Work was above and beyond

Leo and his crew did an excellent job building our deck and some other related items. It was very clear from the beginning that Leo was not going to penny pinch or take a middling approach to the job. His work was above and beyond what the code called for and we have no doubt as to the structural soundness of our deck. We could not say that about our prior deck. In addition, Leo provided some excellent thoughts on design and layout and our deck looks so much better for it. We ultimately chose a PVC material for the deck. Sure, it costs more, but Leo did not take advantage of us on pricing. He also steered us toward inexpensive, but durable, railing. Now, we have a deck that is relatively maintenance free, and it looks great.

In addition, while Leo was preparing an estimate for the job, he identified some other issues that other contractors had not caught. Although that sounds like a contractor simply trying to find more work, I could see the exact issue he noticed. Somehow, our breakfast bump out was built using our old deck for support! Needless to say, that was a major concern for us. Leo got the footings in and we are not worrying about that anymore.

We are very happy with the deck. It is a great addition to the house and it looks great. I plan on using it all year.

We actually went on vacation

Our renovation included removing the wall between the kitchen and living room (which became our new dining room). As part of this renovation, we extended our kitchen into our garage by approximately 4ft and added a pantry. We relocated the stairs to our downstairs family room from its existing location in the kitchen to another area in the home. Additionally, we removed the outside concrete steps and added a small front porch. Leo was the general contractor for the electrical and plumbing and his men did all of the major framing, sheetrocking, moldings and installation of the 20′ arch that now exists between the dining room and kitchen. We also relocated the doors to each of our 3 bedrooms and moved closets within each bedroom. Due to these changes, some areas of the hardwood floors had to be repaired, and Leo’s flooring contractor was excellent. Since refinishing all of the floors was not in our budget, he repaired the wood flooring and matched the finish as perfectly as possible. We were so confident in Leo and his crew, we went on vacation for a week while some of the major work was being done. Leo’s crew were courteous, professional, and so mindful of the fact that we were actually living in this construction zone. Every night before they left, our home was left clear of all tools, debris and swept clean. They even crafted a microwave table out of one of our old cabinets and countertops so we had a place to heat our dinner at night. Leo has a lot of great ideas. We had plans drawn up, which we reviewed with Leo many times before beginning the project, but even during the framing stage, Leo made many good suggestions, and changes were made to the design that we are still so pleased with today. We hired Leo for his pricing, but for his good relationship with the town as well as other contractors. He has been a builder in Fairfield County for many years, and as such, maintains a good working relationship with the building department inspectors. This is very helpful when trying to get work approved, as the inspectors already know that Leo goes by the book, and you won’t have any problems when they come to approve a permit (which if you have ever had any work done in your home, this can be a problem, as there are many contractors out there who try to slide by with as little as possible.) We also installed central air during the renovation, and it was Leo’s recommendation for the company we hired (20/20 Air.) We were also very pleased with their customer service during the sales pitch, installation, and their continued excellent customer support. If we were to ever do a renovation project again, we would definitely hire Leo/Woodland Builders, and we definitely recommend Woodland Builders to anyone looking for a honest contractor.

Our experience was positive

From the first contact with Woodland, our experience was positive. Leo, the owner, spent time going over the spec of the project and was keen to tell us that whatever the size of the job and budget he always goes over and above what other contractors will do in terms of quality of finish and attention to detail. The quote we received was very detailed and left no room for confusion and missed expectations. So let’s cut to the chase – did Woodland live up to the promise and deliver not only the quoted work but the level of detail? The answer is yes, even when we changed our minds and the project grew from the kitchen extension to include an adjoining room and entryway update.

Leo managed the permits and site surveys and throughout the job managing the subcontractors in a very efficient way. The work moved along at a good pace and Leo was on site most days with his crew. Leo also made himself available evenings and weekends to go over progress and expectations – an important part of a project where the smallest of details can trip you up. Leo has plenty of ideas on how to get the best look from whatever job he is doing, whether it is what trim or finish to use or how to plan the layout of a room. One of the best things about our kitchen job was Leo’s idea to move a door and change the kitchen layout, a move that has really improved the flow through the house.

The finished product is important to Leo and he takes pride in his work. There were a couple of occasions where Leo noticed that the finish wasn’t up to his standards and he had those bits re-done. It is a credit to the work that Woodland performed that once we saw how the kitchen was progressing, we requested additional work be done in other rooms. Once you have Woodland on site they are working for you and will see the job through to the very end. Overall the job was well done and we are very pleased with the results. We will definitely use Woodland again for our next project.

