American Dream Design Build

We hired American Dream to redo our kitchen. We are very happy with how everything turned out. The folks that worked with us from the design, project managing, carpenters, plumbers, tiler, and electrician were great to work with. Jim and his team and subcontractors ROCK!

We had the best experience with American Dream Design Build! They did everything from design to demo to build to final finishing and cleaning. They were very professional, but also fun. I love my new kitchen so much and highly recommend ADDB.

We renovated our kitchen and bath earlier this year, and the experience could not have gone better. Everyone we worked with from our initial planning and design phases all the way through to project completion was professional and delivered high quality. We love the finished product and would absolutely work them with again in the future! The level of detail in planning and execution was appreciated. We only wish we had not waited so long to get started and done this years ago!

We had a very bad experience with ADDB. There were a lot of miscommunications from the beginning of the project, and we never really felt like our project was very important to them. We ended up wasting months of time with them and paying a huge amount of money for design fees and in the end had to start completely over with another company, who was, incidentally, so, so much better in every regard. 1. Scott, the owner, was unprofessional with us and when we tried to give feedback and talk about the issues we had he made personal attacks rather than discussing the problems or taking any responsibility for things they clearly got wrong. 2. They significantly overcharged us for work that was done, and they did not complete the agreed scope of either project. 3. Although we hired them for a couple of smaller projects, we did not end up doing the large kitchen remodel with them, in part because they bid a crazy amount of money for it ($275,000) and would not break down the costs at all, so even if we wanted to do the project with them there was no way for us to make decisions about cost cutting to get to a reasonable budget. Scott simply refused to give us any indication of where the money was going (even cabinets vs floors, for example). The company we ended up hiring was over $100,000 less expensive for the same scope (plus, friendly, helpful, and professional). Scott also told me in our very first meeting that they don't take any responsibility for sticking to their schedule, even though all the subs would be under their direct control. 4. We paid over $8,000 in design fees, and while we liked the designer we worked with, she was an interior designer, not a kitchen designer, and we had to figure out most of the important items, such as layout and cabinet use, ourselves. Numerous times we gave feedback on the design which was ignored and we had to go over the same things in subsequent meetings, costing extra in design fees. Major items were missed (such as a window which precluded a design they spent hours working on and charged us for even though it was clearly their oversight). 5. We were told that because we were paying for design work that we would own it all at the end of the design, whether we hired them or not; but at the end of the design, even though we paid them in full in good faith, they did not provide us the design documents and instead just gave us a mishmash of renderings from different designs they did and a cabinet layout with no detail. 6. We hired them to install carpets, which they subbed out to another company who was terrible. They left lumps in the carpet and got grease all over our freshly painted walls and doors (and even the carpet), and there was no oversight of this company by ADDB, though they charged us for this. They also did not fix the squeaky floors although I asked three times before they started to make sure this was done and was assured by both ADDB and the carpet company that it would be. Scott's response to this was that even though his project manager agreed to do this work it wasn't specifically covered in the contract. I asked Scott four times to just ask the carpet company if they were willing to come back and fix this and Scott told me he would every time but never did. The carpet company did come back after I complained and cleaned up most of the grease but was not able to get all of it off the paint, so we hired the painters to come back and touch everything up. 7. We hired ADDB to do some wall repair. For this project they did good work and charged us reasonably, though they did charge us about four times more than the actual cost of the materials they used. They also cut in an extra box that I asked them not to, so I was left with an empty plate cover on the new wall, and they damaged the trim and left a piece missing which they never fixed. In the end, all Scott cared about was getting paid, and he was very weird about this. He seemed very stressed and suspicious all the time. He did not care at all about the actual quality of work or making sure we were happy with it or with the process. I can't believe this company is still in business.

Great design/construction team; one-stop shopping; stayed on budget & timeline; great communication. They’ve done two projects for us: an outdoor space and a kitchen & bath remodel. Will definitely hire them for future projects!

