Custom Kitchens has been fantastic, and I heartily recommend them if you desire a full-service provider who does it all including design and project management. Their cabinets are high quality and the designer and project manager we had were very responsive and available. All the workers did a great job in workmanship, attitude, and adherence to COVID protocol. Having alternatively done small remodel work ourselves, with individual contractors (several times), and with one other full-service provider, this was the most satisfying experience. A lot must be credited to the dedication and professionalism of the designer Chrysan and the project manager Nader. Chrysan never imposed design but rather sought to understand and help us discover our own style. Nader was exemplary as a project manager. He managed the project in a way that gave us confidence and peace of mind. He was on site frequently, managed subcontractors actively, and worked through the inevitable few hiccups with no impact to us. I would not hesitate to use them again.
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They remodeled our small kitchen in a 1901 home. They were recommend to us by a friend who had a kitchen remodel in a 1920 home. She had such a positive experience we didn t even go out for other bids. The design team spent a lot of time, not only asking about and responding to our needs, but giving suggestions that managed to stay in our price range. They started the day they committed to and finished a week early! They are EXTREMELY careful about protection. We wanted to keep our flooring and after all was done and the protection was removed, it was the same as before they started. They also saved the appliances we wanted saved, with no pressure to upgrade everything. We did upgrade the appliances that were old and the prices they found for us were in line with other companies. Thank you to all involved (I won t list names for fear of forgetting someone). You were all amazing! Highly recommended!!! P. S. The photos are ours, before everything was in. They took professional ones that we haven t seen yet.
We selected Custom Kitchens to remodel our kitchen and two bathrooms based on their reputation, professionalism, competitive price (3 design/build firms submitted bids within 5% of each other), and their commitment to complete our project in 10-12 weeks. One month into the project, the Covid-19 shelter-in-place order was issued. In the face of this incredible logistical challenge, Custom Kitchens completed our remodel only one week beyond the original plan, and right on budget. We were amazed, and greatly appreciative.
None of the above would matter if we weren t thrilled with the end result. This was our first experience with a remodel, and looking at the finished product, my wife commented, I wouldn t change a thing. It has only been 3 weeks since we moved back in, and every day we remark how beautifully it all looks, and how functional it all is.
Since we didn t start with a clear vision of the end result, we needed a lot of guidance from their designer and project manager. It took a lot of meetings, discussions, visits to showrooms, etc to select everything, and we never felt pressured. In fact, our team at Custom Kitchens encouraged us to take the time needed during the design phase. We were also able to tap into the knowledge and experience of their subcontractors. Whenever we raised a question or concern, options were explained patiently and fully.
Thank you Nader, Joy, and the entire Custom Kitchens team.
Being a licensed career architect facing a mandatory kitchen remodel in our home due to our aging malfunctioning appliances, it was time to find the right team to assist my husband and I with making our kitchen workable again. With much research, we chose Custom Kitchens by John Wilkins, Inc. because even in the introductory interview, they were offering us workable solutions for the remodel challenges that we were facing. The Custom Kitchens team, lead by Nader Feidy and Lisa Narum, was impressive from the start and continued to please us throughout the process. I can truly say it was a delight to work with each member of their team for the following reasons: They were clear and accurate in both defining the scope of the project and in estimating the overall cost; Each member of their team, from the team leaders and their in-house construction crew to their sub-contractors, were kind and respectful of being in our home; were clear communicators so when we had concerns, their team was responsive and reliable to address each concern; and were patient with us when we asked questions in overload or when we were making decisions requiring a great deal of deliberation. We are extremely grateful to each member of the Custom Kitchens Team for not just meeting but exceeding our expectations by transforming the potential stress and anguish of this project into what actually was a fun and rewarding experience for us. Our newly remodeled kitchen is now a reminder gift each day of our appreciation for choosing Custom Kitchens by John Wilkins, Inc. as our remodel team.
First off, this was THE best run construction project that we've ever had done. Our kitchen model was done on time, on budget, and everything was well coordinated and communicated. We worked with Custom Kitchens for both the design and construction and we wouldn't do it any other way. Valerie, our designer, really listened to what we were looking for and brought us great designs with little details that we wouldn't have even thought of, but made our kitchen amazing. Since the design and construction were all done together, nothing was lost in translation and Eric, our Project Manager, was able to ensure that each of the subcontractors were there when they needed to be to keep everything moving smoothly and that issues were resolved quickly. We would recommend Custom Kitchens to everyone.
