We first discussed a kitchen remodel with Model Remodel during the Pandemic. After exploring the project in some depth, we decided we weren't yet ready to make the plunge. Model Remodel was very understanding and told us to reach back out any time. Fast forward a few years and we were ready to go. We reached back out to Model Remodel and invited them, along with a handful of other contractors, to bid on the project. Model Remodel had kept our file from several years previous and was able to immediately jump into the bidding process. They submitted far and away the best bid and we selected them on that basis. Every part of the kitchen remodel, which was quite extensive, and involved moving windows, knocking down walls, and resurfacing our entire first floor, went perfectly. The design process gave us exactly what we wanted, despite some limitations to our house. The construction process was surprising painless. There were two modest hiccups, one a design/construction issue MRM could not have foreseen and one an administrative issue. MRM worked with us to fix both issues without any reduction in quality or project delay. Even better, they completed the project three weeks earlier than projected, an almost unheard of feat in the world of Seattle home renovations. My friends still don't believe me when I tell them it happened. Most importantly, the kitchen turned out spectacularly. We got everything we wanted, and the end result exceeded our expectations. Having now used the kitchen for several months, I can say it is everything I hoped for and more. All of our guests are extremely impressed, and we have recommended MRM to a number of acquaintances. On top of all this, the MRM personnel with whom we worked were excellent, from the designers to the salespeople to the foreman to the project managers. When the project ended, we actually missed seeing the team every week and our weekly project meeting. I can say without reserve that MRM was fantastic and I would recommend them to anyone.

The MRM team put together a nice finished product. We have mixed feelings about it due to it being difficult to reconcile the final cost with the scope of work completed and our experience with some elements of how the project was managed. We are however able to take away some positives that we are building from.

Megan did a great job through design and helped us through our decision making. She also came up with some cool ideas that we love like instant filtered cold water and wood vents. The craftsmanship and quality of work completed by Joe and the crew he managed (Brian and folks) was amazing. Everything just feels really well built. He went above and beyond wherever he could and treated our place like it was his own. It seemed like he could find a way to make anything we asked for happen. MRM has a large team of experts that really know their stuff.

The fundamental problems and disappointment that we ran into was with leadership and project management. We would not have agreed to the things we did if we knew then what we know now. At times MRM did not hold themselves or some of their subcontractors accountable. This resulted in costs passed to us which could have been the responsibility of MRM or a subcontractor. They marketed themselves as not a budget builder but we ran into budget related issues constantly throughout the project. We had to descope some of our must-haves like painting the exterior of the addition without lowering the budget and then finance that elsewhere. We included the owner in our correspondence to the team asking for help and he ignored us.

Things that weren’t in the contract that we called out and were expecting to pay for and were told we would work through later felt like a trick and turned out to be completely cost prohibitive. On one item I asked for that we had discussed previously I ended up getting three other bids that were each 1/5 the cost. They quoted us nearly the same amount to paint three small bedrooms as what we ended up paying for painting the entire exterior of our addition, main house, and DADU elsewhere. We ended up painting the bedrooms and handling exterior painting ourselves. When we asked questions to help us understand cost we were told that they don’t share that information. There were other things that we brought up maybe once early in the project that were forgotten and we never brought up again because we lost confidence that they would be able to provide an option that we could consider.

We’re over 2 months past moving back in and still working through some final finish work. We are still finding some things (weird spots in hardwoods, lines in countertop) and ending up having to reach out to their subs ourselves to handle them. There is still stuff in my driveway and garage. They started the one year warranty as soon as they could. Never got a survey to provide this feedback and I asked for one from their project manager over a month ago now and he is no longer in touch. They have all the money we were never late on any payments and we made the final payment in advance.

We like the finished product, hopeful time will help with some of the disappointments, and wish the experience would have been different. The final cost is higher than we ever expected. Their pictures are great and MRM is a good option for an extremely healthy budget with a very large overage allowance.

Every commitment made at the start of our discussions with them were met. They (Brian and Joe) showed up every day, on time and worked the entire day for the duration of the project. They were highly skilled craftspeople and very pleasant to have in our home everyday. MRM came in on time and on budget. They were just wonderful.

Communication was amazing throughout the entire project and Model Remodel was transparent with the process.

It was a great experience working with Model Remodel. Everyone we worked with was very professional and had great communication. The entire team were very respectful of our space and kept the work site very clean. We would definitely work with them again in the future.

