John, Tim and his team did an awesome job on our building. They were very thorough and up front on what we needed. The price quoted was accurate and they performed the work on time and to the schedule.
This is our second experience with them and they are our go to company.
They serve the NOVA area but were very accessible and local to answer our concerns during the whole project. I can't describe how nice it was to have folks respond to emails and answer the phone. Thanks again Tim
All the feedback on the renovations have been positive. Work done was:
Drywall, insulation, foundation work, electrical, siding, windows, doors, trim and painting.

Replaced broken concrete patio with pavers. Beautiful! Installed new heavy duty exterior door. Excellent. Very professional and hard working. Owner directly involved and was often on-site. Very happy with quality of workmanship and final product. Would definitely use again.

We contracted Lakewood Home Improvements to renovate the main floor of our home, a project which included the removal of the existing linoleum flooring, wood panel walls, and popcorn ceiling in a living room, a hallway, a bedroom/study, a front closet and hall closet, and a front foyer. They then installed recessed lighting in the living room along withl hardwood floors throughout, installed drywall, installed crown molding, replaced doors, and completed the trim and paint. The job ended up taking two and a half weeks which was exactly what they said it would take and we are extremely pleased with the result. That level of our house has been completely transformed, and the quality of the work is of the highest standard. Lakewood's project management was exemplary in that the electricians, plumbers and other contractors were well coordinated with at least 2 or 3 workers in the house all day every day (with the one exception for the snow day when they left midday). The work team were polite, considerate, and seemed to be happy in their work. At the end of each work day the crew would clean up the site, putting their tools and building materials away so that we could safely walk through the space. We were also really impressed with the way that the Project Manager gave us progress updates almost every day including what we could expect in the next few days. Given the way in which the project was executed, and the quality of the final product I would not hesitate in recommending Lakewood for any home renovation project.

We had a major house fire which ended up being a gut-rebuild and I went general contractor shopping. I saw reviews, interviewed five GCs and ultimately went with Lakewood. I'm so glad I did and I am a big advocate not just of their end product but the process. When you work with a GC, you're in a relationship with them. We had a great experience with Lakewood. Here are some examples why: 1. Tim, one of the partners, was an adjuster in his past and was able to help navigate the insurance world with ease without me having to be in the middle. His knowledge in giving an initial estimate, in negotiating and sharing facts with our insurance company made me feel that I was in good hands. He was an advocate. I would trust them to give me sound advice. 2. I wanted to use Google Sheets to track items I purchased vs. them. They embraced the change and indulged me in my method. This showed a lot of flexibility. 3. Lance manages the heck out of the projects he's on. He's a no BS guy--straight talker and doesn't sugar coat stuff. If it can be done, they'll tell you. If it can't, they aren't wishy-washy and tell you as it is. He's at the job at 6am marking and planning for the work that needs to be done that day. He organizes a varied team of contractors that do the various trades (plumbing, electric, etc). 4. They give you the time. Projects get done before they say they will get done. They take on what they're able to manage and they are good guys. For them to be profitable, they need to use several sub contractors for trades efficiently. They make sure to plan who they need effectively. 5. A GC's work product is only as good as the work that they get done through contractors. The contractors that Lakewood uses are kind, they speak English (which was useful for me), do good quality work, and they work hard. I saw them working through weekends, late into the night, and generally seemed happy to be working for Lance. 6. The pace at which they work is great but it was a challenge for me to keep up with. Since our house was a full re-build, I was often the bottleneck in making design or product decisions. You pay for what you get. Lakewood will be competitive in pricing but they will be the higher of the options that you may have in front of you. But keep in mind that the price you pay is not just for a quality end product, but also for your trust (they take great care of your home/ area), for good advice and guidance (peace of mind), and for the experience (it's painless). So go ahead, swipe right. All the best! 

Tim and the crew from Lakewood did an excellent job from their first visit and roof inspection through to the end of the job. They were excellent communicators - keeping me informed throughout the project, did great work, and were neat and tidy. The timing of the roof work I needed ended up coinciding with some bad weather (snow) and then a cold snap. Lakewood communicated regularly with me as we figured out the best start date and then executed the project quickly and professionally. I am happy that I went with them and I would do work with them and again and would definitely recommend them.

Tim at Lakewood did a phenomenal job listening, assessing and completing our roofing, gutter and trim wrapping project on time and at the price he quoted at the start (which was very competitive.) I called 7 vendors for bids - Tim was the first to return my call and able to schedule the work before several even returned my initial call. Lakewood's team showed up every day/all day until the work was completed. Tim actively managed the project and frequently helped his team with much of the heavy lifting. The workers were courteous and left the job site clean and orderly at the end of each day. I've already recommended Lakewood to several friends and will definitely use them for future projects. Thank you Tim and Lakewood!

They did a great job getting the right supplies and getting the job done. It took a bit of time to coordinate, they were super busy with all the rain we were having! Tim was our rep and did a great job of taking care of everything, including doing a follow up walk (and roll with a magnet) at the site to make sure everything looked good.

We hired Lakewood Home Builders to remodel our kitchen in August of 2018. They did an AMAZING job. they were always on time, they had ideas that I didn't even think of! Tim was a pleasure to work with everyday. I actually enjoyed having them in my home during the remodel. He is very personable! This company is honest AND they're perfectionists. If something isn't done right, you best believe Tim will be right there making sure it is. They also replaced our floors and backdoor. My house looks like a DREAM now.

Absolutely amazing work. Our kitchen was the original one from when the house was originally built in the '80s, and it's as if a kitchen from a more modern home was copy/pasted directly into our house; it truly is a night and day difference. The entire kitchen was gutted down to the studs and floorboards, and with the way things were moved and shifted to accommodate the teeny-tiny galley kitchen to open it up as much as possible, is nothing short of astonishing.

Tim was an absolute Godsend to us! He responded within 15 minutes of our initial call and arranged for emergency service to put a tarp on our roof which was leaking into the bedroom and down into the basement. The weather was terrible and the rain was nonstop for days! Tim was the utmost professional, very knowledgeable and took the time to explain every step and the repair process. His employees were just as professional and attentive. The roof repair was completed on the day promised and the internal repairs were also repaired as scheduled. The workers cleaned up the property and house very well; there was no additional work left for us to clean up. The quality of Tim's work is 10+/10, we are extremely satisfied and grateful to have found him, especially since the roof repair was a result of the poor workmanship of another contractor. Tim also worked with our insurance company when the actual cost exceeded the initial insurance adjuster estimate, and as a result, our insurance company increased the estimate and paid the difference. Tim was highly recommended to us, and we are absolutely satisfied with his work and overall customer service. We wholeheartedly endorse Lakewood Home Builders, Inc as a superior contractor who can handle simple to extremely complex jobs, and truly believe you will be just as satisfied!

Professional and honest. Thank you!

We had a major house fire which ended up being a gut-rebuild and I went general contractor shopping. I saw reviews, interviewed five GCs and ultimately went with Lakewood. I'm so glad I did and I am a big advocate not just of their end product but the process. When you work with a GC, you're in a relationship with them. We had a great experience with Lakewood. Here are some examples why: 1. Tim, one of the partners, was an adjuster in his past and was able to help navigate the insurance world with ease without me having to be in the middle. His knowledge in giving an initial estimate, in negotiating and sharing facts with our insurance company made me feel that I was in good hands. He was an advocate. I would trust them to give me sound advice. 2. I wanted to use Google Sheets to track items I purchased vs. them. They embraced the change and indulged me in my method. This showed a lot of flexibility. 3. Lance manages the heck out of the projects he's on. He's a no BS guy--straight talker and doesn't sugar coat stuff. If it can be done, they'll tell you. If it can't, they aren't wishy-washy and tell you as it is. He's at the job at 6am marking and planning for the work that needs to be done that day. He organizes a varied team of contractors that do the various trades (plumbing, electric, etc). 4. They give you the time. Projects get done before they say they will get done. They take on what they're able to manage and they are good guys. For them to be profitable, they need to use several sub contractors for trades efficiently. They make sure to plan who they need effectively. 5. A GC's work product is only as good as the work that they get done through contractors. The contractors that Lakewood uses are kind, they speak English (which was useful for me), do good quality work, and they work hard. I saw them working through weekends, late into the night, and generally seemed happy to be working for Lance. 6. The pace at which they work is great but it was a challenge for me to keep up with. Since our house was a full re-build, I was often the bottleneck in making design or product decisions. You pay for what you get. Lakewood will be competitive in pricing but they will be the higher of the options that you may have in front of you. But keep in mind that the price you pay is not just for a quality end product, but also for your trust (they take great care of your home/ area), for good advice and guidance (peace of mind), and for the experience (it's painless). So go ahead, swipe right. All the best!

