KBR Design and Build

KBR is an excellent firm, and I'm confident no other firm in the city could have done a better job with our kitchen. Our project was supposed to be a small kitchen remodel, along with a hardwood floor refinish and painting the walls throughout the apartment.

Working with Petar, the project manager, and Ally, the designer, was very easy and fruitful. Petar was reliably knowledgeable about the project and I am confident he did the best he could to provide accurate, honest advice about issues when they came up. He earned my trust by consistently advocating on my behalf when the less-than-reliable subcontractors needed cajoling. He is helpful and takes pride in doing good work. Ally has a great eye for detail, a really heartening can-do attitude, and a hilarious amount of enthusiasm. She really knows design, and our apartment is significantly more beautiful because we listened to her input. KBR in general was great at communicating and has a good system for invoicing and change orders. They're a steady, reasonable, and generally fine firm.

All in all, KBR is a solid, reliable firm. I am confident any issues we had with them would have been issues with most other firms. Ally and Petar definitely made an impression on my wife and I, and we would be happy to work with them in the future. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Working with Ji Sun Park was a pleasure. She helped me with critical decision making and her follow up was amazing. She kept on top of the project at all times.

Reviewed on Houzz

This was a true transformation! My kitchen not only looks fantastic but the design has made the entire apartment more functional/livable. My real estate agent has told me it has increase my home value significantly. More importantly, it makes me happy. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Our renovation consisted of many things: 1. turning our 2 bedroom apartment into a 3 bedroom apartment. 2 Complete gut renovation of one of the bathrooms. 3 Removing some walls around the kitchen and elsewhere. 4. new lighting with electric work in all rooms. 5. New coat of paint everywhere and new door hardware throughout the apartment.
KBR was really Amazing. We actually got numerous quotes and KBR was not the highest and not the lowest quote. What really sold us is their professionalism and straightforward down to business attitude. I have heard horror stories about projects taking way longer and going way over budget. Our renovation was exactly on time and went almost week by week with the plan given to us at the beginning of the project. We also did not go over budget! Also, the finished work looks amazing. Petar was the GC in charge of our project. He was always available and extremely helpful. I would definitely recommend and would use again in the future. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

My floors, walls and ceilings suffered flood damage. KBR project manager, Petar Krsikapa, is excellent! The place looks fabulous. The work progressed on schedule, with precision and beauty. I cannot say enough. I chose well. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I worked with KBR Design & Build for my bathroom remodel and had a very positive experience. I have what could only be described as quirky but sophisticated taste which the full project team enthusiastically embraced resulting in a unique yet highly functional finished product. Our bathroom had tiny dimensions that posed design challenges requiring us to prioritize our functional requirements. The team worked closely with us to ensure we were maximizing our space, which was a top consideration for such a small bathroom. Our shower, which previously felt cramped and cave-like, is now bright and airy! Honestly, I can hardly believe this is the same space.

Finally, when it comes to price, I prioritized the one-stop-shopping that KBR provides. This was a must have for me. Their product is on the higher end of the price scale, however in return they handle EVERY aspect of the execution - from completing the paperwork through the final build out. Given the results the cost was well worth it. I will be working with them again. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

They are not the cheapest on the street but the quality of the work done is good. The architect and project manager do pay attention to the small details. The project managers and architects on my project were very professional. Considering this was my first apartment the architect helped design and plan the changes so that my ideas could be approved by my building architects. Once the project was approved I had regular meetings with the project manager and architect, they mostly kept things on track and kept me updated with constant updates. They were able to handle any unforeseen issues well. My project manager and architects did change in the middle of the project which did disrupt things a bit, but overall it was kept to a minimum. I would definitely would work with them for any future projects. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Would definitely recommend KBR. This is the second time we've worked with them. This time, renovating our two bathrooms. A few years ago, our kitchen.

Reviewed on Houzz

I've been in business in New York City for 30 plus years and I can safely say that the process of combining a two bedroom apartment with a studio in an NYC Coop, is likely one of the most difficult undertaking one can imagine. ....a host of parties must be satisfied, .DOB , Board of Directors, Building Managers, Building Super, Building Architect, fellow neighbors ...
KRB Design & Build led by Billy Dixon, a Southerner with an extensive understanding of processes and materials, and ever more extensive people skills was able to complete the job on time, within budget, and at an exceptional high level of quality... More...

