It's interesting to see positive reviews commenting on Dan's pricing and work quality. After…read moreterminating my most recent project with Dan, I hired other contractors to finish the job. This made me realize that excellent workmanship can easily be found for more reasonable pricing.
The starting point for my project was an already gutted space consisting of a former walk-in closet and a large bathroom. The goal was to make the bathroom smaller so the closet area could function as an extra bedroom. For privacy reasons, the new bedroom needed its own entrance and bathroom access, while the master bedroom required a separate bathroom entrance.
After an initial consultation, Dan sent Noel to start framing the very next day. Dan did not provide even a simple sketch of the new layout and, as far as I know, did not take measurements. As a result, a framing error was made and I was charged both for the installation and the correction ($1,100/day). After a second faulty doorway was installed in the bathroom--despite my purchasing a tub Dan had recommended and sending him the specifications--I terminated the project. Correcting this error later took my husband three full days.
To complete the project, we hired other professionals. For example, we hired a plumber who installed all bathroom fixtures for $2,800 (two plumbers, two days). Based on their estimate of the prior work done by Dan's plumber, the total plumbing cost would have been approximately $3,600. Dan's plumbing estimate was $7,000. We also had to pay $850 to repair and bleed the baseboard heating system after the work done by Dan's plumber.
Dan's carpentry estimate also raised concerns: 15 days at $1,100 per day. When I requested a list of full carpentry days, dates when no work was performed were included, such as picking up a check or a quick consultation. If you are working with Dan, I would strongly recommend that you keep a daily log of actual work performed and ask whether short consultation visits are billed.
Another frustration was Dan's repeated attempts to convince me that I needed work I had never asked for. Dan and Noel stopped by for a consultation about closets and proposed installing a walk-in closet in the master bedroom. This was surprising, given that I had previously paid them to remove the existing walk-in closet because I disliked it. I reminded them of this and indicated that I planned to purchase IKEA storage instead. Despite repeatedly expressing no interest in closet work, Dan continued suggesting that Noel come build closets. There was no proposal, no agreed scope of work, and no pricing, yet the texts kept coming ("Noel is free tomorrow and can start the closets.").