TL;DR: Don't give these guys your money. Strong sales pitch, but the reality did not match what was…read morepromised. In late 2024, my husband and I met with Reggie Keding to see if New Key would be a good fit for a major renovation on a 1950s ranch-style home we had just purchased in Pleasant Hill. We loved the idea of working with a local contractor and were initially impressed by Reggie's communication, professionalism, and assurance that he could accomplish everything we wanted within our substantial 6-figure budget (with mid-range fixtures and finishes, which we agreed to). We signed a schematic design agreement, writing a 5-figure check and trusting that they'd deliver on those expectations. We had an initial walkthrough with Maya, New Key's designer, and were excited about her ideas. Reggie encouraged us to "dream big" and share inspiration. However, the vast majority of our emails to Maya went unanswered, and there was very little collaboration or back-and-forth during the design process. After raising concerns, we were shown interim designs that were largely based on our own ideas and didn't add much new direction. A few weeks later, we had our formal design presentation and were beyond disappointed. All three options ("good, better, best") felt underdeveloped and missed key priorities. For example, two versions did not include vaulted ceilings in the main living space (which we had clearly identified as a must), and even the top-tier design featured a very small kitchen window despite the home's natural light and backyard views. Some design choices also introduced significant added cost without clear benefit, such as removing a load-bearing wall where simpler alternatives seemed possible. But the kicker was the price to build New Key's designs: even the cheapest "good" design came with a price tag of $1.2 million to build, pretty much doubling our budget and definitely overvaluing for our PH neighborhood. At that point, we lost confidence and decided to part ways after the initial design phase. While Reggie remained professional in tone, we did not feel the process or pricing aligned with what had been communicated at the outset. We lost a 5-figure design fee and about 3 months in the process, having to start over with a new architect and builder. Now, a year later, I'm writing this from our fully remodeled home, which includes everything on our original wish list. After starting over with a new team, we were able to complete the project close to our original budget--nowhere near the $1.2M estimate we were given. Losing the time and design fee was painful, but in hindsight, it was better than continuing down the wrong path. I would strongly recommend that anyone considering New Key get clear, detailed pricing expectations early and proceed carefully.

We worked with New Key Construction to remodel our backyard workshop and transform it into a 1…read morebedroom, 1 bathroom ADU for my parents to retire and live in. New Key did an absolute outstanding job and we are so happy we chose them for one of the largest investments we've ever made. - Quality Work - Reggie and his team do quality work; they do not cut corners, and they will always lean to do things the right way that is safe, compliant, and functional. You can feel the quality when you walk around; there is a meticulousness to the work that is hard to find anywhere else. - Project Planning - We were assigned a project manager and a foreman who kept us updated very frequently on the state of construction. The work was completed on-time if you account for the realities of construction which were largely due to supply delays and/or the occasional coordinate of some competing work. To convert a workshop (where we literally stripped it down) to a livable, high-quality ADU in 5 months is impressive! Also, they showed up on-time every day and if they were going to be late (or not come), we would be told. - Culture - Everyone that works at New Key Construction was a pleasure to work with; they hire people who care about the work they are doing and make an effort to get to know you. We could tell the employees enjoyed working at New Key, and it shows in the work. We looked at several companies before choosing New Key. I wholeheartedly will say it was worth it - you get quality work, quality communication, a 10-year warranty, and people who legitimately care about you and your home. You won't regret it!

I am an architect and had the pleasure of working with Matan and his team on a project in…read moreLafayette, CA. The project was a renovation of a ranch home for a young family. The primary project goal was to customize the home interiors to work better for the family living arrangement and bring more daylight into the home. The budget was fairly tight but there were lofty design and detailing goals. It was difficult to find a contractor that was interested in a project of this scale, who could deliver the level of finish expectations, and meet the clients' budget and schedule goals. We were introduced to Matan, who ended up being the perfect match for the project. Matan was thorough and transparent with his estimates in the initial budgeting stage. He carefully reviewed drawings and asked questions to make sure the design vision was being executed to a high level. He was very communicative about progress and construction issues, to ensure the project went as smoothly as possible. When unforeseen conditions were discovered, he addressed them quickly and fairly. The family moved out of the house during construction, but with young kids, they were eager to get back in as quickly as possible. Matan prepared an initial schedule and attentively managed the project to stay on track and get the family back home on time. In the end, the project was a huge success thanks to Matan and his team.

