Neighbors first, references second

The number they gave us in March was the number we paid in October. After two contractor horror stories from friends, that alone felt like magic. The kitchen being beautiful was almost a bonus.

Every Friday at 4pm, photos and a plain-English note about what happened that week and what happens next. I never once had to call and ask what was going on. That is worth real money.

They drew the tile on the wall and made us stand in the taped-out shower before anything was ordered. Six weeks later the room matched the drawing. Nineteen years I waited for this bathroom.

We interviewed four firms. Wrenhouse was the only one that talked about our mornings instead of their portfolio. The garden room is now where everything in our family actually happens.

Same three carpenters for eleven weeks. They knew our dog's name and our alarm code, and they left the site broom-clean every single night. The basement looks like it belongs to a much fancier house.

Ada talked us out of spending $14,000 on a wall move we did not need and put it into cabinetry we use every day. Who does that? A firm that expects you to call them again, I suppose.