Reviewed on Houzz

KBR recently completed a gut renovation of my one bedroom apartment. Whereas I did initially research my options with regard to this job, I still harbored significant skepticism, and worry that I would somehow become involved in a project that was either poorly executed, or one in which someone would somehow take advantage of my trust. KBR did an outstanding job in my home. As with any large project, there were obstacles along the way that had to be addressed. Each and every time problems arose, they were resolved. I think the most important thing I can say about working with everybody at KBR is that I have never encountered business people who were more honest, or who demonstrated greater integrity. These are individuals you can trust. They will do exactly as you want. Keep in mind, although I had my own ideas, their designers created something that was so much better, and so much more than I ever anticipated. Their input was invaluable. The folks at KBR will not take advantage, or disappoint. Yosi and Noam are both one of a kind, and they run a company in which everybody bends over backwards to give you what you want. They manage every aspect of a job personally, and take great pride in work that is well done. The people they employ are all committed and reliable. I have no reservation in giving KBR my highest, most sincere recommendation. They will exceed your expectation. I am so very grateful that I was fortunate enough to have found them. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I hired KBR Design & Build for my kitchen renovation. I discussed the job with three prospective contractors and ultimately went with KBR given the thorough description of their full service approach to renovation. I was sold! KBR capably managed the early administrative work, dealing with our NYC co-op and the department of buildings, supporting us to meet their lengthy requirements. They advised on budget, based on labor and material costs, and managed our expectations of project cost. When we finally got down to the real work of designing, gutting and re-building, Ally Lewis (designer) and Petar Krsikapa (project manager) were phenomenal to work with. They were everything I wanted in a contractor and more: responsive, attentive, patient, qualified and exceptional communicators. We were first time renovators, and they held our hands through design and technical decisions throughout the process. Everything went very smoothly, and even when there were minor hiccups (expected), Ally and Petar swiftly and transparently resolved them. When we started to reach our budget limit, both adapted to modifications that I proposed to ensure we would not go over budget. We now have the kitchen of our dreams, and I credit KBR Design & Build for this gift! The photos speak for themselves! More...

Reviewed on Houzz

This project (1BR, 2bath) started off terrible with our first project manager: not present, misleading about work and pricing and provided no guidance or timeline on the steps towards completion, it set us back right from the start. After bringing this up to management, he was removed and we were assigned a new project manager to try and get us back on track (it is my understanding he is no longer with the company so you should have no issues here.)

We were then assigned Jayani to manage, and after a few days of her wrapping her head around what was happening, things really started to take a turn for the positive. She laid out a time line and punch list for our entire project, as well as, set up weekly goals for us to meet and go over. She was at the site constantly and extremely responsive and dedicated to getting us back on track, which she did. If things we not going to be done as scheduled, which was very rare, she mentioned things up front and had a plan to get them corrected, but as I mentioned, we really started to see things getting completed and the project start coming together. She also seemed to have a very good working relationship with our head contractor, Andrew.

I can not speak highly enough of Andrew. From the initial meeting you can tell he is experienced, talented and cares very much about the quality of his work. He provides suggestions, feedback and commentary about the work scope which I found extremely helpful - "this would work great, this might not look like you think" etc - he is very honest about what can be done and goes above and beyond to get things exactly as you want them.
His day to day crew also does an A+ job: they showed up early! and kept a fairly clean work area which was critical as we were living in the space during the renovation. There was maybe one minor hiccup in terms of the construction (I would have even expected many of these) in which he contacted me and fixed immediately. There were times he and Jayani would face time me to get my opinion on a small detail in real time, before moving on, to make sure it was done to my liking. They really were all-stars.

I am giving them a 5 star review even though the project had a bumpy start, it is only fair to assume if we had Jayani from the beginning we would have had no issues start to finish. The project was completed on time and the finish work is outstanding. I am confident if you have Jayani, Andrew and crew in your corner, you will be happy with the results.

Also worth noting, Alex was in charge of all documents, paper work and dealing with my building management company in order to get the project moving. I don't think I spoke to her once and I mean that in the best of ways! She handled everything seamlessly, I never had to intervene once. I was cc'd on all emails, but she had everything under control at all times.

Hope this helps and good luck with your projects! More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We just wrapped up an extensive full gut renovation in a 1,400 sq. ft. 2 bedroom / 2 bathroom condo in Brooklyn with KBR. This was a really complex project spanning over several months and costing close to $200k . We redid the floors, bathrooms, kitchen, appliances, and various other smaller pieces.

I am a particularly detail oriented person, as is my wife. We came into the project with some specific ideas we wanted to implement but also needed a lot of guidance given the scope of work. KBR was recommended to us from a friend of ours who did a smaller renovation project after their apartment was flooded.

Throughout the project, KBR performed exceptionally. We have very high standards and are pleased to say KBR did very well. Having had some experience in the real estate finance industry, I can safely say construction is very tough stuff, especially in the myriad world of NYC shared apartment buildings.

We started with a very detailed proposal that we developed with Sara over the course of 6 months while we simultaneously negotiated and closed on our apartment. Sara is top notch and incredibly patient, communicative, knowledgeable and detail oriented - I have email chains with her with over 100 emails in one thread alone. Developing the scope of work for such a large project and budgeting for that was complex. I appreciated the design and construction being coordinated together as that helped to streamline some of the decision making.

As I'm sure others do too, we did speak to some other firms on our project. From a price standpoint, KBR was by no means the cheapest option but it also wasn't the most expensive proposal. However, this is a large investment into what is an even larger investment - your home and substantial portion of most people's net worth. KBR did work with us for a little flexibility so I appreciate that constructive mindset. So we decided to invest with KBR and it proved to be a good decision. All the proposals are electronic in PDF format so it's easy to track.

