Starcom Design Build Corporation

My wife and I selected Starcom to do a high end master bathroom renovation 18 months ago after researching a number of other companies. They handled all phases including an fabulous design plan and did an excellent job in all phases. They finished on time and on budget-except for a few upgrades we added on during construction(including heated floors which is a suprisingly good idea). The bathroom is incredible and worth the cost. But the main reason I'm writing a review, something I ordinairily don't do, is that we recently noticed a few things that needed adjusting. Even though it was over one year later, Starcom sent out a team to fix the problems and everything looks perfect.
I highly recommend Starcom for any design projects you might be considering.

Starcom Design Build built our 12,000 square ft shop over 20 years ago.They also built a paint spray booth at our other location 25 years ago. Both buildings are working out great. Two years ago when a car hit our building,Bob's crew came right out. They erected temporary walls & did a great job repairing our shop. I Highly recommend Starcom Design Build

Excellent service from start to finish. Excellent craftmanship. Very efficient and professional.

I had a metal roof placed with skylights 1 year ago. The roof now leaks and they will not fix it.
Metal roof placed for $40,000 1 year ago. The roof leaks and the contractor refuses to fix it . They are telling me that because they subcontracted out the job,Starcom is not responsible. All of their work is subcontracted out.

Starcom Design Build addressed a unique shop ventilation problem with two alternative solutions that were more appropriate and less expensive than what I had initially requested. Their installation followed through with a custom tailored fit that was excellent. I recommend them as a "first contact" when looking for solutions.

Starcom built a misaligned addition to our home(1°), and messed up some carpet they did work on (2°). Binding arbitration is in contract for disputes.
1) We hired Starcom to primarily design / build an addition to our home. This space included what was our family room and extended out to where our deck was located. The issue is that the new addition is greatly misaligned with existing structure, and Starcom is not taking accountability, nor offering remediation of any kind. The misalignment was validated by three different licensed contractors, along with a MD licensed Structural PE. Once siding was installed, we could see a noticeable misalignment of the new structure as it extended from the existing structure. We alerted Starcom and someone came out and acknowledged that it did not look right, but said they had to review further. They came back out and took angle measurements of the existing structure, then tried to explain that the misalignment was because the existing structure was out of square and what they did was build a square room, despite that in the permit set, it notes, 'Align Exterior of New Wall W/ Existing Wall.' When we asked them why they did not take angle measurements of the existing structure during the design phase, they said they do not have time to take every measurement yet it is those very same angles that they are now saying are what caused the misalignment. They also said that there were no reasonable ways to fix the issue. We were not at all satisfied with their response. To rule out a structural issue, we first called in a Howard County Building Inspector. He verified there were no structural concerns, but that was the extent of his scope. He acknowledged there certainly was an aesthetic issue, but said their focus is strictly on structural integrity and safety. Afterwards, we called in 3 separate contractors for their opinion, along with a MD licensed Structural PE to review. They all agreed there was an obvious error on how the addition was built and that the issue could have been easily prevented if built with standard industry practices, also noting that no existing structures are perfectly square. They said Starcom should have focused on the long and most noticeable wall to make sure it was kept parallel and in alignment, and then this would have been a non-issue. They also collectively felt that there are certainly ways to greatly improve the misalignment image. It would require blending in both the exterior wall, along with the interior wall and floor, but certainly doable. We are currently getting quotes from the different contractors for this work. In short, every building industry professional that reviewed this issue all felt that Starcom simply messed up, and they are really surprised Starcom is not taking responsibility for it, as they see it as an obvious mistake. We verbalized and in writing expressed our dissatisfaction to Starcom with the misalignment issue, their lack of accountability, and that they would not present any potential solution. We are not pleased with how it looks now and have real concerns with the potential negative impact the misalignment may have with future resale value of our house.
2) While Starcom was going to be stretching some carpet that they pulled back for the installation of an egress window in a basement bedroom, we asked if they could take a look at a bump in the carpet outside the bedroom, and potentially stretch it. They said that they could try to fix the carpet, but it actually came out far worse. We now have a frayed, open seam across the bottom of the stairs that looks really bad, and they said they were done with it. Our position is if the contractor does something to our house, whether in the contract or not, to where it is worse than before they did the work, they should fix it. The owner finally said he will fix the carpet but we needed to first resolve the above wall issue, which in his stance, they were not going to take responsibility for it, nor offer any form of correction, so in the end, no, they are not planning on fixing the carpet either.

