Neil Kelly Seattle

Meri Patton was amazing to work with on our kitchen and bath redesign process. She listened carefully and provided some beautiful and cost-effective design options for us. Her work is meticulous and the end results were amazing. Meri is truly wonderful to collaborate with and a real treasure at Neil Kelly!

We chose Neil Kelly to do our kitchen remodel and it turned into a bigger project than we expected given the usual challenges with a big remodel.

The team has been amazing and we're really happy how it has been turning out. Special call out to Merri, our designer, who has come up with some amazing design ideas, helped us navigate difficult choices, and just put a smile on our face whenever we saw her.

Just a huge difference when you know you have such awesome group of people that do amazing work and do the best to make sure you're happy with the result.

Working with Meri on our remodel/refresh project was a pleasure! The design process went smoothly thanks to her patience, professionalism and guidance. Her enthusiasm and cheerful nature was always welcome

Neil Kelly did a beautiful job with our bathroom remodel, from the design stage to the construction and finishing. The bathroom turned out better than we had expected!
There were many subcontractors, some were new, supervision was spotty. All issues were fixed to our satisfaction although the project took around 3 months longer than we were expecting.

We had an excellent experience with Neil Kelly in all aspects of our bathroom remodeling project. The designers were great to work with and we had good craftsmen especially the lead worker Dave Eberhardy. We are very pleased with the tile, cabinetry and Japanese toilet. They kept the house clean and made it very easy on us.

Neil Kelly did an excellent kitchen remodel for me. They went above and beyond to find and replace a defective beam, and diagnosed and resolved the ventilation problem in my house -- things that were not in scope initially.

We learned about Neil Kelly because they are a sponsor of KUOW, Seattle's public news station, and thought that such a community-minded company was a good bet to provide honest, ethical, and quality services. This turned out to be totally correct. Their staff in Seattle were phenomenal - from the knowledgeable, skilled and creative designers to the conscientious, available and experienced project manager and highly skilled craftsmen. Their advice was spot-on, their access to the best products and sub-contractors amazing, and their determination to complete our kitchen/utility room remodel in a timely manner, even in the face of several unexpected and unavoidable problems (like a failed HVAC system that had to be replaced while they were working) was remarkable. The entire staff were at all times patient, friendly, responsive and always true to their promises. We can't say enough good things about Neil Kelly in Seattle.

I've had some time to sit with this, and I still feel as strongly about this company as I did since I last spoke with them in late November 2022... As succinctly as I can put it, this company is absolutely awful to work with.

This was my rough timeline of events:

November 2021 - Introduced to Neil Kelly team, contracted for design services via retainer for two bathroom remodels. Initial Estimate between $125K - $250K. Asked them to please stay to the bottom of this range.

December 2021 - Finalize Design contract, pay $13K in "Design Retainer" fee.

January 2022 - Site visits, measurements, sub-contractor visits, etc.

February 2022 - Visits to Plumbing Supply showroom, Tile and Cabinet showroom, select all materials

March 2022 - Presented with 3D renderings of remodel, Sewer Line testing, Lead / Asbestos testing

April 2022 - Presented with final quote for ~$240K, leading to no signed contract, and more back and forth over line items

May 2022 - Haggling over which line items to include, exclude, negotiate. Neil Kelly refuses to give me the design work and schematics that have already been done, despite having already paid the $13K for the Design Retainer, on account that it's still "their IP".

June 2022 - Lead Design Consultant on my project puts in notice to leave the company. Begrudgingly gives me the Design Specs.

July 2022 - Design Consultant leaves, I take my design plans elsewhere.

November 2022 - Neil Kelly reaches out to me completely out of the blue to tell me that I owe $1600 for overdue payment on lead and asbestos testing. The General Manager (whom I have never met), threatens me that they are in their right to file a lien against my property. This bill had been going to Neil Kelly the whole time via the Lead and Asbestos subcontractor... This is the first I've been informed or known about the bill. I pay the bill, and never hear anything back from the GM.

