Testimonials

Each phase produces scraps of some sort which were always consolidated in a central location and removed in a timely manner. We live in the immediate area and visited the site with great frequency, and we always found that Kyle’s crew or the subcontractors were keeping the site orderly as they progress in their chase of the project.

Since this is our primary residence we also wanted to be very certain that our neighbor’s property and the general vicinity was treated respectfully. We asked that parking was contained to our property or the street on which there was not a driveway close by, an all the workers have respected that request.

As we enter the final stages of completing our house, we highly recommend the quality of workmanship and site standards of Hatteras Island Sound Construction. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any additional questions.

Sincerely,
John and Natalie Mcintosh

Although the other contractors had positive attributes, Kyle O’Neal stood out above the rest due to his strong reputation, the responsiveness of he and his office staff, the quality and durability of his construction and his straight forwardness. The decision to go with Kyle was reaffirmed when we started to deal regularly with his group. This being the only home we have built, the process was made less confusing through regular contact with Annette, Whitney and Mary, the true muscle behind the business. Sound Construction is the only on-island builder who has enough staff to address questions and concerns for both owner and tradesman, quickly visit the construction site to review something and provide frequent photos (sometimes daily!) of construction progress (these are so exciting to receive!). In considering a builder the availability of staff was not something we initially considered but having had access to it, we recognize and appreciate the value; anything less would have been frustrating. In addition to being available, they were always pleasant and very accommodating. As the homeowner, you want to be able to easily reach out to someone when needed (and you will reach out a lot during construction) and without a staff, the process of waiting would be aggravating. This perk was a huge value added to us and is unique to the area.

Kyle is also greatly respected in the Hatteras Island community and therefore has the ability to get things done. His tradesman work a hard, honest days work which was witnessed by renters of homes in the neighborhood that approached us to express how impressed they were with the house and the builder. I had one guy who owned a construction company in NY tell us the crew worked hard and put in a full-days work, which he stated, “is not the norm in construction when a supervisor is not around”. In addition to being a darn good builder, Kyle also incorporates finesse into his work. One example was on a balcony we added off the tower room, where instead of just putting beams to support its weight he fashioned it as a ships wheel, which added some panache to an otherwise normal structure.

Our home was completed in late November of 2010, according to the contract schedule (it actually would have been finished early had we not decided to change/add certain aspects!) and we are absolutely thrilled with its look and quality. Every aspect of it is well built and sturdy, almost as if ready to defy Mother Nature saying, “bring it on!” I am often asked when we are in the area, “are you the ones that own the really nice cottage in Brigands Bay built by Kyle?” With a proud “yes” we reply to which the follow-up response is “he’s a good builder.” This, we know!

Jim & Shelly Hood
Fairfax Station, VA

Living in Maryland made it necessary to “build” through email and phone conversations. We could not have done it without Annette and Mary. They were always available to answer our endless questions and requests. Their support, assurance, guidance, and expert advice was always welcomed. They kept us up to date with progress reports and numerous pictures that were greatly appreciated.

The trust Kyle fostered with us, proven by his drive to involve himself personally in every step of the construction, his honesty, and his consistently great recommendations were a major source of relief. Perhaps the little things, such as Kyle never failing to return Lenny’s phone calls, were the most impressive, especially in a business climate where customer service has largely gone out the window. Building a home from over 300 miles away was a daunting and terrifying prospect, but these fears were quickly allayed by the professionalism and personable nature of Kyle and his staff.

We were extremely fortunate to meet many of Kyle and Annette’s subcontractors during our infrequent weekend visits. We have great admiration and respect for their outstanding workmanship. We very much enjoyed speaking with each of them and only regret that we were unable to personally thank everyone who contributed to the building and care of our Island home. This is just another of Kyle’s attributes: employing the very best.

Lenny and I are so proud to be among the Hatteras Island homeowners to have had a home built by Kyle and his fantastic staff. Words can never express our gratitude for making our dream come true. We are in awe of the work Kyle performs and the pride that he takes in his profession. Many thanks.

Sincerely,
Lenny and Nancy Black
Clarksville, MD

After talking with 2 other contractors, it was clear that Kyle had the expertise and understanding that the others did not.

