Calp construction is a contractor/handyman type of business with a Mountain View address; I read the advertisement in classified Palo Alto papers under "construction".
Owning a business plus being single means I need handyman services often at the store and home. I find them to be generally a nightmare to deal with--underbidding to get the job; rushing to other jobs inbetween once they've got you; doing the job and damaging something else; leaving a mess for mom (myself) to clean up behind the little boys.
The owner of Clap Constructrion, Philip, is very personable, arrived promptly, gave a fair (average) bid, and his handyman arrived on time daily; the Mexican-born handyman is very good at his work, the second best I' ve found in my 35 years in busisiness.
Yet, the issue of rushing so that the job is done fast, damaging other things while doing their work, and leaving a holy-mess for me to clean up was still a problem with this company. All would be tolerated because that is the nature of the business (small jobs in crowded places with attractive bids) except that on the last day it was like: I'm outa here, the hours are done. Well, the job was a bid, not an hourly pay. So a couple of important aspects of the job were not done, leaving me to have to hire someone else or pay them more than the agreed upon price to finish it the next day. The last evening the owner helped the handyman to finish but refused to reconnect the electrical wires because he "did not know how". He also was unprofessional and childlike --- he had to pick up his son and would not do any more work (and to continue the next day was more money for me).
In contrast, Jose the handyman's work is excellent and fast. Just buddy up with him and offer a bit more for placing plastic covers over anything you don't want spoilt, and emphasize from the start that if anything else is damaged it's his responsibility. What we might consider unacceptable (like the white drywall powder all over which is so hard to get rid of) they consider part of the job.
In the future I will call the handyman, Jose at 650 575-3397.
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