Homeowner Reviews

“A Basement Renovation Journey — Where do I even begin? Embarking on a basement renovation in these old homes is like deciding to adopt a dragon. You’re excited, terrified, and have no idea how big it’s going to get, or what the inspectors might kick back. But, folks, let me tell you about the team who tamed our dragon and turned what could have been a fiery mess into a fairytale basement…

From the outset we knew this wasn’t your run-of-the-mill spruce-up job. We were swinging for the fences – a complete gutting, reimagining, and remastering of our dingy brick dungeon with cold floors, small showers, pointless doors, and no wall insulation – into what has now become the crown jewel of our home. During this adventure, we encountered more twists and turns than a rollercoaster. From unexpected structural serenades, and additional electrical panels to support the additional electrical draw for heated floors to the delightful dance of scope creep – it had it all!

Now, it’s important to note that every fairytale construction build has its moments of peril. With each surprise, our budget would rear it’s ugly head and keep Mark and I in a furious challenge to maintain it. Yet, every single time we hit a snag, there was our contractor, Steve, wand at the ready. Available, resolute, and unfailingly kind and professional. Even when I turned as hard as our new wooden bar top upon hearing about any cost adjustments, Steve and Mark were there, navigating us through with grace and expertise.

Their design team deserves a standing ovation. As a designer myself I know I’m a challenge. Jessica and Claudio are true artists who transformed our vague “wouldn’t it be cool if we added a Harry Potter room under the stairs…” musings into concrete reality, creating a space of form, function, and elegance that we absolutely adore and couldn’t have done without their inspiration. It’s as if they waltzed into our dreams and made themselves at home.

To anyone standing on the precipice of their own renovation journey, fret not. Yes, there will be adjustments, evolutions and changes. Yes, your budget might give you the side-eye. But with a team like Schroeder, you’re in the hands of professionals who can pivot like ballet dancers, no matter the challenge.

In the end, we didn’t just renovate a basement; we embarked on an epic tale of transformation, with every twist and turn navigated with expert care. Our basement is a testament to the magic that happens when you mix creativity, professionalism, and manage true expectations.

So here’s to the team – thank you for not only giving us a basement beyond our wildest dreams but for making the journey there an adventure in itself. Five stars! #BasementBonanza #RenovationOdyssey”

“Schroeder Design Build built a second story addition for us (a “pop top”). This included removing the roof and building a new third story (we call it the penthouse), which included a bedroom with a walk-in closet and full bathroom, den/office, and a new stairway from the second floor. They did an excellent job, and I would definitely recommend using them.”

“We recently had Schroeder replace our old sun porch with a 4-season room, and overall we are very pleased with both the process and the end result.

During the design phase, the architect, Jessica, was incredibly helpful and responsive to our questions and concerns. We also threw in a curveball only a couple of weeks before the planned start date when we asked them if they could add a basement room underneath the new room; the original plan had been to have just a crawl space. They rolled with it and amended the plans and permits in record time.

When we had trouble coming up with how we wanted to use the new room, we met with Jessica again and she had a great suggestion that we ended up going with: make it our living room rather than a home office as we’d planned, and turn our existing living room into an office, with a wall and door added to create an entryway separating it from the front door.

Despite all the last-minute changes, they started on schedule and completed the bulk of the work in about 3 months, including several unrelated add-ons we requested. There were some challenges along the way; for example, when they removed a set of sliding glass doors, the wall above them dropped a half-inch because the doors turned out to be load-bearing. But the end result is everything we hoped for and more.

During the actual building process, the project manager came to our house often to check on progress, answer questions, etc. Towards the end, the company promptly addressed any issues we had. We are very happy with the work overall. The new living room and home office look amazing, and we now have an extra basement room.

No company is perfect, however, so there were a few negatives. For instance, we had a minor flooding issue in the basement due to a hole made during the digging, and there was a painter who seemed to show up only when they felt like it. And we had some confusion over the financial side when we couldn’t make a draw on our HELOC immediately due to the invoice being issued during the holidays when it was impossible to schedule the required inspection, and the Schroeder folks kept on calling us about it despite our telling them there wasn’t much we could do to force the bank to release the funds given the timing.

However, all of these issues were resolved, nothing was damaged by the water that got into the basement, and the project was completed on schedule. We tend to judge a company not on whether there are problems (because that’s almost inevitable, especially with a large renovation project), but on how they handle such issues when they arise. Schroeder was responsive to our questions and concerns, and we would absolutely work with them again; in fact, we plan to hire them when we get to the next update we want to do in our home, probably in another couple of years.”

“Creative, talented, hardworking, and super efficient. I highly recommend this company for your home improvement.”

