Lakewood Home Builders, Inc.

Lakewood Home Builders just completed a major renovation to our home, and my partner and I are quite pleased with their work. Our architect recommended three contractors and we selected Lakewood Home Builders after owner Lance Rittenhouse responded quickly to our inquiry and the renovation process went smoothly from that point.

Lakewood lived up to their moto “our reputation relies upon your lasting satisfaction with our craftsmanship, products and our service”. The quality of their work was excellent throughout the entire process. Their attention to detail was impressive and Lakewood went the extra mile to solve unanticipated issues and to ensure that every aspect of the project was done to our satisfaction.

Overall communication was excellent. Our project manager, Tim Johnson, kept the project on track and kept us up to date on both immediate and long-term decisions that needed to be made. Tim was always very responsive to our questions and concerns and offered helpful and creative solutions along the way.

Lakewood demonstrated integrity, honesty and fair transparent pricing, while sticking to our agreed timeline and budget as much as possible. And they are just good people to work with!!

I recently hired Lakewood Home Builders for a major addition to our home, and I couldn't be more pleased with the results! From start to finish, their professionalism and attention to detail were evident. Lance and Tim kept us informed throughout the entire process, ensuring that everything stayed on schedule and within budget.

The craftsmanship was top-notch, and the crew was courteous and respectful of our property, always cleaning up at the end of each day. They even went above and beyond by incorporating a few custom touches that really made the addition feel like an integral part of our home.

I highly recommend them for any construction needs. Their commitment to quality and customer satisfaction is truly impressive. We love our new space and are grateful for their hard work and dedication!

Thank you, Lakewood Home Builders, for making our dream addition a reality!

We were delighted with our experience with Lakewood - Tim and Lance and their team recently built a beautiful sunroom addition to our home. They are detail-oriented and carefully planned and executed each phase of our project; they were responsive to our questions and provided schedules and updates to keep us informed. Their team is highly professional, and they go above and beyond to ensure that we are happy with the project; they also take pride in their work and clearly love their craft. We highly recommend their services for any construction project.

We engaged Lakewood Home Builders to complete a 1000+ square foot second floor “pop-up” addition to our 1951 Cape Cod. The new second floor includes 2 new bathrooms and 4 new bedrooms, a laundry closet, all new roofing, flooring, and Hardie siding, additional updates to the existing first floor, a new front portico, and a nearly entirely new chimney.

I could not recommend Lakewood more highly. Tim, Lance, John, and their team were extremely professional, trustworthy, in constant communication, and completed this very substantial project AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. The quality of their work was outstanding and we couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome of the project. Tim was our project manager and was very mindful of staying on budget. He was in daily communication with me throughout the project and always accessible. Furthermore, if there were any aspect of the project that we were not entirely pleased with, they were always willing to make it right, and did so quickly and without additional cost.

As with any project of this scope, there were a couple of unanticipated issues that took us a little over the original contract budget. We also requested some additional work during the project that added some cost. Nevertheless, we are confident that Lakewood did their best to keep the project on-budget and on-time. If we had known how seamless and painless this project was going to be, we would have hired Lakewood to do it years ago. Thank you, Lakewood Home Builders for a first-rate experience and wonderful “new” home – we have already recommended them to friends and neighbors and will confidently continue to do so.

When we met Lance for the first time, I knew we found a partner in Lakewood Homes. We could tell immediately Lance was an experienced, knowledgeable and trustworthy professional. Not a salesman posing as a contractor. Thanks to the Lakewood team, our expectations were exceeded with their creative and thoughtful designs combined with their thorough, detailed approach and flawless execution. Moreover, the kitchen & living room work areas were cleaned daily and the rest of our home was sealed off from dust throughout our renovation. We look forward to working with Lakewood again. Especially given how the rest of our nearly 50-year-old-home is crying out with envy.

The team that came every day averaged from 2-5 men each day, depending on the scope of work for that day. They arrived by 0830 and left each day promptly at 4 pm after fully vacuuming their work areas for that they were in that day. They were prompt, predictable, proficient, professional, kind and courteous. If there was a communication concern, someone always was available to make sure my questions were addressed and that my expectations were met and surpassed! Their attention to detail is phenomenal. We have used them for several project renovations both large and small over the past 15 years in different homes where we have lived in the area. You won’t be disappointed!

