DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!! I ditto everything J.W's review said. I hired them to gut reno my bathroom and paint my apt. Unprofessional, sloppy, non-compliant work. They ruined my shades, broke a vase, got paint splatter on so many things. I already have 4 cracked shower tiles-it happened the week they finished. They didn't level walls, or tiles or use spacers. They didn't trowel thinset. Grout lines are below standard width. Now I have to sue him to get money back for a redo. read more

See all

We own a two bed room co-op on Ocean Parkway. The building is well over 70 years old and our apartment walls were in horrible shape. Al (owner and worker) scraped the walls and plastered the entire place except for the bathroom and kitchen which were in good shape. He painted the entire apartment. He gutted and installed a new shower stall and re did the internet cable so it looked great. He did other stuff as well but those were the major pieces. My wife and I live 250 miles away in Washington DC so hiring a contractor for our project in Brooklyn was intimidating as many of the quotes we got were from contractors who were hostile or hard to work with. When we found Al we knew we hit gold. He did an amazing job on every front. And when he made a mistake, he took care of it at his cost. This only happened a couple of times when his guy broke the shower handle and they took off the picture hook molding by mistake. All gave us regular updates and moved the project along quickly. I can't say enough good about his attention to detail and his desire to look out for our well being. I am sad that he works so far from our home as I would hire him in a heart beat to do all the work we need on our 100 year old house. Often he would suggest better ways to get something done. Such as the plastering. They gave several coats of plaster and used a mesh so that these walls would last another 30 years if not more. He redid the shower stall when it did not look exactly perfect. He got the job done on time and within budget and with renovation there are always surprises. He just took care of them and was so friendly and communicative. He rocks! He lives his word and is totally trustworthy. I told Al my wife and I would give him references if he ever wanted them from us. When we first started to talk to him he gave me four folks to call and all had great things to say about him. He is not the cheapest and he is not the most expensive, he charges a fair price that made me feel great about paying him. Your friends may tell you to pay less or that it should not take so long. And I can tell you from experience the end result is the only metric for success in a project where you are taking apart a 70-80 year old apartment and bringing it up to speed. For example when they dug out the old shower he found leaky pipes. He could have ignored it and just did what we paid him for, but for another 600 dollars (which our building will pay for) he made sure it was fixed and saved us thousands of dollars down the road when another contractor/plumber would have to dig it all up and do it again. He always consulted with our super to make sure everything was done to the buildings specification. Al was at the job site doing the work most of the time. He is a skilled worker and not just a manager. read more

See all

I heard about Al because he did some work renovating apartments in my building. I admired the quality of his work, and witnessed how thorough and attentive he was during the renovation at one of my neighbors. I had Al repair some water damage and regrout some tile in the bath, as well as fix some minor issues around the apartment. The quote came in a little higher than I expected, but I also knew that I could rely on his quote and the quality of his work. Indeed, Al and his crew came through. I'm not sure how they managed to match paints and grouts so readily. Some areas where I expected just a simple patch up job that would leave evidence of repair actually came out looking like new. He and his crew were also creative in solving some problems with very finicky cabinet doors. I've had very mixed experiences in Brooklyn with contractors. I'm very happy to say working with Al is one of the best experiences I've had. He's not going to be the cheapest out there, but he's going to stand by his quote and get everything done to very high standards. read more

Absolutely the best! The work is impeccable. The team added surface mount lighting to my living room and bedroom. Adding before and after photos so you can see the incredible job to new construction apt! Would've never known that the surface mount didn't originally exist! Also, minor things were done very well such as removing closet poles and repainting, along with drape ceiling track install. All well done and in timely manner. What was great on their part about the timing for the surface mount was that we were under deadline to move in and between condo management approvals and set move-in date, the team was able to execute seamlessly under a tight deadline. Highly recommend! read more

