We recently had a basement completely renovated by Penguin Basements and are really pleased with the final results.
We share the feedback as some others in that the initial quote/consultation appointment is quite long and much of the content feels unnecessary. Our sales rep designed a floorplan that we liked but at that point we felt high pressure to make a decision on the spot. We almost didn’t go with Penguin Basements because of this. Ultimately, we were able to put that aside because we believed that the price was competitive compared to other companies that we had quote the project.
We also experienced some communication challenges that were predominantly prior to the start of our project. We had difficulty receiving an indication of when our job was going to begin, and reached out numerous times without response. Finally, we did receive a response and it was explained that the delay was a result of our representative being on vacation at the time.
The online tool (Buildertrend) that is used to help manage the project was fine but it was never updated to reflect any changes in the schedule of work. We couldn’t rely on it to get an indication of when we would have someone working in our home. We did use it to message our customer service rep and our project manager which worked as expected.
The trades that worked on our project were professional and personable. There were some misses during the project that were of small concern. On a couple occasions some of the basement windows without screens were left open in addition to trades letting themselves in with the lock box key when we were at home (a courtesy knock would have sufficed). In the end, all produced a high quality of work and as a result there were few issues.
Our project manager Seth made the project go very smoothly. He was very professional, accessible, and client focused. He took care of things in the background so we didn’t have to worry about anything. He was quick to respond to any concerns or questions that we had.
He also offered great advice and practical solutions to any issues that arose and even was proactive in identifying most of those issues. If we weren’t happy he made it right. It was really a pleasure working with Seth.
Overall the project had its challenges (to be expected with all custom renovations) but the basement looks fantastic, we absolutely love it and we are going to enjoy the space for many, many years to come!
- Approximate cost of services:
- $60,000.00
- What could this company do to improve their services?
- Any advice to offer fellow homeowners facing a similar project?
- Company Response
Matt, Let us begin by thanking you for a great, and very detailed review. We are happy you are happy with the finished product. One thing that is never finished, however, is how we operate our business. Client feedback during the job and via online reviews helps guide this business forward. We do have a long sales process, we admit. We feel it's important to cover things other builders may skip over, as we want our quote to be as comprehensive as possible. Understandably, some designers want to ensure a close after the time investment. Based on feedback, like your own we are looking for ways to par down the presentation without losing, what we feel, is important content. Communication is always something we strive to improve, and we are now implementing communication protocols before the beginning of a job to join new protocols we have been rolling out this year to our Project Management Teams for improved communication during a job. We will also be looking at a new "Common Sense & Manners" training component, where we ensure every new tradesperson on-boarded remembers the little things that matter, like picking up their water bottles, wiping feet, knocking, closing windows and a myriad of other things we are looking for that can be improved. As we grow, we know we have a responsibility to improve everything we do—every single day. Our customers deserve no less. Thanks for the review, and enjoy the basement.