Testimonials

I originally contracted with Elijah to do my Kitchen and had contracted with others to the basement and other work. This was a mistake, I should have awarded the entire contract to him from the outset as in the end I did go with him for all of the work as my other contractor didn’t work out. Elijah renovated a kitchen, a complete gut. Installed a new bathroom that was not previously there in the basement. He did the drywall wall in the basement, a bunch of finish work, painting, a variety of different things. The work was very good, he was responsive, easy to work with. I would definitely recommend him to others. Honest, Professional, Responsive and Competent.

Completed gutted and rebuilt the 1st floor full bathroom. The thing must have been an original from the 60s that was looking old, tired and in terrible shape. The renovation included replacing the drywall with green board, installing new floor tiles, new toilet, new vanity, recessed medicine cabinet, centering the shower drain, installing wall tiles in the shower, et cetera. They literally took the bathroom down to the studs and rebuilt it new.

We contacted 4 different companies to provide an estimate. One of them had excellent reviews, provided good ideas but submitted ridiculous prices (much higher than the other 3). Two of them were barely responsive – in other words, they came by, looked at the bathroom but did not bother to ask us what we wanted to do. They literally stared at the bathroom, took a few measurements and told us they’d email us the estimate! Of those two, one of them took several weeks and only responded after I sent them at least two emails. Their prices were more reasonable but the lack of attention from them was not encouraging. Elijah (from Surdus) was different. He was responsive, took his time to look over the bathroom and discuss what we wanted to do. I was especially happy when he recommended replacing the regular door with a pocket door because it would significantly add to the usable space in the bathroom and because I love pocket doors – they look very elegant in my opinion. He’s quote was similar to the other two but his responsiveness, attention to detail and willingness to ASK what we wanted convinced us to go with him. It took us a few weeks to select the toilet, vanity, medicine cabinet, et cetera. Elijah was helpful in providing recommended vendors and was patient while we picked what we wanted. But as soon as we selected our items and signed the contract, he started ordering items and getting ready to start the work. Elijah’s guys – Jose and Sergio – began the Monday before Thanksgiving and spent the next 2.5 weeks working on the project. They were very thoughtful in keeping the work area clean once they were done for the day. It took them about 1 day to demolish the existing bathroom. The next week was spent reframing the bathroom, rebuilding the shower base and building out the infrastructure for the new bathroom. The second week was spent installing the green board, pocket door, et cetera. The last 1/2 week was spent installing the tiles, painting and so on. They even worked through Thanksgiving which we appreciated very much. Elijah accommodated a few work order changes at reasonable cost. These included modifying the plumbing to make the recessed medicine cabinet fit, moving a light switch, and installing a new electrical outlet (facing the outside hall). All of these were done while the bathroom was still stripped down to its stud (when they are easier to do!). The small hiccups that happened during the project were quickly attended to and corrected by Elijah. I was impressed by his responsiveness. Whenever I sent him an email with a question, he’d reply the same day. We were so happy with the work Surdus did, we’ve requested an estimate for a 1/2 bathroom and intend to use them again when we remodel the house’s main bathroom and basement next year.

Elijah’s crew completely renovated a bathroom, installed a new railing, installed some tile in the basement and removed built in cabinets. We found Surdus here on Angies list and Elijah came to give us an estimate.  We showed him the work we wanted to have done and a few days later he sent us a proposal for our review. We felt that his estimate was very reasonable for the amount of work we needed done. Once we signed a contract he asked us to send us the fixtures, tiles, etc that we were interested in having for the bathroom. He suggested some websites and local stores to look at tiles and fixtures and included an estimated budget for what we should aim for. While overwhelming at first, we really enjoyed being able to have everything in the bathroom exactly the way we wanted it. Elijah was able to give us advice and answer any questions we had if we weren’t sure what we needed. Elijah ordered all of the parts for the bathroom and his workers started work a few days after signing the contract (they would have started earlier but we were not ready). They arrived at 9am each day and worked until around 5 or whenever they completed what they were working on.  They always cleaned up after themselves and were very conscious of of us in the house.  After demoing the bathroom they found several reasons for the mold problems we previously had.  One of workers spent a lot of time looking inside and outside the house to find the source of water coming into the bathroom and repaired them.  They also replaced old pipes in the bathroom and electrical which was no longer in good shape even though they were not included in the contract. During each step of creating our new bathroom they always asked where we wanted things and what our preferences were.  It also became clear they always wanted to do their best and do things properly.  Each evening if I noticed something that concerned me it was addressed the next day (usually without me mentioning it).  When we suggested something they would give us their opinion and in most cases we trusted what they thought and were not disappointed. Working with Elijah was not a problem despite him being deaf.  We communicating mostly with notes and through email (which suits me very well).  One of workers is also deaf but very friendly and we didn’t have trouble communicating.  Other worker can sign and acted as interpreter when needed. The work was completed ahead of schedule and completed correctly.  The next day Elijah came over for a final inspection and instead of just asking if we were happy (as I expected), he did his own inspection.  Elijah found a few minor issues we hadn’t discovered and his crew came back the next business day to finish them. Overall we really enjoyed working with Elijah and two workers and would not hesitate to use them in the future.

