Review for Principle Builders Group
Hired Principle for a reno of a 1953 mid mod in 2014. We selected them because they were the only modern home builders approved by our construction lender. There were also no negative online reviews, although I now know of other disappointed clients who have not yet taken the time to warn others. My list of disappointments is longer than I could reasonably share. The takeaway -- I would not hire Principle again nor would I recommend them. Read on if you'd like to know my biggest complaints.
1. Poor project management: subs delivered inferior/sloppy work, worked without prior guidance or supervision from Principle or their bosses. Electrical sub did not read kitchen plans and executed rough-ins incorrectly. In fact, the electrical and plumbing rough-in and hardwood floor install needed to be redone (sometimes more than once). These errors and incomplete work caused issues with sequencing the subs which caused costly delays. We had 3 different project managers over 8 months. All of them refused to use the customary change-order process to keep lines of communication clear resulting in a lot of finger pointing. Owners were generally unresponsive to calls and emails when issues arose. One in particular would leave town for conferences or vacation for long stretches without notice and was unreachable. It was like a desperate girl trying to reach a guy who just wasn't that into her!
2. Messy work site: Unlike a new build, a reno requires that the house be protected to avoid damaging existing fixtures, etc. Subs consistently left our home full of trash, did not use tarps/floor protectors - floor vents were exposed and clogged with construction debris and I'm still scraping paint and drywall mud from random places. Sub Zero fridge was dented after being left unprotected in the middle of a kitchen that was torn down to the studs. It stayed exposed for months despite constant requests to move/cover it. Damage was never acknowledged by Principle.
3. Bad advice: Looking back the bid did not anticipate issues that would foreseeably increase costs. Major line-items had cost overruns. 100% hardwood floors installed on concrete slab. They assured us multiple times that they had success doing this in multiple houses. We followed their advice which went against my research and consultation with knowledgable people. Floors warped within the first 6 months. Also, Principle advised us to seek a simple reno permit (which only took a few days to get approved) despite the fact that we were doing a structural addition. We agreed at first because we wanted to move in to the home ASAP but realized (on advice from an architect) that we were taking unnecessary risk building an un-permitted structure. The resulting permitting delay was costly but gave me peace of mind.
Conclusion: House please add a "zero star" option for reviews. I am the first to admit that I have unapologetically high standards. I expect my money to be spent efficiently, no corners cut and finish work done to perfetion. I was also a reno novice so I was easily impressed by Principle's professionalism during the bidding process and felt trapped with them until the bitter end. Hope this helps! Good luck on your contractor search.
1. Poor project management: subs delivered inferior/sloppy work, worked without prior guidance or supervision from Principle or their bosses. Electrical sub did not read kitchen plans and executed rough-ins incorrectly. In fact, the electrical and plumbing rough-in and hardwood floor install needed to be redone (sometimes more than once). These errors and incomplete work caused issues with sequencing the subs which caused costly delays. We had 3 different project managers over 8 months. All of them refused to use the customary change-order process to keep lines of communication clear resulting in a lot of finger pointing. Owners were generally unresponsive to calls and emails when issues arose. One in particular would leave town for conferences or vacation for long stretches without notice and was unreachable. It was like a desperate girl trying to reach a guy who just wasn't that into her!
2. Messy work site: Unlike a new build, a reno requires that the house be protected to avoid damaging existing fixtures, etc. Subs consistently left our home full of trash, did not use tarps/floor protectors - floor vents were exposed and clogged with construction debris and I'm still scraping paint and drywall mud from random places. Sub Zero fridge was dented after being left unprotected in the middle of a kitchen that was torn down to the studs. It stayed exposed for months despite constant requests to move/cover it. Damage was never acknowledged by Principle.
3. Bad advice: Looking back the bid did not anticipate issues that would foreseeably increase costs. Major line-items had cost overruns. 100% hardwood floors installed on concrete slab. They assured us multiple times that they had success doing this in multiple houses. We followed their advice which went against my research and consultation with knowledgable people. Floors warped within the first 6 months. Also, Principle advised us to seek a simple reno permit (which only took a few days to get approved) despite the fact that we were doing a structural addition. We agreed at first because we wanted to move in to the home ASAP but realized (on advice from an architect) that we were taking unnecessary risk building an un-permitted structure. The resulting permitting delay was costly but gave me peace of mind.
Conclusion: House please add a "zero star" option for reviews. I am the first to admit that I have unapologetically high standards. I expect my money to be spent efficiently, no corners cut and finish work done to perfetion. I was also a reno novice so I was easily impressed by Principle's professionalism during the bidding process and felt trapped with them until the bitter end. Hope this helps! Good luck on your contractor search.