Alair Homes Arlington

We completed a significant remodeling and addition effort with Alair in 2021.   During that construction, there was much that we appreciated.

Most people wouldn't choose to but as a family of 6 with 3 dogs, we lived in the house during renovation to save money.   Alair readily accommodated that.  The children certainly enjoyed it but what that really allowed us was daily insight into everything they did.   With Alair, that was an extremely positive experience that we want to note.

The subcontractors were uniformly excellent.   The speed and quality for everything they did was excellent and where we found errors, they quickly fixed.

Our PM was wonderful.  Where possible she would often make accommodations in near real time.  She would almost weekly bring new ideas and samples to consider.   Often, she found areas where we could do work ourselves to balance costs.   Frankly she helped build us a house with as much care as she would have her own.

Alair supported us for non-standard things that we asked for such as roof reinforcement with hurricane straps.  Searching academic texts or code in disaster prone states, we would do the research, but they always accommodated us even if these were not required by local codes.

When construction completes, as the owner, you still have a lot to do, and the time goes by quickly.   There are two reasons we are posting this review four years after our construction effort was completed.

First, it is interesting to talk to other people in the neighborhood about their experiences with builders, especially post warranty.  They have pest issues, roof leaks, rotting wood, and flooding.  We have had nothing.

Finally, early in construction we did take on items around the Resource Protected Area (RPA) in our backyard regarding stormwater compliance with Arlington County; specifically we would not agree to dump all our roof-runoff into the storm drain, but rather wanted to use that water for our backyard.   That proved more difficult than we ever anticipated.  Finally in frustration, delays (totally four additional years) and mounting costs, we went back to Alair and asked for their guidance and help.  Without even a delay of 24 hours, Chad Hackmann (Alair CEO) got back in touch with us, investigated then gave us the contacts we needed to finish the project.  He didn't need to do that, but he did, and we have finally had our work accepted and closed out by the county.    Alair’s assistance, four years after construction was finished, is not something you see much of anymore.

Our appreciation for Alair has only grown since their work was completed.  Especially after hearing about other builders and comparing them to our experience with Alair,  we recommend them without any hesitation.

Sincerest gratitute to Alair Homes Arlington and especially to Jason Chaney for the truly exceptional bathroom remodel recently completed at my home.

After experiencing a very difficult situation with a previous contractor who abandoned the project, leaving my home a complete disaster, I was incredibly fortunate to connect with Jason. You and your team stepped in and not only salvaged a challenging situation but also delivered phenomenal results.

I was consistently impressed by the professionalism, skill, and meticulous attention to detail demonstrated by your entire team throughout the project. The communication was excellent from start to finish, and I always felt well-informed and actively involved in the decision-making process. I particularly appreciated the proactive communication regarding costs, which allowed me to make informed choices to stay within my budget.

The quality of the tile work is truly remarkable, and the finished bathroom and steam shower are even more beautiful than I had imagined. I especially appreciate how expertly you managed the complexities of taking over a partially completed and problematic project. It was evident that your priority was to help me restore my home as quickly as possible while delivering exceptional results. Not many contractors would even consider accepting a project like this, particularly a builder that has an extensive new construction luxury home portfolio, but this speaks to Jason and his team being truly customer-centric.

Thank you once again for transforming a stressful experience into a positive one and for creating a bathroom that I absolutely love.

Great Builder! From great experience to great service. I have worked with many builders, but Alair by far is the easiest one to work with. Andrew makes schedule and communication streamlined. He is on top of the day to day and easy to ask questions to.

We had a very good experience with Alair for our home remodel. Maseeh kept us informed on progress and quickly addressed questions we had. Alair has a great business model and I really appreciated the cost transparency they provided. Their vendors were easy to work with. All-in-all, a very good experience.

I’ve been thinking about an extension to my home for years, and the Alair team did an amazing job! They helped me achieve everything I wanted with the project, stayed on budget and on time, and never compromised on the quality of the work. It’s absolutely beautiful! Thank you!

We have been serial renovators for 40 years and have just completed a job with Chad Hackmann's Alair group. They achieved the unthinkable for contractors: on time and under budget! If that doesn't get your attention you've never had a contractor.

