Adam Krull
Pāpa’ikou, Hawai’i
Was the initial budget accurate to your expectation?
Yes.
When we ask for an off-the-cuff valuation of needed material and labor, Rusty presents numbers accurate to his knowledge and ability – iterates unknowns, and ranges.
When we have asked for written estimates, they have been accurate.
Was the project completed on time?
Yes.
Rusty prioritizes milestone and project completion successfully.
Did the builder communicate effectively?
Yes.
Rusty is lucid and thorough. He adjusts his ‘level’ of explanation for the audience. We are not bothered with minute detail, but when we ask for more information it is presented clearly – even to technical levels.
How did the builder manage problems, delays and or unforeseen costs in the project plan?
Rusty solves problems.
We do agree beforehand to allow latitude and for Rusty’s discretion. This flexibility can be critically important here in Hawai’i, and the pandemic has not helped the availability of goods and services in any way. Because of this, Rusty has sometimes been able to complete work at less than the initial estimates – he is on the spot and does adjust the solutions on the fly – to our advantage.
Rusty allocates resources dynamically. If a task can’t be done today, other facets of the job are accomplished in the meantime. Idle time delays by outside sources are anticipated and explained, but not in Rusty’s control (i.e. permits.) Rusty is ready to go when they cease.
Where unforeseen problems arose (e.g. some plumbing in one bath was not hooked up in the slab!), we have been notified at once with choices for our decision and approval. The overall project was not delayed.
Rusty also looks ahead to save time and money (e.g. ‘while this section of the roof is off you might want to …’.)
Would you recommend the builder for any new home construction?
Definitely, and we have done so in the past.
The construction quality we have seen here in Hawai’i is often dismaying, even bewildering. Mention a contractor here, and you will hear, almost without exception, stories about disasters, delays, communication breakdowns, actual disappearances, cost overruns, unresolved problems, and the like.
Rusty has shown me numerous sites, and I have learned to recognize some myself, where egregious basic flaws have been built into the site / structure visible from the street! These range from safety at the site, through site preparation, materials, methods, and costs (e.g. I’ve seen professional plumber installations that use five fittings where Rusty will use three – more neatly, at a lower cost in material and time), and often basic flaws (e.g. omitting moisture barriers!) In some cases the hapless owners are continuing to deal with expense and inconvenience; in others they were not even aware of the faults until we pointed them out.
One case is notable: a relative of ours, quite wealthy, hired the ‘best’, contrary to our recommendation for Rusty. That contractor did not read the plans, direct or monitor the work, or recover properly when a mistake was noted by the owner in a walk-through (they are often off island); the master bath was constructed adjoining the wrong bedroom at the wrong side of the house! It is still there.
Also, to my knowledge, Rusty has refused to do jobs where the owner has requested unsafe practices.