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We would like to talk about superior service, professional management, quality craftsmanship, and providing creative design however, our clients do a better job than we do.
We may add more recent comments to this list in the future but we've found the theme of these comments has stayed the same over the years. The bold quote in each section is from that letter.
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He treated our house like he was going to be living in it. He would not accept anything from the sub-contractors except excellent work.
To Whom It May Concern:
Writing this letter of recommendation for Kip Carpenter and his company is probably the easiest recommendation letter I'll ever write. I can sum up my experience working with him and his crew in a series of one-word adjectives: "Great", "Excellent" "Wonderful" etc.
My wife and I had never owned a house before, much less built one. Needless to say we were very apprehensive about the whole process. We had read a lot of books about building a house and working with the contractors and they all kept saying the same thing: 'Watch out for those contractors" "They'll be sure to cheat you somehow" "They won't tell you everything" "They'll treat you like an idiot" "They'll never be completely honest with you".... And then we met Kip.
He turned everything we had read upside down. From the first minute that we met him he told it like it was. He talked a lot about relationships...between my wife and myself and between him and us. He talked about how this could be a great experience if we all communicated with each other and trusted each other. He listened carefully to what we had to say about how much we could afford to spend and what we wanted in a house. He then offered some very solid, concrete advice on why we should or should not do some things that we had been planning.
The kind of thoughtful attitude continued throughout the entire process...from starting with a few roughly drawn plans to the finishing touches after we had moved in. Kip was always honest with us. He never talked down to us and he always kept us up to date with the latest developments. Most importantly, we could always get in touch with him immediately with any questions or concerns.
Kip and his crew- Melinda, Jason and Ronnie all were simply great people to work with. Melinda kept us on task with the selection process, being very sweet even while we procrastinated. Jason was the point man at the job site and was invaluable. He treated our house like he was going to be living in it. He would not accept anything from the sub-contractors except excellent work. After we moved in, he walked through the house with us and would point out the things that they were going to fix, some things my wife and I could not even see until Jason pointed them out! Ronnie took it upon herself to clean our house so that we could move in before Christmas- December 23rd and she did an incredible job.
Every day when I drive home I smile as I pull into the driveway. There is not one thing about the house or the entire experience of building it that my wife or I regret or are disappointed about. This is all due to working with Carpenter's Construction. I enthusiastically give Kip Carpenter and company my highest recommendation.
Sincerely,
P.K.
Satisfied Home Owner
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Linda and I are pleased to recommend Kip Carpenter and his staff at Carpenters Construction Company for any home renovation project or new home construction. Linda and I are both detail oriented (picky) attorneys who appreciate having a building contractor whose standards are even higher than ours. We also appreciate a person whose word is his bond. When Kip makes commitment, you can be assured that your work will be completed on time, for the price you agreed on.
Carpenters Construction made a complete renovation of two of our bathrooms. Renovation work requires extra care not required in new construction, after all, we were living in the project. All our possessions were exposed to possible damage. Kip and his crew took extraordinary care not to bump furniture, to control dust, to protect carpet and not to scare the cat! We are delighted with the workmanship of the whole project and now that we have been using our baths for two years, we are satisfied that we have a long lasting upgrade to our home.
Remodeling the baths was followed with a new backyard deck and some necessary siding repairs, but we had no idea our next project for Carpenters Construction would be so unexpected. In February a city utilities contractor hit our house sewer line with an earth boring tool and forced sewage water back up into the whole ground floor of our house. I called Kip at 10:30 that morning and by noon he was on site and by that night our furniture was stored and waterlogged flooring was on the way to the dump. Kip himself helped us box books, and other belongings to move upstairs.
Money cannot buy that kind of service and extraordinary dedication to our emergency needs. Kip's long experience and established relations with his subcontractors was the key to providing us such quick response. His crew put in many overtime hours to get ups back to normal living as soon as possible. The post flood restoration is beautiful. His staff deserves mention. Their pride in working in a first class firm is obvious in the care with which they responded to our needs or concerns. You will be delighted to him them working for you.
L.D. & M.D.
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I will admit that we were a little skeptical, but you did that and more.