The subcontractors were, universally, pleasant, knowledgable, and efficient - and that is so important when you are living in the construction space.

We recommend the Alair group without reservation.

Here's the thing, we didn't end up going with Alair. If I could start this project over again I so badly wished we did. I'm leaving a review for you dear reader in case you're on the fence of whether or not to do the initial outreach to Alair - I promise it'll be worth it.

Going through the initial consult and planning process with Chad was so refreshing because of his expertise and transparency. For once it felt like we were talking to a partner in the project and not a salesman. Chad's insight and wide breadth of knowledge from working deeply in the Arlington neighborhoods revealed so many pitfalls and unknowns other proposals missed or grossly understated.

Had we gone with Alair - we would have been so much further along in our project and feeling much less stressed for it.

I'll tell you this much - our next project has Alair's name all over it and we're keeping Chad in mind!

It’s been three years since we moved back into our home after a three-floor bump-out, and we’re still amazed at how great it looks. We also really appreciated Alair’s online budget/ cost-tracking tool. From beginning to end of the project, we knew how our actual costs were tracking against our initial budget, which meant no surprises at the end. Most importantly, Chad and his team were true to their word. Upon moving back into our home, we found a fairly serious problem, but Alair assured us that they weren’t going anywhere and would take care of it. Indeed, they worked with us for months after our move-in date to diagnose the problem and fix the issue at no additional cost to us.

Consummately professional and a true pleasure to work with through every step of the process. If you want it done right, you can do no better than Alair Homes.

Highly recommended.

Alair and, more specifically, our project manager Maseeh did a fantastic job with our basement and backyard project. Alair was not the budget option for our renovation but feel very comfortable saying that they ended up being the best value for our money given quality of final product.

In 2022 we purchased our dream home in Arlington VA with the intention of renovating and expanding the home. We saw the vision of what the property could be but needed a partner to make the dream a reality. After one poor experience with another builder, we reached back out to Alair who became that right partner in the project.

Chad and his team helped us through every step of the process. From pairing us with the right architect, to finding us an interior designer who matched my style and budget, Alair was the right team to get the project done. While every construction project has minor delays, our project manager on site, Greg, ensured seamless communication and worked hard to keep the crews on track. The project expanded in the process to include a full gut of the original interior and reworking the flow of the house. While the scope expanded, we knew in the end it would be worth it.

Choosing Alair as our partner to build our dream home was the right move. We love the home and truly feel we wouldn't have been able to finish this huge project without such an experienced team to help us through. Chad and the Alair team guided us with sound recommendations but gave us creative control to execute our vision. We couldn't be happier with how gorgeous the home turned out and absolutely love our forever home.

Subject: Recommendation for Alair Homes

It is with great pleasure that we write this recommendation for Alair Homes who recently completed the construction of our new home. Their professionalism and dedication to quality were evident from the beginning of the project to the final walkthrough.

Alair Homes maintained transparency throughout the process. We had full visibility into the project’s budget and timeline at all times, which gave us great peace of mind. Their commitment to clear and consistent communication ensured we were always informed and updated on the project's progress.

Our project manager Andrew Hall was outstanding. Always accessible via text, phone, or email, they displayed remarkable responsiveness, and their attention to detail was impressive. Each of our requests was meticulously remembered and executed to perfection. During the warranty period, our project manager promptly addressed any issues on our punch list, ensuring that the final touches were completed to our satisfaction.

The quality of workmanship provided by Alair Homes is exceptional. We are thoroughly delighted with how our new house has turned out. Naturally, a project of this scope faced a few challenges along the way. We commend Alair Homes for their proactive approach and working collaboratively with us to find effective solutions.

We highly recommend Alair Homes to anyone seeking a reliable and skilled builder. Their dedication to excellence and client satisfaction truly sets them apart.

Regards,

Alexia and Bart Collart

Working with Alair to renovate our duplex has been great from start to finish. Everything was clearly laid out at the beginning. Met with an architect who thoughtfully worked with our - sometimes unusual - vision & he came up with some great ideas and solutions. Everything was done with great quality and care. Maybe the best part of the experience was working with the Project Manager Maseeh who was extremely communicative, enthusiastic, accommodating, and detail oriented. We had been assuming that the project might take longer than the original estimate from Alair, but because of Maseeh's efforts it was done right on time. Thanks to Maseeh and everyone involved we now have an amazing home!

