We had a formidable request for Berkeley Craftsman (BC), to demolish a very old, dilapidated structure in Kensington and replace it with an entirely new home; and to do it all when we were living 3000 miles away in New York. To top it off, along came COVID adding to the challenge. But BC brothers and co-owners, Michael and Mark Butler, came through with flying colors. They are masters of their art and I couldn't recommend them more highly. We started working with Michael Butler developing an estimate after our wonderful architect , Cathy Roha, drew up plans taking into account all the restrictions dictated by county, oddity of the very irregular lot, and neighbors' sensitivities. We went through several iterations with BC and Cathy in response to surprises discovered underground on the property during the long permitting process, as well as to keep the cost within our budget. They listened and came up with suggestions for changes. It was a team effort all the way through the project with Mark, Travis Cutright, the project manager who is truly wonderful, the plumber, tiler, electrician, and other great subs. This may be a first, but as much as anyone enjoys having construction going on next door to them, the neighbors were totally impressed with BC, who went overboard to respond immediately to their concerns. The entire BC crew take great pride in their work and they regularly sent us photos along with lots of suggestions as we struggled to make decisions from across a country racked with COVID. Showrooms weren't open making choices difficult, but we had lots of help from Mark and Cathy. No one got infected working on the house, a tribute to their following strict protocol. Even with the shutdown in 2020 and accommodation to the distancing rules following re-opening, the project came in on budget and had PG&E not delayed turning off the gas / and delayed again turning it on, it would have been exactly on schedule. Pretty impressive! The house looks beautiful, is beautifully built, and we love living here. One year later, Mark still responds to minor problems we discover. We couldn't have been in better hands for this daunting project and are grateful we had the opportunity to have BC build our new home. read more

We hired Berkeley Craftsmen for a major remodel of a 1932 house, and they exceeded our expectations in every possible dimension. It is exceedingly rare to find all the qualities you want in a general contractor--top to bottom throughout an organization--but Berkeley Craftsmen delivered them all: exceptional competence and skill, absolute reliability and trustworthiness, meticulous attention to detail, and a genuinely delightful team to work with. They should really be called Berkeley Perfectionists--in the best sense of the term. We would walk through the house, and someone would suggest moving something "one inch," and every time they were right. It's hard to believe, but they cared about our house just as much as we did. The entire team worked incredibly hard and steadily over the course of ten months. Even when we expanded the project scope--sometimes at their insistence, because they were committed to doing things properly--they stuck to the schedule and finished on the promised date. Literally no one could believe it, but we moved in on the day we had agreed to at the start. We cannot speak highly enough of the integrity, craftsmanship, and quality of Berkeley Craftsmen's work. And just as important, we were lucky to enjoy the camaraderie and collaboration that came with working alongside this remarkable team. read more

We undertook a very extensive renovation of our house in El Cerrito, and met with Berkeley Craftsmen on the recommendation of our architect. We are so eternally grateful for the introduction, and for their availability in taking on our project. I truly can't express adequately what a wonderful job they did building our home. The care and attention to every little detail, the excellence of every aspect of the work, and above all the quick, clear and responsive communication, at every stage of the huge project, were all outstanding. Mark Butler has continued to follow up long after most of the crews have gone, personally coming by to finish small punch-list items, making sure we are 100% satisfied. This project was very extensive, like down to the studs, with new foundation and drainage elements, all new interiors with drywall, new floors, complete new plumbing and electrical system, new exterior, solar system, windows, doors, everything, and we are completely in love with everything BC and all their subcontractors did for us. I can't recommend them highly enough, truly an exceptional company. It restores one's faith that there are still true craftsmen in the world who take their jobs seriously, and believe in honesty and integrity. read more

