Bremen Builders

My wife and I were trying to decide whether to move out of our beloved our home and the neighborhood. Bremen Builders worked with us throughout the entire process to scope, design and build a home that allowed us to stay and grow as a family. Their team were pros and paid great attention to detail. They were environmentally minded and incorporated elements that not only improved the long term efficiencies of our home but blended well with our design. They helped us preserve elements of the home we cherished but also add new accents to the addition that made it feel like ours. We started it out with a 1948 town home and now have a fully upgraded modern home that retains its historic feel!

We wanted an outbuilding which could be used for sports-training, primarily softball (or baseball). I spoke with a number of contractors and decided that Bremen Builders had the best credentials for the job. Importantly, the contractor (Gil Amaro) had significant experience with the rules, codes, required set-backs and permitting processes in Fairfax Country. Gil also had a trusted network of professionals including an architect, site engineer, landscape designer, and landscapers. Because each of them had an established relationship with Gil, they were responsive to him and the needs and timeline of my project. The result was one-stop shopping with Gil overseeing the project and ensuring quality control at every point. From the beginning, the topography and location of our project created challenges. Our back yard slopes sharply away from the house. Essentially it is a gully, the base of which is 33 feet below the grade of our basement. The back yard already had a long retaining wall already in place, and the irregular shape of our property presented additional problems because of Fairfax County’s required set-backs from our property line. It also is heavily wooded. The challenges of the location were so daunting that a few subcontractors and suppliers declined to even work on the project. Importantly, during the design phase, Gil suggested that we consider the potential resale value in the overall design, such that the building could be re-purposed when we eventually sell. Instead of a nondescript rectangular building, Gil suggested a hybrid post and beam interior with a 14-20 foot high ceiling, abundant windows (some even custom-designed for the building’s shape) and skylights with retractable shades to bring in natural light. We provided running water, a full bath, a wet bar, electricity, and all electrical and electronic connections such that building has internet and fiber optic connections for audio and video. Importantly, the resulting building easily could be re-purposed in the future as an in-law apartment, work-out facility, art studio, garage for collectible cars, or even (incredibly), a pool and pool house. Working with Gil and the architect, the design and location on our property went through multiple designs and locations on the property until we finally settled on one that was both functional and aesthetically pleasing. But that was only the beginning. My homeowners association has specific requirements for anything built on a property within the association, and requires a modifications application that includes detailed plans and drawings. (The landscape designer was able to translate the architect’s plans into beautiful renderings.) Gil even attended the homeowner’s association committee meeting with me in order to answer any questions that might arise. We were approved. Then the work started -- permitting, site surveys, soil analysis and detailed blueprints. A construction entrance was cleverly built into our front yard so as to preserve two mature trees. Gil was knowledgeable above every step in the process and kept us informed about what was happening and what we could expect next. One thing we noticed and found comforting is that one or more of the Bremen core team was on site almost every day, as was Gil, and this ensured a very high quality standard with both his own crew and subcontractors. They checked and re-checked the work of every subcontractor. The subs did not receive final payment until the Bremen team was satisfied. They had multiple groups come back and make additional modifications until they were completely satisfied. The group that installed the exterior lighting had to come back twice to slightly modify the wood mountings for the exterior lights until they were perfect. Gil and his team paid very close attention to both the structural and aesthetics details. I quickly learned, however, that the Bremen crew needed no encouragement to do things right. They are a remarkably can-do group that cuts no corners and was committed to doing a first-class job from Day 1. Not only are they talented builders, they offered several critical design suggestions that resulted in a much better building. Plus, they are real engineers. They constantly faced challenges and figured out how to handle them. Running water, sewer, electricity and gas to the out-building far below the grade of the house; ensuring efficient drainage, moving a thousand-pound roll of artificial turf into the building; setting up the batting nets on industrial curtain track so that they could be retracted when not in use; developing specifications for a spiral staircase to save critical space, finding the right lighting, etc., etc. etc. On top of everything else, Bremen made enormous landscaping improvements. They already had the heavy equipment on-site and so Gil suggested that, at minimal additional cost, we could bring in dirt and sod and make our property more usable and accessible. It worked. In a matter of days, they transformed our fairly unsightly side yard into a beautiful, open lawn and stone walkway that we can use and enjoy. From start to finish, the Bremen team treated our project as if it was their house. Quality was the order of the day, every day. I would use them again if I ever build a new house in the area, and can recommend them for special or unusual projects as well as fine home building.

