Quality First Builders

Where do I begin? At times it feels like my life is just a series of poor choices. But when it came to hiring a contractor, I finally made a good choice--a really, really good choice--by trusting Quality First for my epic home renovation.My home was in a state of tremendous disrepair--black mold, corroded pipes, leaking roof, windows that didnt open, rats in the attic and walls.When I met Eli, I saw something different from the other contractors who came to look at my home. I felt like I was talking to an artist rather than a contractor. He had a vision for what this place could be--pushing out some walls, expanding the kitchen, creating a more open layout. At the time, it seemed a bit extreme, but it totally made sense.Eli was totally upfront in telling me There are cheaper contractors out there, which is true, and I appreciated that. But this was an investment, and I wanted to make sure it was done right and in a timely manner. Eli had been recommended to me by a good friend of mine who had work done on his home, and the quality of Quality First was evident to me. So I sucked it up, signed the contract, and now I am living in the home of my dreams!Eli is an experienced pro, and his team is exceptional. During the demolition, his foremen Gio and Wilder, came across some paperwork, pictures, and jewelry that they set aside for me. They could have easily tossed these things, but the fact that they didnt is a reflection of their thoughtfulness and integrity. The two of them and everyone who works with Quality First are professional, hard working, and just really good people, which is something I was not expecting at all in this business.Okay, so Im just this dude that doesnt spend a lot of time thumbing through design magazines or scrolling Pinterest. Choosing floors and tile and fixtures and vanities and lights is totally outside my comfort zone, and I was so grateful to have Elis incredible wife Donna help with the design and purchasing. Ideally, a person should go into a project like this with a clear picture of what they want--but I didnt have this. I really didnt know what I wanted, so I depended heavily on Donnas suggestions, and I couldnt be happier with the result. Like Eli, she is a clear and responsive communicator, extremely patient with me.Everybody who has ever had a substantial amount of work on their home understands that unforeseen expenses emerge. You hope to be able to salvage something, but then you cant, and additional work and materials are required. That means additional work orders.In my home, we thought that we could keep the external stucco, but once the old plaster came down, it became evident that there was a tremendous amount of damage to the wood and stucco; for me to have a home that would stand the test of time, all of the external stucco needed to be replaced.This is something that wasnt in the original contract, but Eli wanted to make it right. The quote he gave me for the stucco was far below what he should have charged me; he must have taken a loss, but he wanted to make it right. There were other things that Eli basically threw in that werent in the original contract--an upgrade of the back patio overhang, cabinets in the laundry room, a linen closet. Throughout the entire build, I got the sense that he didnt want anything his hand touches to be anything less than his companys name would suggest, Quality First.I try to teach my students that the principle of reciprocity is alive and well in this world. When others do something good for us, we feel an obligation to return the favor. Ive never written an online review on these sites ever before, but I feel an obligation to bring my experience of working with Quality First to light. I wish you well on your renovation project--or should I say, your renovation journey. I hope reading this review has been helpful :)

I can’t say enough great things about Quality First Builders. This company deserves 100 Stars! After dealing with several other dishonest contractors, Eli and Donna were a breath of fresh air. Finally, I found someone I could trust. At first, I was skeptical because of prior bad experiences but Eli assured me that his team would be different. They have exceeded my expectations in every way. My project was a disaster from using unlicensed individuals that had no clue what they were doing. Eli told me he was willing to take on the challenge and make my home a beautiful new space. His crew is very professional, they pay attention to detail and they clean up after themselves daily. They are friendly, courteous and fast. His team is always on time and they show up according to the schedule. They operate peacefully and synergistically, there was absolutely no drama. They prioritized my needs. What more could one ask for. Eli corrected errors that the prior architect made with poor placing of lighting, dysfunctional cabinet design and sloppy plumbing and water drainage. Eli is extremely organized and a master communicator. He kept me in the loop with regard to every hiccup that occurred with regard to permits and inspections. The only regret I have is that I didn’t find him first. They are not the least expensive but they are worth more than they charge. Take it from me! Do yourself a favor and call them if you want QUALITY home renovations. I guarantee you will be pleased.

As soon as we met Eli and Donna from Quality First Builders we knew they were they right team to hire for our project. We spent a lot of time interviewing different contractors in a span of months but nothing provided us the combination that Eli and Donna had.They did a tremendous job with our new construction. Eli picked up the pieces from our last contractor and built the home that we envisioned. We couldnt have done without Eli and Donna. They make such a great team with Elis construction expertise and Donnas eye for interior design. Donna made the whole process of selecting designs, fixtures and appliances so much easier because it would have been a nightmare without her. Eli was constantly in contact to make sure we were aware of the progress every step of the way through. They were both very conscious of our budget and made sure to keep us in line. Even the neighbors complimented on how professional the team onsite was. I can honestly say that Eli goes above and beyond to make sure you are happy.I’m sure many will read this and have their own experiences or heard or horror stories of bad contractors. You won’t have to worry with Eli and Donna. They are professional, honest, trust worthy and they are always responsive!

Quality First Builders Built us a new construction 2 story ADU with 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths & a full kitchen with an island. We filled in an existing pool we had, and redesigned the backyard to allow space for the ADU.We initially found Eli through BuildZoom, and also met with several other contractors. What we appreciated Elis honesty--he provided a detailed quote with line items broken down. It was very clear what was included and what was not. Everything was done on time and he kept us in the loop of what was going on. We were told in advance what was needed and when it was needed by so it made the process much more smooth. Knowing what finishes we wanted and having a timeline made purchasing things easier. Eli and his workers were very professional and always left the job site clean and orderly at the end of every day. The result is beautiful, and the process was great! I would definitely work with them again in the future and refer them to future friends and colleagues.

