E.L. Design Center

It would be a mistake to hire this company. El Design sub-contracts the work to others. El Design has no control over its contractors because they are independent. We were promised to have work in our bathroom completed within an agreed period; their sub-contractors didn't even show the first day they were to begin the project. Some days they would be at our home for only a couple of hours and other days not even turn up. When we call the El Design Project Manager he would just say they were supposed to be there, you need to call the owner. The owner was unreachable most of the time due to being away weeks at a time on vacations. Job was months off schedule. Major problems when job was completed, had to bring in another general contractor, plumber and electrician to fix issues El Design failed to respond to. The sub-contractors left a huge mess in our crawl space with torn insulation and materials and dirt left behind. We had to argue with the sub-contractors because our electrical in our garage stopped working, they insisted that it was coincidence and that they had nothing to do with it. After about 4 weeks and our constant complaining, we finally got our lights back; however, we don’t feel safe and need to bring in an electrician to look at all the wiring because now the lights in the bathroom are flashing. This is an on-going nightmare.

Let me just say, my experience with this establishment was less than satisfactory. They promised my (one and only) full bathroom would be finished in 2 weeks. Needless to say, it took 6+ weeks... and it now it is 2 months later, and the grout is cracking in various places, the spa tub is not working properly and there are clumps of grout all over the bathroom. Most days they had 1 man on the job, and would show up late and leave early (some days starting at 11 and leaving at 2) even though they knew it was urgent to have the project finished as quickly as possible since I did not have a shower in the house!!! They were completely inconsiderate and although I think the owner is a nice guy, the sub contractors he hires leave something to be desired (one of them actually urinated on the floor in my basement). The other unbelievable thing is that the contractor that they used to create the glass doors for my shower INSTALLED THE DOOR BACKWARDS. Creating holes on the wrong side of the marble surround! Now, I am left with the holes, which the owner filled in, but there are still holes which are discolored.

Note from March: I had to call Kohler myself to have the tub looked at. The motor had to be replaced. No help at all from El Design.

Its now April. The job was completed 3 months ago. I went away this weekend for the holiday and came home on Sunday to find water stains on the tile on the floor, and a flood in my basement. Even though I called on Sunday (well, it was Easter...) to alert the owner, no one returned my called. My ceiling was caving in the basement and I had to call my own plumber the next morning. A cold water pipe that was not soldered properly started leaking behind the tile in the half wall perpendicular to the tub. Now I have a hold in my bathroom, a hole in my basement ceiling and no response from the owner, except to send his "contractor" over yesterday. The contractor looked at the job AND RAN OUT OF THE HOUSE before I could even ask a question.

This operation is shoddy. Sure, they will be super happy to provide you with a quote, but wait until you see the quality of work and follow-thru, you will be sorely disappointed.