FA Design Build

Stacey Peters, Kevin Golden, and the entire FA Design Build Team were a pleasure to work with in a complete redesign/transformation of our Master and Hall Bathrooms. Their attention to detail, craftsmanship work, and client focused approach is superb. We highly recommend FA Design to friends and family. We will us their services for future projects as they are now a trusted partner and friends.

We attended a presentation at FA Design Build to plan a kitchen remodeling project. We were impressed by the knowledge and commitment displayed by their staff and by the results and recommendations from their customers. Ours was a major kitchen remodel, including the relocation of appliances and the relocation of a load-bearing wall. In addition, we replaced flooring on the entire first level, replaced the foyer staircase and railings and remodeled the powder room. Stacey, our designer really listened to what we wanted to do and came up with a great design to achieve it. She quickly had a great sense of our style preferences and made excellent choices and suggestions for materials and design. Kevin was great to work with in the construction aspects of the design. He did a nice job of balancing the practical with the style and of explaining the technical aspects of the job to us. Jamie, our on site construction manager, and his crew were very dependable, communicative and easy to work with. They were responsive to our needs and schedules and took pride in their work. As with any construction project, there were a couple of snags along the way. The real test of a construction company is how they deal with these issues as they arise. FA Design Build addressed the issues promptly and made sure that we were completely satisfied with the results.

Stacey, Jessica, and others at FADesign worked closely and patiently with me to capture exactly what I wanted my new kitchen to look like, including the difficult task of choosing the perfect combination for flooring, counter, and backsplash. They creatively and diligently resolved issues that arose during installation, and even issues that lingered after the project was complete. They took the time to include final touches I would not have thought of, like cabinet door stops and heavy duty pullout drawers. I definitely can say that the FADesign team takes pride in their projects and works hard to make their customers happy. As with any large scale project (and this was my first), make sure you review the design plans carefully -- especially electrical outlet/switch locations.

Master Bath Project After deciding to “Age-in-Place”, we received several estimates to renovate, our Master Bath, but none gave us confidence that we would achieve our vision. Then, a friend recommended that we attend FA Design Build’s presentation, meet their design and construction team, and discuss our project. Their process presentation was excellent, their team competent and professional, so we decided that we would benefit from their designer’s touch and professional contractor team. The design build team met at our home and listened while we told them what we wanted to achieve. They took notes, asked questions, made their assessment, and provided welcome suggestions. In two weeks, the team returned to present their design along with photos and specifications of suggested materials and products. They discussed options, and worked with us to select the products and materials we preferred that met our budget, while achieving our desired upscale “WOW” factor. FA Design Build offered a detailed, specific, contract which included everything we discussed, along with a reasonable down payment and progress payments. Their impressive high quality of workmanship and professionalism led us to request add-ons for installation of dining room and foyer wood flooring, new banisters and railings throughout, repair of family room wall and ceiling cracks, a kitchen pantry renovation, and a laundry room vanity. The on-site FA Design Build construction team consisted of an experienced project manager, a master carpenter, electrician, master tile setter, plumber, wall boarder, and flooring installer, who worked as a close-knit team with the designers to implement the project plan. We have achieved our goal of completing each project to our total satisfaction. Therefore, we take great pleasure in recommending the FA Design Build team to you without reservation, if like us, you are looking for quality, value, and satisfaction for your construction dollars.

My relationship with FA Design Build began when I attended one of their free design and remodeling seminars, and culminated with a completely remodeled kitchen five months later. The design team was outstanding, very easy to work with and very focused on my needs and wants. The same professionalism was exhibited by the project manager and workers. I have a beautiful, unique kitchen that is the heart of my home. I have recommended this company to a number of friends and acquaintances, and will continue to do so.

Working with the entire staff of FA Design Build was a pleasure and we look forward to their expertise on the next phase of our home remodeling. For decades we had dog-eared magazine pictures of the kitchen of our dreams. FA Design made our dreams come true....and then some. Our kitchen is beautiful and more functional than we ever could have imagined. The design staff made numerous suggestions that substantially increased our counter and storage space and recommended materials that we love. We wanted a kitchen island that would serve multiple purposes - storage, counter-space, movable crafting station, quilting table, etc. but none that met our needs existed in the cabinet catalog. Staff listened to our needs, designed and built a rolling island that is perfect and used constantly. The on-site project manager and his construction staff were exceedingly professional and again listened to every concern we had and made excellent suggestions. The team was extremely quiet and secured the areas to eliminate as much dust as possible. We truly appreciate their candor about every aspect of the project especially when they encountered "old house" problems. We particularly appreciated the detailed work plan that the design team developed that included a detailed description and drawings of every aspect of the work. We had meetings in advance of work beginning to review every detail proposed. No surprises! We highly recommend attending one of FA Design Build seminars - it was very helpful to our making a decision to work with FA Design Build.