Once we closed on the apartment and signed with KBR, we spent about a month or so on design. We worked with Giselle, who our friend had recommended. We did a bunch of onsites and talked A LOT over email and phone. We spent a lot of the design focus and time on our kitchen. Our kitchen was a nightmare to plan around given the existing construct, some limitations on space/plumbing and some very very complex ideas we had that we wanted to play out. I can say hands down Giselle is super creative and does not give compromise on putting in as much thought as possible into the inner workings of the design. We redid the kitchen cabinets, countertop, fixtures, sink, faucet, backsplash, everything basically. We did a ton of rev a shelf and creative drawers/pullouts/lazy susans to maximize the space - none of this was in the prior kitchen. but today as we live there it makes a massive difference. There is no way we would have thought about all these creative ideas and even when we were running into design restrictions, Giselle persevered through and pivoted around different solutions.

To be clear, it all took time - a lot of that was us changing ideas around and adding more and more complexities and some of it was Giselle taking the time to research and develop ideas. We came into this project knowing that design will take time and often longer than planned so to us it was all an investment, not a problem like some silly people may assume. As you can see from the pictures, the kitchen is stunning and we receive a ton of compliments on it. What you don't see is that it's also very functional and that's the genius inside.

As it relates to design elements for other parts of the project, we certainly spent a lot of time on those things like floor selection, bathroom vanity selection, some extremely tricky plumbing, etc. I am just highlighting the kitchen as it was truly a masterpiece.

Once we settled most points on the design, Alex helped us navigate the approval process through our board, as well as with some additional requirements the board had stemming from our project. Again, very helpful to have all this in one firm and have all the communication via email/calls that they did on our behalf.

Once we got our approval and got to the construction phase, things really got exciting to see our designs take life. Our project manager Jayani was/is an absolute rock star. I can't how many calls/emails/texts/in person meetings we did and I am sure we were 10x more demanding than most people. She's a trooper, super super organized with notes/numbered email lists every few days (at least every week) and weekly Friday checkins onsite. She was basically the quarterback that coordinated delivery, contractors, our feedback, communication, etc.

I cannot emphasize how incredible she was (and is cause we're actually doing some more work that we just added on another project). I counted about a few hundred emails that we exchanged over the past few months. Both my wife and I have extremely busy work schedules and we travel constantly for work. This project just wouldn't have happened without Jayani so we give her a ton of props for basically serving as our physical on site project quarterback and helping us execute this. She also helped remind us of our timeline and helped us stay fairly close to it despite us looking to drag it out given our desire to keep adding new things.

The other person to call out is Andrew. He's technically the lead project contractor but he's a bit of a ninja who is very insightful into the inner workings of construction and materials. As I mentioned construction isn't easy or straightforward. It's coming up with innovative solutions, communicating well and executing diligently that make it manageable. He helped us navigate plumbing/pipes, electrical and infrastructure complexities and put in some great ideas to deliver a solid end product. Super smart guy and manages his crew tightly.

Which brings me to the unsung heroes - all the contractors who came in and did very difficult physical work day in and day out. They were efficient, respectful, diligent and skillful in pulling the job together. Hats off to them.

So overall to sum up a very long review - big project with many many moving pieces that was delivered successfully. Would hire again and actually just did as mentioned above - using them to do some work in our storage room, which should show our approval rating. Our recommendation: do your research on what you want from your project, have some views on colors/materials, be very communicative during the proposal development phase, invest time during the design phase, and work closely with the project manager and leads during execution. You'll have a beautiful home like ours if you follow through! More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I hired KBR to build my office, taking a raw space of about 1000 sq ft and developing it into a suite of three high-end professional offices. At every step they were responsive, creative, and paid tremendous attention to detail. They had great suggestions with regard to the design itself, as well, even though I had used a full service architect. Their responsiveness, in particular, was phenomenal: every single thing that came up, they responded to quickly, thoroughly, and professionally. I would recommend them without hesitation. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Having no experience with kitchen renovations, designers or contractors. I looked at reviews and recommendations in Houzz and Home Advisor. Both gave me KBR as a company that could do the design and coordinate the work. Their price was in line with the other contractors I contacted but had the added advantage of doing the design and using their contacts to get the appliances and materials. I needed someone who could do the complete job -A to Z. I did not have the time or inclination to go from place to place to buy materials, cabinets and appliances. Knowing that I wanted something different, I needed advice what could be done in my small dark kitchen (9' X 9') and what different options would look like. My designer was Alex Laniewska - who approached the challenge with great energy and enthusiasm. Having the basics of what I liked and direction I thought I wanted, she was able to get start with designs. Their office in Manhattan is convenient to public transportation and you are made to feel at home working on the designs and getting comments from other staff going by. Some of my thoughts about what I wanted had to be changed due to the reality of a budget but we managed to get a great final design with some things I never would have thought of doing while keeping my niche for the cat!.
Once all the orders were in place, the destruction and reconstruction started. With some bumps along the way (which I suppose there always are on projects like this), the work went quickly. The workers were professionals, polite and pleasant. I enjoyed my conversations with them. The project manager, Petar, worked with them to keep the job moving along. Alex kept in contact and made sure the deliveries came as scheduled. We just finished off the punch list - and everything looks great.
I now have a new kitchen and still trying to figure out where to put everything. But, that is a great problem to have. I have and would recommend KBR to anyone looking for a company to do as much (like me) or as little needed to get a job done. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We had a wonderful experience working with Billy Dixon and Jayani at KBR Design. We found their profile on Houzz and decided to invite them to bid on an office suite renovation we designed as the architects. They were quick, professional and competitive in their bidding which continued after we hired them for the project. They finish the job on time and on budget and were responsive and pleasant throughout the process. Our client was very happy and so were we. We would be highly recommended them again. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We’re so happy we hired KBR!