If I​ didn't have a voicemail explaining why my job was not big enough to qualify for their service, I would not be writing my review. The company just finished a job very close to where I live so when I saw a large number of brochures clearly offering their services, I​ called to schedule an estimate​ for advice on a kitchen wall to be removed which I believe is a substantial project. The person that answered the phone was very condescending​ and made me feel my request was just not important or large enough for their consideration. The very act of Service​ is important. When a company takes on more business than they can properly respond to they should pause until they can make the people in the community they serve feel valued. To advertise for more business and then cherry pick is rude and elitist​. period​. read more

We feel very fortunate to have worked with Michael Butler and his team for our remodel in Oakland. This was a significant amount of work impacting almost every room of the house and we were absolutely delighted with their diligence, professionalism, communication, and overall workmanship. This was our 4th remodel in 3 years (with 4 different contractors) and Berkeley Craftsman was the best team hands down. We had a pretty tight window to have the work completed (don't we all) and their team finished our project on time and on budget, and gave us some great design advice along the way while finding cost-saving opportunities. Highly recommend! read more

I want to highly recommend Berkeley Craftsmen. When we remodeled our kitchen, we had a nightmare of a contractor so we knew we had to be extremely thorough when hiring for our large remodel. We interviewed several contractors and had quite high standards. We were redoing two bathrooms and adding a master suite/laundry room over our existing craftsman home - all while living here with two kids and a dog. We found Berkeley Craftsmen because they had just built an addition to our neighbors home and at the end of the project, she said she would highly recommend them - and I can say the same thing. We did our remodel over the course of a year (we did "two phases" so we could live through it all). I would hire them all over again. First, their bid was lower than all others and costs always stayed true to the bid. Because they are a larger company, whenever there was a change order, I would get it in writing almost immediately so I never had any surprise costs. Everything was always brought to me and I was given many choices about how to go about things. They were great at helping me save money. They would tell me about great places for product selection or when I could hire out my own subs and cut overhead. I found communication to be incredibly easy - this was our main criteria in hiring a contractor. Because things come up on both ends all the time, I needed people I felt I would have great communication with. Both owners (Mark and Mike Butler - brothers) were always available to me as well as their admin staff and all their workers. Everyone that is employed by BC is professional and friendly and I have since hired people individually to do other small work for me. Schedule - they are great at staying on time with everything. Because they do hire subcontractors, they have to make sure everything runs smoothly to keep costs down. I could tell you every day what was going on (framing, tiling, electrical work, etc) because they kept a tight schedule. And believe it or not, they were done early on both phases of our work. Both Butler brothers have kids and have remodeled their own homes - so they get it. Schedule is important! Finally, a lot of folks worry about subcontractors. I must say, I love their plumber and tiler and would highly recommend them too. I feel that where BC excels is on their management of staff and subs. By using subs, they get the job done faster by people who specialize in that area (framing, dry wall, etc). There was one sub I was not fond of during phase one. I casually mentioned it - and they had a range of subs to interview and replace those guys before phase two!! Problems? any that I encountered were always fixed. And a year later, I still call them for little odds and ends that I notice and they always come and fix it. This is important because there are always things you won't notice for a while - if you still like your contractors at the end of a job, you are set! read more

We found Michael Butler of Berkeley Craftsmen through, of all things, a school PTA auction. He is a talented and ethical person. We asked him to work on a number of small projects in the house and he was extra thorough and extremely conscientious. He answered all of our questions, always cleaned up, and did excellent work. We felt he was looking out for us by identifying ways we could save money. He typically does major renovation-include green design, and we plan on consulting with him for major work in the near future. read more

Berkeley Craftsmen - Oakland kitchen remodel - General Contractors Near Me - Berkeley, California

