As an architect, I've always enjoyed working with Ernesto and his crew. He's reliable,…read moreconscientious and a pleasure to work with. He also does quality work. Thanks Ernesto!

Ernesto and his crew did a home addition for us. They are great workers, polite, considerate, and…read morecare a lot about quality craftsmanship. They show up on time and clean every day. My only complaint is you should be prepared to do some of the project management yourself and sometimes they grumble a lot about prices. But I'd definitely hire them again!

Our HOA has used Pederson Construction on our 3-unit San Francisco residential building for various…read moreproject for over 5 years. Services have included exterior rebuilds, waterproofing, roofing, rooftop decking and plumbing adjustments to optimize drainage. Pederson Construction stands our for their quick work, accurate quotes and very fine attention to details. They hold themselves to high standards, and all of their work has exceeded our expectations. In the processes of waterproofing, roofing and re-decking our rooftop patio, they realized that the original location of the drain was not optimized. While we thought this would be a big, disruptive process to move the drain, Pederson construction brought together the necessary plumbing and drywall talent to quickly complete this adjustment with minimal disruption. There can always be unexpected issues with any construction project, but Pederson has repeatedly proven they can quickly and efficiently address issues to get the project done right. Our building suffered leaks that we attempted to patch up for years. But once Pederson did the job right, our building has remained waterproofed for over 5 years. Highly recommended.

Elliot has worked on several large projects for us this year and we have been so happy from the…read moreinitial bid to the completed projects. We first hired him to remove our ugly old metal banister and design, create and install a new banister and it is absolutely beautiful. It is a perfect fit to our house and looks like it always should have been there. We were so happy with his craftsmanship that we hired him for another project. He built a bench seat for our breakfast nook. He took great care to make sure it matched perfectly with our kitchen cabinets. We also had him remove our picture windows from our kitchen eating area and install gorgeous La Cantina Doors that open to our deck. His work was flawless and we are really impressed with all the work he has done and the beautiful transformation he has made to our home in such a short time.

A windstorm dropped a tree on my deck, pretty much totaling it. I had plans drawn up for a new deck…read morewhich included some improvements over the original and set about choosing a contractor for the implementation. The bids I got from contractors varied quite a bit. I selected Briscoe Construction for this project based on a personal recommendation despite their higher bid because I wanted the deck to look like part of the house (rather than a flimsy add-on as many do) and last as long as I own the house. I also wanted a railing option that would maximize the view. This was a fairly complicated project (a wrap-around multi-level deck with stairs) so communication was key. I'm sure I wasn't the easiest client to work with because I was pretty nervous and always wanted to consider all the options, but Steve was patient and held my hand throughout the entire process from choosing decking material to final inspection. I really appreciated that Steve does everything legally and ethically, paying his crew well and providing them benefits. This really showed as they were highly professional and took obvious pride in their work. As with any major undertaking things didn't always go exactly as expected, but Steve always explained any variances, gave me options for handling them, and produced clear invoices showing exactly where my money was going. The end result is a high-quality beautiful deck (see image) that is a vast improvement on the previous deck. Seven years down the road it is showing only minimal signs of wear. I'm very glad I went with Briscoe Construction and I recommend them highly. Quality-conscious clients will be pleased with the results.

First of all, I admit to being naive. Nevertheless, taking advantage of your customer is bad…read morebusiness practice. I've waited a few years to write this review. I would like to begin with advice on contractors. I wish I'd known what I know now. NEVER pay a contractor by the hour. If there is a contract in place, the contractor must honor it. If a job isn't done correctly and more hours need to be spent, he is responsible; not the customer. This contractor would use the "it's pay day and I have to pay my guys," routine. Do not fall for it. Pay a deposit and then pay the rest when the job is completed to your satisfaction. If you must, pay in three parts but no more. Do not pay more than the contract states! You are not responsible for the contractor's miscalculations. As in any business, a contractual agreement is legally binding. I wish I'd known that. Always insist that a county inspector examine the work. Do not be talked out of it. If something is wrong, you loose your leverage. Our job ran over by 50 per cent. We are still paying off the excess charges on the loan. The kitchen light still does not work correctly, the board around the dish washer still falls off. We were told it was a "difficult" electrical situation. Not true. When we had another contractor look at it, he told us it was "standard." When I told him how much it cost, he was appalled. He told me straight up to never pay for additional hours. The financial sting still hurts. But worse, I feel I was taken advantage of by someone I trusted. I guess P.T. Barnum was right:" There's a sucker born every minute."

Douglas Hamar has worked on our house on multiple occasions for reinforcing walls, pillar/posts,…read moreseismic upgrades, creating a new stair banister and making it work in a small space, taking care of dry rot and multiple other jobs. Our experience has been great. Initial quotes are reasonable and anything that comes up making the quotes go up or come down and how long the work will take is explained very clearly so there are no surprises. I would recommend Hamar Construction for big and small work.

As a company we've been using Mick and his crew for many years, he handles all of our roofing…read moreacross the board with a perfection that's unmatched. He's worked directly with our clients picking out styles and finding exactly what's right within their budget. Mick is prompt, professional and offers his services at an extremely reasonable price, our company would recommend him to any individual looking for a roofer or any other contractor that needs a professional that lives up to their companies standards.

Mickey did a great job on my clients flip project in Santa Clara this year.read more

AJ was referred to me from my realtor. I hired him for a full house renovation, and the entire…read moreexperience was exceptional from beginning to end. Taking on a full house renovation can feel overwhelming, but his professionalism, organization and communication made the process smooth. What really set him apart was his problem-solving and guidance. He offered smart design suggestions, handled unexpected challenges without hesitation, and always made sure to explain options before moving forward. He gave me great suggestions for my bathroom renovations. He suggested a floating toilet and figured a way to add a stand alone shower and bathtub in my small primary bathroom. He also collaborated with me in designing my powder room, and gave me exactly what I was looking for. Most importantly, AJ enjoys his job, takes pride in his work, and enjoys working with his clients . He's patient and answered my never ending questions and always explained what was happening. I'm so happy with the transformation of my house and to find a contractor that is trustworthy, reliable, and knowledgeable.