This was the worst contractor experience of our lives. They did not act in good faith, lied, delivered late and exhibited bad craftsmanship. The doors they put in will need to be replaced.

A year ago, we finished construction on a second floor to our 1000 sq. ft. house in Takoma Park. I spoke to two other design/build firms, who told me it couldn't be done for less than $350,000. Starcom got it done for under $200,000, which was all we could possibly afford. Given that limitation, we are constantly surprised by how luxurious our second floor feels. Even with the modest building materials we could afford, our upstairs is incredibly beautiful, and oh so functional. Jerry H designed the space so well. It is clever and lovely and has SO MANY CLOSETS! It really has changed our lives. To be sure, we had some frustrations at the very end of the process, where it seemed like it was taking a long time to wrap up the end of the punch list. But from what I have heard this is normal in any construction project. And, since then, as a few issues have popped up, Starcom has stood by its work and come in without hesitation or question when something needed to be fixed. They're good people and they do good work.

We are very pleased with Starcom Design. From initial consultation through completion of our bathroom remodel, the staff was very friendly and professional. We love our new bathroom with the walk-in shower. Starcom thanks,
Dave

We contracted with Starcom to complete a kitchen overhaul earlier this year. The project included the widening of the openings from the kitchen into our other rooms, as well as closing in a wall to create a dedicated office space. We are pleased with the quality of work performed by both the contractors on payroll and the subs tasked to our project as well. Tim, our designer, really helped create a more functional, spacious and beautiful place for our family. I do recommend Starcom.

I have recently hired Starcom design builder to replace our roof and Four days after they finish replacing the roof it started again leaking again.
I have recently hired Starcom design builder to replace our roof and only Four days after they finish replacing the roof it started again leaking again.
I send Mr. G message with the picture of leak he responded that think he knows the reason something to do with pipes and will come on Sunday to look at the leak. He sends his roof installer to look at the issue. The guy who came had almost no spoken English language skill and same goes for understanding any too. There was a lady with him to help in communication, I told her where the roof was leaking and she explained it to him. The guy went in the attic the girl also went with him. After they inspect the attic both of them came down because the guys doesn't speak English, the girl translated and explained it to me The guy said he will be back on Monday to replace something to stop the leak permanently and for now they have put a plastic tray/container that I had in my attic to hold the water temporarily.
That was Sunday September 9th .I didn't hear anything from them for whole week. On Sunday September 16th it rained again and again we had leak .I again message Mr G but no reply from him. We had rain on Monday night so on Tuesday morning there were more leaks. I again send message with the picture to Mr. G, this time finally he replied
Now his tone was different. He defensively said that it's not coming from the shingles, it's from flat roof and it will cause me another $1200 to fix it. The area he was talking about looks like trim around the window and the second leak was not anywhere near that.
I said to him that he should have told me what was going on, his employees told me they'll be back to fix it and Mr. G was saying something else that's not good customer service.
When I send him this message he got really upset and said I shouldn't talk about customer service because his guy came on weekend to check problem. He also said that he briefed his guy to explain to me the cost involved .Remind you that his installer guy or any of the other roofers who worked on our roof doesn't understand or speak English
He also said that he didn't know that I had a leak in any other area so I have sent him a sc*** shot of my initial message where I have mentioned the new leak.
The reason I hired them to replace the roof was to stop the leaks .I didn't do it for fun and if after paying thousands of dollars the roof was still leaking and even new leaks appeared right after. So there was a connection between new leaks and poorly done work. He lied that the leaks were not related to the roof replacement or the shingles
Another week went by since he said he'll send someone to look at leak but nobody showed up or contacted me ever since.
After not hearing back anything from Mr. G, I called couple of roofing companies .Each and every roofing company that came to look at roof told me the Same thing the roof was not installed properly and is leaking from different places. It was done so poorly that now water is coming from everywhere.
I have been a homeowner for past 25 years, have bought, renovated and sold numerous properties .I have hired many contractors for big and small projects but never had such horrible experience ever .This was the worst company in terms of Customer Service and work ethics.
This causes me so much stress and sleepless nights. I wouldn't wish this experience to my worst enemy