February 2024 - I had forgotten about this ridiculous interaction for almost a year and a half, when I was helpfully reminded that I needed to write this review, as I still get Neil Kelly's automated invites for Design-Build webinars. I now have two beautifully remodeled bathrooms, and paid about 50-60% of what Neil Kelly had presented me in their final quote.

There are some really hard working, great folks at this company. The designs turned out great, after all. But as a business... The practices are shady, convoluted, and laughably overpriced. 0/10, I would dissuade anybody from doing business with Neil Kelly.

Our experience with Neil Kelly has been mostly positive. We had our three bathrooms remodeled first. The design process with Jamie and Sophorn was fairly seamless and we were open to most of their ideas and selections. Choosing materials can be overwhelming, but Jamie and Sophorn were able to discern our tastes and presented a smaller array of choices that were very manageable. The quality of workmanship was very good; the tilers in particular did an outstanding job. The project manager, Tony, kept everything on schedule with very little downtime. At the end of the remodel we were extremely happy with the results.

Our kitchen remodel had a few more bumps along the way. Again, Jamie and Sophorn presented us with a design and materials that were in line with our tastes and preferences. Our main problems were the availability and scheduling of subcontractors which resulted in delays, particularly with the flooring. Another delay occurred when the lead carpenter left Neil Kelley and the continuity of installing the cabinets was seriously affected. The result of this was a miscommunication in how the cabinets were laid out. The placement of cabinets impacted the clearance of drawers and a cabinet door; also impacted was the desired clearance between the counter and adjacent family room furniture. Had we not had the change in personnel installing the cabinets, we believe these issues would have been addressed in a timely manner and rectified without adding more delays. However, throughout the process, we were very happy with the project manager (Tony), as he stepped up to address problems as best he could, even coming to the house on a weekend to address a plumbing leak. At the present time, we are still awaiting a cabinet door to address the previously mentioned cabinet clearance problem.
Overall, our experience with Neil Kelly has been very good; we are pleased with the majority of the workmanship. While the cost of our remodels was high, there were no cost overruns. Our advice to prospective clients would be to always stay involved with the day-to-day progress and to speak up when you have questions or if things don't look as expected.

Neil Kelly completed a major remodel of my kitchen and dining room area in 2023. The design process and resulting design was stunning as was the quality of the work. We had some hiccups with scheduling along the way (July - Nov) but that’s pretty normal these days. Would definitely recommend.

Attended a free kitchen remodeling workshop here. Very professional and informative presentation, with no heavy sales pitch. Would definitely attend other offered workshops.

We had them do a complete energy upgrade in 2013 and it has not aged well. They sent us less than honest sub contractors resulting in 7 visits from electrical city inspectors and lots of stuff needing to be redone. We ended up having to hire someone else to complete the work. Maybe they have improved. Would not hire again. Expensive and took a toll on our house and family.
Thank you for writing back. Its unfortunate what we experienced and I hope you do better for others. It was not you as much as your management of the sub contractors. The work was not done well. And yes, most of it was fixed; time consuming and disruptive and still not perfect. Thanks again for your response. I know you try to do your best.

I needed a design/build partner to put in new bathroom on our bottom floor. We spoke to three different companies, one took a look and gave us a quote on the spot (YIKES) and two others said it "couldn't" be done for space reasons. Neil Kelly came out, loved the idea and ran with it. The process could not have been better with our designer Jamie and PM Tony. We had the best time designing the space and then seeing it come today. Despite a challenging market, the entire project was only delayed by one week. They kept us in the loop every step of the way, and when we had questions they were right there. Even towards the end of the project we had a heating issue in our house that was concerning. Our PM Tony came out at 8am on the weekend to make sure it wasn't their work (it wasn't). And he STILL had it fixed for us by their partners. Truly above and beyond. I wouldn't hesitate to work with NK again, what a fun project.