Where do I begin? At times it feels like my life is just a series of poor choices. But when it came to hiring a contractor, I finally made a good choice—a really, really good choice—by trusting Quality First for my epic home renovation.When I met Eli, I saw something different from the other contractors who came to look at my home. I felt like I was talking to an artist rather than a contractor, someone with a strong vision for what my home could be. Eli had been recommended to me by a good friend of mine who had work done on his home, and the quality of Quality First was evident to me.Eli and Donna are experienced pros, and their team is exceptional. During the demolition, his foremen Gio and Wilder, came across some paperwork, pictures, and jewelry that they set aside for me. They could have easily tossed these things, but the fact that they didn’t is a reflection of their thoughtfulness and integrity. The two of them and everyone who works with Quality First are professional, hard working, and just really good people, which is something I was not expecting at all in this business.Okay, so I’m just this dude that doesn’t spend a lot of time thumbing through design magazines or scrolling Pinterest. Choosing floors and tile and fixtures and vanities and lights is totally outside my comfort zone, and I was so grateful to have Eli’s incredible wife Donna help with the design and purchasing. Ideally, a person should go into a project like this with a clear picture of what they want—but I didn’t have this. I really didn’t know what I wanted, so I depended heavily on Donna’s suggestions, and I couldn’t be happier with the result. Like Eli, she is a clear and responsive communicator, extremely patient with me.So many times throughout this build I had problems thinking through the myriad decisions presented to me. I cannot overemphasize Eli & Donna’s patience in dealing with me and my indecisiveness, holding my hand through the process.When it became during the build that the old stucco on my home couldn’t be salvaged, Eli wanted to make it right. The quote he gave me for the stucco was far below what he should have charged me; he must have taken a loss. There were other things that Eli basically threw in that weren’t in the original contract—an upgrade of the back patio overhang, cabinets in the laundry room, a linen closet. Throughout the entire build, I got the sense that he didn’t want anything his hand touches to be anything less than his company’s name would suggest, “Quality First.”As an educator, I try to teach my students that the principle of reciprocity is alive and well in this world. When others do something good for us, we feel an obligation to return the favor. I’ve never written an online review on these sites ever before, but I feel an obligation to bring my experience of working with Quality First to light. Thank you!

We learnt about Quality First builders while they were doing a project near our home. We met them and had really good vibes from the get go. Our initial impression of them as first class team has been throughout the project of renovating and remodeling our home. It was a fairly big project and they did an excellent job in completing the project on time. Eli has always been honest, upfront and their ( both Eli and Donna) attention to details and team work made it much easier than we had expected. The way Donna helped us with all finishes and furnishes and procure everything before hand so that project could be finished on time has been a great experience. Elis organizing and management skills speak of itself in getting things done efficiently and effectively. If we ever have another home building/remodeling project, we will only think of Quality First Builders for the project. Very happy to highly recommend them!!

Eli and his wife/partner Donna did an excellent job remodeling the interior of my home in Porter Ranch. They changed everything and a little bit of the layout, based on their advice, to make it more open. Im so glad they did, too. I would definitely recommend Quality First Builders to all homeowners looking to do a remodel.

Eli and First Quality Builders did a good job at remodeling my bathroom and kitchen. They made suggestions about the type of kitchen cabinets I should get and I am happy that I followed their suggestions re a corner lazy Susan cabinet, pull-out cabinets, and countertop lights. Eli and his crew were totally professional--the best part is that there were no job delays. When Eli said someone would be there at 8 am on Tuesday-they were there at 8 am on Tuesday. Eli promptly responded to all my calls and texts. It has been over 6 years that the work was done, and everything still looks wonderful and works. The only issue I had was that in the bathroom, the worker replaced my medicine cabinet in the original space in the wall without thinking as it was completely off- center to the sink and vanity. They had to take it out and redo the inset. That should have been done correctly in the beginning. Otherwise, I am very happy with the work done.

Quality 1st Builders – it’s all in the name! – We were looking for a contractor to remodel our town home of 27 years – a significant amount of work was required and we wanted it done right. We also needed help in making design choices that fit our style and budget without knowing much about it. We then met Eli and Donna Ezra who brought a wealth of knowledge to our project. Eli made sure that structural changes and installations were made properly and without some of the shortcuts that can be seen in multi-unit construction. We completely remodeled three bedrooms and bathrooms, laundry, kitchen which included a rebuild of a shear-wall, fireplace, bar and entertainment spaces, and new engineered hard-word flooring throughout. All work was impeccably done – Eli’s crew cleaned the job site at the end of each day which made seeing progress a breeze – and a relief. Our home has new LED lighting throughout, automatic humidity-driven bathroom venting, and all the other upgrades that come with a remodel of this scope – details that Eli managed to complete satisfaction. And we certainly could not have realized this beauty without the guidance and assistance from Donna who made sure all of our cabinets, fixtures, paint, bathroom tile, backsplash tile, fireplace tile/mantle, and countertops reflected our style and flowed throughout our home. She provided countless recommendations around these items which eliminated a lot of time and stress in the decision-making process. We absolutely recommend Quality 1st Builders for your home remodel – Thank You Eli and Donna!! – We Love our new home!!

I have a mid-century modern home which I’ve lived in since 1995. After 25 years, it needed everything: roof, plumbing, paint, flooring, window replacements, kitchen and bathroom remodel, dry rot, mold, moth and termite remediation.Eli did my next door neighbors home renovation, and they were so thrilled with the outcome, that I went with Eli also.I was not disappointed. My house is now sound and beautiful! I love the paint colors, the appliances, the fixtures, the outdoor pavers, the indoor flooring, the garage door, everything turned out wonderfully. Eli also did an addition of a 170 square foot utility room to contain the washer/dryer, cleaning supplies, vacuum, brooms, etc with a sink and rack for drying hand washed clothes. A dream come true!Eli’s wife, Donna, was the guiding light through the whole process, making sure all the design elements flowed well together. She took me shopping to select the various items, and also regularly sent emails with pictures to review. It would have been overwhelming to make the many selections on my own, but Donna made sure everything was coordinated and in keeping with the mid-century aesthetic.The process was really smooth. The crews worked Mon through Friday, sometimes on weekends, and sometimes after hours. They really powered through to get the job done.If you have a home improvement project that needs doing, I definitely urge you to give Eli a call. You’ll be in good hands, and like me, you’ll be very happy with the results!