This is the second time I've used Berkeley Craftsmen to give an old house another 100 years. The first time was when they added a second story to a 100 year old North Berkeley craftsman bungalow. They provided craftsmen work on time and on budget and were super considerate of our neighbors. This time around, as a recently divorced single woman, I found a magical fixer upper and called Michael to make sure Berkeley Craftsmen would partner with me on its renovation before I bought the home. Thank goodness Michael Butler said yes and Mark Butler was available to be our project manager! It's been a challenging, long, and also fulfilling journey and I'm so grateful that Michael, Mark, Andy, Erwin, Travis, Aming and the rest of Berkeley Craftsmen were there to craft a safe, beautiful, and serene sanctuary for me, my family, and our community. They were attentive to the details needed to deliver craftsmen work, very responsive to my concerns, extremely considerate of my neighbors, and great problem solvers when the inevitable sticky wicket problems arose. They really want to make their clients happy and it shows in how they communicate and the final product. They may not be the cheapest contractors out there, but they are reasonably priced and provide highly professional and trustworthy work. They are also just really good people who grew up in Berkeley/Oakland. They care about their community and they care about the service they provide to its residents. The only drawback is that they are super busy, but I believe it's worth it to wait for their schedule to free up. read more

If we could give more stars to Berkeley Craftsmen we would! Earlier this year Berkeley Craftsmen handled our kitchen remodel and we could not be happier with the process or the end result. Michael and Mark Butler, the brothers who run the company, are both very knowledgeable, super friendly, very responsive, and excellent communicators. Mark made sure the project moved forward in a timely way with high quality work at all stages, and although our remodel was not a large project, he was very generous with his time and attention. Their point person on the job, Jose, was incredibly conscientious and detail oriented, we felt he cared about the work as much as if it was his own home, and when the project was finished we missed his company. All of the subcontractors (plumber, electrician, flooring, etc.) were well chosen, hard working, and did quality jobs. We had heard good things about Berkeley Craftsmen before our remodel and seen some of their work in Berkeley so we were interested in them from early on. Our only concern was that they might be beyond our budget because of the obvious quality of their work. We got three bids on the kitchen and were very pleased to find that Berkeley Craftsmen was right in the mix with the others. Knowing what we do now, we would definitely say they are worth a premium over other contractors if their bid lies within an acceptable range. And in terms of cost, once the process began, Mark worked with us to keep our project within the budget and helped us to be cost-effective in all areas. Any increases were completely our decision. This was our first major work on our house and having heard a lot of horror stories about unreliable contractors we were a bit nervous. However, the experience with Berkeley Craftsmen was a pleasure from start to finish and has us looking forward to future remodeling projects. Although a few months have passed now since the remodel was completed, we look at our kitchen practically every day, say "The kitchen looks amazing," and thank our lucky stars we found Berkeley Craftsmen! Based on our kitchen remodel with Berkeley Craftsmen we will definitely talk with them about any other remodeling projects we consider and we highly recommend them to anyone searching for a quality contractor. read more

We are new homeowners and hired Berkeley Craftsmen to do the first set of big projects on our house and had a fantastic experience. They replaced a deck, installed fencing, removed an internal chimney that affected 3 levels of the house including our tenant's unit on the first level, and completed a number of smaller interior projects (e.g., closed off some walls to create a bonus room, installed an attic stairway and storage space, refinished wood flooring). Throughout the entire process, the head contractors, the foreman, and all the crew were incredibly professional and friendly to work with. The first couple weeks of the project were critical, as we wanted major work related to the chimney removal to be completed during the limited time we vacated the property and we also wanted to limit the time our tenant's unit was affected. Berkeley Craftsman was right on track and stuck to schedule so that our living arrangement for those couple weeks was minimally affected. For the remainder of the project while we were living on the premise, they were very respectful and did the best they could to clean things up at the end of the day so that our space was usable. They were extra careful since they knew we had a toddler at home. In a few years, we hope to redo our kitchen and add another bathroom, and we definitely plan to reach out to Berkeley Craftsmen to do that work. read more

