Kling Brothers Builders

⭐ 1/5 — As a partner in the coffee shop project we hired Kling Brothers Builders for, I would absolutely not recommend them. We paid a $5,000 deposit and approximately $7,000 for architectural work through Steve. Steve took an initial deposit, then told us the final completed plans were ready, at which point we paid the remaining balance. What we received was an extremely basic drawing lacking measurements and important information. We later had experienced construction professionals review it and were told the plans were incomplete. We were also given a construction quote approaching $600,000, despite what we believed were significant items still missing from the scope. We were told permits had been filed, yet when the Town of Fairfield was contacted approximately three weeks later, we were told there was no permit filing on record at that time. We ultimately walked away from the project. Kling Brothers discussed returning our $5,000 deposit through a mutual release, and we subsequently confirmed we were ready to complete it. Multiple recent attempts to communicate have gone unanswered, and our $5,000 still has not been returned. We tried numerous times to resolve this professionally and were even willing to walk away from the approximately $7,000 architectural dispute just to get our deposit back and move on. This experience cost our business significant time and money. Counsel has been consulted, and we are pursuing the appropriate avenues to resolve it. Based on my personal experience as a partner directly involved in this project, I would stay away.

⭐ 1/5 — I WOULD STAY AWAY FROM KLING BROTHERS BUILDERS. Our experience with this company cost us significant time and money and, in my opinion, was extremely unprofessional. We hired Kling Brothers for the build-out of our coffee shop in Fairfield, CT and paid them a $5,000 deposit. We also worked with Steve, the architect involved with our project, for approximately $7,000 in architectural work. The sequence here is important: Steve took a deposit before starting the drawings. He later told us the FINAL, COMPLETED plans were ready. Based on that representation, we paid the REMAINDER of the approximately $7,000 fee. What we received was essentially a basic hand-drawn plan that lacked measurements and significant information we expected from completed architectural/construction drawings. This isn’t simply my opinion. We subsequently had the plans reviewed in connection with the project and by multiple experienced construction professionals. We were told the drawings were incomplete. We showed them to people involved with contracting businesses handling extremely substantial construction projects, and they were shocked by what we received after paying approximately $7,000. The problems didn’t end there. Kling Brothers gave us a construction proposal approaching $600,000 while, in our view, significant items were still missing. Based on other information and pricing we obtained, we expected this build-out to be approximately $250,000–$300,000 at most. We were also told permits had been filed. Approximately THREE WEEKS later, I personally contacted the Town of Fairfield to check their status and was told there was NO permit filing on record at that time. We decided not to proceed and requested our $5,000 deposit back. Kling Brothers discussed returning it through a mutual release. There was a delay on my end due to serious personal circumstances, which I communicated. I subsequently told them I was ready to execute the release and resolve everything. I have since made MULTIPLE attempts to get this finalized. My communications have gone unanswered and, as of this review, our $5,000 has still not been returned. I tried repeatedly to resolve this privately and gave them multiple opportunities to make this right. I was even willing to WALK AWAY from the approximately $7,000 architectural dispute simply to receive our $5,000 back and be finished with this nightmare. Enough is enough. We have already consulted counsel and intend to pursue the appropriate legal remedies to recover the money we contend is owed. We also intend to provide our documentation to the appropriate Connecticut consumer-protection and regulatory authorities and request that they investigate and determine whether action concerning any applicable licenses or registrations is warranted. We have retained our payment records, drawings, proposals, emails, permit-related communications and refund correspondence. The documentation can speak for itself. Based on my experience, I would NEVER hire Kling Brothers Builders again. If you’re considering them, do extensive due diligence, independently verify permit filings, have architectural plans independently reviewed BEFORE paying the final balance, and carefully review every proposal before handing over substantial money. I wish we had done exactly that.

Working with Keith and the whole Kling team was the best thing we could have asked for. Remodeling our kitchen was a huge project for us to undertake. Keith, Steve and Kyle were incredibly patient with us from the architectural design work to the laborious process of picking cabinets, through to the management of the project itself. Every person they had working with and for them was courteous, professional, and most importantly of all, competent. Communication was terrific and no detail was too small for them to listen to our input and provide us with the best direction. Great people, great service, we won’t be going to anyone else for our home improvement needs from now on.

Kling Brothers Builders are very professional team of people who genuinely care about you and your projects. They are great at communication, and will be very thorough and clear throughout the construction process. The company will celebrate its 40th year in business in May. That says a great deal about how the business is run, and the professional people behind the name

Thank you for a fantastic kitchen installation. Too big of a job for me to juggle subcontractors and I feel fortunate to have found Kling Brothers. Your cabinet installer/carpenter and all of your subs did fantastic work. There was an amazing attention to detail from day one. This is our “forever” home and we will spend many years admiring our new kitchen.