Dobel Construction is my go-to contractor! Dobel Construction has completed several projects at my San Carlos home -- First, they installed French drains that completely eliminated rainstorm water coming into the basement, so now I don't dread the coming of the winter season. Bob Dobel is experienced and completely knowledgeable as to drainage solutions that will work. Bob explained the process from the ground up. He has a team of workers who have been with him for years, and they were very hard working, courteous and enthusiastic. The worksite was always tidied up at the end of the day. Then, I asked Bob Dobel if he could create a hobby room under my garage where there was a storage area -- a space that was barely 5' high, such that I could not even stand up in it. Dobel executed this project with a fabulous result, beyond my wildest dreams. They dug out a lot of dirt, and poured a concrete floor, supports, and steps; and they installed a full-sized door into the room, 2 big windows, electricity, water, and drainage. Each time I go into my new 'art studio', I am thrilled that they turned wasted space into a usable room. The space has a wonderful 'vibe' -- everyone who sees this room is complimentary. read more

I've been a customer of Do Bel for over 5 years. They have done concrete work, flag stone, drainage, and sump pump installation. (They did beautiful work, especially the concrete and flag stone.). I called today as my primary sump pump did not activate. ( The back up pump they had also installed was working fine.). They had someone out here the same day. Turns out the primary and back up pump each had a different power source, which I didn't know. The primary pump's power had tripped the outlet fuse, and also need cleaning. Everything was working great in a short amount of time. Great support and service! read more

We hired Robert DoBel for an insurance repair after a delivery truck cause structural damage to our house. Contract price under $100,000. Overall work quality seems good, but it took way too long and we are still dealing with the company a year later because of their shady practices. Robert says he did unapproved work he claimed was necessary, but he failed to provide change orders for the insurance to approve when asked up front. He was extremely uncooperative and rude when we tried to submit the expenses after the fact, delaying the insurance settlement for money we had already paid them. Robert tried to have my wife sign backdated COs, and he changed his story to say the work was not necessary after all but that we had approved it, when in reality we asked him repeatedly to only do necessary work and asked for up-front estimates and COs so we could get them approved by the adjuster. Robert failed to complete minor work items as a pressure tactic to make us pay for the unapproved work. Robert threatened to file a lien against our house while sending us ridiculously inflated invoices. (The lien forms he threatened us with were for the original contract price of course, since he knows his COs and invoices are bogus.) Robert emailed us several month later to inform us that permits had expired and there would be a substantial fee to reinstate them, even though he had previously indicated that all inspections as permits were finalized, before we paid him. Essentially, while I believe their work is good, the owner's father Robert DoBel is a shady operator. Steer clear to avoid these shenanigans. I can't believe apparently reputable contractors are trying to pull this kind of thing nowadays. The threats, insults and transparent manipulative tactics are a real pain to deal with. We will probably break even on the insurance payment because we held back a token amount for the incomplete work, but I'm almost hoping we don't so I can take these clowns to court. That frustrating... read more

Dealt with the owner Robert DoBel. He was looking to buy construction equipment. He acted arrogant, condescending, and entitled. When I didn't stop what I was doing, drive across town to get something special especially for him for free, he raged out, sent a nasty email and called me an a**hole. Showed his true colors when he didn't get what he wanted. Would not recommend dealing with him or his company. read more

Bob was really abrupt and essentially told me that he can only do based on T&M and can't give me a quote. When I even called back a week later to agree to T&M - he basically told me: "looks like this is not a priority for you." I had to convey to him that - ofcourse this is a priority as I am out of home without fixing it. But at the same time I can't just take on a big expense without some due diligence either read more