When our tenants gave notice in April that they were leaving, it was unexpected. We knew that our 1940’s duplex would need work, and we also knew that it would not be easy finding the right contractor for the job. Our search focused on contractors knowledgeable in projects like ours, older homes with small spaces. We reached out to multiple firms and received three proposals. We ultimately decided on Bremen Builders for our project. Gil was just completing an addition to a duplex in our neighborhood. He invited us to look at the project. We liked the craftsmanship and how the design took advantage of available space. Gil’s concept for our project focused on opening up the space -- combining the small kitchen, dining room, and sunroom into a single space, adding a wrap-around deck that would become an outdoor room connecting to the new kitchen and dining space, and bringing in as much natural light as possible. Gil made it a priority to complete the project as quickly as possible. Our property was upgraded with new infrastructure including gas, water, and electric. The kitchen and upstairs bath were completely renovated and a second bath added in the basement. New exterior windows replaced the 50’s style storm windows, original plumbing was re-routed, the basement and first level interior walls were completely rebuilt and fully insulated, the front entrance brick stairs were rebuilt, and there was landscaping. We received great value for the price -- it is a new house. Gil brought innovations to the project. To accommodate access to the exterior basement stairway, a portion of the wrap-around deck was hinged so that it could be opened for full access to the basement when necessary. A high-efficiency heating and air conditioning system was installed in the attic which opened up the basement for a second bath. Sensors in the basement detect water and close valves in the event of a water leak. Access to the basement is through a hidden door in the living room that looks like a bookcase. The door is lots of fun, especially at Halloween. Work was completed in early October, and the property was rented on the first day it was shown. Everyone who has walked through the finished project has been ‘wowed’ at the new look and impressed by the innovations and attention to detail. There have been many smiles, especially for the hidden door. Gil does not cut corners. His entire team treated our project like it was their project. They brought new life to an old Ballston duplex and made it special. The old house has a new look, a new personality, and a bit of an attitude. It will be around for many years to come.

I used Bremen Builders for a full first floor reconstruction, and some additional work on the second floor. From the start not only was Gil professional, he was incredibly enthusiastic and patient. I had no real idea of what I wanted, so he presented me with 4 or 5 totally different floor plans...and tweaked the one I picked to my specifications. He never shied away from explaining things to me, sometimes multiple times, and he was always available to speak with me - even on weekends and evenings when I had time to really dig in and ask questions. Once construction was under way, we found there was a leak from the 2nd floor bathroom into the kitchen - something that had probably been there for years, and would have gone undetected for a few more except we had opened up the kitchen ceiling. Together, Gil and I decided the best option was to get new plumbing while the kitchen ceiling was under construction rather than wait until the ceiling began to leak at some subsequent date...necessitating a reopening at that point. Gil discovered that there was not a return air conditioning vent in the master bedroom and suggested he could re-route some vents to increase air flow and make the 2nd floor more livable in the summer - and it has worked amazingly well. In the living room, he listened to my concerns about how cold it was, and moved the vents from ceiling to floor - so the heat can rise in the winter. Bremen's entire crew was amazing. Gil was the contractor and on site most days, but his team of builders, electricians, plumbers, drywallers, painters and even cleaners were professional, willing to work weekends (or not depending on my schedule), and each very good at their specialty. I would highly recommend Bremen Builders - each night I came home a new wonder greeted me - some days it was a crazy mess of construction, and some days it was a new counter, appliance or floor, but I always felt a sense of wonder...and I adore my new living space!

Bremen Builders was extremely professional, innovative, knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. From the very start we were provided with a step by step overview of the process and what to expect, a reasonable budget and time frame for work to be completed. They exceeded our expectations on every front! The workmanship and final product is truly amazing. I would recommend their services to friends and family without reservation and will use them again for future projects!

Wow! We love our whole house remodel, and we love working with the Bremen team! Gil designed and built a spectacular two level addition to our tiny 1940 rowhouse, plus a gut rehab on the original structure. The whole house functions as new, and is open, sunny, and beautiful in ways we had only dreamed about before Bremen put it all together for us. Gil designs to exacting standards, and the entire team is responsive, pleasant, and creative to make the most out of every day of the project and getting the best performance out of our budgeted materials. Due to the team's creativity, we now have a quiet and private half bath on a level that had no bathrooms, and we have extra features using extra building materials, such as a beautiful blue tile bar front. We were able to live in our basement for the busiest phases of the project, and the team even built a temporary shower and kitchen for us. The crew is the friendliest, and they even took great care of our two older cats!

Gil finished our basement for us, adding a beautiful bathroom and creating a media entertainment room with surround sound speakers and hidden wiring for the wall-mounted TV. In addition, he had great ideas for changing the layout of our kitchen, which was completely remodeled to great effect. In the process we upgraded the wiring, put in a new energy-efficient HVAC system and tankless water heater, and insulated the walls. We liked his work so much we hired him back to renovate our upstairs, which involved totally redoing the bathroom and adding more storage and insulation in the two bedrooms. His crew is always courteous and knowledgable and he responds immediately to even small concerns. They were sensitive to the fact that we were living in our home during the remodel. We highly recommend Bremen Builders for your home renovation.