We recently finished a kitchen and pantry remodel with Eli and his crew. The work was completed exactly on time as Eli predicted in 5 weeks. His wife, an interior decorator, Donnas assistance with not only her superb taste in picking out all fixtures, tiles, flooring, countertops, handles and in finding the best deals with either appliance stores or in online stores was incredibly helpful. Elis crew was totally professional in their work and quality. If anything was not exactly to our satisfaction, the changes, rarely needed, were quickly implemented. All subcontractors for the work, of which there were few, luckily, were equally of an excellent caliber. All workers left our home as clean as could be possible given the circumstances. All in all, we are so very happy with our results and our new kitchen. We have shown it to many friends and family who are equally impressed, not only by the quality of the work, craftsmanship and time involved.

We were with quality first builders from the baby steps of our project until the completion and we couldn’t be more thrilled! We built a 3,900 Sq ft new construction. Donna was with us and the architect through all the planning, designing & building details and we were aware of every step ahead of time from Eli & his crew, it was honestly such a process! Will highly recommend them!

Eli and Donna were great to work with! We converted our garage into a two-story ADU with an office. Their architect came up with a great modern design that fit our needs. Eli and his workers were very professional and always left the job site clean and orderly at the end of every day. Donna has a great eye for design and helped us to pick the materials and finishes for the project. The process took longer than expected because of issues with the DWP and building inspectors, but Eli took it all in stride and helped to make the process as smooth as possible. We love our new ADU and office and would definitely work with them again in the future!

My wife and I decided to move from Pasadena to Los Angeles to be closer to work. Before we purchased the house we asked for several general contractors to look at two houses that we were debating on to purchase.Eli was really patient and met with us at both properties (which not many of the other contractors were interested in doing) and gave us his honest opinion. Once we decided on the house we sat with Eli and the Donna (the interior designer which eli introduced us to) and came up with new design layouts. Having an interior designer was definitely a big plus especially since it was at no charge and was part of the service. We both loved how they worked so well together.In the new house we did a complete remodel which included a kitchen remodel, guest bathroom remodel and master bathroom remodel.We also remodeled our Pasadena home before we sold it. We did two bathroom remodels and a kitchen remodelWe will definitely be using quality first builders for our room addition project in the future.It was very fun and convenient to work with Eli and Donna.

Eli and Donna were great. We obtained multiple proposals and responses ranged from “we’ll build what you tell us but won’t be responsible for your color etc. choices” to “ we won’t work with you unless you use a designer we like”. Having the combination of Eli’s control of the work with Donna’s design guidance, vendor recommendations and price negotiations was a perfect fit for us. Work was done professionally, on time, no cost surprises and every obstacle that a 50+ year old house presented was met with a “don’t worry, it’s not a problem” by Eli and he was right.Kitchen remodel was great and we’d go back to them for the next job in a heartbeat.

If everyone had the same experience with a remodel that we had working with Eli, Donna, and their crew, all bathrooms and kitchens would be renovated. We had a huge project and their team delivered with high quality work, on time, and without any pushback when we have questions or changes orders. Quality First’s sole goal was to update my mothers childhood family home to be a warm, friendly home for her future grandchildren. They more than delivered.Since the project was such a large scope, and the house had deep emotional attachment, we spent a lot of time researching, interviewing, and going to job sites seeing contractors work in person. Eli joked on our 5th date that maybe it was time to take the next step. The entire team is very transparent and no empty promises were made. If we had a question or an idea and it was possible, we very quickly received a detailed change order with additional cost and timeline info (granted even with the change ordered we stayed well within the initial quoted timeline). If it was not possible we received a thorough explanation if it was not up to code, or from experience Eli had a better idea.Designing with Donna was a breeze. She gave us homework assignments leading up to shopping day, and had pre-selected some materials based on preferences and budget. Our home is fully custom, with a warm, welcoming feeling. We had a closet design over and even without furniture, she commented how calming and serene she felt standing in our living room.We have already recommended Quality First to several of our friends and family, and we feel that is the best review anyone could give.

They say the best thing to do is to buy the worst house in the best neighborhood you can find and remodel it. Which is true, and exactly what we did. But as first time homebuyers, and first time home remodelers, we were very nervous about taking on a full house remodel which is incredibly daunting and ultimately depends on the quality of the general contractor. Horror stories abound about contractors lying to their clients, going over budget, blowing past deadlines, and taking advantage of people who have very limited knowledge of construction related issues and norms. Thankfully, we found Eli at Quality First Builders, as well as his wife Donna from Moderna Design. Eli explained all the details to us up front in a series of collaborative meetings, helped us understand the things we were ignorant of, and worked with us to tailor our wants and needs to our budget. Although his bid was slightly higher than some others we solicited, the extra cost was more than made up for in the higher quality of the craftsmanship, the detailed work orders, the rigid adherence to our timeline, thorough documentation of the work and inspections, the willingness to educate us and answer our questions, and the fact that included in the price is the expertise of his wife Donna who sourced all of our finishes, appliances, paint and floor colors, tile, and fixtures. Her participation was critical in keeping us on time and handling all the details that would have taken us forever to figure out on our own. (And, she is a total sweetheart.) Eli and his team, including Walter and Wilder at the job site, Maryssa in the office, and all the subcontractors, took on a huge project and delivered the house of our dreams, on time and on budget. A complete, down to the studs, gut and remodel of a kitchen, laundry room, and two bathrooms, with a new roof, new windows and doors, new plumbing and sewer line, new electrical, foundation repair, stucco and exterior paint, interior paint, new air conditioning and heater, and on and on and on. Plus Eli recommended many things to us which we never would have thought of like under cabinet lighting in the kitchen, semi-custom cabinetry to give our kitchen the total custom look, recessed lighting throughout the house with dimmers, a tankless water heater, and a reorganization of our master bath to maximize its usefulness. As with any project this large, there were some difficult decisions, unexpected hiccups, and setbacks along the way. Eli handled everything we, and the house, threw at him with honesty, professionalism, and a can-do attitude that put us at ease. The day we moved in was a dream come true and every day in the house since has been a blessing. The pictures speak for themselves. We couldn’t be happier … and his wife Donna is amazing

