--- title: "Ant Builders — General Contractors | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/general-contractors/ant-builders-pfvwus-pf~663336216 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~663336216.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Ant Builders" category: ["General Contractors"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/1c83bf6e02140a6c_5706-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "801 Varnum St NW, Washington, D.C. 20011, United States" latitude: 38.9518 longitude: -77.0203 phone: "(240) 527-0246" website: http:// rating: 5 review_count: 42 best_of_houzz_awards: 12 followers: 155 last_updated: 2026-09-20 --- # Ant Builders Original Houzz profile: [Ant Builders](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/general-contractors/ant-builders-pfvwus-pf~663336216) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** General Contractors - **Location:** Washington, DC - **Serves:** Washington, Bethesda, DC (Washington), North Bethesda, North Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, Takoma Park - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (42 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 12 awards (2014–2025), for Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Star Houzzer - 5 Star Houzzer - Recommended on Houzz - 100 Ideabook Saves Remodeling firm delivering excellence in award winning spaces. ### Services Provided - Home Remodeling - Bathroom Remodeling - Kitchen Remodeling - General Contracting - Home Additions - Home Extensions - Basement Remodeling - Guesthouse Design & Construction - Flooring Installation - Outdoor Kitchen Construction - Home Restoration - Pool House Design & Construction - Porch Design & Construction - Project Management - Custom Home Bars - Countertop Installation - Roof Replacement - Energy-Efficient Homes - House Framing - Attic Conversion - Shower Installation - Home Gym Design & Construction - Concrete Construction - Exterior Door Installation - Stair Installation - Drywall Installation - Laminate Flooring Installation - Demolition - Roof Installation - Attic Restoration - Asphalt Shingle Roofing - Crown Molding Installation - Lighting Installation - Masonry - Concrete Flooring - Brick Masonry - Insulation Installation - Stone Installation - Metal Roofing - Drywall Texturing - Composition Roofing - Fiber Cement Siding - Floor Leveling - Radiant Floor Heating - Linoleum Flooring Installation - Brick Siding - Range Hood Installation - Slate Roofing - Rubber Roofing ### Areas Served - Washington - Bethesda - DC (Washington) - North Bethesda - North Chevy Chase - Silver Spring - Takoma Park ### Typical Job Cost $50,000 - 1 million ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Ant Builders | | Address | 801 Varnum St NW, Washington, D.C. 20011, United States | | Phone | (240) 527-0246 | | Website | http:// | | License Number | 97775 | | Followers on Houzz | 155 | ## Offers (DEMO) OFFERS _(DEMO) DISCLAIMER_ ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Ant Builders](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/general-contractors/ant-builders-pfvwus-pf~663336216) - **Website:** http:// - **Phone:** (240) 527-0246 ## Credentials **Certifications & Awards** - Best of Houzz multiple consecutive years - **Best of Houzz:** 12 awards (2014–2025), for Service. ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 42 reviews** *Aspect averages:* - Work Quality: 50.0 - Communication: 50.0 - Value: 50.0 ### Reviews **★★★★★ — HU-798636781, Feb. 2026** > What a great company. We had pretty serious water damage from a leak and we needed lots of repairs after the dry out: new hardwood floors, kitchen, and drywall. We took the opportunity to make a number of other improvements to the house including a new bathroom, closets, painting. The Ant crew were all great to work with: very knowledgeable and conscientious. Lots of great suggestions about what we needed and what we didn’t. Everything they touched, they transformed into something much nicer than we had before. And they did it on time and on budget. **Comment from Ant Builders:** > What a great house for us to work in. They were patient and so easy to work with. I cannot say enough about this couple, and they also have a super amazing teenager that is the nicest guy ever! They made us feel at ease from day 1 and we thank them a million times for the project and the fun times. **★★★★★ — HU-257216897, Feb. 2026** > We can’t recommend these guys enough and we would work with them on all future projects. The crew (especially Eric, Beto, and Gerson) were incredible to work with on a ~100yr old bathroom renovation. They were: professional, punctual, skillful, good communicators, accommodating of many requests, applied a high attention to detail, and kind and attentive to our unique circumstances. They went above and beyond for us. Ultimately they finished a little bit early but still at a high standard, and kept the costs within an expected budget. What more could one ask for? Highly recommend, 10/10. Thanks so much guys!! See you next project :) **Comment from Ant Builders:** > Thank you so much for the glowing review. But we have to thank you for being so patient and good to us. Anytime you need us we'll be there. **★★★★★ — HU-637601519, Oct. 2024** > Ant Builders transformed our 95-year-old bungalow into our dream home, and every day we are grateful to them for it. We are first-time homeowners and were green to the renovation process, but we knew immediately upon meeting Shy and Arvind that we wanted to work with them. I cannot offer enough praise and thanks to this team. How often do you hear someone say: "I enjoyed renovating a home because I learned so much from the contractors and looked forward to seeing them every day"?! Again and again, they