We originally contacted Tim Johnson from Lakewood Home Builders to get an estimate to fix our deck and screened porch. This project which we had envisioned to be a small repair turned into a much larger project. We ultimately contracted Lakewood Home Builders to completely renovate our deck/porch with composite, replace rotted framing, add lighting, and a new screen door. Tim was responsive and communicative throughout the job and his crew was always respectful, punctual, worked long days and did a great job tidying up the job site each day before they left. The finished product was exceptional.

We were so pleased with the deck/porch that we decided to have Lakewood Home Builders renovate all 3 bathrooms in our home, beef up attic insulations, and replace all interior doors to include closet doors. The crew was always punctual, worked long days and cleaned up the job site each day before leaving. Like with the deck/porch renovation, Tim came by the job site every day. He communicated details of the progress and discussed any issues or concerns. The time he spent talking through minute details was comforting and helped us to make necessary decisions along the way.

We are extremely pleased with Lakewood Home Builders and specifically Tim Johnson. We have recommended them to friends and neighbors who have ultimately contracted with them too. Hopefully we are done with major home renovations, but if something arises in the future, we will definitely contact Tim Johnson and Lakewood Home builders.

Lakewood Home Builders did an incredible job on our total home renovation. They were awesome from start to finish...on time, on budget, and had great recommendations to make our home perfect for our family and also up to date to increase the resale value. They communicate well and were flexible to make the whole process work for our entire family.

John, Tim and his team did a awesome job on our building. They were very thorough and up front on what we needed. The price quoted was accurate and they performed the work on time and to the schedule.
This is our second experience with them and they are our go to company.
They serve the NOVA area but were very accessible and local to answer our concerns during the whole project. I can't describe how nice it was to have folks respond to emails and answer the phone. Thanks again Tim
All the feedback on the renovations have been positive. Work done was:
Drywall, insulation, foundation work, electrical, siding, windows, doors, trim and painting.

Replaced broken concrete patio with pavers. Beautiful! Installed new heavy duty exterior door. Excellent. Very professional and hard working. Owner directly involved and was often on-site. Very happy with quality of workmanship and final product. Would definitely use again.

We contracted Lakewood Home Improvements to renovate the main floor of our home, a project which included the removal of the existing linoleum flooring, wood panel walls, and popcorn ceiling in a living room, a hallway, a bedroom/study, a front closet and hall closet, and a front foyer. They then installed recessed lighting in the living room along withl hardwood floors throughout, installed drywall, installed crown molding, replaced doors, and completed the trim and paint. The job ended up taking two and a half weeks which was exactly what they said it would take and we are extremely pleased with the result. That level of our house has been completely transformed, and the quality of the work is of the highest standard. Lakewood’s project management was exemplary in that the electricians, plumbers and other contractors were well coordinated with at least 2 or 3 workers in the house all day every day (with the one exception for the snow day when they left midday). The work team were polite, considerate, and seemed to be happy in their work. At the end of each work day the crew would clean up the site, putting their tools and building materials away so that we could safely walk through the space. We were also really impressed with the way that the Project Manager gave us progress updates almost every day including what we could expect in the next few days. Given the way in which the project was executed, and the quality of the final product I would not hesitate in recommending Lakewood for any home renovation project.

Tim and the rest of the Lakewood team were great. Once we had all of the decision made on the materials the work was done quickly with great care and quality. Because of the good work Lakewood provided, we decided to use them to replace our deck and build a back porch.

Roofing review: Lakewood has done two other family members roofs and a friend of mine so I pretty much knew he would be the company doing mine. I had him out a couple years ago to take a look at my roof as I thought it was time, he told me then I had a couple more years left, what contractor does that?!? An honest one and he patched a small area for me....Side bar had him do some other work for me on the house and he was great!. Fast forward to August 2020 called him and said time for the new roof. He came out gave an estimate with three options and in two weeks I had a new roof. Probably would have been sooner but the rain didn't cooperate. Tim and Lakewood are honest contractors that do great work, highly recommend this outfit for anything you need done at home

I had the opportunity to work with Tim Johnson to get a full roof replacement. He was very professional, responsive, and thorough. He took the time to understand my need and completed the work on time. For once I did not feel I was being cheated on by roofing contractors and few others I spoke to before has made me feel. I would recommend this company to my friends and family.