I feel like this was a particularly difficult job for anyone. This was truly a custom house with an original design developed by a family member, not one from a book of house plans. In addition, many of the building codes were under revision at the time, and the cost of construction supplies was increasing rapidly. Despite these challenges, Sound Construction stuck to the budget that we had agreed upon while accommodating last minute changes in materials or design features that I requested. They reliably communicated any changes that needed to be made or things that were likely to affect the cost and always respected my decisions on how to handle these things. In fewer than 10 months, the house was complete and the final product was impeccable.

I have been visiting the Outer Banks since I was a child and have stayed in many rental houses. The house that Kyle built for me is a one-of-a-kind home. The quality of the craftsmanship is remarkable and with each trip there I see something new that impresses me. Because of Kyle’s quality work, I am confident that this house will be in fantastic shape 30 years from now when I retire in Avon.

Kori Brewer
Greenville, NC

The house was built with attention to quality and detail, within budget and delivered on time. However, I think the greatest measure of a good builder is one that has few call backs for any warranty work and how timely any repairs are made. Sound Construction excelled in each area, with very few call backs during the first year and a very quick response in each case to resolve any issues. All who have visited our new home have been impressed with its superior quality.

Sincerely,
Tom Bartley
Olney, MD

You had a great sense for what was important to both of us (and those were sometimes different things) and for the rental market. Also, both of us worked in the construction business earlier in our lives, and we know that many of the things that produce a quality home in the long run are not very visible. All new houses look great, and builders are tempted to cut corners where it doesn’t show. We saw quality work throughout every phase of the construction of our home, and we felt we really got our money’s worth.

Thanks again.

Best regards,
Wes & Christine Hutchinson
Wallingford, PA

Now to find a builder to bring my dreams and plans to fulfillment. Over the years, I had come to be acquainted with quite a few Hatteras locals and I had found these people to be decent, honest, sincere people; and it was one of these fine people that referred me to Kyle O’Neal and Sound Construction. Right away I was very impressed with Kyle, his integrity and commitment to quality was obvious. The homes he showed me were truly first class, top quality homes. Just what I was looking for. Kyle began construction of my home in October 1997 and it was completed in May 1998. I closely followed every step and every detail. We did some unusual finishing details and trim that all turned out wonderfully; I could not be happier. Kyle held true to his word and his reputation. He had done an incredible job of building the home I had dreamed of all those years.

Jeff Whitehead
Southern Pines, NC

It is our firm belief that only one builder could have taken on such a task, including those steel beams. Your subcontractors were professional and the best in their field, and were well chosen by you. We could not be happier with your recommendations for the cabinetry, appliances and flooring. We have had many compliments on the kitchen and the trim work. A special thank you to Kit for all of his hard work.

We would like to extend a thank you to Johnny Willis of Willis Plumbing for accommodating our wish to select and ship all of our faucets from out of state, and also for a job well done.

Many thanks to Michelle and Mary at your office for always being available to answer our many questions and to assist when needed. It is always important to be able to communicate directly with a person, and not with a machine, which is so prevalent in today’s society. On those rare occasions when a message had to be left, it was always promptly responded to.

We also wish to express our thanks to Larry, who was always available to us an who does the work of five people. He must be exhausted now that our house is finished.

Given all of the details that went into the construction of our home, we were amazed that the house was completed on time, with no delays. We would like to thank Annette for keeping us up-to-date on the construction progress by sending us so many pictures via e-mail. The frequent pictures she sent us kept us at ease and were extremely important to us, as they made us feel that we were on-site, even though in reality we were several states away.

Most importantly, we are left with the impression that this is not just a job to you, that you took on this project as if you were building your own home and your “hands on” approach alleviated any concerns that we ever had about building a house on the Atlantic Coast and being out of state.

You are more than welcome to use pictures of our house in your advertising. We are so proud of the home that you have built for us; clearly, the best home on the Outer Banks built by the best builder on the Outer Banks (probably in all of North Carolina)!

Sincerely,
Vincent & Laura Brennan
Rockaway Township, NJ