From Gus B.
IS Enterprises, Inc.
I found Eddie at IS Enterprises when my child was tested high for lead in the blood, and the test got referred to the city of DC. Like many people in the city, our house was built before 1978 and the paint contains lead. We were required by law to remediate: radiators, every variety of trim, exterior, basement. The city gave me a list of about 50 lead certified contractors and a one-month deadline.
As a working single mother with a baby, I was overwhelmed. I narrowed it down based on online reviews. And eventually I interviewed several companies. I decided to work with Eddie, because of price and how easy he was to work with. He developed a quote based on the minimum I had to do to make my house lead safe for my baby and to pass inspection. He also developed a quote that took into account some of the things that I wanted to do on my house.
The prices were reasonable given the technical work to be done to protect my baby. They were not nearly as high as many of the contractors I had found in DC who are lead certified but who subcontract that part of the work out. Eddie gave me fair prices, was clear up front about the extras I would be responsible for in the lead remediation (paying for the lead permits, specialized cleanings, inspections, etc). and was willing to itemize the work to be done so I could adapt specific decisions about what to do based on pricing. We priced out several scenarios - replacing vs remediating various lead-affected items. They did nearly all of the work in-house, with only a few parts subcontracted. They are bonded and insured. Eddie got lead remediation permits quickly.
We worked together for a year, the first six months of this driven by my own delays. We had to move out of the house for the lead remediation portion of the work. When they completed the lead remediation, I added on more work because their their initial work was high quality and fast: some bathroom updates, some attic updates, etc. There were a few delays, as we waited for products to arrive and then the team wasn't available to come back immediately when the parts had arrived. But Eddie communicated well and was flexible when I asked for changes to the schedule.
As problems arose, as is inevitable, especially when I put myself in charge of ordering some of the parts, I was impressed by Eddie's willingness to work through them quickly and constructively.
My experience was outstanding. The key component of this was the team. Eddie is patient and flexible, and he listens well. He sometimes found lower cost solutions for problems I had identified.
His team was friendly and respectful of my home. The lead worker, Willie, worked efficiently and carefully and was always friendly with my baby. The workmanship was excellent. When I noticed things I wanted done slightly differently, the team addressed them promptly. We passed the lead inspection on the first try.
I have experience in real estate, I have worked with a dozen contractors in DC, and I have accumulated a lot of horror stories over the years. My experience with this company was exactly the opposite: it was great. Eddie and I put everything into contracts, but a handshake with him was also meaningful. Eddie, Willie and the team were true professionals and fair minded. They did high-quality work efficiently and with integrity.
It is hard to imagine being happy about a lead remediation. Doing this work is inherently stressful. But these guys did everything they could to make it as easy an experience as possible. They were more than a pleasure to do business with.
