Al and Eddie are an incredible team! I've tapped into their expertise multiple times to assess…read moreland in the Monterey area. They have high ethical standards and will give you their honest feedback based on their instincts and experience. They will address what you ask for and "then some". They are patient and always willing to explain any details needing more explanation. Given their knowledge of local laws/requirements, I would highly recommend them if you are in the market for land or any real estate needs in the Monterey County area.

Al is an amazing architect and masterbuilder. He has amazing taste. I love the work he did with my…read morehome! His attention to detail is impeccable. I am excited every time I walk in my home because of his amazing work. He saved me time and money by being an architect and general contractor.

We were fortunate a few years ago to pick up a tiny cottage in Carmel By The Sea. We realized in…read moreorder to make this something that we could potentially retire to we'd need to expand it a little. For that we needed an architect or draftsman that could design something that was sympathetic to the existing structure, the cottage is pretty funky being built in the 30's and remodeled by no other than Hugh Comstock 10 years later so is bursting to charm and quirks. One of our neighbors has just remodeled their orig. Comstock and used Darren so introduced us. Yes he's a hard man to pin down but the way in which he embraced the brief was just the ticket. The point of the extension was to expand the property but ultimately make it feel like it was all there from day one. In working through the process with the city (not the easiest process I must say) and all the fees and approvals you need, it was clear we chose well as on every turn Darren had the schedule mapped ahead and in every case the officials had nothing but fantastic words for his work and integrity. I assume if we got this choice wrong then the whole project would have been a miss but it set us up for what I think has been an epic result. One further thing, we decided to daisy chain all the contractors from this relationship forward so we asked for referrals on a general contractor, got 3 and picked 1. Each of the contractors from this point on (except for 2 minor subs) had worked with each other on scores of homes over a period of 25 or so years so it made relationships between each party very smooth. I can't speak high enough about Darren, so if you have the good fortune to use him I would highly recommend it. I hope we have the occasion to collaborate with Darren again.

From the owner: Draftect was established in 1985 by Darren Davis to provide professional building design services…read more Since inception, Draftect has completed more than 1,600 projects. Part of Draftects success has come from engaging with clients early, when a collection of ideas has yet to form into a tangible vision. Early involvement is often most valuable when ideas are coming from more than one person, and the first big step is marrying various ideas into a unified vision. This assures that every project gets started on a successful path, which significantly enhances the likelihood of a timely and agreeable result.Of the 225 new homes that Draftect has designed, more than 50 have been in the community of Carmel-by-the-Sea. While being one of the finest communities in the world, it is also one of the most restrictive with respect to building. Draftect has gained tremendous experience in helping realize many dreams amidst this mix of high-end expectations and restrictive regulations. Draftect has also designed more than 20 historic renovations, which have enhanced its ability to help clients navigate challenges associated with regulatory compliance and permitting processes regardless of the design complexities involved.Since 1985 Draftect has grown into one of the most highly recommended design firms on the Monterey Peninsula. We hope that we may help you design your dreams into reality.

We live in Carmel Valley and hired Justin and his team to do an addition and full remodel of our…read morehome including re-plumbing, rewiring, redoing the septic systems and replacing our ridge line beam, after having a terrible experience with our first contractor. Justin's team picked up the project while in the permitting phase and did a fantastic job on all aspects of the project, from pulling the permits through the final. They were always available, transparent with their bid process and exceedingly fair when unknowns came up in the project. Doing a high-end remodel is never cheap, but their pricing was fair, transparent and they worked with us to fit everything we wanted into our budget and schedule. Could not recommend them more highly!

I am a CA Licensed Realtor and would hire Hastings Construction for any of my clients. They are…read morevery professional, communicative, clean and do an excellent job.

Unreliable. They were perfect until we signed with them, then they changed the rules of the game…read moreand decided to try to siphon as much money as they possibly could from us. We got nothing from them, not even an idea, anything to go with, and they still took $2000 from us, claiming they worked for hours. On what? No one knows for sure. Scam.

One of a kind architect, experience in the field of remodeling, new construction, and commercial…read more Knows his way around the city and county politics to get projects done. Had helped our family construct and remodel numerous homes.

We have three rental homes in Pacific Grove and Jeff Edmonds (Edmonds Design and Construction) has…read moreworked on all of them. He's as good as you can get. First of all, he showed up right on time for our initial appointment. We walked him through the first home and showed him what we needed and his bid was very reasonable. He also pointed out things we could do to save money. We were very pleased with the results. The work on our second place was much more extensive and he and the crew were there on time and on budget. He's always been quick to respond and very thorough in his work. Even when smaller things have come up, he responds quickly and gets the work done. We couldn't be more pleased with Jeff and highly recommend him.

From the owner: We design our projects using 3-D visualization CAD software. Then we estimate, schedule, and help…read moreyou build your project. Cal. GC license 349605. I have designed many ADU’s and remodel projects. Working on the Monterey Peninsula. Please email your requirements for a consultation.