Quality First Builders (QB) was referred by a friend, and now we are happy to recommend them as well! They gave our 1920s home the TLC it needed. They were on budget and on time (we had a tight schedule). In addition to a total kitchen, the slats in our original floor were seamlessly replaced, new windows installed, skim coating our walls and ceiling. Their crew is multi-talented, tidy and polite. Their attention to detail really helped make our experience efficient and simple - just you need from your contractor and their subcontractors.

In December of 2021, we had a house fire that did an extensive amount of damage to our home. After the house was ready to be rebuilt, we decided to interview multiple contractors. From recommendations from friends and family to reach outs to some well-reviewed people in our area, we had no shortage of people to go with.When we met with Eli and Donna, we immediately felt like they understood what they were dealing with. Both from a house and a personality standpoint. Both of us are extremely picky people but very strong in our convictions of what we wanted our remodel to look like. They handled both of us with ease, helping to explain certain unforeseen situations and extra costs that come with renovation a fire-damaged 90 year-old home.Not only does the house look great, but the speed of the construction from start to finish was almost unbelievable. When we first met with Eli he told us we’d be back in our home before the end of the year and I scoffed. Our insurance had told us that they estimated this being an almost two year long repair. They had the house ready in just about seven months.After our plans were approved, the rebuild went smoothly minus a few hiccups including extra damage and remediation that had been previously overlooked by our insurance. Their attention to detail and thoughtful design really helped us transform our home back to a place we wanted to be in after the trauma of our house fire.Donna was so helpful in walking us through our floorplan options and working with us on the design details to make our home feel like ours. She sourced vendors that had similar furnishings to what we were looking for and at price points we were comfortable with.I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone, even if you’re worried about being a little on the more high maintenance side like we are.

Eli and Donna helped us with a complete home remodel and really demonstrated the benefits of working with a design build firm. From the start of the drawing stage for the plans, they worked hard to understand and carry out our vision. The planning and permits went smoothly and we started construction quickly. Elis crew is efficient and tidy and every week there was major progress. Eli is good at communicating the weeks plan and if issues came up, he would get on them quickly and offer up solutions to keep things moving. While the construction was going on, Donna helped us with the design and shopping. She has great taste and broke down the shopping into manageable chunks based on what was needed for the construction timeline. She knows good vendors and worked hard to get us discounts whenever possible. Now that the house is done, everyone is thrilled at how it turned out. Eli and Donna really live up to their business motto of Quality First. The inspections were all passed on the first try and I never doubted the quality of their work. They keep their word and whenever they said they would do something, it would get done. That is probably the most important thing in construction: to be able to have that kind of confidence in the builders you work with. Thank you Quality First!

We chose Quality First Builders to remodel our master bathroom and kitchen because of the great reviews we saw on YELP. And because of our initial meeting with them, we did something we rarely do…we decided to go with them without getting any other estimates. So I really can’t say how reasonable their estimates were, but it felt in the ballpark of what we thought it might be.The company is owned by Eli and his wife Donna. Eli takes care of contracting the workers, and Donna is an indispensable part of the equation in that she helps in picking out the fixtures, and the furniture, and the colors, and cabinets, and tile and grout, and everything else you can imagine. Honestly, there’s no way we could have selected all the myriad of choice possibilities that need to be made without Donna’s help. She is schooled in interior design and she miraculously comes for free as part of the package.We were told the project was going to take about 5 weeks to complete, which hearing the horror stories of other contractors promise of estimated time to complete a project, we were skeptical but hopeful. As demolition and construction began, there was some unforeseen additional work that needed to be added to the original time plan - partly due to the inevitable ‘surprises’ one finds during construction and also because of additions we requested. And, through no fault of theirs, items ordered to complete the project took far longer to arrive than we hoped, so there were several weeks added to the completion of the project. All in all, however, we were extremely pleased with the quality and timeliness of the work that was done, the professionalism of the workers, and most importantly with the way our master bathroom and kitchen turned out. We couldn’t be happier.So, highest recommendations to Quality First Builders to anyone considering remodeling their home.

Eli completely remodeled my kitchen, master bedroom and master bathroom. He did a fantastic job and was able to handle all of the challenges of remodeling a 1920s spanish style home. His crew was professional and timely. A+++ will def use again for future projects.