The work went as expected, meaning they estimated the job based on what the insurance company agreed to pay for the work. They contacted the insurance company to ask for a few modifications to the settlement amount based on what they felt needed to be done in order to restore the basement to its previous state. The workmanship was excellent, the price was fair, and the job was completed a day ahead of schedule.

We love our new basement. Lakewood Home Builders crews were very professional and very efficient. Crew members were friendly, polite and picked up at the end of their workdays. We had a large basement with limited time to complete. The teams worked long hours, including weekends, and managed to meet our dateline. Communication was easy. Project manager came by most days and briefed us on what's going on. We made many changes (from original contract) in term of materials used; but all were done smoothly without any delay. Will definitely hire Lakewood Home Builders again for future projects.

Lakewood Home Builders, and especially Tim Johnson, did an OUTSTANDING JOB completing our project promptly, professionally and efficiently. Tim arrived at our initial appointment on time, went up on our roof to assess its condition, explained precisely what needed to be done, answered our questions, recommended the GAF product line, and within a day emailed us a comprehensive cost estimate and proposal. A week later the installation crew did exactly what our contract called for ... on time, no quibbling about details, no attempted add-ons after the job began. Tim's meticulous attention to detail inspired his whole crew ... in my half century of hiring contractors this was the best organized, most cheerful, best trained and effective team with whom I've ever had experience. Installing a new roof can be a messy job; but I do believe that Tim's team left our property even cleaner that when they started work! Honestly it was a true pleasure to have Tim's team working for us because we knew, with a doubt, that our beautiful new roof was being installed correctly. Lakewood Home Builders, Inc. is THE BEST!

Tim Johnson is a great guy to work with. Honestly, I felt everyone in this company are cool including Tim, his partner john and the crew. They are punctual and understand your needs. Per my emergency request, Tim came by and patched the area so water will not come in to my house until they install the roof. Its really hard to find this kind of awesome company these days. Roof was installed in a day, they came at 7am and finished by 7pm and done excellent job.

I saw the deal on Angie's list and decided this was the time to pull the trigger and get this much need project completed. From the beginning, Tim was very responsive and professional. He came out to do the estimate and explained some other issues that needed to be fixed. Within a week all the work was completed. I am very pleased with this experience and will definitely use this company in the future, they were a pleasure to work with.
Description of work: Installed new insulation (R-49) to the attic

Excellent service. On time. Very courteous and professional. Would highly recommend them! Category: Insulation, Roofing

The entire experience was amazing. Lakewood Home Builders, John Stageberg and Lance Rittenhouse, are great to work with. They responded immediately with any questions/concerns we had during the whole process. And best of all, everything was completed in the time frame and budget that was promised! After hearing some horror stories from others--I was not sure that it would be possible for our new addition to be completed without major delays and budget overages. But John and Lance, kept everything in line. The final product is exactly what we envisioned and are so pleased. We will definitely use Lakewood Home Builders again for some other things that we want to do. We would highly recommend them for any projects you may be considering.
Description of work: Added a 900-square foot addition to existing house.

Tim is a true professional and a pleasure to work with. Here are some of the reasons behind the highly positive review:
1- Punctuality and professionalism.
2- Clear and comprehensive written proposal immediately after the first meeting.
3- Flexibility and patience to work within budget.
4- Use of skilled and experienced sub-contractors.
5- Job completed on-time and according to specs.
6- Thorough cleaning of the site after completion.
I will use Lakewood Home Builders for future home improvements and have recommended them to others.
Description of work: Provided new roof and attic insulation.

I spoke with Tim Johnson. We set up a price through a big deal offered through Angie's List. Tim was able to give me a better price than the other four roofing contractors that priced the job. The significance is that the other shingles were 30-year shingles at best, and Lakewood Home Builders were able to beat the closest price by over $1000. Very good service and Tim is someone I would look to if I needed another big job done on the construction of the home, and I was not able to find the time to complete it myself. There is a reason Lakewood Home Builders has been a service award winner with Angie's list for the last three years. Seriously consider giving them a call when you have a roof that needs to be fixed or replaced.
Description of work: We had the shingles and paper removed, and winter protection of 3 feet from the edge, 50-year shingles, and the necessary paper and edging was completed.

The work on our extension went extremely well. When a problem did come up, they worked on a resolution and got it worked out. Lance Rittenhouse was wonderful to work with. He was very responsive and was always checking to see if we had questions. We would use Lakewood Home Builders again. We could not be happier with our new laundry area and extended shed.
Description of work: Extend the laundry room out by four feet as well as part of our attached shed. Put up new lights on the outside of our house as well as the laundry room.

Description of work:
Lakewood completely rebuilt our main floor full bathroom. We are 100% satisfied. We purchased a deal on Angie's List. We ended up having to pay a little extra because our old bathroom had tile on the ceiling so there was extra demo. Also, we chose some upgraded materials from what was included in the package. The bathroom is about 40 square feet with a full bath and shower. The whole project was complete within a week. We were impressed with their reviews on Angie's List and very impressed with Lance from the walk-through. He also met with us at Home Depot to help advise us on material selection. We also had them do some tile repair on an upstairs bathroom. As they were working on this, they discovered that the toilet had a leak and there was moldy damage to the floor underneath. Instead of just doing as they were asked and fixing the problem with a "band-aid", they immediately informed us of the issue and we were able to make a decision as to how to proceed from there. The whole time, there were very professional. We couldn't be happier with the results of our beautiful bathroom.

We are very pleased with the services of Lakewood Home Builders and Tim Johnson. While our project was smaller in scope with several replacement windows and installation of a new bay window, we appreciated the time and extra effort that Tim gave during the planning phase to ensure that we were defining the right project. All this was done before a contract was executed and a deposit paid. The contract very specifically outlined the project, materials to be ordered and construction steps. Communication with Tim was always timely and professional. The replacement windows were done quickly and efficiently with minimal disruption. The actual installation of the bay was completed by Tim. The quality of the finished bay window on the interior and the exterior certainly met our expectations. The attention to detail was greatly appreciated, whether it was the discussion regarding the trim size around the interior of the window or the fact that even the screws for the downspout clamp were not forgotten. Thank you, Tim, for making this project a pleasant and friendly experience from start to finish. It was such a pleasure to do business with you and we will certainly be repeat customers with future projects.
Description of work: Window replacement (5) and installation of a new 6' by 4' bay window. This installation included removing and reinstalling siding, interior finish work and building/shingling gabled roof.

Due to a storm knocking over a tree and destroying our carport and custom shed we urgently required assistance getting the structures removed and replaced. We had wanted a two-car garage in place of the single carport, so this seemed like the right opportunity to take advantage of the situation. After reaching out to multiple contractors for estimates, Lakewood was the last company, despite being one of the first and most professional to provide their estimate. When I reviewed their estimate, it was a little more expensive too, so I almost scrapped it following first glance in favor of one of the other companies. That would have been a big mistake.
On closer look, I realized that despite being a little more, it actually included A LOT more. Lakewood included tree removal, driveway expansion, windows, a garage door opener, a finished interior and more. The other companies, though quicker to provide an estimate and very slightly cheaper, had not included a whole lot of items that Lakewood had. Even when I reached out to the other companies for clarification, they made it clear that their bids did NOT include these things and that they would not even coordinating many of these things for extra money. (Seriously, how do you build the garage without removing a tree that's in the way?) I quickly signed up with Lakewood to proceed and things fell together quickly after that.
The project took a few months to complete, but that is realistic considering the scope. They worked with me on what I was wanting, and really helped me out a lot when it came to dealing with insurance and getting the documentation in order. More than anything I would acknowledge their attention to detail set them apart. Even when the project was done they had planted trees and grass in the vacated areas and approached me about different additional options to make the most of the new space.
I look forward to working with this team again and highly recommend their services.
Description of work: Removed remnants of old carport, and shed. Designed and installed a new large two car garage to my specs, expanded the driveway and replaced the house's roof.

Excellent experience from start to finish. We called John and Lance about two years ago to obtain a bid for the project we were contemplating. They spent a considerable amount of time inspecting our existing house and to determine the feasibility and constructability. Their price was more competitive than any other contractor who bid the work and we appreciated their detail-oriented, professional yet friendly style of work. Project was on hold for about a year and a half while we worked out financing - Contractor was patient and very helpful obtaining approvals, and preparing submittals for loan and permits. Project was completed efficiently & within schedule, with effort made to complete before the holidays, which we appreciated. We made several changes during construction, which were handled in stride with no issue. If we did it again, we would've made more of an effort to coordinate and select allowances well in advance - some were unavailable when we selected them just prior to installation. But we were able to find comparable substitutes and the result is fabulous.
Description of work: Added 700 sq. ft. to existing single family residence, including new family room, master bedroom and master bath. New 12'x16' deck.