We retained KBR to perform a complete renovation of our two bedroom / two bathroom apartment. The renovation included a complete gut and rebuild of the kitchen and both bathrooms including a bathtub to shower conversion; as well as new floors, new recessed lighting in all rooms, new doors, baseboards and crown moulding, and complete rebuild of all closet interiors. KBR’s estimate for the work was fairly priced and accurate and the work done (in all aspects, from the design through production) was a very good value for the price.

The month before work was to begin, we experienced a major flood in our kitchen which completely destroyed the room. Our team at KBR was extremely helpful in adjusting the scope of work to include damage repairs and, in particular, Sara and Billy went the extra mile in helping us to navigate the insurance estimation process. That help was “above and beyond the call” and I mention it as an example of the friendly, client-focused, and extraordinarily helpful character of the entire KBR staff. We are especially grateful to Sara and Alex for shepherding us through the co-op board approval process as well. It was a relief to have them on our side and managing this otherwise stressful process.

We are extremely satisfied with the outcome of our renovation and the work that KBR has done! The design process was an absolute pleasure and we are so grateful to have been paired with Michelle as our designer. Michelle is unbelievably talented, incredibly detail oriented, and we found her to be extremely generous with her time and ideas. She had a unique vision for our master bathroom which would not have been on our radar screen but turned out better than anything we could have imagined. In our guest bath, she took my general ideas and polished them into a truly magnificent room that genuinely brings me joy every time I see it! Her design sense is elegant and sophisticated and her materials choices were outstanding - yet respectful of budget and made with an eye towards value. On a personal level, it was also a pleasure to spend so much time with Michelle during the process. She is altogether lovely!

During the production phase, we were fortunate to be paired with Alex as our project manager and we found him to be extremely responsive to any concerns that arose, incredibly detail oriented, and similarly generous with his time in answering the many, many questions we had throughout. He is kind and patient and extremely knowledgeable. His experience really shows through in his ability to think creatively about solutions and respond to the unexpected issues that crop up during any renovation. As was the case with Michelle, it was a pleasure to spend so much time with Alex. He is a genuinely good person who cares deeply about his clients’ happiness and is deeply invested in ensuring a positive outcome.

We found all of the KBR tradespeople to be respectful and similarly dedicated to a positive outcome. It was clear to us that the the team cared deeply about the quality of their work and that they all had a sense of pride in their crafts. I’d like to mention Danny in particular, who did a spectacular job with some incredibly delicate tile work in our guest bath. We are so fortunate to have the byproduct of his very skilled hands.

I think perhaps the highest compliment we can give is that if we had to do it all over again, we’d hire KBR all over again. It is a rare thing in this age, in this city, to come across an entire company of genuinely nice, and extremely talented, people such as we found at KBR. Every phase of this process, which can be stressful to say the least, was made better because we were working with a group of very talented, very enjoyable people. Thank you all so much. We LOVE our “new” home! More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I requested an estimate from KBR for a project that included a new floor, a bathroom and kitchen remodeling and some carpentry work. Throughout the process, KBR struck me as a very professional company and Noam the project manager was very involved and responsive to my emails and questions. He was also very proactive in following-up with me, took the time to explain his estimate and the work to be done. They were price-competitive for the work we initially asked them to esimate but we eventually reduced the scope of our work and chose a different contractor. However, I would happily recommend KBR to anyone looking for a contractor in the NYC area. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I recently hired KBR to do a complete remodel of two bathrooms down to the studs: a guest and a master. They did an excellent job (and I am a stickler) and I would highly recommend them. Professional, detail-oriented and thoughtful throughout.