Background: I had an unfortunate incident where a large vehicle inadvertently backed up and struck the corner of my garage at speed, resulting in significant structural and cosmetic damage.

Getting the estimate: Based on the excellent reviews, I contacted Tim Johnson from Lakewood Home Builders to get an estimate on the repair. He came to my house the next day and spent close to 2 hours going over in great detail everything that needed to be repaired and most importantly HOW it will be repaired. As a DIYer with decent repair skills, his thoroughness and attention to detail gave me the confidence and peace of mind that Lakewood was going to get the job done right. Tim sent me his detailed estimate within 5 business days.

Working with insurance: Lakewood was one of three contractors I got estimates from. Unlike other contractors who intentionally underbid their estimates to get the job and then submit addendums to insurance to recoup their actual costs (which seemed shady to me), Tim's initial estimate was higher than others but was spot on with the work that needed to get done. I felt that if he was honest with me on the estimate, he will be honest in doing the repairs. He worked tirelessly with the insurance company to convince them why his higher estimate was the most accurate compared to the other contractors. Insurance company awarded Lakewood Home the contract despite having the highest bid!

Construction and Repairs: Within days of contract award, Tim's crew was already on-site and began demolition work and repairs despite the COVID-19 impacts. Tim kept daily contact with me to inform me exactly what was being done and how. If I had any questions for Tim, a detailed response would be received via text usually within minutes! His crew worked tireless all day to clear out the debris, repair the damage, and repaint all the interior and exterior surfaces. Before it was time to do the stonework, Tim traveled to no less than 4 or 5 different stone yards to bring me samples of the stone to find a match for my existing facade. He didn't give up until he found me the exact stone I was looking for! When the masons completed the repair work, the results were so exceptional that you couldn't even tell that there was any prior damage at all! Tim's crew kept everything clean and professional. When all the work was complete, I was handed back the keys to a fully brand new garage!

Exceptional customer service: Not only did Lakewood meet and exceed the terms of their contract with me, Tim went out of his way to make sure that I was nothing short of fully satisfied with their workmanship at every stage of the repair. Any minor issues I found were fixed within minutes by the crew. Any major issues were fixed promptly within 24 hours: When the broken stone facade was demolished, we discovered that there was significant rot and water damage to the exterior walls. Knowing that pre-existing damage was not going to covered by insurance, Tim fixed this major/costly issue free of charge to me because it was the right thing to do. I pointed out a few other things that I wanted to get done on my house but didn't have the resources to do it and Tim went out of his way to get it done for me free of charge as a customer courtesy.

Final words: I write this review to inform my fellow Virginians about a local small business construction company that not only does impeccable construction work, but also exemplifies the highest levels of old-school customer service and professionalism that you really don't see much these days anymore. If you are seeking a contractor to build or repair your home and you want a company that gets the job done right with honesty and integrity, Tim Johnson and Lakewood Home Builders fully earned my recommendation! Please reference my before and after pictures.

We were extremely pleased with Lakewood Builders, both the quality of the work and the experience of working with Tim Johnson. We hired Tim after interviewing numerous contractors to finish our basement, a job that included swapping out oil heat for gas and dealing with lots of quirks inherent to an 80-year-old house. I trusted Tim from our initial meeting. It was clear that he knew his stuff (we got each of our permits from Arlington County without delay -- no easy task) and that he was going to work for the best outcome possible, while also being realistic and always alerting us in advance to potential challenges. Tim was unfailingly polite and professional and always let us know what would be happening at the house and whether things were on schedule (which they almost always were). A few things came up in during the job, as is always the case, and Tim took responsibility for making sure that we were satisfied with no extra expense. I have already recommended Lakewood to neighbors and would definitely use Tim again in the future.

