I have worked with Lynyrd (Leonard Fillman) on maintaining and updating my 70’s era home in west Houston since 2001. His work is “without compare” and his attention to detail and craftsmanship is impeccable. His skilled crew, including tile installer, plumber, marble fabricator, and electrician, has remained the same throughout that time with very few changes. All are completely trustworthy and treat your home as if it were their own. If they were not, they would not be working for Leonard!
Ability to Visualize Changes and Anticipate Problems:
Leonard knows what most likely is behind your present walls. He can tell you which changes are reasonable and which would entail often prohibitive expense. For example, enlarging a bathroom door in my home for handicap access would have meant re-wiring almost the entire room. If a change is desired but seems at first to be “un-doable,” Leonard will figure out how to make it work, and the final result will look as if were part of the home originally.
Custom Woodwork and Cabinetry:
When Leonard completely redid our kitchen, he built a wooden vent hood to match the beadboard backsplash above the granite countertops. All kitchen cabinets and molding were custom made, working from the many magazine pictures I had furnished. This included leaving cutouts in 2 cabinet doors to install punched tin panels. The same type of original work was done on the redesigned kitchen island which had a pullout trash can cabinet on the kitchen side, beadboard panels on the den side, and decorative molding and half-width corner posts to dress up the island end.
Willingness to re-do Completed Work:
In 2006, after Leonard had removed all den paneling, installed sheetrock, and painted, we decided to add a large-screen TV above the fireplace. A hole had to be cut in the new wall and in the fireplace brick to run all wiring for TX accessories stored in a nearby armoire for a seemingly cordless installation. Not only did the new wall have to be repaired, floated, and repainted but the same thing had to be done to the cathedral ceiling in order to install speakers for surround sound. And, he redid it all with a smile!
Conceptual Ability to enhance Features Already In Place with Less Costly Options:
When enlarging the kitchen sink window opening, Leonard removed the fur down above the sink, leaving the others above adjoining cabinets intact, thus creating an alcove for the window. He then added a 4-inch shelf with beveled edges perpendicular to the bottom of the fur downs which was perfect for displaying plates, etc. Similarly, to visually enlarge a relatively small master bath in which the cast iron tub and wall tiles were being removed and replaced, he took out the fur down above the tub and also replaced the end wall of the tub with a much shorter “pony” wall. This resulted in the appearance of a larger, more open bath, which was much less costly than knocking out the back tub wall, as originally proposed, to incorporate space from an adjoining bedroom closet.
Quality Exterior Work:
Leonard has replaced rotten boards and completely painted the house several times, the last of which involved changing from a dark to a light color, a task involving much more attention to detail. Gutters were carefully removed and reinstalled after fascia boards were replaced, additional soffits installed, and all exterior (and interior) doors replaced. He has ordered and professionally installed double-pane windows on the entire house, often having to allow for not-quite-square or level openings. (I have seen wide strips of caulk used in other homes because of incorrectly-sized or -installed windows.)
Recommendation:
The highest compliment I can pay to Leonard is that upon my husband’s retirement, we decided not to move from our home of 40+ years to a new home, as planned, because ours is perfect thanks to him!