I hired DoBel Construction to build a French Drain to keep water out of the crawl space in my house. It was coming in from a corner of the house down about 8 feet from grade. During rain storms the water would run through the space and leave large puddles of water behind. Grant came out and inspected the leak area and said that other people have it worse and that the water coming in was minimal in comparison. I told him I wanted to protect the new furnace I installed right there in the same space and also wanted to prevent water accumulation under my living room. If he didn't want the work I would find another contractor . He said they could do the job and we signed a contract a few weeks later. They came out a couple of weeks after that and they spent about a week on the project - dug the hole, waterproofed it, placed the pipes and filled up the 4x4x8 foot deep hole with 5 cubic yards of gravel. I paid them in full and thought that was that. Wrong. On the first rain, 3 weeks later the leak came back, only worse. They came out and spent a few days over the following 2 weeks trying to fix it. But they could not. At this point Bob DoBel got involved and things only got worse. They said they could install a sump pump if I agreed to allow minimal water to enter the crawl space. At first I did not realize they meant to allow water inside the crawl space where it all started. When I realized this is what they meant, I told them the idea that I paid them over $20,000 and then to pay $10,000 for more work only to have the water come back in and be back where we started was absurd. This was money for nothing and specifically not what the contract required of them. Bob DoBel's response was that these are "the options that have been put in front of you." At this point it became clear that DoBel Construction and in particular Bob DoBel was not interested in delivering on any contract. He was more interested in squeezing out more money and trying to get out of the contract. He became rude and condescending. I told him I would not do business with a company that treated its customer like this. I decided to find another contractor to fix their work and build a drain system that actually kept water out of the house. This did not end well for DoBel in San Mateo court and they were ordered to pay damages for negligence and breach of contract. The Contractors State License Board will also weigh in on this. In short, avoid DoBel Construction at all costs and save the headaches. There are plenty of competent contractors out there. Because standing up for or even performing work they agreed to under contract is not something that they thought was necessary on this job. read more

Dobel was the only contractor to figure out the source of water damage in my garage wall a couple years back when 3 other contractors could not figure it out (caused by a fence post bolt not being sealed outside the garage). A year later I hired them to do a french drain system for my house and it's been working perfectly the entire time. I would highly recommend them for any home construction project. read more

This company works four 10-hour days Tuesday-Friday (Mondays off). They seem to work well with the Building Inspectors office in San Carlos, which is a plus. Elizabeth S. is right, their customer skills could use some work. read more

If you are looking for a thorough, reputable contractor who will get the job done right the first time, call Grant...he is the best. He helps me with projects all the time and knows what he is doing. read more

I was really looking forward to working with Grant on my bathroom remodel and addition. We met a few times, he sent me shopping with his office manager, and while he was away on vacation I made all of my textile decisions. I was ready to go! However, after his return from vacation I never heard from him or anyone at Dobel. I called Grant's cell phone once and left a message. I spoke to the office manager three times over the following weeks to check-in and was always told my file was on Grant's desk and that he would call me. If they were too busy or my project wasn't the right fit, the least they could have done was to call me back. I think I dodged a bullet here, but it's a shame...I was really excited about my project and working with this team. read more

I'm sure the folks at DoBEL construction are qualified and competent based on the projects profiled on their website, so if you're shopping for a foundation specialist, they are worth contacting. However, when I spoke with the owner (Bob) about a possible project, he was so incredibly rude that I would never in a million years think about doing business with him. read more

Just recently moved in to the neighborhood and decided to install a drainage system for my shop and Dobel Construction is just located near my area. I met up with Bob Dobel himself and very pleasant to deal with. He knew exactly what needed to be done to my lot. In no time he already prep up a blue print of how the layout would look like. Bob took care of everything including the city officials; inpectors/ electricians/ pavers. I literally just pointed and the job was in process. The crew whom Bob sent over were amazing. Great guys! This whole experience seem like i had an EZ button from staples. I highly recommend this company and giving them a 5 star is an understatement. read more

As noted we had DoBel renovate our Kitchen in San Carlos in 2011 and we were ecstatic! When we moved to San Mateo and needed another Kitchen reno, we reach out to Bob and Grant again and they were just as fantastic! They coordinated all aspects of the project and did an amazing job. We could not be happier with the result, and especially all the extra touches and ideas Bob had. For example, we really wanted a wine fridge, but had no idea how to fit it in and Bob figured it out in seconds. Additionally, he relocated the power outlets from the walls to the under counter lighting as well as putting a stainless steel trim around the tile. Just sign in to Houzz and search for DoBel Construction and look at the pictures of the Prospect Row kitchen to see the amazing work that Bob and Grant and the crew can do for you!! read more