I also appreciated your patience with us as we struggled with what we really wanted especially given the differences in opinion by the various committee members. And the pandemic occurring during the early phases of design did not make it any easier as well. But you handled it all very professionally and graciously which made my life a bit easier.”

“Extremely professional, great communication and follow up! Basically a one stop shop for everything from drawing up the plans, getting the necessary permits, construction and interior design. Extremely professional and respectful, especially since we were living in the home during the 4 months of construction with kids and two dogs!”

“The design team is knowledgeable and willing to work within budget. The project site manager was very good at attention to detail. Tradesmen did great work, especially the tile installer. The only problem I dealt with was lack of clean-up. Since it was an older home there were issues that contributed to a messy situation. Overall the home remodel looks great.”

“We used Schroeder Design/Build for a whole home renovation and addition to our 60-year-old home. From our initial inquiry to a couple of follow-up items years after the project was complete, Schroeder’s responsiveness and attention to detail has continued to impress us. Their team was communicative throughout the entire process; our project was completed on time and within budget. They truly listened to our family’s needs and wants, resulting in a home we now love to live in.”

“My wife and I purchased a 5,000+ sf single-story luxury home that we wanted to convert into a premier residential assisted living facility for seniors living with dementia. To give proper care, we needed to convert the home from a 5 bed/4 bath into an 8 bed/9 bath so that each of the eight residents could have their own private bedroom and bathroom. We also wanted to include specific design elements to make the home bespoke for memory care, such as Dutch doors for all bedrooms, ADA-style bathrooms with roll-in showers and grab bars, widened doorways, and paint schemes to help with wayfinding and toileting. Needless to say, this was not the typical renovation project so we needed to find a good partner who was willing to think outside the box and really take the time to educate themselves on evidence-based design for dementia and then competently execute the work. We interviewed four different contractors but felt that none of them had the resources, experience, or flexibility of Schroeder. We are VERY happy with the Schroeder team all the way from the initial design phase up through production. Architect Chris and Designer Nina went above and beyond in answering our questions and exploring alternate solutions for the challenges encountered during the project. Production manager Selema was very responsive and professional during a construction phase beset with supply chain and labor shortages during Covid. The home turned out beautifully and we constantly get compliments from the residents and their families how happy they are to be living in a gorgeous real home instead of some large big-box facility. Should we be fortunate enough to expand to a second location in a few years, I would not hesitate to work with Andrew and his team again.”

“Four years ago, we used Schroeder Design & Build to replace our front patio and add an oversized 3rd car garage underneath it. The added space is phenomenal, we can park a car and still have rows of storage shelves, 3’ deep and 10’ feet high. We also love hearing how the addition looks like it was always part of the original home. They designed and executed it with that goal. That added significant value to our home, well done!

Once you work with them you are part of their family. Four years later and they still check in with us to ensure complete satisfaction. Thank you, Mark!”

“My church used Schroeder Design/Build to totally renovate the kitchen and to replace windows in the Sanctuary including several clerestory windows approximately 30 feet in the air. They were great to work with, starting from our initial meeting through the design phase, getting county approval, and then the execution phase.

When the Sanctuary windows were being replaced, their workers always left the Sanctuary in pristine condition for worship services. The kitchen renovation occurred during the pandemic, which made it more difficult, but the end result is awesome. Their designer listened to all our needs and concerns and delivered a great design. Their project manager was great to work with and always available, whether by text, email or phone.

Now that it is completed, congregation members are thrilled to have a new kitchen and impressed at the quality of work.”

They were very conscious of our project concerns and did a great job of mitigating them. The work crew was professional throughout and made sure to keep the place clean at the end of the day. The project was done quickly but correctly, which was appreciated.”

We have been working with Mark since shortly after our devastating whole house fire in November of 2018. He has consistently provided us with thorough, complete and accurate information and service. He has been extremely responsive throughout the ups and downs of our relationship with the insurance company when there were issues to be resolved. Despite the multiple issues, Mark and his team kept everything running smoothly to the best of their ability.

We also found him to be kind and empathetic, which we especially appreciated during the emotional times following our devastating fire. He is an excellent representative of your company to the outside world. With many thanks.”

“Schroeder just completed our master bath remodel. This was an unusual design challenge, and required some “out of the box” thinking. We are really pleased with the results. They provided multiple design options, an accurate estimate, started on time and finished on schedule despite some challenges along the way.

The crew was considerate and respectful of our property and cleaned up every day. Trash was removed from the jobsite frequently.

This was our second Schroeder project, and we were completely comfortable and confident in returning to them with this project because our first project had also presented unusual challenges. Great family business.”

“Schroeder Design/Build updated my daughter’s bedroom. They were prompt and professional throughout the entire process. Selema was always there to answer any questions and so helpful. I would definitely recommend them to anyone!”

