I really, really wanted to give Tombo a good review. At the beginning, there were great. They worked with us to schedule a time for an estimate, were very communicative and then after they conducted the visit for the estimate, they suddenly emailed to say they wouldn't do the work. There was no explanation, no other recommendations for other contractors, and the work we're doing to the home isn't even anything drastic. We had a hopes set on using Tombo, but then when they cancelled after doing the estimate visit (and didn't even share their thoughts) we were forced to find another contractor. To me, reliability is key with contractors, and I can't say I found that at all with Tombo. read more

I'd like to permit that I don't like writing reviews, particularly bad reviews. Wow, these people are drunk on power; certainly a byproduct of the hopping housing business in Seattle. This guy came to my home to give me an estimate (which cost me $200) and was the most condescending person I've met in my entire life. He didn't really want my business; he didn't even tried to make a connection with me and my family because he was under the impression that he was much better than me. He kept on saying "what I'm trying to explain is..." well, I'm not stupid. I really think I was stereotyped and labeled right before the he came through my door. I should have kicked him out of my house and I really wish I did but I was trying to be civil. By the way, $2100 to install 14 square feet of backsplash is ridiculous. read more

Tombo Construction is a build and remodel general contractor that serves the greater Seattle area and I highly recommend them. We hired them to complete a major basement remodel in our home in West Seattle. We were nervous about hiring a contractor and we knew that the key to a successful result was three things: a comprehensive quote detailing the scope of work; a fair and balanced contract that spells out responsibilities on both sides, and; frequent communication along with documentation of changes. We met with Chris, the owner, and walked through the basement and discussed our goals. He was happy to work with our existing design and build from where a previous framer had left off. We appreciated his environmentally responsible focus; a few simple suggestions made our space healthier and the project much "greener." Chris has a great approach of working with you to create a comprehensive budget; it lays out the scope of work in detail and all costs and charges are open and transparent. We worked together to focus our remodel dollars on the items that were most important to us. The contract was thorough, fair and balanced. Chris did a great job of communicating with us constantly as the job progressed; he is very proactive in this regard! He would engage us quickly as decisions needed to be made and frequently made sure that we were happy with things as the job was progressing. We received weekly updates to our budget showing exactly where money was being spent. All change orders were documented and were reflected in the budget as well. When some unexpected items popped up (as they do when you are doing a big project) we were able to quickly and easily work with Chris & crew to make the changes necessary to keep the project on-track, and to understand what the impact of those changes were. They also did a great job of managing the various subcontractors that were involved, and we appreciated how they would tidy up here and there as the work went along. At the end of the day we were very happy with the outcome of our project. The workmanship was excellent and we are proud to show off our new space. The job was done on time and even came in a little under budget which was a very nice surprise. I highly recommend Tombo Construction and they will be our first call when it comes time to do our kitchen remodel and bathroom remodel. read more

We hired Tombo Construction to do a small bathroom remodel in our basement. The architect gave us several design options and we decided to expand our bathroom, which altered the laundry room as well, knowing that it would cost more than we originally intended to spend. It was the right choice. We LOVE our new bathroom. The guys at Tombo Construction are very upfront and honest about their work and doing everything by the book. I was very comfortable working with them. Communication is very important to me. I was able to call or text the contractor with any questions, concerns or updates and I always received a prompt response. Work started on time. Demo was fast. We hit a few bumps along the way because our 100 year old house needed waterproofing and new plumbing. The contractor gave us multiple options and discussed how we should proceed step by step. With the additional work our finish date was pushed out one week. The whole project took about ten weeks to complete from the start of demo to the last coat of paint. We lived in the house during construction. The workers were very respectful of our space. I recommend Tombo construction to anyone. We did spend more than we expected , but the work was done right, finished beautifully, and worth every penny. And, I have peace of mind knowing that the work was done correctly the first time around, and that they stand by their work. read more

Tombo Construction - Finished bathroom - General Contractors Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Tombo did an amazing job on my place and in record time no less. Check out the video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrbDgmg_bh8 And here's a collection of images while the work was going on http://www.flickr.com/photos/38782627@N05/sets/72157625031093120/show/ read more

Well below par. They never finished the job, they left a number of things unfinished and did a shoddy job on others.

