Early this year, we purchased a short-sale house and was looking for a general contractor to…read morecompletely renovate the house end to end so I could rent it out. We had interviewed several contractors and wanted to give up until we met Ben - I knew within a few minutes he was the right guy for the job. Ben and his team are professionals. The contract is one of the more detailed that I have seen, permits are taken care of for you, no hassles with the city inspections, crew showed up when they said they would be, work and material is above standard. Ben is also very good at design and paint colors. He offered a number of suggestions to make the house more modern and higher-end. I must admit, we got lucky when we met Ben as the final product is a wow. I would highly recommend Ben for your project needs!

We had an undetected water leak in a difficult to access area. By the time we became aware of it,…read morethe resulting dry rot had compromised a 14' structural beam, several floor joists and other wood elements. While not a huge job, it was challenging. I contacted Benjamin Construction and was impressed by their response in several ways. 1. Benjamin responded to my initial inquiry quickly. 2. Within a few days, Benjamin came by the house to look over the problem. The communication was good and he was quick to respond to questions. A contract soon followed. 3. The work commenced within a couple of weeks. It would have been sooner, but the unusually wet May and as the work was being approached from the exterior, we lost a week. (Work included the removal of part of a deck.) 4. Once started, the work progressed continuously and with good workmanship. When the inevitable unexpected arose, Benjamin identified alternatives so that we could manage the work scope. Benjamin also had to drive some distance to find a match for our 30+ year old siding. To complete the job by the target date, the carpenter worked extra hours and cleaned up the site well before leaving. Benjamin Construction met all my expectations on this project, good communications, good craftsmanship, overcoming unexpected obstacles, and going the extra mile to meet the schedule target. I especially appreciated the focused effort, even though it was not a huge project.

We needed the repair/remodel of the shower tile surround, fixtures, insulation, and waterproofing…read more above a bathtub. Ted and his crew promptly came over and evaluated the situation and shared with me thoughts on various solutions. I then obtained 3 bids. Ted's bid was in the middle. His price was fair and his workmanship exceptional! His crew was neat, and the work space was tidy at the end of each day. Along the way, any concern or question I had was promptly addressed. Without hesitation I strongly recommend Ted Wray. I also want to give a shoutout to London Tile who Ted recommended for the tile installation; they did impeccable work. Ceramic Tile Design in San Rafael was extremely helpful in tile selection. Thank you Ted for not just repairing but for leveling up our bathroom!!

I have used Ted and his crew on a number of jobs over the years, he is terrific! He is…read moreprofessional, experienced and always does a great job leaving things clean and tidy. He takes care of every detail and is always easy to communicate with. I will always call Ted first on any contractor job both big and small with confidence.

My partner and I hired Craftsman Home Contractors to work on our Craftsman home, and we couldn't…read morebe happier with the results. From start to finish, Navaz and Jacob the rest of their team showed professionalism, attention to detail, and true craftsmanship. They understood the character and style of our home and made sure every detail from woodwork to finishes honored its original charm. Communication was clear throughout the project, timelines were respected, and the crew kept the site tidy every day. It's rare to find a contractor who balances quality, honesty, and efficiency so well. Our home feels refreshed yet timeless, and we've received so many compliments from neighbors and family already. If you're looking for someone who really respects the artistry of a Craftsman home, I highly recommend Craftsman Home Contractors.

Last winter, we remodeled our kitchen. After meeting with a few other contractors, we met Jacob. He…read morewas kind, on point, and professional, and never promised anything he couldn't deliver. We're very happy we chose him for the job.