For years we procrastinated about embarking on a remodeling project for several reasons, not the least of which were the horror stories connected with such endeavors. After a good friend recommended the DoBel Construction Company, we decided to proceed. We contacted Bob DoBel who, after looking over the situation, gave us a fairly thorough overview of what would be involved and a preliminary estimate of the cost. When asked, he also said that he concentrates on a current job until it's finished. No intermittent lapses. We went ahead with the contract and we were astounded at the precision with which the work was orchestrated and accomplished. I personally observed every phase of the work which was always done with great skill and craftsmanship. As the work progressed it became apparent that additional cost would be incurred due to a potentially serious drainage problem. We asked Bob for a detailed explanation of the problem and if there was a less expensive way of dealing with it. He answered our questions and convinced us that his plan was the best way to protect the property. We decided that only a fool hires an expert and then doesn't seriously consider his advice. Ultimately, (and in a timely manner) the Project was successfully concluded and we are certain that Bob and his outstanding crew have added to the convenience, safety and future value of our home. read more

We remodeled our kitchen, hall bath, master bath along with new interior doors and duct work and insulation in our attic. We decided to use Dobel Construction for the remodel of our home based on their bid and the outstanding rating they have with the BBB. During the entire process Bob and his employees were very professional. They also proved to be excellent at problem solving and offered constructive ideas when needed which helped us to not make any big design mistakes. In addition the sub-contractors Bob uses were equally five star.. We would use Dobel Construction without hesitation for all of our home improvements in the future! We really enjoyed working with them. read more

I've used Dobel Construction for three significant projects over the last 6 months: bolting the house to the foundation, installing two French drains to correct water flow issues, and designing and laying the concrete and bricks for a courtyard, walkways, and driveway. His crew is very hardworking and tidy, and Bob does a great job of keeping the project on schedule. The finished product looks great and rainwater is draining properly. read more

This is a final review for the completion of our retaining wall project. Bob and his staff went above and beyond our expectations to make it turn out as beautiful as he said it would be. We are thrilled with it and the quality of the work that they performed. We ran into several issues and Bob came up with great solutions that did not change the price dramatically. His start dates and completion dates were right on. If we were not moving out of state we would embark on additional projects with Bob. He is just so pleasant. read more

I removed my previous review on Dobel Construction because Bob Dobel responded to my posting. Bob Dobel had Milgard Window Company replace the failed window panes and made every effort to determine the cause of the water intrusion in my house. They went so far as to remove 2 large windows and then reinstalling them, repaired the dry rot that developed over the years since the new windows were stalled, and had the stucco, trim, and paint reapplied. The Dobel crew have been very responsive and professional throughout the project. Many thanks to Bob for following through with the repair work. And special thanks to Larry and Kevin who were the primary crew members on the project. read more

I used DoBel construction to repair dryrot in the water table under a stained glass window, a small 2 day project. They were the only contractor to give a time and materials bid of exploring the damage and repairing as needed. The other contractors that gave me estimates included reframing the window, or replacing the window, as well as exploring and repairing damage as needed. The staff was helpful and professional. The owner verified the job was done to my satisfaction. In this busy time of contractors having more work than they can handle, it was a pleasant surprise to find one willing and very capable of doing a small job. read more

I hired Bob to do a foundation inspection of a house built in 1920s. I was very impressed with his expertise, which it goes well with his matter-of-fact personality. He is not at all rude, he's a actually a very nice guy who takes his job seriously. His advice helped us out tremendously in the contingency period of our home buying. He nearly does the job of a general inspector, as he pointed out possible issues around the roof, retrofitted windows, etc, and he walked the entire property - not just the foundation. His work and advice is well worth the cost to us, considering he also saved us doing more inspections on plumbing and general. We ended up revising our offer based on his discovery. read more

We were in a super-short contingency period on a new home and needed someone to come in at the last minute to ease our fears about some cracks in the foundation. Luckily Bob (the owner) answered the phone when we called and yes, he may come off a little direct, which really just means he doesn't beat around the bush, and frankly, is exactly what we needed to have when making such a big purchase decision. Bob was able to meet us the next day and walked around the home with us and told us everything we needed to know. He was very detailed, informative, and knew his stuff. I felt so much more confiedent buying our home after having him come look at it and I'm sure we'll be contacting him in the future to do more work for us. read more