tackled problems with creativity and expertise. Where some other contractors might have tried to take advantage of first-time homeowners who'd never done a home renovation before, Shy and Arvind went the honest route, alerting us to structural, electrical, and plumbing issues that needed fixing before we could get to the fun stuff, and even coming by when the waterproofing contractors were here to talk about how best to keep the basement dry. Shy was masterful in her assessment of how to renovate our 800-square-foot basement to maximize light and space, and patient and full of good ideas for finishes and flourishes. She came up with beautiful ways to solve problems, like building shelves in otherwise dark corners and using stained butcher block and lovely paint colors to make them inviting and elegant. She routinely went to the mat for us with vendors, making sure we were treated fairly. No detail was too small, and she always had time for my questions. I still can't believe how much information she holds in her head and can recall in an instant. Did I forget to mention that they actually started \*ahead\* of schedule? They were kind and funny with our kiddo, and gentle with our senior pets; they hustled to get things far enough along that we could move in by a certain date. We also noticed and respected how fairly Shy and Arvind treated their whole team. Most of their team has worked for Ant Builders for many years, and we could see the mutual respect among the workers. Every single person who enters our basement has the same reaction: Their jaw drops and they say, "This is BEAUTIFUL! I love this!" All because of Shy, Arvind and Team Ant. We recommend them highly and without reservation to anyone, especially if you have a quirky older house that's waiting to shine. Thank you, Ant Builders! **Comment from Ant Builders:** > I miss this family. Actually miss talking to them i still have the gift painted rocks and I'll keep them forever. They are kind and fun to all of us. Thanks **★★★★★ — Lina Walker, Aug. 2024** > Ant Builders renovated our kitchen, built a screened porch, built a 2nd floor laundry closet, and did general refinishing of the first floor and deck. Shy and the team were the best that we have ever worked with---and we've worked with a few contractors over the years! They started when they said they would and were working in the house every day. We had video, text, and updates every single day. And, when our temporary housing fell through, they worked extra hard so that we were able to move back into the house at least 2 weeks early. They are meticulous, they pay attention to details, and the finished product is beautiful! We could not be happier! They are also nice people! We will definitely work with them again and highly recommend them. Thank you Ant Builders! **Comment from Ant Builders:** > We loved working with this family. They are just so nice, friendly, funny and considerate. Also as you can tell by the pictures her sense on design was on point. Amazing results with her thoughtful design ideas. **★★★★★ — Jaspreet Saini, Nov. 2023** > I can't recommend the entire team at Ant Builders enough! Shy and Arvind became like family to us over the course of almost a year of planning and actual demolition and construction. We removed a load bearing wall in our 1950s galley kitchen, and turned it a true center of our home. The work they completed is impeccable, but what I appreciate more is the guidance and advice Shy and Arvind provided throughout the entire process. Whenever we hit a bump in the road or were overwhelmed with options, they stepped in and helped us sort through our thoughts and make better decisions. I felt like they truly had our best interests in mind, and will definitely be calling on them again for other plans to remodel our house! **Comment from Ant Builders:** > Aweeeee this family I really do miss. So nice for a process that can get stressful they stayed sweet . **★★★★★ — natalya\_scimeca, Oct. 2022** > Shy, Arvind, and their crew finished our basement this summer. I can't recommend them highly enough. Shy was patient in droves as I agonized over bathroom fixtures (hint - Shy has an excellent design sense) and requested explanations of the most basic construction concepts. They communicate expertly, consulting when decisions needed to be made, and gently informing us if they thought we were making a bad decision (hint - Shy and Arvind are almost always right). I always felt that I had a good grasp of where they were in the process, what to expect next, and what decisions I would need to make in the near future. A few times when we suddenly realized that some aspect of our plan wasn't going to work in reality, Shy and the crew paused to help develop with a creative solution. Her crew seem like genuinely nice people and were very respectful of our home. When we went on a 2-week vacation we had absolutely no hesitation leaving them alone in the house. The end product is exactly what we wanted -- a finished basement with a gorgeous new bathroom at just the right price point. If I do another home project I will 100% hire them again. **Comment from Ant Builders:** > Awwww I miss this couple. They were great with all of us. What can I say when the kids gave our crew treats. They went vacation and got us Toblerones. We all really loved working with them. Kind! I love it. **★★★★★ — gmodan, Oct. 2022** > I cannot say enough good things about Shy and Arvind and their team. They are amazing! Meticulous work, on time, excellent problem solvers, organized, patient... they know their stuff and are also really fun to work with. We redid a kitchen and added a bathroom in an old building where nothing was square or level and we wanted some quirky stuff done, and they helped us make it work and always came up