We hired Al and his team to fix shower tiles that had fallen into disrepair due to time and the previous owners' shoddy renovation work. While sometimes it took him a day or two to respond to a message, he was a clear communicator, attentive to our concerns, and helped us achieve a great result given the scope of work. He was familiar with the coop system and had all the required certification and insurance. Al and his team were clean and efficient and finished the job ahead of schedule and with minimal interface to our daily routine. I would highly recommend Al and Progressive for your home renovations. read more

Progressive General Contractors - Renovated shower tiles - General Contractors Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I recently purchased a townhome that was in pretty good condition but needed a little TLC. As this was my first home purchase, this was also my first time reaching out to general contractors. I'd heard some horror stories, so I was a bit worried about being taken advantage of. I ended up speaking to 5 different contractors and Al was far and away the best of the bunch that I talked to. He was super patient in explaining things to me, and was clear about different approaches we could take to keep things in line with the budget. Given this and the fact that he came with a recommendation from my real estate agent, I decided to move forward with Al and his team. Ultimately, I'm incredibly glad I did. Al and his team delivered exactly what I asked on time and on budget. Al even went above and beyond by coming around in his free time to help me diagnose a weird issue where electricity suddenly went out to random parts of my apartment. All along the way he was very communicative. I also appreciated that payment was divided up along with major milestones. Maybe this is normal, but it made me feel like we were both invested in the success of the project. For context, Al and his crew painted my entire townhome, re-screened all the flooring, re-tiled some poorly tiled areas, patched up portions where drywall was missing, replaced some old/missing light fixtures and more. I was somewhat concerned about moving forward because I read a negative review around painting, but Al assured me that wouldn't be an issue and even had me come check in as the painting was being done. All in all, this was very low stress for me because Al and his team took great care in doing the job, and I'm incredibly grateful for that. read more

Al has renovated several apartments in my building and after seeing his work I felt good about hiring him. I did a fairly extensive renovation to my one-bedroom prewar apt - bathroom, kitchen and wall removal to open up my kitchen to the living room, replacement of floor molding throughout and skim coat of ceilings. The core of my apartment had significant changes to the layout. I had very specific ideas of what I wanted and Al understood the look I was going for, which made things easier for me. I was kind of a control freak about some things and he made sure the end result worked for me even when it involved redoing things sometimes. I think his work can vary depending on which crew is on the job, but I got lucky that the two guys on my job were great. Ortabak and Boter worked hard and took a lot of pride in their work. I took a few days off work here and there to paint or do some apt. work and I got to know them a bit - they were very nice guys in addition to being very hardworking. My renovation finished in summer of 2016 and I'm really happy with the results - I think my apartment looks more expensive than it actually costed and I was able to get more done with Al than I would have with a more expensive contractor. Also, Al stuck to his original estimate except for some additional work I ended up asking him to do. He takes a lot of pride in his work, and is serious about sticking to his estimate. I love my new place so much! read more

See all

Al is great! I found Progressive GC on Yelp and I'm really glad I did. As a first time home buyer, I literally had absolutely no clue what is involved with renovating a project, let alone how to deal with a tricky property manager and co-op board. Al was really there to guide us through every step of the project from start to finish. We closed on our new apartment on October 31. We knew we needed to do some work right away. The bathroom was atrocious, the floors in bad shape and the kitchen needed to be finished up. This all needed to be done before we moved in as we have one bathroom in our place. I got quotes from about 4 contractors (or actually 3, because the 4th never sent his). Al's quote was on the higher side, but he seemed honest and reliable, and I liked that he was upfront about how much it would actually take to complete the tasks at hand; after this whole process I know we would have blown over our budget with any of our other options. Once we chose Al we had to get our plans approved by property management which was an actual NIGHTMARE. It took us 2 1/2 months to get our plans approved by management and the board. We were living with my parents during this time... in Long Island, commuting to the city and to Brooklyn to check in on our apartment. We began construction on the project in mid-January. We ran into a few plumbing issues along the way, but Al was able to quickly resolve any and all issues without inflating the cost to us. Some of us (my husband) is SUPER detail oriented, and Al was totally cool dealing with our specific requests and nit-picking. In my (limited) experience, a lot of contractors tend to disregard their picky clients because they do know better, but Al simply never made us feel like we were being too anal or asking too many questions. He validated our concerns and explained processes to us thoroughly and as many times necessary. I do have to share one instance of how Al went over and above for us. We had our furniture delivered and our rug came the next day. I was under the impression that their was white glove delivery for the rug, but that wasn't a thing, apparently. Al told me no problem, he would get a friend to move my furniture for me and help him lay it out. In no way was this his responsibility, yet he helped me out anyway, because Al is just a nice guy. TL;DR I found Progressive on Yelp. After a very arduous co-op board approval process, they came in and completed the work in a timely manner. The quality of work is fantastic and we are very happy with our upgrades to our unit. read more