FADesigns changed our small enclosed kitchen to a beautiful open one that people still come in and remark that the design is amazing and the kitchen is a welcoming p,ace in our house. They also did a downstairs bathroom, putting in a shower/tub that we can relax and get massaged in. It too is an amazing outcome of a room that used to hold a toilet. They did both with such professionalism, and care, and they did more than we ever asked for. FA design is an amazing company that I would recommend to any home owner who wanted to update and beautify their homes.

We had a disappointing experience with the firm. The end product was barely average, although it cost a lot of money. A 6-week project turned into a 5-month struggle. My initial consultation with the designers and project manager was well organized and I had no reason to doubt their competency. The company had previously helped me with hard wood floor installation ( 5-years ago) and had done an excellent job. When I wanted to redo my basement, and powder room, I reached out to FA design build. Our only reason to pick this firm over others was our prior experience with the company. I wish I had done some research on their design build competency. After the basement floor installation, I had to remind the workers to either cover the floor with plastic or cover their shoes to avoid staining the floor. This didn’t happen and letting the project manager know didn’t help much either. They even did some wood work directly on the floor without using any protective cover. This has left the floor with some scratches. On one occasion, the crew had walked into our kitchen and dining area leaving black sticky stains on the kitchen tile and the wood floor in the dining area. It was quite an effort to get this sticky substance out, which I ended up cleaning myself. There was no reason for the crew to have used these rooms. Powder room: We requested a custom vanity. Once the sink and mirror was installed I had to call the design team in regards to a design flaw. I could barely see my face in the mirror & had to stand on my toes to see myself. I am 5’2. The response was that I had approved the design and it was now our fault that we didn’t review the dimensions! This is after we had hired their design crew. The redo of this design flaw is of inferior quality. They lack attention to detail. I was told it would cost me if they had to redo the custom frame, which they should have done to make the design work. The paint crew didn’t bother to cover the sink and the counter during paint touch-up. There was paint stains on the counter. While the company provides good flooring installation, based on my experience, I wouldn’t recommend this company.

FA Design Build recently renovated my kitchen and den, and I was very, very happy with the results. The team is wonderful to work with -- creative and knowledgeable, they shared their expertise while still listening to my priorities and concerns. The FA Design Build process emphasizes planning all the details, so we started construction with a firm cost and all the details, down to the light switches, planned for. Once construction started, the crews were professional and did a great job. These guys know how to manage a project, keeping it moving while still be attentive to the small details. One of my best renovation experiences!