Kitchen Remodel Review: We had Neil Kelly come and bid on our kitchen remodel. We needed all new cabinetry and to add and move some appliances and change a doorway and add a pantry cabinet nearby the kitchen. We have a galley, L-shaped kitchen and we wanted to maintain that footprint. Amanda Sava was our designer and we think she was excellent. A photo of part of the remodel is on the website. The demolition and building crews were excellent and cleaned up nicely and daily. The sub-contractors were all great as well. We have lived with our new kitchen for about a year and a half and are very happy with it. It still looks new. We have new lighting, floating shelves and a light, airy look. Amanda's design solved several problems, took care of our concerns and added beauty and function to our home. For us it was worth the cost. It's nice to work with professionals.

I contacted this company beginning of July as I was moving from New York to Seattle and bought a condo that I wanted to have some renovations done as soon as I moved in. Although the initial team was friendly, I felt their prices were ridiculously high for what I was looking to have done. That's not to say I don't value good work or believe in paying for quality work, but as I have a simply 1 BR condo in downtown, I was simply looking for a tub to walk in shower conversion and one 6 foot counter replaced in the kitchen. I wasn't looking to have anything opulent, just some basic changes. I realize now that this company is more of a boutique and looks to bake in their rates based upon the "design" aspect of it, but I was a bit sticker shocked to get a quote range for $60,000 compared to everyone else who came in under $15,000. I wasn't sure if they were pricing me so high because they simply didn't want my business or they realistically thought $60,000 was a fair price for the work I was looking to have done. They reached out to me again to see if I wanted to move forward and I was honest and direct with them and told them I felt they were pricing me for a Rolls Royce when all i needed was a Kia. I told them that if I was going to spend $60,000 to remodel a condo I had just bought, I would have spent that $60,000 on getting a condo that already had as walk in shower.

They were nice enough and referred me to their "handyman" department who came and looked at the place. I was optimistic and thought we'd still be able to work together. I didn't need to spend money on a feasibility study and design concept process as I already had photos and renders that I had done on my own to show exactly what I wanted (a very basic flat pan, walk in shower). The rep who came said he'd get back to me with some pricing and quotes, but then never did. I had to follow up with him a few weeks later and he basically said he was still waiting and sent me a Home Depot link to a counter (which was fine). A few more weeks passed and zero communication, so I had to follow up again.

As a small business owner myself, I realize not every company and every client is going to be the right fit, but given I reached out to this company well in advance of my closing to get the ball rolling and now here we are three months later and no further along than we were in July, it is extremely disappointment. Communication and transparency go a long way.

The crew from Neil Kelly stands out above others for their professionalism, quality of work, and dedication to customer satisfaction. Having worked with various contractors over the years, I’ve found that the real difference is not when everything goes smoothly but when unexpected problems occur. Remodels are tricky, especially during this time of COVID, labor shortages, and supply chain issues. Mistakes can happen. However, throughout our remodel I found Neil Kelly to be great at communication, flexible when changes had to be made, and determined to get the job done right and to our satisfaction.

I had an excellent relationship with Neil Kelly. They kept me in the loop during each stage of remodeling my bathroom - no leaving without saying when they'd return. I felt they were competent, hard working, and they quickly completed the job at hand.

Neil Kelly is a fantastic design/build consultant. We are having our kitchen and bath remodeled and they are doing an unbelievably good job!!

Hired their company to install kitchen cabinets purchased from an online retailer. They sent workers who did not know how to install cabinets and spent an entire day installing them incorrectly while I was at work (didn't leave room for trim between the cabinets and ceiling for crown molding, cut panels too high off the subfloor, etc.). It took another day for them to remove and reinstall them correctly after telling them what they had done wrong. I had a long "discussion" with their supervisor, Jim Ruskowski, and I was told that this mistake was my fault and that I was personally responsible for constantly overseeing and supervising their work throughout the construction. It's very disappointing that they expect a home owner to directly oversee their employees and be knowledgeable enough to call them out on their poor craftsmanship. I had to pay for the added days of labor and fired the crew before the job was finished. Overall, it cost much more expensive that estimates for other contractors for the whole job and I still had to have someone else finish the work. Over budget and way past the deadline. Would recommend using another company if at all possible.