Quality First Builders did a full remodel of our 2-bed, 2-bath condo in Santa Monica.The result is spectacular, and very well suited to our needs.Eli provided a detailed quote, with lots of specific information broken out. It was very clear what was included and what was not. Eli and Donna were both able to provide expert advice and guidance. During the quote process, Eli identified some problems that others did not, which is one of the reasons we chose to go with Quality First. There was an attention to detail that was reassuring.The project encountered some significant challenges, including the discovery of some questionable electrics and plumbing as a result of the previous owner. These added to the cost and the duration of the project, but I do not blame Quality First Builders for that -- I do not think these issues could have been foreseen until demolition was complete.Eli and his team took deadlines seriously, and although the original deadlines needed to be revised to account for these additional surprises, the work was completed ahead of the revised deadlines, which we really appreciated.The project included:- Full kitchen remodel- Extension of cabinets and counter tops through dining room- Full remodel of two bathrooms- Custom floating shelves and mantle- New doors throughout- Paint and flooring throughout- Installation of recess lights and light fixtures throughout- Tiling a large patio area, and replacing trellisingSo it was a large and complex project, and the result was of a high quality. Time and money both ran over, but seemed to be within reason, given the surprises left by the previous owner. There seemed to be a genuine sense of urgency and of efficiency throughout the process.The reason I cannot quite give a 5-star review is that the process was an extremely stressful one for us.To be fair to Eli and his team, the main points of stress were where third parties were involved. Anything that was completely within Elis control was handled smoothly and well. His team does not do everything, however, and so we had to work with some other companies to fix the air-conditioning, replace the fireplace, hook up cable and internet, install closets, and replace the tile drop-ceiling in the hallway. We also had to interact with a very frustrating and unpredictable inspector. There were a lot of challenges where these different groups intersected, and where it wasnt clear who was responsible for what. We had to be more directly involved than I would have liked, and the communication was often stressful and at times became heated.My recommendation to others would be to handle as much of this sort of work as possible either before of after the main work is done. There is a clause in the contract about not working with third parties, for good reason, and in our case it turned out to be unavoidable (e.g. we discovered the AC work we had done prior was not properly permitted so the inspector would not sign off on anything else, the fireplace had to be installed before the tiling around it could be complete, etc). Eli was flexible in allowing this, and I appreciate that we got to a great result in the end, but the journey was bumpy at times.Both Eli and Donna injected creativity and problem solving. For example, the way the master bathroom was previously laid out was not up to code, and the inspector drastically limited our options, and caused Elis team to have to do unnecessary re-work, which was frustrating. We were able to make the best of a bad situation, and the result is good looking and functional, even though our original plan was not allowed.The look and layout of our kitchen and dining area were more within our collective control, and together we achieved a really distinctive and appealing design, thanks to Eli and Donnas input.Thank you to Eli and Donna for working with us through all these challenges and getting to a great result.

We had overall quite a positive experience with Eli and Donna doing an extensive remodel (starting with gutting): we redid the kitchen/dining room and a bathroom in a contemporary style, and created of a small laundry room, in our 60-year-old home. Quality First is far from the cheapest, so not for everyone, but the service level is high, and the quality seems to be as well. Anything that isnt quite right will be fixed. Donna has a great eye for design but she generally provides well-thought-out options and lets the customer specify, unless her preference is explicitly requested. Communication between designer and general contractor is good because theyre a couple!Things were generally done right the first time, and on the rare occasions they werent, it was fixed promptly. Eli has a forceful personality which one might have to resist occasionally, but always trustworthy and honest. We are very happy with our beautiful new kitchen, bath, and laundry!

If you are in the middle of a search for a reliable contractor, you really can stop here. Eli is your guy. we have worked with a few different contractors over the years, and Eli easily ranks at the top of all those I have worked with.This specific project was a remodel of the upstairs of a 1920s Spanish colonial in Silver Lake. It involved knocking down some walls, and converting an old office space into a master suite to include a walk-in closet and a new bathroom. Also remodeling the existing bathrooms, bedrooms, and hallway. Also: all new plumbing, rewiring, install a large beam, lots of framing work, extensive new drywall, refinishing original wood floors, all new tile for walls and floors for bathrooms, original stair rail and refinish, new stair treads and landing, new exterior doors and windows, and large window in shower.It was actually a pretty big project despite the modest sqaure footage.Everything went really smoothly. All the workers were fantastic, very nice, and seemed genuinely interested in making sure we were happy.We had a few changes come up along the way, which is of course inevitable. With prior contractors, it always seemed like a fight to change anything. But with Eli, there were no problems. He just changed or fixed what was needed until we were happy.Some little examples that made me extra happy:1) In the new bathroom, we installed a steam shower, and all the details were perfectly accounted for. The ceiling and all niche edges slope perfectly, the generator was installed well, and the glass seals everything in! It is fantastic. I wouldnt have known to account for these things without Eli, and he made it all happen.2) The tile work was incredible. With help from Donna, we selected hand made tiles. She was always right on top of making sure the tiles were ready on time and made sure delivery went fine. Their tile workers did an absolutely fantastic job installing all the tile. It looks stunning. Without Eli and Donna, we wouldnt have had all these top quality materials and workers to make it all happen.3) The window in the shower. It took some ingenuity to get the window to work within the plans and not require extensive structural work. But it is a glorious window. It spans nearly wall to wall and brings in a ton of light! They even framed it in so that it shows essentially no ugly vinyl frame from the inside, and it looks fantastic.4) We installed two new wood picutre windows, and they match perfectly to the rest of the original windows we wanted to keep in the house. Eli even coordinated to have moudling custom cut to match the old out-of-production style, so all the new doors and windows match beautifully. Nice touch!5) We had some original components we wanted to keep and incorporate, and Eli and his crew made them all work. We were able to keeping some original hardwood doors and update the mortise locksets. We were also able to keep the original wood rail - little things that really help the character of the whole house.4) We had some plans drawn from a prior architect, and they needed some updated. Rather than us having to do it, Eli made sure to get them updated so everything was ready, and handled all the leg work with that.5) We needed to live in the house while the upstairs was being done. The crew really went above and beyond to drape off everything so there wasnt such a huge mess, and made sure all the plumbing and electrical were always ready for us to use in the rest of the house by the time we got home. We didnt have to spend a single night in a hotel, and not a single problem!6) Clean up was superb! Beyond expectation.In the past, my relationship with contractors has always been sort of meh. But with Eli, I really am over-the-top happy with how everything turned out. Thanks Eli and Donna!