Excellent Choice for all of your contracting needs! I used them through the recommendation of a co-worker after a nightmare experience with another contractor. Let me assure you these guys could change anyone's negativity about the industry. Very professional crew, and the boss is a patient and understanding guy. He explained everything in terms that I could understand and did not try to sell me on things that were obviously not needed. These guys aren't pushy to sell and even completed the work on time. I've recommended them to a family member that needed a kitchen remodeled and they once again did not disappoint. Keep up the excellent work PGC! See you in the summertime for my basement bar construction! read more

I was very happy I went with Al at Progressive General Contractors. I reached out to them via Yelp and they responded very quickly. I was looking for a bathroom retiling and vanity installation. Al provided a competitive quote - not the cheapest but not the most expensive either. He also helped me to find a supplier for the tile and offered to pick it up on the way to my house which helped a lot. The work started a few weeks later and took about 3 days. The people that came to do the work were professional and courteous. They kept me informed on how things were going and cleaned up things as they went. The final project looks great, I'm really happy with the way it turned out. Al is a clear communicator and seems to genuinely care about his customers' satisfaction. Occasionally it would take a few days to get a response, but he always apologized when that was the case. I'll be using Progressive for my next project, and would highly recommend them. read more

So I needed a light fixture changed in my main living space - which normally wouldn't be an issue but the ceilings are like 13ft, so it was difficult to find someone with an appropriate ladder. Enter Progressive, who not only had the ladder but has a cool ass owner. Got it done within an hour and a half and it looks great! He also caulked some thing for me in the shower, and offered legit tips about stuff. I know he's all about bigger projects, but I'm hoping I can use him again in the future. Very responsive!! Thank you, Progressive! read more

I am confused by the positive reviews here because it sounds like a different company. I got work done over the summer and the project ran months over timeline because they kept messing up things. I hired them to paint, fix a bit of dry wall, replace some doors, and install new molding. They painted things they weren't supposed to paint, didn't use heat resistant paint on the heating pipes, and had to repaint bathroom since they did not use moisture resistant paint. I paid to get new doors installed, and they installed the wrong kind (hollow rather than solid) so they had to come back and replace those. The molding they put down just months ago is cracking at the seams, which is what made me come back and actually write this review. They suggested to weatherproof a door from my bedroom to backyard. They slathered on the coating over rust, rather than properly scraping first so it looks horrible. They also overdid it so they had to shave down the door a little and redo it. Now I'm buying weather stripping since a draft comes in worse than before their "weatherproofing". They got nothing done right on the first try and it feels like I threw away a majority of my money. Add on the countless times he said "I'll call later" or "come by tomorrow" to only delay or forget and this is the least professional crew I have ever dealt with. This is literally my first review on Yelp, hoping no on else gets ripped of like I did. read more

Progressive General Contractors were great to work with and the quality of their work was outstanding. Professional, highly skilled, they were on budget and completed the work within the timeframe given. Very knowledgeable working in co- ops Al ensured that all went smoothly, and he explained clearly what was to be done in regards to the work. We will be calling them for all our contracting needs here on out. read more

I scheduled two appointments to get a quote and the first time, the company did not show up during the designated time and failed to call and let us know they were cancelling. The second appointment, the company cancelled minutes before and told us to find another contractor. Was not pleased with their business etiquette or their communication skills. Would not recommend. read more

