Fabulous Homes of San Diego

Cheryl was extremely communicative and diligent in every detail from design to completion of our 2 bathroom remodel. Everyone she brought in was professional and got the job done in a timely manner. We absolutely love the final product. My bathrooms are amazing! Cheryl clearly knows what she’s doing and I’d highly recommend her team for any home improvements.

Cheryl Cason of Fabulous homes is a dedicated and fast-moving contractor. Her network of subs were top notch, responsive, and reasonably priced. I was impressed with her ability to source out materials and competent labor for my ADU project keeping while budget in mind. I was equally impressed with her construction schedule, which was significantly faster than any other contractor I interviewed. And she is certified by several of the major construction lenders here in San Diego, which made the financing process easier. As an added bonus, she is an interior designer by trade and was ready to help me with the finer design details. It was nice getting to know Cheryl on a personal level too. She was friendly, and spent time and sincere effort meeting and discussing the project. This was different from other contractors who seemed rushed all the time and were slow to return calls. If you need a remodel, addition, or new construction build, I would encourage you to check out Fab homes. Cheryl will work hard to make it happen for you.

I am temporarily modifying this review based on a promise from Fab Homes to fix the flooring issues. The 3 star rating takes into account some good faith that Fab Homes will follow through with their promise but only after an independent consultant verified there were many issues with the floor installation.

Bathroom Remodel "BLUF: We're discussing our next project. The highest praise I can give is to rehire. I have complete trust at a personal and professional level with Cheryl and her team at FH. I wish there was a way to give a higher rating on design! Cheryl transformed the dark ugly space into a stunning bathroom that is open and bright! I also wish there was a way to post images of what this bathroom looked like before and then after. Stunning, Exciting are just a few of the words that come to mind. She has the long view - there were a couple of things I was willing to "settle for" she would not let that happen The attention to detail, the upgrades and understanding my vision while maintaining the agreed upon budget she simply transformed this bathroom into what I always wanted. As I said above, I'm already discussing the next projects with Cheryl. I plan to use FH for all my larger home projects. BLUF – Bottom Line Up Front"

Cheryl Cason, has Beautiful Aesthetics. I am very Happy to have worked with her on many projects; Because her work is Inspiring and Unforgettable. She works very Fast but with attention to Detail and she treats the projects as if they where for herself. Very Happy to have met her and Would absolutely Recommend 100%. Quality of work is Impeccable. Simply Fabulous!

Kitchen remodel and new paint and flooring. Job was completed faster than I could have imagined and within time frame quoted. Kitchen design, paint colors and flooring were amazing. Love the results!!