Dream Home a Reality: A Review of Alair Homes

Rebuilding our house was a little intimidating for my wife and me. It was a significant financial commitment, and we had no prior experience. We feel that we made the right decision working with Alair. From day one, they made the entire process incredibly smooth. That said, if you decide to rebuild your house, prepare yourself for making a lot of choices.

Of course, with any project of this size, there were minor bumps along the way. Every time a concern arose, we worked with the folks at Alair to find a solution we both could live with.

One example involved the roofline of our front patio. The site manager called me to the property and pointed out that the framers had extended the roof by 12-14 inches beyond the plans – something I never would have noticed. Without hesitation, he committed to fixing it entirely on Alair’s own dime. That's the kind of integrity you don't always find. Interestingly, we ended up liking the roofline and kept it.

Finally, the moment that truly solidified our confidence in Alair came from a trusted source - my brother-in-law, a master carpenter. After thoroughly inspecting the house right before the drywall was put in, he simply turned to me and said, "These guys are good."

In sum, Alair provided great support, dealt with every concern, and built a house that so far has exceeded our expectations.

Choosing Alair Homes Arlington to build our new home on the lot where my wife grew up was one of the best decisions we've ever made. Alair Homes Arlington has demonstrated high touch and flexibility that exceeded our expectations.

Over the 14-month journey, Alair Home Arlington proved to be a steadfast partner, walking us through every decision with care and attention. We faced challenges navigating setback requirements while maximizing our home's square footage. Alair Home Arlington helped us navigate these challenges and presented us with creative solutions to achieve our vision with little compromise.
Our new home's quality of workmanship, materials, and fit and finish is truly outstanding. Every detail has been meticulously crafted, reflecting Alair Home Arlington's commitment to excellence. From the moment we step into our home, we are greeted with a sense of tranquility and calm, knowing that we made the right choice in entrusting our dream home to Alair.

Our project manager, Jonathan, was an invaluable asset throughout the process. He was with us every step of the way, offering guidance, support, and expertise. Jonathan's dedication and professionalism made him feel like part of the family, and we are grateful for his unwavering commitment to bringing our vision to life.

While the feasibility budget process could have been better laid out initially, Alair Home Arlington worked closely with us to address any overruns and maximize the value of our investment. Their willingness to collaborate and find solutions ensured that our project stayed on track despite unforeseen challenges.

In closing, we would like to thank Chad, Jason, Alex, and Jonathan for their exceptional support throughout this journey. Their dedication, expertise, and passion have been instrumental in making our dream home a reality, and we couldn't be more grateful. With Alair Home Arlington, we found more than just a builder – we found a partner who shared our vision and helped us turn it into a home we will cherish for years.

Chad, Jason and Jonathan were wonderful during our major renovation that started during Covid. Jonathan was the project manager and always kept us apprised of the schedule and any changes that needed to happen. We love our new space and can’t thank them enough. We added a garage with an ADU above it, mudroom, exercise room, large back deck and gutted the kitchen into the dining and living space along with a new kids bathroom upstairs.

We worked with Alair Arlington on a complete rebuild of our home. As many others have said, we went with Alair because of the transparency of their operation. But even more than that, we chose to go with them because they were one of the few that didn’t tell us we could just do anything we dreamed of – they gave us honest input on the challenges a lot like ours would present and helped navigate them right from the beginning.

This project spanned 3 years from when we first contacted Alair. We had a major delay. There were unforeseen costs and complications with the County. But the team supported and worked with us throughout all of this. They never tried to up-sell us and allowed us to be as involved in the weeds as we wanted to be.

Since we have moved in, they continue to be responsive and facilitate expected fixes with trades. We’re most appreciative of this. It reflects their long term commitment to their customers.

Special thanks to Chad, Alex, Jason and our PM Jonathan. We’re very happy with our new home. Only time will tell how good of a build it is, but we have no regrets in our decision to work with Alair.

Alair Arlington is a fantastic builder. We used them for our full home renovation and addition. Alair is super transparent and you have full visibility into project budget and timeline at all times.