I am taking the time to write this because there are a few things you need to know before you hire…read moreTappan Builders to remodel your house. These are things we wish we had known before we hired them. First, the bid. Don't believe it. Tappan low balled his bid, leaving out dozens of items that came up later as "suggested" change orders. Our project had 21 change orders! Some of these were due to real changes in scope. But too many were items that could have and should have been part of the original bid. Some change order examples (these are increases from the amount in the bid): -Electrical: Change order for $6600 -Windows: We did add about 30% more new windows, but the price went up by 90%, from $18,000 to $34,000 -Interior Painting: $12,800 -Flooring: $11,500 -Heating Ducts: $1500 -Bathroom Vanities: $4000 -Wood Trims: $3900 -Door Hardware: $2300 Secondly, read the contract slowly and carefully, and consider having a lawyer read it. Here's what we learned the hard way: We decided to have the exterior painted by a wonderful company, Contreras Painting, who has painted many homes in our neighborhood. Their bid was about the same as the bid from Tappan's painter, but we knew the quality of Contreras' prep work and painting was extraordinary. What we discovered about the contract was that when we got our allowance credited back, it did not include the 22% that Tappan tacks on to all sub-contracted work or materials that he buys. That is, he kept over $1200 in profit and fees on work that was not even performed by his crew or subs. When asked about this, he referred us to the paragraph in the contract that allows him to do this. Buyer beware. Third issue: Several times we were told that plumbing or electrical items we wanted were not available. These were toilets, faucets, fixtures, etc., that we had spent time researching and deciding upon. His answer: pick something else. When we did a bit of Goggling online, they all turned out to be fully available. We had to prove to him that he was wrong, and in some cases, purchase the items ourselves. Then, when we bought them ourselves, he informed us that neither he nor his subcontractor would warranty them. Fourth issue: Tappan suggested a very expensive, but supposedly quieter, fan for the bathroom (Fantech). When the bathroom reached the stage where it was useable, we discovered that the fan was no quieter than any cheap generic model. After complaining that this fan was not living up to its reputation, Tappan suggested that we "put some screws" into the duct work. After reading the installation instructions online for myself, I discovered that he had virtually ignored the manufacturer's recommendations: that is, the material for the duct work and the ducting length were both wrong. It took almost a dozen emails before Tappan finally had his crew take a look. Indeed they were able to fix it, and they didn't charge extra for this, but the aggravation it caused was simply unnecessary. Fifth issue: His electrical contractor tries to cut corners. When asked specifically to install Lutron switches and plates, he substituted Leviton, in a mix-and-match manner, and the colors did not match. This was eventually corrected, but it took time, energy, and a bunch of emails before it was done. Sixth issue: Schedule. From the start, we asked for some sort of schedule for this project. It was clear that this was not going to be done in the three months of his original estimate. But we were never able to pin him down about the overall timing, nor could we even get a rolling estimate of upcoming decisions and dates. We would get comments like "decide on the tile by next Tuesday" when they were nowhere near ready to move ahead on tile work for weeks thereafter. On about a week's notice, we even worked out a place to stay so that the floors could be finished. When the day came, that very day, we were told that the plan had changed, and we would have to work out our accommodations for a later date. Seventh issue: Double charging. In at least three instances, invoices had to be revised by Tappan as a result of overcharges by his billing department. One of these was for over $800, and the others were smaller. But be vigilant. You need to check their work. Eighth and last issue: He loves to look around your house and diss other work you have had done by others. He, of course, insists that you correct everything with his contractors. With his 22% tacked on to all work by sub-contractors, you would be far better off to get your own bids. His "oversight" of other professionals is simply not worth it. When it was needed, say with the electrical work described above, it was not done. Having said all of the above, Tappan Builders does do high quality work. Our crew was competent and friendly. If you can get past everything described above, you may still want to hire them. Good Luck!

I recently had Steve Tappan do another job for us. He turned roughly 400 square feet of unusable…read moredirt space underneath our home into a 200 square foot storage area, 100 square foot utility area, and 100 square foot laundry room. This job was fully permitted, done within budget, and completed ahead of schedule. Throughout the process my wife and I were worried about dust and debris as we were still living in our home. Steve and his crew took precautions to safeguard our home and possessions and little to no dust made it into our home.

Our water heater blew up, unfortunately in a water closet inside, and we made our first time call…read moreto Brian for help. He came that same day and scheduled everyone we needed to fix the damage. His reconstruction was awesome. Wouldn't hesitate to call him again for any repairs! Thank you, Brian

