I have had the pleasure of working with Yazan on multiple ADU projects, and each experience has been exceptional. Yazan and his team are incredibly detail-oriented, highly communicative, and great to collaborate with.
Their transparency in all aspects of their work is truly invaluable, ensuring trust and clarity throughout the process. I highly recommend Yazan and his team at Valley Home Builders to anyone looking for a professional and reliable General Contractor for their projects.
This review below was posted on Yelp but for some reason it is now hidden and listed under "not recommended reviews" at the very bottom along with many others. Now I understand why people say yelp reviews are not reliable.
As a real estate investor partner myself and part of the bay area real estate group, I now feel compelled to share my experience with Valley Home Builders to protect my community. Issue is still ongoing since October 2022 (over 2 years). We've had over 40 issues to keep track. They are a "No first" mentality and will make it challenging to get reimbursed for the damages they caused.
i.e. - I experienced two major water damages that damaged the hardwood floor after the leak (minor but visible) and increased my utility bill by $300 for two months to dry the wood after removing the newly finished dry wall. I have no solar panels. So far they have agreed to compensate $500 for the hardwood floor damage and $100 for the utility bill even with billing proof for the entire year.
I hope as a company, they will own their mistakes, be transparent with future customers, and work harder to gain trust.
=====Yelp review that is now somehow hidden==========
During the time of construction, I had to adjust my lifestyle because I relied a lot on Airbnb rental income as a single mom. Unfortunately the project unexpectedly delayed for 16 months (2yrs+ since demo) causing major financial damage and mental stress throughout these times.
Financial damage
1. Rental income opportunity loss - $26,400
2. Lost and damaged items in home - $2,945
3. Electricity bill to dry wood after the major water damage they caused - $650
Memorable incidents
1. After 1.2 yrs of patience, I texted "Do your job!!" to which, Alex Vatani responded "Nothing justifies your attitude". This is after extreme delay and two major plumbing/water damages.
2. Alex always kept saying he did us a favor by calling in the HVAC since it stopped working during construction but they "didn't touch anything". Months later, I hired another HVAC who discovered half the duct was filled with construction saw dust, nails, and screws (see images). My son and I struggled with no hot air throughout the entire winter. They failed to cover the vent during the 2 yr construction.
3. When I confronted Mehdi Vatani, the CEO, asking politely about when we can discuss about the property damage including cupped hardwood floors caused by their water damage, he responded "I'll see you in court".
4. After 2 years, about a month before completion, Alex Vatani said "I know you can't trust us and I have to earn it but let's sit together and review all the damages." (not in these exact words but similar) and then disappeared.
5. He said he re-ordered the house number because right now it's 3 different fonts and various materials...B is a sticker (see picture) but nothing came. They "just got random ones to pass the inspection".
I wanted to shed some light around their lack of empathy, customer service, and endless empty promises.
We found VHB through the City of San Jose's list of pre approved ADU's and fell in love with their 1 bedroom design.
Initially we were put in contact with Yazan who walked us through the process and showed us some recent ADU's that the company had built. Yazan was very responsive and stayed involved throughout the entirety of the project, helping with cabinetry and other design details along the way. Although we were a bit hesitant on the price at first, when things were all said and done we stayed within budget (as Yazan had promised).
There were some minor delays along with the way but the project finished ahead of schedule in just under 5 months. It did take a bit longer than expected to get our permit at the beginning, but once the project started, things moved rather quickly and efficiently. We were particularly impressed with the efficiency of the foundation and framing crew. The structure went up quite quickly.
Our project manager Alex was very knowledgeable straightforward. At times he was a bit blunt, but we appreciated the honesty and responsiveness. He always made time to make sure our needs were addressed and our concerns were listened to, with action plans to resolve provided immediately. We are very happy with our new ADU and the experience with VHB overall!!
Review of Valley Home Builders (VHB)
Expectations vs. Reality:
We contracted with Valley Home Builders (VHB) in September 2022 to construct an 800 sq. ft. attached ADU. The project was expected to be completed by May 2023, but we have faced significant delays and unresolved issues.
Team Members Involved:
- Mehdi Vatani (CEO)
- Alex Vatani (Project Manager)
- Arman Bashi (Sales)
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Payment Status:
As of January 2024, all construction fees have been paid except for the final occupancy permit and some remaining punch list items, totaling $6,413.