American Dream Design Build made such a difference in our remodeling. As we approached designing and changing our kitchen and laundry room, my husband and I had 2 totally different styles of approaching the work. My husband easily envisioned spaces, and I took longer to think about things and make sure it’s what I wanted. We met with Jim B. and designer Michelle T. and began planning. These meetings were productive, and they showed us options. The design process truly made the kitchen and laundry room exactly what we wanted and needed. Keith, was our lead contractor and he coordinated all of the workers on the job. He was meticulous about safety and making sure things were done well. He covered the flooring, counters, and the corners of the cabinets to protect them as they worked. Every morning he answered our questions and told us what would be done that day. The crew showed excellent workmanship. They were reliable and Keith showed up on site every day exactly when he told us he would. He coordinated all the work. He also treated the other workers with respect and collaborated well with each person. He made it a harmonious work site. In our remodel, we got what we asked for at the price we were quoted and the work was completed on the date we were given. Now when people walk into our kitchen and laundry room we hear expressions of, “Oh My Gosh these rooms are beautiful!” American Dream Design Build is a special business. They are a team and each person that works there is a member. They all want the work that they do to be excellent and it shows. You become a member of that team when you work with them. At the end of our project Michelle T and photographer Leah came out to take photos. It was a special visit and I was grateful to receive a USB with the before and after photos of our project. They made sure that we knew that if we had any questions we could always call and they would be there. We couldn’t be happier with this company and our remodel.

We had American Dream Design Build do a major remodel of our first floor, including the living/dining rooms, complete kitchen and family room. We also had them remove walls, relocate windows, back slider and install a new larger patio in the backyard. The entire process went extremely well. From the initial contact with Jim and him walking us through the process, it was exactly as described and professional from start to finish. We really appreciated all the design help we got from Amy and Madison. We went in without a clue where to start but they did a great job walking us through the process. Keith kept an orderly job site and tracked well the schedule while communicating with us through the process. The end result turned out even better than we had expected and was completed on time! The team was professional from start to finish and we would absolutely recommend them to anyone.

We have partnered with American Dream Design and Build on two major remodeling projects in our North- End Tacoma home. Both projects were near flawless in concept, design and construction. We fully endorse the ADDB step-wise approach to construction and the integrity it brings to the building process. The craftsmen and design staff for both projects were top-tier professionals who treated us with respect and civility.

Overall: We are very happy with the end product. The kitchen is almost exactly what I envisioned with Amelia, the designer and the only changes were for the better and are detailed below. Scott, the owner (and salesman who I first spoke to), Keith, the general on the job, and the most of subs and assistants were respectful and very competent. Their workmanship for the most part (exceptions listed below) was amazing. They were quick and the end result is extremely beautiful, and it was exactly on budget that we agreed to. Summary: though expensive, I think American Dream Design Build is worth the money spent. Details: I called American Dream Design Build in the beginning of February and Scott came to the house on February 15th. I explained the project -- remove the wall between the current kitchen and what was supposed to be a dining room, remove soffits, move sliding glass door from west wall to south wall, add a window where the door used to be (matching current windows), move refrigerator down the wall, all new cabinets, lighting, counters, sink, and either all new flooring, or match current hardwood and extend it into the living room. It was a big project. Scott had a proposal for me within a week, but because of a very bad experience with my previous contractor work, I was taking a lot of bids so it was about a month before I got back to him. The first thing we did after I agreed to their bid was have their designer come in and take measurements. Amelia and Scott came, got more detail about what I was trying to do and how I use my kitchen. About a week later (mid March) Amelia had come up with two proposals. The first was based on my original design plan. It had tons of storage and fit all my criteria. The second was what she would suggest doing to make the kitchen even more user friendly. She was moving the stove and making 2 sections of over 6' of continuous countertop. I had no idea that stoves could be moved (because of venting mostly). I loved her design and Scott said it would fit the budget so I signed off on that and we made an appointment for me to come back and approve all of the materials. Amelia came up with great colors and decorating ideas including going ahead and getting all new flooring as our previous 80's wood floor could be hard to match, was dated, and the price difference was minimal. Work was scheduled to start on May 22nd. Scott came by with Keith who was our general contractor, and they got to work. The job was scheduled to be completed by July 17th, but Keith ended up giving it to us on the 13th though we didn't do the walk through until the 16th. We had very few issues. The first was the drywaller; he neglected to tape his seams for some reason, had to be called back out to the job, and then still missed a seam and Keith ended up doing that. The second was that the guy scheduled to do the flooring got in an accident and wasn't available, but Keith did it and the work looks good. The final one which was just a miscommunication was regarding the baseboard. I had talked to Amelia about having block baseboard and she seemed to understand. I thought it would be white and just a 1/2 inch wide block maybe 3 inches tall, what got installed was similar shape, but matched the color of the flooring. At first I wasn't sure about it, but after it all got installed I realized it was absolutely perfect. The plumbers, electricians, painter, and especially the tile guys were amazing and quick. Conclusion: I would absolutely re-hire ADDB for any other remodeling projects that I have and would suggest them to anyone who was able to pay for their service. There is a premium, but I felt it was absolutely worth it. Now I need to go bake some cookies

