In short, I highly recommend John Maffio and his team at Dunrite N.Y. Inc. for home improvements and renovations. The cost of renovations can be significant and the time spent in choosing the right contractor is key. Below I've detailed the reasons why you should at the very least, obtain an estimate from Dunrite. My day job requires me to travel frequently and therefore, I'm mostly unavailable during the week. I needed a contractor where I could be hands-off and still be confident the renovations were being completed with the same standard of care as if I were involved every step of the process. I also wanted to be kept in the loop as to the progress of the work being performed. What I learned was that my renovations were being managed better than I could have imagined. John and his team at Dunrite treated the renovations as if they were working on a property they owned themselves. The words that I would use to describe Dunrite are: - transparent; - honest; - timely; - experienced; - detailed; - knowledgeable; - innovative; and - responsive. My apartment is a pre-war 1 bedroom Co-Op that needed a full renovation. The bathroom and kitchen needed to be gutted. In addition, I wanted a large window opened in the wall separating the kitchen and the living room, in order to put in a counter top bar area. I interviewed 5 contractors for the project. During the walk through with Dunrite, John not only provided ideas but also advised on certain renovations that should not be performed because the costs out weighed the benefits. John would say, "I can do exactly what you want and charge you but I believe it does not need to be done and here's why....." This type of advice was absent from all the other contractors that I interviewed. At the end of the day, the other contractors spoke in generalities and left me with more questions. Dunrite provided its estimate 3 days after the initial walk through meeting which was the quickest out of all the contractors. Dunrite's estimate was also the most detailed . All tasks and costs were itemized. I was able to verify and compare material costs to other third party vendors. Dunrite's estimate was not the lowest but it also was not the highest, it was fair and reasonable. Our second meeting to finalize and sign the work order took place at Dunrite's office and showroom. Having a physical location contributed to my decision to choose Dunrite. The other contractors seem to work out of their personal residence. Dunrite demonstrated to have a corporate infrastructure. A place where I can go or call if issues ever arose. The showroom also provided me the ability to touch and feel the materials that would be used in the renovations. As mentioned, I live in a Co-Op building where the rules and requirements for renovations are very strict. All renovations require Co-Op Board approval. Dunrite was able to navigate the Co-Op Board approval process without my involvement. Dunrite has a team of contractors lead and supervised by an on-site foreman. Depending upon the phase of the renovation, there were anywhere between 2 to 6 workers in my apartment at one time. Dunrite is not a "one man show" worried about the next job or distracted by open items from the previous job. Reliability was never a concern. Throughout the entire process, updates were provided by John. There was never one day where I didn't know what phase of the renovations were being performed. Dunrite also accommodated all my changes to the original plan without any extraordinary change order fees. Again, all fees were reasonable and fair. Dunrite was able to complete the renovations within a few days of their projected completion date. The delays were mainly attributed to events out of Dunrite's control and changes or additions that I had made after the work was started. Lastly, I can honestly say the entire experience of working with John and his team at Dunrite was a pleasure. Dunrite displayed none of the negative characterizations which many people experience with contractors. I am very happy with the work performed and would not hesitate to hire Dunrite again. Dunrite N.Y. Inc. P: 718-836-7483 E: dunrite90541@aol.com www.DunRiteIncNY.com read more