Testimonials
JRL Design provides what you want and expect from a contractor but rarely receive. Jim Lebair, the owner, spent many hours coming up with a unique design for our 10 x 10 kitchen that allowed us to utilize the space in a very effective manner. JRL Design prepared a detailed proposal along with computer generated renderings of the design. Jim reviewed and enhanced the design after reviewing the initial outline with my wife and I. A very thorough and professional process.
Marty DeRocco – the JRL on site project manner was outstanding. Prior to beginning the work, Marty laid out a schedule clearly listing out what would be done when. In spite of a few winter weather issues, the project stayed on schedule and finished on time. Marty does an excellent job in communicating with the homeowner – providing frequent updates on progress and was very responsive to any question/issue. Marty was a critical asset in delivering a new kitchen for us.
Overall, the professionalism, craftsmanship and communication provided by JRL Design was outstanding. I would gladly recommend JRL Design to anyone who wants to deal with a truly professional organization.
– Kevin
This is the second major remodeling job on my house by JRL Design. As in the previous job, Jim Lebair stepped me through all of the details, from design and layout to choosing the materials. His office and workshop are well-stocked with samples of cabinets, hardware, flooring, granite so that making choices was easy. If he didn’t have what I wanted, he pointed me in the direction of other suppliers who did. Once the selections were made and the work scheduled, I could count on Marty and his crew to arrive on time, get the work done professionally, clean up after themselves and complete the work on time. Any adjustments needed were taken care of with no problem. The end result was outstanding and better than I had imagined. The windows and new patio doors were installed perfectly and have helped tremendously in keeping the house appropriately warm or cool, as well as cut down on noise from the street. The new bathroom, including tile and glass throughout, is beautiful. The vanity cabinets and drawers were custom made by JRL Design craftsmen. When all was said and done, there were no details missed. Once again, I’m a happy customer.
– Debra
I asked JRL to bid on this job based on their high ratings on Angie’s List and my neighbor’s good experience with them. The response was professional from the first phone call. Full time office staff and high tech systems insured my communications were always addressed immediately. Jim and his right hand man, Marty DeRocco came to evaluate the space which was a challenging bathroom fitted into a complicated roofline and dormer area. We discussed numerous possibilities and I followed their recommendation to stay within the existing footprint to keep the cost within reason. My objective was to upgrade all the finishes, swap out the tub for a large, walk-in shower, warm up the area, and keep the style informal farmhouse, in keeping with the rest of the house and the age of the neighborhood.
The finished product is exactly what I was envisioning. Jim and Marty are both good listeners, responsive, and the communication loop is well oiled. They stay on top of tasks, oversee all subcontractors, are efficient and respectful. I found the pricing fair, though not cheap…and I was not looking for cheap. They took their time, as I was not in a rush and did not cut corners. I always felt informed, even when unexpected issues arose. I always felt comfortable with the caliber of people in my house and appreciate their effort to control the dust, protect the walls and generally clean up. Above and beyond that, the team of Jim, Marty, JR, Jay and Yuliya are just nice human beings and there is a congenial, family atmosphere to the company.
The proposal process I find the most daunting. The initial proposal does include a baseline budget based on more “builder grade” choices with a laundry list of items that are “to be determined”, such as tile, upgrades, dumpster, permits. It takes some additional work to actually predict where the project will end up. And of course, some of the design work evolves as you go along. Jim has a pretty good system for “updating” the budget as you make choices, so things don’t get away from you.
I was thrilled with the cabinetry which Jay crafted from a very poor digital image I had on hand. The design was just what I wanted, and was very nicely finished with full backs and smoothly finished wood shelving, and hidden electrical outlets.
All work was completed to my satisfaction, and was followed with a final budget review. I would hire them again in a heartbeat, and give them my highest recommendation. The whole experience was a pleasure.
– Donna
Contacted JRL (Jim Lebair) and scheduled site visit the following week. Jim was very pleasant and forthcoming. The kitchen space is very small and not conducive to my original vision but Jim designed a layout and made suggestions that made sense. His original estimate was lower than what I expected to spend but it was based on lower end selections. I upgraded all of my selections which put me over my original budget but was well worth the additional expense.
Marty DeRocco supervised the job and made sure everything was completed to my satisfaction. Marty’s crew were very clean and professional and they treated my home with respect. The job lasted longer than anticipated, in part because I was not happy with the cabinet above the refrigerator which was 30″ in depth and required a wooden frame around the refrigerator. The space was too small and the wooden frame gave me the feeling that I was in a closet when I would be working at the sink. Marty and Jim worked with me to redesign the area and they had to order a smaller cabinet which added an additional 4 weeks to the schedule.
The carpentry team was headed by JR who was a perfectionist. JR and his team built me a separate countertop and very resourcefully used the wooden panels that were originally supposed to frame the refrigerator. It turned out to be a beautifully crafted countertop and the wood was used as brackets, making it look like a fine piece of furniture. The countertop was made of the same quartz I had selected for the sink and counter area. JR also used cabinet doors to create a large two-panel pantry door for my existing pantry, to match the new cabinets.
The electrician and plumber were sub-contractors and had the same respect for my home as did the JRL team.
I found the painter, another sub, to be somewhat careless since I’m still finding paint drops on my floor and pale paint spots on the wall that should have received another coat of paint. The painter used a semi-gloss wall paint on my wood trim instead of enamel and I was not satisfied with the finished coat so I asked Marty to have him repaint my woodwork with a can of enamel paint I provided. The spackling work done by the painter was very good.
-Bette