with creative ideas when some new crazy thing about our building was revealed (like the toilet pipe being built into the outer wall of the building!) It looks beautiful and we are so happy with it. **Comment from Ant Builders:** > This client we'll miss seeing every day. She is the absolute best person, great wife, spectacular kid and a tremendous dad as well. Totally fun days there. **★★★★★ — HU-839033883, Aug. 2022** > They redid our kitchen and downstairs bathroom in 2022. Cannot say enough good things. They did an incredible job of giving us what we wanted, while making suggestions to make it even better. Quality of the work is absolutely top notch, as is communication and responsiveness. A++. **Comment from Ant Builders:** > So this family is so gracious and patient beyond belief. The cabinets that were supposed to arrive came in 3 months late because of a factory issue. Not a peep from them. Just understanding and I cannot be more grateful. So good to the crew. ❤❤❤ **★★★★★ — HU-374928018, June 2022** > Shy, Arvind and their team are fantastic. They are experts in their trade, they make sound and helpful recommendations, they are timely - including always on time and on schedule during the work - and they are neat and tidy even during demo. We have a huge amount of respect for how they go about their work - the team knows how to work well together and is very efficient - and we are very pleased with the results for our now renovated bathroom. What could have been a really dramatic and painful project could not have gone better. They completed the job efficiently and well within the time frame that they originally suggested, with no issues. We'd recommend them to anyone looking to do a renovation; and we cannot wait to work with them again on our next one. **Comment from Ant Builders:** > Awwwwww it's only a few days now and I miss you guys. And I finally meet the doggy with cheese. So good to work for nice, kind and funny people. My guys and I really appreciate you both **★★★★★ — HU-793848935, June 2022** > Shy and Arvind are superb general contractors, creative problem solvers, top-drawer returners of phone calls, and all-around good eggs. Smart, honest, detail-oriented perfectionists, they operate with dispatch yet take no short cuts. In the course of our project, they made critical interventions beyond the scope of what we hired them to do and proffered wise advice on matters large and small. Generosity of spirit is uncommon in the building trade, but these two have it. Kudos, too, to their excellent crew. **Comment from Ant Builders:** > Our kind of people here! Definitely appreciated all the kudos and treats. We were all pampered on this job. We'll be friends long after this! **★★★★★ — Kenneth Grossfield, March 2022** > We used Ant Builders to completely redo a large bathroom. We could not imagine a better experience. They are incredibly professional, meticulous and easy to work with. They also are great about follow-up after the work is completed - responding quickly to our requests and providing advice on other potential projects. We have used contractors for a number of projects and they are by far the best. **Comment from Ant Builders:** > Thank you. . > Probably one of the best designed homes I've ever been into and everything in there is absolutely beautiful right down to the furniture. And a super, duper nice couple. **★★★★★ — HU-138629726, March 2022** > Ant Builders came highly recommended to us from a work colleague - so highly rated that we decided to wait until they were available, over a year later. And thank goodness we did, Shy and her team were just amazing. Not only is their work impeccable, but they are excellent to work with - responsive, honest, and hardworking. There was not a single day during the project that work wasn't being progressed, and the work was completed well within the timeframe provided. The attention to detail was second-to-none, and nothing was spared to ensure everything was perfect (even when we thought it already was!). Shy has a great eye, is intelligent and generous and has an excellent sense of humor. She has wonderful contractors and contacts, and excellent recommendations for suppliers. Working with Ant Builders was a real pleasure, and we have already put ourselves back on the waiting list for our next project! ## Selected projects - [Chesapeake St NW WDC Stein Addition](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/chesapeake-st-nw-wdc-stein-addition-pj-vj~6391565) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 11 - [Chevy chase md Oakland St](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/chevy-chase-md-oakland-st-pj-vj~6148624) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 12 - [Varnum St NW](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/varnum-st-nw-pj-vj~5866804) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 8 - [17th St NW DC Alderman house](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/17th-st-nw-dc-alderman-house-pj-vj~4445903) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 30 - Description: Whole house renovation. - [Namakagan Rd New](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/namakagan-rd-new-pj-vj~5705541) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 9 - [Pershing Drive Attic](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/pershing-drive-attic-pj-vj~5703974) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 11 - [Watergate](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/watergate-pj-vj~5704343) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 13 - [Alderman basement](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/alderman-basement-pj-vj~5703987) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 11 - [Bethesda MD Grove