We hired Brian Daigle Construction after we lost $100k to a crooked contractor who left our home…read moregutted and in total disrepair while we were in lockdown elsewhere due to covid. I was in a vulnerable position after this experience and desperate to complete my home renovation asap, and Brian reassured me that he would "save my project." I put my faith in Brian and agreed to a lump sum project with a significant portion up front. The contract stated the project would be completed in 6 months, but Brian promised it would only take 4 months. We became concerned about Brian's conduct soon after beginning to work with him. He sent me inappropriate/flirtatious texts while drunk and also revealed to us that his own wife had kicked him out of his house for drinking too much. I had my husband confront him about this and he apologized and reassured us that he would conduct himself as a professional going forward, so we decided to move forward with him. Things went well for a couple of months before the project started to fall apart. Brian was increasingly behind schedule and the renovation was somehow going over budget even though we weren't adding to the scope of the project. We went out of town for two weeks in the 4th month of the renovation and came back to find that the project had completely stalled, and that Brian had "fired" two crew members (later I learned he let them go because he couldn't pay them). I also found out that the last remaining crew member quit because hadn't been paid in three weeks and was owed $2000. I confronted Brian with my concerns that the project was months behind and only a quarter of the way complete although we had already paid him three quarters of the budget. He swore to me that he was going to do right by us, made a bunch of empty promises, and then proceeded not to come to work once for a week straight. At that point I fired Brian and then touched base with all the sub-contractors and the crew. I was shocked to discover the depth of Brian's deception and mismanagement of my project. It turns out that he had pocketed most of the $140k I paid him and failed to make payments to the subcontractors which should have been paid in full at this stage. I also learned that he had instructed the crew to only work part-time because he didn't want to pay them more than that. And the subs expressed to me that they were about to leave the project because he kept putting them off and blaming it on me. In short, he was lying to everyone, he stole funds from the project, and his addiction issues were obviously interfering with his capacity to work. The financial losses I've sustained due to Brian's theft of my installment payments are significant. I rehired all the crew and subs and had to repay them what I already gave Brian to pay them. I gave Brian a chance to make this right and refund me the money he owes me: I allowed him a month and half to recover the funds and I offered him a payment plan. He has refused to take responsibility and even attempted to slander me to his former subs and crew (who aren't buying it) and tried to convince them not to work with me. We have been basically homeless for a year during the shelter in place due to negligent and dishonest contractors and now we will continue to be without a home for the entire holiday season. It is a shame that this happens so frequently and it's almost impossible to find a trustworthy and reliable contractor. I wouldn't wish this experience on anyone and I intend to take legal action against Brian Daigle Construction as well as file a complaint against his license so he cannot do this to anyone again.

We have only the highest of praise, and can confidently recommend Farallon Construction for any…read moreconstruction or remodel project. Mark and his crew completed a very extensive high end remodel of our 1894 Victorian house in San Francisco. The project was well managed, the team kept us very involved throughout the process, and we had no surprises. The project scope included steel structural and foundation work, extensive framing work, complete kitchen and bath remodel, hardwood floor installation, level 5 wall and ceiling re-plastering, as well as a complete re-do of our front entryway. Every detail was completed with meticulous care, from the perfection of the framing down to the tiniest detail on finished carpentry. Whenever guests see the house for the first time they are amazed at the quality of the work. We have been living in the finished space for over a year and are still amazed every time we step back and take it all in. We can not recommend Farallon highly enough. Happy to provide more detailed references to anyone interested.

Three months ago my husband wrote a rave about how Farallon was handling to…read morerenovation-deconstruction and reconstruction of the house next door. While the noise, mess and street blockage has been a thorough pain Farallon has done everything possible to keep us calm and safe. If you use Farallon make sure that Keith Schemmel is your project manager. He worries about me and has helped mitigate my discomfort at every opportunity. He has offered help and payment having minor floor and painting done in our home that resulted from the work next door. His company had work done without any negotiation as to price. We could not expect a more honorable relationship. I wanted to add this comment as a prologue to my husband's comment three months ago to assure any interested party that the promise has been fulfilled.

Alec Lok and Sam Knight (KL Construction) are simply wonderful builders. Our custom westside home…read morewas completed with the utmost care and integrity. Alec and Sam go above and beyond in all capacities for each client from start to finish. Their skilled craftsmen do beautiful work and are especially proficient in new home builds. They constantly looked out for our best interests throughout the project.

K & L did a beautiful bathroom remodel! I was on a tight timeline and Sam and Alec worked really…read morehard to make it happen. They were both available 24/7 to answer questions, schedule the next steps, etc. It was my first remodel and Alec was super patient with all my questions about fixtures and he was always mindful of my budget. I was working on other house stuff alongside Sam on most days and he always lended a hand when I need help with non-bathroom items as well. It was nice to have the K & L team around and I love the bathroom. Big thanks!

Our condominium association with 57 townhouses in Walnut Creek has had a series of unusual repair…read moreand reconstruction problems over the past six months, many of them related to water damage from recent storms, in addition to a catastrophic underground water main break that flooded the bottom level rooms of 10 homes. As an HOA board member, I have had to deal with a lot of these issues which have covered many different types of projects. We began using Considerate in November, and quickly began to use them for almost everything. Their pricing has been reasonable and their quality of work product has been excellent. We would recommend Kevin and his crew to anyone.

Yes he is! An incredibly considerate professional. Took the time to make sure the details were…read moreperfect. Anticipated our needs during the project - unbelievable. He had access to our home. He is very trustworthy. He did a beautiful job on our bathroom remodel. We would recommend him. Thank you Kevin Caro!