2001
Dear Kip:
The purpose of this letter is to express my appreciation to you. One of the most important decisions a person makes is picking out a contractor to build their home. Kip, you told Karen and I you would be there for us throughout the construction period of our home and handle all problems that may come up. I will admit that we were a little skeptical, but you did that and more. We were also impressed with everybody associated with your company whether it be a sublet or one of your employees. Again, thank you for a wonderful home and a great experience. A special thank you to Melinda for all of her help and cooperation. She was truly a blessing to work with. I would recommend Carpenters Construction to anybody. Please feel free to use Karen and I for a reference any time.
Sincerely Yours
V.M. Monticello, Fl
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Those few works cannot begin to express our relief that our homebuilding experience was not stressful or confrontational.
October 21, 1994
To Whom It May Concern:
Carpenter Construction Company recently completed our custom home on Louvenia Drive. To say my wife, Cindy, and I were happy with the results would be an extreme understatement. From initial planning to final close, our experience with Kip was very pleasant. We had initially talked to another contractor to build our home, but a friend really wanted us to meet with Kip. I am glad we did for some of the following reasons:
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Accessibility - This was never a problem. We ended up talking daily, whether there was a problem, or not. Kip understands that building a home is a very significant undertaking for his client, and is sensitive to what may really be insignificant concerns, and listens anyway. Questions and concerns were answered quickly and professionally, no matter how small those questions and concerns were.
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Quality - "Unwavering determinations" is the one phrase that would best describe Kip's quest for quality. This applies to all phases or construction from foundations, to framing, through final trim. Subcontractors have to work to Kip's standards, or do it over.
Although Leon County building codes are strict, they serve as unacceptable minimums when it comes to structural integrity. I and my family feel very secure, even in the harshest of storms.
Ours is the quietest house I have ever been in.
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Attention - Kip's attention to details was very comforting. Also, because he is a very low volume builder, Kip was on the job site nearly every day to ensure that those details were being attended to.
I was also at the site almost every day, and it was never a problem. Kip is not a builder that thinks that customers only get in the way.
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Changes - Kip's philosophy is that his job is to give his clients what they want, because a house is a very special and personal thing. Any changes wanted by us were discussed, and not viewed as obstacles. Kip looked for ways to build our home in the most efficient manner. He was always very reasonable with change costs, because he really wanted us to be happy with our home long after he was finished.
Those few works cannot begin to express our relief that our homebuilding experience was not stressful or confrontational. Kip seems to be an exception to the rule that seems to exist about building a custom. We would not hesitate to have Kip build another house for us.
Sincerely,
D. A.
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We don't plan on building another house, but if we do, you'll build it
October 19, 1988
Dear Kip,
When you and I agreed to build my house I knew there were lots of decisions to make during its construction. What I learned was exactly how many and what each provided. I appreciate my house even more (a year later) as I observe the number of houses thrown up in the area. These comparisons make the extra effort and quality put into our house even more obvious.
Our utility bill is about the same as the trailer that we lived in but we have more than twice the space. We're glad you showed us some of the energy efficient extras making our house so tightly built the attic fan won't work if you forget to open the windows.
We don't plan on building another house, but if we do, you'll build it.
Sincerely, J. J.
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It's Kip's enthusiasm for his profession, as well as his knowledge and expertise, that makes it such a joy to work with him
Whom It May Concern:
I recently had the pleasure of building my brand new home and was fortunate to have met Kip Carpenter and contracted with Carpenter's Construction Company to build it. Carpenter's Construction built a home of exceptional quality and workmanship. Kip Carpenter is one of those people who originally start out as a business acquaintance and end up as a lifelong friend. It's Kip's enthusiasm for his profession, as well as his knowledge and expertise, that makes it such a joy to work with him.
I had heard many horror stories about building my own home... none of those horror stories came true. Like most people these days, I'm a busy person who also had to travel out of town several days a week during the time we were building my house. I learned to count on Kip to make the correct day-to-day decisions for me and found him to be flexible about my availability to meet with him on the big decisions at any time. I also found that Kip's subcontractors and service providers were friendly, helpful and knowledgeable about their services and products.
Since I've moved into my home. I've had everyone compliment me on its beauty and superior craftsmanship. I would recommend Kip Carpenter and Carpenter's Construction for any construction project in which an individual desires a hassle-free experience with a successful ending.
Sincerely,
C. G.
March 8, 1991
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Well let me tell you WE HAD FUN BUILDING OUR HOME!!!!