I would recommend Lakewood highly for their professionalism, price and quality. My initial contact with them was made when I purchased an Angie's list coupon toward attic insulation. Mr. Tim Johnson of Lakewood and his partner John both responded immediately. Mr. Johnson came on site to the house within a couple days of contact and very diligently assessed the attic insulation situation. This is an older house, where there had not been insulation installed since perhaps the time it was built. Thank goodness Mr. Johnson was so thorough. I'd been having concerns about effectiveness of bathroom vent fans installed by a prior contractor and when Mr. Johnson checked the attic for insulation planning he discovered there was absolutely no venting to the outside. . .unbelievably a prior unethical or incompetent contractor had only installed the fans in the ceiling... figuring with an old house and difficult to reach attic that nobody would find the improper install... until Mr. Johnson found it! He saved me from potential serious damage or mold from unventilated fans. He offered 2 reasonable solutions that allowed me to keep existing fans yet add venting in an effective and cost efficient manner. I accepted one of the options and within a few days, he was there to personally make the repairs to the attic venting systems and also to oversee the work of the crew that then could install the insulation. Had he not found and corrected the attic venting issue prior to insulation install, this would have indeed become a serious problem and one that might not be discovered until damage was done - plus might require demo in the attic.
I was obviously very appreciative of his diligence. He and his business partner are homebuilders who also do all types of renovation and repair (and he even pointed out to me where a vendor on a current job was making renovation changes that did not comply with code.) Finding and correcting that problem was not in any way connected to the attic & insulation work, but just an example where he has a keen eye and the experience to know both code and see any potential issues. I brought the issue to the attention of the current vendor (and code citation) who then had to concur that their install was not up to code and they made the correction.
So - Lakewood (Mr. Johnson) not only did the job for which he was contracted but saved me from potential dangers from prior work that wasn't done appropriately. Please note, he didn't "look" for problems to then fix/bill me for - (ex. he knew he wouldn't benefit from telling me to have the other vendor should re-do some of their work to be up to code and to ensure safety in my home). He is just a knowledgeable, straightforward and dependable individual and his firm's work reflects that integrity. I would recommend Lakewood for any time of repair, renovation or build based on my experience (and comparing them to numerous other contractors I've worked with in maintaining & renovating/repairing an older house)
Description of work: Installed attic insulation (and made repairs to correct bathroom fan exhaust pipe exhaust vent through attic that had been done improperly by prior contractor.)

Very responsive sales person. Came out several times to discuss roof decisions and options. Roof done quickly and cleaned up afterwards. Very happy with the service and the roof.
Description of work: Replaced my entire roof

Everything went as expected. I bought a big deal knowing it take quite a bit more, and it did. My plumbing and pipes were old and a mess; as part of this project Lakewood inspected everything and brought in their expert plumber to take care of it. They explained what needed to be done, and showed me the problems and then expertly took care of everything. I got to see the work and it was fantastic. They even switched me over to copper (from PVC) because it was a better fit for this jog. The little things I asked for, as long as it was in scope, they took care of. And they were very communicative throughout the entire project on what needed to be done and the schedule. The rest of the remodel went great. They took care of all the needed work, and saw through on everything to completion and made sure all the details were done to my satisfaction before closing out the job. It looks great. I would hire again, and am already in planning with them for my next job.
Description of work: Remodeled an 70/80's bathroom.

From the first time my wife and I met with John Stageberg, my wife and I knew we had found the right contractor for the job. To say that the design phase of our remodel was long would be an understatement. However, John was extremely patient with us and very accommodating. He was always there to lend input when needed and never tried to push anything on us. He was also very conscious of our budget concerns and did his very best to keep us within it. I can honestly say that John was the utmost pleasure to work with. He truly made us feel as though we were dealing with a friend rather than just a business person. He is an extremely pleasant-natured gentlemen that we could just as easily see ourselves going out and having a beer with as having him build our dream kitchen.
Being a do-it-yourself kind of person, I naturally wanted to try and take on some of the work. In this case, I was in charge of the demolition phase. Unfortunately, at one point, I had a mishap with the ceiling and a true mess was the result. This mishap involved lots of sheet rock and insulation; neither in the places they should be. I contacted John after the incident occurred only to get some advice on how to proceed. I was fully expecting to make the repairs to the ceiling myself. However, when John heard of the incident, he and his construction manager took time out their schedules the next morning to come over and repair the damage to the ceiling. I cannot express how much this was appreciated. This incident was also the first time I was able to meet our construction manager, Lance Rittenhouse. As with John, Lance was another gem to work with. The honesty and integrity of these two gentlemen and the job they do just cannot be expressed enough. Lance was always extremely informative and walked us through every stage of our construction.
I wish I could say that our construction went by without issue, but unfortunately there were some bumps along the way. Most of the bumps were minor, a couple were a bit more serious in nature. The more serious of the problems occurred during our cabinet installation and some poor workmanship in that regard. However, rather than diving into the minute details of these issues, I would rather concentrate on how these issues were handled. To me this is how a business is defined. We are all human, nobody is perfect, and in my life I have come to realize that it is a real rarity when a project completes without issue. For me, it is how the issues that arise are dealt with that makes me want to do business with a company again. EVERY issue that arose during the remodel of our kitchen was handled honestly and with professionalism from both John and Lance. They went out of their way to ensure that everything was to my utmost satisfaction, performing the work themselves if needed. It is this type of dedication to their work and striving for complete satisfaction that sets Lakewood Home Builders apart from the other contractor's in my area. This is why I know exactly who I will be contacting when my next big project comes along. Thank you, John, Lance and the rest of the Lakewood Home Builders team! Until next time...
Description of work: Complete kitchen renovation on our 1970's ranch home. Work included removal of walls for the what was an enclosed kitchen in order to open the layout up. Exterior wall work was done to replace two large windows with a single smaller one to increase usable space within the kitchen. This included re-framing the exterior wall, installing the new window, and installing new matching siding on the exterior of the home. The kitchen was completely gutted and all new cabinets and granite counter tops were installed. A large island was installed where the sink and dishwasher were moved. This required removal of parts of the subfloor in order to move plumbing. The electric was all rewired including replacing an old florescent light with recessed lighting over the kitchen area and pendant lighting over the island. Stone tile back splashing was installed above all counter top areas within the kitchen. Most of the upstairs flooring (minus bedrooms/bath) was replaced. Engineered hardwood by Armstrong was installed in most areas surrounding the kitchen including the living room, dining room, and a flight of 6 steps. The kitchen area itself had Shaw array vinyl tiles (similar to dura-ceramic) installed.

Lakewood Home Builders, Inc.is a company owned and operated by 'stand up guys' and notable among them is Lance Rittenhouse, Vice President for Remodeling. Please bear with me while I explain. A few months ago, my husband and I contracted with the company to renovate our guest bathroom. We selected all of the flooring, tile, lighting, bathroom components and fixtures; they were ordered, delivered, and placed in an adjacent room in advance of the date for work to begin. When the wall tile and bull nose trim arrived, however, they were placed in our garage where they could be cut. Because the bathroom has no natural light, the wall tile and trim I had selected was a very pale ceramic with faint veining to match the travertine floor tile. While Lance and I could only see the color of the trim, (the wall tiles being too heavy to open), we both checked the delivery against the order and invoice, and the description and stock numbers aligned. Work proceeded apace: by the fifth day of work, the entire bathroom had been demoed; the blocking, new plumbing and electrical wiring had been installed; and Fairfax County inspected the work and cleared construction to go forward. Green board was installed on the walls the second week, followed by Durock cement board for the shower stall. The floor tile was laid next. As the tiler began installing the shower wall tile, however, I kept thinking that the tile looked a lot darker and more yellow than what I remembered selecting. But, then there was only one light in the room from the exhaust fan as none of the new light fixtures had been installed, and so I reasoned that this was why the tile looked so 'off.' But, when he began to install the bull nose trim, the difference in shades became apparent: the trim that I had examined when it was delivered was the shade of tile I had selected; but, the wall tile that had been delivered was at least 2 to 3 shades darker and more yellow. We soon learned that the tile company had discontinued the tile I had selected and delivered its replacement instead: a yellower tile with the identical descriptor and stock
number. The tile company promised to produce the right bull nose trim for the darker tile within a week, and so to stay on schedule, I reluctantly agreed to keep the darker tile (hoping that more lighting would soften it) and wait for the replacement bull nose trim to arrive. As I waited through the first week, and then the second, both Lance and his co-owners were in touch almost daily on my behalf with the tile company, but were unable to get any satisfaction. By the beginning of the 3rd week, Lakewood was told that it would be one more week before I could expect to receive bull nose trim to match the tile I had begun to loathe.
That's when Lance and Lakewood Home Builders came through like the 'stand up guys' they are. Lance gave me the choice of continuing to wait for bull nose trim to match the darker tile, or allowing their demo crew to rip out the tile already installed (no charge to me) and I could select new wall tile. Lakewood would pick up the extra costs of demo and installing the new wall tile, and further, would convince the tile company to provide the new tile at no extra cost. This was a deal I could not refuse! Happily, I went back to the tile company the next morning, and selected new wall tile and trim, while Lakewood's demo crew removed the old tile. The new tile was delivered the next day, and the tile installer quickly went back to work, followed in quick succession by the electrician, the plumber, the carpenter, and the painters and finishing crew. In the end, the bathroom looks exactly as I had envisioned it -- a perfect conclusion to a project that could have 'gone south' but didn't, all because Lance Rittenhouse and Lakewood Home Builders are truly 'stand-up guys.'