My wife and I don't usually write reviews, but in this case, we just had to. Mr. Tim Johnson, at Lakewood home builders, has done an exceptionally great job at building our addition to our home. The addition is an add-on to our older home and a little over 1000 square feet. It now has a nice big kitchen, primary bedroom, bathroom and a really nice walk-in shower, along with a nice walk-in pantry, and utility room with washer dryer. Which is everything we need to live on one floor as we get older. The home health care staff, always had questions, “what is the paint color, it's beautiful and my favorite was “wow your new edition looks amazing!” People also like the new white oak floor made of real oak and 9-foot ceilings. Mr. Johnson supervises all the work being done from beginning to end. We also like that he had some suggestions that we did not even think of which made the addition a lot nicer than what it would have been. He was always very concerned about keeping us happy and he took care of any little problems that occurred right away. His subcontractors are all top notch! They are all very nice, friendly, courteous, and very professional. About four years ago, Mr. Johnson of Lakewood home builders built a very nice, detached garage for us. So, we knew the work that he did was top notch. We know that you will be very happy with Mr. Johnson, Lakewood Home Builders to do your project. If we could give him more than 5 stars we would! From, Carol and Bob Beek

I have used LHB many times over the years for large, complex jobs, and am a very loyal customer. The main reason I always come back to them is trust. I trust them to get the job right and to stand behind their work; I trust the subcontractors that they use to be in my house; I trust that the price they quote will be reflected in the quality of the materials and workmanship provided. They have have earned this trust in every job they've done for me. Discussions with the owners are friendly, professional, and pleasant, and they are always attentive to my concerns and work diligently to be certain that I am satisfied with the work. The subcontractors that they have used have all been the same, and it is clear that LHB chooses carefully who they will work with. It is rare to be able to say that you enjoy dealing with contractors and subcontractors, but I can honestly say that it's been a pleasure each time I've worked with these folks. I give them the absolute highest recommendation, and will continue to work with them.

Having contacted Lakewood Home Builders thru one of my neighbors, we'd want any prospective customers to know that we are incredibly satisfied with the design, colors and quality of our new roof, as well as the service we received from this Roofing Company. Not only do we now have a roof that has – according to our neighbors – improved the look of our home, but can’t think of any issues we had as the roofing crew did all this in some 1.5 days and left no trace at all on the ground. We were especially happy that the Company helped us fix any damage done to our gutters in the re-roofing process, and at his time we have a home with a roof not to worry about for some 30 years, and while all the gutters are covered from the leaves.

In our case this engagement was about Price, yet also very much about Reputation To Deliver. It was a “win-win.”

Feel free to call us for a reference thru the Company’s executive manager Tim Johnson, who managed all this with patience and respect.

Bram and Sherry Groen
Centreville, VA 20120

We had a major house fire which ended up being a gut-rebuild and I went general contractor shopping. I saw reviews, interviewed five GCs and ultimately went with Lakewood. I'm so glad I did and I am a big advocate not just of their end product but the process.

When you work with a GC, you're in a relationship with them. We had a great experience with Lakewood. Here are some examples why:

1. Tim, one of the partners, was an adjuster in his past and was able to help navigate the insurance world with ease without me having to be in the middle. His knowledge in giving an initial estimate, in negotiating and sharing facts with our insurance company made me feel that I was in good hands. He was an advocate. I would trust them to give me sound advice.

2. I wanted to use Google Sheets to track items I purchased vs. them. They embraced the change and indulged me in my method. This showed a lot of flexibility.

3. Lance manages the heck out of the projects he's on. He's a no BS guy--straight talker and doesn't sugar coat stuff. If it can be done, they'll tell you. If it can't, they aren't wishy washy and tell you as it is. He's at the job at 6am marking and planning for the work that needs to be done that day. He organizes a varied team of contractors that do the various trades (plumbing, electric, etc).

4. They give you the time. Projects get done before they say they will get done. They take on what they're able to manage and they are good guys. For them to be profitable, they need to use several sub contractors for trades efficiently. They make sure to plan who they need effectively.

5. A GC's work product is only as good as the work that they get done through contractors. The contractors that Lakewood uses are kind, they speak English (which was useful for me), do good quality work, and they work hard. I saw them working through weekends, late into the night, and generally seemed happy to be working for Lance.

6. The pace at which they work is great but it was a challenge for me to keep up with. Since our house was a full re-build, I was often the bottleneck in making design or product decisions.

You pay for what you get. Lakewood will be competitive in pricing but they will be the higher of the options that you may have in front of you. But keep in mind that the price you pay is not just for a quality end product, but also for your trust (they take great care of your home/ area), for good advice and guidance (peace of mind), and for the experience (it's painless).