ADDENDUM 4/3/18: We have encountered unexpected difficulty getting some remedial work and correction of two issues in the house. Both require Cheryl to get work product or materials from her vendors and subcontractors. We are disappointed with the apparent lack of any sense of urgency and the fact that we are left with unresolved issues for several months now, and regrettably have to revise our rating accordingly. We have a front door that is not up to code and had towel racks that had to be replaced and now have an eyesore in our bathrooms due to subcontractors failing to followup with specialized wall plaster work. The front door issue is unresolved, pending apparent delivery of a new locking mechanism, and poses a safety risk to the inhabitants. While Cheryl has indicated she is on top of these things, we are many months into trying to get finality and it is extremely frustrating. ORIGINAL REVIEW: Cheryl is an excellent designer/contractor who did a complete home remodel for me over the course of about seven months. She has a keen eye for color, space, surfaces, and thematic consistency. Overall, I found Cheryl and her subcontractors to be professional, courteous, generally respectful of my property and time, and they do very good work. Let me say at the outset that this will be a lengthy review, appropriate for the complexity and scope of the project and with a very honest assessment. I give Cheryl 4.5 out of five stars. With any project of this magnitude, you're likely to encounter hiccups along the way. As we have come to the completion of this project with just a few minor issues remaining, I want to give Cheryl a strong endorsement as she has done an excellent job transforming the house. I also do want to point out some of the trade-offs to help prospective clients know what questions to ask to help them decide on the best fit for their remodel needs. Cheryl has a design aesthetic that overlapped significantly with my own and I think together we crafted a beautiful final result. Do not be afraid to give pushback if you disagree with certain design choices, as it is your property and you are paying the finances, so you want to be satisfied with the final result. I gave numerous suggestions for surfaces, tile, and colors and she found some great sources for all the materials. Cheryl was collaborative in hearing out my preferences although she did overrule me occasionally and most of the time, she was correct in doing so. For instance, the house had an unusually angled placement for a center kitchen island that she decided to knock down and re-create with a more linear placement. This had the effect of making the kitchen appear larger with the cleaner line of sight from the staircase to the back porch, but at the time I felt like my wishes were being set aside. She did have some preferences on certain colors and surfaces where I respectfully disagree it and together we collaborated for some very aesthetic choices that have created a contemporary but warm feeling. Cheryl does a pretty good job of managing her people but of course schedules are difficult to keep with a job of this magnitude. Mostly, I feel that any delays were not under her control. I was able to trust her when I was away from the home (I have lived in the house during the remodel but have traveled significantly for business and have been out of town many weekends when her team was doing work ) and I believe that preserving the value of my investment is something that was important to her. She was able to find some creative solutions for some of the costlier line items. Now, for full disclosure, let's talk about some of the challenges. The project was significantly underquoted in the initial bid. I believe Cheryl wants her work product to represent her taste and commitment to excellence. This does not come inexpensively, particularly for a major job like this. I am not sure if Cheryl did not have the scope accurately assessed at the start of the project, or she was being overly optimistic in the quote, but there were times that I felt the project budget was too open ended. Were I to do such a large project again, I would probably insist on a "not to exceed" contract rather than a time and materials plus commission contract. However, I say that with some mixed feelings as we likely would not have gotten such a nice result under a significantly more limited budget. While I think there may have been some savings that were not captured, and some charges with which I disagreed, I recognize that I probably was not budgeting realistically given the cost of labor and materials in the San Diego market. Cheryl did find significant savings for a variety of items, including a stainless steel and cable railing custom staircase (which is gorgeous), as well as getting discounts on upgraded appliances. She didn't cover a few structural issues which I was in no position to dispute and generally try to contain costs for remediating those things. I'm not sure you can take a house like this down to the studs and foundation and not uncover things you were not expecting. I would strongly suggest that prospective clients be certain that they understand the billing cycle and accounting policy, and don't be afraid to negotiate on certain issues. For example, I do not believe a client should have to pay a contractor surcharge on accounting fees, when the accounting fees are for the contractor to organize accounts receivable and payable. I actually disagree in principle with having to pay for the accounting on a project like this as I think it is part of the cost of doing business. I may be in the minority on this or naïve, but in my industry the cost of accounting for my billing is part of my pricing model, not subject to mark up or passed through to the client as a line item. That being said, it is a bit of a moot argument as Cheryl does bill this out. It is helpful to understand this and to have a discussion about it upfront rather than be surprised later. Similarly, clients should seek to understand what on-site supervision will be provided by Cheryl versus subject to fees for having a foreman. Since she generally only works on one job at a time, I felt it was appropriate that she be present to supervise whenever she was not offsite purchasing or scouting for items for the home. I should state that none of these considerations are unique to working with Cheryl and her team, as I think they should be considered by a client doing diligence for a major remodel with any contractor and/or designer. From the standpoint of workmanship, generally it was excellent. There were a few examples where I felt better planning might have saved time or expense. For example, if you are looking to build home automation and complex A/V systems into the home, you may wish to seek a separate vendor for those purposes and have them coordinate their work closely with Cheryl. I feel that her electrician could have helped me future proof the home a bit better with some more planning upfront or defer some of the prewiring for A/V to the company I ultimately hired separately to finish the installation of my A/V Equipment. In terms of other subcontractors, her plumbing, countertop, flooring, painting, cleaning and other subs were generally excellent, as were her direct employees. One of them, for instance, helped me pick up furniture offsite when he was under no obligation to do so. Her cabinet maker set up a custom cabinet shop in my garage for a couple of months and built some beautiful cabinetry. Unfortunately, he stopped just short of completing the project but one of Cheryl's other team members stepped in and the ultimate result is excellent. A special note of gratitude should be paid to her plumber and countertop fabricator, who were real standouts in terms of work product. Cheryl's personality is strong but charismatic. Ultimately, she will most likely successfully carry you along her way with excitement for the project and in my case, the final result is certainly a dramatic and impressive improvement from my original home. Along the way, she appears to have befriended my neighbors who are also excited to see the final outcome. We managed to get through a significant project with a lot of workers on weekends with no complaints from neighbors. She was forthright in touching up or fixing things that did not come out to her or my standard on the first pass, which were very few items. She deservedly takes pride in the quality of her remodel work. As you can see, like any relationship and any complex undertaking, there are some things that go exactly as planned and others that take you by surprise. Clients on lower budgets may need to set strict bounds on the project scope if they select Cheryl. I think Fab Homes is a best fit for those with some budget flexibility in order to build out a showcase result. Be honest with yourself and with Cheryl in the initial negotiation and throughout your process. She is reasonable and really does care about her work product. Those who have seen my house before and after the remodel are nothing short of -- and I don't say this lightly -- ASTONISHED by the elegance and fine touches that went into this home. Thank you to Cheryl and her team for turning my house investment into a home I can be proud of.

