Better Built Basements, LLC - Berlin, Connecticut

Christopher D.

Overall, our experience with Better Built Basements was Very Stressful, Very Frustrating and Very Disappointing. Specifically, the Owner, Jim Tranmer and his Mangement Team were Rude, Inconsiderate, and offered ZERO Customer Care. They failed on numerous occasions to follow their own work schedule inconveniecing both my wife and myself. When we called to complain to Mr. Tranmer, he refused to take our phone calls and basically told us "since we had signed a contract granting them access to our home 7 days a week, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. that we should just stop complaining and just let them do their job."

In our opinion, Mr. Tranmer is basically an Ungrateful Bully.

Thankfully, Jake Barnett, their Project Manager stepped in and helped to guide the project forward and helped save the job. Good Job by Jake who was able to usher the project forward to a successful conclusion!

The workers and subcontractors who actually did the Hard Work were actually very kind and very respectful and ultimately did a Very Good Job of Finishing out our Basement.

Marisa H.

I'm an e-commerce writer with a long review to write. But I'll break it down in a nutshell here first:

Pros:
-Employees were always professional, neat and on time.
-They do not use day laborers. We saw the same guys throughout the entire project. It was nice to know we wouldn't have random people in and out of our home each day.
-Quality of the work was great
-Jim obviously cares about his reputation and that trickles down to the workers. No corners were cut.
-Prices were reasonable compared to other estimates we received.
-They accommodated any changes we wanted to make during the process.

Cons:
-Any trade or contractor discounts they receive through retailers like Home Depot are not passed onto customers.
-Communication was spotty at times during the process and we found that we had to be very clear and very direct when asking questions about pricing, brands, etc.
-We didn't know who would be in and out of our home each day and opted for a porta-potty rather than allow people in and out. Several contractors we had met with would have provided one at no additional cost. Better Built charged us for it.

Now for the details.

Better Built finished our basement this past spring. They were the last company we had in to do an estimate. Given our experience with other contractors, we didn't have high hopes. However, they were great from day 1.

For starters, they showed up to do our estimate, on time, in the middle of a snow storm. We were sure they would cancel, but nope! Color us impressed. During the time they were in our home for the estimate, they were professional, asked lots of questions, and seemed to care about their work and reputation. We found their pricing to be fair compared to the other estimates we had received. And it seemed as though we would be getting more for our money. We went ahead and signed.

Between the time we signed and the start date, we had water come into our basement. They came out to take a look and evaluate what the issue could be (it was rot around our front door). Rather than shop around a front door, we felt confident enough to have them replace our door and fix any underlying issues as well.

During construction, the guys showed up on time every day and followed the schedule to a T. They were neat, respectful and more than happy to offer their expertise whenever we had questions.

We also decided to make some changes to the original design throughout the process. Better Built was great at accommodating these changes.

The job was finished exactly when expected. Now, almost six months later, we are still pleased by the quality of the work. We love the space and will be using Better Built for future renovations.

Nicholas C.

Working with BBB was great. They were very forthright about the process and pricing from the beginning. We felt very comfortable with the design process and we’re able to have all our wants and needs taken into account. Once the construction process started, the project management website was incredible. The timelines and what to expect were all there. Communication with Robert, Ben, Kaitlyn and Jake was fantastic throughout.
The finished basement exceeded our expectations and the entire family is in love

Mic A. S.

Better Built Basements successfully completed a project on-time and on-budget for a partial basement finish.  Our project in Fairfield county Connecticut involved the necessary permits and featured a walkout foyer/small rec area and bedroom with large picture window.

The project contract and documents outlined the components and build specs in a clear 'checklist' way at quote and onset of work.  The finishes were consistent to match quality and style of the home.

Supply partners/labor were smoothly coordinated by management at BBB and project manager.  The plan had an easy to understand calendar of steps in the construction to keep the homeowner in the know.

Quality and commitment of work crew all very skilled and sound.  Excellent attention to detail.  Great communication whenever questions arose on next steps or specifics.

I would recommend as the expertise to coordinate and see all aspects through to completion is quite valued.

Kelly L.

Working with Better Built Basements was fantastic. When I was looking for a business to complete my kitchen and bathroom remodel, I wanted a company that would handle every stage of my project. Better Built is that company. They handled demo, electrical, plumbing, installation and then some. Better Built simplifies the project and helps you through the process one step at a time to make it less stressful. The Better Built team was helpful and responsive to all my needs. I highly recommend them.

Terri K.

Better built did a basement project for us converting little used space to a rec room in our Milford, including a fire egress window. Team was professional and easy to work with, responsive and quality craftsmanship.

Nicole P.

Better Built finished over 1,000 sq ft of our basement in East Hampton including an addition of a half bath. Their prices were reasonable compared to other quotes we got and it was a pleasure working with them. They are very responsive (Kaitlyn is fantastic), professional, and trustworthy which made the whole process go smoothly. Everyone involved on the project was great and I was very appreciative of Jake handling all of the final details and delivering a high-quality end result . Very happy we decided to go with them and would recommend them to anyone.

John

We are very pleased with the installation of vinyl floor covering in our basement. The work was on time and conducted with care and craftsmanship. All were very pleasant to deal with.