About the job...
The job involved extensive work with the DoB and building management to obtain approvals. KBR team worked tirelessly until all the paperwork was in order and didn’t start the job until materials were ready to go so we could minimize disruption. The job was completed on time and the contractors were very neat and respectful throughout. If I had a question or felt something should be changed, they worked to resolve it immediately. Workers came every day so I didn’t ever feel they were de-prioritizing my job. The interior designer assigned to work with me, Giselle, was fun, creative, and detail-oriented. Gilberto, our project manager, was present nearly every day and worked diligently to address every aspect of our job and to ensure our satisfaction with the outcome. I can say that we are thrilled with how both baths turned out. Would hire KBR again! More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We retained KBR to perform a complex renovation of our two bathrooms and presented them with a very specific design concept and a preferred list of materials. The renovation included a significant redesign of both spaces, bathtub to shower conversions and the creation of a closet laundry. With KBR we found a client focused, friendly and supportive collaboration partner who through their deep expertise in project management, design, materials selection and sourcing brought our renovation concept to complete fruition. All projects have some probability of "surprises", "delays" and "drama". Whenever and wherever these stressful events occurred KBR, and in particular our project manager Alex, reacted in a timely, understanding and professional manner ensuring that the issue was resolved to our complete satisfaction. At project end, the completed renovation satisfied all of our original expectations. For us, KBR was the right choice. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Hi there,

I wanted to submit a review here as I had the best experience with KBR!

I have two adjacent apartments I was looking to combine into one larger apartment. I briefed in six build firms and felt that KBR was the most detailed with their SOW, proactive and knowledgeable in architecture/design/construction.

There were a lot of hoops we went through dealing with our building management, building architect, and KBR was super supportive and helpful during this entire process. They are super detailed with design and construction and I would recommend anyone to reach out to them.

I attached some pics, but they really don't do it any justice.

Yosi, Sara and Billy are amazing!

Thanks!

Tara More...

Reviewed on Houzz

KBR first did a gut renovation for a 3 bedroom apartment we purchased 3 years ago. We have really enjoyed the apartment since. Remarkably, they did within the time frame specified, which was about 3 1/2 months, and got us in on time. Doesn't happen very often, especially with the scope of work and gut renovation. We were quite pleased, overall, with the quality of work. Stuff came up, and KBR was prompt on addressing our concerns and fixing stuff.

Now, 3 years letter, a somewhat big issue came up in one of the bathrooms, with some tiles coming loose. It was unclear why, but it seems that there was some problem with the thinset applied initially. KBR took ownership of the problem, and came in and fixed the problem in a few days.

The workmanship is quite good, they treated us well, and were very responsive and sensitive to our concerns. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

After investigating several options, I hired KBR to perform a gut renovation of my apartment. From the very beginning, KBR articulated the correct scope of work needed to bring forth my apartment renovation. They handled all of the building approval process, and designed the entire renovation to fit within my budget. Michelle Cheung did a phenomenal job of holding my hand through the schematic phase of design as well as the finished material selection phase. Once the project was underway, Alex Moroita, the Project Manager, oversaw the build team and all of the additional trades needed to execute the renovation. In the end, I had a new bathroom, a new kitchen, all new floors, as well as updated electrical throughout, a great paint job and millwork to cover my radiators and a built-in bookcase that is more beautiful and functional than ever.

Michelle and Alex were a delight to work with and the entire team they hired were respectful and incredibly skilled at their craft. I would absolutely hire them again and recommend them without reservation to anyone looking to renovate their home. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Company was great and the designer and project manager were superb. Great to work with throughout the project. Never pushy. Suggested great ideas and were professional at all times. Project was completed ahead of time and the workmanship was excellent. No hidden costs or surprises. Couldn’t be happier. More...

Reviewed on Google Maps

KBR was amazing to work with. There are always issues in any renovation but hey were so quick to respond and solve all problems. Alex was specifically amazing and is still helping to fix things we have broken since moving back into our apt. He’s goes above and beyond what is expected! I would recommend them to anyone! It’s a one stop shop and I didn’t have to worry about supplies or deliveries etc. Alex was also amazing with my building and super which was extremely helpful in a renovation in a coop. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

KBR did a great job on our kitchen renovation. We added in a whole new half bath as well and it came out amazing. We had a bit of a rocky start as our work ethic didn't fit with the designer that was assigned to us. To KBR's credit, they adjusted everything that need to be changed on time & at no additional cost. In the end, I would for sure recommend them to a friend - which is saying something. Kurt & Billy were amazing to work with and extremely responsive. It was a long journey, but we couldn't be happier. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I had a wonderful experience working with KBR NY to renovate my apartment. My renovation came out dreamy and I am very happy with the results! The KBR team was very positive, communicative & supportive throughout the entire process. Rob was very receptive and spot on with what work was necessary in my apartment. He was also very intuitive in picking the ideal designer & project manager for me to work with. Giselle was the ultimate fairy godmother to this entire project. She understood right away the atmosphere I was trying to create in the apartment and came up with lovely suggestions to help set the tone throughout it. Giselle ensured that everything was tasteful and functional. She went above and beyond to do her research & didn’t mind going over details with me until I was happy. She made the design process fun, collaborative and very exciting – as it should be! Alex was the ideal project manager, he was very knowledgeable and keen on details. He orchestrated the whole renovation flawlessly, helping accommodate schedule changes, unforeseen challenges & extra work orders. It was a pleasure working with KBR and I highly recommend their services! More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We worked with KBR for the renovation of our apartment in Manhattan. KBR was recommended by our architect and was selected via a competitive process. What was initially supposed to be an easy and straight forward job turned into a more challenging one due to a very sensitive co-op board, however, the KBR team acted very professionally and supportive throughout the job. Our Project Manager, Alex and his team were extremely helpful and with a very good and positive attitude. The renovation turned out very well and we are very happy with the result. I would certainly work with KBR again, and would ask for Alex to be the Project Manager. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

