Lars Remodeling & Design

Wrote a truthful, negative review (also originally pointed out positive things), so they got Unilocal to remove my original review, citing privacy concerns (I used Lori’s full name, just like other reviews, yet they didn’t ask to remove those). Due to this paragraph I have to re-​edit more due to word limits so I can’t say everything that went wrong.
If you write a negative review to try to inform consumers– I was accurate/​respectful in my review (Lori called me the same day it was posted, asking me if I’d remove it), they may try to find a way to remove it. Wish they’d taken accountability instead of doing this questionable (at best) action of trying to prevent a truthful review from being seen by consumers. Here it is: no last names/​no privacy concern violation.
Lori sold us on idea of full service design-​we lived out of town (a little bit of a scare tactic, they said if we did it ala carte things could get messed up, people not finish projects and easier if they did it all. All valid points). They were highest bid (double or more vs. others).
Of course, there are typical delays of remodelling. I get that. What I don’t like is unprofessional behavior/​unethical/​bad customer service.
They had some of the worst contractors. Their electricians ate fast food INSIDE our home & threw trash on our property bringing ants. The electrician & another staff got in a profanity laced screaming match at our home/​kept dropping F bombs. He quit on the spot, stomped in our house grabbing his kit, scratching our NEW floors. Neighbors heard– were gonna call the cops that’s how loud it was. ‘Til now one of the lights just turns off after less than 10 minutes.
They left lights on, windows open, doors unlocked overnite, despite multiple notes I left asking them to lock up.
They mismeasured Ex: originally installed shower head/​tiles off center, cabinets crooked etc and the project manager (who ended up quitting the company) told us «just put a shower curtain no one will see it» and «no one will look up» (at the cabinets). They made a big hole leading to outside in the wall and he said «normally that’s not our responsibility to fill the hole» What? You guys made a HOLE in my bathroom (bugs/​rats could come in) and you’re telling me you’re not going to fix it?
Got a new project manager. I believe in second chances. Didn’t improve much. Mismeasured the space needed in b/​w fridge/​cabinets. Their original solution: asked if I could get a smaller fridge. When I said something to Lori she actually told me «your expectations are too high» For wanting proper measurements? They ended up cutting out a doorway to fit it in, ruin NEW floors. No proper ventilation space. Delayed our project even more.
Some contractors had unlicensed student workers do some work and gave a bid to my neighbor for a fraction of the cost of what we paid. Another brought his daughter to my home while working. One of their own workers even badmouthed them.
Items disappeared from my garage. Simplest things like installing a towel rack, 2 kept falling off.
Nail in coffin: after ALL the issues we had, Jason (owner) came to our home. He apologized then downplayed it by saying that I was the one at fault for not knowing what to expect since this was our first remodel (can you be any more patronizing), he said this isn’t one of their big jobs. I guess $ 106K+ isn’t valuable business. I asked him to discount due to all the issues; he said it’d leave a bad taste in his mouth to come back to fix stuff (I interpreted that as blackmail. Complain, we won’t fix your stuff). Due to this, after warranty ended I never contacted them for anything (I didn’t try to extend any warranty etc).
They tried to charge me extra for a dumpster trip (some neighbors threw junk in there). I said they needed to lock the dumpster. They removed it. But the final bill was much higher than what should’ve been so I’m guessing they put in the fee there.
I would’ve contacted Costco/​BBB but I was dealing with some serious, high stress family issues consuming my time that I just had to let this go. I just paid the extra money and wanted to be done with them.
Only good thing I can say: they eventually completed the project– not w/​in orig timeline
Price is what you pay; value is what you get. Didn’t get what we paid for. The $ 106k+ is for the skeleton for 2 bathrooms/​kitchen & few other things. I spent several thousand more beside Lars getting new toilets, knobs, flooring etc. When they fix their mistakes they make it sound like they’re doing you a favor. No, that’s just doing your job.
If you end up having a problem, they say they’ll make it right but it seems like lip service. I’d skip the whole «full service design» (I ended up being my own project mgr) & get better contractors ala carte for a fraction of the cost. ALL my friends said we got ripped off.
Why review 3 yrs later? So consumers can be aware, learn from our experience & make an informed choice.
Biggest financial mistake of my life!