A fix was prescribed quickly

Leo the owner of Woodland diagnosed and prescribed the fix for this problem quickly and accurately.  After the initial work was completed a minor adjustment was required to the flashing epoxy on one corner of the concrete step. Leo came right back the next day and fixed the epoxy. Leo was very responsive and professional and is a perfectionist ensuring all of his work is done well. His crew was also professional and competent. I plan to use Woodland’s services again and would enthusiastically recommend Leo and Woodland to others.

More beautiful than I imagined

Woodland Building remodeled a bathroom for me a dozen years ago, so when we started to think about redoing our deck, I didn’t even bother with calling around to other contractors. Leo remembered doing the bathroom and came out to take a look at our project and to give us ideas. He came up with a design and worked within my budget by suggesting options to stay within that budget.

The project moved along fast….within weeks I had a beautiful new composite deck with a hot tub built in. Leo provided fine details from the tall railing posts so I could hang baskets, etc, to the solar post caps so it lights up at night. The guys working with Leo were as awesome as he is, they were friendly and professional and I felt like my friends were working outside. I always felt like I could go out and get an update without feeling like I was bothering them. Even one of my dogs would wait for them to arrive and would cry at the door to go out to be held and fussed over.

Leo coordinated all the permits and deliveries and took care of the hot tub delivery while we were out of town. He explained every step of the project as it progressed, and always took time to explain what was next. Even the landscaper and electrician Leo recommended were great to work with, friendly and punctual, and did excellent work for us. Leo went beyond building our deck and removed our old swingset, as well as replaced molding around outside doors to make sure our beautiful new deck wasn’t marred by the junk we had around.

I love my new outdoor space! It came out even more beautiful than I could have imagined. Next home project will be done by Woodland Building as well 🙂

The job went perfectly

The primary job was to rebuild a new deck for a 2nd story apartment. The job went perfectly! Leo was very professional, courteous and just excellent to work with. The workmanship was outstanding. Perhaps more importantly, he made several suggestions correcting what had been poorly done with the existing structure. Not only would I use them again, I did! A minor leak appeared from the apartment roof. Leo was able to fit this (minor) job into his schedule and took care of the problem. I fully expect to use Woodland again when the need arises.

As smooth as possible

Complete home remodel, top to bottom. Remodel project included 2 bathrooms, a kitchen, a new front covered entrance way, hardwood floors, and window replacement. For a project of this size, it went about as smooth as you could possibly hope for.

Reliable and trustworthy

Leo and his team at Woodland go above and beyond! They are reliable, trustworthy and worked incredibly hard to get my home ready for renters on time and on budget. From carpentry to electric to gutter and yard cleanup and all kinds of home improvement projects big and small. And if they can’t do it, they’ll know someone who can. Reasonable prices and honest assessments, which is a rarity these days. Highly recommended. – Em H. (Yelp, 6/7/19)

Highly Recommended

Came to know Woodland through my architect in Newtown, CT and we could not be happier! The owner, Leo, was professional, timely, courteous, and responsive. He and his son, Kyle, worked with us during every step of our project. Each time we met, we felt more trusting and confident in their work. Their crew was on time, respectful and professional and completely knocked it out of the park. When we wanted to make some adjustments in the plan, and needed coordination with other contractors, Leo was on the spot, made himself available, and was always flexible. My wife and I are thrilled with our deck/patio renovation, and definitely, plan on using Woodland building & Remodeling for future home projects !! Highly recommend! – Rob S. (Yelp – 6/28/19)

