Lost Pond Construction

We purchased a 1923 cottage in Chardon in August of 2023 which we intend to use primarily in the summer. The home needed a total remodel, with an additional bathroom, complete basement remodel, kitchen remodel, heating & AC. Because of the age of the house we wanted someone to come by and let us know what could actually be done. Several contractors were not willing to just come out and talk to us. Jeff at Lost Pond Construction was willing to spend the time to go over our ideas and let us know if they were workable. His friendly manner and helpful suggestions encouraged us to move forward with the project. The next step was for his designer, Lisa to visit the house and come up with a plan. She presented a number of ideas that we reviewed. With Lisa and Jeff's help we chose the plan we desired and picked out the cabinetry, flooring, bath fixtures and colors, We then took a leap of faith, as we were returning to our home in Florida for the winter and would not be in Chardon for the remodeling. Of course we had some jitters, but Jeff and Lisa kept us totally informed as to the progress of the house. Jeff sent us videos and photos throughout the entire process. Construction started in October and was completed in Jan/Feb of 2024. When we returned to Chardon to see the results, we were extremely pleased - no surprises, everything was done to our satisfaction. The few things that needed follow up were quickly corrected. We would absolutely recommend Jeff and Lisa with Lost Pond Construction. They were easy to work with, did what they said they would do, returned phone calls and made the process as seamless as possible. And last but not least, they did a beautiful job!

This was our first experience working with a Design/Build team and it paid off. Jeff, Ric, Liz and Andrea were great from the start. We had some general ideas what we wanted to have done, but the team really showed us what we could have. They designed our dream kitchen from our extensive wishlist.....and then the one we could afford! Although we had a learning curve to understand really how much goes into a remodel we ended up with an outstanding kitchen that wows everyone that has seen it. Having a designer work through the plan up front made the process seem stress free. They kept our house in good order while working on it and made sure to update us as things came up or milestones were reached. They were flexible when I threw in a side vented door to replace the slider, they worked with me when we discovered I bought the only fridge that got bigger when you opened the doors (weird hinges). They were done on time and made sure that they met my expectations and that they would be there if I needed anything as we started using the kitchen. We already have them on deck for another project this some.

I never heard of Lost Pond (LP) Construction.. Went to Angie's list and they popped up for a deck I wanted to build.. They are local for me (my personal preference) so what the hell, quotes are free. Spoke with Jeff Tortorea and he wanted to meet with us ASAP. Jeff was on time and presented his company extremely well. Since our plans were very crude he step by step showed us what was needed and the entire process. "Your hired" enough said.. Work began several weeks later (as planned).. I require 3 things in a contractor--1. Bond with us. 2. Stand by your price (little add-on stuff withstanding) 3. Be a professional- take pride in your work.. The deck was a masterpiece.. I marveled at the work performed by LP.. Jeff was there everyday (even tough his master-craftsman Ric had it well in hand).. End results-- done on time within price quoted and a "marvelous" job.. Not only did I gain a contractor for life, I made 2 new friends in Jeff and Ric.. I will now only call LP for all my work (In their field of expertise) including a project I have in mind this spring.. PSs- that's my deck in the cover photo !!!

In January of 2014 we began searching for a home improvement company to begin the process of remodeling our 27 year old kitchen. We interviewed three different companies that were all highly recommended. Our final decision to hire Lost Pond Construction was based on the highly skilled kitchen designer on staff and the level of expertise and trust that the owner demonstrated. The design process took several months, we did extensive research on our own but Lost Pond's designer went above and beyond by spending countless hours facilitating the planning of our kitchen. Her drawings, suggestions, and especially her patience with us are to be commended. Once the project started, things moved quickly and smoothly. Every single employee was courteous, polite, prompt, and professional. At the end of each day the work area was always cleaned up and we would know the schedule for the next day. Our renovation included demolition, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, new flooring, new lighting, new tiling, new cabinets, and new countertops. During the 2nd week of the project we had an unexpected family emergency out of state. By then, we had developed a sense of trust with Ric, the field supervisor and we didn't hesitate to leave town for 5 days while his men continued working in our house. Throughout the project, any question or issue we had was always handled quickly and resolved to our complete satisfaction. LPC kept our inconveniences to a minimum during the 2 month process and there were no "surprise" fees. They adhered as closely as possible to the time frame and worked within our allotted budget. We are EXTREMELY happy with our new kitchen and would HIGHLY recommend LPC to friends and family. They are professional in every respect, detail oriented, and a pleasure to do business with.

We had the upper level of our 1961 split level home reconfigured from a 4 bedroom 2 full bath design to a 3 bedroom 2 full bath setup to allow for enlargement of our existing bathrooms which were tiny and outdated. We had the upstairs electrical updated, multiple windows replaced, flooring replaced, drywall and ceilings replaced, closets enlarged, radiant heat and plumbing rerouted, HVAC ducts rerouted, a solar tube placed etc. They do quality work and Jeff (president), Barb (architect/designer), and Ric (field supervisor) were all extremely helpful and responsive to our needs / requests throughout the process. It took longer than we had hoped, but we were extremely pleased with the end results. We are planning to use them again for future projects.

