Review Kafae - San Jose

They did an outstanding job on our master bath and are starting on our out-dated kitchen. They are wonderful too work with!

Great company to work with. Reliable, communicative and most importantly great quality of work. We have used AKB for 2 major projects in our house and can't recommend them enough! I appreciated their ability to get our projects done in a timely manner while also providing a high quality of service.

5.0 star rating 3/18/2017 We contracted with AKB to do a complete makeover of the two dated bathrooms in our condominium unit based on online reviews . We were fortunate to work with Michele Crawford, who was wonderful. She was professional, punctual, and on top of things throughout the process. Plus her design ideas and recommendations were outstanding and it was a joy to work with her. Our project was on time and the quality of the work seems excellent. This was our first remodeling experience so we were learning as we went along, which is also why we appreciated the design input from Michele. We have some built in cabinets that required custom doors made to match the new vanities but Michele helped us through this without a hitch. Their price was in the upper half of our other bids it was still in the mid-range. We also remodeled our kitchen at the same time using another contractor we met through Home Depot. This job was of a similar magnitude but it was much more disjointed. It started before the bathroom work, and it is still not done. It is also having issues passing inspection which was not an issue for AKB. We should have gone with AKB for all the work! We would definitely consider hiring them again. There are always unexpected things that pop up in any remodeling job so you have to expect this to a certain extent. But in our case it minimal and overall it was a very positive experience. The quality timeliness of the workmanship was excellent but we honestly felt that Michele's personal touch is what made it truly positive experience. Our combined job costed about $45,000, which was not cheap but in line with and less than some of the other bids we had done.

Remodeling is problem solving. People who have experience in their trade and can optimistically pursue the architectural vision will get your remodeling done right even if there are unforeseen problems to solve. That’s AKB’s track record on our completed project. They were mindful of our home space since we were living in it. AKB protected our floors, sealed out dust with plastic, and picked up trash frequently. Indoor foot traffic was kept to a minimum. Noise was unavoidable so be prepared for that. A “Red Book” is kept on the job site and it includes their previously agreed-upon 3D and 2D plans for cabinets, counters, lights, outlets; a schedule of work and installation spec sheets for appliances. Eventually the book held the city building permits and inspection sign offs. We think that the up-front planning time should not be rushed by the customer so options can be considered. It is a learning experience to consider the myriad of new products that are available and how they all come together in a finished kitchen. Once construction is underway it costs more and complicates the process to reconsider earlier choices. Of course AKB would work with any customer-requested changes but the impact on the project should be considered. We are happy we chose them and now we have our new kitchen to use for a long time. Mike Pena (AKB project lead) On the first day of work at our house we were greeted by a smiling AKB employee who said “Let the games begin.” He wasn’t kidding but what he didn’t need to say was that we were in good hands and that the “games” would be over almost on schedule and with us coming out loving our remodeling project. That’s our introduction to Mike Pena who channeled the AKB craftspeople through our kitchen from demolition to reconstruction culminating in the final, successful inspection. The problems we encountered were unexpected, as remodeling can surprise you like that, but Mike’s experience in the trades guided us through to professional solutions. Mike jumped in to do work as needed — and even unexpected fixes — drawing from his long list of skills and using his truck full of tools and supplies. He texted us when there were be changes in the schedule and ahead of his visits. He was responsive to our calls and concerns plus he was the guy who represented us and our project during inspections. It was easy to talk and text with Mike during the working phases and he was open to ideas and ways to improve upon original planning. He made the difficult process of remodeling process as easy and pleasant as possible with expertise and cheerfulness. Michele Crawford (AKB designer and project manager) Michele understood the whole project and how important it was for us to stay within budget. AKB uses a series of scheduled payments so as the project progressed it was easier to manage the expense. She kept an eye on our budget when decisions needed to be make and made sure we knew of any trade-offs. She was unfailingly cheerful and always returned phone calls and texts. Scheduling was the backbone of the project. Michele’s spreadsheet showed us how the process was going to proceed. It was printed in the “Red Book” that we kept near our kitchen. All of the trades people referred to it during the remodeling work as did we. Michele gave us expert advice on kitchen options in design, cabinets, counter tops, flooring — the whole package. it was always our decision about what to choose and her discussions bring as many options into play as possible. She rightly said that the sum of the parts add up to a kitchen that is more aesthetically pleasing than you see on paper. She gave us a tour of local vendors and educated us about stone countertops, tile, electrical, cabinets and floor coverings. We saw 3D renderings she created for the layout discussions after spending time with us in the kitchen we were going to remodel. What we now have is much more efficient and attractive than the old one.

THe remodel involed taking down three walls, moving a support beam into the attic/roof line and digging down below the foundation to provide the nececessary support to make the home stucturally sound. A big project, beautifully orchestrated. They made it as easy as possilble for me. AKB took care of all the permits, and inspections. I continued to live in my home during the remodel and they were always mindful of my needs. Also, the kept my beloved puppies safe throughout the process. Extra points to Mike for sending me pictures of the puppies while I was at work. The process started with Michele; the heart of the company. She designed and put the plan in place. She has established contacts with local granite/tile to find the right granite at a great price. Looking at granite/tile by yourself is completely different than looking with Michelle. She had marble custom cut for my backsplash tile and had the granite slabs moved to the sunlight for closer inspection. The design/build process makes for a seamless project. In my opinion, it is the only way to go I used the DeWIlls cabinets. They are beautiful. THe cabinets were customized to exactly what I wanted. I especially like the pantry for my microwave and toaster oven with pocket doors that retract when the appliances are in use, and close to make a finished look. Johans and Mike were always responsive and I feel like they had my best interest at all times. A quality team: Steven did great finish work, Eddie was expert at cabinet instal, Juan is an arrtist at sheetrock/texture and Andy finished out to provide a responsive and talented team. Thank you AKB. I love my kitchen!!

We had two new bathrooms installed. They were totally ripped out. While taking out our old bathrooms they kept the rest of the house dust free. We had the walls re-textured, new porcelain tile floors, and cultured marble in one shower/tub and in the shower in the other bathroom. They were punctual every day. They kept us informed in a professional way. The management and workers were all professional in every way. A beautiful job!

I highly recommend them to anyone They're definitely not the cheapest, but at the end of it, I am left with the feeling that the work was done correctly. I super love our kitchen now..

Joey Kim is an excellent saleswoman! Very detail oriented and efficient service.

Excellent customer service

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