My first contact with KBRNY was my cousin. She had her kitchen done by KBRNY
and I absolutely loved it. In 2017 I contacted the company to remodel my

kitchen,and I was pleased with the result. In 2018 I again contacted KBRNY
to do my bathroom. I worked with Alex who I was able to contact whenever I
had concerns regarding anything.Yosi would always correct me whenever he
thinks the project would not be as lovely as he would like it to be.
Most of the time his judgement would be correct.
I enjoyed working with KBRNY and would definitely use them for future projects. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We recently hired KBR to renovate our 2 bedroom/1.5 bath, newly purchased apartment. We were quite nervous about venturing into a home renovation project, having heard many negative stories. We are so happy that we went with KBR—it made our project one that we can actually tell our friends that it went smoothly.
They were very thorough with their quote, the project was on time (even given our incredibly tight timeline), they never pressured us to make any decisions we were not comfortable with, and the finished work was wonderful.
The team kept us in the loop on what was happening almost daily, and made themselves available to us whenever we needed.
They seemed to be a bit more expensive than other companies we looked at, but in the end, it was 100% worth it for us.
We highly recommend! More...

Reviewed on Houzz

[UPDATED REVIEW 8/7/18]
A few weeks ago, I realized that the shower door had been installed incorrectly as mentioned in my original review below. I contacted KBR and they were quick to fix the problem. They came 3 days in a row to replace the tiles that were damaged by the door and reinstall the door correctly. The new crew that showed up was professional and reliable unlike the first crew that took on my project. They even fixed one of my kitchen drawers. Despite my negative experience with KBR, I now believe that my case was an unlucky outlier and would've went smoothly had I gotten a different crew. If anything, KBR has shown that they want to fix the situation for me, and I've been impressed by their commitment. I'd recommend KBR. Just make sure they use a crew they've worked with for long.

[ORIGINAL REVIEW BELOW]
KBR's designers are friendly and mostly professional. Their quote was the most reasonable/affordable for what I wanted to do.

The problem is their workers. The workers they hire are nice guys but they lack experience, are careless, and are absolutely incompetent. They painted without paint tapes, leaving spots of incomplete painting and going over boundaries. They left their tools on my new counter without any protection and I had to place a protective layer myself. They were so sloppy installing my floor that the glue was everywhere on TOP of the floor. Their shower door crew didn't install the door securely enough that after a few months of regular use, the top hinge came off loose. They broke one of the holders underneath my vanity drawer and didn't even let me know about it. They dinged the cabinet finishing so much so often that KBR had to re-do the whole thing. And even afterwards, I still found dings. Just.. utter incompetence.

But from talking to them, I know this isn't entirely their fault. The workers are pressured to finish the job as fast as possible by KBR. This pressure creates a vicious cycle of hurried tasks and having to fix mistakes produced by the rushed jobs. Rushing the jobs also isn't entirely KBR's fault. The workers KBR hires in turn hire other workers but they pay them by hour. So of course they want to spend the least amount of time to get the job done. This leads to very low quality of jobs. This may be a problem common to the industry but it was a problem nonetheless.

The project took 4 times longer than estimated. This caused me a great amount of financial and psychological stress. Through the process, KBR tried their best to be accommodating and compensated for the trouble I went through. They offered to install light fixtures for free and offered me some financial compensation along with a nice gift at the end.

I personally wouldn't use KBR again or recommend it to others, but I also don't know if my project was an outlier and KBR is actually a lot better than what I experienced.

If you're going to hire KBR, I'd suggest you put into the contract a timeline clause that compensates you financially if the project gets delayed, and a clause that requires a weekly quality control meeting where you and KBR can go over the workers' work in detail. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I found KBR to be extremely thorough in providing us with an estimate and complete understanding of project flow. They are very responsive over email and quick to answer any questions. They were happy to attend multiple site visits at our property and were accommodating when we asked to see a current project in action. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We recently worked with KBR to do a co-op combination project for a 1 bedroom and studio. We removed the kitchen from the studio and built out a large master suite, adding a beautiful bathroom and laundry closet. We raised the ceilings throughout the unit and installed new flooring to unify the 2 separate areas. Despite a change in the project manager halfway through, our project foreman handling the day-to-day construction was on-site during the entire process and oversaw the work from start to finish. He took great care of our project, ensuring everything was done to our taste and specifications. The work was done within the estimated time frame (how often can you say that about a construction project?!) and the craftsmanship was really great. The workers were very precise with their tile laying, woodwork and painting. KBR has been easy to work with throughout the process and when we had an issue with a light after the completion of the project, KBR sent someone the next day to fix it.