They did it all

Leo and his team completed a large and impressive deck expansion, screened-in porch, and covered barbecue area for us. We could not be happier with the outcome of the project and with the process! Services performed (you name it, they did it all)!: -project planning with homeowners -multiple in-home visits, consults, emails, phone calls -acquiring materials -working with and coordinating other professionals (inspectors, electricians, propane servicemen, granite companies, painters, plumbers, landscapers, the list goes on…) -tearing down old deck -building foundation for new deck -building a new deck, screened-in porch, and built-in, covered barbecue area -follow-up visits Comments: Our process started with several initial in-home visits with Leo. He was prompt, enthusiastic, and really involved in helping us flesh out, in practical and creative ways, the vision we had for our deck project. Leo was clear at all times about materials, pricing, and time involved. Together, we came up with a rough sketch of the new deck. One of the things that we liked most about this part of the project was Leo’s interest in helping us develop our “dream deck.” We worked back and forth by phone, email, and in person exchanging ideas and narrowing down the details of how our deck would look, how large it would be, what type of materials would be used, and what type of special accents would be included. Leo was great at helping us choose materials that would not break the bank but still would create the beautiful aesthetic we were looking for. With his help, we stayed within our budget but didn’t sacrifice quality or aesthetics. At times, we felt like we were asking a lot of questions, but Leo was always happy to have a phone discussion, drop us an email, and would often “pop by” to have a conversation, show us a material sample, or answer a quick question. This included weekends (pretty impressive!). The next step was to review and sign our contract. Based on our discussions, Leo’s contract laid out, in detail, the materials and prices for us. There were still decisions to be made within the building timeframe (choices about things like how extensive the barbecue area would be and what appliances and materials to use on it, would the ceiling in the screened-in porch be vinyl or wood, etc.), but with the basics decided, we signed our contract and were ready to begin! Leo made it a point during this part of the process to encourage us to give our input as much as possible during the upcoming build. If we were not satisfied with something or if we just wanted to make a change or add a detail or material that we found and liked, to definitely say so because, as he liked to say, we were his bosses for the duration and he wanted us to be as happy as possible. The next phase of our project was the actual build. Since this was our first remodel, we had nothing to compare it to, but we can only say how great this portion was! We didn’t know what to expect from Leo’s team of builders, but what we got was a group of happy, respectful, helpful, and punctual guys who obviously take great pride in their work! Al, Jose, and “the gang” were absolutely fantastic! Since it was a winter project and our winter was particularly cold, snowy, and bitter, you might expect slow, sluggish workers, but not these guys! They were “on it” each morning starting with Al at exactly 7:30 AM, almost regardless of the weather, and continued to around 4:30-5:00 in the evening. Even more important to a homeowner, their attitudes were A+! They work as a team, not just a bunch of guys sent to a project, and you really couldn’t ask for a more respectful and generally happy group of guys. It makes all the difference when you can hear happy banter outside instead of grousing or complaining. And Leo was at our house every morning to set the pace, instruct the guys about the days work, and check on the progress they were making. This was also a perfect time to have discussions with us about the process and to get our immediate input. Leo made it a point to check with us each day during building to make sure we were happy with everything that was being done and to make changes if we requested them. Leo (not us), during this time, also took responsibility for all permits involved and working back and forth with town hall and our town’s inspector. As the deck started coming together, and we could see the vision we had planned coming to life, it was really exciting! There were, of course, times when changes needed to be made or plans needed to be altered. One such change was our barbecue area. In the beginning phases, it was to be a smaller area with a grill and a roof; however, as the project developed, so did our plans for a much more built-in, custom area with multiple appliances. This was where Leo really got creative! With our input, he designed (really outdoing himself, we thought) a beautiful, 18-foot area with a shed roof mirroring the roof on the screened-in porch, highlighted with exposed beams, a granite countertop, glass tile backsplash, and vinyl beadboard facing. It really is the focal point of our deck! It’s a thing of beauty! Our project has wound down now, and we are slowly getting to use our deck as springtime approaches. Woodland Builders have not forgotten us, though. Leo has been over several times to make final adjustments and to check again to make sure we like everything. It has been impressive to us that we have been “in the loop” constantly, and we know that if there is a problem, even 6 months or a year later, Leo will be here to fix it. There weren’t really many “bumps in the road” during our project. It is inevitable that at times, you won’t see eye to eye with your builder, and, of course, we had a few of these times, but Leo takes his theory of “you’re the boss” seriously and works to resolve problems quickly and with the homeowner’s wishes in mind. He is up-front, honest, and respectful in his dealings, and, at the end of the day, he says it’s your project and you have to be happy with it. As homeowners, we have talked about how, since this was a very large project, it could have fallen into a “cookie cutter” pattern and appearance at the end. One of Leo’s strengths and goals, however, is making his projects look like they’ve always been a part of your home, but like, in a newer and better way that you couldn’t believe it could be, and this is definitely true of our deck. What was our house before is more like a showplace now, blending perfectly and basically looking 10 times better than it did before! Now people drive by our house, stop their cars, and just look, and our neighbors compliment us on “gorgeous deck”! Thank you so much to Leo and his team at Woodland Builders, you have created a beautiful outdoor space for our family to enjoy for years and have made our first remodel experience a great one! One last thing…Leo, our dog Bailey will really miss you!!