NAME

Design-build made gallery ideal during Covid shutdown

PROJECT DATE

June 2021

RATING

RELATIONSHIP

Client

Renovating in a co-op building in the midst of COVID was a long and painful experience. But I can’t imagine anyone better to have guided us through it than the team at Gallery. We endured a three-month NYC construction shutdown, a difficult co-op board that imposed unreasonable restrictions, and two different leaks in our apartment during the renovation work (all against the backdrop of three young kids who weren't allowed in their school buildings). But Gallery navigated all of these obstacles like true pros, ensuring that there were no major delays to our project and that the leak damage was quickly repaired, even when it was not their fault. The quality of Gallery's work is top-notch and accurately represented in the photo gallery you can find online. Peter and Diana provided helpful design input along the way, and Diana made sure we ended up with not only a beautiful kitchen but also a functional one. Her commitment to perfection, along with our foreman, was truly impressive. Gallery's commitment to staying within budget is also unparalleled. Their estimate was higher than others we had received, but they were the only ones who had spent multiple hours on the phone truly trying to understand what we wanted. There were very few budget surprises along the way once we digested the initial number. I did decide I wanted nicer vanities in the bathrooms than what they had budgeted for (which I believe would have been from the same company that made our kitchen cabinets) so that was one big add-on. And the electrical panel in our 1960s building needed to be replaced, which seems common in old buildings and perhaps could have been predicted. We initially chose Gallery because of the one-stop shopping aspect, in that their services included an architect and design input, in addition to the usual construction work and materials. They have a huge staff and many people to consult if an unusual question or issue arises. We were not disappointed, as our relationship with the team, starting and finishing with owner and sales lead Alex, ended up lasting more than two years. Part of this was before we even closed on the apartment and were living abroad, and the rest was largely due to COVID and some final touchups that were not urgent after we moved in. In any case, we felt lucky to have Gallery on our side through all of this, and we would use the company again.