Buyer Beware! Do not sign a contact with this firm unless you’re willing to execute the entire project at their highly inflated costs. We signed a 10k contract to design our kitchen and were told by the sales rep (Jamie) not to worry about the clause saying we don’t get copies of the design if we decide not to proceed to buildout. After the design was complete, we were given an insane cost structure that included roughly a 30% uptick for their management fees. Although we were happy with the design we refused to proceed and they withheld the plans.

In the end, we paid 10k and left empty handed. At no stage of this process did they bring in a manager to discuss or seem concerned about customer service. It seems clear their business model has a pre-internet perspective that cares little about meeting the needs of potential customers. It’s hard to believe businesses that operate in this manner are still in operation but it’s likely just a matter of time.

I cannot speak highly enough of Anna Lovel and the great design for the kitchen she and her team designed and built for us.
Anna has a special eye for desig and made the whole experience really pleasent for us - and we stayed in the house during constructions. Everyone working in our house were extremely conciderate and made sure to make it as smooth as possible for us.
Thank you Anna and Neil Kelly - We love our kitchen!

Working with Neil Kelly was a great experience. From design to completion I felt in excellent hands. Diane Foreman was extremely knowledgable, offered many options, kept me away for wrong choices and was always available via phone or text. As the project continued and we ran into issues, I worked with her and the project manager, James Herbert to address options and explore the best materials. The kitchen and guest bathroom were both completed and are both beautiful and functional. I chose high end finishes and am very happy. They always kept things clean, organized and professional. I never felt I was not in control and the team valued my suggestions and in the end I am extremely happy. I plan to use Neil Kelly for future projects. Major thanks to Diane for all she brought to the design and to James for keeping me up to date and informed. Highly recommended. It was an awesome experience.

Diane Foreman from Neil Kelly (Seattle) remodeled our 1986 kitchen assisting us with creative space planning and guidance throughout the entire project. Her communication skills are excellent. Everyone on the project was professional and did high quality work. We are very pleased and would highly recommend them for any remodel project.

My experiences with Neil Kelly (Seattle, WA) and their designer, Diane Foreman, have been great. A recent kitchen remodel was a game changer in our house. Diane listened to us, as well as kindly directed us, which I needed. The end result is beautiful and wonderfully efficient, for our cooking and entertaining needs. Her previous designs with our Master Bedroom & Bath have totally stood the test of time and we continue to enjoy those spaces as well. Highly recommended.

Beware they are not up front about their charges and fees. I wanted an a general outline and rough estimate of a detached unit. The designer came by and made some outline sketches. He then quit the company and they transferred me to someone else. I didn’t want to restart the process all over again and ask for a partial refund on the retainer fee. Little did I know that “retainer fee” was actually just to cover the cost of the initial visits. There are no free consultations and they will nickel and dime you for everything.

Well, we've been at it for over a year working with the folks at Neil Kelly and a long way from completion with our basement remodel. There's one delay after another with additional cost for permits and work that was not anticipated. We're very frustrated and are hoping they are going to do right by us in the end. We'll see... more to come as we proceed.

I used to be a reseller of Neil Kelly Cabinets and know them to be a brand with the highest integrity and commitment to customer service. Their Solar group is newer to Seattle. My project was not without its hassles and challenges. The City of Seattle can be tough to deal with and can be sticklers for detail.

I did experience three major setbacks during the process of solar installation on my house. In some cases these were due to Neil Kelly's inexperience. Having said that, I measure a company on their ability to respond and react to a problem when it arises. On that front, they stood tall, worked hard to address the issue in a timely fashion, showed honesty and took responsibility where applicable.

True to the nature of their brand, they proved to be a trustworthy and integrity driven company with a commitment to treating their customers well.