How to Spot and Avoid Hiring a Cowboy Builder

Hi Amir,

Just a brief note to say thanks for completing our building project on time and within budget. We were very impressed with the quality of the workmanship and the efficient way in which the work was planned and organised.. You have a great team - please convey our thanks to all of them.

Regards,

Tom and Lucy D,  London NW3

To whom it concerns,

I can highly recommend A&D properties – Amir Wayman and his partner Dror Avital. They have carried out a range of building jobs at my home over a four / five-year period. My home is a period Victorian Art Deco style five bedroom house, with some retained historical features with the benefits of modernisation.

They have carried out the work to a professional standard, meeting deadlines within timescale  and with contingency, with clarity, intelligence, good team management and with a good design sense.

They and their team have been polite, hard-working, cleaned up all debris and sensitive to the needs of working around a family environment.

Their work has included:

Installation of two new bathrooms

Replacement of a large and complex roof with solar panels that heat hot water;

Repair and problem-solving for a range of other jobs including electricity, gutters and drains, plumbing, interior and exterior decorating and woodwork.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch if necessary.

Yours faithfully,

Kendal.

Over the past four years, A&D properties have worked in my house renovating it. From small jobs like fencing, through to lighting, plumbing, carpentry and decorating to underfloor heating and conservatory and everything in between. I highly recommend this company for their professionalism, punctuality and friendliness!

Zingham
London N2

As last time, the work was of a high standard, so many thanks. I will be in touch soon regarding further projects on behalf of all 3 freeholders.

Best regards
Mel.

Thank you to A&D Properties and their great team for such a wonderful job. They told us everything they were doing throughout the process, and their honesty, integrity and efficiency was second to none.

This was our first major renovation project and we were very nervous about how much time we would have to spend out of the house, but A&D Properties completed the work on the day they said they were going to and we came back to find a spotless, clean home with no evidence they were ever there!

I can’t recommend them highly enough. Thank you again.

Mr & Mrs B, Finchley, London N3

Thank you again for the quality of your works, and I will be in touch in the new year to discuss other works.

Sincerely
James.

Dear Mr. Avital,

I would like to thank you and your team for carrying out such a highly professional job restoring my sash windows. I have to confess that I intend to torment you further in the near future by asking you to do more work in my flat.

Kind regards and yours sincerely
Mr Sarraf

The Directors,
A & D Properties.

I am very happy indeed with my loft conversion.  You did the work more quickly than expected at a fair price and I much appreciate the expert way you handled the contract from start to finish, with ongoing supervision of your very skilled workmen.  They were unfailingly hardworking, polite and quiet and carried out your assurances of causing minimum disturbance with cleaning up daily.

After many previous experiences with builders, you are the first company I am happy to recommend to others.

Kind regards,

A. Newman
London NW6.

We just wanted to say a big thank you to A & D Properties who have just completed some refurbishment works at our house.  We were extremely impressed with the quality of the work done and by the team who were efficient, friendly, courteous and left our house spotlessly clean each evening.  We will definitely use your services again and have no hesitation in recommending you to others.

John Little

Just a note to say thank you; excellent work and workmen - they came when they said they would come, worked neatly and competently and cleared up after themselves. Would recommend you - thanks.

Regards,

Hilary Glasman-Deal

To whom it may concern,

We bought a first floor, three bedroom Victorian mansion flat in mid-2010 which required extensive redecorating, removal and installation of a new kitchen, and some structural work including the removal of an internal wall and re-raising two ceilings.   In terms of experience, we had very little experience when it related to old mansion block flats, so we were totally reliant on our builders.

The Quote

To undertake the works we asked for four different builders to walk through the apartment and provided a specific scope of works to form the basis of their quote.  We selected the four builders based on personal referrals and positive reviews from the internet.  When we met Dror from A&D, we were immediately impressed by his presentation and professionalism.  He was well prepared for the walk through, took extensive notes and offered helpful suggestions on the work we were going to undertake.  Some of the other builders we saw were poorly presented and prepared, didn't take notes and just accepted our scope of works without offering suggestions.   Dror also provided us with useful marketing materials, case studies and the opportunity to view other properties they had recently renovated.  Two other important points is that Dror has an exceptional eye for detail - he was able to pick items through the apartment which clearly needed work but we had overlooked, and this also meant that the quality of the finishes we received were impeccable.  Secondly, Dror has the ultimate can-do attitude - no change or suggestion is too difficult, and he can draw on 20 years of building experience to find solutions to any problems and ensuring that they are done in a cost and time effective way.  Not every builder has these attributes (and certainly not all four of the builders we selected) but we found them to be critically important as we progressed through our works.

When we received the quotes from the four builders, we found that A&D were highly competitive but also provided a quotation that was by far the most detailed and itemised out of all the builders.  Through the tender process, we found two of our builders were overpriced (nearly 100% higher than the other two quotes) and also had timelines that were far too generous (2 - 3 months).  Dror was able to promise the works would be completed within 6 weeks from commencement.  Based on all the above, we had no hesitation in selecting A&D to undertake our renovations.