So go ahead, swipe right. All the best!

x-post on Google and Angies

Would like to give a huge recommendation to Lakewood Home Builders. After having a large tree fall on our roof back in October, we ended up realizing the damage was significant and that we'd need a builder to fix damaged trusses plus all of the things you'd assume we'd need (shingles, gutters, the works). Tim Johnson was my POC and I cannot speak highly enough of him and what a wonderful experience it has been working with Lakewood. Their website and their reviews should speak for themselves - not just roof work, they do remodeling and more. Tim was responsive, on time, communicative, reliable, and the guys that did the work were responsible and courteous, and they left my property tidy and clean each day. Very satisfied customer who will definitely be calling back as things come up!

Tim and the crew from Lakewood did an excellent job from their first visit and roof inspection through to the end of the job. They were excellent communicators - keeping me informed throughout the project, did great work, and were neat and tidy. The timing of the roof work I needed ended up coinciding with some bad weather (snow) and then a cold snap. Lakewood communicated regularly with me as we figured out the best start date and then executed the project quickly and professionally. I am happy that I went with them and I would do work with them and again and would definitely recommend them.

We have had many contractors over the 20 years in our house; Lakewood will be one of the standouts! They replaced our roof, installed new bathroom fans and did some roof venting. I was very, very impressed with the level of professionalism and attention to detail. Tim's follow through each day was detailed and helpful for scheduling. He sent pictures of the work on the roof, knowing we weren't going to climb up there to check. Finally, he ensured that project clean up was perfect. I would highly recommend him to friends and neighbors.

Tim at Lakewood did a phenomenal job listening, assessing and completing out roofing, gutter and trim wrapping project on time and at the price he quoted at the start (which was very competitive.) I called 7 vendors for bids - TIm was the first to return my call and able to schedule the work before several even returned my initial call. Lakewood's team showed up every day/all day until the work was completed. TIm actively managed the project and frequently helped his team with much of the heavy lifting. The workers were courteous and left the jobsite clean and orderly at the end of each day. I've already recommended Lakewood to several friends and will definitely use them for future projects. Thank you Tim and Lakewood!

Tim was an absolute Godsend to us! He responded within 15 minutes of our initial call and arranged for emergency service to put a tarp on our roof which was leaking into the bedroom and down into the basement. The weather was terrible and the rain was nonstop for days! Tim was the utmost professional, very knowledgeable and took the time to explain every step and the repair process. His employees were just as professional and attentive. The roof repair was completed on the day promised and the internal repairs were also repaired as scheduled. The workers cleaned up the property and house very well; there was no additional work left for us to clean up. The quality of Tim's work is 10+/10, we are extremely satisfied and grateful to have found him, especially since the roof repair was a result of the poor workmanship of another contractor. Tim also worked with our insurance company when the actual cost exceeded the initial insurance adjuster estimate, and as a result, our insurance company increased the estimate and paid the difference. Tim was highly recommended to us, and we are absolutely satisfied with his work and overall customer service. We wholeheartedly endorse Lakewood Home Builders, Inc as a superior contractor who can handle simple to extremely complex jobs, and truly believe you will be just as satisfied!

Recently had Lakewood Home Builders Inc. put a new roof on our town house. The work was done as promised and we could not be happier with the results. The crew that replaced the roof was very professional and did an outstanding job with cleaning up their work area when the job was completed. Tim was extremely easy to work with and I would highly recommend Lakewood Home Builders Inc.

I first hired Lakewood in the winter of 2014. Tim came over to inspect our roof. I found him likable and trustworthy in that little project and have asked him back again and again as my aging contractor-grade house has needed updates and repairs: 1. replacing storm doors, adding a larger french door, exterior painting and rot repair; 2. interior painting and upgraded bath fixtures; 3. new windows including enlarging the windows in my family room; 4. then a roof 3 years later; and finally 5. more interior painting and replacing light fixtures. When we bought a second home, along with the other minor changes Tim helped us with along the way, we discovered mold, and Tim navigated us through the ugly mess until we have a lovely, CLEAN, interior. Tim's advice has always been solid, and he's even got quite the knack for aesthetics! And, while not every project has gone perfectly from start to finish, Tim has always been able and willing to make it right before it's finished.