We hired Progressive to divide a room, which involved some electrical work too. Al was definitely the most reliable and easy to deal with of all the contractors I received quotes from, although not the cheapest. He also was generous with his time, answering lots of questions about home repair in general (we're first-time owners). The room division was done well and we are really happy with the work, although I'm leaving 4 stars instead of 5 because the mess left behind was pretty major. He did warn us on this front, however there was some kind of residue from mixing substances or something in the bathtub that has been very hard to remove. The paint job was messy. My advice- Hire Progressive and work into the price a clean up crew. read more

I would recommend Progressive General Contractors to anyone. Al is wonderful to work with and I'm so happy with how everything turned out in my apartment. He's incredibly nice, very meticulous, and knowledgeable. I had my bathroom renovated, my wood floor stained and refinished, and the walls painted. I thought his price was very fair - I did have other quotes that cost less, but I didn't feel like they would do as good a job as Al. He was very reassuring and communicated with me every step of the way to make sure I knew what was going on. I would absolutely work with him again. read more

Al and his team were very thorough and responsible, and did a great job tiling a bathroom and fixing a bunch of unexpected plumbing issues related to it. great attention to detail and attitude. Would definitely hire them again. read more

Progressive was one of several contractors I contacted to do a very minor job. it was a tile replacement and they were the only ones that were willing to do this small job and at an extremely reasonable price. they were very responsive, professional and did the job very well. On top of that when they arrived onsite the job turned out to be larger than anticipated (the super sprung it on us last minute) and I was at work but he contacted me and agreed to do it for marginally more. I cant recommend them enough for being responsive, professional and obviously takes care of their customers. thanks again! read more

Al and his team did a fantastic job! I needed our apt repainted. His team was quick, efficient and trustworthy. They cleaned up after themselves and were done early. I'd hire them again. read more

I have not used them for tiling of my floor as they don't have the required machine. However, I called them to inquire about it, and Al (the guy I talked to), gave me a ton of advice of what I can do and also gave me some contacts to another shop. I would definitely use them for the future. read more

We hired Al to repaint our entire apartment, and complete a gut renovation of the bathroom, converting it from tub to shower. Al was easy to work with, and maintained communication with us via phone and text throughout the project. He also helped us with the tile selections, making sure that the end result matched what we had envisioned. As busy working professionals, Al was willing to work with our schedules, and often met us in the evenings or on weekends. He was also very helpful with coordinating the delivery of materials and accessories, saving us the headache of having to take time off from work. We really enjoyed working with him, and we love our new bathroom! read more

Al and his team were great. I reached out to him for a kitchen remodel. He came to view the property very quickly, gave me a reasonable bid, and was always super responsive (you can always get a hold of him via text). He listens to what you want, gives honest suggestions, and makes sure you are happy with the outcome. As is often the case, the remodel took slightly (double) the time estimated, but Al made sure to communicate throughout the entire process and I'm very happy with with the final result. read more

Al was great...everything was done in a timely, professional fashion and the end result looks truly amazing.

Progressive GC is as good as it gets. From start to finish Al was honest, transparent, and more than fair with us. Progressive removed several internal walls, did extensive electrical and plumbing work, and installed custom cabinetry and bathroom tilling in our 2 bedroom coop apartment, all without going over budget or over time. When a specific valve needed for our shower install didn't arrive on time, Al took a half day to drive 3 hrs north, practically to Albany, to pick it up and drive it back himself so we could stay on time for the bathroom renovation. We are thrilled with the handiwork and quality of Progressive's work throughout our unit and would recommend Al to anyone looking for a contractor in NYC. read more

My small coop building hired Al and team to do some work in the boiler room in the basement (dig new hole for water evacuation in case of boiler failure, install new sump pump, reroute a pipe and rewire some electrical circuits) as well as to paint the stairway (5 floors, 2 colors including trims and door cuts). They did the work on time (even finished early) and the outcome was clean, precise and expertly executed. We were very happy and are now hiring them again for more projects. The price was right, and Al was open to dialogue so we could make adjustments to make the project fit our budget. Highly recommended. read more