Description of work: I contracted Lakewood to do work on my 25 year old home, including new siding, deck and porch refurbishing and new windows. I worked with Lance and John long distance, as I am residing in another state, and they both were professional and trust inspiring every step of the way. They produced quality work within my budget and in a timely manner. I would not hesitate to recommend them or to use their services in the future.

Tim met with us to discuss replacing our roof. He was prompt, professional and very knowledgeable about roof issues and especially ice dams which were a problem area. He spent a great deal of time with us going over each area. He got on the roof and took pictures of problem areas that we did not know about. He had great suggestions for us and was very easy to work with altogether. His subcontractors were all prompt, very hardworking, polite and willing to please. The job took longer than they thought and all of the subs stayed until 9:00 at night despite the rain and storms in order to get the job completed for us. They were thorough in their clean up. I would highly recommend Lakewood Homebuilders to anyone. We had a great experience and will use them again for any future projects.
Description of work: complete new roof, ridge vents, repairs of an ice dam/leak, cleaned gutters and put new screening in, fixed an area by chimney that included removing some of the siding, replaced some plywood that was rotted.

Starting with estimate: John was complete and offered to break the project into smaller parts to stay within quick timeline and extensive list of requirements. After receiving alternate bids, I selected Lakewood based on reputation and complete communication of expectations. The alternative offer was from a major kitchen remodel shop and the competition failed to account for simple modifications for appliance installations and charged a fee for the dismal estimate for 30% of the work to be completed. I stayed with Lakewood knowing it would take a bit longer but I would be happier with the end product. I am very excited to say to others thinking about this kind of project to skip the competition....and select Lakewood today! I am a detail oriented person, and they never failed to deliver and never changed the price on me...NOT once! The new back splash looks fabulous, Jenn air appliances work great and look appropriate in an estate home.
Description of work: kitchen remodel: granite cut, new appliances installed, sub floor repairs and improvements, moved gas line, added additional power drops for appliances. They developed a creative solution custom to our home and appliance needs that stayed within the budget. From start to finish they did a fantastic job and I am planning future work for them soon. The beat out their competition and were not a hassle than get estimates. John found code violations and recommended changes and resolved the issues quickly and at a price that was manageable. The original builder made these mistakes and John and Tim found them and corrected all discoveries without a problem.

Lakewood Home Builders and their subcontractors were prompt, professional, responsive and helpful. They adhered to the budget and timetable. They used our garage to store the cabinets during the one-month construction. The crew kept our kitchen area clean after work was done each time. I work from home and they let me know what time they'd be arriving each day. The kitchen is beautiful and we're very pleased with it. We would recommend Lakewood Home Builders to others and will use them for future projects in our home.
Description of work: Renovated kitchen by replacing cabinets, countertops, under cabinet lighting and sink. Added custom cabinetry, granite counters and recessed lighting. Moved plumbing and an air vent. Painted kitchen. Moved two of our older cabinets to our laundry area.


We are currently under construction but it looks beautiful at this point. Can't wait to enjoy our new space. The subcontractor is working diligently under the direction of John and Lance. They keep us informed of every move and are very responsive to our needs and requests during the construction. The stone wall looks like an 'art puzzle' the way they are cutting each piece to fit into a random pattern.
We have used Lakewood on many, many other projects both inside and out. They have remodeled bathrooms, added cabinets and function to laundry and mudrooms in our home and they recently built our large deck and storage room that sits above the outdoor patio currently being constructed. It is beautiful and we love sitting on the deck on lovely evenings this spring.
They are so kind and respectful when working in and around your home! Can't recommend them highly enough.
Description of work: Constructing outdoor patio with fire pit, hot tub and stone wall together with patio pavers.

We had used Lakewood for a previous bathroom remodel and were very happy with the service they provided. We hired them again to remodel our master bedroom and bathroom. They did another excellent job. We worked with Tim Johnson and Lance Rittenhouse. Tim and Lance were very easy to work with. Tim helped us design the renovations, and Lance was the project manager. They were very prompt about starting the work after we signed the contract, and were careful during the project with not disturbing other parts of the house. They were extremely responsive about taking care of specific issues. I would email Lance with my concerns and he was very prompt about getting back to me. They also offered suggestions about what fixtures and trim would work best. They did a great job of coordinating with the tile supplier and the other subcontractors. We also decided after the project started to have them replace a door and they quickly issued a change order and completed it. Tim custom-built new closets for our bedroom and we love them. Lakewood is very thorough and is committed to performing a quality job. We would definitely recommend them for any renovation work.
Description of work: Complete remodel of bathroom, installed marble tile and all new fixtures, installed pocket door and additional overhead light, relocated light switches and electrical outlets, also restored hardwood floors in bedroom and constructed new closets in bedroom, installed new door, painted both rooms.

At some point in my life, I performed almost all of the trades that were required for this job; roofing, dry wall carpentry, siding, gutter and gutter guard work. For 30 years, I was a program manager for very large Federal projects that required the specialized serviced of hundreds of contract workers. My experience with Lakeside was very gratifying as the project was completed precisely on our originally agreed upon schedule even though addition work was requested by the owner during the same time frame. There were no surprise cost increases and the crew did more than I expected them to. The overall price was very reasonable and the quality of work on the completed project was an A+. Any issue that emerged was dealt with within 24 hours or less to my satisfaction. I recommend that you always compete your projects and to make sure that Lakewood is included in the competition.
Description of work: Rebuilt upper and lower sections of an addition in place of a green house. Work included complete replacement of a 100-square foot floor including joists, subflooring and hardwood, erection of walls and rafters plus 12 new windows, siding and soffits. Also included in the price was a new 30 year roof to include new gutters, downspouts, vent boots and gutter guards.

Lakewood took all the old shingles off of our roof, repaired rooted plywood, and put a new roof on our house. In doing so, our dining room ceiling was damaged. I told Tim and the very next day he had a guy out to repair the ceiling and was repaired in a professional manner. I would highly recommend Lakewood Home Builders! I give them an "A"
Description of work: Put a new roof on our house.

It went great. All the workmanship was really great. They managed the sub-contractors really well. We dealt with Lance and he did a great job managing our project.

The project started on time, completed on time and on budget, and had minimal disruption and minimal surprises. Work was not adversely impacted by inclement weather or holidays, both of which overlapped with our timeline. We would give very strong marks to Lakewood for the following:
1. Project management - Lance Rittenhouse acted as the project manager for our renovation. Lance was clearly knowledgeable about every facet of construction, worked well with both us and the crew, and ensured that things progressed smoothly. Moreover, Lance is professional and friendly and a credit to his profession.
2. Carpentry - William Gonzalez and his crew demonstrated exceptional skill, productivity, courtesy and commitment in their phase of the renovation. We were so impressed with them that we hired them out separately to some quick work on our deck.
3. Electrical - Very professional and courteous. Worked through some issues associated with legacy low voltage wiring in our house with relative ease.
4. Siding and roofing - Efficient, capable.
Invariably, any medium to large-scale project can encounter some degree of the unexpected. Our semi-finished attic space was very rough and had not been updated in approximately twenty-five years (estimate). As such, we encountered a few minor surprises with insulation and HVAC. However, it is important to work with a contractor whose interests are aligned with the homeowner. In our very minor unexpected issues, we were able to come to a quick resolution working through the issues with John and Lance. This allowed us to keep the project on schedule.
We enjoyed working with John and Lance and we would recommend Lakewood as a capable partner in your renovation and/or building needs. Our master suite has been a very nice addition to our home, allowing our family to spend more time together and providing the necessary additional space. We are also very pleased that the vision we designed in collaboration with the architect (i.e., retain the classic look of a Cape house with an attic-style bedroom) was capably realized by a contractor who takes pride in his craftsmanship.
Description of work: Due to the growth of our family, we needed to update the semi-finished attic space into a master suite with a bathroom. This type of project involved the following: demolition of existing space, new roof and wall framing for three dormers and entire interior space (bathroom, walk-in closet), plumbing, electrical, HVAC, finish carpentry (i.e., built-in shelves, built-in window seats), hardwood flooring, bathroom tiling, interior painting, and exterior finishing (i.e., siding, shingles, windows, and shutters.)

