Indianapolis Remodeling Contractor References, Recommendations, Client Referrals

Almost five years ago we moved from St. Louis to Indianapolis to be closer to family. Due to a number of circumstances, we made a very hasty decision and purchased a home that in retrospect was not in good condition or particularly attractive. Four and half years later we can now say our home is exceptionally beautiful and we owe it all to Chris, his WrightWorks team, and his partnership with designer Matt Harris.

We met Chris through a friend of a friend of our daughter. He initially came to provide us with an estimate to construct two bookcases on either side of an unattractive fireplace, build a deck, and reface our kitchen cabinets. We laugh with Chris about it now, but years later those are really the only projects he hasn’t done for us. Basically, ¾ of the house was gutted. Chris remodeled our kitchen and great room, created a mud room, built a suspended library, an entryway, a glass staircase, remodeled the third level, installed a beautiful large round window, gutted and constructed four amazing bathrooms including two master baths, and created a master suite from a cramped 5 room in-law apartment--which now features a wall of windows and sliding doors overlooking a newly landscaped courtyard. Everything that can be done in a remodel Chris and his team accomplished—including all new interior woodwork, doors and hardware. They then turned to the outside of the house which previously looked like a series of white boxes with little to no curb appeal. It is now a beautiful home with dark grey brick, all new cedar trim, cedar shakes and a fabulous custom cedar pergola across the entire front walkway of the house leading up to the entrance.

During the course of the renovations, Chris encountered numerous structural problems with our house, including a bathroom floor that needed to be jacked up, an attic with a sinking floor, rotted exterior window trim, a roof that resembled Swiss cheese and the resultant water and mold damage that occurred--and the list goes on. Chris was incredibly patient and thorough in explaining things to us every step of the way. There were many days that my homesickness (my husband Tom is from Indiana) and sense that the problems would never end got the best of me, but Chris and his team were always there to assure me that there was light at the end of tunnel.

And was there ever!! Our home is now incredible and has exceeded our wildest expectations of how it would turn out. The quality and integrity of the design, materials and craftsmanship is exemplary. Chris and his team’s integrity, honesty and professionalism are above reproach. Chris’ passion for what he does and his drive for perfection is evident in every corner, joint, grout line, tile cut and tile placement. If it wasn’t exactly right he would pursue it until it met his very high standard of excellence. His punch list was always far longer than ours ever was.

One of the comments visitors frequently make about our home is the evidence “that it is extremely well thought out” down to every little detail. This is due to Chris’ and Matt’s clear vision over the four year renovation which by the way was not initially designed as a whole but in phases as we moved from space to space. “Well thought out” is only one of the comments – others are “beautiful", "amazing", "fabulous", "the most stunning home we’ve seen.”

Without reservation we recommend Chris to anyone considering a remodeling project large or small. His integrity, honesty, passion, craftsmanship, sense of design, and professionalism are unequaled in this business and quite frankly in any business with whom we have been involved. The same standards are evident in his team as well. He and his team members are a delight to work with and the outcome for us has been nothing short of phenomenal.

Tom and Diane Pomeranz

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Three years ago we moved our family to Meridian Kessler. We bought an 80 year old duplex with a long rental history and few improvements. Chris and his guys turned our old double into a wonderful single family home.

To start, Chris worked with us to determine a general renovation strategy to join the two halves of the house, build an entirely new kitchen including a small addition, renovate a bath, create a mudroom, and upgrade the plumbing and electrical. He spent a lot of time helping us arrive at a design and materials we would be happy with. It was clear from the beginning he has a lot of experience with a variety of home styles and neighborhoods and a good “eye” for design. He helped us come up with a great functional floor plan, figured out all the utilities and lighting needs, and suggested practical and pretty things like cutting backsplash tiles to match our flooring slate. We found his recommendations to be attractive, durable and appropriate to the style of house.

Once they started, we found their work to be of impeccable quality–even down to the smallest detail. The kitchen was difficult because a new portion of the house had to be melded into an older portion that had settled over the years and was not level. Today, the transition is seamless due to the extra care they took in joining the two spaces together. You can see the same level of care in everything they did for us--our kitchen counter is so level that marbles do not roll, the exterior siding on the addition is even and ties in with the original portion of the house despite the original’s unevenness, all trim work is perfect, tile and slate are even, and the job generally demonstrates all the qualities of a having been built by careful craftsmen.