Al just finished replacing my kitchen floor after an appliance malfunction flooded the place and ruined the wood floor. To avoid similar problems in the future I decided to replace the wood with Carrara marble tile. Al was easy to deal with in arranging the job - reachable by phone, text and email. He was clear from the beginning about the likely cost of the job and about what would and would not be possible. I am also extremely grateful for his flexibility - they arranged for the job to take place while I was in Europe so that I would not be inconvenienced by the work going on. I arrived back home to find a beautifully laid tile floor. Also, in a mark of just exemplary "above-and-beyondness", Al drove to PA on the weekend to buy extra tile after I mistakenly ordered too little! A complete pleasure to work with, and while I had concerns about not being in the country to supervise and oversee the work, I now realize that I can just leave things in Al's capable hands - when the tile cutting I had requested wasn't working he promptly let me now, suggested an alternative, and ran with it. I look forward to engaging Progressive once a year to take care of the various bits and pieces needing attention in my apartment. read more

I contacted a number of contractors for a complete kitchen and bathroom renovation and decided to go with Progressive based on their ability to provide a quick estimate, professionalism, and reasonable pricing. In the end I can confidently say that Progressive did an outstanding job gutting and remodeling both areas, which was not an easy project. Al was always available to discuss any questions or concerns throughout the entire renovation process, and his team was always on time and ready to work. I would definitely recommend Al and Progressive and could not be happier with the quality of work. read more

I hired Al and his crew to remove 2 walls full of mirrors that were glued on to the walls by a previous occupant of my studio apartment. The walls were in a bad shape after the mirror removal and needed a skim coat and paint. The rest of the apartment also needed some minor repairs to the walls and a fresh coat of paint. Although I received cheaper quotes from other contractors, I went with Al because I thought he was honest and was the only contractor who did not try to sell me other services I didn't need. They were able to start work within a few days of our first meeting. They were very professional and easy to work with. Al was very patient and responded to all my questions/concerns via emails/calls/texts in a timely manner. I am very happy with the results and would hire them again in the future. I would recommend them to anyone who needs any contracting work done. read more

Was promised a quote for an HVAC project. They requested photos and said they would get back to me once/week for about 3 weeks. Gave up on them. read more

I'm very disappointed to say, Al has dropped the ball on several occasions. I needed him to take a look at 2 properties of mine and went so far as scheduling a time with my tenants only to be a NO SHOW more than once without even having the decency to call letting them know he wouldn't be able to make it. My tenants took days off from work to wait around for him and he never called, never showed up. And his excuses were "an emergency came up", "I had scheduling issues with my secretary"... you are a service business, you were contacted to provide a service. I'm a grown up and can handle a simple no if you felt the jobs were too small. I feel bad having my tenants waste their vacation days only for you to never show up or have the decency to call to cancel an appointment. I texted Al the night he was a no show and my tenants texted me at that moment, Al was calling them telling them he'd call me the next day. And what happened, Al never responded to my texts apologizing and he never called me like he told my tenants he would. I'm sorry but while you completed some of the other projects for me, which went well (maybe because it was a $10K+ job), this time, you really dropped the ball and you lost a customer. I usually never write reviews but I feel I need the general public to know Progressive Contractors is not reliable. Don't waste your time chasing Al down... read more

I had asked Al to come out and give an estimate on renovating an entire 2 family in Canarsie. He responded promptly, met me on a Saturday and said he would get me the estimate in a day or two. I know good contractors are busy but the estimate never came. Five days later he said he could not find all the info I gave him detailing the project. I resent it to him. The next day he texted me without prompting and said I would have it in the afternoon. A few days later after not getting it I called and he texted me back and said he would call me back in a few minutes. After no call I texted him three hours later and asked politely if I was going to get a call back or an estimate or was the project too big. It is now 10 days from whence we met and there is no estimate or a call. I never write about not getting estimates but since I got his info on Yelp I believe I needed to inform others. Nice guy but not reliable. read more