Our roof was nearly 30 years old and needed replacement. My wife contacted Lakewood as the result of Angie's List. We were first visited by the project manager. This occurred when we were not home, previously agreed upon. We then were given the name/contact info to order our preferred shingles. Once this was done we received a detailed estimate of the projected project. A start date was proposed after the contract was accepted. The start was delayed by weather but we were kept informed during the delay. We were given 24 hours notice of the start and the job was 100% complete in less than 36 hours. This included from the time the first worker arrived and the cleanup completed. The project manager was made repeated contact with us with updates, photos of the project and to answer questions. The workers used every minute of daylight to complete the job. The estimate was spot on and the company was patient when we had a stutter in our financing. A few days after the job was completed the manager came by to ensure the cleanup was thorough. We were also contacted about a week later for satisfaction follow up.
Description of work: Replaced 3 sheets of roof, complete replace of felt and shingles. Replace flashing around pipes and vents and copper flashing around chimney. Replaced metal valleys. The roof contained three peaks. The roof on a shed was also replaced.

John and his team came out and did a thorough assessment of the damage and submitted a concise and accurate bid on the repairs. They came out at the agreed time and worked long hours and finished the job early and on budget. John communicated the progress and answered all my questions regarding the job. He even sent me photos of the damage and repairs.
I stopped by the jobsite a couple times and the workers were courteous and professional. The materials used were of good quality and the craftsmanship was perfect. They went the extra mile and fixed the carpet and even put a coat of paint on the exit door. I would not hesitate to call John and his team again. I am impressed with local small businesses that display honesty and integrity like in my father's generation. Our whole congregation was pleased with their work and with a large group of people that is quite a feat.
Description of work: Our building had water damage to a exterior wall, sill plate, floor support joists and subfloor. We had the contractor replace all the damaged wood and remove a concrete porch and add a new wooden porch.

We worked with John Stageberg and Tim Johnson. They were professional and very creative. They put a lot of time into creating a space for our adult daughter, who has disabilities and is in a wheelchair. They expanded and totally remodeled the bathroom, expanded the bedroom, added a study as a separate room, added a wet bar, lowered all the light switches, widened the doors, re-worked plumbing and electrical, and more. Tim installed two pocket doors (to gain more space in the room), and these are very effective. During the project, there were a couple of times when we wanted a change in design. Tim was amazingly pleasant and service oriented throughout this process, even though it meant tearing out some of his just-completed work. While Lakewood subcontracts a lot of the work, their subs are as wonderful as Tim and John are, and I felt like the subs were seamlessly integrated into the team.
The stand-out characteristics of Lakewood for me were:
- Creativity - always keeping the focus on making my daughter's life easier in her wheelchair-accessible spaces - from initial design to job completion.
- Price - reasonably priced; we never felt over-charged.
- Quality - All aspects of the finished work is outstanding - plumbing, electrical, walls/paint, fixtures, hardware, counters, glass, ceramic tile, etc.
- Reliability - Tim and John, and their team members always arrived as previously scheduled and kept appointments.
I definitely recommend Lakewood for any job, and I will use them again.
Description of work: Handicapped accessible basement re-finishing.

We collaborated with Tim and John to get exactly what we wanted. We used Houzz.com as a resource and they were quite willing to take emails from the site to understand what we wanted, we have always been comfortable with having them in our home whether or not we are home. Not many contractors about which that comment can be made! Their attention to detail is impeccable although it may not happen as fast as you would like, their work is quite professional grade and always done right or they will not stop until you are happy. This is the second home and major project where we have used them. We always consider them first when needing home improvement or repair. We also used them when doing move out repairs and fix up on our previous home-- they were life savers during this time!
Description of work: Built large wrap around deck, added a storage room under deck, put in drainage gutter system under the deck to keep the lower area dry. Also, installed a pergola on the deck and appropriate lighting for the space. As well added cabinets and gave us form and function to our laundry and separate mud room. We had several rooms painted. This is a brand-new home where they had to match finishes that we're already existing.

I chose Lakewood builders after I had 4 other contractors look at the job. John took his time to look over the job, where others were in and out. His team got started and did the most impressive painting job. My husband who is very meticulous was very pleased. All rooms were painted, trim on the stairs was completely redone, which was painted poorly by the original builder in 2007. The damage in the ceilings was repaired as well. John and his team had found problems with how the bathrooms were put in. The crack in the master shower was due to the concrete underneath the tiles not being mixed correctly so part of the floor turned to sand. The other shower had a pipe that was put in with a hairline crack. We so appreciated John and his team for their expertise. We also had a bathroom put in the first floor and it was done so quickly and so well. The front entrance was painted as well. My husband and I were so happy with Lakewood Builders they are everything you want in a contractor. Expertise, talent, personable, professional and really nice to boot!
Description of work: We needed to get our town home ready to put on the market. All rooms had to be painted, ceiling areas from minor water damage had to be fixed. The shower in the master bathroom had cracked tiles on the base. We also decided to put an additional half bath on the first floor.

Excellent. One word says it all. The roof installation was done on one of my properties. I must mention Tim, who did the job and did it very well. Very professional and no pressure. We are so happy with the workmanship from start to finish, site preparation to cleaning. Good quality material. I highly recommend Lakewood Builders and will use their services if I need them.
One more thing: all communication was done either by email or by phone. I have never met Tim in person. And no, we are not related.
Description of work: Complete Roof removal and installation with flashing for chimney.

Tim and John were wonderful to work with. When Tim came over to give us our estimate they worked up a estimate that not only addressed our concerns and would fix the problems, but one that we could afford. They were prompt, kept me informed every step of the way, sent me pictures of the work that was done on the roof, and they checked in with me constantly to make sure that I was comfortable with the work that was being done as they were doing it. I've already referred several friends and neighbors to them and I will definitely call them when we have another project to do in our home.
Description of work: They repaired damage to our roof that was caused by our gutters and some wind, they replaced shingles, fixed the gutters, ventilated the attic, insulated the attic, replaced pipe collars, and several other things!

Lakewood Home Builders is just great! We had extensive exterior work done by Lakewood Home Builders last summer (see previous review). We were so satisfied, and liked Tim and John so much, that we had them return in late March to take on updating our basement. Again, we are extremely happy with their pricing, professionalism, promptness, etc. From the detailed and professional estimate, right through the end of the project, we were completely satisfied. We gave them a very tight time window for the project, and it unfolded exactly as Tim promised it would. The material arrived, the crew(s) showed up, everyone worked hard, and in five short days we had a great looking basement --- freshly painted, great lighting, beautiful new engineered hardwood flooring, and opened up (with a partial wall removal). It was really fun to watch the flooring guys.... they hustled for about nine hours leveling the floor, laying the hardwood, and putting down the quarter-round. Their attention to detail was incredible -- they even put quarter-round around the mechanism which attached our folding closet doors to the floor in the bedroom. The whole project looks just great -- and it was a pleasure to work with Tim, John, and their crew again.
Description of work: Remove carpeting and pad from 1500 square foot basement, dispose, level floor, deliver and install engineered hardwood flooring, install quarter round, paint entire basement walls and ceilings. add multiple electrical outlets and switches, hang overhead light and install switch, remove 6 linear feet of wall, finish, build column around exposed support pole, reroute cable, remove carpet and pad from stairs, adjust stair treads, put hardwood on entire staircase.