Dear Potential Home Builder:
So you want to build a home? We'll I'm sure there are a few things that your friends have told you over the years about the terrifying experience. Things like...."If you want a sure trip to divorce court try to build a house together." or "The surest way to an ulcer is to build a new home." or "Contractors don't care about quality anymore just how much they can cut corners and how much they can rip you off."
We had heard the whole gambit, but like brave souls we decided to try it. So out into the world of contractors and architects we went. We talked to a number of builder and one phrase they used often was "owners expense", which turns out to mean you really don't know just how much your house is going to cost in the end. This can prove disastrous at the end of construction when your movers show up with the furniture but you don't have a house for them to put it in. Anyway we wanted to avoid all the above pitfalls so we tried to find a straight talking construction company. Like honest used car salesmen, straight talking contractors are few and far between, but there is one.
Luckily we contacted "A Carpenters Construction Company" about building our new home. We had some specific ideas of the things we wanted and needed in our home, but no set plans. Kip came out for initial meeting and really listened to all the little details that made our home unique. In about a week he had drawn up some rough sketches of floor plans for us to look at. To my amazement they were extremely close to what we had put down on paper, and his could be taken to an architect to give him an idea of what we were looking for. With just a few minor changes the house plans were done. Now came the hard part. how to build a house within the dreaded word "BUDGET". To our surprise Kip had taken that into consideration also and had kept the initial plans within real world costs. He quoted us a price that was not much more than some of the cost cutter used car builders. One that we could afford. Yippee!
Now our friends were telling us that so far we had been lucky but wait until construction starts. They told us "Wait until you try to call your contractor with a problem. He won't be in for days." or "You better check every day on the work or they won't do the things they say they will." You know, you've heard all this before whenever you talk to your friends about building your dream house. Well let me tell you WE HAD FUN BUILDING OUR HOME!!!! Every time we called Kip we got a return call from him the same day. If we felt there was a problem is was fixed. Most important, if Kip felt like something had not been done just right, it was ripped out and done again, THE RIGHT WAY. He put up with the traumatic hassles that everyone talks about, and let us just have the fun of finally building our dream home.
If you want to see what QUALITY, OLD WORLD CONSTRUCTION looks like, you are welcome to look at our home. Just ask Kip for our number and give us a call. We'll be proud to show it to you.
Sincerely,
B. C.
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We appreciate your willingness to be available to us at all times, and the patience you maintained through our numerous change-orders.
Dear Kip:
We cannot adequately express just how pleased we are with our beautiful new home. The building process has been enjoyable from beginning to end. You have not only our builder, but also our friend and trusted advisor. We appreciate your willingness to be available to us at all times, and the patience you maintained through our numerous change-orders.
As we work in the construction industry ourselves, it was difficult to choose a builder from the many qualified contractors in our area. From the quality of the craftsmanship, to the pride that all of your employees have in their work, it is obvious we made the right choice.
The best recommendation and compliment we can give is that if we had it to do all over again, we would again choose you to build our home.
We thank you for all that you have done to make our dream home a reality.
Sincerely,
P. and C. C.
June 28, 2000
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I never saw the construction after the pouring of the footing until the day of closing (an unusual way to build a build a home)
April 26, 2003
Dear Kip:
It has been two months and six days since the closing on my new home in Tallahassee, and I want you and your staff to know how delighted I am with the house. Carpenters Construction has built a truly quality home. There are features such as the closet lighting that I would have never expected. And the house is clearly tightly built - my utility bill for March surprised me by how low it was.
I really appreciate the collaboration between you and Ann Hingst, who designed this home. Given that I never saw the construction after the pouring of the footing until the day of closing (an unusual way to build a build a home), I am so grateful that you and Ann work well together. Clearly the construction was closely monitored by the two of you and by Jason, your project manager. I am also very appreciative of Jason, who took care of everything on the "punch list" and then explained to me what had been done; to Melinda, who kept track of legal and permitting obligations; and to Ronnie, who is often the person who answers the phone and clearly makes an effort to respond to requests.
Best of all, without my solicitation, people who pass by the house comment favorably on its exterior and setting. And my friends are almost as enthusiastic about the interior as I am. I am so grateful to you. You have built a fine home at reasonable cost. I would highly recommend Carpenters Construction Company to anyone seeking a responsible builder who will tolerate nothing less than top quality work.
Yours sincerely,
P. J.
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