Quality 1st Builders lived up its name. We recently hired Eli and Donna to completely renovate a 900 square foot condo in a luxury building, while we were not regularly in town. Their work was high quality and we are very happy with the result. Eli and Donna were very communicative and put in extra effort to manage the project smoothly in our absence. We appreciated Donna’s design services - to us that was a big benefit in working with Quality 1st.We would be 100% satisfied, except that the project ended up a bit delayed and we had to move in before the project was completely finished. However, we believe that it would still have been quicker than had another contractor handled the project.

We had a pipe break and flood our downstairs. Essentially half our house had to be gutted and redone. On top of all that my husband and I were expecting our first baby. As work began we discovered a tremendous number of things which were not up to code or were on the verge of even more disaster (our whole house needed to be re-plumbed because the original pipes from the 60’s were disintegrating)To say this was a stressful situation is a wild understatement. But Eli and everyone at Quality 1st are absolutely amazing and made this process SO MUCH EASIER.Every single member of their team are excellent at what they do and the communication was constant. We always knew what was going on, what we needed to take care of, and when the next steps were coming. When I say I am absolutely stunned at the speed and quality of their work I don’t know if it really conveys how much I mean that. We are so, so grateful to Eli and the team for pulling off what I consider a miracle.When we were first dealing with the damage we heard so many stories about people being out of their homes for over a year while things got repaired. We were back in our home, with our baby, after just three months because Eli wanted us and our newborn daughter back home ASAP.They aren’t inexpensive, however I believe that is because they are honest and upfront about the ACTUAL costs of projects and don’t spring charges on you later. Also, Donna does a wonderful job giving you options for the finishing and fixtures in a variety of price points and designs.Aside from being truly excellent at what they do, they are also exceptionally wonderful people.When we finally get around to replacing the rest of our drafty original windows, and for ANY home project we have after that, Quality 1st will be the team I call.

I am writing this review mainly because Eli and Donna made me feel like a part of their family from start to finish. If I ever decide to redo my kitchen or anyone I know that is looking to do a remodel, I will not hesitate to recommend them every time.I have been living in the same condo for the last 14 years. The condo was very out of date and going home after work or being home was at times something I didn’t look forward to. I wanted my home to be my sanctuary, a place I couldn’t wait to get to and enjoy.I made up mind to remodel the condo around September of 2023. I did research and had three different contractors give me a bid. They were all very reputable companies, all around the same price, but I felt something was lacking. I had one last quote I was going to do and that is when I found Quality First Builders. The thing that made my decision was the Company was family business, meeting Eli and Donna, and their bid came under the other 3 by a considerable amount. Eli and Donna were amazing. They handled all my questions and thoughts with professionalism and class. I was very nervous about the project but they both made feel at ease when they knew I was nervous about certain decisions.The project was a total Bathroom remodel, flooring, ceiling lights, closets and painting. Eli told me the project would take about 4 weeks to complete, they finished in 4 weeks and 3 days. Eli kept me informed every 2 to 3 days on progress and any issues he had concerns about. I also had a vision of what I wanted and color scheme. I can’t thank Donna enough for bringing my ideas to life.I have been back in my condo about 3 weeks and words can’t describe the joy in my heart that Eli and Donna have gave me. My friends who come over can’t believe the transformation. It look like something out of a magazine. You can check the Quality First Builders website for pictures and my testimonial. I am still in touch with both of them and wish nothing but the best for them. They truly take pride in their work, are professional, but most of all they are amazing people.

I was referred to Eli from a good friend of mine that just completed a full reno. We had just gotten our permits approved for a new construction build and were looking for a contractor to start the job. We originally went with an architect that builds too but were really disappointed in the process so we knew we didn’t want to use them. After speaking to Eli for about an hour, my husband and I felt that he knew what he was talking about. It was a big project and we wanted to make sure he could complete the job. We built a brand new 5,500 new construction 2 story and we are thrilled with the outcome!

I worked with Eli and Donna in 2018 when we did a complete renovation of our home. We remodeled 3 1/2 bathrooms, the kitchen, flooring, painting, etc. We are very happy with the outcome and overall experience, it was nice having everything with the design and construction under the same roof so we were all on the same page.

The various tradespeople who came to our house were amazing! They were very professional and detailed oriented. We love our bathroom!

It has been a pleasure working with Eli and Quality First Builders. We converted our garage into an ADU and the process was better than we could have imagined. Eli was very professional, trustworthy and communicative from the beginning of the project through the end. It was evident that he has great crews and subcontractors that work for him. Ive already referred Quality First Builders to a friend and will continue to do so. I would definitely recommend giving Eli and his team the opportunity to work on your project.

Eli and Quality First Builders did a great job on our bathroom remodel. Eli was very upfront and honest about the time and cost of the project. He was responsive to our calls and texts and the whole crew did a great job. We are very pleased with the results. I would definitely recommend them and hire them for any future projects.

I have worked with Donna and Eli on several projects, and I appreciate their professionalism, attention to detail, and organizational skills more and more with each job.Our most recent project was a new build ADU. The project started with the collaboration with their architect. We were able to design a building that was beautiful, functional, and situated on the property to provide maximum privacy for the new building and existing home.A new build requires significant project management skills, and Eli continued to demonstrate his mastery of the necessary sequencing of events to prevent delays and downtime. He was able to coordinate the multiple City and County competing demands, to ensure our project was completed on time.Eli oversaw the design concept, site preparation, excavation, groundbreaking, utility connections, structure building, custom finishes and inspections. Donna again provided guidance in design details and helped us make smart choices for our multi-generational, multi-use home.If I ever have another home building/remodeling project, I will immediately reach out to Quality First Builders for the project.