St](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/bethesda-md-grove-st-pj-vj~1999531) - Location: Chevy Chase, MD - Photos: 9 - [8th st SE Cap Hill](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/8th-st-se-cap-hill-pj-vj~5422311) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 6 - [Euclid st NW WDC](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/euclid-st-nw-wdc-pj-vj~4561286) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 12 - [Levis St NW WDC](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/levis-st-nw-wdc-pj-vj~4445839) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 18 - Description: Whole house 2 unit. Full gut renovation. - [Richart house powder room](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/richart-house-powder-room-pj-vj~4446116) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 5 - [Western Ave Chevy Chase MD](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/western-ave-chevy-chase-md-pj-vj~4445325) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 9 - [Landon Lane Bethesda MD](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/landon-lane-bethesda-md-pj-vj~2677566) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 15 - [Georgetown DC Poggenpohl](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/georgetown-dc-poggenpohl-pj-vj~1631686) - Location: Washington D.C., DC - Photos: 11 - [Macomb ST NW WDC](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/macomb-st-nw-wdc-pj-vj~2554461) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 14 - [Walhonding Road Bethesda MD](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/walhonding-road-bethesda-md-pj-vj~1791594) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 16 - [Historic Capitol Hill. 8th St SE WDC. Roofing and repointing.](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/historic-capitol-hill-8th-st-se-wdc-roofing-and-repointing-pj-vj~2770577) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 9 - [Takoma Park DC Aspen St](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/takoma-park-dc-aspen-st-pj-vj~2770580) - Location: Washington, DC - Photos: 4 [See all 95 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/general-contractors/ant-builders-pfvwus-pf~663336216) ## Community Q&A **Q: Newport Brass = Expensive Garbage and Why I LOVE Moen and Kohler** *(in Building a Home)* Hi I'm back, I'm mad, and I'm naming names. I logged many, many hours here at GW nine-ten years ago when we were building our dream home. I'm back because the insanely expensive Newport Brass valve in our master shower fractured and flooded not only the entire marble bathroom requiring it to be gutted but my formal dining room downstairs as well. This is not the first failure we've experienced with Newport Brass. Two years ago the outrageously expensive faucet in the powder room started leaking. I took it to Ferguson's (where we purchased all our fixtures). They contacted Newport Brass. Newport Brass informed them and subsequently us, that their warranty covers basically nothing and we were out of luck. Whatever, we replaced it with good old reliable Moen, and it looks and works wonderful. So, I'm sure you can guess what Newport Brass's response was when I contacted them about the brass temperature balancing valve that had a huge crack in the brass body that spewed water into the wall and caused over $20k (and counting) damage. The rep on the phone pretty much said, "So sad, too bad, oh and a new one will be $458 to replace the part - yes that's right, just that part, no, not the whole thing". Oh and the warranty for this ridiculously expensive fixture? "One year, parts only." Yep one year. So who do I love? Moen and Kohler. Story 1. Moen. After we finished building the house, I noticed a leak under the sink. There was a small crack in the corner of our undermount Moenstone kitchen sink. When I contacted Moen, they shipped out a new one immediately. When my installer said he couldn't replace the sink without damaging the granite slab counter Moen PAID for a new granite slab to be custom manufactured and installed! No angry calls needed, they were friendly and helpful every step of the way. They were AMAZING! Story 2. Kohler My beautiful Vinatta kitchen faucet started leaking a few months ago. I called Kohler. They shipped out a replacement cartridge right away - no charge. When it continued to leak after the cartridge was replaced, Kohler shipped a brand new Vinatta faucet NO CHARGE! Again, I had no issues, they were helpful, no jumping through hoops, no 'Too bad, so sad.' Just excellent customer service and a commitment to standing behind a quality product. They are amazing. If you happen to work for Newport Brass and want to contact me to apologize for your deplorable product and customer no-service, please do. I welcome the conversation. PS I hope I'm not breaking any GW rules, but I'm going to also post this in the bathroom section. I know I was very grateful for feedback and product reviews when building our home. If it's a problem, please let me know. Thank you! A: 22 years as a home improvement contractor here. Kohker Purist is our go to. I love Kohler's customer service.  We usually tell our customers to buy a little more on the mid-range or higher end on Kohler and rarely do we have issues. Kohler and Delta on the non plastic finishes are good.  Valves don't leak often.  If they do just call customer service and they'll send you a replacement for free. Now Newport Brass is horrible to deal with. Even newly installed valves leak...Okay not all the time but at least 3 percent.  Irritating!   And I really don't know why the sales people keep pushing this stuff on our clients.  I have to remember to put my foot down next time and tell my clients no on Newport brass --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-09-20.*