Straight Up Home Improvements

Steven Damato and his crew are the best and most artistic team of builders, home improvers and designers I have ever encountered. Having learned his superior construction skills from working with his father's construction company in New York City, he has brought a high level of professionalism to his North Carolina business. He has modernized two houses in Chapel Hill for me and is easy to work with and open to new ideas. As an artist I appreciate how my improvements look as well as how they function. He well deserves the vote as" Best in the Triangle"again this year! Proudly, Pipa Cudahy (homeowner)

We LOVE our new bathroom! Steve listened listened to our vision and made it happen. They took an aged owner's bathroom and took out literally everything and handled issues with the subfloor, an older fireplace and ancient wiring flawlessly. The new tiling is gorgeous! Steve and his team were easy to work with, addressing any concerns that we had. They were very considerate while working in our home and left the site tidy at the end of each day. We would highly recommend Straight Up Home Improvements!

Mr. Damato recently did a complete remodel of my master bath. Mr. Damato paid close attention to detail of every aspect of the job. It's such a pleasure to use the new bath and the workmanship is 100%. I highly recommend this company.

We love the deck around the spa with bench and privacy wall that Straight Up Home Improvements crew built for us. They were very patient in making sure we got just what we wanted - and it turned out better than we could have imagined. Very friendly, extremely solid craftsmanship, good communicators about keeping us informed, and went the extra mile to make sure every detail was great.

We would like to thank the Straight Up Home Improvements crew for our new and beautiful kitchen!! Our new favorite room! Anna

We have used Steve and his crew for two different house projects. Most recently, we had a screened in porch done by Straight up home improvement. They did an excellent job and the work was done in a timely and professional manner. In both cases, Steve went the extra mile to make sure we were happy with the project. Steve has a passion for what he does, and him and his crew are super friendly and professional. I highly recommend them!

Steve and his crew are fantastic ! I hired them to rebuild our deck after the first company was sent packing. They do not disappoint and will continue to use them for every project. Steve said I would not regret going with him and he was right ! Straight Up Home Improvement , Craftsmanship, attention to detail, they may provide a little entertainment :)

We have used Straight Up for four major reno projects, two inside and two out. They just completed a new 450 sq. ft. deck for us. The craftmanship and quality is absolutely top notch - no surprise to us as all their projects with us have been beautiful. Terrific attention to detail, building it right and personal service is what this firm is all about. I cannot recommend them highly enough.

Straight Up is incredibly reliable, the crew is friendly, courteous and engaging, not afraid to answer your questions or share the details of what they are doing, not shy at all. They have done two jobs (bathroom remodel and wheelchair ramp) for me and in both, they showed attention to every detail. If what I wanted wasn't going to work, I got a detailed explanation and we worked out the next best option. The owner is on site at all times and part of the crew. His tile work is amazing and he takes pride in it. This is not a sideline for them, this is what they do and they do it right. Several times, he made improvements to the original carpentry so that his work would be more durable and esthetic. I plan on having them back to make improvements to my kitchen. I know I can count on them to give me good advice and help me make the right choices for my space.

Steve Damato and his small group of skilled craftsmen are a company that can be trusted to do high quality work on a variety of projects. Their knowledge of materials, permitting processes, and attention to detail are excellent. Their estimates were accurate even in the changing world of pandemic construction. Straight Up Home Improvements built a screened-in porch for us including new access to our house. The porch included skylights, a bead-board ceiling, and Brazilian hardwood flooring. Their workmanship is precise and the end result is beautiful. I would definitely enjoy working with them again.

After interviewing a few contractors that were referred to us by friends, we hired Straight UP to renovate our newly purchased house in Chapel Hill. The owner of the company spent a few hours going over all the details of our projects with us. Straight Up was willing to work with our budget and to take on a fairly complex job that required opening up a few walls, taking down a huge chimney, adding a bathroom on second floor, remodeling a kitchen, and adding a new deck. Straight up crew was extremely polite, professional and trustworthy. Steve Damato is one of the best contractors we have ever worked with, he is talented, has a passion for what he does, and amazing customer service. We still receive compliments of all the work Straight up have done for us, and recommend them 100%.

Thanks to Steve Damato and his crew at Straight-Up Home Improvements, we have a beautiful, functional, and sturdy (better than code) covered deck adding value and livability to our home. We were installing a swim spa and wanted a deck to provide easy access from our back door, as well as outside relaxing and entertaining space. We initially planned to use a contractor recommended by the pool company, but became concerned by his poor online reputation, reinforced by his carelessness in the bid process, and our gut feeling we were being overcharged (almost gouged). A neighbor highly recommended Steve, so I sent him an email with our current bid asking for a rough estimate. Steve’s reply convinced us we were about to pay too much. We later took bids from other outfits, including Steve, who all made us realize our original builder’s plans were subpar. Steve handled the permitting process for us, fixing two problems left by other contractors, and also provided a reliable and fair electrician who fixed a mess left by another. He made design recommendations that maximized our value, while increasing beauty and function. Steve is both a craftsman and a problem solver. He showed me a house he was working on in our neighborhood and I swooned over the kitchen. To save money on a ceiling I added on, I went with a cheaper bead board. The joint areas did not look good, but Steve added trim and painted the heck out of it until I was satisfied. He suggested under-the stair-lights instead of the expense of installing a new outdoor fixture (they look very cool). I could provide more examples (and can show you the deck if you ask Steve to put us in touch), but you get the point. The only differences in the final amount paid from Steve’s original estimate were changes I asked for later. Only downside – he is so busy that he may have to alternate between your job and others. Plus, he can’t control the weather! If you want an honest contractor who does a lot of work himself, diligently oversees his crew, and takes pride in his craftsmanship and your satisfaction, hire Steve Damato of Straight-Up Home Improvements.