We cannot praise FA Design Build and its professional staff enough. They met all of our expectations, requests for changes, and extra requests. They were very responsive to our phone calls and emails so that we felt they were always engaged in our project, leaving nothing to guesswork. This was a major difference from another company we had previously hired to do bathroom remodeling a few years earlier. We highly recommend FA Design Build as a full-service contractor. Here are reasons supporting our view: FA Design Build’s design team, Jessica Cannon and Denise Smith, worked closely with us to develop a design for the new kitchen and visited our house to assess and take measurements in order to generate 3D drawings. With these we could discuss several modifications prior to starting work. We visited FA Design Build’s showroom in Fairfax to view different materials and discuss cabinetry, flooring, sinks, lighting and other details with the design staff. Jessica and Denise were prepared to offer us concrete suggestions that saved us time and the worry of dealing with too many choices. We agreed upon what we wanted in the new kitchen. Based upon the preliminary work and design as well as our meetings with them we had established trust in their judgment and work. Only after the design phase was completed and a detailed plan was drawn up did we sign a contract to have the work done. Everything was put in writing in a loose-leaf binder that we and the construction team used at our house to accomplish the work. Nothing was left to guesswork. Ricky Seminario, FA Design Build’s project manager, said that we should allow seven weeks for the work to be completed. He and his crew completed all work within this time frame. In early January work began with demolition. When mold was discovered behind an exterior wall, FA Design Build contacted a remediation company that separately performed remediation and assured us that there was no other mold in the wall. This was a necessary expense and reassured us that the wall was sound. At the outset, the design team and we had identified high and low spots in the kitchen floor and after the old ceramic tiles and plywood sheeting had been removed FA Design Build called in a special flooring team to take care of leveling the floor prior to putting down new Armstrong tiles. The result is a beautiful, level, solid floor. Cabinetry had been ordered prior to commencing any work and was delivered to FA Design Build’s storage facility. Prior to installing it, all cabinets and doors were checked for any damage. There was none. The carpenters carefully installed all cabinets. A counter top specialist used a laser instrument to measure that all floor cabinets were level. His company manufactured and delivered Silestone counter tops within seven days and installed them on the floor cabinets. Everything is level and looks beautiful. FA Design Build’s tilers installed new back splashes using ceramic tile we had chosen. They asked us about the pattern of installation before beginning so that we were agreed upon how the tiles should go on the walls. We made one change that enhanced the look of one back splash area. The tilers worked carefully and created a beautiful new look to the kitchen. Installation of new ceiling lighting and electrical wall outlets was performed by a licensed electrician and all county code requirements were met. This included new, independent circuits for the refrigerator and the microwave oven as required by code. The FA Design Build construction manager attended the county inspector’s inspection and noted small errors which were quickly corrected so that everything passed the reinspection. We requested that the not-so-old kitchen sink, garbage disposer, cabinetry, and counter top be moved to our basement where the sink was attached to existing plumbing, affording us a work space to wash dishes during and after the construction phase of the new kitchen. The construction crew carefully moved these items to the basement where a plumber hooked up the sink. An electrician later installed new wiring for the garbage disposer and a new GFI wall receptacle. After completion of all new installations, FA Design Build’s design team and project manager inspected with us the final result of their work. We were very pleased with the results and how certain problems – the uneven floor for example – had been resolved. We have a new, expanded and contemporary kitchen-breakfast room with more storage space and useful counter tops. Even after completion of the remodeling project, FA Design Build performed several additional tasks including replacing a ceiling light fixture above the sink with a fixture that was more practical. The company refunded the money for the original light fixture and did not charge for removal and new installation. Throughout the project, communication with the design team and the project manager was continuous and frequent. We were not left guessing about when work crews would come to the house and what next steps would be. The workers and their manager were very responsive to our questions and suggestions. They always cleaned up at the end of the day and removed debris, old cabinets, and other items no longer needed. At the outset, we had discussed costs with FA Design Build’s design team. They had given us a proposal with estimated costs based upon their assessment and design and our input and choices. The company asked for a 40% initial deposit at contract signing so that cabinetry and other items could be ordered prior to beginning work. During the construction phase there were very few change-orders because of careful design planning. We signed off on each page of the design book at the time of contract signing. The company met the cost estimate which was considerably lower than proposals we had solicited from other companies. Payments were made based upon a schedule of completed work. The mold remediation and floor leveling were extra expenses that we knew would occur. We also asked the electrician to replace the circuit-breaker box and breakers. We deemed replacement to be necessary and it was well worth the additional expense.

A kitchen renovation was something my husband and I had never undertaken in our 30+ years of marriage. When he suggested it, I was opposed and terrified. Thankfully, we found the FADesignBuild team. We attended one of their Saturday seminars and immediately made a connection. They guided us through everything with terrific design ideas. I am so happy we found them and so grateful for their patience. I recommend FADesignBuild without hesitation.

We did a complete kitchen remodel. FA Design worked with us for several weeks to come up with the exact floor plan, cabinet design, and functional layout for our new kitchen. They were prompt with correspondence, changes and iterations to the design, and provided professional assistance while we were trying to visualize one of the most important living spaces in our house. They allowed us to select & purchase certain materials for the project outside of the choices they provide from their showroom. When the work started, their project manager kept us informed as to what to expect next, when the workers would be coming to work on certain aspects of the project, and minimized the downtime our kitchen had during the process. They stayed on schedule and only outside delays with counter-top and appliance delivery kept them from completing the project exactly within the time they originally estimated (6 weeks). They also handled issues with the cabinet manufacturer and got them resolved. We are VERY PLEASED with our new kitchen and are VERY APPRECIATIVE of the FA Design team who made it a reality for us. We highly recommend their services to anyone looking for a satisfying experience in home remodeling!!