Golden Rule Builders, Inc.

Golden Rule just finished our addition to the house and it's awesome. We were amazed at the speed of the project (3 months!). They took care of every request, big or small. Garry and Brian were very attentive and professional while also taking the time to get to know us as a family.

We approached Golden with a desire for a two room addition with an elevator. We gave them detailed specifics of what we were looking for along with plans and all requested information about the existing building and site.

They gave us a proposal to design and build the project with the expressed assurance that based on their experience with similar projects, it was feasible within a specified price range.

The company and people we met with seemed reputable and trustworthy. They gave us references of prior customers who were happy with work they had done. And they talked a great deal about their commitment to principles of doing the right thing, the Golden Rule, Christian beliefs, etc.

Based on those assurances we gave them almost $17K in design fees, after which they informed us they would not be able to do the project within the price range they had told us, and we would need to pay 20-25% more. The reasons were that they had overlooked a number of things and their suppliers and sub contractors would cost more than they had estimated. It was not because of changes in scope or any lack of information we had provided.

Golden Rule did not offer to take responsibility for their errors and complete the project within the budget range they estimated, nor did they offer to return the fees that they collected based on their faulty estimate and proposal that we had relied upon.

It is not clear whether this is a bait-and-switch tactic they regularly use, or whether it was an honest error on their part. What is clear is that their response was nothing like the reputable, trustworthy, principled company they so eagerly market themselves as.

They probably do have many satisfied customers who had projects where Golden Rule did not seriously underestimate the costs, or where the customer was willing to pay well above what they were told. However they also have customers like us who for whom they did not do what they promised, kept the fees they collected and said “Oh well, not our problem, you can either pay us more or go somewhere else and start over.”

This is not the only builder who takes that approach, but it is one that makes it a central part of their marketing effort to expound on their principles of doing the right thing, Golden Rule, Christian beliefs, etc, without actually acting on those principles. We were taken in, I hope readers of this review will not be.

My family recently had the pleasure of working with Golden Rule Builders for the second time, and I couldn’t be more pleased with their exceptional service. Having worked with them previously, I knew they were a top-notch choice for our new project, and they didn’t disappoint! We initially used them for a home addition, and then a home renovation and we couldn’t be more in love with our new home.

From start to finish, Golden Rule demonstrated incredible flexibility and maintained a stellar schedule on both of our projects. Their commitment to staying on track ensured a smooth and stress-free experience. A special shout-out to Tom, our onsite Project Manager, who was absolutely fantastic. Tom was not only super friendly but also took the time to listen and educate us, making sure we were well-informed and comfortable throughout the process.

The support from the home office team was equally impressive. Dennis, Stephanie, and Cindy were instrumental in providing the assistance we needed their responsiveness and professionalism were greatly appreciated.

Overall, I highly recommend Golden Rule for any design or construction needs. Their combination of flexibility, punctuality, and excellent customer service makes them stand out in the industry. I look forward to working with them again in the future!

Thank you Golden Rule Builders for our beautiful modern farmhouse kitchen. We are so happy we chose you for our kitchen renovation! You listened to what we wanted and you delivered 100 percent! A big shout out to Justin, Cindy, Stephanie, and the BEST (and kindest) hard working crew you'll ever have in Matt, John, and Nick! To everyone at Golden Rule Builders, thank you! It's perfect!

I contacted Golden Rule for a quote on my bathroom remodel. Waited over 5 weeks after the site visit and then was shocked with a quote of 100-115K! Bathroom is roughly 12' x 12' and we are supplying the tub (with fixtures) and floor tile and the vanity with vessel sink/faucet and the toilet are staying. Three times higher that the next highest bid. Thanks but no thanks.

Stay far far away from this company! We asked for an estimate for a bathroom remodel (10x13’) and sent drawings for the current configuration and for the changes we want made. The estimate for the remodel ranged from $80,000-$95,000. Not sure what their profit margin is, but we had a luxury apartment built in our basement for less than $50,000.

GRB has been a delight (not a word usually used during home renovations) to work with from start to finish. They are as dedicated to having the job done correctly and beautifully as I am. Sounds cheesy, but they bring you right into the family. Professional, committed and genuine. Already sign on for another project!