I found this company on Angie's List. The company was highly rated by their customers. I had decided to construct a portico on the front of my house. I also wanted to replace the windows, the external doors and the siding on the outside of my house. That said, I was not interested in subjecting myself to high pressure window salesman. So I identified several builders that had previous experience in these areas but were not trying to sell specific products.
Lakewood distinguished themselves from their competition during the first meeting. Specifically, they listened to my ideas and suggested products that were consistent with the changes that I wanted to make. After we had our initial meeting, I started to work with them to convert my vision to a specific work order. The most difficult part of this process was identifying the specific products that I wanted to install. There are many window, door and siding manufactures on the market. Lakewood helped me work through these decisions and were able to suggest products that they had previously installed on other jobs. They also supplied a designer when I was having difficulty making a decision on the external colors for the windows, siding and trim. Their help in this stage of the project was invaluable.
After the materials were ordered, Lakewood did some of the prep work on the house. During this period, Lakewood removed the siding from the house, installed house wrap and started the process of painting the trim and gutters. This work was started early because Lakewood needed to paint the trim before the external temperature dropped below 50 degrees. During this phase of the project, we had to wait for the windows and doors to be manufactured and delivered. Therefore, the prep work was performed when resources were available and the weather was appropriate. From my perspective, there could have been better communication during this phase of the project. It would have been useful to know the specific days that the companies resources were going to be on site.
The main phase of the project started after the windows and doors were delivered. The portico was constructed, the windows, doors and siding were installed. Although I have simplified the description of this phase of the project, there was significant interaction between Tim, the VP that was managing the project, and I during this phase. Tim was on-site daily to ensure that his teams were completing the project in a manner that was consistent with my vision. We interacted during this phase of the project very frequently and worked together to resolve issues as they arose. Because we both took this approach, the punch-list at the end of the job was primarily related to thing that were out of their control (e.g. matters that had to be addressed by the companies that manufactured the windows and doors). This phase of the project was completed in a timely manner.
The final stage of the project consisted of the wrap-up. During this phase of the project, Lakewood ensured that the manufacturers of the doors and windows that were installed addressed the defects that were identified during construction. They were a strong advocate on my behalf and ensured all defects were addressed in a timely manner.
Additionally, as is the case with most projects, after the dust settles, I found some incremental matters that needed to be addressed by Lakewood. There was no hesitation on Lakewood's part. Everything I have identified has been addressed by the company in a timely manner.
I was very satisfied with the final product. Their help planning this project and the quality of their execution has significantly improved the appearance of my home.
Description of work: The company updated the exterior of my house. This included the construction of a portico on the front of the house. The replacement of all the windows, the external doors and the siding. The company also painted the external trim, gutters and downspouts.

I had solicited six estimates for the project -- far more than I had anticipated, but found many of the estimates to be indecipherable in terms of what was covered and what was not. Some listed labor only, leaving the estimation of costs of materials to me; others involved a confusing set of stages of the project with budgets developed in an ongoing way. Of all the estimates I received, Lakewood Home Builders was the most transparent and understandable in terms of what was covered and what allowances were available for the various components -- flooring, lighting, tile, etc. I had from the beginning a firm sense of what the total project cost would be, and latitude to go over or under the allowance figures as I made choices about the various materials. John was wonderful to work with through the estimate and construction project -- he is eminently professional, courteous, flexible, open to making and receiving suggestions, responsive, and available throughout the project to answer questions and troubleshoot. I did a lot of choosing of the components -- tile, backsplash, shower door, cabinetry, etc. -- and always knew within what budget I was working. John provided other components -- the toilet, bathtub, e.g. and was always consultative about his choices. The estimate was not the lowest I received, but the ease of the project was worth the money.
The project took just over a month to complete. Lance Rittenhouse was excellent in his onsite capacity -- unfailingly communicative, attentive detail and to cleaning up after every day's work, reliable, responsive to the ongoing issues that inevitably arise, respectful and communicative.
I love the renovations, and was extremely pleased with the process.
Description of work: I worked with John Stageberg, General Contractor, and Lance Rittenhouse, onsite project director, to complete renovations of kitchen/dining room area and bathroom. I had solicited six estimates for the work. The kitchen/dining room renovation involved a combination of saving existing cabinetry and building additional cabinets to match, removing a half wall and the electrical panel, new flooring, countertop and backsplash, new lighting. The bathroom was a gut and redo project -- removal of existing cabinets, toilet, floor, wall tile, bathtub, shower and installation of all new materials.

When we found out that we had water damage in our home earlier this year we didn't know where to begin. Tim Johnson (Vice President- Renovations) of Lakewood Home Builders came highly recommended from one of our friends who also had extensive work done on their home. From the first phone call it was evident that we were dealing with individuals that were passionate about homes and home restoration, and who had many years of experience. Tim helped us work closely with our insurance company, and throughout the entire process, we were able to reach Tim and his team via e-mail or phone whenever we had any questions. The extensive repairs to our home were completed in a very timely manner, and we couldn't be more pleased with the professionalism and level of craftsmanship. Everyone that conducted work in our home was polite, courteous, and respectful of our personal property. Simple things like removing their shoes, and asking permission before going anywhere in the home, made working with this company a joy. In the end, Tim and his team inspected our home twice to ensure their work met the company's, and our, high standards. We highly recommend Lakewood Home Builders to anyone who is looking for a reliable contractor to help with anything in their home.
Description of work: The following is a summary of the services provided in our home by Lakewood Home Builders, Inc.:
-Found the source of water infiltration into our home
- Fixed the source of the water infiltration on the roof by removing and replacing aluminum capping on rake
-Removed and replaced rotted brick molding on sliding glass doors, installed new metal diverters
-Reset outlets and exterior lights as necessary
-Installed an aluminum drip edge
-Detached and reset decking and siding to replace rotten fascia, sheathing, insulation, diverters, and the rotted house rim joist
-Preformed interior repair work including; drywall, caulking, paint, tile, and subfloor work.

I highly recommend Lakewood Home Builders for any renovation project. They were courteous, professional, and extremely knowledgeable in helping us make our bathroom look the way we wanted it to. They were recommended to us by a family friend. Mr. Tim Johnson was extremely easy to work with and made many helpful suggestions about how to do our remodel. They promptly provided an estimate and were very quick to provide a revised estimate when we decided we wanted a more thorough remodeling than we first had planned. I was continually impressed by their insight and understanding of how to make things work well together. For example, Mr. Johnson suggested and was able to install a pocket door to give more usable space in our very small bathroom. Mr. Johnson also helped us work with the tile supplier to pick the right tile for bathroom as well. They consulted with use where to put each fixture and accessory, and were completely upfront about what the cost of each item would be and how long it would take to do the work. The work was completed with diligence and care not to disrupt other parts of our house, and Mr. Johnson was diligent in keeping us informed about the work progress and what decisions we needed to make throughout the remodel. The work was completed on time and within the agreed amount, and the final product is outstanding. I would definitely use them again for future work on our home.
Description of work: Remodeled our main bathroom. Removed existing bathtub, fixtures, flooring, and drywall. Installed pocket door to replace existing swing-in door, installed new bath exhaust fan with light, relocated light switch box and electrical outlet. Obtained new bathtub, sink, and pocket door. Installed new electrical outlets, drywall, bathroom fixtures, tile floor, shower tile, medicine cabinet, and wall trim, finished and painted walls.

I was given Lakewood Home Builders name through a friend of mine who has worked with them in the past. I called John to come out and give me an estimate on remodeling our kitchen. John promptly came out and had us an estimate for all the work that he proposed. They were very competitively priced, but more importantly I got a great feeling about working with Lakewood Home Builders. The weeks before the job was to start I also met with John's partner Tim, who was more involved in the construction portion. I can tell you my intuition was correct that I felt we picked the correct company to do our remodel. The job started the day they said it would and throughout the construction process not once did I ever come home to a dirty job site at the end of a day. They kept the job moving on schedule and besides a structural issue that no one expected to run across (a weight bearing wall had to be moved, which slightly added to the cost) the price also stayed on schedule. Tim actually did addition items without charging for them. This is the type of company they are. I also need to mention that even the sub-contractors that they used for the electrical, tiling and drywall all were great to work with and had the same high standards that John and Tim have.
Needless to say, the kitchen came out wonderful. Over the last couple years, we have had many, many compliments with our remodeled kitchen. If anyone is looking to have any type of work done I would highly recommend Lakewood Home Builders. John and Tim are the type of people that you can trust and have an enjoyment of working with. They are on the top of my list for any projects that are out of my scope.
Description of work: Lakewood Home Builders did demolition to our existing kitchen. They changed around several cabinets including removing a door pantry and changing to a cabinet pantry. They also enlarged our island, installed new granite counter tops along with sink and installed tile back splash. New cabinets were also installed. Tile flooring were installed throughout the kitchen and laundry room. We also had some cabinets and counter tops replaced in our adjacent family room along with new book shelves.