“We have been working with Jessica Criqui since Schroeder Design/Build contracted to rebuild our home. She consistently provided us with wonderful design suggestions and over-the-top service.

She has been a joy to work with, while at the same time, being extremely professional. We believe exemplary service such as hers should be recognized.”

“Schroeder’s pricing is competitive. Their customer service was excellent. Their crews were hard working and timely. Of special mention, our designer reworked the drawings on our kitchen space 2-3 times over the Christmas holidays. The result was phenomenal. We don’t receive a guest that doesn’t like our new kitchen/sunroom.

Our lead carpenter was an ‘old school’ artisan–extremely precise and took great pride in his team’s work. He held people accountable and wasn’t afraid to call a subcontractor back to fix a shoddy job… before we ever noticed. He also tossed a guy off the premises because he smelled of alcohol. A true throwback to my father’s generation of tradesmen. Our project manager did his best to resolve all concerns to our satisfaction.

My wife and I are considering a 400,000 to 500,000 addition to the home. We will absolutely go to Schroeder before we consider anyone else for the job.”

“We had the best experience with Schroeder from the first meeting to the final walk through. We redesigned living/dining/kitchen into a large open concept. The design team was wonderful, knowledgeable, and helped us pick the best options for us. The GC was friendly and always had a smile. Whenever we had a question he got us the answer. When there was an issue he fixed it. The trades people were also great, the painters, electrician, and flooring people were especially exceptional. Everyone that walked through our door was friendly, knew their trade, and did a wonderful job.

I highly recommend Schroeder Design/Build to my friends and family. When it comes time for phase two we will without a doubt be going with Schroeder!”

“Our project came in a little over the initial budget, but it was ahead of schedule and they did a nice job keeping us up to date on what drives costs and options to keep them down. It took a little wrangling to get a few last things taken care of, but overall they did a great job and we would consider Schroeder again for a big project.”

“Six years after buying our home we loved our location, but our house no longer worked for our family. After looking to move and being disappointed, we began interviewing design/build firms. From the start, Schroeder was the most responsive and most willing to address to our questions and concerns. Having only ever remodeled a bath, we were nervous to complete a whole home renovation. Our project included adding on to 3 of the 4 levels of our home, rearranging the layout, adding a master suite, remodeling a bath, creating an open concept main level and designing a new kitchen, new doors/windows and a deck.

Schroeder’s online communication system was key to keeping everyone in the loop and making the entire process run smoothly. The design team was a tremendous resource. They truly listened to our wants/needs and helped us navigate endless options with such ease. We were informed every step of the way during construction and our project was completed within the estimated time frame. Six months later we love our home more than we ever imagined. We have received endless compliments from everyone who has entered our home and would highly recommend Schroeder.”

“The carpenter at our site was a master in so many ways. He was organized and efficient at our weekly meetings. He always had a list of items that needed to be discussed and was clear about the deadlines for these decisions. He communicated well throughout the week if there were issues that came up between our weekly meetings. He was patient with us when we were working through a problem.

Our architect was also invaluable. She guided us and gave us advice and suggestions when we didn’t have the knowledge to make an informed decision.”

“Andrew Schroeder is amazing. From the start to the end of the project, I knew I could depend on his expertise, judgment, and commitment. When a few things did go wrong, he quickly made them right. I really can’t say enough good things about him.”

“Schroeder’s customer service was very responsive to all my concerns. They always took care of my issues. Overall, we are happy we went with them, particularly with Stephanie and Cory. We will use them again in the future.”

“Design and quality are very high; Dan was a fabulous PM and lead carpenter. Besides the design, he’s the reason this is a successful project.”

“Schroeder provided good guidance in keeping within budget. Also the organization of the online tool was helpful. Working with Fonda and Rita for selections was great.”

“My husband and I bought a house in Northern Virginia in the spring of 2015. A year later we decided to add a new addition to the existing structure. We contacted several design-build firms including Schroeder Design, and decided to go with Schroeder due to several factors including budget estimate and prompt response time. This was our first major renovation project, and they addressed the many questions and concerns we had about the process before we contracted them to do the work.

During every phase of the project, from planning, design and material selection, to demolition, construction, and cleanup, we were informed and kept up-to-date on what was happening to the house. We were also impressed with Schroeder’s website as a communication and project management platform. As clients we could easily see where we were in the project schedule, upcoming project milestones, selections made, the project budget and our communication history with Schroeder.

Schroeder impressed us with their professionalism from beginning to end. Of course, the end product is the most important part, and we have enjoyed our new addition immensely. We couldn’t be happier with the results and would recommend Schroeder for house renovations.”