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Delays in Completion:
As of September 14, 2024, the final inspection was only passed on August 22, 2024, resulting in a delay of 16 months, with construction still incomplete.
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Major Causes of Delay:
- Water Damage:
1. An uncapped drain pipe caused a major overflow, damaging the main house.
2. A weak connection in the plumbing system led to leaks, requiring extensive repairs.
- Incorrect Vanity Installation:
The master bathroom vanity was poorly positioned, rendering it unusable and necessitating a rebuild.
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Communication Challenges:
Following the damage, communication with VHB has been difficult. We enlisted legal support and sent formal letters regarding unresolved issues, which went unanswered.
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Ongoing Construction Issues:
1. Insulation Gaps: There are significant gaps in the insulation of the party walls and ceilings. This not only results in a lack of privacy but also allows conversations to be clearly overheard between units. Moreover, loud noises, particularly when the ADU's bathroom is used, echo through the main house, creating a disruptive living environment.
2. Incorrect Plumbing: A plastic pipe was used instead of a cast iron pipe for sound reduction.
3. Toilet Installation Issues: A wall-concealed tank toilet was installed with the wall permanently sealed, which obstructs necessary access for repairs and adjustments. When wall-concealed toilets are used, the wall must be removable to facilitate repairs and adjustments. Currently, the toilet bowl water level is too low and cannot be adjusted without destroying the wall, leading to further inconvenience. A wrong brand toilet was used.
4. Additional Items: Numerous other issues remain unresolved.
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Financial and Property Damages:
VHB has acknowledged damage caused by their team, but no compensation has been provided for over $31,000 in losses and damages. This includes:
- The destruction of a non-native citrus tree, despite prior warnings to protect it.
- Damage to three large raised beds.
- Loss of rental income for 11 months from our existing dwelling's Airbnb listing due to prolonged delays.
- Damage to my neighbor's RV. The CEO of VHB promised that his insurance would cover the costs, but despite this assurance, I found myself paying my neighbor out of pocket for the damage.
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Positive Points:
Initially, we appreciated the professionalism of Arman Bashi, who provided valuable support. However, the quality and responsiveness of service declined during construction.
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Formal Complaint:
We have filed a complaint with the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB), and a state mediator attempted to contact VHB but received no response. Consequently, our case has been escalated and assigned to a Special Investigator for further review.
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Conclusion: While we remain hopeful for a resolution, we strongly encourage Mehdi Vatani, Alex Vatani, and Arman Bashi to address these ongoing issues directly. It's essential for potential customers to know that, despite initial positive interactions, there have been significant challenges in executing and completing the project. We will continue to update this review as the situation develops.
Stay away from this contractor....ask their customers first before you proceed. They won't respond and quality of work is poor... Far from professional work.
Clarification
No, I have not mistaken with another business.... Alex Vatani's empty promises were mind blowing. And it's even more questionable when comment on all 1 star review is... "Must be someone else" or "Must be a different business". No ownership. Start by apologizing.
Hello Jordan,
We believe you have us mixed up with another company. We tried to locate you in our client data base, but we were unable to verify any current or past records with you. We take our client relationship seriously and would like to address this, should you be a past or current client. Please feel free to contact us directly at 408-248-8000 or email us at Contacts@valleyhomebuilders.com.
Nancy S.2024.09.04
Verified
Valley Home Builders did our ADU. The finished project is beautiful. My husband and I just love that we are back in our neighborhood. Mehdi, Saed, Yazan & Alex are so knowledgeable at what they do. A very special shout out to Yazan, our project manager, who had so much patience with me! Thanks to all of you.
We recently built an ADU with Valley Home Builders and would definitely work with them again. From the beginning, the operation manager Yazan had always been transparent about pricing, respected our budget and kept us on track. The architect Natalie was so nice to work with; she considered our needs and got us through the permitting process with no comments regarding the architectural design. The project manager Alex was also amazing. The whole Valley team: their building works were beautiful! Like any big construction project, there’re some small hiccups along the way but Valley always tried their best to resolve and meet our expectations. All in all, we’re very happy!