I loved working with the whole MRM team, and I am extremely happy with the results!

I would be willing to recommend Model Remodel without hesitation and I have already told friends how pleased we are with their work.

The Model Remodel team were amazing partners on our renovation journey. From the first meeting with Jason and through the entire project, they were deeply invested in helping unlock our vision for major updates to our home. The entire team worked relentlessly to deliver a beautiful outcome while working within our project constraints. We highly recommend working with MRM.

The bottom line: They were receptive to our needs, the cost estimate was accurate, and they finished exactly on schedule.

Yes. Very good work and good attitudes. Travis especially. We were very comfortable with him and his management of the project

Yes, for sure! The particular team model they have, where each member has a well-delineated role (including the homeowners) made for an overall smooth process during our whole-house remodel. We always knew where to turn for answers to our questions, or for any problems that arose, and the response was always prompt. This was true during both the design planning and construction phases of the project. We received weekly updates, on site, throughout the project, so that we stayed informed and saw progress in the making; at each meeting we learned what was expected to happen in the coming two weeks as well. MRM was budget conscious, and helped guide us in the financial aspects of what we could afford. Regular cost projection reports were given to us. The unflappable project manager was great at seeing the big picture and keeping everyone moving forward according to plan. The interior designers knew their stuff, and planned spaces that both improved use and flow. They were good listeners, and were key to helping us choose materials and style details that would be in keeping with our vision. Very importantly, we could not have asked for a more skilled field crew. Both the construction phase supervisor and the lead carpenter had problem-solving abilities and carpentry skills that were excellent. When they uncovered some faulty aspects in the original 1970s construction, they offered solid solutions to rectify those. The supervisor was also great at coordinating all of the subcontractors coming into the home to do their parts of the project (electrical, painting, tile installation, etc) and their work was also top-notch.

They are considerate and great at problem solving.

We have used MRM multiple times. On our own home and on our rental property. MRM is the ONLY company I trust with my vision and their quality of work.

Model Remodel generally provided excellent workmanship with clear communications. They promptly addressed concerns and all interactions with them were courteous and respectful. They had some difficulty with subcontractors, particularly the tile and floor, which required significant repairs or re-installation. Managing the punch list of items needed to complete the project also was difficult, possibly due to lack of manpower and control over subcontractors. The project is still not complete four months after the substantial completion date.

Word of mouth is probably the most likely and most effective way to recommend a contractor like this. All I simply have to do is invite them over to see how well done our home was. It's an easy referral :-)

Very happy with the finished product

Design Process

Design Process - Certainly ended up being a highlight of the whole process. Cat did a fantastic job coming up with concepts that were both functional and fit aesthetically with the house. She also excellent at working with us through the interior options, helping push us where it made sense, but also find middle ground between different view points

Additional Comments

Additional Comments - Working with MRM was a great experience, we're looking forward to future projects with them!

Areas Of Satisfaction

Areas Of Satisfaction - Achieved what we set out to do. Very happy with the workmanship and identifying small needs that did not add to the cost of the project.

MRM was great to work with, their workmanship was excellent, they were conscientious about the budget and they stayed close to the schedule. What’s not to like?!

We had a very positive experience with Model Remodel for our addition. We had a vague idea of what we wanted, but our designer came up with some great options that made the most of our available space while keeping in mind our budget limitations. The team stayed in communication with us throughout the project and kept us on budget and on schedule. We really appreciated all the due diligence they did before starting the project (for example, identifying the exact location of a decommissioned oil tank) to avoid expensive surprises mid-project.

Additional Comments

Additional Comments - We didn’t expect to enjoy any aspect of this process, and only hoped to weather the various inconveniences. To our delight, we had fun! Bryan was a pleasure to work with. He had a great sense of humor, took challenges in stride, and kept the project humming along at a steady clip. We enjoyed seeing it all come together!

MRM is committed to doing quality work. The entire team from sales to design to daily/weekly project managers was available and responsive to questions or concerns. The provided regular status and worked creatively through issues.

For complete design + build, yes.

Yes, we would recommend MRM because we feel confident that the company is capable of delivering projects with high construction quality and with strong project management skills to keep time and budget under control. We would however caution that the initial cost estimates during the design phase may underestimate the true project cost.

Model Remodel was on budget and on time. They created a beautiful, functional new living space. There were very few hiccups during the remodel and when issues arose they were very responsive to our concerns and found solutions that worked for us.