Leak in New Roof Left Unrepaired
In August 2018, I contracted Starcom to install a new roof. Their installation job was completed by August 9th. During a rainstorm on August 21st, the roof began to leak. The leak caused interior damage at least to the ceiling under the leak.

I immediately called Starcom to set up a time to address the issue. Allegedly, a roofer came to address the issue on August 25th. I was not at the home and the roofer would not have been able to gain access to the inside of the roof. I am unsure how the roofer could have assessed the location of the leak without checking the inside of the roof and without direction from me as to where the leak was presenting.

On September 1st, I was at the home. There were signs that the leak was still active. I contacted the sales person from Starcom, Matt who would not take my call but by text directed me to a managing partner Roger G. I called Roger G. Roger responded by text and talked briefly about drywall repair. Neither would talk with my by phone. Neither would discuss steps forward to address the leak in the roof.

The roof leak has not been resolved and Starcom representatives will not discuss the issue.

Starcom did a great job with a complex set of renovations which included wall treatments, flooring, stair and railings, closets , doors, painting, etc. This was our third project with Starcom. Each one has been done with great skill and attention to detail and respect for the needs of the client.

Starcom did a great job with our roof and drywall repairs! Roger was highly professional and very easy to work with. All of the contractors were friendly and efficient. We will definitely be in touch for future home improvement projects!

Thanks for the great service!

We are very pleased with the Master Bedroom Suite designed and built by STARCOM in the summer of 2017. All of our requirements were met by their professional design and build staff, and in just over 4 months we were delighted to move into our new 1st floor master suite. STARCOM welcomed our input and worked with us to satisfy our unique needs. As satisfied customers, we are happy to recommend STARCOM to our friends and neighbors.

Dave and Jackie L.

I had roof and gutters done. I was kept informed when materials would be delivered and work would begin. The workers completed the job in the time specified. Cleanup was accomplished. I received follow up calls to see if I was satisfied with job.

I have read every review on *** and Revdex.com and here is my assessment of Starcom. Thus far, there were several (not many) regarding higher pricing, late calls, missed appointments, telemarketing, and so on. Let's be truth to ourselves. If we can save a lot of money, we do it ourselves, right? Because our lives are busy and lack professional know how, we hire the expertise. I am a former architect/business owner and I have worked in construction throughout my younger days and I had to get out because of several factors: my body and the profitability. Regarding my body is no brainer; however, profitability was the main issue. In construction, overhead is huge and we must take that into consideration! I will elaborate on that later.

Starcom worked on our commercial building and did a wonderful job. Yes, being from the construction field, I saw some things I could have done better...but that was me. Overall, I was extremely satisfied. Due to personal circumstances and NOT money either, I had to prolong a 2 month job into a year. Starcom was very accommodating. If I had dealt with another company, they might have taken my deposit and ran off with it. I remember a construction company who under balled us to do the roof and cost~ed us $25,000 more. See~ the nature of construction business is volatile. Therefore, know who you are dealing with & how long they have been in business. If a telemarketer calls, just kindly call Starcom about the unwanted calls. If calls were not made or forgotten, give a little understanding. Yes~ it's upsetting but try to work it out. The thoughtfulness will come back 10 folds. It certainly did with me.