Mr. John Stageberg and his partner Tim provided excellent service and were extremely patient with my mortgage company. They handled inspections required by the mortgage company, provided guidance and demonstrated excellent customer relationship management acumen. If you need major work on your home I would recommend Lakewood for the work.
Description of work: Repaired and replaced roof, both structural and non-structural. Replaced roof on shed.

I contacted Lakewood Homebuilders via Angie's List. I actually got an account after getting so tired of calling several firms and never getting an answer. I received a reply from Lakewood within a day of my contact from Tim, who put me in touch with John. John came over a few days later to look at the site and to discuss what we wanted to do. This was our first major renovation project so we were not quite ready or knew what to expect. This is mostly why we felt that the price was fair, as we have no other experience completing a similar project. Comparing the quote with other quotes, Lakewood's quote was very competitive. All things considered, we do feel we got a good deal as price is only one part of what makes a successful project.
John explained the quote in detail and we became more comfortable with the quote. As we were working through the details of the project, it was quickly apparent that the concrete work was the bulk of the cost as we had to completely remove and replace the slab. We wanted to enclose the carport into a garage, and that meant that we needed a continuous 2ft deep footing per county code. Lakewood gave use two additional quotes to cover several options: repair carport and repair carport with foundation for single car garage. We chose the option to repair with foundation ready for single car garage thinking we would finish the garage in a year or so - spread the cost a bit.
As the project progressed, we got a start date and promptly the crews arrived and started work. Everyone was very professional and they worked quickly and kept the project site clean. Part of the way through the first day we decided that we might as well go through with the entire project and finish the garage. Both John and Tim did not hesitate or delay the project and immediately orchestrated the several other contractors needed to finish the garage: electrical, siding, and garage door. It was like we never changed a thing. Project was very successful and we were impressed with their professionalism, prompt communication and flexibility.
Description of work: Converted sinking carport to single car garage. Carport slab foundation was sinking due to poor drainage in the past. One of the corners had sunk 4-6in and the carport was pulling away from the house. Lakewood managed and executed the project from start to finish. Work performed includes the following: planning, design, demolition (including concrete removal), concrete forming slab and footing, pouring and finishing concrete surface, framing, electrical (including replace whole house panel), siding, garage door.

Given the size of the project it went great. First, we consulted with John who came to the house and listened to what we wanted and made suggestions for our consideration. He then worked up a detailed estimate that gave us the parameters of cost for labor and those products they would supply. They easily made changes as we proceeded with the work yet we never felt nickeled and dimed in making these adjustments.
Tim was the man on the scene at the house. He managed the crews that they used for each stage of work and did much of the carpentry himself. He is extremely knowledgeable and skilled. He pays great attention to the details and whenever he saw an issue he would raise it with us, give us the alternatives and have us decide. I can't imagine a better person to have on the scene working on your home than Tim.
The services were excellent all around and the quality of the work was topnotch. John and Tim were responsible, timely, cleaned up daily and were flexible. We trusted them to be in our home when we weren't there and get the work done. They referred us to experts in several areas to help us make decisions - the back splash, granite counters and glass for the new walking shower, for example. They had a relationship with an excellent cabinet company who delivered top quality cabinets at a great price. Tim's knowledge of doors made it possible for us to purchase a new front door that was exactly what we wanted at a price we could afford, which we had been unsuccessful doing on our own. They always did what they said they would, when they said, and if there was an issue they let you know so you were never surprised. They stayed in touch by phone, email and text and I they never made you feel hesitant to raise any concern we had on any issue. They even hired a backup contractor on finishing the floors to keep the project on track when a scheduling conflict developed with the original floor person who started without any additional cost to us. This was a large project that turned out great and, in spite of its size and scope, stayed on course and came in on budget. Finally, I would note that there were none of the problems of disrupted work so common in these types of projects, they worked on schedule as promised day in and day out until the job was done. We would be happy to discuss their excellent services with anyone considering Lakewood for any project.
Description of work: Essentially, we had the interior of the house completely redone. They removed all the old fixtures so we had a bare walls fresh start, as if we were building a new house on the inside. They remodeled the kitchen, 3 bathrooms, and laid new wood floor in the family room and tile flooring in the bathrooms, kitchen/dining area and laundry room. They refinished the original oak floors in the dining room, living room, foyer and library. Rebuilt the front porch. Installed a new front door and french doors onto the deck. Repaired the walls and painted the entire interior walls and ceilings. Installed all new cabinets in the kitchen and baths along with all the fixtures. We modified much of the lighting placement in the kitchen and baths plus installed new lights in most of the other rooms. We had new wall to wall carpet installed in the upstairs bed rooms and hall. We had the laundry room re-plumbed and an exhaust vent installed for the stove vent. One of the bathroom renovations required moving walls and re-plumbing which required some insightful planning and then skillful work to complete.

We would (and will) hire John, Tim, Cesare and crew again in a minute. From estimate to explanation to execution, we were completely informed and comfortable. The work progressed steadily, we knew exactly when they would be on-site, clean up was excellent and the work is superb. We felt the price was extremely fair for the work done, and it was a pleasure to work with these guys. They know their business, and are happy to explain to/show you exactly what needs to be done and why.
The biggest part of this job was replacing the two 18- foot load bearing columns at the front of our house. They were almost completely rotted, and we'd been avoiding dealing with them for the past two or three years. Finally, I looked on Angie's List to try to find a contractor who built homes and was willing to take on smaller jobs. Lakewood Home Builders jumped out at me because of their excellent reviews. They certainly lived up to their Angie's List reputation, and we are pleased to be able to add our comments.
Description of work: Remove and replace two eighteen-foot load bearing columns on front of house, replace four skylights, exterior painting, extensive exterior wrap, replace rotted infrastructure and re-roof two bay windows, match and add stone to front porch, replace/repair two areas under roofing tiles along front of garage and side of screened porch.

We received an in-home estimate from Lakewood Homebuilders approx 6 months prior to our start date. Work was commenced on our timetable when we felt comfortable to proceed. They finished on time and in the time period specified.
We received 3 estimates from 3 companies and all were comparable. Lakewood was not the 'cheapest' estimate but neither were they the most expensive. They outlined in detail the scope of the work to be performed in each area of our home and how the work would proceed. The estimate and contract were very clear and concise without a bunch of legal-eze. We had target dates for payment as each phase of work commenced as they are a small firm and this may ease their cash flow. (Remember small does not mean less in this case--it was a very personable and caring firm with which to work--they ALWAYS had my family's welfare at heart during the remodel!)
They arrived each day at the assigned time and worked in a very professional manner. I felt very at ease having them in my home and could leave when necessary without the worry of my home being unattended or 'open' to just anyone. The most awesome part of their work aside from the great craftsmanship was the fact that they vacuumed and swept each and every day at the end of the work day. I can't tell you how much that meant to me as I HATE a dirty house/floor. They also laid plastic on all the floor areas/carpet and plastic enclosures to separate the dust in the work areas from the other adjacent areas. (I have a child with Asthma and this was very important) I am so pleased with the work they did that I will use their services again in a new home I am currently building. The improvements they did will allow us to command top dollar for our home at re-sale time next spring. Some of the new features in my new home will include the things they did with the improvements made last spring. We are currently enjoying our remodel!
Kind, caring, detail oriented, and professional are just some of the words I could use to describe John and Tim at Lakewood! They understand that their work is their recommendation and it truly passes muster.
Description of work: Complete tear out and remodel of all existing bathrooms in our home/"pull and replace". In the Master Bath, remodel was taken all the way back to the studs. Included plumbing repairs as found necessary by the tear out of drywall as well as electrical work along the way. Some re-design was also

I would recommend Lakewood Home Builders to anyone looking for top quality work at a fair price.
Description of work:
I was referred to John Stageberg and Tim Johnson of Lakewood Home Builders by a colleague who is meticulous about keeping up his home. They have since done three jobs for me; all were completed in an outstanding manner.

In June 2008, I contracted with Lakewood Home Builders to replace all of the copper piping in my home. Because of problems with multiple pinhole leaks, we decided to replace all of the hot and cold water piping with CPVC piping. Tim Johnson coordinated and supervised the efforts of a superb team of plumbers, painters, drywall contractors and an electrician to complete the job with minimal disruption to our family. This was a major effort performed flawlessly!

In 2010, the Lakewood team performed the difficult tasks of replacing three gable vents and painting all of the exterior trim on our house and the attached garage. The work involved removing the aluminum siding, replacing the deteriorated wood vents and restoring the siding without damage to the surrounding areas. Again, Tim Johnson did a great job of coordinating the efforts of his team and produced superior results.