Cannot recommend Berkeley Craftsmen enough. We did an extensive remodel, adding a 2nd floor and opening up back of house with new kitchen and family room. It was a positive experience from beginning to end. We connected with Michael Butler, the owner, from the start. He was immediately engaged and passionate about the project and appreciated our goal of keeping with the original Craftsmen style. He was extremely professional - taking copious notes and always on time to meetings. He was diligent in meeting with all his subcontractors and put a lot of upfront work in coming up with our estimate to eliminate surprises later in the project. He appreciated that we had a budget limit and worked with us and our architect to make small (and large) changes in the plans to get the quote within our budget. The project was managed by Mark Butler (brother to Michael and part owner) and our foreman was Trenton Fister. They were both amazing, very professional, and easy to work with. We had weekly in person meetings, and Mark was always available by email or text. We checked in with Trenton at the house on an almost daily basis. They were the perfect team. Mark went above and beyond working with us closely to keep all purchases within our budget. He even helped us pick out tile, light fixtures and more. Having a background as an artist, we really trusted and appreciated his judgement. When small changes came up between the plans and actual building needs, Mark always worked with us to make the right choice for the house. This sometimes entailed changing things that were already built, which he did it at no additional cost to us. You could not ask for a better foremen than Trenton. He was extremely organized and professional. He kept everyone on task and on time, while holding the quality of the work to a very high standard. It was clear all of the Berkeley Craftsmen crew enjoyed working for him, had the utmost respect for him, and wanted to do their best work for him. This included all of the subcontractors. He did not mess around. He also took the time to introduce himself to all of our neighbors and asked that they contact him directly if they ever had any issues, which went a long way towards creating a positive environment. Our neighbors frequently commented to us how nice and professional Trenton was. The entire Berkeley Craftsmen crew was amazing. They worked hard and took a lot of pride and ownership over their work. BC hires a solid group of subcontractors that they have longstanding relationships with. We were very impressed with their painters, tilers, electricians, and plumbers. The subcontractors clearly had a lot of respect for Trenton and made Berkeley Craftsmen a priority on their schedules. Because of the attention to detail early on and their diligent process we managed to finish 6 weeks ahead of our scheduled finish date and on budget with very few change orders, most of those being upgrades we requested. Michael, Mark, Trenton and team are absolute rock stars. Thanks guys! read more

Berkeley Craftsmen led the remodel and addition at our home in North Berkeley, and we could not be happier, both with the results and the process. They came in right on budget and on time, with no surprises, and they have stood by their work. The entire team is honest, hardworking, communicative, and friendly - just a great group of folks. People you are happy to have as part of your community. In the beginning, Mike Butler took the time to carefully explain his estimate to us. Our budget was constrained (whose isn't?) and we were pushing it as far as it could go. Mike helped us optimize our plan so we could get the most for our money. This was our first remodel, and we were quite nervous, but his clear communication, honesty, and earnest demeanor won us over. Mark Butler (Mike's brother) was our project manager and team lead, and he and foreman Trenton did an outstanding job of executing the project. At the outset, they gave us a Gantt chart, letting us know what steps would take place when, and when we would need to have owner-supplied materials like tile and fixtures on site. They adhered to this timeline, and even managed to get us moved in a few days early! (Interestingly, of all the bids, their timeline was the shortest, and they still managed to stick to it.) We had regular weekly meetings, and they sent out minutes and action items after each one. Mark answered all my calls and was excellent about being pro-active with issues that needed our attention. Trenton even SMS-d pictures of the bathroom tile layout so I could okay it before it was finalized! The final quality of their work is just outstanding. Our friends and neighbors have been through our house and commented on the craftsmanship: the lines, the attention to symmetry and detail. Construction projects are stressful: there are so many decisions to make, schedules to adhere to, and finances to scrounge up. We wanted an experienced contractor we could trust, who would be a true partner in our project. Berkeley Craftsmen fits this bill and more. It is clear they care about their work, and they want us to be happy in our new home. We couldn't have asked for more. If you need a general contractor, you cannot go wrong with Berkeley Craftsmen. read more