So I called and spoke with Mike. We set up an appointment to have him check out our rental that needs some major renovation in the bathroom and kitchen. We agreed to meet in a week at an agreed upon time.
My wife drove to the property about one and a half hours away only to get a phone call saying that he couldn’t meet.

When my husband and I decided to remodel our home we did our homework. We read every review we could find about remodeling businesses in San Diego. To our dismay, many of the reviews were nightmare stories of remodeling jobs gone wrong. When we saw the commercials for LARS Remodeling workshop at Pirch, we knew we had to go and learn as much as we could about the remodeling process and more importantly, learn as much as we could about LARS Remodeling and Design.
At the remodeling workshop we had the opportunity to hear from Jason Larson and members of the LARS team about the phases of the remodeling process. It was helpful to see pictures of remodeling jobs they had done as they walked us through the process. We left convinced that this is the team we wanted to work with.
Beginning with our very first design meeting we felt they were very personable and focused on our wants and needs. Throughout the project we never lost a night of sleep worrying about our project. If we had a question, there was always someone available to help us. We felt reassured throughout our many meetings with the LARS team we worked with: Jason Larson, Yvette Travers and Owen Pym (the best Project Manager!!)
Every trade LARS had working on our project were very nice and respectful on the job. Our neighbors were very complimentary on how nice everyone was and how clean they kept the job site! Throughout the remodeling process we felt assured that the best job was being done under the watchful eye of Owen Pym, our project manager.
At the end of it all the beauty of the design of our home has exceeded our expectations and, at our age, the accessibility and functionality of the floor plan will provide us with comfort and ease for years to come.

We recently had Lars Remodeling draw plans for a home addition. Unfortunately, our financing fell through at the last minute. Brandon Spears was very understanding and did not hold us to the contract. We would not hesitate to use Lars in the future and recommend them to anyone looking for a professional contractor who gets the bigger picture!
Thanks Lars!

I have emailed them twice and called once to request a design consultation for a home remodel: kitchen remodel, add a bathroom, home extension and finishing a garage. They never contacted me. So, one star for the customer service and construction job I never received. Maybe they are doing so well that they don’t need anymore business.

NOTE: The first paragraph of this review is about our negative experience with another contractor and is NOT about Lars Design & Remodeling. The rest of the review is about our positive experience with Lars Design & Remodeling.
Back in 2010, my husband and I attempted to remodel our entire house, using another contractor, but it ended up in disaster due to fraudulent actions taken by this contractor. This contractor’s plans never made it through the City of San Diego’s approval process, so in the end we wasted thousands of dollars on completely useless preliminary design plans and we were unable to recoup the money we spent. Needless to say, this negative experience left us feeling frustrated, defeated, and unmotivated, so our project came to a standstill for over 4 years.
In 2014, my husband and I felt ready to begin our home remodel process again, but this time we extensively researched and interviewed 5 reputable home design and remodeling companies. Ultimately, Lars Design & Remodeling appeared to be the company that would best suit our needs, so we went with them.