Our new kitchen is stunningly beautiful and fits perfectly into the look of an older home. The word “stunning” has actually been used by several visitors. It’s also a great place to cook. We do a lot of cooking and our energetic little boys do as well, but it still looks and functions like new. We love it.

Even the electrical and plumbing updates they did in the basement are noticeably tidy and organized. Karl (homeowner & water engineer) actually takes friends to the basement to show off our pipes. Chris used an innovative modern piping system to re-plumb pretty much the whole house. This not only saved money but also got new pipes upstairs with minimal destruction. We have great water pressure, orderly pipe routing, and no more leaks.

Because we lived in the house while it was being renovated, we also appreciated how Chris runs things and the small group of his own guys who do most of the work. Not only does he hire people who do good work, but they are also good people. They were the quality of people we would normally have in our home, so the renovation was much more enjoyable than it could have been. Living in a construction zone is never easy, but they kept things as low-key as possible and were very pleasant to have around. Chris is great and his guys were polite, friendly, and great around our kids and pets.

Besides the quality of his work, his sense of appropriate design, and the high quality of his workers, what we most appreciate about Chris is his honesty. Part of the beauty of working with him is you can trust him to give you a straight answer. If he doesn’t want to do something (like fixing our hail damaged roof) he’ll recommend someone else who does good work. If he says he’ll do something, he’ll get it done correctly and for the quoted price. Because of our busy schedules, we gave him a lot of freedom to pretty much do what our house needed and then bill us for it. This made the whole process very convenient and he definitely proved to be worthy of our trust. As we talk to other homeowners and learn more about renovations, it becomes clear that he did what should have been done and charged us very fairly. We love working with him.

Chris turned our run down house into a wonderful home and even made the renovation experience kind of fun. We highly recommend him.

Karl & Anna Tanner

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WrightWorks' value was clearly demonstrated to us in the speed and comfort level we experienced--from that first call for a consult to the sight of our perfectly finished project, we always felt we were in good hands.

I greatly appreciated Chris' strong knowledge and expertise in working on houses, old & new, and his keen sensitivity to style and "feel." The result was a clear vision, followed-up by efficient execution. He and his employees were exceptionally professional and courteous and we found his prices very reasonable.

Chris is dedicated, trustworthy, honest, excellent.

We are very pleased!

Patricia R Handfield

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My wife and I wanted to remodel our 1930’s Meridian Kessler garage and make it a place, not only to park cars, but a space that was much more functional for storage. We also wanted the space to be a smart, bright and clean place for simple Saturday afternoon “tinkering.”

Chris had come highly recommended by a realtor friend of mine and I had seen his work first hand at a local “Home Show.” The kitchen remodel of his I had seen at the Decorators' Showhouse was truly outstanding. The design and execution were excellent.

On my project, Chris and his crew began installing an attic with a drop-down ladder. I was very impressed with the soundness of the structure. It was strong and looked great. They also completely re-wired the garage, adding lights and outlets. They installed insulation, gladiator board, and drywall. All this work was done on time, within budget, and looked great!

Because their work looked so good, we ended up adding heat, new windows, and doors. In all these additions, Chris and the crew met every expectation and usually exceeded them. They pay attention to the details.

We really love our space and I don’t mind the compliments that I get on it!

I would not hesitate to use Chris again and I always refer him when I have the chance.

Ron & Johna Cripe

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I have worked with Chris for the past several years both in my previous home, and while renovating my current home--built in 1939. Chris has done a wonderful job on several projects, including framing, electrical, plumbing, tile work and finish carpentry. He has an exceptional eye for detail, completes projects in a timely manner, and is both conscientious and professional.

As I am in residential real estate, I have also been able to see his attention to detail on numerous other projects--everything from the smallest half bath to large, whole house remodels. I have recommended him to many of my clients, all of whom have been pleased with his work. I would highly recommend Chris, regardless of the scope of project you may be considering.

Mike Johnson

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We were delighted to work with Chris and the entire WrightWorks team during our kitchen remodeling project. They were unfailingly professional, pleasant to deal with, and willing to listen carefully to our requests. No detail was too small for Chris and his crew to handle promptly. At the end of every day, the workspace was left clean and tidy, so that disruptions were kept to a minimum. Most importantly, the entire firm maintained the highest quality standards, in terms of materials, finish, and workmanship.

Nora and Tom Hiatt

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Chris Wright finished the basement in our new home. The work consisted of everything from custom cabinets for our theater and bar, all of the plumbing, electrical, drywall, lighting, and more. His commitment to quality was evident at every step of the project. Most important to our family was his trustworthiness and friendliness given he was in our home for multiple months. We are looking forward to working with him again on future projects.

