We hired Distinctive Creations for our home addition project and had a very positive experience. We strongly recommend Charlie Fruci to anyone embarking on a large or daunting construction project.
Our project doubled the size of our existing 19th century country Victorian home. It included a new walk out basement, a new living room, a kitchen remodel, a master suite, and a new deck. Nearing the end of it all, we hired Charlie to do a stamped concrete walkway and new driveway too. Which is to say: at the end of the project we had such a good experience with Charlie that we hired him again immediately without any competing bids.
We presented Charlie with architectural plans in January 2107, signed the contract in February and broke ground on the excavation in April; as soon as the ground was ready. The contract was completed by the end of September, on budget.
Once site excavation began in April, it was a non-stop progression of activity. Charlie did a great job of orchestrating all the sub-contractors and inspectors. There were unexpected surprises along the way, but Charlie was able to adapt without missing a beat. Something was always moving forward.
Communication and responsiveness is very important to us and this is where Charlie really shines. He was always available to discuss what was going on or any changes or issues that came up. He is gregarious, easy to talk to, and always responded to questions and comments promptly, constructively and with a positive attitude.
Over the course of the project we came to trust Charlie and his opinions. He came to understand our preferences and he learned both what we care about and also what we don’t care about. Charlie challenged some unusual choices we had made and offered suggestions that we had not considered. We incorporated many of his recommendations into our home, but when we insisted that we wanted something he figured out a way to make it happen without trying to force his preference. He was present on site during all sensitive or critical activities to ensure that it was done properly and in accordance with the overall plan.
Charlie was very responsive and reliable. Most notably, there was a time when the addition was framed but not weather proofed yet and there was a torrential downpour. The rain pooled and started leaking through the kitchen ceiling. We called Charlie, and he was there in literally 5 minutes. Within 8 minutes of our call he was on the addition out in the dark pouring rain himself, fixing the problem himself. He stayed on for 30 minutes after all was well, to ensure the leaking had stopped. It meant a lot to us and is just one example of how over time we came to trust Charlie.
In summary, we had a very positive experience with Distinctive Creations and recommend them highly. While Charlie Fruci’s educated opinions were a valuable resource while overcoming idiosyncratic construction surprises, we consider his open, friendly and responsive communication style his greatest attribute. It is a critical skill for any collaboration and it is absolutely his strength.
Sincerely,
Joshua and Hannah Close