We selected Lars Design & Remodeling because we were impressed with their business model. Brandon and John, the initial Lars staff we met with, both spent a great deal of time with us, attempting to create a preliminary home design we both approved of, without charging us any money up front! Lars’ practice of «no charges up front» took us by surprise because the other 4 companies we interviewed all wanted to charge us between $ 1,500.00 to $ 2,000.00, just to come up with a preliminary home design.
When we officially signed up with Lars, we naturally had concerns about the amount of money we were about to spend on our home remodeling project, as well as its final outcome, primarily due to the negative experience we had with the first contractor we attempted to use. But, during the course of our project, the Lars team assigned to our project, (Brandon, John, Chih, Owen, Bryan, and TC), alleviated our fears when we saw firsthand the level of experience, knowledge, expertise, competence, and professionalism each one of them brought to the table. As was to be expected with a project of this caliber, some minor unforeseen issues cropped up, but the Lars team always handled them with the utmost professionalism, patience, and to our complete satisfaction.
In the end, Lars Design & Remodeling gave us a Dream Home that turned out better than we ever imagined and we absolutely LOVE our new home, we’re extremely pleased! From our positive experience with Lars Design & Remodeling, we feel confident in recommending them as a reputable home design and remodeling company, who focuses on customer satisfaction, quality, and providing the customer with an outstanding product. Thank you Lars Design & Remodeling, for making our home remodel dreams come true!

Jason Larson with Lars Remodeling is the best! We used them 16 years ago in 1999 to do a remodel of our house and they were fantastic. The house was built in 1951, but he was able to design the addition in such a a way that is is hard to tell where the old house ends and the addition begins. But the real reason Jason has been so successful, (you have probably seen his ads on TV) is Jason’s integrity and willingness to stand behind the work of his crew and subcontractors. If there is a problem, he will make good on it. We had a slab leak this year and I called him for advice after I had gotten bids from two plumbers, (approx $ 5000). When he came out to take a look he saw that the plumber that he used 15 years ago MAY have made a mistake. Although it was Unrelated to the cause of the leak (old house with steel pipes in the slab) he had a crew of 6 guys out the next day to replumb the whole house. They were done in a day and a half he didn’t charge us, even though we were ready to pay! What else can I say. You can’t go wrong with Lars Remodeling.

I was very impressed with the response time on my Unilocal review and pretty much recant can all my earlier statements Jason is a stand up guy and is totally accountable

Lars Construction is top of the line. We had Lars do our home remodel in which we added a second floor and added almost 2000 square feet to our house. The job was completed 30 days early. Each step of the way Jason and his team kept us informed, made sure we understood everything they were doing, and ensured that we were satisfied with the work.
Initially we had another company come out to consult on what we wanted. They returned with all «their» ideas not ours. We had a meeting with Lars and they came back with everything we wanted and even more.
My wife and I would never use anyone else.

Remodeling is, of course, something that is inconvenient — It forces you to live a bit more like a camper while it is going on — but it is worth it in the end.
Our experience with Lars was excellent. Brandon came up with designs that we never would have thought of and we liked them very much. Yvette’s touch shows very well. She was very good at steering us to differing colors and tiles and such when the things we picked were not things we were sure would go together well. She was right there at the custom cabinet shop and the tile showroom, etc etc. And then there is Cody — Cody did an excellent job coordinating the projects. It was so nice to discuss with him the things we wanted and then we knew he’d get it handled with the «trades» — and we fed him quite a number of changes throughout. So many times I said to him «Wow — while this is all open like this, I’d like to do this or that» and he came through every time.
We are in between «phases» right now — most of the interior of the house is done and we’re preparing for some added rooms. We look forward to working with Lars again shortly as our remodeling continues.
Oh — and I must mention T.C. also — I don’t think there is ANYTHING that guy can’t do. I envy his multitude of talents.
Great job — I highly recommend them.
— Ron Donofero

We had Lars remodel our entire downstairs and were very happy with the finished product. Our remodel was well over $ 100,000. and included gutting our kitchen, putting in a tongue and groove ceiling, wainscoting, stone wall, barn door, etc. Lori Drake was our Project director and she was great! Whenever we reached a snag, she was able to find a solution. All of the tradesmen arranged for through Lars were professional and expert in their skill. Yvette Travers was our designer. I am not one to agonize over one shade of green versus another, but she sure is. She gently steered me and I couldn’t be happier with how all the colors and choices looked together. If I were to have another remodel job, I would definitely hire Lars again. I felt like they really cared and made sure that I was happy with everything.