Mark and Stacey Patton

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Chris Wright remodeled our kitchen in June 2000. I am still in love with it! Chris was able to mix the 'flavor' of a 1920's home (Meridian Kessler) with updated technology. In effect, a real blend of style and craftsmanship. But beyond that, Chris made sure that he was on the job each and everyday. He was neat and cleaned up (as much as possible) each night. We are planning on doing more work to our home and Chris will definitely be in charge!

Marinelle & Reese Morgan

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Chris Wright and the WrightWorks team completed a master bedroom and master bath addition to our house and also remodeled some existing space, including a new kitchenette and an expanded laundry room. My wife and I are extremely pleased with the dedication of the employees and the high quality of work we received for the price we paid.

At the beginning of the project, Chris was very helpful in suggesting creative ideas, both functional and aesthetic, for the original plan--things like lighted crown molding, accent lights. heated slate flooring in the master bath and instant hot water for the shower. We also wanted some extra items such as automatic crawl space vents for the entire house, increased insulation, a built in media wall in the bedroom, a double outside wall in our walk in shower and others. He was more than willing to accommodate us in our requests during all phases of the project and even repainted our master bedroom with another color when we felt our original selection was too dark. After hearing so many horror stories from friends about remodeling we couldn't believe how easy Chris was to work with. He and his crew cleaned up every evening and even scheduled the timing and order of work to inconvenience us as little as possible in our daily routines. His crew's woodworking skills were excellent with our built in cabinetry and outdoor deck. Furthermore, we have two inside pets that we were very worried about but Chris and his employees were very watchful of them. Overall, we felt completely safe and secure having the WrightWorks team in our home during the project.

In conclusion, we would definitely recommend Chris and WrightWorks to others. We greatly appreciated his attentiveness and attention to detail, his creativity, and how easy he was to work with. While most people have a long punch list of things that need fixing at the end of a project, we had it easy since everything had been done to our satisfaction as we progressed. It is a year later and we are still extremely pleased with the quality of his work.

Sincerely,

Bud and Mary Sauter

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It’s now been a few months since Chris and the WrightWorks crew finished work on my bathroom remodel and every time I’m in there, I still marvel at it. It’s hard to get myself out of the shower in the morning!

The new bathroom and closets are a perfect fit for me, the loft space, and the building (Lockerbie Glove Factory). I’ll admit I was a bit nervous at first about working with a designer and contractor – afraid I might end up with something that didn’t feel like me. But working with Chris and Matt Harris, the designer, was remarkably easy, pleasant and stress free. Matt came up with a design that was stunning and functional and both Matt and Chris were extremely helpful in picking out the materials and fixtures that suited my tastes and fit within my budget. Because of my budget, I was doing some of the work myself (painting and carpet installation), and Chris was always extremely helpful in offering his advice.

There were days of living with construction dust that I wondered what I’d gotten myself into, but Chris and his crew did everything possible to minimize the impact and disruption of my life. Since I often work out of my home, I especially appreciated that they were considerate in working with my schedule. And since any major remodel means taking in part-time roommates, I was thankful that Chris and his crew were amiable company to have around! In addition, they were especially careful and considerate about the public areas in my building--always cleaning up any debris from the hallways and elevators, etc. My superintendent commented several times that Chris and his crew were low impact compared to other contractors who had worked in the building.

Finally, and most importantly, Chris is not only an amazing craftsman, but a perfectionist as well--making sure his work and that of his crew meets his very high standards. I wouldn’t hesitate for a moment before hiring them again.

Sincerely,

Rachel Wheeler

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My name is Mary Copeland. I am a realtor, homeowner, and owner of a small daycare business. As a business owner and realtor, I have encountered many contractors. Of the contractors I have worked with, there is only one that I would recommend to family and friends. That contractor is Chris Wright.

I met Chris through a mutual friend just over 5 years ago. He came to my home and estimated a job that was the result of a flooded basement in my own personal home. Chris made sure he understood what my needs were prior to drawing up an estimate. He gave me a time frame for the work to be finished, which is what all contractors do, but the thing that impressed me was that he actually was finished when he said he would be!

Over the past five years, we have had several jobs completed by Chris and his crew. The quality of workmanship and attention to detail is second to none. While they were working at my home, they were professional but very friendly, always courteous to my family and considerate about cleaning up each and every day before leaving.

