1st Choice Design & Development reviews

Jodie T. discovered that a prior contractor had attempted an illegal roof installation and left several rafters compromised on her home. She turned to Tony and his crew at 1st Choice Design and Development, who stepped in to coordinate a structural engineering plan, secure city approval, and pull new permits. They moved quickly to correct the damaged framing, then installed a clean, properly finished new roof that restored both function and curb appeal. Communication stayed consistent throughout the process, and the team's willingness to help wherever needed — plus the straightforward way they handled permits and inspections — stood out. The detail that lingered with her was how 1st Choice took over a messy, potentially unsafe situation, got the city-approved engineering plan in place, and finished the job promptly and correctly.

Esther F. hired 1stchoice Design and Development to expand her first-floor powder room into a full bathroom. Tony and his crew stayed with the project from the initial visit through the final touches, delivering the work on the budget and timeframe they agreed to. As new homeowners she had plenty of questions, and the team remained available to answer even the small ones and to help pick appliances, tiles, and décor that fit their budget. The finished bathroom looks seamless—the added space and even the relocated closet door blend in as if they were always that way—so much so that everyone in the family now fights over who gets to use it. Midway through, they asked for extra wall tiling, and Tony absorbed the cost and threw it in free, a gesture that highlighted how the crew went beyond basic workmanship. She ended up with a gorgeous, practical bathroom completed on time and on budget, and the no‑charge tiling is the memorable detail that set this job apart.

Bernard N. waited more than a year to put his experience into words, but the facts didn’t improve with time. He hired the company to build a room addition that began in December 2020 and watched the project stretch out for over two years until he finally fired them. He discovered the job was badly underpriced by Tony Holder from the start, even after Holder knew material and labor costs had jumped during the pandemic. The underestimates bled into the schedule: staff repeatedly failed to answer routine questions that subcontractors — chosen by the company — needed to move forward, leaving trades idle and the work stalled. Bernard knew the company had “problems” in 2022, but what proved most frustrating was the absence of the basic contractor responsibilities he expected: accurate upfront pricing, timely communication when issues arose, and contingency plans to keep the job on track. In the end, he walked away with an unfinished addition and the decision to terminate 1st Choice and Tony Holder after more than two years of delay.

James H. had solar installed on his home years ago and discovered what set this contractor apart: Tony’s ongoing responsiveness. Whenever questions came up over the years, he reached out and Tony answered promptly, turning routine follow-ups into real support. When a later power outage caused a problem with the system, Tony stepped in and helped get it fixed even though the installation was long since completed. The detail that stuck with him was simple and concrete — he can still call the same person years later and get the issue resolved.

Christina hired Andrew and his crew to replace the floors throughout her home and ended up with beautiful flooring installed in a surprisingly short time. Any delays stemmed from her insistence on ordering materials herself to save money; she discovered that DIY sourcing actually slowed the job. The crew worked efficiently on-site, stayed in regular communication, and proved trustworthy throughout the project. Her clear takeaway: let the professionals handle the ordering — the modest savings weren’t worth the headaches, and the finished floors made the rest worthwhile.

Jane H. hired 1st Choice as the general contractor to build an accessory dwelling unit (ADU, a granny flat) and a carport, a job that stretched past a year and left her repeatedly fixing work that hadn’t been done properly. She watched the project go over budget while Edward Ha negotiated change orders with subcontractors before she approved them, and she calculated that crews were on site only about 33–53% of the available work days (this was before Covid, and she removed rainy days from the math). Because the company told her they were losing money, she covered their cash-flow shortfalls, stepped in as project manager to keep the job moving, and ended up reducing scope and choosing cheaper materials to avoid further delays. The build faced legitimate hurdles — problems with the architect, gas and sewer connections, personnel issues and Covid — but the timeline doubled mainly because full‑time, regular work never materialized even after those problems were resolved. Leadership never owned the mess: Edward Ha and Tony Holder traded blame, so responsibility stalled. Inspections failed repeatedly, workmanship fell short of standard, and she ultimately hired an attorney just to get to

Lady V. had her roof replaced and came away impressed by the workmanship. She found the installation crew thorough and professional and appreciated the clear, consistent communication throughout the project. Edward stood out as pleasant and easy to reach, responding quickly to phone calls and texts, which kept the job moving and eased her concerns. Because of the solid work and responsive point of contact, she plans to tell family and friends about the experience. The detail that stuck with her most was Edward’s quick phone and text replies.

Alec H. turned to 1st Choice for a full roofing replacement and discovered their professionalism from start to finish. The crew finished the roof without any issues and provided steady support throughout the project. He experienced clear, ongoing communication: the team kept him informed about every step and stayed reachable whenever questions came up. What stuck with him most was that someone was always available to address concerns, so nothing lingered unanswered during the job.

Arliss M. hired the company in Cypress, CA for a kitchen and patio-deck remodel and invested more than $28,000, only to end up with an unfinished kitchen and patio. Demolition began on September 3, 2018, but by November 27, 2018 the space still sat as studs and hanging electrical wires. Arliss handed $6,000 to Ed Ha, who is described as the actual general contractor, while Tony Holder handled sales and, according to Arliss, smooth-talked his way through promises despite a lack of construction knowledge. Over the course of the stalled job Arliss encountered threats and what they call slander from Tony Holder and now warns others to consider alternative companies. The lasting image: thousands spent, a gutted kitchen frozen at the rough-framing stage for nearly three months, and an owner left to deal with both incomplete work and confrontations.