BUYERS BEWARE - DISHONEST, FRAUDULENT BUSINESS We used Sand…read moreCity Kitchen & Bath Cabinetry based on our contractors recommendation. We placed a very $$$$ order for custom maple wood Dewils cabinets and unfortunately, paid 70% down on 10/3/12 after being told this is the standard and will allow for the distributor to negotiate a better rate with the manufacturer. We were also given a definitive 6 week turn-around-time. 6 weeks came and went and we were given a handful of excuses from weather delays preventing delivery, delivery truck axel breaking down, and finally that Art Brost had submitted the cabinet colors incorrectly on week 8. The final straw was when Art Brost confessed on 12/5/12 that he had spent half of our down payment to pay bills AND that the order had never been placed with Dewils. (A contractor friend told me that this was a common practice... for smaller businesses to take down-payments and use the $ to leverage or float other projects.) Additionally, Art had the audacity to ask me for the remaining 30% so that production of the cabinets could commence. We have since filed a dispute with the credit card company, contacted the manufacturer and consulted an attorney who has advised us that what they did was simple THEFT especially since the initial order was never placed. Upon further investigation, we found that we were not the first victims... there are at least 3 other customers this has happened to...Art and Jorge are basically running a ponzi scheme. I don't care if Art Brost claims 44 years in the industry, his legacy will end with him as a liar and cheat.

From the owner: Kitchen & bath cabinetry design and sales. Also closet and home office cabinet systems.read more

I had the pleasure of working with Amy..and a pleasure it was. She greeted me when I walked in the…read moreTile Studio and her genuine, attentive attitude was immediately apparent. She heard me and we began to formulate some ideas. I had an appointment and needed to leave before any decisions were made. Amy said she was off the next day but she'd work on some ideas. I knew she meant it. I went back two days later..she remembered exactly which sample I'd looked at and we started to brainstorm. Her interior designer mind kicked in and we were off and running! Where we started and where we ended up was phenomenal. I loved her suggestions, choices and vision. Within less than an hour we'd agreed to a beautiful combination of tile and colors...I am excited beyond words! Thank you Amy for your confidence and guidance.

Great service and selection. The staff is kind, patient and helpful. There's no need to drive out…read moreof town; The Tile Studio has assisted us in finding the perfect tile for every remodel!

the problem with LB is they are all talk and no action. They repeatedly bypassed and/or over road…read moremy ideas in favor of a more expedient and profitable design that they tried to sell me on whilst fabricating false barriers to going with my choices. They lied. Each contract is "non refundable" and releasing the design we prepaid was contingent on paying more money and signing more contracts with each contract extending the start time and each contract manipulating the scope of work to add to their profits. We expected a three to four month turn around from design to completion based on our initial meeting, and it took 5 1/2 months just to get the first draft of the design that was not to scale and didn't have corrections. Because they increased the price tag without ever breaking ground and the extended the projected completion date, we fired them. The new contractor started demolition within days, did an impeccable job remodeling the area I wanted remodeled, and was on time and on budget even with additional work for other repairs. LB are not trustworthy. Don't waste your time and money with Them. By the way, other contractors considered our job to be "small".

Never in a million years did I think I would need to reach out to an "aging in place" specialist as…read morea 40-something, but I recently found myself in that situation as my mother fell down two flights of stairs, and sustained a brain injury. She is now in a wheelchair. Realizing the large, 2-story family home was no longer sustainable for my parents, we moved them to a seniors community where they have their own cottage that is single-storied, with a ramp up to the front door. I realized pretty quickly though that the bathroom HAD to be redone---it was an old-school bathtub, with no shower. And my mother certainly didn't have the capability (or the dexterity) to step over a tub. With absolutely no idea how to start, I remembered I had recently read an article about Lewis Builders in Carmel, and that they had a certified "Aging in Place" specialist on their staff. I reached out to the CEO, John Lewis, and explained my situation. He immediately put me in touch with Scott Julian, the COO and aging in place specialist, and we scheduled an appointment. Honestly, it's hard not to get choked up when I think of these two guys. They have literally changed my parents lives, with the work they've done to make my parents living quarters more manageable and comfortable. They came in and gave recommendations for small changes that our family could make, and also gave recommendations for ease of access throughout the home. When I mentioned that I might later pull out the carpet and put in laminate flooring for easier wheeling around, they recommended to work on the floor simultaneously along with the no-barrier shower insert they were installing in the bathroom, and get it all done before my parents moved in so it would be a simple transition for them. Lewis Builders does some amazing work---their website shows their projects on multi-million dollar homes, and remodels that are changing the entire look of a house. Comparatively, I just needed to figure out a way to get my Mom safely in and out of the shower, and I felt sheepish in asking them to help. I quickly learned that it didn't matter to them that I was a small project---I was an important client to them. The work they do, no matter how big or how small, is important to them---and it shows. Their level of communication is superb---every day I got an email with photos of the work that had been completed. At any time, I could log on to their site and look at the progress, budget, materials, timeline---and it was updated daily. The project was completed within the time frame they promised, and the exact dollar amount that was quoted. If you find yourself in a similar situation where you have aging parents that need some changes to their home, please call them. I could not be happier with the results of Lewis Builders. Their tag line is "Change your space, change your life" and in our family's case, it's true.

Smith Architectural Studio did an excellent job on our large scale renovation and addition, from…read moreinitial design concepts through completion of the project. Design style was organic contemporary.

From the owner: Residential Design - New, Remodels and Additionsread more