I've worked with builders from all over the country and beyond. I have rental properties as well as my home,... read moreI've worked with builders from all over the country and beyond. I have rental properties as well as my home, and have quite a bit of experience working with all sorts of trades people. My experience with Lumina Builders was, hands down, the best I've had. To be honest, when I was first looking for a contractor to take on my home remodel, one of the early deciding factors was the fact that they are located so close to me (so I could chase them down easily if things started going badly during the project). I first contacted them, got the proposal, and signed the contract in spring of 2019 and we started planning at that time. Getting engineering drawings. Permits. With my schedule and preparations, we didn't actually start demolition until February of 2020. I recall having told Joey Dahan that part of the scheduling problem was making sure I'd be here during the work. He told me that they didn't need me there; they just do the work right and can fully do it all on their own. I thought to myself, "yea, sure. No way in hell that's going to happen." A lifetime of bizarre and badly done work when I'm not present to over-see things was front and center in my mind. Well, Joey was right. I didn't really need to be there, other than to help with where I wanted things. Placement of switches/lights/fixtures. During the 4 months of work, if I so much as thought in my head, "I sure hope they're going to do ......" they were already on it and way ahead of me. If I saw something that didn't look right, Joey had already seen it first and would be working on correcting it. The organization was unbelievable. It was a pretty complex project, and I'm still amazed at how well they tackled it in such a systematic way; at all times remembering that we were still living in the house and minimizing inconveniences to the extent possible. Another impressive thing I have to give Joey credit for was the overall thoroughness of his quote. I've had plenty of trades people over the years give a quote, then constantly are coming back asking for more money. Sure, there will always be unexpected challenges in any project that may require change orders, but I've worked with plenty who act as though everything in the original scope of their work was now going to cost extra. I won't say that we didn't have a couple of items that Joey missed in the original quote, that required a couple of change orders, but I can honestly say, for the size of the project overall, the missed, additional items were minimal. So minimal, I'd just go ahead and say that the project basically remained completely on budget. I knew it would be a big job, but it was even bigger than I'd expected. Every tradesperson sent to the job was friendly, efficient, and did top notch work. They were about as tidy as you can be when you've ripped down nearly 1/3 of the house. I started the process a cautious skeptic, and 4 months later, ended a believer. I would not hesitate to hire them again. I still have one more bathroom to be done, and will be in contact with them for that soon. read less
T C.6/30/2020- Lumina builders did a phenomenal job for my client on their 4,000 sq. ft. Coastal home! The kitchen, flooring and... read moreLumina builders did a phenomenal job for my client on their 4,000 sq. ft. Coastal home! The kitchen, flooring and bathrooms turned out beautifully. When we called to get pricing and talk about the job they were very friendly and accommodating. They made the process seamless! Their pricing was very reasonable. The workers were prompt, polite and professional. They were very courteous and they were respectful of their home. They also did a great job of being tidy and cleaning up after themselves! Talk to David! You will not be disappointed! read lessNiro A.6/22/2020
- When looking to remodel our small 1996-built kitchen, we received quotes from three contractors. We chose Lumina Builders Inc not... read moreWhen looking to remodel our small 1996-built kitchen, we received quotes from three contractors. We chose Lumina Builders Inc not only because they were the best price, but also because David has an unparalleled talent for taking an existing space and maximizing its potential. In our case, we wanted to open our kitchen up but couldn't grasp the logistics of where we would move the fridge. In short: we lacked imagination. David came in and instantly said we could put our fridge in the space that our laundry room was and moving the washer and dryer into the garage. He said we could knock down a wall and put an island/bar. He even said he could build us a walk-in pantry! My Husband and I lack the ability to visualize the way David naturally does. We went to the Show room to pick out the cabinets, counters, and backsplash: my husband and I felt a little lost. David quickly gathered some samples that he suggested we use based on the lighting and our space we were working with in the kitchen area. What was an anxious situation turned into confidently making the right choices thanks to David's s expertise and advice. Our kitchen has been completely transformed and our guests are left awestruck when they see our kitchen that--by the way--feels like it has received a makeover from one of those reality shows! We are beyond satisfied with our new kitchen. Overall, we will be using Lumina Builders Inc for our upcoming home improvement/remodel jobs! read lessBirdy P.6/18/2020