Like a previous reviewer, I base this review strictly on the bidding/​estimation process. for our Kitchen & Bath remodel project near the College area. Our house is a relatively small one, but we fully expected that the project would be in the $ 40−50k range.
We met Brandon Spann, «Senior Project Design Consultant» at the Spring Home Remodeling show at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. We explained the size and scope of what we wanted to do and made an appointment with him. He sent us an appointment reminder the week prior in which he states that we will realize that their service in home remodeling is what makes the difference.
Brandon came to our home and spent about 1.5 hours going over our project with me (my wife could not attend,) explaining why Lars was superior to many other contractors, discussing design options and elements and taking notes about our needs and wants. We did not want to give a specific dollar amount budget in order to gauge independently what such a project might cost.
As he left he assured me that he would be getting back to us in about 10 days or so.
As we continued our homework with other remodelers we were told by more than one that if our project wasn’t at least $ 60k that Lars wouldn’t take the job.
True enough, Brandon never contacted us to let us know whether our project was within the scope of what they were willing to do (though after our time together he should have had a feel for what the project would bring, I would think.)
For Lars to claim that service is what makes them better and then not invest a 5 minute phone call after taking up a significant portion of our day speaks volumes about what they believe «service» to be. Basically, if they believe it is worth their time, they will likely give you good service, but if not, don’t expect much.
It’s not that I don’t understand why they passed on us. I’m a small business owner and I understand the economics of working on a smaller project. What I don’t get is why they couldn’t treat us with basic respect and let us know that they couldn’t accommodate us. Every time I see Jason on a commercial shucking for Lars, I find myself yelling at the TV.
If you have deep pockets then they may be the contractor for you, but if you are small change, I would steer clear.

I have to say that when Seth came out to give us an estimate on our upstairs project he gave quality information. Basically, he knew all the specs and didn’t try to sell us something we didn’t need. I believe Lars is a company that gives you what you want and answers all your questions without trying to sell you something they think you need.

My review is strictly based on our interactions with Lars, not their work.
A little about us; we have lived in our home for 5 years. We are not a «handy» couple, but we really want to update our home for our own benefit and to eventually benefit the resale value. We don’t have much experience with contractors or home remodeling and our needs/​wants are mainly cosmetic and restoration, not much in the way of a rebuild, yet some demo will be needed.
We attended a workshop put on by Lars and hosted by Pirch in La Jolla. The workshop was nicely put on and a lot of information was supplied. We requested to have a free consultation and within a couple of weeks we had an appointment scheduled. We were asked to have our project wants laid out to be discussed. We were also asked to allow 2 hours for the consult. Our consultant, Brandon, sent us a letter the week prior to confirm our appointment as well as a call the morning of. Once he showed up we directly went to the dining table to discuss our project and we had a very detailed list prepared. We went over the list for a few minutes and were very «transparent», as Brandon put it, with our financial budget. He let us know the project would be too small for their company, which wasn’t a total surprise to us, but had no idea really. We mentioned updating an upstairs guest bathroom and without even looking around our home, he estimated that alone would cost $ 20,000. In fact, he never even looked past our dining room area where we sat and spoke. After taking the time to make an appointment with Lars and setting aside 2 hours, he was here a total of 30 minutes. Brandon kindly offered to forward me some information on a general contractor that may be more appropriate for our project, but I never received that information.
I am a reasonable person so I understand that our project did not meant their requirements to bid on the job, but the consult was poorly conducted in my opinion and I believe it was due to our budget (which is not terribly small by any means). On the consult survey they should include a price bracket box so no ones time is wasted.