The 10,000 is the value of the contract which included labor and allowances for some materials. I supplied the cabinets, most plumbing materials, paint, and accessories.
Services included: Install bathtub and toilet including plumbing work; Install water proof membrane; Install ceramic floor and wall tile; Install ductwork behind wall of laundry unit; Replace light fixtures; Replace door; Install five cabinets and mirror; Install GFCI outlet; Install wall molding above floor; Paint wall and ceiling; Install sink faucet; Install cabinet knobs/pulls; Install bath accessory Replace cold/hot water shutoff valves for laundry and bathtub. Elijah came to the house and surveyed the work. He sent me an estimate about a week later. We negotiated some of the points. He came again to survey the project and to address some questions I had. We signed the contract and the work started soon after the bathtub and tile was purchased and delivered. The workmen came every day and worked from 9:00 am until they finished whatever they had planned to do on the particular day. They cleaned up the work space and left their materials as tidy as possible. They completed most of the job per the contract in about 15 days. Once the counter top was fabricated they came back and did the final touches which Elijah and I discussed and agreed. I am very pleased with the work of the crew and Elijah’s management style. He is flexible and tried to make everything work out so that I would be satisfied with the work of his firm. I can’t say enough good things about his crew. I used this firm because of the competitive price and the reviews on Angie’s List. I am glad I did so.

Elijah and his team renovated our kitchen and bathroom — as in demolition to the studs and installation of everything (drywall, flooring, cabinets, lighting, tile, sinks etc.). He also replaced pipes running from our bathroom to the basement. The overall experience was exceptional. Having done a lot of research, I knew I was looking for a contractor who was honest and delivered “on time”. I could not be more pleased with Elijah and his team. He is the only contractor who provided rough estimates on the spot during his site survey. His contract was clear and concise. He started work the day he said he would AND FINISHED within the time frame detailed in our contract. His team was quick to repair any damage done (small knicks in the drywall moving things in/out, etc.). And his communication was superb. Every evening I received an email detailing who would be arriving the next day.

On top of all this, Elijah knows his craft well. He offered several suggestions as the work progressed but was careful to recommend only those items he really deemed necessary (replacing the pipes). I felt I could trust him and his team. Georgi was especially fantastic. Finally, his work is beautiful. He took care in the details and it shows.

Highly recommend!!!

Remodeling two and a half bathrooms without tile replacement or bath tub removal. Elijah came within two days of inquiring and provided a very honest estimate. The work was actually started within 5 weeks, while the cabinets, paints and fixtures were purchased. Elijah also helped us with the purchases by providing useful professional advice. On the  day that work actually started, Elijah came with his crew and prepared the work space and covered the carpets so they would become dirty. Elijah proved extremely sensitive to our needs and even has redone portion of the work if we changed our minds regarding locations of the fixtures. Even when minor glitches appeared he fixed them without any hesitation. The work went even over the time discussed but it was because of us that we kept adding to what we wanted him to do. The extra charge was ridiculously  low. We will definitely ask him with the other home improvement projects.