I hired Cheryl in Feb 2015 to fully renovate a 1700sqft home in what we thought would be a quick two months. First and foremost, she's a fantastic designer - she understands color, is particular about details, and can visualize what a space should feel like. Different times of the day, different seasons of the year ... she thought through it all and got the right combination of lighting, windows, and heating/cooling to get it right. In ADDITION to that designer's touch, Cheryl is a tiger of a General Contractor. I really can't overstate how much energy and passion she put into the project getting bids from subcontractors, managing and directing her own crew, and fighting to keep everything on schedule. I felt entirely comfortable letting her pick fixtures and finishes, which lessened the load on my shoulders. And, from an owner's perspective, the way she documented every dollar spent and provided reports and accounting was beyond anything I've seen anyone else do. It's amazing. In the end, the project did NOT go as expected. After opening walls, we discovered extensive termite damage (which meant some new exterior walls), antiquated electrical, and sub-standard plumbing work. Most other contractors would have walked off the job or taken advantage of the situation. Most other contractors would have taken an additional four months to finish. Cheryl didn't - she poured her whole self into the challenge and worked tirelessly to get the project done. The end product is fabulous and it took only one month longer than originally anticipated. As with any major project, there are some pick up items that only became apparent after the final payment was made. Cheryl and her crew took care of these things for me, without charging for their time - good luck getting most other contractors to stand behind their work after the final check is written! Perhaps most importantly, Cheryl's integrity, "whatever it takes" attitude, and her extremely high Say/Do ratio is a testament to her character. She's the type of person I like to work with, and I'd be delighted to share any details of my experience with anyone who's considering her services.

I needed a general contractor to do a complete strip down and remodel of a condo interior. I was happy to have found Fabulous Homes! The remodel took 15 weeks and looks.... well... fabulous! Now I have my piece of heaven in PB. It's rare to make it through a major construction project and still keep your spouse, it's probably more rare to still have a friendly relationship with your general contractor!!! Good job Cheryl and thanks for the good job

Fabulous Homes installed our A/C and they did a Wonderful job. They guaranteed the work that was done and save me a ton of money. I would recommend them for any home project. If your in San Diego County and need some work done on your home Fabulous Homes is the company to work with.