They replaced a dead oven and reconfigured surrounding kitchen cabinets. Pleased with the whole project! Cost estimate was accurate and clear, and installation work was impeccable. They matched existing weathered cherry cabinets, including the natural variations in wood. They kept us informed at every step of the process, which was longer than planned because the oven we wanted was on LONG Covid-related back-order. We'd use them again without question!
I had them come out many years ago for a kitchen/bathroom remodel. I regret not choosing them. However, it was following a fire and truth be told I wasn't thinking clearly. I have since recommended them to friends and they have always been supremely satisfied. I will do everything I can to use them in the future.
When we made the decision to renovate the kitchen in our 1920s home, we started with Berkeley Custom Kitchens and looked no further. The team not only designed something that fit with our lifestyle, but they captured colors and elements of our old house into a new modern chef s kitchen that we could not have imagined on our own. For example we went into the project thinking we needed new flooring and their designer saw an opportunity to renovate the Mexican Saltillo paver tiles to help the new kitchen fit with the Mission revival architecture of our home. We wanted a chef s kitchen and Custom Kitchens did not disappoint. The results were better than we ever expected. The craftsmen were highly skilled, and meticulous in making sure every detail was perfect. Natalie, their talented kitchen designer, quickly determined our style, which was not so easy as we have lived abroad a few times and have an eclectic collection of art and furnishings. But she presented choices limited to what she knew we would like, and what would fit the decor, which helped us make decisions quickly. The project was expertly managed and completed per the schedule. We could not have been happier with their entire team, and we got a kitchen that is timeless and will last for many years, a great investment in our home.
We had two appliances conk out just after Thanksgiving, creating a silver-lining opportunity to upgrade our kitchen a little bit. Custom Kitchens was very helpful in identifying and supplying high quality replacements and upgrading our electrical connections as necessary. They also solved some tricky design issues involving our cabinetry, flooring, tile work, and ventilation. All for a reasonable price and short schedule, so we were back in business for Christmas entertaining.
Our experience with Custom Kitchens was the very best!!!!! Natalie and Nader worked together to create our remodel of our kitchen. Natalie helped with key decisions as to counter tops, tile and paint colors. Nader as our project manager was extremely experienced. He programmed our job and saw to it that it went like clockwork. He visited every day to supervise. We are so very pleased that we chose this group.
We cannot express how pleased we are with our 'new home'! We enjoyed the design and remodeling process with Joy and Andy and honestly, it was fun. Our project was extensive and A LOT OF WORK due to the structural changes we made for our new kitchen and bath - we tore out two walls and moved a third one. The project really came out beautiful and we highly recommend Custom Kitchens for beautiful design and impeccable craftsmanship.
Custom Kitchens by John Wilkins did a stellar job on our kitchen remodel. The result is fantastic and required a combination of vision, creativity, attention to detail, and understanding of our needs and desires. Lisa (who sadly has since moved away) did a phenomenal job designing a flexible and functional layout in the weirdly square footprint in our creaky old Berkeley house. She helped us find some efficiencies in the design without compromising the end result, and she took the time to explain why this thing (sink, pull, appliance, etc) had to go here or why that thing we wanted was not the right choice. And she was right.
Eric project managed and oversaw Mark, Wendy, and a few other folks who did a stellar job and demonstrated a fantastic attention to detail. Mark in particular had some creative solutions to problems posed by our old house (example: our house was missing part of an exterior wall under an eave! You could see light between the studs!) and the team always did the right thing, even though I'm sure it took them longer. The team even helped us run an electrical circuit and data to our second story while the walls were open.
At no point did we have to wrangle contractors, talk to suppliers about how they sent the wrong part, fret about scheduling, or do any of the other things we would have had to do if we had managed this project ourselves. This was the biggest value-add for us: all we had to do was have a few initial design meetings, then mostly stay out of the way for a few months while they did their work. And with two working parents and a toddler, our family does not have time for managing an effort like this!
The final result: gorgeous, and extremely usable. Every appliance is now in a different spot than in the old kitchen, and it all works much better together. Yes, it has all the whiz-bang features -- double oven, 36 inch cooktop, island sink, instant hot water, wine fridge, etc. -- but mostly it is spacious without being a stretch between work spaces. And other contractors we talked to lacked the imagination and vision to make this into the space it became.
If you have a strange layout, or you are afraid to learn what's behind your old house's walls, or you just want the confidence and peace of mind that experience and a full-service design-build firm can provide, then look no further. I heartily recommend the folks at Custom Kitchens.
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