Short version: Cairn did a great job, communication was always very good, and the price/value is right on target. Long version: We desperately needed to have our deck replaced, the old one was not only pretty bad looking, but also a hazard and we certainly did not want to get sued by anyone breaking their neck on our broken deck. At the same time we needed part of our foundation replaced, a scary job. Besides Cairn, we checked out three other companies and got bids. Cairn's offer was very reasonable, and they left a good impression (as in being knowledgeable, polite, thorough etc.), so we decided to go with them. The construction took a few month longer than expected, but this was mostly our fault due to permits we handed in too late, or expected earlier. They had to raise the cost a bit because of this, but I cannot blame them for it. Once the deck was done, it was pretty impressive. I did find a few small glitches, but believe me I am very picky because I do a bit of furniture construction myself, and can't help looking for mistakes. But of course, I cannot expect a deck to be built like a furniture piece. One handrail broke about two month down the road, glue alone did not do the trick. When I carefully asked if they could do anything about it, it took no longer than three days and a couple of guys were here to fix it. Certainly great customer service even after you paid. The scary part, the foundation being knocked down while your house is on temporary supports, went really smooth. They covered all of our belongings in the basement and kept everything very clean (daily). Overall I am very glad we chose these guys and can recommend them. The only thing I was a bit unhappy about were the estimates for some additional jobs that I inquired for, half-way down the road. It seemed a bit overpriced, so I did most of this myself (cabling and stuff like that). So I guess my recommendation is to make sure to include everything you wand done in your first bid, it may save you some money. good luck. read more

Cairn Construction - a wooden staircase leading up to a house - General Contractors Near Me - San Francisco, California

This review is long overdue. Who better to build-out the Yelp HQ offices than Cairn. Shay, Noel, Trevor and Mack were tasked with taking office space that had not been touched in 30 years and making it spectacular. No small feat, upon initial inspection even I was skeptical. Cairn specializes in all forms of residential construction. As a favor they took on our project of revitalizing 30,000 square feet of commercial space in San Francisco. Little did they know they would deal with some pretty finicky clients. We came in under budget and right on schedule, no small task with our very condensed and aggressive timeline. Cairn was a pleasure to work with, they were flexible and always with a can-do attitude. Most of us have heard of experienced horror stories relating to construction projects, this was the complete opposite experience. I could not more strongly recommend Cairn. read more

Woohoo!! My dream bathtub/shower combo is no longer a dream -- it's a reality! And I have none other than Shay and Cairn Construction to thank. I could not be a happier woman. :) I've wanted a bathtub for 3 years now. In this time, I had several estimates from different contractors. At first, I thought that since Shay and the Cairn company was so well put together (and since they insisted in doing it the "right" way), it would be obscenely expensive. However, after bringing in a few "shadier" contractors (read: no license), it turns out the price estimates were actually pretty damn close. You know that "twice as expensive, twice as long" saying, when it comes to construction? Not here!! It actually came in slightly lower than I anticipated and the time frame fit exactly what was promised. Furthermore, I'm not that girly interior decorator type; it's not my specialty. So I really depended on Shay to take the initiative and pick the products he knew where good quality, affordable, and classic looking at the same time. With little to no direction, he pulled off a damn beautiful bathtub. The best part? The water temperature actually gets hot AND the water pressure is amazing. Yeay for me!! Oh, and he is great at being responsive, but isn't at all pushy. None of this disappearing act stuff or trying to pressure me into something I don't want to do. Oooh ooh, and he's fantastic for referrals! I found my electrician through him. Do yourself a favor and call him! read more

I've worked with Shay and his team as a supplier for years. They are top notch in all that they do. What I feel separates them for other clients we work with is that they truly pay attention to fine, minor details along with every major detail early on in the planning phase of their projects. This leads to projects being completed on time and the "we forgot about it's" from happening. In my estimation, their careful attention to detail is what makes the projects go so seamlessly. If I ever have a major renovation to tackle, Shay would be the very first person I would call to work on my own home. read more

Earlier this summer my wife and I decided to remodel the bathroom and kitchen in my "bachelor pad" prior to putting it on the market. Since we were selling the place we did not want to spend a fortune on the remodel and needed the work completed quickly. After interviewing several contractors I selected Cairn Construction and I am really happy I did. Shay, Noel, and Mack did an excellent job of updating our very sad looking kitchen and even managed to make it look bigger by resurfacing/painting the cabinets. The new bathroom is just amazing......nicer than the bathroom in our new house. I am completely satisfied with the work performed by Cairn Construction and really enjoyed working with Shay, Noel, and Mack. They are very professional, reliable, and responsive. I am happy to recommend Cairn Construction to anyone who is looking for a residential construction contractor. read more