We recently built an ADU with Valley Home Builders and would definitely work with them again. From the beginning, the operation manager Yazan had always been transparent about pricing, respected our budget and kept us on track. The architect Natalie was so nice to work with; she considered our needs and got us through the permitting process with no comments regarding the architectural design. The project manager Alex was also amazing. The whole Valley team: their building works were beautiful! Like any big construction project, there’re some small hiccups along the way but Valley always tried their best to resolve and meet our expectations. All in all, we’re very happy!
We are almost done with a large addition and remodel with Valley Home Builders, and it's been a great experience in both the design and build phases. We worked to come up with a great floorplan that met our budget, and the construction has gone smoothly, quickly and on schedule- we are anticipating moving in before our estimated completion date!
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*Exceptional customer service* We initially contacted valley home builders based on their amazing reviews and boy did they not disappoint disappoint! This all started when we decided to add an ADU (accessory dwelling unit) in our back yard to house my elderly parents. A quick internet search and Valley home builders came on top (for a reason!) We ended up calling them and connected with a gentleman that couldn't have been more knowledgeable on ADUs and city ordinance. He walked us through their ADU check list and sure enough my property qualified ( they also offered a free on site visit/consultation) unfortunately for us they don't serve San Francisco but that didn't stop them from helping us through the process. They talked to us about different designs and even shared some of the floor plans of their current projects as well as a general idea on pricing (we were clueless). They then proceeded to recommend some of their sub contractors that can help us on different phases of our project. We eventually ended up hiring a local builder in SF and even then I contacted them to confirm whether the quote we got was reasonable and they had no problem looking over the quote and giving us advice. It's hard to find an honest contractor that puts the customers needs first but I can tell you Valley home builders showed us that there is still hope! I am very glad we crossed paths and if we end up moving to the South Bay, I won't be hiring any other contractor.
One way you can tell a project is successful is when at its completion you feel you made the right choice for your builder, among other initial options. One year later, this impression is confirmed. The good impression we had at first with Arman was confirmed. VHB was definitely up to the task, very professional. Their top strength was in their architectural design experience and advices (Robert), and in project management (Mohammad), while all other aspects of the execution exuded professionalism. The VHB owner followed closely the project, and was hands on. Given that we had non-standard demands (insulation, structure), VHB proved to be quite flexible in accommodating our requests and in problem solving situations - both for the main structure and interior design. If we had some frustration it came from where we did not expect it: the slow processing of permit requests from the city, complex and arcane regulations (in spite of the city recently vowing to ease ADU construction), and the city clearly messed-up by requesting some changes late in the construction due to new fire regulations (closeness to the main home) while city could have caught these at the very beginning on the blueprint when presented for the initial permit. VHB proved to be patient, resourceful and accommodating. Afterward we realized how much our project needed a robust, cohesive and experienced team and VHB turned out to be exactly that. Jacques & Michele.
VHB was an absolute pleasure to work with. They were professional, competitive, passionate, and very knowledgeable. After listening to a description of our project and concerns, they crafted a remodeling plan tailored to address our exact needs while keeping extra costs low. They efficiently divided our project into multiple phases for a full design and build experience. Throughout the remodel, they demonstrated a mastery of design and build work while keeping us thoroughly consulted when needed. Once construction began, they provided us peace of mind that things were being professionally built and handled everything from management of subcontractors to permitting. I highly recommend them without reservation, and would work with them in the future without hesitation!
I worked with Arman during the consultation and from the moment I met with him through the moment I made a decision on a contractor he was nothing but helpful and very professional. He gave great advice on the project and was very helpful every time I talked to him.
I've been incredibly impressed by Arman since our first interaction. We had set up an initial appointment/consultation in March, but due to covid, we had to cancel that meeting. I really appreciated him still respectfully checking in every few weeks even though we hadn't met, and it wasn't clear when they would be allowed to operate again. He came by this morning to view our home and gave us his honest thoughts after hearing what we were looking for. He wasn't trying to sell us at all. Just gave us his professional and practical opinion that will end up saving us a lot of money. He was also very thoughtful and took all necessary health safety precautions which we appreciated (wearing a mask, not touching anything, staying 6 ft away, spreading out his home visits, etc). He was so kind and genuine - it honestly was so refreshing! I would recommend him and his services to anyone who is looking for a honest contractor.
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