Matan just did both our bathrooms and we're really happy with them. He kept us in the loop the…read morewhole time, texted back fast, never left us guessing. The work itself is just solid, and we are thrilled with the results. He ended exactly on budget which is rare these days as well. No surprise costs. If you want a contractor who actually communicates and does good work, call Matan.

We are so happy to have worked with Raz and his team for our first big project--converting our…read morebasement into an ADU studio. We've never worked with contractors in the past and the process was so overwhelming getting bids with price varying so much and it was hard to know who to go with with the amount of investment we were putting in. The moment we met Raz, we connected with him instantly--he listened to us, gave recommendations, understood the work and what we needed, and boy did they execute flawlessly. Not only did they execute the plans we had in place but Raz went above and beyond with me to pick out finished materials and gave recommendations on what to choose from flooring, cabinetry, bathroom, etc. I had no idea what I was doing but he was always there for questions and was so responsive. I highly recommend working with Raz and the entire team. Thank you so much for making our ADU dreams come true. :)

Rani from S&I is a great contractor. His professionalism and kindness impressed me most. It was a…read moregreat shame that we changed our plan and didn't proceed our project. I hope we can hire them next time. I truly recommend S&I for any construction project.

I had a great experience working with Josh from Red White & Blue Construction to put in a gorgeous…read moreshower, build a staircase to connect two levels, and help me turn my storage into usable space. Josh and his team were reliable, punctual, and extremely easy to communicate with throughout the entire project. They sent updates via email and text, and explained all the nuanced details in an easy to understand way. What stood out most was their ability to problem-solve and find solutions when challenges came up, especially when working with the city of SF, which is quite a feat. Josh was approachable, dependable, and always made me feel like my questions and concerns were heard. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a trustworthy contractor.

We just finished a major home addition, kitchen remodel, covered patio, and HVAC modernization…read moreproject with RW&B. I told Josh in our last conversation that I'll call him for the next one. I highly recommend them. There are some mechanical things about doing a major project that matter for your quality of life, on which RW&B is excellent. 1) The team is there every day. 2) Change orders are straightforward. 3) Specialists are scheduled promptly and are reliable. 4) Parts purchasing is well planned. 5) The job site is clean. 6) Communications are frequent and consolidated in the group chat. Where RW&B really stands out is design vision and finish quality. We took 5 bids for the project. We chose to go with Josh because in our first meeting, he took the time to inspect and understand the space and the opportunity. He translated our idea and improved on it--throughout the project. In the kitchen, he's the one who suggested moving the range to the other wall, freeing up the floor-to-ceiling pantry cabinets and built-in appliances we wanted. For the covered patio space, all I had was a shape and vibes. He took that roughest outline, built it out, made suggestions for the finishes, and designed the beam wraps which took it to the next level. We felt that he & the team shared our desire to build something that mattered. Living in the space now, we can't even remember the before-time. It feels so natural, and fits what we wanted exactly. Highly recommend Red White and Blue Construction.

I found Renova from a recommendation made on Nextdoor app. I contacted them and between Stephanie…read moreand Omri, I felt so comfortable with moving forward, I signed the contract. I'm a new homeowner and Stephanie was great in acknowledging all my new homeowner concerns. Susan was great to work with: planning out the kitchen, keeping the feel of my house into the new kitchen. I had them do a total kitchen remodel: taking down a wall, expanding out the kitchen floor plan. The only thing I kept were my major appliances. Alex and his crew are beyond fabulous. Alex is so meticulous, constantly checked in with me during the entire process to make sure I understood what was happening, what was coming up, and if I was happy with the current state. Alex was always available for questions/concerns. From beginning, during, and to the end it was Alex and his crew. I never felt like they were working on another project. The kitchen was completed on time and if there were any hiccups, I didn't know about it. There wasn't any hidden costs or additional costs at the end. Definitely recommend them for any home project.

Renova Builders recently painted our house and back house. For the week and a half they were…read moreworking on the house, we barely even knew they were there. We've used Renova in the past and have recommended to friends and neighbors and would do so again.