We had ADDB provide design services for our home remodel that we were looking to have them complete. Our experience was very disappointing! We experienced some of the same billing inaccuracies and issues that a previous reviewer (Travis44) described . After multiple concerns were expressed to Jim Burbridge regarding accurate and timely invoicing for design services performed by Michelle, we were assured that they had everything straightened out and we would have no further problems... we had already paid over $3000 for design services and had virtually completed the process and had requested our final invoice and received an outrageous $3250 design invoice! We were extremely shocked as the design for our kitchen and living room were the only spaces that we were looking at having remodeled. We do not recommend America dream design build design services to anybody. We considered Jim Burbridge to be a friend of ours and we really felt taken advantage of by him and the staff of ADDB. In the end we did receive minimal PDF item details and one as-built drawing of the floor plan of our kitchen and living room... for almost $7000! We did show this design package to two other design firms and they were amazed at the price that we paid and the level of detail in the design package provided. Our review is not an effort to slander American dream design build but only to inform others of our experience with this company.

We hired American Dream to design and remodel our kitchen and family room. The designer totally changed the layout of our kitchen. Our contractor updated us on the progress of the project and was available to answer questions. The flow is greatly improved and we have more usable counter space. They raised the ceiling in the kitchen to match the family room which makes the rooms feel larger as well. We are very happy with the result.

We hired American Dream Design Build for a major remodel, including moving our kitchen from one area of the house to the other. We replaced all windows and flooring, as well as beams in the ceiling. Our main day to day contact, Jim Burbridge, was very professional, easy to work with, and made crafstmanship look easy. He and his crew made sure that at the end of each day of work, they had cleaned up the entire area. We couldn't be happier with our results and will recommend ADDB in the future.

They are the best! The quality of their work ins amazing! I love that every project they have done for us they are done on time or before!

Really amazing team!! Quality work every time. We have used ADB for our last home, and in our current residence. They do not disappoint! I have recommended them to others who have called back to Thank us. We will trust our improvements in the future to American Dream!

My house is very small and very old. I was kicking around painting my kitchen cabinets AGAIN and took Jim from American Dream up on a free consultation. His designer, Michelle, had great ideas and it turned into a full kitchen upgrade. His bid was upfront and professional and I was more than eager to get started. The process was quick and the finished job exceeded my expectations. I love it. I am impressed. I recommend them all the time to my clients and friends.

Started out okay, but quickly found double-billing issues. It became apparent after only three months of design work that their accounting section seemed to have no oversight from management or controls in place to keep errors from occurring. After meeting with the owner about repeated double-billing incidents, as a gesture he insisted on writing off our remaining balance, which was a minor amount. Two weeks later, we received a past due notice from them for this same amount. We followed up with an email to the owner, and he promised a zero-balance statement right away. After two more weeks of receiving nothing from them, we sent a check for the amount and advised him by email of our actions. The owner then sent back an unprofessional email to my wife resorting to personal insults, revealing his anger and lack of business maturity. Since my wife has a background in accounting, she did most of the talking during the meeting regarding the errors in their billing. From that point on, the owner did not acknowledge my wife in correspondence, addressing only me (until the last email), and seemed to direct his anger towards her. In my opinion, the owner inappropriately took issue with negative feedback, didn’t take accountability for the oversight of his employees, and ultimately became childish and resorted to personal jabs when held to his word.

