Testimonials
We hired Building for Life to do a home renovation of a 1,200 sq.ft. 1915 house plus adding a 600 sq.ft. addition. The quality of the work was great. Stuart and his team worked to meet our needs, stay communicative, and seek ways to better the design and save resources. At one point they even built several pieces of cabinetry out of wood that would have normally gone to the landfill. This saved us money, saved the resources, and added great quality to our house… He was very open about costs (not to mention very accurate) and he would constantly look for ways for us to save money… He has a great sense of humor and I wish I had his patience.
Joe and Caroline Minicozzi (city planner and applied behavior analyst)
We’ve used Building for Life for two fairly large projects and one smaller one… All the work was quite carefully done, with great attention to detail and attention to my requests for matching the house style, moldings and other features…He asked questions about what we wanted and explained what could work and what couldn’t work and why.
Janet Barlow (consultant/researcher on accessibility)
He expanded our kitchen and the upper level of our house. Downstairs he built in a laundry room. And upstairs a large closet. Excellent ! Very personal and easy to work with — didn’t mind a change And was always on the job regularly… reasonably priced. And also works with a lot of common sense in mind.
Margie and David Mann (attorney and insurance sales)
We hired Stuart to execute a retro-fit of a two-car garage to be used as a commercial bakery. He was referred to us by Glazer Architecture to build a “three-hour-burn barrier” between the bakery and the residence. Stuart was great to work with. He listened carefully to understand our project needs and budget and was able to make suggestions along the way to improve the project and to save money as well. He was thorough and detailed in his communication and kept us up to date every step of the way. He would give us options at certain points of the construction process, plainly outlining the advantages and disadvantages but always leaving the decisions to us. His guidance was valuable. He brought our project in on time and under budget. He does what he says he’s going to do when he says he’s going to do it and he gave us a solid level of comfort and a trust relationship. He worked cleanly and efficiently and I believe that he really “owns his work” and cares about his clients. We would hire him again in a few years to add a “Craftsman” style front porch with similarly excellent results… a capable, thorough, honest and caring contractor.
Broc and Michelle Fountain (executive recruiter and pastry chef)
Building for Life completed numerous repairs and modifications to several old structures (residences): multiple window replacements, installed new and repaired flooring, siding, structural framing and reinforcement, roofing, support, and painting. Always highest quality despite the challenge of some buildings over 100 years old. Professional, excellent communication about the projects and good flexibility in dealing with unexpected conditions. Extremely honest and trustworthy. I would highly recommend him as a very intelligent, honest and resourceful person who has done high quality work for our family.
Josephine and Lew Thatcher (retired educator and engineer)
Building for Life completed a renovation of the office space for ABIPA (Asheville Buncombe Institute for Parity Achievement) storefront of the YMI Cultural Center in Asheville, NC. The quality of work was outstanding. The materials, timeliness, and communication were fantastic. I appreciated the adherence to the time schedule most of all. Stuart was the right man. He operated with integrity, sensitivity and consideration of our budget constraints with a high level of service. I recommend him: “This is the man you want. There is no need to look any further. He is honest, quality-minded, and a great craftsman.” Elaine Robinson (former Executive Director of ABIPA)
I’ve hired Stuart for many jobs in my home as well as several of my rental properties. There was a kitchen renovation, two bathroom renovations, the complete gutting and rebuilding of a lower level duplex and a two-story redecking. Stuart is a very deliberate craftsman who takes the time to do the job right. He’s been responsive to my needs and preferences, with seasoned advice to guide me towards practical choices. The results are usually impeccable, and he is there to finish every detail to satisfaction. He is trustworthy. I totally trust Stuart to be honest, be fair and give me his best effort. It is a rare and precious quality in a contractor, one which he has proven consistently and for which I am extremely grateful. He is also very pleasant to be around (a well-informed conversationalist), respectful and considerate, which are welcome qualities when a job put us in close proximity for days/weeks on end. Stuart was a good choice for every one of the projects we tackled together; no regrets! I would, without hesitation, recommend him to others, and tell them their project will be in good hands.
Ellen Rubenstein Chelmis (retired)
Stuart Zitin of Building For Life has managed 5 major remodeling projects for Bald Mountain Homes, Inc. over the past 20 years, including 100 Biltmore Ave (grayrockinn.com) and 50 Redwood Rd in Asheville. He is excellent to work with. His work is clean and professional. I recommend him highly.
John Senechal (general and electrical contractor)