We hired Quality First Builders to renovate our galley kitchen, install a beverage bar, install an extensive built-in media center with an electric fireplace and hidden bookcase door (very cool!), and install new flooring, trim, doors, lighting and paint throughout our home. Overall, we are very pleased with the process and the work that was done. They stuck to the timeline originally discussed and even finished work a week earlier than expected. Communication throughout the process was good and the crew they brought in was super professional and helpful. Eli and Donna always responded to my questions within a timely manner and were happy to explain things. Donna was very helpful during the design stage, and helped make the process of choosing finishes way less daunting, and fun!Unanticipated costs did of course come up over the course of the project, which is to be expected. Some costs, however, we felt should have been anticipated and discussed earlier, however they were mostly minor given the scope of the work being done. Though most of the execution was very smooth, there were some things we wished were planned for better. For instance we ended up with an extra door we didn’t need because the media center hadn’t been fully planned out earlier in the process. There are a lot of moving parts during renovation, and I encourage anyone, especially first time renovators, to ask a lot of questions throughout. As I said, Eli and Donna were both always happy to explain things further.Eli clearly laid out how the pay installments would work from the start, and was clear about what was included and excluded in the pricing. I did wish some costs were itemized further, as some of the pricing seemed more generalized, but overall we were happy with the convenient payment process.Despite some tiny bumps, we would absolutely recommend Quality First Builders! We have heard of nightmare scenarios from others about working with unreliable contractors and renovations going way over schedule. That was not the case with Quality First. Eli and Donna are great people and very pleasant to work with, they answered our questions, worked hard to deliver a quality product on time, and responded to last minute fixes in a timely manner. We’re very happy with the finished result!

This company was great to work with in getting our two bathrooms remodeled and we highly recommend them. Eli, the owner of Quality 1st Builders, Inc, his wife, Donna, who helped design our bathrooms and shop for materials, and the crew were very professional. Eli was always immediately responsive to any concerns or questions we had during the process. His workers showed up as promised and were great in getting the job done right. Professional, responsive and high quality work, what more could we have asked for?

I am so happy I picked Quality first builders to remodel my bathroom. After meeting with Eli & Donna I felt their honesty up front. They told me what to expect going forward, how long it would take and exact cost. Not one surprise or mishap. The crew did such an excellent professional job that I called them artists. The tile work plumbing and electrical was done one right after the other like clock work. Eli & Donna Thank you for my beautiful steamroom-shower. I do love it.👍👏👏👏👏

I hired Quality First Builders after meeting with three different contractors and considering each extensively. Eli was competitive on price; was the only one who proposed a creative change to the kitchen remodel that I was considering; and listened to what I wanted in a big-picture sense and then made a proposal that took that feedback into account in the details. I also appreciated that Eli owned his company and necessarily was the primary contact on all issues and could make the call on issues as they (inevitably) arise, without having to clear it through anybody else.What started out as a kitchen remodel, new downstairs flooring and popcorn ceiling removal project quickly turned much larger, as is often the case. In the end, all three bathrooms were completely redone, doors and molding replaced, fireplace resurfaced, stair case redone, entire interior repainted--literally every surface of the interior of my house was touched by Eli and his crew. And I could not be happier with the result. I had a pretty strong vision of what I wanted for all the spaces, and Quality First Builders brought that vision to life. Donnas input on tile choices and fixtures and the like really helped to streamline that selection process, which can seem never-ending, and move things along. Elis attention to detail and consistent oversight were exactly what I wanted and what big project like this needed. The quality of the crews work at every turn was outstanding. With the expansion of the project, both the timeline and budget necessarily expanded, but once set, Eli worked hard to stay on track with both.We also had the less-than-ideal circumstance of needing to move into the house before all the remodeling work was complete--even before the kitchen was complete. This was challenging for everyone, but Eli and his crew were so great in making sure the spaces we needed ready by move-in were ready and also in making the situation of living through the ongoing remodel as painless as possible.I wont belabor things, but suffice it to say that in a world where it is hard to find a contractor who wont charge twice as much as they originally proposed and take three times as long, Quality First Builders is the one to hire. I will post pictures soon, but have no doubt that Im extremely happy with their work and with the house I get to call home now.

My wife and I finally decided to remodel our kitchen that had cabinets from 1955. We started by getting 4 bids. The first three came in.....looked around for 5 minutes and gave a random price. Then Eli and Donna came to our house. They asked great questions about what we wanted to do, took careful measurements, and most importantly gave great advice. There was no quote that day. We set an appointment to visit Eli and Donna at their office. We then went over a complete and detailed itemized bid. After that they already had digital renderings of how everything would look. Very professional. When I saw the bid for the job it was definitely not the cheapest or the quickest, but at that point my wife and I were sold on how competent and nice Eli and Donna were and felt like we were in good hands. Everything went as planned. Elis team are very skilled professionals and were nice to be around. Theyre were no shortcuts. Permits were done and all items were brought up to code. All new plumbing and electrical. I would also like to point out that there were NO hidden costs or surprise bills out of the blue. All invoices were billed as described in the original bid. Here is the bottom line about Q1st....if you want shortcuts to save money or false promises about timing, Q1st is not for you. If you want a professional job with amazing design ideas with Donna...look no further. We could not have asked for a better job. All of our friends and family are simply amazed at the job that was done.

We suffered a major leak last year, causing an immediate need to remodel our kitchen. We interviewed six general contractors prior to making our selection, asking nearly every question we could think of to ensure we made the right choice. From the very first meeting, we knew Quality First Builders was the right fit for us. Whereas each of the other 5 candidates gave various (sometimes opposing) solutions for the soffit in our kitchen, Eli was the first to get his hands dirty to find out what was feasible and cost-effective. He was a straight-shooter, set proper expectations and followed through during the entirety of our project. His subcontractors were all top notch and worked hard to ensure we were happy with the final product. Our entire kitchen remodel took 5 weeks from start to finish (including Christmas and New Years). The teams were clean, courteous, and detailed. Donna was a great help on the design aspect of the project. She joined us on our shopping trips to find countertops, flooring, and backsplash and provided helpful recommendations for hardware and other finishing touches. Her eye for design was spot on and her connections in the trade made the entire process so much easier than had we tried to wade through on our own. We love our new kitchen and had a great experience with Quality First Builders. We highly recommend them to anyone looking for high quality home renovations and plan to use them again in the future for our next set of projects.