After exhaustive investigation of builders we chose American Dream to update our master bathroom. They did so and did a wonderful job. We are very pleased with the quality of the work, the knowledge of the workmen and the responsiveness of the owners.

We hired America Dream Design to remodel our entire house. They were awesome to work with and Scott and Amy were with us every step of the way, from the redesign of our home, to the picking of the materials to be used and finally the construction process. The carpenters on site were great and we are very happy with the quality of the work that was done. The work was also completed very close to the proposed date and on budget. Everyone says remodeling is trying, but America Dream Design made it seem easy and the finished product is beautiful. We can honestly say there is nothing we would change in our remodeled home.

I'm now starting my third phase of remodeling. I looked around a lot initially to find just the right people to help me with the remodel project. Now, I'd have no one other than American Dream Design Build do the work for me. No matter what challenge I give them or the project presents they find just the right solution. They are entirely professional. Their work is without compare. The project is done on time. They stand behind everything that they do. I had a small problem six months after completion of a bathroom remodel and they came out, no questions asked, and fixed it. American Dream Design Build is my only remodel company. My remodel project is now done. Everything is perfect. It is just how I hoped it would be. Even when the manufacturers were trying to put up road blocks American Dream Design Build made it happen. Even though I have run out of remodel projects (for now) American Dream Design Build remains my only remodel company. I cannot recommend them enough.

Jim and crew were great to work with. They listened to me and worked well with my ideas, and expectations. I was used to a contactor's bid all broken down by every minute detail. And since I didn't' get that from ADD I was nervous with change orders (how can you not have changes!). But Jim allowed me to make "within reason" changes (add ons) and he just took them in stride. I had never done a kitchen remodel and was a little concerned about down time (I had heard horror stories from friends' kitchen remodels). But we were only one week off schedule at the final end and that was due to a back order of our counter tops. The part I appreciated a lot was they continued to work on flooring etc while we waited for the counter tops to arrive. So the project that could have been delayed three weeks only turned into 1 week delay. Not bad for a kitchen remodel. AND, they worked hard to get my kitchen up and running for Thanksgiving. Next time changes? Nothing major at all, and no reflection on ADD. However as a novice (looking ahead) I would securitize what the painting actually covers (I had to pay more for complete painting of ceiling etc as touch up just wasn't up to my standards); and since I have to have electrical plugs all over the place (code) I'd make sure I did more research on plugs and plates that matched hardware as I don't like the plastics ones off the shelf.

American dream design did a complete remodel of our kitchen. Jim led the crews responsible for the remodel work. The project extended over 8 weeks in the summer of 2008. The work was extensive and the results were fantastic. To this day, we thoroughly enjoy our kitchen. Even 7 years later, the results are timeless. American dream design did other remodel projects for us but Jim did not lead those crews.

American Dream does quality work at the highest level possible. If you want quality, expect to pay a little more. That is why I recommend American Dream. You will not be disappointed. If you like things to get finished quickly and on time then American Dream is the company to do business with. American Dream completed house siding, two bathroom remodels, roofing, and one awesome back deck used for entertainment for me. The completed jobs added a lot of value to our home including a spa like experience to my Master Bathroom with body sprays in the shower. Later on I called Jim from American Dream to fix my Commercial Property when a lady drove through my building. He came promptly and repaired a wall to better than original condition and finished the job quickly so that my tenants could reopen for business soon after the accident. If you want it done on time at the highest quality, call American Dream. Sincerely, Clinton Tomyn

Kitchen remodel Referred to ADDB by relatives to remodel my kitchen. The remodel went as planned and everyone involved was completely professional. The workers were very respectful and kept my house and the working area very clean. I really enjoyed working with ADDB, they assisted with every aspect of the remodel, design & build in a professional manner. Before and After pictures attached.