KBR worked hard to resolve issues that arose after the demolition phase of the project. We were able to arrive at a solution that worked for everybody in light of the changes. And KBR’s pricing for the overall project was quite reasonable — neither the cheapest nor the most expensive relative to other quotes we received — but the quality and attention to detail were at a premium level. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I was very aprehensive about hiring any contractor after a really terrible experience with someone else. But the KBR staff was really communicative throughout the entire process. Giselle Ulmo offered the kind of design assistance that would have been really frustrating otherwise. She understood my taste, budget and provided great suggestions. Latif Latifi, who oversaw the construction, was also high communicative, easy to work with, and dotted every I and crossed ever T to make sure our job was done perfectly. They cost a few $$ more, but it was so worth it. KBR Design & Build has restored my faith in contractors. I love the end result. Thanks KBR! More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I contacted KBR because they had completed a project in my building. I had been seeking a contractor to renovate my bathroom. My previous contractor was unreliable so I decided not to use them. From start to finish the experience was flawless. Noam was professional in preparing the project estimate as well as the back and forth with changes. He communicated in a timely manner with me until the contract was finalized. Michelle Cheung was assigned to me as the designer. I can't say enough positive adjectives about her. From the start she understood what I was seeking in terms of design. I am pretty cure she spent more than the contracted hours consulting with me picking out materials from vendors. Her design ideas were terrific and she gave me many options always giving me a yes or no decision making opportunity. Michelle made herself readily available to discuss and respond to my ideas. She was an absolute pleasure to work with because she was enthusiastic and committed to my project. Andrew was assigned as the project manager. He, too, was committed to the project. He assessed some issues and help make decisions that made the project run smoothly. He showed up frequently to check progress and quality. I was gone for 4 weeks and the project that turned from a 1 to of 2 bathroom renovations proceeded while I was away. Both Michelle and Andrew handled it smoothly so I could vacation without any worrying. Both total bathroom renovations were completed according to the time frame identified in the original contract. There were no hidden costs added to the contract. And they made getting approval through my coop aggravation free which was a high concern of mine. If I decide do any additional apartment renovations I would ask for Michelle and Andrew and would not hesitate using KBR. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We hired KBR to conduct a kitchen renovation which a friend redesigned for us. I don't think I'd ever dealt with such a professional company as this. Andrew Karabynosh was our point person and was just lovely. He was very receptive to our questions and concerns, never condescended to us and handled his staff with respect. Really everyone we spoke to or emailed with was friendly and easy to talk to from Zach to Michelle. We would absolutely call on them again for future home projects. No question. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

My wife and I hired KBR to do a full renovation on a 2200 square foot 3 bedroom apartment we bought in Dumbo. It was a big project, and we were on a tight timeline (our son was born in June, so it had to be done by May). Here's a summary of our experience:

KBR is extremely responsive during the scoping/bid process. They can move quickly to tell you how much things will cost and what your options are. They'll notice things you don't, which helps you to be realistic about what needs to be done.

We didn't love our designer. There were communication issues. But the finished product in terms of design is pretty much exactly what we wanted -- it just took a little more patience, time and effort on our part. Our designer actually left KBR shortly after work commenced, but we found working with the substitute designer on the finishing touches to be extremely easy (actually easier than with our original designer).

Now for the main reason we give them 5 stars instead of 4 stars -- Andrew Karabynosh. Andrew was our project manager. He's thoughtful, competent and thorough. He was on site every day, extremely responsive to texts and emails and made sure everything was done right. We made changes to the design after work commenced, and even when we expanded the scope of the project last minute (e.g. dropping the ceiling and adding recessed lights in the master bedroom) he made sure to allocate enough resources so that the apartment was ready in time for us to move in before our son was born.

As a last point, and this is another reason I give them 5 stars, they continue to take care of us even though the project is done and we've paid them in full. This is a big point for me. With a project this big on a time frame this tight, there were bound to be little things that need to be fixed but don't get noticed until much later. All I have to do is text or email Andrew about these things, and he sends someone over.

I've included two before/after photos. I don't think they really capture everything that they did but they were already on my phone and easy to upload. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Fantastic from start to finish! Competent, professional, creative designers, construction management and staff. Handled entire job with only two or three brief visits to meet with design staff.

Found KBRNY via Internet search. We live in New Orleans, job was in Manhattan. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

KBR Design & Build finished my kitchen last week and I could not be happier. It is not only beautiful beyond my expectations but it is also wonderfully functional. There is a place for everything and the storage is amazing for a tiny New York City kitchen (60 square feet!) I have a pantry, a mixer lift, a large range, gorgeous shelves, a trash pull-out, under-sink pull-out for cleaning products and a pull-out for tray storage. The design more than doubles the counter space and number of outlets that I had in my previous kitchen. It is miraculous! I was lucky to have Mohsen as both the designer and the project manager. He worked closely with me during the design phase and listened to my wishes. Together we created a design that worked for me and that I could afford. He found stock cabinets that could be used in a way to create the "custom" space that I longed to have. Mohsen and his assistant Carlotta advised me every step of the way on each of the minute details like colors, finishes, and placement. Likewise, the people who did the carpentry, plastering and painting were excellent. I thought particularly highly of Augustine who did amazing work in every area. Also the office staff did a wonderful job. Yelena handled getting the approval from my Co-op board and getting all the permits required in New York City. Sara, who first visited my apartment for the estimate, remained interested and engaged throughout the project. The entire team was excellent and they made the experience as painless as a renovation (complete with lots of dust, noise and clutter) could possibly be! I'm very happy that I chose KBR Design & Build to renovate my kitchen. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