Our PM was really fantastic. He was always responsive via text, phone, or email. He was also really detail oriented. I had a few unique design requests for the interior and he was great at remembering everything and making it happen. He has also been responsive during our warranty period and on getting items on the punch list fixed. The work quality is fantastic and I love how the house turned out.

Renovation projects of our size and scope are always going to have hiccups. We definitely encountered a few, but I will commend Alair for working with us, doing the right thing and helping us find solutions.

We used Alair to replace a porch with an office and to redo our garage. We were super happy with the result! The whole Alair team was professional and responsive. Strong recommend!

We have had a real pleasure of working with Alair Homes over the past 8 months and it has been all positive. Chad Hackman is truly customer focused. He sought out our active participation and input during the pre-construction process. He also was conscience of cost impact on changes and tried to minimize the cost escalation. He was wonderful to work with, and we enthusiastically recommend Alair for any house remodeling projects.

Alair helped us through the design, permitting and construction process for a complete re-build and expansion of our Arlington Cape Cod home. Our renovation project included an expanded footprint of about 2,000 sq ft plus a complete re-work of our entire existing space. Alair's advice guided us through some really big design decisions and carried forward throughout the construction process. We're not first-timers by any means, but you really want to be working with an experienced, personable and capable team when you're tearing down and re-building your most important asset. We watched other projects in the area limp along as the pandemic supply chain disruptions wreaked havoc on their schedules (and budget). Our project was planned so well, Alair remained ahead of long lead-times and delivered a great product on-time and on-budget.

We had a great experience working with Chad and his team at Alair for an addition we did on our house. Great communication from start to finish, they work with high quality and very professional trades, and they were able to get us back into our house within the timeframe they promised. The budget and project tracking was always up to date and available for us to take a look at throughout the project, but I didn't have to check very often because of the weekly/daily updates we were receiving from our project manager Jonathan (whom I have nothing but great things to say about). I would (and have) recommend Alair!

Chad and his team completed our home renovation/addition in 2015. We recently had a question for one of the contractors who worked on our project - although it's 8 years later, we decided to text Chad in case he could help us. Chad responded right away, connected us with the contractor, and followed up to ensure everything we needed was addressed. Given how long it's been since they completed our project, his responsiveness was above and beyond and saved us the time, hassle, and expense of seeking help from another contractor. So grateful!

We worked with Alair Homes to complete a major addition to and renovation of our home in Arlington. We just moved back in, and we are loving our new(er) house!! I popped in almost everyday of the project to check the status, and the skill and craftsmanship of the various subcontractors we utilized were truly remarkable. When something needed to be fixed along the way or an adjustment needed to be made, they made it happen. A very big thank you to the whole team at Alair! And Andrew (project manager), we are very thankful to have been able to work with you through this process. Always steady, calming, helpful, and responsive. Alair Homes is the real deal.

Chad and the team at Alair are outstanding. They built a custom home our family in Alexandria that exceeded expectations in every way. The Alair team has relationships with the best trades and vendors in the region. I strongly recommend.

This was an emotional undertaking for me. I'd inherited my childhood home and needed to renovate. I wanted to try to have my home fit into my old neighborhood, paying homage to the place I grew up with all its memories while still trying to create a more liveable space.

My parents bought the original house in 1966. It had been built in 1955. It was small but we mayde it work and it was my mother's pride and joy. Going forward 50+ years of memories and trying to deal with loss, grief and challenged to make something new. Then COVID hit. I'll get to all that in a minute.

Chad and his team, Audrey and Alex were patient, compassionate and a pleasure to work with. I spoke with over half a dozen builders and many were callous, profit driven and talked right through me. For most of them, all they could see was square footage, boundaries and building a McMansion/Eyesore. Not Chad, Audrey and Alex. They really took the extra time to listen and acted as my advocate to realize a vision I had. I think the fact that they have worked so much in Arlington was a huge plus. Adding to the complexities:

1) I was moving overseas for work in 6 months.
2) I'd been unable to clear out the house completely/no estate sale was possible during the early days of COVID. There were appliances, books, bric a brac, old furniture and carpets.
3) Parts of the house had fallen into disrepair but parts I wanted to maintain.