American Dream Design Build gave us a beautiful updated kitchen. The process started in late 2014, discussing our needs and wants. They have a great show room, as we were able to pick out the quartz counter top, color and style of cabinets, flooring, lighting, sink, faucet and carpet for our front room. This project also included new windows in the kitchen, as well as dressing up the dinning room windows, removing the drop down ceiling in the kitchen and adding cam lighting and 3 pendants. The new laminate flooring was installed in the kitchen, dinning room, hall ways and enter way. At the start of the project, they had a notebook listing the various contractors, contact person and phone numbers, as well as a schedule outlining the project. The job started on time as well as was completed on time. The project was on target and on budget. American Dream Design Build has a great and caring crew. Thanks again, for the updated kitchen.

Very efficient, responsive, honest. Work finished on time and they priced our job right. i cannot wait to hire them for another project

Jim, and everyone at American Dream Design Build, have been awesome to work with. From the initial meeting, we knew this was the company we wanted to work with. Their professionalism and attention to detail is top notch! They took all the headaches and questions out of our home addition and remodel. They kept us informed every step of the way. We couldn’t have been more thrilled with the end result. We will definitely work with them again for all of our future projects.

American dream completed a full re-model of our kitchen last summer. The project was very challenging because it was right in the middle of our home, and we had plenty of unique issues with leveling the walls, floor, even ceiling as it is over 100 years old and very out of plumb at this point. We also added some square footage and tied it into the older existing structure. Jim and his team were very competent right from the outset, and dealt with any challenges with obvious knowledge and experience. They did the full project with us, and their thorough up front design process, while overwhelming at first, absolutely pays off once the project is rolling, as most of the decisions are already made. We are very happy with our final product, and it's exactly what we tried to describe to them and they followed through. A couple things that impressed me most was, when our ceiling was opened up, and they noticed a few things that weren't right that had nothing to do with the kitchen or the project they were working on, but chose to take the time to fix them, without being asked, and without charging extra. They were also great about coming back months after the project for any issues (minor cracking in the caulk) and fixed it right away. I would definitely recommend them to anyone, and intend to use them when the time comes to build our custom home. -Jeff

We had a wonderful experience working with Jim and his team. We knew what we had in mind for our Butler's Pantry project from the start. However, we still needed some design ideas and cabinet selection help to make it just right. We were on a tight schedule but Jim's team completed our project a little bit ahead of schedule and exactly on budget. Super easy to work with. I'd not hesitate to recommend their super work to anyone. By the way, their craftsmanship and execution was exceptional. I am an over expector and my wife and I could not have been more pleased. They did it right.

Jim Burbridge is an excellent contractor that you can trust. He pays close attention to detail, works to keep the subcontractors organized, and keeps the homeowner well informed of problems, progress, and changes. I highly recommend American Dream Design Build.

American Dream Design did an excellent job remodeling my bathroom. The end result of the remodel was "WOW" this looks fabulous! Jim uses the top of the line products and staff. Right from step one, Jim walked me through the entire process, time, costs, etc. He also had a point person for me to call anytime to get answers to my questions. My bathroom is very large and it now looks like something you would see in a magazine. I couldn't be happier. I am planning to have American Dream Deign remodel my kitchen. Jenny - University Place, WA

American Dream has worked on projects at both my home and business. The quality of work was beyond my expectations! They are incredible at both the design process and the finished product. Their owners are professional and listen to the needs of the client. Their workers are friendly, hardworking, and considerate of the homeowner. This is a company that you can trust will do a great job!

My wife and I met Jim Burbridge owner of ADDB at the Tacoma Home Show in February 2014. We invited him to come to our 1978 built home and make a bid on remodeling our kitchen and master bathroom. We were happy with his and the designer's proposal and signed up for the work to begin in July 2014. His employees were tremendous for the demo and reconstruction project. It was finished mid-September, and we are extremely happy with the outcome. Every time we walk into the new kitchen and bath we just smile.