I am so pleased with the work Dobel Construction did on a window replacement, they matched up the exterior stucco work perfectly and the interior patch and paint was spot on. They are very professional and super nice to work with. I am happy to say I paid much less than the estimate. Thank you Dobell for your outstanding work, I will call you when I am ready to do the kitchen remodel, read more

Dobel construction just completed a drainage project at our house - a French drain around the front and side and a surface drain at the driveway. I felt very comfortable talking with Bob about the project, and his recommendations made good sense, so we went with him. The project was completed on time and professionally. The existing concrete was removed and the trench dug carefully with minimal disturbance to the surroundings. The drain was laid with all the correct connections, drainage boxes, cleanouts, fill, etc. - no shortcuts. The backfill and re-concreting looks fantastic. All the debris was hauled away, everything cleaned up, you wouldn't even know they had been there. Javier and the crew do good, careful work. Overall very pleased, would definitely use again. read more

"They did a beautiful job" is the overwhelming response from friends and family seeing our newly remodeled kitchen. DoBel remodeled a kitchen and three bathrooms for my 1960's ranch-style house. The team is easy to work with, responsive and thoroughly explained each step as the project progressed. Being a novice to remodeling, this was very much appreciated. I enjoyed working with every member of Bob's team. Grant, Larry, Randy and Kevin, you guys are great. They stayed on budget, conquered unexpected problems and followed-up until everything was perfect. Thank you Bob and all your staff. read more

We hired DoBel Construction to remodel our condominium bathrooms and install a washer/dryer unit. We could not ask for a better experience. DoBel is highly organized, their employees are conscientious, and their work product is top notch. Despite being derailed by HOA approvals, DoBel remained patient with our situation and the project was completed in a timely manner. We especially enjoyed working with Bob, Nelly, Grant and Larry. Thank you for a job well done. If we could award more than 5 stars, we would do so. read more

I hired Dobel construction to repair some leaks. He was one of three bids. He was the high bid but he impressed me the most with his professional knowledge. I did not mind the slightly higher bid. In his bid, he left some items opened and quoted a price for some items that were open items for future determination. Big, big mistake. He quotes a reasonable initial bid but after he gets the job, he will quote high prices on additional added work since he already has the job and does not need to be competitive with others as contractors will not come out to bid on work already started by others. He will quote progress payments on large jobs but if he cancels items not needed, he will not apply a credit until the last payment. Where a lot of items are cancelled as in our project, we were asked to pay according to the original quote as if he did all the work when that work was cancelled. He will not apply credits in the beginning or middle of the job. This caused us to over pay the prorata of work done according to CSLB rules. New items like windows and doors added on were billed at an outrageous rate. A lot of unnecessary work was quoted for his carpentry crew to do when it could have been done at nominal cost using another method by a subcontracted crew. In my case there was more angle needed on a deck to carry water out. He had his carentry crew remove the entire tiled floor down to the plywood subfloor and rebuilt it with a very slight angle. The same thing could have been done with nominal cost by angling the deck using the tile mortar. He quoted $8,000 to replace multiple sliding glass doors which cost us $3000 after we contacted a prior window installer. i would never deal with him on a time and materials basis on anything he did that was an add on. EL - Hillsborough read more

This review is a bit outdated (as Dobel Construction performed the work 4-5 yrs ago)but I was going thru some old records and wanted to share my experience with Dobel Construction. My wife and I bought a house in San Carlos 5-6 years ago. The disclosures stated that a French drain was installed which we trusted. After living there thru a winter we could smell mildew in the back of the house. The old french drain was not working and there was basically a river running under the house. We had several companies come out to look at the problem. Ultimately, we selected Dobel Construction. He was not the cheapest bid, but also not the most expensive. However, he was the most thorough in his explanation of the problem and proposed solution. The work ended up involving taking out a cement patio, regrading, installing a French drain and putting a cement patio back in. The crew was awesome and Bob seemed to take the project as if it was his own house. He came by most every night to check out the progress the team had done for the day. The drain was installed draining out to the street. We ended up going with a stamped concrete patio that came out amazing. We even had them cut stairs into a retaining wall and stucco the cement block wall that came out great. To this day the crawl space is completely dry with absolutely no water at all. You can see the drain working even on days when the lawn is just being watered. read more