We just received the closing book for the project we had Lars do, and this is just one more example of the detail and professionalism that was displayed every step of the way (the book contains all product information, warranties, selections, permits, etc that we can hand off to buyers if we ever move).
The process started with a free design consultation with Seth Larson and John Klacka, who were such a pleasure to work with, and who seemed genuinely excited to work within the somewhat unusual parameters of our project (a second story on our detached garage to add an artist’s studio, storage and guest quarters). Next, we had the pleasure of working with Chih, who helped us with our selections of flooring, doors, hardware, colors, fixtures, etc. She was so attentive to our tastes and preferences, the process was made that much easier.
Our project manager was Brian Wood. After working with him closely for a good six months, I have to say that he will be missed!!! He was very patient, attentive, and prompt at addressing any questions or concerns, and handled requests for changes gracefully. He also likes dogs, which is important to us :-)
As others have noted, it is very reassuring to know that Lars doesn’t vanish with the end of the project, but will be there to help with warranties, etc. Finally, the project came in on time and as budgeted so there were never any nasty surprises or hidden costs. This company is of the highest quality and delivers peace of mind, which in my book is priceless.

We had a free design consultation with Lars, and they were able to come up with an elegant and thoroughly workable solution to our entryway problem — something we’d been wrestling with for ages (and had other designers/​architects look at). We had them do a huge remodel for us… entryway, kitchen, den. We’ve never had anything like this done before, and we were slightly terrified. They were professionals every step of the way, and we are so glad we went with them.
Brandon is a guy of the utmost integrity, and as a bonus, he’s a veritable library of useless movie quotes. He and the rest of our team made the long, arduous process of remodeling completely bearable. You might get a cheaper quote from someone else, but you won’t get better service. Given the nightmares we’ve heard from others whose contractors have bailed on them toward the end of their projects, we considered going with a reputable contractor a no-​brainer.

We just completed a project with Lars Remodeling and Design. We love our new addition and new shower!!! We were very apprehensive about this size project. We met with the Lars team and they made us feel very comfortable. They were up front and honest and we knew we had made the right choice. The president Jason Larson was always available if needed and Bryan the project director were very helpful. Thanks to Chih for all her design ideas. She was wonderful and pleasant to work with. If we do any projects in the future no questions this company will be who we choose. We love having friends and family over to show off our new space. We had a problem with our shower tile cracking when they installed it – Lars made sure that is was corrected right away and that we were happy with the results. We would recommend Lars Remodeling and Design to any one looking for a great job at a fair price. They really care!!!

Recently had a chance to put an addition on my home. Did my due diligence and had 5 General Contractors come thru and give an estimate on this major project.
When we sat down and reviewed the bids this contractor was more expensive. They tried to work with us to fit our budget but we couldn’t make the numbers work. Great people, very friendly, helpful and quick on the follow up. They are also a fantastic resource for advice and are true consultants. Wish I could have afforded them.

Lars is one of the best contractors I have ever worked with. Jason was on time and was ready to go to work. He will be my 1^st call when I need and construction needed. I am also a contractor who has worked for Jason as well. Seeing how thay work on both sides makes me sure he is one of the finest contractors/​person I know.

We are very pleased with the remodel of our kitchen and the restructuring of the space to add a powder room. As a result the house is much more useable, practical and livable. On top of that every one of the employees was a pleasure to work with; in addition to being highly competent and capable.
The design took the best advantage of the space available, with just the right modern touches while being true to the look and feel of the house’s 1923 ambience. And did I say beautiful yet? The kitchen is gorgeous and even the powder room gets rave reviews.
The team was attentive to our wants and needs; whatever problems, concerns or issues came up, what we asked for was done, and done right. We were always treated with courtesy, respect and professionalism; there was great communication and an attitude that quality was the only goal. This went beyond the Lars team and included the sub-​contractors as well. It is obvious that Lars only works with individuals and companies that embody the same attitude and spirit: treating the customer right and doing a great job.
We highly recommend Lars Construction. We’d use them again, and will recommend them whenever we get the chance. They do great work, you won’t be disappointed.