Gardner Construction Corp.

If you are about to drop a load of cash on a renovation READ THIS FIRST! We had a large multi-room (kitchen included) renovation ahead of us. We got several detailed quotes but in the end, we went with Gardner Construction. All other quotes came in under G.C. but it was a no-brainer. Something this important needed a company with years of experience with complicated historic renovations. We live in an 1892 brownstone on Libbie Hill Park in the Church Hill area of Richmond, VA. Travis, the owner of Gardner Construction, spent countless hours, emails, texts and phone calls listening to our every idea, offering his own and ultimately convincing us that his company could do the job better than anyone else. One of our most important requirements was a serious deadline. We had invited many guests to join us for Thanksgiving. The kitchen had to be done two days before Thanksgiving, no if and's or buts. Travis didn't flinch, he said, "no problem". Words are cheap, and we have NEVER had a contractor finish on time or within budget. Travis and Gardner Construction were true to their word. The kitchen was 99% done a whole two weeks early, and 110% done the required two days prior to our Thanksgiving dinner. This deadline wasn't reached because the job was so simple, no, quite the contrary. This project involved ripping out walls, even brick walls. Tearing up flooring, gutting a large kitchen, all new “everything” including a chimney liner, industrial pocket door, bathroom, multiple types of flooring (including marble), a library ladder and rail, the list goes on... Additionally, the requirements changed as we went along. Some changes were a result of our minds changing as we saw progress take place. But some requirements changed as a result of discovery. For example, while preparing the kitchen floor for some reclaimed hardwood it was discovered that termites had decimated several joists. Travis' lead master builder Mark Amrhein came up with a genius solution that did not involve ripping out all of those joists or even ANY of them. (Mark also copied and built from scratch 125-year-old complicated trim, Mark is an artist, do NOT let the tools fool you, they are actually paintbrushes) No, the reason things got done on time is because Travis has a literal army of seasoned professionals who showed up every day, on time and ready to rock and roll. Often there were a dozen folks in the kitchen all at once making things happen, and quickly! I work out of the house so I peeked in, often, to find leaps and bounds of progress happening every hour. Yes, you will get a cheaper quote but will your project stick to that quote let alone your timeframe? Don't mess around with something that is so important to you. You will live with this renovation for years. Do it right and you will actually save money (Travis helped us collect historic tax credits, just another example of his vast experience) and you will most certainly save time. Another point that warrants mentioning. We were warned by many of our friends that doing such a massive renovation while living in the home at the time (did I mention that? Yup!) will be very stressful and will push the limits of our very marriage. This never happened. We set up a little kitchenette in another part of the house and had many wonderful little toaster-oven-dinners. Already we remember those simple evenings with great fondness. We always felt like we were in good hands, and so we were. I'm telling you, do not mess around with a contractor who may put your marriage on edge. Get Gardner Construction. Be at peace. Then, when it is done you will want to invite the whole world in to see the work of art that these master craftsmen create on your behalf. They love what they do and it shows.

We hired Gardner Construction to remodel a historic home in Richmond and were thrilled with the results. From our first meeting, we found Travis and his team to be incredibly professional and conscientious. They were trusted partners in the renovation and ongoing care of the home for the entire time we owned it. Our project included gut renovations of the kitchen and three bathrooms as well as technological upgrades throughout the house. Travis did an exceptional job managing the many subcontractors, personalities and challenges involved in completing the complex project in a compressed timeline. He treated our house as if it were his home, ensuring that every detail was executed to the highest standard. Even after we moved out of state, we continued to rely on Gardner to keep the home beautifully maintained. We recommend him highly for any project in which creativity, attention to detail and quality craftsmanship are priorities.

My husband and I have always purchased homes that require work (both cosmetic and structural) to be done. This is our third home/project and it was the first time that the experience with the contractor exceeded our expectations. The level of communication in advance of the project was the right balance of understanding our needs and providing guidance and consulting. One of things we appreciated the most were the level of options we were provided. We were never told "you have to use this guy" which we had heard in prior projects, we were provided options and price points and we were allowed to make the decision. Travis was fully engaged and unlike prior experiences with other prodders, we did not have to answer the same question 2 or 3 times. We set an aggressive time table for numerous projects that would impact the house from top to bottom, and we were extremely impressed how the coordination of all the elements cam together, very smoothly even with the winter weather not cooperating. Like every home improvement efforts there are "surprises", and when those occurred Travis communicated quickly and efficiently with what happened, what's been done and his recommendation for the next steps. Travis and his team met the project plan from both a time and cost perspective. We have additional ideas for our new home and we have no hesitation that we will hire Travis to complete those plans.

Very pleased with the work of this company. The finished product speaks for itself. Love love our new kitchen. The organizational planning and ability to meet deadlines was exceptional.

We hired Travis Gardner (Gardner Companies) to renovate our outdated kitchen. He replaced the old linoleum kitchen floors with hardwood, redid the hardwood floors throughout the downstairs of our house, replaced all of the cabinets with custom cabinets from Virginia Cabinetry (also a great business to deal with), cut down part of a wall, replaced the countertops, changed out lighting and electrical, put in new appliances and plumbing. We could not be happier with the results. He and his team did a fantastic job.