Golden Rule came to my rescue. I had a horrible first builder who did nothing right and cut every corner. Thankfully he quit and I found Golden Rule. They basically rebuilt my house and were wonderful to work with. I was very hands on and they rebuilt this house and turned it into a masterpiece. I absolutely love it now and would highly recommend them.

If you are looking to have a project done, GRB is a place where you will feel loved, respected, and cared for!

As a fellow contractor who came here to learn what GRB could share with me, I highly respect and recommend the team at GRB for your next dream project!

Sincerely, Duane H

We were looking for a good quality contractor to help us with our remodel and Golden Rule Builders was the answer. First of all, Jeff Nolte came out and listened to our vision and his team came up with a plan. Cindy helped with designing and helping with selections and showed us what we can do. Production started on time and finished within the timeline.

Our Lead was Matt McCarthy and he really made the process bearable. He listened to us and made changes as necessary. His assistant was John Mullins. He was professional and explained what was going on. Bottom line is that they exceeded our expectations. The quality and workmanship was world class. Also, their partners were professional as well.

We are very satisfied with the outcome and look forward to other projects in the future. We would highly recommend Golden Rule Builders for your next project.

Golden Rule did an amazing job on our basement renovation. We are so happy with the final result. I would recommend them to anyone. In fact I did before the job was even complete. Gold Rule Builders made the renovation a great experience.

For over 20 years, I have been a client/customer of GRB. They have consistently delivered excellent results.

We recently contracted with GRB to renovate our kitchen when a major water leak caused extensive damage. We couldn’t be happier with the final result, and it was delivered in record time. We knew from other home improvement projects that GRB has done for us their focus on quality would result in excellent workmanship, but this time their help with the kitchen design and product selection exceeded our expectations. We were really impressed with GRB’s design center where both Dennis and Cindy did their magic. They both provided excellent suggestions. Their input and advice was instrumental in creating the look, feel and functionality that made the finished product top notch. We were also impressed with Matt McCarthy, the project manager that GRB assigned. Matt kept the project moving and got us into our kitchen in record time. We were relieved to have our kitchen back after months of inconvenience caused by the water damage. Matt kept me in the loop each day with text messages and phone calls. If we had questions, he responded quickly. He was always polite and courteous to both my wife and me. During the build out, Matt and GRB’s carpenters offered suggestions along the way that really improved the final result. We found that just making small changes can make a big difference in the look and feel of the final result.

Thank you GRB for another terrific project!

Golden Rule built my house 13 years ago and I couldn't have been more pleased. The quality of the work, the professionalism and their integrity was exceptional. For this reason I chose them to do some upgrading and remodeling and looking forward to working with them again.. The planning stage has been very successful.

I highly recommend Golden Rule Builders for your new custom home or remodeling project. The team at Golden Rule Builders in knowledgeable, honest and friendly. From the in-house design team to the highly skilled construction team, Golden Rule Builders will exceed your expectations.

John Intihar, Construction Management Professional

Golden Rule Builders provided outstanding service from start to finish! It was very helpful to have "one-stop shopping" with in-house design help, architectural work, and construction. GRB was truly custom in that they took a floor plan we gave them and turned it into our home. They listened to our preferences, and tried to accommodate us in every way. We highly recommend GRB!

We had our kitchen remodeled from "builder grade" to Gourmet Kitchen. We contemplated it for 3 years working with GRB off and on until the plan came together perfectly. It included taking out an entire wall and putting in a hidden beam to open up the gathering space. This was 2009. Today, 2019, 10 years later, we are STILL so happy we remodeled with Golden Rule Builders. They are fantastic. If you're gonna do it, go ahead. Don't wait. You'll miss years of enjoyment. We're so glad we did. I must say.
We continue to enjoy the Kitchen and we entertain large groups ~40+ people with great joy being had by all. Thanks, GRB, for 10 years of joy made possible by people like you. Still going strong.

GRB built our home almost 2yrs ago and it’s been nothing but great joy dealing with this staff. Every step of the building process was perfect !
The Christians - Thank you GRB

Golden Rule did a great job of refurbishing our main floor powder room. New tile flooring, custom vanity cabinet, vessel sink, Kohler plumbing fixture and Toto toilet along with a new exhaust fan! Great people, ethical, clean, dependable - it's worth paying a little more to gain piece of mind and a job well done!