“Schroeder Design/Build is an honest, trustworthy, hard working family business. They were easy and accommodating when making scope changes along the way. Not the cheapest, but we would not hesitate to recommend to others. Don’t forget, you often get what you pay for!”

“I was pleased with the communication and weekly meetings and communication throughout the week. Schroeder Design/Build kept me well informed of what was going on. They were professional & organized–I’d give them a 3 and a half (out of 4). Some small details were missed. But for the most part they did a good job.”

“I so enjoyed everyone who worked on this project. Smiles, laughs and such a reassured feeling. Schroeder is a great and very professional company. Their vision was amazing! I am so pleased and sitting at my beautiful granite countertop breakfast bar watching the snow coming down! Thank you to everyone!!

Areas for improvement: NONE!“

“I was very pleased with the design and ideas that Andrew and Fonda came up with for our basement. We loved the hockey net, the angled door into the laundry room and we love, love, love the paint choices Fonda came up with. We liked the online [communication] system, where we had the ability to ask questions and get answers, and also see invoices and payments applied.”

“Couldn’t be more satisfied with the final product–and the experience. I thought I would feel very out of sorts losing all of our showers except the basement… and the master closets for three months but since things moved along daily and the progress was clear and the site was clean, it never got unbearable. Just exciting and worth the short-term sacrifices. We chose the right partner for this project!

Schroeder’s communication process was excellent–the lead communicated with me daily and Schroeder’s project staff came in for a weekly meeting. I got a lot of support for the selection process and I was impressed with the vendors they guided us to for products–especially Mosaic Tile. The lead on the project couldn’t have been more professional and knowledgeable. I felt very comfortable having him in our home and working on our house. He was conscientious and talented and made the job run smoothly. I felt like it was quality work. He came at the same time and left at the same time daily and always left work areas clean and neat. I also loved the design process; Mike and Andrew worked well together and Mike was very thoughtful in coming up with the perfect plan to meet our needs.”

“Schroeder is surprisingly sensitive about making sure the customer will be satisfied with the final results. Due to a communication problem, I was disappointed with the trim work being installed with the new exterior vinyl siding to my house. Expecting to be pressured to accept the work already done, I was pleasantly surprised when Schroeder agreed to take down the newly-installed siding and perform the work that I wanted. I was very impressed with their willingness to redo the work and, as a result, I was most pleased with the final results. I do not believe other contractors would have done this.

Hands down, I would recommend Schroeder Design/Build to anyone looking for a home contractor.”

“I was most satisfied with the people that worked with us. I like them.”

“We love our new kitchen and open concept living, dining and home entry areas. Schroeder did a great job!”

“Schroeder Design/Build’s integrity and the degree to which they personally invest and care about each project they do are invaluable. They stand behind their work and are always quick to respond to questions and/or concerns. I have used them for 5 projects and plan to use them again.

I’d say that everyone should use Schroeder Design, but then they would never have time for me! I am too selfish.

Area For improvement: None! They always exceed my expectations.”

“Tom was an exceptionally talented and knowledgeable worker who gave us a lot of great advice and ideas. Don was a conscientious, meticulous, and honest project manager with whom we could always discuss openly issues and questions. Communicating and planning the project from overseas before we transferred back home was unexpectedly easy, productive, and effective via the website.

Schroeder Design/Build realized our dream house while capturing our expectations and staying within budget. Special thanks to Shrutee! Even our visitors comment on the quality of the workmanship.”

“Patience and flexibility in the design phase (Fonda), then minimal disruption to our daily lives at home during the remodeling project (Keith).”

“Looks beautiful!”

“We enjoyed the follow up from Don and Andrew. When concerns were raised, they were right on it. Quality was very good overall, we had confidence that if there were problems, they would be handled, and they were. Don and Andrew are good, quality people. Keith was excellent as well. When adaptations were needed in the build out to the design, they were handled very well. Overall intelligence was appreciated.”

“With a dog and a one-year-old daughter, it was imperative that our project (occupying a main passage way in our home) was clean and safe. Dave exceeded our expectations on a daily basis with how clean and organized our space was.

The entire Schroeder team was easy to work with and exuded professionalism. They made us feel comfortable through each stage of the process. We could not be more pleased with the outcome of our project. They helped us find the highest quality products within our budget and brought top of the line subcontractors into our home. We were impressed with how knowledgeable each member of our team was, and how willing they were to make small changes to the plans if it meant more convenience for our family.”

“We enjoyed the quality of craftsmanship, regular contact, particularly with our lead carpenter (David), who was excellent, and the company’s responsiveness.”

“Schroeder Design/Build is a great company with pleasant employees. We enjoyed working with everyone. In particular, the lead carpenter, David, was very efficient, responsive and cooperative–all of which led to complete job satisfaction.“

“I was very satisfied with working with the Schroeder team. They were great.”