We had high hopes in working with Tombo. We met with them 3-4 times and discussed what we wanted and a budget we were comfortable with. We were given an original bid of $32,600. Although this bid was $10k higher than other bids we had received from 2 other design/build teams, we felt in the end Tombo was the best fit. We signed the $3200 design fee and paid the 50% deposit. We agreed that we would personally do the demo to help with our budget and took our space to the studs. And there it sat for two months, our master suite down to the studs as we (ourselves and Tombo), could not agree on a budget. Our budget quickly rose to $75k and this is before any work had taken place where we know, in living in an older home, problems like plumbing and electric were bound to come up. The budget grew over what we were comfortable with. My husband and I would go over the budget line by line and see where we could take things off to save money. Tombo agreed to let us do our own painting and carpet instillation. We told Tombo the only way to go forward with them was if they got the budget to $50k. THREE WEEKS LATER they came back to us with a revised budget of $55k. Our master suite was down to the studs from October - December. In the end we did not go forward with Tombo. We started our project with someone else and got EVERYTHING on our list that we wanted in our new master suite. All in all the project cost us around $42k. Tombo billed us for the balance of the design fee after we parted ways. We strongly felt that they were not owed this balance as we have nothing (except a budget that doesn't work for us) to show for it. No design plan was given. Overall not a great experience yet, a lesson learned. read more

Don't. Just don't call them. Lose their number. Not Helpful. Do not return call. Avoid this company.

I built a basement mother-in-law apartment with Tombo construction in 2010. Overall, the quality of construction was pretty good, and I never got the sense that they were trying to get away with anything. That said, things did not go well. There were a number of overlooked items in the cost estimate that shouldn't have been overlooked. (For example, they told us that cutting through the exterior walls for vents would be extra because they hadn't counted on cutting brick in the estimate. The house is brick, so I don't know how they missed that.) Tombo also sets up the payment schedule so that the deposit covers your final bill. This means that after your next-to-last bill is paid, they already have essentially all of the money. Once that happened, they disappeared. It took an extra two months and a lot of phone calls to wrap up the finishing touches on what was supposed to be a 6 week job. I am a designer, so I have worked with a lot of contractors (although this was the first time working with one at my own home). I have seen worse, but I will not work with Tombo again, and would not recommend them. read more

Tombo could not help me directly with what I needed but they gave me lots of great referrals over the phone. They are very professional and courteous. Thanks Tombo! read more

Very happy with Tombo construction's work. Chris is a good communicator, and they make good use of e-mail and e-calendars. We had a small problem (just one of those flukey subcontractor things -- it happens) with a job they did, and Chris came out immediately to fix it. We will use them again. read more

I decided to use IKEA's Kitchen Planning Service and ended up with these guys doing the planning. Big mistake. Even though IKEA allocated four hour window for this service the entire time gentleman from Tombo Construction was rushing like he had somewhere else to be. Hard to think of what he did right but here is the list of things he got wrong that I remember: - specifying several cabinets of incorrect depth - specifying several cabinets of incorrect width - specifying white interior color for dark brown cabinets even though IKEA sells cabinets with brown interior All these mistakes carried through to the final order and delivery. Time was wasted on: - discussing matters with this gentlemen - ordering incorrect cabinets from IKEA - having someone else notice the error - attempting to correct over the phone and getting nowhere - going to the store to cancel the entire order It is good that I decided not to use them for installation or it would have been another story to tell. Not recommended. read more

