley Glen home.
1100 sq. ft. of new construction (new master bathroom, kitchen, pantry, laundry room, 1/2 bath powder room, recording and video studios, plus a meditation room) all while leaving the front part of the house intact.
From our first interview, we were impressed with Nathan Moses, Pristine's owner. He was knowledgeable, helpful, and had a great sense of humor.
He connected us with previous clients for references, and arranged tours of their homes so we could talk to the owners. When one homeowner greeted him with a big hug, we were impressed. After all, many homeowners are ready to kill their contractors by the time the project is completed!
We'd heard horror stories about major construction projects, so we were very leery about this giant undertaking. But when it came time to discuss our vision for the house, Nate patiently walked us through the entire construction process.
When we signed our contract, Pristine got everything together, from the consulting architect, to demolition, foundation, framing, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, painting, flooring, wiring, permits, inspections, cabinetry -- everything down to the drawer pulls.
Our construction site was a well-oiled hub of activity: from foundations, framing, and plumbing, Nathan and his partner Michael Malka orchestrated everything professionally.
Bottom line, our project was done in 5 months. Pretty amazing for something of this magnitude.
Today, we're enjoying an airy, spacious home that seamlessly integrates our classic California bungalow with a striking new wing.
We give major props to Pristine for their attention to detail, follow through, and courteous, efficient workmen who went the extra mile to meet the schedule.
So would we use Pristine again?
Most definitely.
But was our experience perfect?
Not quite.
There were a few glitches in communication. Take the new walk-in pantry. We expected the cost would include the shelving for said pantry. But it wasn't, and installing shelves cost several thousand dollars more. Would have been helpful if this had been spelled out.
It also would have been helpful to know earlier in the process that we'd need new cement around the new wing, very apparent when we looked at the muddy areas outside the new wing, and realized new cement had not been mentioned in the scope.
To be honest, Nate told us at the outset that change orders usually occur in older houses (ours was built in 1936).
And sure enough, things that needed replacing, i.e. a wall behind the kitchen sink that needed rebuilding due to moisture damage and mildew.
We should have been MUCH more forceful when Pristine insisted, over our wishes, on installing wireless, battery-operated doorbells that chimed only sporadically, and were inaudible in certain parts of the house. (We finally paid to have wired doorbells reinstalled, but it would've been much more economical to wire the doorbells during the framing phase.)
And, for all their attention to detail, the Pristine team needs a low-voltage pro on call. To wire computers in the old wing with the network in the new wing, we had to bring in outside techs for this.
But the memory of these minor annoyances has faded.
And we are VERY happy with the results.
Because the service you get from Pristine Construction is amazing.
* Nathan guesstimated construction would take between 5-6 months. We were out of the house starting November 1st and moving back in on March 1st. Demolition and construction took exactly 4 months! For a project this size, that's practically unheard of.
*There were NEVER any problems with permits or City inspections. Often big hurdles for less organized contractors, with Pristine, they went as smooth as glass.
*Nathan and Mike run their company with almost military precision. When sub-contractors are scheduled, they show up early, and finish on time.
*Their sub contractors are really good. Particular standouts were Andy, and his framing crew, and Faustino, the tile man, who is an artist.
*Nate, Mike and office scheduler Emma were courteous and kept their cool under duress.
*Nathan is amazingly punctual! If he says he'll meet you at noon, he's at the door at noon. He returns calls and texts on the same day, often in minutes.
*Even after construction, Nathan has been VERY conscientious about fixes and make goods.
He is a gem, and a mensch.
And how often have you heard that about a contractor? read more