Our 1980’s kitchen was outdated and in poor condition. We knew what we wanted and had Mr. Gold come in to do measurements so we could custom order our cabinets. Once they arrived he started the demo work. It was really just a matter of one day to clear out the whole space.  The demo was quick and clean and they were able to work around our infant’s schedule which was really important us. Installment of the new cabinets, door knobs/door pulls, crown moulding, new appliances and countertops. We were especially pleased with his thoroughness and straight forward approach. We didn’t know it at the time but there an issue with the kitchen sink, an access panel below behind the cabinets and the flooring directly below. Water had been leaking for years and there was damage to wall and floor. He investigated further and found damage on the opposite side where our bathroom is. Everything was patched up and repaired to our satisfaction and he made further suggestions as to how to handle the bathroom wall damage, though that was not part of the original project. (Check out my other review because we hired him again for our bathroom project where that wall was an issue.)

Elijah did a complete remodel of our basement bathroom, including removing and replacing old fixtures and flooring, painting the walls, installing light fixture and fan, etc. Although we are new to Angie’s List, we’ve hired a lot of contractors in the DC area and so can speak from experience. Bottom line: Elijah was fantastic! We plan to use him again when we get around to remodeling our master bathroom. We wanted a relatively inexpensive remodel of the basement bathroom and his price could not be beat. He was punctual, professional, and attentive to detail. I was amazed at the quality of Elijah’s work and the amount of time he spent on the project given what was a very low price for this area. I was also very grateful to him for being patient with us when we accidentally failed to order enough tile, throwing off his schedule for more than a week.  He never complained and promptly resumed work the day the tile arrived. Great contractor!

Complete master bathroom remodel and expansion along with removal of kitchen backsplash and installation of new tile backsplash. Elijah was very responsive and fast in getting us estimates for the bathroom remodel. He was not the lowest priced contractor, but very reasonable and by far had the best reviews. The estimate was labor only and we provided all finishing materials such as tile, grout, vanity, etc. Elijah and his crew were always on time and very professional. We were surprised at just how many hours they put in each day as they arrived around 9 a.m and some evenings worked until 8 p.m.  They also put in a number of Saturdays to keep the project on track. There were limited surprises when it came to cost, coming in very close to the estimate. The only additions were due to problems with the house where they needed extra materials or had to level out the ceiling. We had a few communication issues early on as we were not home during the renovations and inspected work in the evenings.  It took a few days to work out and make sure we were on the same page, but Elijah made sure we were comfortable and his team was addressing our concerns. We also had some challenges communicating through notes with his crew when we were home, but were able to email Elijah in the evenings if we did not feel like we were understanding each other. In the middle of the bathroom remodel we decided to replace our kitchen counters and backsplash. We originally thought we could remove the backsplash, but quickly realized there was a lot of drywall repair needed.  Elijah provided an estimate and timing the next morning and was able to quickly fit in our additional project in their schedule. We are very pleased with how the bathroom and kitchen turned out and also happy with Elijah’s service. We noticed a few weeks after they finished that there was a crack in the grout in both the kitchen and bathroom.  Elijah worked with our schedule coming out after 5pm on a Friday and repaired both cracks. We would recommend Elijah and his team for renovation projects and would consider using them in the future.

Master bathroom remodel. Completed the job on time and very good at the job. It’s very reasonable price because we priced it with a couple others and they were way expensive.

Our experience with Surdus was fantastic! Elijah Gold, the owner, was wonderful to work with. He was always responsive and gave us some great ideas. Jose and Sergio, who did the bulk of the work, were incredible. They were always lovely to deal with, even the last night when they were here until 10 pm and must have been exhausted. We especially appreciated Jose’s eye for detail, which shows throughout the bathroom. We are already planning our next project for Surdus.

