After a near miss with a "contractor" aka "handyman with a license" I was on my second round of…read moreinterviews of contractors when I met Joe Ottlinger of Ottlinger Custom Building. I wanted to add a shower in the master bath and finish off the room that would accommodate the "pop out" created by the shower. I knew what I wanted, how I wanted it finished and even had the tile picked out.
The range of contractors I interviewed went from a fairly large company that actually had a "project management team" (which I didn't want or need for my small project) to a guy who came to the appointment late, hurried through it, couldn't be bothered with discussing the finishing off piece in the third bedroom and then literally begged me for the job weeks later after I had already settled on Ottlinger Custom Building. Most of the bids were much higher than necessary, and once the contractors figured out I knew that, started to negotiate the price down. Joe came up with a fair bid from the beginning.
Despite the fact that I knew exactly what I wanted but being a single woman, some of these guys were to say the least a little condescending. It almost felt like they were patting me on the head as if to say "Don't think sweetie, we know best." After these experiences, my trust when it came to contractors was marginal. However, Joe really impressed me with the fact that he listened to EVERYTHING I wanted including the finishing off piece in the third bedroom which was equally as important as the rest of the project in terms of making it all look cohesive and wasn't an afterthought or an add on.
Since I live in California and this is my second home, not being there was a big issue for me. So I decided I would go ahead and have Joe do the demo and come up for installation. When I arrived for the actual installation, Joe couldn't have been more helpful in terms of explaining the construction phase, permit process, why he used the same subcontractors to ensure quality installation, as well as what type of construction materials were the best quality and would ensure that there were no problems with mold etc.
The reason Joe can keep his prices low and quality high is that he does most of the work himself with the exception of plumbing, electrical etc. and uses the same subcontractors that he knows do quality work and are dependable. Joe has wonderful "people skills" and has great relationships with his subcontractors and inspectors so there was never a problem/hold up getting items scheduled or approved.
If you have a vacation home you want work done on or live in the area of Sunriver, Bend or Redmond, Joe is the best kept secret around. Whether it's a big job or small job, he is a perfectionist, who loves what he does, making his customers happy and takes pride in doing a quality job. The job was done on time with a minimum of hold ups. He did a fantastic job on my bathroom, took great pride in his work and even had the house cleaned when he was done!! Don't hesitate to use this contractor. I wouldn't use anybody else.
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