If you are looking for a reliable, trustworthy contractor for renovating your home, don't waste…read moreyour time on Angry's List or Thumbscrew. Just give this guy a call. Robert Marinucci is the one you want if you're looking for quality work, an eye for detail, and a passion for customer satisfaction. He succeeded where others would have failed: remodeling a 1960s condo during the Covid-19 lockdown!
In August of 2019, I couldn't believe the trouble I had getting contractors to submit bids after the initial "meet up"! I felt like a bad date! Jobs must have been plentiful; apparently every contractor had enough to do. This was no small job, but it wasn't enormous either - full kitchen, tile flooring, doors and windows, paint, and two bathrooms, probably 3-5 weeks in all. Then, the only problem I could foresee was asbestos removal and a persnickety association. By late October, I had contracted someone to do just the doors and windows, but the rest of the job continued to wait for the perfect match.
Finally, a sympathetic friend referred me to Robert Marinucci (housewizard@hotmail.com) and I checked out a home he was almost finished with. It was spectacular. I mean, the color combinations, the bathrooms, the flooring, cabinetry and lighting all harmonized, instilling a sense of welcome and calm. He opened narrow areas in the home making them flow easily together, and revealed a talent for improving and modernizing spaces that went beyond the many standard jobs I'd seen. Robert is an inspired craftsman and his workers, especially Miguel, contribute their best efforts accordingly. My only fear was he'd be out of my price range!
When I finally did sit down with him and expressed my wishes for an attractive, but affordable remodel, he made a thorough and detailed estimate. It was within my budget, so we set to work. The plan was to pull permits right around the New Year, start work in early February, and be done by early March. Experienced with the HOA's curious and contradictory ways, Robert was prepared for most surprises, but there were more to come (hint: asbestos, architects and a VIRUS!). Thankfully, the HOUSE WIZARD handled them all with grace and transparency, keeping me abreast of every step, snag and redirection. The job took a lot longer than any of us had anticipated; what started in February wasn't completed until early May, thanks mainly to COVID-19 causing inspection delays, long lines, elevated pricing and uncertain deliveries. Mom stayed with her friend during the lockdown, nobody got sick, and the result is fantastic. Here are some highlights of our adventure.
The U-shaped kitchen: Robert put a cabinet-depth refrigerator in a space that used to be a pantry closet, a double wall oven where the old refrigerator blocked traffic, and replaced the range with an induction cooktop. He installed a gorgeous granite countertop and a creamy mosaic backsplash that just sings. His wonderful electrician removed the entire soffit and fluorescent lights, raised the ceiling four inches, and added recessed fixtures. Early in the project, I said I wanted it bright enough to land an aircraft in it. The room seems even big enough to land an aircraft in it!
Shopping: His advice and support in decision-making was impeccable, assisting us in the selection of fixtures, stone, tile, and mouldings, offering insight, tactful recommendations, and even return trips, as if he had all the time in the world. When I was unable to join them, Robert picked up my mom in his truck to go select cabinetry, drawer pulls and vanities. If our indecision and ignorance vexed him, it didn't show a bit.
Bathrooms: Robert was fearless in moving heaven and earth to get things just right. In this case, he replumbed the toilet over about six inches to allow more space between it and the vanity cabinets. He selected a wonderful corner shower with curved glass doors. When the paint we selected didn't look good, he repainted with a different shade until it was perfect!
Aesthetics and extras: Every job comes with surprises and new opportunities. The interior doors looked shabby now that the walls were being painted and the rooms looked so spiffy. I laughed at the irony when I was once considering keeping the original cabinetry and just putting new countertop material on it. He talked me out of that too. With a good price on doors, Miguel had them in two days later. I had forgotten about one other fixture to change and he didn't make a big deal about adding it. He installed things my mom needed, changed wonky plugs, shifted things around as the rooms were finished, and even helped hang the pictures. He accommodated our every need, and did it cheerfully with an eye for the end result. I cannot include every little thing Robert Marinucci, the true HOUSE WIZARD, did to make our old condo look so fresh and welcoming and calming, so I'll stop here.