Cairn just completed our attic remodel / conversion - the top flat of a 1906 Victorian. The project added 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms under a brand new set of dormers, as well as two balconies with views with giant sliding LaCantina glass walls. George at 2V Design was our architect. I totally concur with Vlado H. at Yelp - Shay, Noel, Trevor, Mack and Felix were an amazing crew to work with - we are extremely satisfied with the end product and the entire process all along - and our neighbors had nothing but good to say about them during the 4-month job. Noel ran the job, and kept the crew and all the subs on a tight schedule - never was there one idle day - significant progress was made every single week. They were extremely accommodating with all of our requests, and real pleasure to work with. I wholeheartedly recommend Cairn. read more

Well, I'll add my five stars too. Cairn really is as good as it gets. Shay and his crew did a front stair replacement for our Haight St Victorian last year and I couldn't be more pleased or impressed. At the outset Shay recommended an architect who was a pleasure to work with to draw up plans and get the necessary permits. The whole way through he worked carefully with the architect to make sure the project stayed within our budget--no easy task here in San Francisco! And when it came time for the actual construction everything went smoothly and stayed on schedule. I hate to say it, but (without being gaudy or flashy in any way) the stairs may now be the focal point of our house. Shay and his crew are complete pros and have a great sense for finish and detail. They didn't even stop after the last nail. After the project was done Shay came back and was able to defuse a potentially bad situation with a neighbor. Yes, the five stars are completely warranted. Thank you Shay, Mack, and Trish! read more

Cairn is the real deal - quality work, great sub-contractors, and excellent and honest project management. That honesty ensures value, because they really do their best to ensure that there are as few surprises as possible over the course of a job, i.e. no expensive change orders. They also worked well with our architect. Many contractors, by their own admission, often chafe under the guidance of architects. With Cairn, it was teamwork all the way. My wife and I presented Cairn with a challenging project, a major addition for our Noe Valley craftsman house, involving renovating all plumbing and electrical, seismic upgrades, landscaping, plumbing, tiling, plus an entire interior and exterior paint job. In addition, their was intricate carpentry and details to install on a new level of the house that needed to be consistent with historic details on the main level. However, the biggest issue was that they had to fix problems (known and unknown) left by a previous contractor. On a job lasting almost a year, Cairn stayed within 2 weeks of their original project plan. They did an excellent job of managing sub-contractors were very flexible about changes along the way. Our project is featured on Cairn's website under projects, "Noe Valley", citing great use of space, etc. read more

We have had Cairn do a number of jobs on our house over the past dozen years, large and small, and they have been uniformly terrific. They may not be the low bidders on a job, but the quality of the work and their dependability more than make up for this. They stand by their work. Several years back they replaced our front steps and landings. A couple of years later we discovered that 2-3 spindles had rotted. Cairn replaced them (and painted them), free of charge. Recently, they did a major renovation that involved about half a dozen subcontractors and took several months. They finished within a couple of weeks of the projected completion date and on budget. The results are spectacular. They are very careful to protect your property and to keep things clean as they go along. They leave the job site so clean at the end of the day that you may not know that they have been working! The craftsmanship is outstanding, and their subcontractors are excellent (electrical, heating/plumbing, sidewalk, painting, flooring, etc.). They are resourceful. They are flexible, courteous, and competent. They go out of their way to make the experience a good one for the customer. I cannot say enough them. Bravo. read more

Cairn construction remodeled the bathroom in our Russian Hill condo in November of 2009. They were professional, easy to work with and very nice people to boot. The job was completed on budget and and we very happy with the quality of their work. They will be the first people we call if we ever take on other construction projects. read more

Cairn Construction did a fantastic job remodeling our house in San Francisco. The house was over 50 years old and more than 6000 square feet -- a total do over / gut job. Shay and his team were on time, on budget and are on the top of my list of companies that get the job done right. A pleasure to work with. read more

Shay and all of the carpenters at Cairn construction are the best in the business. They built a redwood deck for us in a space that was seriously challenging. Calm, focused, capable-they went above and beyond for our project, taking pride and care and communicating every step of the the way. The price was incredibly reasonable. We are still marveling at how much better our garden looks. You can't go wrong here. read more

I've been a licensed contractor for 37 years, and am an ICC certified building inspector. Cairn Construction did a small job involving a door installation for my condo building. Their price was right, they arrived on time, completed the job ahead of schedule, left no mess, and all in all ~ were very professional. Highly recommend them! Michael read more

I can't say enough to compliment the entire Cairn Construction team! They completed a somewhat complicated reconstruction of the rear decks at my San Francisco Victorian. The quality of work was excellent and the price reasonable (middle of three estimates). At the end of the project, I felt Shay, Noel and the crew were almost family members. They were truly dedicated to providing the exact work defined in the architectural drawings without a lot of cost overruns in the estimated time. Inconvenience to our life was minimized in every way and cleanup at the job site was always a part of the days work. I have called Shay on two occasions since the project was completed to take care of small improvements. Without hesitation, he has remained committed to his work, organizing subcontractor assistance to finish the minor updates quickly. In essence, Cairn Construction is exactly the type of firm one wants working on their project. I cannot recommend them highly enough for a terrific job! read more