In regards to price quotation, I found Starcom on the medium to medium/high range. They weren't the cheapest and I expected so because of their reputation. They were once ranked nationally in the remodeling sector. Throughout the project, there were several unexpected price adjustments and increases but that is the nature of beast. Prior to a job, you are quoted for what you want done and can see. Contractor cannot quote you for finding asbestos during a project and have the contractor eat the costs. Therefore, word of caution, give yourself about 15%-20% wiggle room for unwanted and/or unexpected expenses. Be a wise consumer and be upfront with the contractor. Tell them you cannot exceed a certain defined budget.

Now~ as promised, this is where I like to discuss profitability. See~ construction business is a complicated animal and it is very difficult to make it work. That is why construction companies close so many doors and it is the #1 ranked business in the nation to defraud consumers. Do your homework. Florida leads the pack from what I have last researched.

As you might have heard and might of noticed in some of the reviews, there are those who knows the price of everything but knows the value of nothing. Today's labor cost is extremely high. Say~ You have an employee, who you pay, $25/hr, and the employer has to match his Federal Tax, not to mention State, workman's compensation, Business/Liability insurance, health insurance, property tax, depreciation, and so on... You have very little left at the end of the day. Use common sense about how a contractor charges you. Always remember not to get too crazy about what you can gain for what you might lose. Finding a good contractor is about finding the right balance. Contractors want to make you happy.

In closing, I like to make this remark. Starcom did the work that was expected and did a great job. The cost of the project was perfectly aligned with the scope of the work. I even asked for some extras that were not in the contract and they did it, though I did ask politely and nicely. All in all, I slept peacefully at night knowing I was getting what I asked for. I hope this review helped those who are considering Starcom. Staff & crew were supper nice...You don't get your typical rough necks. If I am not correct, I do believe everyone received a PHD in human science! Have a wonderful day!

I really wanted this experience to be a good one and was very hopeful after reading reviews and looking at rating on multiple sites. Unfortunately, the whole experience ended up being more of a hassle than anything else and a disappointment since the project manager and designer ended up being a lot of the problem. All very nice people and everyone tells you want you want to hear but the actions to do not follow the words. A project that was estimated to take 7.5 - 9.5 weeks ended up taking 14 weeks to complete (after almost 3 weeks of no work in the middle) and is only complete now because I had to stay on top of everyone every single day and take leave from work to babysit the workers and make sure they actually did the work. Multiple problems throughout construction because the designer didn't measure correctly, didn't know that when you put in 12 feet of windows, you need stronger headers, ordered the wrong sizes of items (3 different cabinets, 2 of which they completely destroyed and threw in the dumpster), didn't order enough of some items (hardware) , didn't order some products at all (ledger stone, back-splash) until very late in the process and almost caused even more of a delay if I hadn't intervened and worked with the companies. They bring in people to do the work that either don't know or don't care about the work they are doing (installed 9 feet of windows crooked by almost 2 inches, spilled stain on new blue stone hearth and tried to "fix" by putting paint thinner on it, dumpster placed w/o wood under the rollers, dry wall installers that covered over lights, vents, numerous wires and cables, no regulator installed on gas line). From the very beginning, I told everyone that I wanted communications, updates, status reports either by phone, text, email or in person and if they kept me in the loop, I wouldn't end up bothering them. I got nothing. I either had to call, text, and email the project manager or wait for him to show up to actually have a conversation with him. The designer responded to emails with one word responses. In the end, I would receive an email from the project manager, respond with question and receive no response. In the beginning of this project I recommended Starcom to 3 different people looking to get work done. 1 contacted the company, waited several weeks for the designer to get back to her and then went with another company because of the price and communications issues and the other two I have changed my recommendation to a NO. All very frustrating and a disappointment.

I had a extensive basement remodel performed by Starcom Design and the quality of craftsmanship and professionalism is exemplary. I highly recommend their work, Their project management and follow up is also outstanding.

I have used Starcom for three projects involving gutters and facia. All work was performed very professionally. Starcom was very responsive, and did what they said they were going to do. I recommend them.