- We hired Lumina for a remodel of our master and guest bedroom bathrooms. Joey Dahan was our consultant. He was... read moreWe hired Lumina for a remodel of our master and guest bedroom bathrooms. Joey Dahan was our consultant. He was very personable and professional and kept us updated throughout the entire process from the initial bid to job completion. He was extremely helpful with design suggestions and made sure all of our needs and concerns were addressed. We would use Lumina again and strongly recommend them to our friends. read lessJohn L.6/15/2020
- From the initial estimate to the final product, Lumina proved to be an amazing company to work with. I... read moreFrom the initial estimate to the final product, Lumina proved to be an amazing company to work with. I had the privilege of having Ella and Nico as my contractors. From the initial meeting and estimate, both were the most professional and organized from the numerous contractors I met with throughout the San Diego area. They brought samples, previous reviews, proof of licenses, all organized professionally. Most other contractors just make scribbles and don't leave you with much after the first meeting. With their background as a designer and architect, they also were able to help me bridge the gap between my initial ideas and the final product. Most other contractors expect you to be there from the beginning. Watching HGTV doesn't make the average person a designer, and having their expertise helped elevate what could have been a pedestrian product into an amazing product. Once I chose Lumina, they helped simplify and reduce the stress of the decisions needed to be made. Remodeling a condo with an HOA is not an easy task. I forwarded the HOA requirements to Lumina, and they helped me fill out everything and ensured all the changes met all the building requirements. My application was approved without any issues.The extent to which Ella & Nico went above the minimum is worth noting. I did my remodel during the COVID-19 crisis. We never delayed once, and the contractors did a great job of pivoting and helping make quick decisions to keep things on track. They even helped with delivery and receiving of final products to help keep me safe. If we met, we always kept safe distances, avoided physical contact and used face masks. Many of the final products had to be purchased online due to the COVID-19 situation, and both did an outstanding job of helping me navigate online shopping and purchasing all the products needed.Constant communication is key with them. I never felt like I wasn't being heard and understood, and I was receiving constant updates via photos, videos, and live walk through via video chat. Ella & Nico's professionalism is their strongest quality. Being my first remodel, I probably was a demanding client, but they never wavered in professionalism and always kept a calm demeanor with me. Hiring a contractor was the most important part of my remodel, so stop searching, contact Lumina and ask for Ella & Nico. You won't regret it. read lessPeter C.5/21/2020
- The short version is call Lumina Builders and ask for Ella and Nico! They're amazing! The longer version is... read moreThe short version is call Lumina Builders and ask for Ella and Nico! They're amazing! The longer version is below:We had been planning on doing a whole house remodel and were having the hardest time finding contractors that we felt we wanted to work with. We spent several months and couldn't find a company we wanted to work with. Either the quotes were ridiculously high or the companies basically just wanted to do some cookie cutter plan they had (or both.) When we met with Ella and Nico from Lumina Builders it was completely different. They had tons of enthusiasm and fantastic ideas about what we could do. We decided to try out a small project with them before committing to the whole house project and they just exceeded every expectation. The prices were reasonable, they helped us design and choose materials (even going shopping with us) and the crews were very respectful and clean. We were thrilled with that first test so immediately went ahead with the whole house remodel and they continued to be amazing.The whole process has really been a pleasure and we can't recommend Ella and Nico enough. They really bring a fun personal touch to the project. We've already recommended them to several friends. read lessMatt S.5/11/2020