August 1, 2014 My wife and I had interviewed several design-build firms and couldn't find one we liked until we met Jeff Tortorea from Lost Pond Construction. After having spent thousands already with a competing firm on a design that we didn't love, and couldn't afford to build, Jeff was willing to help cost effectively modify the architectural work we had in hand so we could more cost effectively develop a set of drawings that his team could use for permitting, architectural review, and construction. Following two months of Architectural review meetings and revisions with the city, we had approval to proceed with construction. We wanted to raise the roof to camouflage the distinct appearance of a split level home. We wanted to centralize all living space to the first floor, and wanted to be able to heat and cool the home’s zones with energy efficient HVAC equipment, insulation and windows. On the exterior, we re-sided the house, added a three car garage to the first floor, added an enormous screened in composite porch, poured a new cement patio and replaced all windows, gutters, and downspouts. Inside we remodeled three bathrooms, expanded what had been a very cramped kitchen and dining area into a gourmet kitchen and spacious dining area. We transformed a first floor in-law suite to our Master Suite complete with stone fireplace, and luxurious en suite Master Bath. We raised the roof to create a soaring 14 foot open span Great Room with a massive stone fireplace and hand hewn post and beam truss style beams. In the course of opening all the walls to complete the renovation, Jeff's crews found many surprises that needed to be addressed. Each time they found something new, Ric (the project superintendent) would contact me about what they discovered, and how they proposed to remedy it. They encountered issues related to structure, electrical, plumbing, septic and foundation during the course of the six month renovation. Each time they did, we were made aware of the issue and given pricing and timeframe to correct. As the project supervisor, Ric was on the job site every day, making sure things ran smoothly and he was available to answer any questions we had. In addition, his work ethic and quality control of the job were second to none. We knew Ric treated our house like he was building his own home. He managed the flow of work through his in-house employees and an army of trade professionals who partner with Lost Pond Construction on larger builds like this one. Despite delays from suppliers, and juggling schedules with tradesmen, the project was moved ahead at an acceptable tempo. On occasions when there were delays, they were caused by municipal slowdowns as happened during our two months of architectural review and permitting, weather related issues as happened when we relocated the septic tanks and had so much rain we couldn't backfill the void left by the tanks that got removed, or the schedule conflicts created when trade subcontractors like the mason who tried to squeeze more into a day than was realistic. Overall, the delays added about six weeks to the initial completion date, which was acceptable to us when we considered all the additional work that had to be done to address the surprises they found. On a large project like this, it is critical to have trust and faith in the people you hire to do the work. They are going to be in your lives for upwards of half a year or more, so it is important to have a healthy working relationship with your contractor and the on-site project manager. Jeff and Ric were terrific to deal with. Their designer Barb brought a wealth of advice and much appreciated guidance as we chose cabinetry (species, stain, glaze, and layout) as well as flooring, wall color, and much needed assistance with coordination of siding, roofing, soffit, fascia, and door selection. Though there were budget and time over-runs during this project, I always felt like Jeff and Ric were giving me honest information, and that at all times, they were advocating for my family and me at each stage of the project. And in the end, we didn't get a house, we got a home. My wife and I are thrilled with the finished product. It took the collective efforts of a lot of people working some long hard days to bring about this transformation. We are grateful to the people of Lost Pond Construction for making our house the dream home we had envisioned for so many years. We highly recommend them to anyone looking for help with any kind of home improvement project. Sincerely,

I hired this company to restore my deck. The deck is now brand new, and completely stable. I was very impressed by all members of the crew for their professionalism, courtesy, and knowledge. The old components were removed and the new pieces were added in about 3 days, which is 2 days faster than originally quoted. No debris was left, and the work was done with a minimum of intrusion. A few minor items that were not originally discussed on the remodel but were uncovered during the construction were included for free, because, quoting the owner: "that's the way it should be done". There were a few minor items I discovered after the project was complete, but they were addressed by a follow up visit without any difficulty. I am planning on having them come back for some additional projects later in the year. I would highly recommend Lost Pond for any deck remodel work you might need.

I hired Lost Pond to rebuild a small upstairs bathroom with a tub/shower that was failing after 20 years of use. I am now retired from an electrical industry electrical engineering position. I was an engineer, supervisor, project manager, program manager and created two standalone businesses from repeatable projects. So I wrote a specification for the job. Overkill? Yes but it was how I had been taught to do a project. Jeff responded promptly with a detailed bid that hit all the points. He even politely pointed out where my requirements violated the laws of physics. I agreed to a contract but had to hit the pause button while I had some medical issues addressed. That is behind me now and we have completed the job much to my satisfaction. Where there bumps in the road? Again yes but all were promptly addressed and solutions implemented. The employees of Lost Pond were all quite professional and knowledgeable. They worked hard and long. I have a much larger rebuild of my over-the-hill kitchen planned and you can be sure that Lone Pond will be the first I ask for a quote.