Cutting to the chase: Chad/Audrey/Alex treated me like their only client. We worked through architectural drawings and mockups, samples and swatches, bath and tile, you name it. Their client portal gave me budget projections, tracking expenditures and selections.

On top of all that, I was able to move/store/sell/throwaway a certain number of items but the Alair team took care of the rest. Using Community Forklift, they arranged for the appliances, tiles and usable items to be donated for reuse. Other items were taken by charities and the house was taken down with a few exceptions. What rose up from that is a new house that sits on the original footprint of the original home. They kept the basement with updates and kept our original fireplace, hearth and chimney, and we went up. We raised the ceilings, redid everything else and added features like a whole-house water filter.

Yes, COVID increased costs and dragged things out but the good folks at Alair kept pushing and now, I have a gorgeous home with all the old-growth trees still intact (Black Hickory, Tulip Magnolia, Pine, Magnolia, etc.) and the home, while new, looks like it has been there forever. It is a point of pride for me that while it encompasses almost 4,300 square feet, it is set back from the street and still has a massive back yard and it looks sublime compared to some of the larger rebuilds in the neighborhood.

Chad, Audrey and Alex. Thank you. I still get emotional thinking about everything that happened in the last year+ but we got there together.

We had a great experience with Chad and his team. They made a complete remodel of our 1939 Cape Cod almost painless. The project managers were responsive, attentive and thoughtful in managing the project and our expectations. Alair has a strong network of subcontractors and vendors that helped to keep our project moving along despite industry wide pandemic related delays. We are very pleased with the craftsmanship, attention to detail and ultimately the finished product. We would not hesitate to recommend Alair to our friends and family. Thank you Chad, Jason and Andrew!

Jordan has a made a valuable difference w me continuing to reside at the alaire. The scene of a familiar face, making the space comfortable and welcoming is a value unmatched.

Alair recently finished our basement for us. We are still planning our kitchen remodel for post COVID. It was an excellent experience. Their project manager was great at keeping everything on schedule and keeping track of the vendors. The vendors they use are second to none. Our project started on time and even with a slight delay in the middle, we were still completed on time. Costs-wise the initial estimate was very accurate. Even with a few extra items we needed to add, like for water mitigation, we still ended up right on target for cost. And on the cost-front, Alair is extremely transparent and they provide access to an online software package that helps show and allows the customer to track and see costs and how it is being spent.

Like I eluded to above, we are still planning on redoing our kitchen and look forward to working with Alair on that project as well.

Chad and Jason were great to work with throughout our home addition project and finished what was estimated by other contractors to be an eight-nine month project in only six months. One aspect of their process that really helped was selecting all design elements and materials (e.g., fixtures, tile, floors) upfront so that less decisions had to be made once in-field. The construction experience was largely stress free with no surprises. We would definitely recommend them for any type of renovation or home addition project you may be considering.

Alair is absolutely wonderful to work with. As an architect who works with them professionally, I can tell you that their approach to your project will be clear, thoughtful, and caring. Their customer service is second to none and their attention to detail is reflected throughout the beautiful homes they build. I cannot recommend them highly enough!

My husband and I called Chad because we saw online reviews of his high quality work and, more importantly, his responsiveness. Lack of communication and poor responsiveness is big complaint as to many contractors. As the reviews suggested, Chad was incredibly responsive to our many phone calls and emails and we really enjoyed working with him. The process was enjoyable and he did not engage in high-pressure tactics. This was completely contrary to some recent roofing estimates we received where we were turned off by high-pressure salespeople.

Working with Alair has been a pleasure. I shopped around with other builders including NDI, Paradigm, Evergreene, and AV Architects & Builders. I ended up with Alair because of Chad's down-to-earth and straightforward interaction, transparent estimate process, and overall knowledge. After deciding to proceed with Alair, Alex was assigned to us for the design phase. She supported us during this process and kept us on-target through planning and permitting. Outstanding is a descriptor that fails to capture the service that Alex provided to us during the design phase. After moving into construction, Jason was assigned to be our PM. He has been nothing short of fantastic. Jason is quick to respond, addresses all requests/issues, and embodies attention to detail. Jason has been a pleasure to work with along the rest of the Alair team throughout this project. Upon completion, Alair stand by their work. With any new construction, per our experience, homes will inevitably have some issues that arise as a home is used. Jason and notably their in-house carpenter Mike guarantee their work and address any issues. As impresses as I have been during construction, I am even more appreciative of their post-completion efforts.