- We recently finished a pretty extensive remodel in our house under the guidance of Nico and Ella as project managers.... read moreWe recently finished a pretty extensive remodel in our house under the guidance of Nico and Ella as project managers. It included a complete kitchen remodel involving the removal of two walls, the addition of french doors with sidelights, flooring, paint, bar area, vanity in the guest bathroom and an outdoor deck. I wish I had before pictures to show the amazing transformation Nico and Ella were able to attain with our floorplan. Let me tell you, we have spent 4 straight weeks at home with two kids during the Coronavirus Lockdown and we are so incredibly grateful to LOVE our house and the changes made to it! Throughout this entire process, Nico and Ella made it fun and as stress-free as could be. The crews coming in and out of our house were always very kind, respectful and hard working. Ella accompanied us on all our shopping trips to give advice on the different parts of decision making. She and Nico helped my husband and I merge our visions and turned it into something we both absolutely love! Their "concierge service" and super fun personalities made it so we actually enjoyed the remodel. In fact, when I would tell people about our project, inevitably I would hear about their terrible experiences. I always thought, "That's because they didn't get to work with Nico and Ella,". We had so much fun that we feel like we're walking away with two new friends in addition to an awesome remodel. We will definitely be calling Nico and Ella again when we are ready for our bathroom remodel! read lessKatie S.4/08/2020
- As I mentioned in my earlier review, we contracted with Lumina Builders to renovate our guest bathroom, laundry room, and... read moreAs I mentioned in my earlier review, we contracted with Lumina Builders to renovate our guest bathroom, laundry room, and kitchen. They did a fabulous job (5 stars) on our bathroom, and this review is for the laundry room and kitchen.Lumina did a super job on our laundry room and kitchen. Our project manager Oded kept an eye on the workers and made several great suggestions to us along the way -- saving us money and in some cases resulting in a better "look." The workers were skilled, diligent, and respectful throughout. We have a cat and a dog and they were willing and able to work around them with minimal disruption.In addition, Lumina was able to stay on schedule -- getting the entire job completed the first week of March, fortunately, before the coronavirus outbreak. We are so grateful to have our beautiful home all done now as we hunker down.Overall, an easy five stars -- thanks, again, Oded and crew for going above and beyond with our renovations. Looking forward to working with you again in the future. read lessPeter E.3/29/2020
- My husband and I bought a dated house in a great location about a year ago in hopes to rebuild... read moreMy husband and I bought a dated house in a great location about a year ago in hopes to rebuild it from the inside out. I set out to research and find the best company out there to get the job done properly. I am very particular about how I like things done, so I had to be confident on whoever it was taking on the job. After meeting with several different contractors we ended up hiring Daniel from Lumina Builders. Daniel, our project manager, did an AMAZING job on our bathroom design!! (the space was a little funky since the house was built in the 60's) But, oh boy did Daniel help transform this space! It came out so beautiful, I could cry!! Everything was done as asked and looks better than I could have imagined!In terms of the process of it all. The team did a great job at finishing in a timely fashion, were detail oriented, and managed to keep our house clean throughout the whole construction process, which was greatly appreciated.Can't beat this, I highly recommend. read lessZab L.3/06/2020
- Our family just had a highly satisfying first time renovation project with Lumina Builders .... Our... read moreOur family just had a highly satisfying first time renovation project with Lumina Builders .... Our old kitchen was modernized and the adjacent toilet was converted to a full toilet and bath. Since we are novice in this area, we utilized help to identify a few builders we can choose from. We invited three (3) contractors and David with Lumina builders was outright impressive.He accommodated all the ideas of family members. His accurate and concrete conceptualization matched our ideas. He verbalized the plans in a very understandable manner with an open mind to suggestions and whims of the homeowner. And the quote was the most fair and reasonable. It is admirable how he orchestrated a pool of workers coming and going.. with synchronized movement. The workers were mostly pleasant and seemed comfy with us hovering sometimes and anxious of the results of the task on hand. The project proceeded well, with minimum lapses. What helped a lot was the accessibility of David who regularly monitored the site and answered all calls and text messages he was courteous throughout the encounter and his "gift" including his person skills facilitated communication to be open.The project was done within the agreed schedule. Since our kitchen and dining area is our "command center" in the house, the fantastic work of art of Lumina Builders make our every minute stay in the place most satisfying and enjoyable. Our family and friends who visited love it.. especially the backsplash and the wide toilet and bath. We will definitely recommend Davids group to our acquaintances. read lessSteven V.3/04/2020
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