KBR recently completed a very large addition/remodel to our home. The effort, communication, and quality of craftsmanship were top notch. The subcontractors were very good, extremely dependable and pleasant. Noam was recommended by friends, who also had a project completed by KBR, any my family can’t thank them enough!

We will hire Noam and his team again for our next project and continue to recommend KBR for new construction & additions. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I had a superb experience with KBR in the transformation of my shabby, dated, and oppressive small bathroom to the showcase of Asian modernism it is today. I found the staff professional, aware of and candid about cost implications, responsive to client aspirations and concerns and exacting in craftsmanship. As a former museum director, I worked with many design professionals and want to particularly celebrate the designer in the company assigned to me, Michelle Cheung. But I was equally impressed by the teamwork of the various components of the firm. I am completely satisfied with my experience. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I reached out to KBR about a minor cosmetic renovation to our kitchen (replacing floors and cabinetry). I spoke to Tom who was incredibly candid in letting me know that because of the simple cosmetic nature of the job, it would make more sense for me to go straight to a general contractor instead of using a design-build firm (since I didn't require any of KBR's design or permitting services). He road-mapped the process for me and gave me great straightforward advice. Even though I am not using KBR for this particular project, I was very impressed with the level of help and advice Tom provided. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

I purchased a 1BR in March of 2015 with the expectations that I was going to have to put significant work (and money) into it, in order to make it move in ready. I spoke with a couple Design & Build firms and a few contractors to try and sort of where I could get the best value.

Ultimately, the super in the building sold me on the fact that I should go with who he recommended because he had done work in the building before and would be able to navigate approvals and permits with relative ease. THIS WAS THE WORST MISTAKE I COULD HAVE MADE. I ended up having to spearhead so much of the approval process where I feel that I could always fall back on becoming an expeditor if my career goes to crap. To top it off, the contractor that was recommended by the super pretty much fell off the face of the Earth once he demolished the bathroom and left me in a terrible situation.

This is when I started to panic and luckily picked up the phone and called KBR. Tom came to the apartment the next day and walked me through feasibility, tentative pricing, and called out flaws in the half-baked plan that the original contractor had mustered up. I ultimately chose KBR because of how thorough they were, their ability to be up front and manage expectations, and the level of professionalism and competency that all of their employees displayed.

I was assigned Margo as a designer and couldn't have been happier with the job she did. I feel like I pushed pretty hard (had to get the project completed within a tight timeframe) and she was always pleasant and responsive. She also pulled together great designs and I'm in love with my new home!

Andrew was my Project Manager and he is the man. I'm sure they think I was an annoying client because of all of the questions that I continually peppered them with, but this was my first renovation and I was looking to learn as much as possible s I could save money the next time around. Andrew was always walking me through the process and would take pictures and send them to me so I could understand the installation process of specific elements throughout the renovation.

All in all, the place looks great and I feel that I got good value even though KBR is not the cheapest firm around. There was a couple hiccups along the road, but it was a dream compared to how my renovation started off. I've already recommended KBR to a couple family members and friends. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

We received a lot of help from KBR in the process of buying an apartment and planning for its renovation. Noam from KBR is very responsive and helpful. He came out to two apartments we were interested in, to estimate the amount of renovation needed, so that we could value them properly. He also answered many questions. I visited their office and everyone was cheerful and professional.

After we bought the apartment and had the drawings, KBR provided us with a detailed bid promptly. Even though we didn't end up working with them further due to other reasons, I have no doubt they would have done a wonderful job. More...

Reviewed on Houzz

Very nice guys!!!. We hired KBR to remodel our kitchen and baths six months ago.

We were delighted and impressed by their proposed solutions to our design challenges (very limited space) . The design process was collaborative and fun (much more than the construction part). The final design was both more practical and more beautiful than we had expected. Now that we have lived in the new space for few weeks, we remain extremely pleased.

As the work commenced, it became obvious that not just the design but the craftsmanship and especially the management skills of the team were up to all our challenges. Those came to include some unexpected problems from a previous renovation that could have interrupted our project for several weeks and which required extensive additional plumbing work. We were particularly impressed with KBR ability to gather the right experts and trades, revise part of the construction schedule and keep us on track close to our original completion date

Throughout the project, communications were easy; the project manager and Yosi responded to questions and issues without delays

We certainly would work with KBR again and happy to recommend their work to anyone who is looking for high standards renovation More...

Reviewed on Houzz