Tombo Construction provided a remodel of our second floor (2 bedrooms, stairway, landing). The work included significant structural upgrades to vault ceilings, reconfigure windows, add five new skylights, install a new metal roof, and install Hardiplank siding and trim all of the windows on entire house exterior. We also asked them to retile a main floor bath and refinish an original enameled tub. Our home was built in 1927. Professionalism: To a person, the crew, management and support staff were attentive and responsive to our needs. They managed our expectations very well, so that we had just a few changes, and only one true change order, all were handled quickly and reasonably (price). We understood that having the work done was going to be an "intimate" experience as we continued to live in the house during the work. Tombo's craftsmen arrived at the house punctually five days/week! Bill (lead carpenter) and Wes (carpenter) worked diligently and thoughtfully, solving design issues and keeping us in the loop. They were careful with making sure doors were closed/locked and respected needs for our indoor cat (she was confined to a specific area which occasionally workman needed to move through...they were careful and she never escaped!). To vault the addition ceilings a new 34 foot long central ridge beam was installed even though our house is only 10 feet from our neighbors. This took some serious creativity and skill to accomplish...amazing! All the workers who contributed to the final product were remarkably respectful with each other and with us. We never realized things could work so well when our house was torn up. We actually find ourselves missing Bill and Wes (AND yes we're glad construction is over!). Costs: Our remodel stayed on budget (~$145k), again with truly masterful skill at clearly managing our expectations. When we met for the first time to discuss the costs we assumed things would be less (too much HGTV!) and the owners, Dave with Chris patiently walked us through material and labor costs, and timing for the work. Tombo is not the cheapest nor the most expensive in terms of estimates AND we found them fair and honest. Our only glitch was in forgetting to add tax to the final number early in the process (they billed monthly), which on a job this big was eye-opening. Thankfully, Dorey at Tombo's main office, went the extra mile to include the tax in her billing making things easier and helping us plan. Subs: Dave deserves such credit for cultivating strong relationships with a group of amazing, talented, and considerate subcontractors to cover drywall, electrical, paint, roofing, and siding. These subs are superior in every way including communications, tidiness, speed and consummate skill. In choosing a contractor for a job like ours, the quality of the subs can really make or break the experience. Tombo has this nailed! Operations: Outside staging and interior workspaces were tidied up daily, which made the experience far more tolerable, since we were living in the house during the remodel. It's such a big deal to have one's home torn up and the fact that every afternoon when they left both work spaces and the access paths were swept and cleared is a testament to the commitment Tombo has for a great customer experience! We recommend Tombo highly, and have to many folks! Should we ever need further construction we will go to them! Who knew that construction could be pleasant...! read more

Stay away! I would not trust Chris Ellard to build even a dog house for my dog! He can NOT be trusted. Chris should consider changing his profession to a used car salesman! We hired Chris Ellard of Tombo Construction for our major home addition and remodel in Seattle, WA. His budget tracking throughout the project was totally off and he lied to us about it. read more

Tombo Construction did a great job rescuing us from an unscrupulous contractor. We were very pleased with his work and transparency. We are planning another project with him soon. read more

We had our kitchen totally re-done by these guys and are SO happy with how it turned out! We had interviewed a couple of other contractors who didn't want to touch it because we elected to use Ikea cabinets. About halfway thru the free estimate, we were sold on this company. Our estimator was really listening to what we wanted and was very professional and personable. Upon signing a contract with them, we were given a calendar with what they would be doing each day and a lead person attached to the project (which turned out to be a true Godsend!). We found Tombo to be extremely reliable (they got done even earlier than predicted), accommodating, and just an absolute joy to work with. There were some issues with the design plan (NOT done by them). Because of this, there were some kitchen elements added (like a shelving unit and the peninsula moved) at the last minute. They stepped right up and made everything work! Even though it wasn't their fault, they repeatedly told us that they wanted us to be happy and were there to make that happen. We are very glad that we chose them to make our kitchen dream come true! read more