Revitalize Bay Area Builders came by today to estimate on patching a sizable hole in some drywall…read morein my house. He gave me a fair quote that I accepted, and, to my surprise, he started fixing the wall right then! He is professional, prices are fair and his work is quality. He was also helpful with options for me to try before he quoted on another project that could potentially be costly. Very honest. I highly recommend this company.

Les is a true craftsman and an all-around great guy. We are very happy with the work he has done…read moreon our kitchen remodel, custom shoe benches and more. We have an old Victorian and often find unwelcome surprises when doing repairs and maintenance. Les is very experienced with older homes and has quite an arsenal of creative solutions for dealing with construction irregularities to make things structurally sound and aesthetically beautiful. He is quick with a good story and we feel we have made a friend, not just a business contact.

If you're looking for a contractor who comes in, quotes rock bottom prices but charges you extra…read morefor every little deviation or snafu that might come up, rushes through the job, and makes you feel like any additional discussion is an imposition, then you're not looking for Les. If, however, you're looking for a contractor who charges reasonable rates, checks with you every step of the project, actively seeks input and feedback, works on every detail until it's pretty much perfect, and even takes care of other little odds & ends around the house without big drama, then you've come to the right place. A few months ago, I decided that my half-bath (aka "powder room") really needed to look less like a contractor's special from the 80's (uneven brown-grouted white tile floor, a toilet that needed a plunger more often than not, an unframed chipped mirror, different textures on different walls, and a vanity that left a 6" gap between it and the wall on one side), and more like a mini-sanctuary for guests. I bought most of the supplies (vanity, sink, faucet, countertop, mirror, toilet, tile, moulding, paint, etc), and was looking for someone to help make the dream a reality. I first turned to Yelp (yay Yelp!), but found that many of the highly rated guys near me were either booked well into the future, weren't that interested in a job this annoying and comparatively small (4x8' room, lots of 1/2-day tasks with wait times for drying, etc), or didn't actually have their contractor's license. If someone's going to be spending 2-3 weeks coming in & out of my house without me around, it's good to know that they have insurance and have to answer to the contractor's board. Enter Les. I met Les in casual carpool (yay Bay Area!), where he mentioned he was going into the city to quote a job. I asked him for a flyer, and decided to see what he had to say. Les was prompt (not just when providing the quote, but for every meeting after that, as well), friendly, courteous, listened to what I had to say, made suggestions and provided input on what would work and what some of the trade-offs might be, and came in a smidge lower, quote-wise, than two of my other quotes (but higher than one, who'd quoted without seeing the space). Our planned start time ended up being delayed a month (he had another job that took a little longer than expected, then the holidays were upon us), but once he got going, he was here every day making progress... and we talked about the project almost every night. For the most part, the project went quite smoothly -- it completed within his estimated timeframe (2-3 weeks). The one snafu -- I came home after he'd finished grouting the new tile. It looked not-great. Not horrible, but not good, either -- and partly probably my fault. I'd bought epoxy grout from Home Depot (never needs sealing), but the stuff apparently just did NOT want to behave properly. Stuck to the tile, wouldn't stay in the grooves, and the end result just didn't look quite right. I gave Les a call, and said "um, about the grout..." and he said "yeah, I don't like it either". The next day, he pulled it all out, and put in the good-old-traditional stuff. Much, much better, and no additional $$$. The last task for the bathroom was to hang the mirror, and he wanted to make sure it went exactly where I wanted it. Rather than expecting me to take a day off work (or arrange to work from home), he came by on a Saturday, and we finished hanging the mirror together. This little bathroom has now become my favorite room in the house.

Home renovation is not as easy as it looks like it is on popular tv shows, and finding the right…read morecontractor to trust is even harder. Thankfully my fiance and I got a referral to Victor and his team at Castro Home Builders. Victor had attentiveness to detail from understanding our scope of work, meeting at the site for a walkthrough, and ultimately providing a thoughtful bid. He was always responsive via phone call, email or text. Though we decided eventually to go with another general contractor, we had them as a top contender and will plan to use them should our project turn south with our selected GC.

Victor and his team completed a full remodel of our home, essentially taking it down to the studs…read more The project was completed in about nine months, which I felt was very reasonable, and overall, I was initially happy with the work. In fact, I was comfortable enough with the experience that I recommended Victor to friends and family. Unfortunately, about two years later, we began experiencing recurring mold on the baseboards in our master bathroom, along with water damage to the wall outside the shower. Victor was quick to come out and repair the wall and replace the baseboards, but the problem continued to come back. Eventually, we had another contractor inspect the bathroom, and we discovered that the entire master bathroom subfloor was wet, moldy, and damaged in multiple areas. I brought the inspection and video evidence to Victor, but I was disappointed by his response. Rather than taking responsibility for investigating the underlying issue, he suggested that we had punctured a pipe behind the shower, which was not the case. After further investigation, we learned that the shower waterproofing had been improperly installed. Holes had been drilled through the waterproofing membrane of the shower pan to secure it, allowing water to leak through and eventually cause significant damage to the subfloor. Fortunately, his insurance company came out and inspected as well and found it to be faulty installation, and reimbursed us for the cost of correcting the damage (over $20K). While I understand sometimes mistakes do happen, I found it very disheartening that he would not take responsibility for the damage which made the entire process of redoing the bathroom quite a headache.