We just completed a kitchen remodel with Berkeley Craftsmen, and are totally satisfied with experience from start to finish. We've done other remodels including a second story addition, so we are not neophytes in remodeling and renovation projects. The positives when working with Berkeley Craftsmen on this project: 1) reasonable and reliable schedule (as they said would happen); 2) adaptable to changes and additions with reasonable additional costs (e.g., we decided to re-wire entire house and eliminate remaining old knob&tube writing, discovered additional structural work to be done once kitchen taken down to studs, added new roof to project); 3) excellent employees, and excellent management/selection of subs; and 4) a standard of perfection. The itemized contract system is clear and helpful at beginning, and easy to follow throughout work and billing process. The staff is excellent, and we cannot say enough good things about Ceara (designer and construction), David and Matt, plus others we did not get to know as well. We were out of town for at least 6 weeks of project and that was fine. We have a stunning new kitchen, and Ceara must have come back at least three times before we finalized cabinets. Each time she asked me about "where will this go?". Her knowledge resulted in a beautiful layout with the BEST cabinetry - I now have room for everything. She has an exceptional eye and guided us to great decisions, especially with new windows and lighting. read more

We did a top-to-bottom remodel of our house and Berkeley Craftsmen did a superlative job. They are super-organized, have reliable subs who all do high quality work, and they finished on budget and earlier than expected. We worked with Mark and José, who are absolutely fantastic. They met with us weekly throughout the project, communicated clearly, and were very creative in dealing with issues that came up in our house. They gave us great advice on how to save money, worked very well with our architect, and after the project was completed, came back to check on everything to make sure we were satisfied. We now have a beautiful place to live and couldn't be happier. read more

This was the second time completing a major remodel. First time, I couldn't wait to push the contractor out the door and I still roll my eyes when I think of him. Second time around was like night and day. Mark and Michael Butler and their lead Jose were just wonderful. I can't say enough good things about them. Their attention to detail was amazing. They were very transparent, I knew exactly what was happening and when. And most amazingly, even though remodeling is stressful, I felt comforted knowing that I was in good hands because they dealt with City of Berkeley, the subcontractors, and I didn't have to stay up at night wondering if they were cutting corners. If I ever have to go through another remodel, I won't hesitate to contact them. read more

Berkeley Craftsmen are fantastic. My family and I were more than satisfied with the entire process of working with them. The crew was great. They were all very respectful, friendly and professional. Mark was terrific. He talked through lots of ideas with me and I completely trusted him. We have worked with other contractors and I would never hesitate to recommend Berkeley Craftsmen to anyone. We would also never hesitate to hire them again. Great work. read more

BC is outstanding. My project was building a 2-room (with bath) home office. The architect that BC selected was very helpful and assisted me in distilling down what I really wanted and would work best (it was a tricky project size-wise, neighbors, City of Berkeley, etc.). There were many delays and extra costs (entirely due to the City of Berkley) and BC negoitated all these matters (including City cotsts) as well as was possible. Other BC staffers helped me select details in a way that was very helpful and I'm delighted with the end result. I've recommended them to two other families, one of which is in the process of finishing up their kitchen remodel. I recommend them most highly. read more

The Berkeley Craftsmen team has just finished the construction of a delightful, simple ADU in my backyard and they have done a fantastic job! On time (early in fact), on budget, and incredible attention to detail. What more could i ask. I am thrilled. If you can get them to take on your project, go for it! read more

