Quality First Builders

After living in our home for 13 years and dreaming of a kitchen renovation the entire time, we finally pulled the trigger—and we’re so glad we chose Quality First Builders. From our first meeting, Eli was confident, knowledgeable, and direct. I’ll admit, I was a little skeptical of his bold promises—especially when he told us the job would be finished in 40 days. I’ve known so many people whose kitchen renovations dragged on for months. But he was absolutely true to his word. The kitchen was completed just shy of that 40-day mark.

Our scope started as a cabinetry and counter refresh, but Eli’s team gutted the kitchen down to the studs. It was the right move. We didn’t run into any hidden problems, and now we have the peace of mind knowing exactly how everything behind the walls was built.

I came in with a rough idea of the layout, but Donna and her design team elevated everything. We discussed every single drawer and cabinet in detail—down to the width of the spice drawer to fit my collection. Selecting materials with Donna was fun and seamless. And the final result? It’s not just beautiful—it has truly changed my life. Every inch of the kitchen is planned around my actual needs.

Eli’s communication was top-notch. He set up a shared text thread at the beginning of the project, responded quickly, and handled change orders with transparency and professionalism. No surprises, no confusion—just clean, clear communication.

I’ve worked in home renovation television for nearly 20 years. I’ve been on hundreds of construction sites. I have never seen a crew keep a job site as clean and well-managed as Giovanni and the QFB team did. They showed up on time, worked hard, and cleaned up thoroughly every single day.

There were a few hiccups—like needing to upgrade our electrical panel—but the team handled it all without letting it slow down the overall progress. And post-completion, any minor issues we noticed were addressed quickly and without hassle. Just a text to Eli, and someone was there to take care of it.

And my favorite part? The custom appliance cabinet. I have a serious collection of countertop appliances—everything from multiple waffle irons to an Instant Pot—and this cabinet hides everything while still making them accessible and usable. It’s a dream.

If you’re considering hiring Quality First Builders, don’t hesitate. I would recommend them without reservation. The experience was incredible from start to finish, and the results speak for themselves.

My wife and I started our home renovation project in Oct 2024, and when looking for the right contractor, we really connected with Eli and Donna. We essentially tore our 1300 sq ft 2 bed/2.5 bath home down to the studs and built it back up, so it was a big job. Eli and Donna were the only contractors we spoke with who seemed to take a genuine interest in our job. They were enthusiastic and took our thoughts and ideas in stride as we brainstormed the best way to tackle the renovation.

Eli even took us to a similar project he was working on in the area to get a sneak peek at the type of work his team could handle. This really gave us some insight and peace of mind that they were a good fit. Eli and Donna were also very quick to reply compared to all the other contractors we were talking with. They took the initiative, helped us refine our design, and were super upfront about the scope of work and timeline. Another huge positive for us in deciding who to work with was the fact that Donna helped with the design/finishes. My wife and I had a specific aesthetic in mind, but with our day jobs and other life events, we didn't always have the time to really dig and sort through thousands of styles of materials and finishes. Unlike other contractors, Donna was able to provide extra help in guiding us to pick materials and finishes that we liked but also fit within our budget (interior and exterior). So, while they might be more expensive than some other contractors out there, they really show their worth in the extra care towards design, and they are lightning fast. Our home was finished and move-in ready by Feb 2025, which was astonishing considering we had multiple unexpected items come up (new plumbing mainline for the entire property, for example).

Our house was originally built in the 1920s, with updates over the years from previous owners. The updates were sometimes shoddy at best. Eli and his team did an amazing job renovating all the sketchy past work. They turned our tiny galley kitchen into an epic and inviting dream kitchen. They opened the whole house up and made it functional and sharp.

All in all, Eli and Donna were the right vendors for us for this job. I think if we went with any other contractor, it would've taken twice as long, and we certainly wouldn't have the attention to detail on things like kitchen cabinetry, floorplan design, customization, tiling, finishes, etc.,

If there were any specific feedback I'd give to make the experience even better, it would mainly be on the organizational side. I'd recommend a collaborative spreadsheet to increase transparency with the client in a more straightforward way. Other than that, we had a really solid experience and are extremely happy with our home!

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!

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.

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.