the problem with LB is they are all talk and no action. They repeatedly bypassed and/or over road my ideas in favor of a more expedient and profitable design that they tried to sell me on whilst fabricating false barriers to going with my choices. They lied. Each contract is "non refundable" and releasing the design we prepaid was contingent on paying more money and signing more contracts with each contract extending the start time and each contract manipulating the scope of work to add to their profits. We expected a three to four month turn around from design to completion based on our initial meeting, and it took 5 1/2 months just to get the first draft of the design that was not to scale and didn't have corrections. Because they increased the price tag without ever breaking ground and the extended the projected completion date, we fired them. The new contractor started demolition within days, did an impeccable job remodeling the area I wanted remodeled, and was on time and on budget even with additional work for other repairs. LB are not trustworthy. Don't waste your time and money with Them. By the way, other contractors considered our job to be "small". read more

Lewis Builders (LB) did a gorgeous full-house remodel of our forever home in Monterey. Because the remodel took place when we were living a couple of hours away, we appreciated having the engineer, architect, designer, etc. all working on the same team. We didn't experience the coordination difficulties that others endure when working with separate companies on the same project. LB does high quality, innovative work and we felt confident that they would complete the work on time. From what we've heard from others who tried the permit process on their own, we never could have done that ourselves as easily or quickly as LB was able to do. They are true experts, and made suggestions about things we didn't even anticipate we would need. It didn't take long for fabulous designer Valerie to understand our needs and style. It was helpful that she did not overwhelm us with choices, and we knew that if we didn't like the options presented she was willing to bring new options. But that rarely happened because she is simply the best. Whenever we encountered unexpected challenges when uncovering the structure of our aging home, we appreciated Dan and Tony's "can-do" attitude at problem solving. We were relieved when some challenges with the home's structure were addressed with the choice of some creative, economical solutions in order to respect our budget. Our funds were fixed, so we really appreciated the team's efforts at getting us the most value from our decisions. The online portal was a convenient way to keep track of messages, photos, selections, and invoices. The 3D rendering helped us visualize the new space and it even showed us where each piece of our existing furniture would go. Something that I think separates LB from other companies are the personal touches we encountered; they were a pleasant surprise, and made us feel part of the family. As we approach the end of our remodel it is nice to know that it is under warranty, and we can easily make a request on the portal to address any future issues. We wouldn't hesitate to use LB again and highly recommend them to anyone considering a remodel, but especially those who want the project done right the first time while living/working elsewhere. Heartfelt thanks to Dan, Valerie, Tony, Sal, Brook, Matt, and the rest of the LB team! read more

Lewis Builders - General Contractors Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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Never in a million years did I think I would need to reach out to an "aging in place" specialist as a 40-something, but I recently found myself in that situation as my mother fell down two flights of stairs, and sustained a brain injury. She is now in a wheelchair. Realizing the large, 2-story family home was no longer sustainable for my parents, we moved them to a seniors community where they have their own cottage that is single-storied, with a ramp up to the front door. I realized pretty quickly though that the bathroom HAD to be redone---it was an old-school bathtub, with no shower. And my mother certainly didn't have the capability (or the dexterity) to step over a tub. With absolutely no idea how to start, I remembered I had recently read an article about Lewis Builders in Carmel, and that they had a certified "Aging in Place" specialist on their staff. I reached out to the CEO, John Lewis, and explained my situation. He immediately put me in touch with Scott Julian, the COO and aging in place specialist, and we scheduled an appointment. Honestly, it's hard not to get choked up when I think of these two guys. They have literally changed my parents lives, with the work they've done to make my parents living quarters more manageable and comfortable. They came in and gave recommendations for small changes that our family could make, and also gave recommendations for ease of access throughout the home. When I mentioned that I might later pull out the carpet and put in laminate flooring for easier wheeling around, they recommended to work on the floor simultaneously along with the no-barrier shower insert they were installing in the bathroom, and get it all done before my parents moved in so it would be a simple transition for them. Lewis Builders does some amazing work---their website shows their projects on multi-million dollar homes, and remodels that are changing the entire look of a house. Comparatively, I just needed to figure out a way to get my Mom safely in and out of the shower, and I felt sheepish in asking them to help. I quickly learned that it didn't matter to them that I was a small project---I was an important client to them. The work they do, no matter how big or how small, is important to them---and it shows. Their level of communication is superb---every day I got an email with photos of the work that had been completed. At any time, I could log on to their site and look at the progress, budget, materials, timeline---and it was updated daily. The project was completed within the time frame they promised, and the exact dollar amount that was quoted. If you find yourself in a similar situation where you have aging parents that need some changes to their home, please call them. I could not be happier with the results of Lewis Builders. Their tag line is "Change your space, change your life" and in our family's case, it's true. read more

Lewis Builders - Before: Bathtub is not useable for someone in a wheelchair. After: Walk in, no-barrier shower - General Contractors Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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The worst experience I have had. I remodeled 5 homes and by far the worst experience of them all. They came in over budget and didn't even come close to achieving the timeline we agreed too. read more

Being in the real estate business I have worked with several contractors over the years remodeling houses. John was the first builder that did a full remodel for me that was actually on budget and wait for it....finished ahead of schedule! He made himself indispensable to me, and since then has done several full remodels and other jobs on the peninsula for me. He has gained my trust and now I get the throw him the keys to a project and let him do his thing. Its rare to find a builder with design talent, but his vision to know exactly what to do to change the feel of a property is a true gift. Worth the money. read more

Scott Julian of Lewis Buiders and Sterling Access was my hero today. I was referred to him to specify, buy and install a modular ramp for my mothers home. He stopped by my mom's house within hours and called me as I live 2 hours away. He walked the property, assessed the conditions and without any concern about "making the sale" talked through with me the best way to get what I needed when I needed it. This did not result in a sale for him, and that clearly was not his priority. I felt so lucky that he was who ended up advising me. As a GC who builds age in place homes, purchases properties to fix and resell and has the additional certifications for ADA retrofitting and full service through Sterling Access, I had all sensibilities at the table. His integrity was so apparent and without question, I would use him for any project . Thank you Scott. read more

I have used Lewis Builders for several projects and have been very pleased with their quality of work and service. Whether it was a complete kitchen remodel or small plumbing fix, LB were professional, timely and courteous. I have used other contractors in the past and was disappointed with their lack of communication, inability to stay on schedule and disregard for the cleanliness of my home. I figured that was just the way it was with contractors, but the service from LB showed that I should expect more. John gets personally involved with all the projects, checks progress frequently and does a final walkthrough in person. I would recommend LB to anyone. read more

I have worked with Lewis on several projects. These guys are pros. I love dealing with a company that gets the customer service side of construction. Professionalism seems to be the culture in their company. If you need a home built or remodeled, this is the team you want to call. read more

Lewis Builders was great. Responsive and explained all my options clearly for my remodel. The owner, John, lives locally and is active in the community too. Great to see family owned businesses out there doing good work. read more

Jon came to us and gave us up front and honest dialog about our kitchen remodel and ultimately provided us with top notch contractors that did a fabulous job, on time and on budget! Thanks to Jon, Junior and the crew! read more