We hired Berkeley Craftsmen for a major remodel of our duplex. The house originally had two equally sized units (one upstairs, one downstairs), and through the project we created a larger unit (downstairs plus 1/2 upstairs) for our family and a smaller unit (1/2 upstairs) to rent. The project involved demolition, substantial engineering and reframing work, total replacement of plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems, building two internal staircases, adding one bathroom, remodeling two existing bathrooms, remodeling a kitchen, adding three new decks, and lots of interior carpentry details. We had a great experience in all respects. The results are amazing. We would work with Berkeley Craftsmen again in a heartbeat. The team is full of kind, hardworking and talented people. Michael and Mark have a ton of experience, love their jobs, and are about the nicest people you will ever meet. They helped us make all the hard decisions by listening to our thoughts, proposing creative solutions, and providing timely information about costs of different options. Communication was excellent all around, including clear instructions from them on exactly what we needed to do to keep the project moving. José and Andy, the lead carpenters on our project, cared for our house like it was their own and worked hard to make sure the project moved forward as quickly as possible. We saw a lot of those guys, and couldn't have asked for nicer, more helpful, or more talented carpenters. We got to know a lot of the subcontractors as well, and without exception they did great work with care and dedication. The subcontractors clearly have an excellent relationship with Berkeley Craftsmen and went above and beyond for our project. We agreed on a budget at the start of the project, and that's exactly what they charged us. The invoicing was clear and transparent. Thank you Berkeley Craftsmen! read more

We did a major remodel/addition to our home in the fall/winter of 2016 with Mark and Michael, and would give them 10 Yelp stars if we could. We have nothing but positive things to report about EVERY aspect of the process. Professionalism? Top notch. Quality of work? Fabulous. Attention to detail? Surprising. Communication? Easy to reach, constantly in touch, super personable. Reliability? Stuck to their timeline EXACTLY, despite epic rains and the usual unforeseen complications. Cost? No surprises, they NAILED it, staying exactly on budget. We lived on site through all the work, and they bent over backward to accommodate us. It might sound strange, but to convey our full impression of them we have to take this review to a higher level beyond the physical work they did, and say that we found them to be highly ethical and moral people. They treat their workers well, they care about the community they live in, and they lead lives of integrity. We are not only happy to have hired them, but are happy to have met them and to now call them friends. read more

We just completed a remodel with Berkeley Craftsmen, and we're really happy with how the project turned out. We worked with both Michael and Mark - on our project, Michael did the estimating and Mark did the project and subcontractor management. We originally scoped out an addition and new kitchen, and Michael was very thorough in his estimation process (coming out to our house multiple times). However, during the course of the project, we had to scale back to just focusing on remodeling two bathrooms and creating a new laundry room, and Michael accommodated our change and quickly put together a revised estimate. Once we finalized the scope of work, Mark took over, and created a detailed project schedule - this schedule ended up being very accurate with the project phases wrapping up within days of what the schedule showed. As the work progressed, Mark was usually on-site each day making sure the subcontractors were doing the work properly. And when a few minor issues came up, Mark quickly dealt with the problems to our satisfaction. Looking back at the project, there are few things that really set Berkeley Craftsmen apart from other contractors: their budget and schedule estimations are very accurate; they are very thorough with high attention to detail, yet also flexible when the inevitable changes come up; they are cost conscious, and help define cost-effective solutions for achieving your (or your architect's) design vision; and most importantly they are nice, friendly people! I whole-heartedly recommend Mark and Michael and will certainly choose them again for any future remodel projects. read more

Berkeley Craftsmen made our new addition project a huge success. I'd definitely recommend them. We added a new master bedroom/bathroom suite and a small family room, plus a small deck in the back. - They are up front and honest about costs and contract provisions. They did a lot of work up front with us to make sure we had the project scope priced out correctly. He was able to work with us to find ways to reduce costs, but also helped keep us from making penny wise, pound foolish mistakes that we'd regret later. - THEY WERE ON TIME!!!! The project took the amount of time they told us it would. And the handful of little punchlist items got taken care of promptly. - They also helped us to help them stay on time. They gave us a schedule of when we needed to make certain decisions by so that they could procure the right materials. And by planning ahead, we were able to minimize mid-stream design changes and the associated costs to redo work. - They are courteous and friendly. They really understand that when they come to work, they are in your home. They minimized interruptions and work to tie into the existing house, worked around our schedule, and kept our living space clean and usable. They were always willing to answer our questions and address any concerns we had. read more