The Works

A&D assigned a team of workers led by our project manager, Adam, with oversight provided by Dror.  Adam would be on site everyday, while Dror would drop-in every few days to ensure the works were going to plan and provide quality control, but he and Adam would speak numerous times a day.  Adam would drive around in a A&D truck which is clearly marked has all of A&D's contact details - no unmarked white vans - and their consideration for the neighours was much appreciated.  They would not commence work before 8am, and would finish all noisy work by 5pm (although Adam and his team were frequently working away until 8pm to ensure the work timeline was met).  They also laid dustsheets all the way from the front door of the mansion building to our front on the first floor, and every day our flat was thoroughly swept, vacuumed and cleaned of all dust, and all the tools and working materials were neatly put to the side.  I would not underestimate the value of having such considerate and responsible builders, particularly when you are renovating in a mansion block.

We found Adam to be an amazing builder, but also a fantastic person to deal with and have around.  He led a team of four to five workers on site, all experienced and with specific specialisation (painting, electrical, building etc.) but importantly Adam himself was experienced in every aspect of the works.  So if any of his workers needed help, he could provide his advice and experience, but also step-in as required as he was experienced in everything from painting, carpentry, electrical, plumbing, floor boards, and kitchen installations.  Adam and his team were exceptionally efficient - for example they were able to remove the kitchen within a few hours, and all the materials were broken down and removed from the flat within two days - but also exceptionally friendly, courteous and great senses of humour.  We were actually a little sad when they completed the job and they weren't around anymore!

They were also highly adaptable and made quick thoughtful decisions - for example, three of our ceilings required replacement after closer inspection of visible cracks - this was slightly unexpected, but Adam and Dror were able to discuss this with us on the same day the problem was found.  They provided a number of options (replace ceiling, use lining paper, leave as is), outlined the costs and risks of each option (the cost was very reasonable), and once we made the decision in a days time, the ceilings were removed and replaced within 48 hours, and the delay to the overall schedule was minimal.   With a less experienced team, and one with less personnel on site, the type of unexpected problems could have caused delays and led to substantial additional cost.  However with A&D, there was no such problem and these challenges (and we faced a few given the age of the building) were all dealt with in stride with no fuss.

All our works were completed with only a one week delay, which was amazing given we ended up taking down three ceilings, had to level the floors in our dining room and had some delays in our suppliers.  Adam and Dror would speak and meet daily as the works neared completion for quality control and to ensure all the finishes were immaculate.  They also brought in a professional cleaner to spend a few hours cleaning the entire flat and clearing all the dust and dirt from the flat before we moved in.

Ongoing Service

A&D were the only builder we met that offered a full warranty on all their work for 12 months, and a 24/7 emergency call service.  We have not had to use this yet (which speaks to the quality of their work) but it is comforting to know that they will stand by their work with such a warranty.  Also, Dror also came through the flat a few weeks later to review the finishes again, and even though we didn't spot any of these things, he asked his builders to come back to close a small gap in the kitchen, realign a plinth and do a few other spot fixes.  All minor stuff, but I hope this highlights how committed A&D are to providing an exceptional service and ensuring their work is of the highest standard possible.  Dror himself is a great person to deal with - extremely personable and friendly, and always focused on ensuring you are fully satfisfied in the work they provide.

In summary, we have been truly impressed by A&D and they did an amazing job on our apartment.  The quality of the work is exceptional, the time frames and budgets were within expectation, and we ended up with a home that was even better than our highest hopes, thanks in no small part to the contributions and suggestions of the A&D team.  We have absolutely no hesitation recommending A&D (and in particular, Dror and Adam) to our family and friends, and to anyone else who is looking for builders who are professional, responsible, hard-working, considerate, experienced, and cost competitive.  

Thanks again Dror and Adam, we will always be thankful for the home you have created for us, and we look forward to having you back for our next renovation!

Leigh and Derek

Hi, just wanted to say thank you to you and your team for your excellent work at my flat installing the cork floor in our kitchen earlier this week. Your guys were very friendly, efficient, punctual, and curteous and respectful at all times. They did the job in just one day when I thought it might take 2-3 and I was really happy at how you stuck exactly to your original estimate. The floor looks really good now and has been finished to a high standard.

It was a pleasure doing business with you and I hope to use you again in the future.

Many Thanks

Chris

A&D properties have taken out a complete rebuild of a wooden/glass porch structure via which we access our roof terrace. They also rebuilt a pergola on our terrace. The previous structure was in poor quality, and A&D properties provided advice on what my options were for repair, and replacement. And the possible materials we could use, and reuse. The quote was thorough in what it covered.

They were able to start work on the project straight away, and caused the minimal of fuss in removing and disposing the old structure. They secured the property very well against the weather while we had a hole in the roof.

There was some delay in getting all the necessary materials - which meant the project took longer than had been anticipated. But this was partly due to the many bank holiday weekends causing delays with their suppliers. But Dror was always contactable and able to provide updates.

In general we didn't meet the builders very much as they arrived when we left for work. But when we did overlap, they seemed very polite and considerate, and left little sign of their presence.

I am really happy with the final product - it looks great, and they decorated well and left everything very clean and tidy. They even watered my plants throughout the work when I couldn't access them myself - for which I am very grateful!

I am happy to recommend A&D Properties.

Kate

London, NW5

We would like to thank you for all your help and advice in what was a very difficult time as we were so very far away.

In particular we would like to thank the decorator who spent last week here and took such a pride in his work and did a wonderful job as did all your workers.

With very best wishes

Rica & Jack NW7