We had a rain water leak from a slate covered outdoor atrium into the master closet and a crawl…read morespace area below. Previous attempts by others to patch up possible water entry points were unsuccessful. US Accurate Construction reconstructed the atrium floor from the joists up. They even used 2 layers of water entry prevention with a hot mop and a roofing membrane above it. They flooded and tested the atrium before re-installing the slates and everything was good. They also timed the project so it was completed on time, since we leaving for a long overseas vacation.Fred explained the steps of the project thoroughly before starting, as well as any changes needed along the process. Both he and Jose were readily available to answer questions/concerns. The crew was friendly, considerate and hard working. The finished product looks great and we look forward to a leak free El Nino winter! Services General construction, Tile work installation

We had a great experience with Fred and his team. We took on a sizable remodel--replacing all three…read morebathrooms, the kitchen, and flooring throughout, as well as removing several walls and adding a load-bearing beam to create a more open-concept space. The project turned out beautifully, and we couldn't be happier with our home. The quality of the work and attention to detail were excellent, and Fred and his team kept everything on schedule-even as we added to the scope along the way. They were flexible, responsive, and easy to work with throughout the entire process. Taking on a renovation of this size can be overwhelming, and we really appreciated how smoothly they kept things moving. We would absolutely recommend Fred and his team!

It is rare to find a contractor who is as skilled, dependable, and genuinely personable as Rafael…read moreat RAXE Construction. We hired RAXE for a full remodel of two bathrooms because simple cosmetic fixes weren't going to cut it. We needed major electrical updates, rewiring, custom tile installation, and new countertops. Working with Rafael felt like a true collaboration. He listened to our vision for a spacious, luxury walk-in shower, gave great feedback on layout and fixture lighting, and worked within our budget without compromising on materials or build quality. The crew was hardworking, dedicated, and just plain fun to work with every day. What really set RAXE apart was their responsiveness. When our water heater gave out mid-project and began flooding the garage, Rafael came right over to the rescue. His solution to install a tankless water heater not only solved the crisis, but optimized our layout so well that we were able to add a second laundry setup and utility sink. We kept adding to the project because of how easy and transparent Rafael made the process. Five stars all day long!

After getting a few quotes I decided to hire Raxe construction to remodel my bathroom. 1st of all,…read morevery nice professional owner and workers. They did an excellent job, within the timeframe quoted and actually went above and beyond to make sure the quality of fixtures was for long term use. They remodeled the shower enclosure and flooring/baseboards. In doing so, they repaired plumbing issues and installed waterproof products.

We met Gable last summer thru a call and referral. He came over to see our bathroom which was a…read moremess in a a complete remodel phase from floor to ceiling, tiny, and a hole in the floor from our contractor not knowing how to finish a curbeless shower and do what we wanted. After months of patiently waiting on a solution, we met Gable and he and his crew knew exactly what we wanted and how to move forward. They handled it, in a timely, professional manner, caring about what we were going thru and giving us a finish date with permits handled and Andrew the project manger helping us. Francisco the tile expert, doing the tile work. We picked out what we wanted from Floor and Decor in Pleasant Hill, they handled the project from that point on and did an amazing job. Each day they told us what was happening next and cleaned up the days work you could not even tell they had made a project that day...Everything turned out how we described it to them, it was done in Jan. 2026 and by Feb. 1 a month later, we had a new beautiful tiny bathroom, I would recommend Gable and his team for any remodel. I feel they are honest, professional and have all their credentials. TThey answer when you call, and return texts, they are also very enjoyable and have the best solutions to problems that you think can't be fixed, they turned our mess around and took complete control of what mess we were in from our contractor not knowing, I cannot say enough great things about GABLE PAYNE and his team. We will definitely be forever grateful and will call them again when we need help. I give them 10 stars. If honesty, timelines, reliable, professional, great work start to finish is important to you give Gable and his team a call, they won't let you down. Its hard to find a crew who cares as much as this family owned business does.

Warning: DO NOT HIRE this company for any home improvement work. The owner, Gable Payne, presents…read morehimself as licensed and advertises as such. His CONTRACTOR LICENSE WAS REVOKED in February 2025 but his contract paperwork as of June 2025 still had his license number on it. His company asked for more money than agreed and was very late on the agreed timeline. Check the Contractors State Licensing Board for more details: https://www2.cslb.ca.gov/OnlineServices/checklicenseII/LicenseDetail.aspx?LicNum=1048159 . The specific violations of the complaint are: Departed from trade standards, Exceeded contract amount, Violated provisions of the home improvement contract, No home improvement label on the contract, No statement about excessive down payment, License name style variation, No business name, Violated provisions of the home improvement contract, Contr has recvd/reqstd more money than work completed. All of which, from our personal experience, we can believe to be true. To add to this, several of Gable's subcontractors stated that Gable did not pay them on time, or at all. Buyer beware!