Berkeley Craftsmen did a roof and porch remodel (including blown in insulation and double paned windows) for us at the end of 2007 and early 2008. The work came out beautifully! We experienced people walking by our house for many months after the work was completed telling us how impressed they were of the transformation. They worked hard to meet our needs and communicated with us every step of the way. Like other former clients have mentioned in their reviews, they also suggested ways to help save us money without cutting too many corners. For example, the company recommended a painter to eliminate a lot of the overhead costs that would incur if the company did the painting. That might have been our biggest project we will ever encounter living in our house but if we decide to do a smaller one, we will contact Berkeley Craftsmen again! Thank you very much to the BC professionals! read more

Berkeley Craftsmen do wonderful work and they are able to coordinate remodel projects with very low impact on family life. Highly recommended. read more

Berkeley Craftsmen did an addition and renovation to our house in Berkeley and we could not be happier. The project involved all aspects: demolition, foundation, framing, electrical, tile, full roof replacement, stucco, new windows, iron work, painting, etc. They prepared the house at the beginning putting temporary walls to protect the living areas. All the subcontractors were great and their own crew was amazing, The quality of the work was top notch. They cleaned the work area every day, so that when we got home at night all the tools were put away and the dust was vacuumed. They replaced the whole roof, including a 1927 original framing that still had planks instead of plywood. We did the project in the winter. I was very concerned about water getting in the house. They managed it perfectly covering the open areas every evening, and then taking advantage of 4 clear days to bring a large crew and completely redo the roof. The weekend after the roof was installed, with rain pouring, Mark drove by with his family in the car to make sure everything was fine. The project was completed on budget exactly as was specified in the signed contract at the very beginning. They were also on schedule, even accounting for several rainy days. Really tremendous attention to detail throughout the project, a strong value on customer satisfaction and the highest quality in labor and materials. Highly recommended. read more

When our house burned, B.C. helped us rebuild a much nicer place on a very reasonable budget and time frame. They did an awesome, professional job. Even though we probably did not have the cash reserves of a lot of their clients, they always gave us top service. I would recommend them to my own parents...if they lived here and needed a contractor. read more

Berkeley Craftsmen handled a large renovation project for us in 2009. We remain thrilled with the results. In the ensuing years we have been reminded how lucky we were to make the choice to hire Berkeley Craftsmen. A few times when we have needed advice or a referral for some small additional work, Mark Butler has been incredibly quick, gracious and helpful in pointing us in the right direction. More than a few times he has stopped by to survey what we're up to before making a recommendation. A few weeks ago Mark reset the bar for standout help. We suddenly had a few cracked glass tiles in our shower. We weren't sure where to start in figuring out what was going on. A day after we emailed Mark asking for advice he swung by the house (and to be clear--he is way too busy to have done this easily) and ended up diving into our uncomfortable crawl space to check if there was something funky going on with the foundation, or a leak. Luckily, nothing major was found. But we still needed to replace the cracked tile. Since Berkeley Craftsmen had done the original work, Mark insisted his team would handle the repair. What we thought would be a fairly quick project became a bit more involved than any of us anticipated, but Andy, who is on the Berkeley Craftsmen team was fantastic throughout. In typical Berkeley Craftsmen character, Andy went above and beyond. We were responsible for picking up some new grout. We thought we had matched the color of the existing grout, but after everything was installed it was clear we were more than a few shades too light. It was our mistake, and we just figured we would have to live with it. But Andy would have none of that. He took the initiative to to order grout stain that he knew would be a good match...and a week later he returned to finish the project. You can't even tell where the new tiles meet the old tiles. If you're looking for not just quality workmanship, but quality human beings to do that work, you need not look further than Berkeley Craftsmen. read more