Finally, in December 2010, they replace two garage doors with high-quality insulated steel doors. They provided recommendations for the most appropriate doors with the rationale for their selection. The work was completed promptly in one day by an obviously skilled craftsman. Again, the results were flawless. Lakewood Home Builders provided complete an accurate cost estimates for each job up front. John and Tim have proven themselves to be highly skilled and knowledgeable professionals; they fully satisfied our expectations.

I believe the below information covers the story, and again I will say Lakewood Builders is an excellent company. They care about their clients and their work.
Description of work: My house is a Cape Cod which had an unfinished attic (steps were in). I wanted to finish it off with a bedroom and bathroom. To be finished it had to be insulated, water had to be piped to the upstairs area, walls, ceilings, windows, floors, plumbing, heat, all had to be completed. It was quite a project (more than I expected). The project turned out beautifully and passed the building code for Fairfax County, all in a timely manner. Both John and Tim are fine people. I felt very comfortable when I met with John for the estimate, etc., and when I chose to have them to do the work for me, I felt very comfortable with Tim. They are fair, trustworthy people explaining things to me as the project proceeded. I work part-time and did not feel uncomfortable leaving Tim at the house while I was at work or on errands, etc. They made suggestions to me, which were helpful, and did not try to push anything that I didn't want or need. In addition to the remodeling project, when Tim went on the roof he told me that my gutter guards were bad and so I ordered some from him which were replaced just recently. Another good job. I would not hesitate to have them work for me at another time.

OK, I guess I explained most of this question in the box below. As I said we have not finished yet, but I have been so pleased with them that I wanted to give you all my story so far. Everything is going perfectly and I will keep you up to date
Description of work: First of all, I just want to say that John and Tim of Lakewood Home Builders are two of the nicest guys to work with. I was very comfortable with them both straight away and enjoy getting to know them as my kitchen is being done.

John came to my house first to see what I wanted done. He spent many hours and trips back to my house before we came up with a plan and a price, where does he get his patience from? I loved his ideas for my kitchen and incorporated all of them in the contract. I really appreciated his advice and patience, he was and is always available to talk to me when I need him.

Tim is here every day to do the work. He does an awesome job. Always explains to me what he is doing, what is going to happen next and I love the advice he gives me from his expertise experience he has from building other kitchens. He is always punctual, cleans up after every day, even lets my dog out and has put my trash out, poor guy. I really love the fact that I have the same guy on the job every day and I trust them both totally to come freely in and out of my house when I am not there.

So far, my kitchen has been gutted and my new cabinets are up and my old pantry is out of there and wonderful new cabinet pantry has been built for me. My granite is in along with my kitchen sink (yeah) and the dishwasher is usable. Next is the backsplash and we are also painting the family room to match the kitchen. They also took down old wood beams from the ceiling in the family room, and an old fan so that is also all being repainted. Tim has also put down an extension to my wood floors so it now goes into the mud/washroom, I could not even see where he had added it, it looked so good.

We still have a about a week to go.

I would most definitely refer Lakewood Home Builders to anyone and I will happily answer any questions anyone has concerning my experience with them. I will put up another post when we are completed. When I get on to my next job of re-doing the bathrooms, there is only one team to call, Lakewood Home Builders.

I have lived in my house for 10 years and have always wanted a garage. I finally was financially ready to get it done. I learned of Lakewood Home Builders through a handyman I had been using for smaller projects around the house. I contacted Lakewood through Tim Johnson and told him what I wanted to build. He and his partner John Stageberg came and walked my property as we discussed options. They drew up a plan and presented it to me. I had my father sit in on this discussion because he is a landscape architect and I knew he would think of things and ask questions that I would have no clue about. My dad's opinion was that Tim and John were very credible and knew what they were doing. Lakewood went to the county, got the plans approved and the construction began. Lakewood did an excellent job of keeping me informed of all the details of the project. I always knew what was going to happen each day, how it was going to be done, and what to expect when that certain aspect of the project completed. As an example, after the cement had been put down for the floor, they even let me know how much time we had to carve our initials in it! They explained each part of the process in terms I could understand and took pictures along the way to prove to me the work was being done the way they said it was. If a problem arose with some aspect of the project, they informed me of it and presented the pro's and con's of each option to correct it. They were well-versed on the county codes for all aspects and ensured everything met or exceeded the code. For the areas of the project where sub-contractors were used, the sub-contractors were polite, professional and very well-skilled. The time they estimated to complete the construction was very close to when it was actually completed. Any delays in the schedule where because of the weather. I would highly recommend Lakewood Home Builders, Inc. for any home improvement project you may have. They are honest, professional and fairly priced. They use high-quality materials and do the job right the first time. They care about the quality of their work and stand by it. I am a single-mother with no experience in construction and I never felt marginalized or taken advantage of. They listened and seriously considered every concern or idea I had. They made sure I was comfortable with every step of the process. You will not find a better building company in the Washington D.C. area.
Description of work: Lakewood Homes built a 15' x 28' attached garage. To do that a large part of my front yard had to be excavated to accommodate the new expanded driveway. A retaining wall also needed to be constructed.

Do's:
1. When building a garage, build the largest size your lot can accommodate.
2. When choosing the garage door, choose the largest possible for the size of your garage. I chose a door that was 9' wide and am very glad i went beyond the standard size.
3. Insulate your garage if you live in a climate that has extreme temperature swings.
4. Have someone who knows about building things to sit in on the first meeting with the contractors. My father is a landscape architect and knew what questions to ask them and also was able to judge their credibility and help guide me to some decisions that needed to be made.

Don'ts:
1. Don't skimp on quality of materials. I could have put in a simple wooden retaining wall, but that would not have looked as good as the stone wall I put in.

John Stageberg and Tim Johnson of Lakewood Home Builders were exceptional to work with. They came as a word-of-mouth referral from an older renovator who didn't want to take on as much as we wanted done in our home. John and Tim listened to what design changes we wanted in our master bath and worked to incorporate our wishes. They did wall and plumbing changes to produce a beautiful, double-headed glass wall shower, tiling of shower and floor, vanity, replaced the window to the outside, and new paint, for a stellar bathroom we now want to actually spend time in.
The renovation of the 2nd bathroom included replacing the tub, vanity and mirror, toilet and fixtures, new tile throughout, new outside window, and paint, to make a formerly undesirable space into an inviting space. The painting in the 3rd bathroom looked great, along with some minor wall resurfacing that made the room look new.
The renovation of a room included pulling off old wall board, reinsulating, adding electrical sockets and switches right where I had always wanted them, adding a heater vent access, re-wall boarding, and painting. The room looked great and was warmer upon completion, which was our goal. Tim made us two built-in bookshelves, utilizing space that formerly was wasted--the changes were awesome and made the room more useable.
The hall renovation included adding a linen closet in a space that was formerly dead space, and fresh paint over everything. I loved the completed product!!!
Tim and John are professional, on time, personable, and a pleasure to work with. They were tidy, even in the midst of the renovation projects. We not only had John and Tim do our initial work, but we had them back a year later to spend another day adding a ceiling fan for us. We have given their names to several friends who also wanted work done. No job seems to big or small for them, and they excel at both size jobs. They love what they do and take pride in what they produce. It shows in how they treat their clients, how they do their jobs, and in their final products.
Description of work: Redesign and remodel of master bathroom, remodel of 2nd bathroom,
repainting of 3rd bathroom, minor fixing to walls, room fixing, and hallway renovation.

We had a great experience with Lakewood Home Builders. They were on budget and did their work in a timely fashion. We had no major problems and found them to be completely accommodating.
Description of work:
I had a kitchen remodel done by Lakewood Home Builders. They did amazing work. Kitchen was completely redone. We had it completely gutted. Lakewood installed new floors, opened up a wall and replaced all cabinets and appliances. Extremely professional and detail oriented from design to construction. Highly recommend for any job.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND LAKEWOOD HOME BUILDERS for any remodeling project you have!
Description of work:
Lakewood Home builders did a complete remodel of our kitchen, removed old cabinets, removed old walls and windows, installed new walls, windows and cabinets. Relocated cabinets from one spot to another. Ensured all electrical work was completed and to code. Installed new lighting, outlets and switches. Installed new tile backsplash, ensured installation was done properly and with correct spacing. Everyday clean-up was accomplished, dust removed as well as all trash and old kitchen components.
We are very pleased with their work. We recommend them to all our friends and neighbors who want remodeling done in their homes. Additionally, they are the only contractors we will use. They came and provided an estimate, performed all work on schedule and worked every day. They spent our money wisely and stayed within budget.