My wife and I hired Quality First Builders to remodel and re-design our kitchen and bathroom. At first we brought 3 companies over to give bids and Quality First blew us away. They were so detailed, so professional and extremely creative. Elis wife Donna, the interior designer, was with us every step of the way and even suggested some beautiful improvements for our kitchen. Most importantly their price was competitive, they were always available through text if my wife or I needed anything and I would recommend their expertise and service to all looking to revamp their home.

After a serious flood due to a broken drain pipe in our wall, we were left with both of our bathrooms completely gutted and in need of a complete renovation, and began our search for a highly qualified general contractor that had experience with bathroom remodels. Thanks to tons of glowing positive reviews, we hired Eli from Quality First Builders. From beginning to end, Eli was there for us every step of the way. I was especially impressed by his professionalism. He often came on to the job site to make sure everything was on track. And he always responded to texts and phone calls. We were also impressed with his crew, Omar and Hector. They were polite, professional, and always kept the job site area clean. The work is all completed now, ahead of schedule, and we have two gorgeous bathrooms that we are extremely happy with. Thanks again, Eli!

My Wife and I cam across Quality Builders through a good friend of ours who recently had their bathroom remodeled. They loved the work and referred Eli over to us. We were looking to remodel our kitchen for over 2 years but just havent found a place we can trust, and every price quoted was through the roof. Eli and his crew were able to remodel our kitchen at such a great cost, and they were in and out. I love the work and would definitely recommend him to anyone who is serious about remodeling!!

We were very happy with our choice in quality first builders. At first we wanted to change the layout of the kitchen and use up most of the dining room to make the kitchen bigger since we entertain a lot. Eli and Donna came up with the idea to do a small addition to the backyard so that we didnt have to use the dining room and it made it a more functional layout. We were very surprised with this idea because no one has thought of it (we met with 4 different contractors) the design was perfect and it allowed us to keep our dining room. It also gave us a lot of cabinets, and a huge island. We also updated our powder room.

I contacted Eli from Quality First Builders about my complete remodeling project in May. I basically did the whole house, I had a kitchen remodeled, bathroom remodeled, flooring, windows, and much more! He came out to see the project and told me some ideas that he had and also gave me a ball park on how much it would cost. Liking him as a person and having the price meet my budget, I decided to have him proceed with the proposal. For the second meeting he came with the proposal and a 3D design of what my house could look like if I decided to go with him. I was very happy with the design and my wife was more than pleased. His wife Donna, whom did the 3D design, also mentioned that she would be involved throughout the whole remodeling process and help with purchasing items and making sure that it all coordinated together. We signed the contract with them and now as I am sitting in my remodeled home I can officially say that I am more than pleased with the outcome and could not have asked for a better result. Everything went very smoothly and always on time!

We purchased our second house in Sierra Madre at end of 2013. The house was built in 1983 and it was vacated for two years before we bought it. So the condition was pretty bad and needed lots of upgrade works. Since then we did a LOT of research and interviewed a number of contractors. During this long process we were really exhausted. Almost devastated, we start to look on yelp for help. After reading all the reviews we contacted and interviewed three contractors, Eli was one of them.At our first meeting, Eli spent a long time listening to our needs and answering our questions. Then he started to give us really helpful suggestions and fresh ideas weve never heard from any other contractors, which opened up our mind. We were sold right there but still wanted to know his price since theres two other estimates came in before him. Couple days later he came back again with a proposal and a design layout from his interior designer, Donna. Of all the contractors we met, theres nobody delivered a 3D design layout! The fact that you can actually see the result before the project even starts is a HUGE plus. His estimate was the most reasonable compare to the amount of works from the proposal. The other main reason we choose him because he seemed very passionate about his work.We did remodel our whole house, included a brand new kitchen, three brand new bathrooms (one master, two full), electrical upgrades, living room remodel, dinning room remodel, new LED lighting, new ceiling, new floor, new windows/doors, etc. For a big project like this could be really frustrated and stressful. But with Eli and his team showed up for work everyday and making sure every little detail for us, we got great confidence and peace of mind during the whole construction.Eli was always available on phone/text with any questions or concerns from us, and always kept us informed about the process. Not only he did a phenomenal job on our house, his interior designer Donna also helped out so much when getting the right tile, stone, counter top, backsplash, color theme, design style...you name it! The craftsmanship from Eli and his team was beyond our expectation. But without Donnas finish touch on design we will never get a dream house just like the one you see in the deco magazines.We are so glad we hired Eli and Donna from Quality First Builders! The work is done now and we are so happy with the new look of our house. We got so many compliments from family and friends. Highly recommended Quality First Builders for any remodeling works you need at great price.Thank you Eli, Donna and the wonderful team! It was a pleasure to work with you!

Quality First Builders did a wonderful job remodeling our kitchen. Eli and Donna were friendly, professional, knowledgeable, and had some great design suggestions we hadnt thought of originally. They consider the layout of your home, the latest technology and design trends, and safety features. Eli breaks down every detail up front so there are no surprises. They might be a little pricier than most contractors, but the quality of work and level of professionalism made it well worth it; and yet they are sensitive to your budget and will work around it the best they can. They also work around your schedule and your living situation so that its as unobtrusive as possible - putting up plastic to keep dust out of the main house, providing a porta potty for the workers, etc. The process of picking and arranging for flooring, backsplash material and countertops went much smoother than we thought, and arranging for appliances went well too. A remodel like this has the potential to be extremely stressful, but this process went smoothly. Thanks again to them and their team of subcontractors, our kitchen looks great and really came out better than expected! We would definitely recommend them.