Better Builders

In short, Better Builders build better. For more detail, we needed a large deck replaced, really three connected decks totaling 950-ish square feet. After getting upwards of 9 bids from various companies we selected Better Builders for our project. We didn’t start out wanting to get so many bids but there were questions, concerns, or pricing issues with our first 3 bids so we kept going. In the end Better Builders was only one of 2-3 companies who proposed to build the deck “right” based on our research and using appropriate structure, design, engineering, etc.. Better Builders were not the cheapest bid we received (a lot of those had question marks) but they were also not the most expensive. 

In the end we are very glad we did go with Better Builders. All staff involved were professional and great. Austin was our salesman and project manager, and I appreciated not being handed off to somebody else between the time we were in the showroom until the time our deck was done. Austin is personable and professional. The on-site crew, lead by Jonathan, were also great. They were conscientious about where they set up, worked, picking up each night, and in communication with us if we had any questions. There were a few issues and modifications needed during the project so we were also able to work with Demir (owner I believe), Matt, Derek, and a few others. An example of an issue is a lot of the treated lumber for the framing wasn’t up to Better Builder’s quality threshold. Even though they over purchased to account for some slippage, this was more than usual. Demir, Austin, and others were out the next day meeting with the lumber supplier to get the allotment replaced. We had to have some ancillary work completed to accommodate for a different deck footprint and it was nice to hear from the 3rd party companies that came out that they thought Better Builders were one of the better deck builders in the area. One could suggest this is because of a shared nature of referring business back and forth, but similar comments came from a few different people and one of them wasn’t a company/worker but a city inspector that was giving complements to the way Better Builders builds decks. I hope to never have to build another deck, but if I did or knew somebody who was going to we’d easily recommend they check out Better Builders. One change I may have made would have been springing for the steel beams/framing underneath to avoid the issue we had with the lumber delivery and peace of mind of extra longevity to go along with the Deckorators composite deck we have on top, but we wanted to stick with a budget and the price for the steel was a bit more. As far as other materials, we did look at Trex, Timbertech, and a small host of lesser known decking material. In the end even though Deckorators seems to still be growing a name for themselves we liked the idea of their warranty (includes labor, longer) and the mineral based material does make more sense and from research seems to pan out as more than just marketing. Deckorators top of the line series being similar in pricing to Timbertech’s middle series was nice, but in the range we were already looking at for our size of deck we could have gone with any series from the big three cost wise but let color options and warranty guide us. We also went with the Verticable product from Westbury because we didn’t want to block the view we have of our wooded back yard, and we are glad we did as it is a pretty big improvement seeing through the railing compared our last deck.

My wife & I decided to remodel our backyard for 2023. We had a small deck just big enough for our family and a quaint backyard with no patio. Our goal was to double the deck and add a large partially covered patio where we could add a hot tub, TV, and fire pit. We wanted to take a very underutilized area and create a new space our family could enjoy with friends & family too. I did some research and with some rough drawings and notes I made on my iPad, I called the top 4 builders in the metro on Monday morning. My wife & I met with Demir and Austin at Better Builders on Wednesday and we had detailed drawings and an itemized bid by Friday. Wow! Before pulling the trigger I waited to meet with the other three Inferior Builders. After weeks of waiting for consultations and designs it was clear who was earning our business. From the initial consultation, design, choosing materials, and scheduling to demolition, construction, finishing and follow through, we had open lines of communication via phone, text, email, and on site visits. Demir & Austin exude professionalism and that’s what we received start to finish. Everything was covered: engineered plans, permits, demolition, construction, electrical, stone work, irrigation & landscaping. I didn’t have to piece together the project with a handful of subcontractors and that was refreshing. We can’t thank Austin enough although I’ve tried. He served as foreman on the project and did an incredible job. Any last minute changes, concerns or complaints were met with consideration and grace. He’s a fantastic listener and problem solver. He kept us in the loop with everything going on and we can’t imagine anybody doing a better job than him. He’s well respected by his crews and it shows in their work. They’re happy, often listening to music, singing and laughing. It was refreshing to see. Thanks again Austin!!! We can’t recommend Better Builders enough. It truly was a better building experience.

We used better builders for a mother in law attachment to our house. The scope of their work was full construction, plumbing, new foundation, framing, siding, windows, front porch. This was a very entailed project that took about 9 months to finish. I have done many remodel projects with various contractors and i will say that Better Builders and Chris Bergman far exceeded my expectations. Up front I will say that Better builders was the priciest of 4 quotes that I received for this project, but their attention to detail and addressing potential issues for this size of project made me feel more comfortable going with them. (The other 3 bids overlooked many possible issues) The next thing I will say which was a wow factor for me was their level of communication, daily briefings, and my main contact Chris Bergman. I honestly can't remember when I received as much customer service, great communication, and overall a feeling of being cared for as working with Chris. I can't even count how many times I felts he went over and beyond to make sure that we get the project exactly that I had planned for. With the final project being done, the workmanship and attention to detail is by far the best I've had with any of my remodels. I joked with my wife that maybe the reason we've always had issues in the past with other remodel projects were because we didn't go with the more expensive bids. You will not be disappointed with better builders and I would highly recommend asking if Chris Bergman can be your project manager.

We needed a new deck after our previous deck lasted 35 years. At this point, we were not interested in another replacement in a short time so wanted to deal with a reliable and respected contractor that would construct a new deck for us. We wanted to have a composite deck so we wouldn't need to worry about the usual staining or waterproofing required of a wood deck. After discussing options with our Project Manager, we also decided on a steal frame so everything under the composite decking is steal - pillars as well as all support beams and step construction. The project start date was very close to the estimated start date. The company took down our previous deck in a very professional manor and immediately started to work on our new deck. They handled all the building permits and made sure all utilities had been properly marked (via OneCall) before they started. The people building the deck were also extremely professional and built the deck, removed all waste, and hauled away all their unused supplies and equipment. They checked in everyday to ensure we had no questions or issues, so the build was handled perfectly. The city inspectors had no issues with the permits and verified the construction met or exceeded all local building codes. The company followed up after the deck was constructed to ensure everything went ok and we didn't have any outstanding questions or issues. Overall, an excellent deck built by an outstanding company from senior managers to the actual builders. Highly recommended!!!

Needed to remove an old wooden deck and a dilapidated screened porch room and replace them with a new Trex deck with new supports and an attached 3-seasons room built from the bottom up. The room was attached to our 100+ year old home in the Waterbury area. Electrical work was needed to get power to the new room to the breaker box located diametrically opposite to where the room is. Better Builders did an exceptional job on the entire project, which also included removing two roofs (one over the screened porch room and the other over our bathroom and part of the kitchen) and adding one single roof. The construction crews were professional, on-time, and hard working. The electrician worked magic. The heated porcelain tile floor was laid with care and looks beautiful. The project team was very helpful when "hiccups" occurred, which was expected working on a home this old. They also used their expertise to recommend materials that would be best suited for a 3-seasons porch, and were not very restrictive on places to get floor tile. All-in-all, this was a great addition for us PLUS the cost was very close to budget (within 2%). The project manager was on site quite often and kept us informed by text, email and phone calls during the 6-weeks of planning, construction and clean-up. In two words, the work they provided was a job WELL DONE, and we would use them again.