Custom Home Builder In Ellicott City

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Jessica Crowder 
 
2023-03-08
 
 
  
This is an updated review:

My initial review of May 2022 was a single star. We had hired Byrd to convert a three-season sunroom into a four-season room/family space. At the time, the project manager (PM) assigned to our case left a lot to be desired in terms of communication, quality control, and scheduling. Often, the PM would schedule X-person/job at our house, and so we'd take the day off only for noone to show. The drywall work was wavy and dimpled - everywhere. The list goes on.

The "build" portion of our project a really terrible experience overall, and at the end is when I left my initial, scathing review.

However, soon after the project, the Byrd folks reached out to apologize and say the PM had been let go. We were then put in touch with a new PM (Jason) to do a walk through/quality check. He was great - responsive and professional.

Jason offered to have the issues fixed then, or within their 1 year warranty period - our call.  We opted to wait closer to the 1 year mark because we were ready to have our space back after months of contractors being in and out.  We also figured it would allow time for the space to settle so they could take care of everything in one swing.

In Jan/Feb, we touched base with Jason again to address the items of concern. He wasted no time in coming out to assess what needed work, generating a punch list, and scheduling a team to come out to complete everything in two days.

Based on my experience with the past PM, I was VERY skeptical of Jason's promise to have the work done in two days. The past PM would say X-job would take two days, but it'd often go two weeks.

Wouldn't you know - it took two days. Just like he promised. And it looks great. The walls don't look puckered/popcorned/wavy/all the above anymore. The team who worked here was fabulous, covered our flooring and furniture before starting, and cleaned up well after they finished.

So with all of that said - I amend my review from one to four-stars.

Our initial experience with the old PM was a solid one-star, but this recent experience was 100% five-stars - so that is why I went with four. Had the initial experience been like our recent, it would have been a resounding five-stars all around.

It's also worth mentioning that Byrd acknowledged the issues from our project, took accountability, and then took action to set things right. It is a reflection of their integrity and desire to do well by their client & client's home - which is why I am confident the problems we had would not be repeated for future clients and I can comfortably recommend them.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Julie Cicero 
 
2021-06-29
 
 
  
I cannot say enough amazing things about Byrd Design and Build! First of all, the professionalism and  customer service is top notch. The BDB team was always in constant communication and always made sure I was not only satisfied, but delighted with every step of the project. We used them for a partial kitchen renovation. It required demolition, dry wall, carpentry, tile work, electric, etc and they made sure everything was clean day in and day out. They followed our requests and vision, but constantly gave us suggestions, advice, design ideas, etc. You can not get that with just using a contractor. Our project manager, Darren Greene, was also amazing! I really needed his expertise and he went above and beyond in every aspect. Our final product came out better than I could have envisioned. Can't wait to find more projects for BDB to complete!
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Kevin Cross 
 
2020-08-19
 
 
  
We hired Byrd Design & Build (BDB) for a whole-house renovation of a Baltimore rowhouse governed by Maryland Historic Trust & Baltimore City CHAP regulations. We were happy with their work for us and think you should hire them too. Here’s why.

The most important thing about working with BDB is value: they achieve the most bang for your renovation buck through their talented & conscientious in-house staff and their relationships with a team of dependable subcontractors. The BDB team were impeccably professional at each stage in our project, from job evaluation & bidding, to design, and on through construction and follow-up. They employ top-notch supervisors and have relationships with expert subs to get the job done right — importantly, at the right price.

With bidding, they ably worked with our architect’s designs and found some practical building solutions to help manage budget, maximizing the impact of every dollar invested in our home improvement project. They were already familiar with historic preservation guidelines — and the paramount importance of that to us as clients — so there was no concern about running afoul of those regulations.

At the design stage, working with BDB means you get to work with their in-house design expert, priced into the project, so there’s no need to deal with an external vendor. This means lower cost and more seamless communications with BDB project supervisors into the building phase.

Through construction, BDB use an online communication platform (akin to social media) to share updates along the way. When I heard about this it struck me as slightly gimmicky, bells & whistles stuff, but it turns out it was really quite useful; it meant better client communications and helped ensure work proceeded on schedule.

Beyond completion of the work, BDB really want clients to be satisfied with every last detail. If there’s any little lingering aspect that needs attention, they take care of it. For example, we had one stubborn, ancient radiator that gave us trouble at the end of our project, but BDB brought in an expert sub from the Rockville area (who works on such old systems in DC townhouses) to ensure this last detail was done the right way.

I encourage you to take a look at photos of their projects on their website and social media. They can work in a variety of styles and contexts, and we saw among them images matching both the style and level of quality we required.

Let me add this final thought. I was a little nervous about the prospect of getting into such a large contract with any contractor, handing over such sums to get the work started. In my case I was able to calm those concerns because multiple co-workers of mine had already used BDB on their own home improvement projects; BDB had proved themselves to be dependable in those cases, as they later did in my own project. They’re a well-established local team with a solid track record. I’ve since recommended them to multiple neighbors, without reservation.

Give them an call or email. Substantial home improvement projects are a lot of work, but like they say, really absolutely worth it in the end. You’ll be glad you did.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Sandeep Devabhakthuni 
 
2019-12-20
 
 
  
Hired Byrd Design and Build for a bathroom remodel for a rowhouse in Canton (Baltimore), and I was very pleased with their work. The company provided a detailed estimate and did not pressure or "sell" me on selecting them. They also suggested a previous client to vouch for their work. The whole process was very organized, and the team did an excellent job communicating their progress including the use of an app so that everyone involved was aware of updates. The end result was exceptional, and the work exceeded my expectations. Their attention to the small details was impressive. I highly recommend them for any type of house renovations needed.