When we bought our Capitol Hill row house a few years ago, we didn’t particularly share the ultra-modern design sensibilities of the previous owners, particularly in the upstairs master bathroom. (Imagine a W Hotel, circa 1996). We also discovered that the bathroom fixtures didn’t work particularly well: the shower leaked and was ill-constructed for anyone with kids; turning the vanity faucet handles only occasionally produced water; and the vanity was wedged so close to the bathtub that you had to almost turn sideways to slip past. This year, we decided to redo the bathroom top to bottom, in a vintage cottage style more in step with our own tastes. We bought a pedestal tub, a vanity and recessed medicine chest, and new light fixtures, and we wanted to re-position everything so the space flowed better. We hired Surdus to completely rip out the old bathroom and put together the new one. (We bought all the furniture, fixtures, tiles, paint. They installed and made everything work, and disposed of the old stuff.) That involved everything from ripping out old tiles, securing floor joists, moving the plumbing and electrical, carrying a 500-pound tub up a narrow flight of stairs, installing wainscoting and light fixtures and floor tiles, and painting. Elijah Gold, the owner, and his crew delivered on every score. The 3-man crew showed up on time every morning. They took the time to get the details right, and when we discovered problems that we hadn’t anticipated in advance, the crew put in extra hours and elbow grease to make it work, even if it meant staying well past the point when they might have wanted to go home. Though the job involved considerably more time and work than anyone expected, there was only one reasonably priced change order. The men often went above and beyond, with the electrician bringing some wiring outside the scope of the project up to code and checking the work of his colleagues to make sure they had done everything by the book. The men were also unfailingly polite and respectful. They asked, for instance, every time they wished to use the (working) downstairs bathroom, even though I would have been more than happy for them to use it at will. They also made a point of cleaning up every day, laying down cloth runners and vacuuming and dusting to keep the rest of the house mostly dust-free. I work from home, and so was fairly involved (and probably annoying) in checking the work in progress. But they always answered my questions patiently and were always responsive to requests. Overall, I was very pleased with Surdus’s work and would highly recommend.

He remodeled a 3000-square-foot basement.  He also remodeled a kitchen and bathrooms on other occasions. Everything was great!  Elijah had reasonable pricing, had an excellent quality of work, and was highly professional.  In fact, I was most impressed when he took it upon himself to fix a part of the ceiling that started to sag even though it wasn’t his fault. Furthermore, he and his crews are extremely thorough, and everything that they do is written down which is a tremendous plus. Additionally, Elijah was always on time if not early, he was always calm and collected, and he even brought a Port O Potty for his crews to use so that they wouldn’t have to be intrusive and use our facilities.

They remodeled my bathroom. They were very precise, clear and straight to the point. They were attentive and gave great feedback. They were very good and I would hire them again. They created a great relationship.

It went well over all. After looking at several contractors, we chose Surdus. My main goal was to have the bathroom done with the fittings and fixtures I wanted, not one of the package bathroom deals. I seldom use contractors in DC just because of the pricing/quality of work/poor contracts. I liked the detailed contract and Elijah’s suggestions for how to do the bathroom. I also appreciated that he actually knew the building codes in force unlike the other three contractors I interviewed. The job wasn’t easy – remove cast iron tub, wall tile set in plaster/mortar and floor tile in mortar (1930’s house). We selected the furnishings we wanted, and had Elijah confirm they would work. There were some problems with the bathtubs when we received them – not his fault; delivery company which caused a pretty big delay. He worked around them. The framing and rough work was first class. The guys had schematics on how they would do the work. We had a pretty complicated shower valve arrangement, and he worked with the supplier to make sure all the appropriate pieces were ordered and a plumbing schematic was produced. His crew did a good job trying to keep things clean and thinking ahead on installing blocking for the grab bar, etc. The only downside is I think his crew was rushed in the end to finish up. I understand, and I have never worked on a construction project were there weren’t minor problems. However in the rushing, small details got overlooked. I am the only one who will ever notice, it is just that they did such a great job on the rough-in, framing, etc. but nobody will ever see it. I would definitely use them again. In general a great contractor who sticks to the contract, and I like that all communications are in writing. Elijah was flexible during the project, and prompt to respond.

Retiled the bathroom shower, bathroom floor, installed new vanity, installed sink faucet and tub/shower faucet and drain. I will certainly be using Surdus again!  Elijah is a pleasure to work with and far and away the most responsive contractor I have ever used (and we’ve used too many to count). He responds to emails extremely quickly, sometimes in a matter of just a few minutes. He was willing to work with us to create a project that would fit our needs and our budget. Most importantly, he made sure we were happy with the products and the look at each step of the project. His crew was very professional and courteous and their work was great. When we noticed a problem with the tile layout and notified Elijah, he immediately assured us it would be fixed and then notified us the next day when it had been fixed and made sure we approved of it before they moved on. The final work looks terrific and the entire experience with Surdus was wonderful. I wish we had found Surdus years ago–we will be using them again I’m sure.

They remodeled an upstairs bathroom in our house. It went fantastic, they were absolutely great from the first meeting to the end of the construction they where just great.