The ceramic tile job that was completed in my kitchen, bath, entry and laundry area was absolutely beautiful! There were several people that asked me the name of my contractor that completed the job.

On Labor Day of last year, we had terrible flooding at my daycare. (as did everybody that has a basement in the Indy area on that particular day! ) Chris came from the south side of town to my north side daycare in a matter of 25 minutes. He stayed all day helping us to keep the pumps working and to help in drying things out. This is something that is definitely not in his job description! He saved me possibly thousands of dollars in damage to my property because he kept the pumps going and kept much of the water from coming in. Needless to say, we hired Chris to help with the repairs of that incident. He did a wonderful job repairing the drywall and trim and touch up.

Last but not least, when I was ready to purchase a farm on the south side of town, Chris came out to look it over for me. He advised me not to go through with the deal. The house was in poor repair, which was evident. What wasn’t evident was the fact that the basement area had signs of long term termite damage. So much damage that the foundation was terribly deteriorated. He advised me that the cost would far exceed the amount I would want to spend. I was terribly disappointed; however, I trust Chris’ opinion so much that I did not go through with the purchase. He turned down a job that would have been lucrative for him in order to protect me from spending too much money. It is wonderful to have someone like that work for you. His honesty and ethical practices, the quality of workmanship and attention to detail make me want to recommend him to everyone that asks me for a quality contractor.

Chris Wright will do a great job for you. He won’t be satisfied with any job unless it meets his very high standards.

Mary Copeland

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Recording a testimonial for Chris Wright is just about the easiest assignment I’ve been given in a while.

First Impressions

My wife and I purchased an older home in the Butler Tarkington neighborhood that was screaming for a remodel. The designer we used recommended Chris to us. Being first time homeowners, we were a little over the top on covering all our bases. We met with Chris, as well as 3 other contractors. Chris came in right in the middle of the pack price-wise. However, Chris went the extra mile of taking us to see some of his previous projects. That, coupled with the fact that our personalities meshed with his much more than the others made our decision very easy. He was professional, yet laid back, and exhibited a confidence in making the project the best it could be.

Pros and Cons

The project consisted of a complete remodel of the kitchen, two baths, installation of slate flooring, new front door, plus miscellaneous electrical, drywall, and structural repairs.

The major downside of the process was just the disruption of everyday life, since we opted to remain in the house for the duration of the project. Once you get used to the shock of living in a construction zone with no kitchen and a makeshift bathroom in the basement you sort of feel like you’re on a never-ending camping trip. Chris and his guys made the whole situation as palatable as it possibly could have been. They were extremely courteous during the many days that I was working out of the house, to the extent that I probably got on their nerves more than they did mine.

The only other con is just the extension of time that was incurred from finding structural and electrical damage after the walls were torn out. It never even crossed my mind to question Chris’ appraisal of damage and the extra work that needed to be done. He extensively explained what was wrong and was quick to give options when unforeseen things happened, as they always do.

Suffice it to say, the many pros far outweighed the cons. The most obvious benefit can be seen anytime you walk into one of Chris’ projects. His skill and craftsmanship are impeccable. The attention to detail he has is unbelievable. I witnessed countless times that corners could have been cut and they never were. We felt we got way more than our money’s worth on the project.

Trust becomes a huge issue when you, in a sense, begin “living” with strangers for a big chunk of time. Early on I realized I could trust Chris implicitly with virtually anything. That holds true for Stropes, Jonny, and Jason as well.

Even though we were working with a very talented designer/architect (Matt Harris), Chris was also invaluable with his input of supplemental ideas and optional ways to get to the same finished product. His access to different and higher grade materials was also a huge benefit.

Lasting Impression

Chris’ commitment to quality doesn’t stop when the project is complete. He stands behind his work and has come back more than a few times for minor adjustments and even making repairs that most contractors would probably not even return calls about.

Further evidence are the times when I try to undertake a small project on my own and I end up calling him to “use his brain” again. Secretly, I think he’s just afraid I’m going to burn down his handiwork. Seriously, my respect for Chris is huge. Whenever we decide to do another project, there’s absolutely no question who to call. Having the opportunity to forge a relationship with someone like Chris goes beyond just getting a nice set of cabinets installed. In all the books and articles we read, they always say, “He’s your contractor, not your friend”. I guess we have to respectfully disagree with that.

We would gladly be available to answer any questions or concerns that potential clients may have.

Bryan & Jane Gentry

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