Completed a remodel of a single family home in Arlington and did a great job! Chad and his team are great to work with.

I thought my roof was leaking and was ready to pay thousand to fix it. The folks at Alair point out a minor maintenance issue i missed. The leak was fixed, and I didn't have to go deep in my pocket to get it fixed. Really appreciate it!.

We spent nearly $2M with this builder. We had storm drainage issues in our yard that needed to be fixed. Based on Chad's word and promises, we patiently waited 2 years for builder to fix. Problem was never addressed, and ultimately, received notice to consult with legal if we had still had issues. Buyers beware!! His product is sound until you have issues. Trust nothing he says. His word means nothing, and make sure to get all promises documented with deadlines.

Alair took on our project after another contractor botched it. Awesome project management - they were timely, always responsive to requests and a great partner in guiding everything to completion. I highly recommend them.

Chad provided so much important detail in his estimate and a lot of good advice for our bathroom renovation. Our architect is working with Chad on a large project and has a very high opinion of him.

Alair Homes Arlington, then known as Arlington Construction Management, oversaw the building of a two story addition to our home -- a master bedroom/office suite above a living room. I had heard horror stories about the whole construction process and was quite nervous about undertaking this project. But Chad and Ben were super easy to work with, iron out problems very quickly and were very patient with all of my last minute "Wait! I changed my mind..." orders. They saw the project to the very end, and stuck by to help out with the nit-noidy details. The whole process, while tedious as expected, was not in any way bad. As the years have gone on, I've reached out to Chad for advice or recommendations and he is as responsive as he was when he was managing our big job. I can always count on him. I'd hire them again any day!

We recently completed a small job with Alair. Their professionalism
and communication were fantastic. On the day of the install, the work
was done quickly and efficiently. It project result was exactly what
we wanted, and they completely cleaned up after the job. We could not
be more pleased. Highly recommend!

We began our project with a real life "love it or list it" scenario and ended up determining that we needed to "love" our current house. After meeting with several different builders/home renovators we felt the most confident proceeding with Alair Homes, formerly Arlington Construction Management. Chad Hackmann met with us and explained the Alair process and upfront pricing. We appreciated the opportunity to select different sub-contractors based on a combination of project-specific bids and reputation. Throughout the process, Chad and his team were responsive to our inquiries, whether big or small.

Our project manager, Jason, responded to everyone of our queries within 24 hours and both he and Chad were willing to lend their opinions, advice, and expertise when we found our own lacking. The experience was easy and exciting as we let them manage the details while we selected our options and focused on customizing our dream home .

Chad, Jason, and the entire Alair team made what could be a stressful process enjoyable!

Chad and the whole team I worked with at Alair (Alexandra, Luis, Mike) were wonderful to work with: professional, responsive, knowledgeable....everything you want when you are entrusting your home to a company. They repaired water damage to multiple places in my duplex and built out a custom master closet (taking into consideration all of suggestions and wishes). Couldn't recommend Alair enough!

I had a wonderful experience with Chad and his team. I remodeled both my kitchen and bathroom. The project manager and the rest of the team arrived when they said they would, kept my condo as clean as possible from day-to-day and did excellent work. I highly recommend the Alair Homes Arlington team.

Excellent service. Alair kept me informed about expected work before beginning the job and provided updates with pictures throughout the project. Alair is a company that will be around for a long time. Alair sponsors and supports youth projects and activities in the community and is committed to building and maintaining a positive reputation in the community. Alair is a company you can trust! Removed gutters and replace soffit and facia board around entire house. Wood rot under shingles and near gutters replaced.

I sold four homes for Chad Hackmann. He took over a year after permits to build three of them. The fourth one has taken over two years.

I’ve sold thousands of homes and never seen a builder take so long.

I would not recommend Chad Hackmann for any project unless you want delays, cost overruns and excuse making.