We used Lakewood Home Builders for our home renovations project in late 2017. Our project was to install six new windows in our home living areas (in wall locations where there previously weren’t any windows). We selected Lakewood after obtaining detailed quotes on our desired scope from two other providers (larger companies). Tim Johnson and his team provided the best strategic advice for us prior to project commencement and raised matters for our consideration (e.g. electrical, structural and county approvals requirements) that weren’t mentioned in our first two quotes. We really appreciated Tim’s advice as we were new to the area. Lakewood’s quote was also very competitive with the other quotes we received. We felt that we received far more personalized treatment from Tim and his team compared to the sales pitches and generic treatment we received from the larger building companies. Tim was present managing his team’s work throughout the building phase which gave us confidence and he consulted us regularly when our decisions or preferences were required during the project.

We were very pleased at the quality of the job and the consistency of the appearance of the new windows with the rest of our home, when view from both the inside and the outside. We would highly recommend Tim and his team to others who are embarking upon a building project.

Timothy and Annie
Fairfax Station, Virginia

Tim and everyone else we worked with were all so nice and very professional. We got a lovely and durable new roof at a fair price with no hassles. One year later we are still very happy with our roof. Working with Lakewood Home Builders was a great experience, and I would highly recommend them to others.

We bought our first single-family home and it was a bit of a fixer-upper but it was “now or never” for my wife and I and we wanted to have what we hoped would be our retirement home in another decade. We need to get a variety and were going to pour the equity from our townhome. New roof, new siding, room addition. We had one shot to do it right, so I did a LOT of research, including reaching out to 50 companies. We picked the Lakewood team and I am glad we did! Not lowest price but fair price. Honest, good communications, and they backed up their work. Even after the final payment, they came back if we ever we found a problem, even minor. We were so happy, we have made them our go to builder/remodeler. When it was better for us they would point to others to do work we needed for us. I would recommend them to my closest friends and family. Now we have a home that we hope we can hand down to our grown kids. PS they love it too.

We had a house fire in the Fall of 2016 and engaged Lakewood to do the rebuilding construction. We were lucky to find Tim Johnson as he has experience in working with insurance companies. In order to make sure the house was properly cleaned before construction began, we had multiple meetings with insurance adjusters, industrial hygenists, and the cleaning company. Tim not only attended all of the meetings, but also utilized his knowledge in construction to advocate for us. Even though the process took more than a year (you read it right, more than a year) before construction even started, Tim stood by us the entire time, and we are truly thankful for that.

Lakewood's work included replacing the entire roof, siding, carpet, and a substubtial portion of the drywall; painting the whole house; installing new hardwood floors and staircase, and remodeling the master bathroom. Throughout the construction process, Tim was always responsive to our questions, and would address our concerns promptly. Tim is also very knowledgeable with regard to each component of the project.

We are very pleased with the work Lakewood did, and recently moved back to what feels like a brand new house. The most impressive quality we experienced was that Tim took ownership of the project. There were many people involved in the process of getting us back into our home following the fire, but no one was more instrumental or played a greater role than Tim Johnson. Thank you Lakewood Home Builders!

LHB did my fence in fall of 2017. The results are AMAZING & they got it done super fast !

Lakewood replaced our roof, insulated our attic and repaired some damage on our house from a wind storm. They are reasonably priced, reliable, easy to work with and they do a great job! I refer anyone looking for a contractor to them.

Lakewood Home Builders did a superb job replacing our aged roof. Under Tim Johnson’s supervision the project was accomplished using top quality materials on time and on budget. Tim’s crew was friendly, professional and extremely efficient. They treated our property as if it were their own, being very careful not to damage any bushes or decking while removing the old roof. With the new roof finished they cleaned up the lawn and landscape to a degree of cleanliness that was better than when they started. I highly recommend Lakewood Home Builders. Hire them ...
you won’t regret your decision!

Tim and his team helped restore our finished basement after some significant water damage and replaced our roof. Prices were fair: not the lowest, not the highest. Communication throughout the projects and quality of workmanship were excellent. Those are the most important factors and are remembered long after the bills have been paid.

We had an issue with the siding between my townhouse and the neighbors that let water in on my bathroom ceiling. I called Tim that morning and he had someone on the roof looking at it that afternoon. (Since our house was under contract, it was critical that he could fix everything right away.) I wasn't able to be home on such short notice, so he kept me informed of everything he found via text messages with pictures. Reasonable pricing, too! Overall, great to work with.