Dream team. Mark, Trenton, Andrew and Michael were incredible and we honestly could not have asked for a better team. We hired Berkeley Craftsmen to do our second floor home addition in Rockridge. They were amazing and made our renovation project an *enjoyable* experience. Our project was done a month EARLY and on budget. To top if off, their work and attention to detail was incredible - we wanted to maintain many of the original craftsmen details of our home, like wood floor detailing and window trim, and they were able to do so throughout. Their subcontractors were great, communication was just right and execution was seamless. Updates were provided on a consistent basis and we were notified immediately if any issues arose and given several options for solutions. They were so knowledgeable and hardworking - we trusted them implicitly. We were so pleased with the process and couldn't be happier about the finished product. read more

The first thing that Berkeley Craftsmen did was to remove an old bathtub and in its place put in a classy tiled shower which was done in a week . This was ready for me, returning from knee surgery. After that they put in flooring ,doors, and got a group into insulate my attic. I am a fan. Louise C. read more

If your project is for less than $100,000 don't bother with these folks. Spoke to Michael about a kitchen remodel (estimated cost by other contractors $60,000). He wouldn't even look at project because it was too small. He indicated that they typically do projects in teh $100,000 to $1,000,000 range. So, if you are a modest homeowner these are not the folks for you. read more

We had a side gate replaced and some holes in our interior walls patched. I appreciated the initial discussion about my preferences on the overall cost and type of materials to be used. They built a quality gate with a locking handle. The wall repairs were done very well, matching the surrounding textures. They were professional and easy to work with. I would use their services again. read more

We've been very happy with the quality of work by Berkeley Craftsman. They did the project management and finishing work after we replaced the foundation to our basement, and added a bathroom. They added a beautiful new staircase, took out old wood windows and replaced them with new low e, clad exteriors. The molding on doors and windows is beautiful and matches the style of our home. Today they did a great job cleaning up and making more stable another flight of stairs that were wobbly and had paint splatters, messy paint edges and metal brackets from an earlier contractor. They look fabulous! I didn't even ask them to do that specific work but they took the initiative after the workers had expanded the headrail space and took out an old ugly door jamb. Michael has a great eye for detail and he wants to get each job right until we're happy. I really appreciate his patience, good communication style, and of course excellent quality of workmanship. read more

Berkeley Craftsmen just finished repairing dryrot and replacing windows on the street facade of my home in Albany. I'm very satisfied with their work. They kept the house and yard clean during the work and they cleaned up after themselves at the end. They protected the floor and other areas while they were working. They did a great job matching the existing drywall texture and reproducing the original window trim. They also paid attention to waterproofing details to keep the dryrot from reoccurring. They accommodated my tight schedule, and they were responsive to my suggestions and concerns while they were working. Their bid was competitive and they had a very "can-do" attitude. I would use them again in the future. read more

Berkeley Craftsmen were the contractors for an extensive remodel of our old Berkeley brown shingle (while we lived in the house). All of their sub contractors were great - did very good work and were pleasant to have around. They were excellent at helping us set the scope of work - a real challenge in an old house where there could be no end to change and they supported my husband in doing some of the work himself to keep costs down. I highly recommend them! We are very satisfied with the results. read more

These guys are really nice but their subcontractors are lousy and they do a poor job supervising them. Serious mistakes were made by their electrician and sheetrock subs. I had to fix the electric wiring mistakes myself. read more

I wish I could give more than 5 stars. We are beyond happy with our remodel/ addition - Mark & his Berkeley Craftsmen team went so far above and beyond our expectations to really help us realize our dream and make our home a place we'll never want to leave! They basically helped us more than double our existing home, turning a small 2 br/ 1 bath cottage into a nice 3 br/ 2 bath home with beautiful indoor/outdoor space with impeccable attention to detail throughout the process. All of their employees and subs are top quality, timelines were adhered to, and change orders were very minor and pretty much based on us deciding to add things - no surprises from their side! They were very helpful and hands-on throughout the process, guiding us through design, permitting, construction, and wrap up. We couldn't be happier! read more