Jim Gardner Construction

(42 reviews)

We had an unpermitted sunroom that was improperly supported. Darren was very professional,…read moreknowledgeable, and responsive. Ignacio did the work for the project, and he is extremely good at what he does and a very hard worker. I am very happy that at least one of our walls is properly supported by a concrete foundation and our sunroom is properly supported from below.

Golden Bay Foundation Builders has been excellent throughout my entire foundation repair and…read moreretrofit process. Our home required a few horizontal cracks patched, and a section of the foundation replaced. We also did a complete retrofit in the process. Darren the project manager has been very communicative throughout and just an overall joy to work with. Special mention to Kyndell who assisted with the inspection process to make sure everything passed. I would definitely recommend this company to any one looking for foundation work!

Foundation Solutions

4.8

(166 reviews)

We just moved to a century old home and knowing that the foundation needed work, we called…read moreFoundation Solutions. We had worked with them in the past on our previous home when it had settling issues and didn't hesitate to reach out to them this time around. Bret Everling (Product Manager) was exceptional in his efforts to meet out needs, answer questions and provide prompt follow up whenever we reached out. I never felt rushed in the process and he and the administrative team were very accommodating throughout. The team that came out to do the work arrived on time and were very efficient. The senior foreman, Humberto, did a great job communicating every step along the way. He and his team, Andrew and Orlando, were all very professional and were careful to minimize any disruption. When the work was complete, Humberto provided a very thorough summary of the work completed. All in all, I feel very confident with the work performed and would highly recommend them for any foundation repair.

The foundation of my father's home in Concord was sinking, and we hired Foundation Solutions to…read moreremediate the issue. From start to finish, our experience was outstanding. This is an exceptionally well-managed company, and every step of the process was handled professionally and efficiently. We obtained three bids, and Foundation Solutions was by far the easiest and most competent company to work with. They were willing to work with us on their proposal, and throughout the entire project they demonstrated honesty, integrity, and a commitment to doing things the right way. They use Ram Jack which was minimally invasive. They truly run their organization like a well-oiled machine. Our project manager, Brett Everling, was excellent. He kept us informed every step of the way, from the project planning to the city permits and construction schedule. Communication was outstanding, and everything proceeded exactly as promised (and even a little ahead of schedule). For a project of this size and complexity, it's remarkable that everything went so smoothly. The Foundation Solutions crew was punctual, hardworking, and incredibly diligent. They hand-dug the excavation areas, which was no small task, and they treated the property with care. The amount of concrete that needed to be removed was kept to a minimum, and the concrete repairs afterward were done nicely. We did have one issue with the sprinkler system after it was reassembled, but Foundation Solutions responded quickly and resolved it without hesitation. That level of customer service reinforced that we had chosen the right company.

Groundworks

4.5

(483 reviews)

Part one of a two part foundation project Recently we had…read moreour house foundation repaired by Groundworks out of Fairfield. One bedroom had sunk by almost 5 inches as that part of the house had been built on fill. In order to restore the house to it's proper level numerous foundation jacks and floor leveling screw jacks were required. In addition some landscaping bushes and pvc sprinkler pipes had to temporarily removed. Groundworks had informed me prior to starting work what would be required to successfully complete this project and had my full approval. The house is now level, the doors no longer swing on their own and the interior cracks between the walls and ceiling joints no longer exist. Prior to the crew leaving the yard was cleaned up and the pvc pipes replaced. Best of all Groundworks will come back annually to the next 5 years and make any necessary adjustments. The Groundworks crew that made this happen was Andrew, the site supervisor, Charlie and Allen. Their performance and daily communication was superior on all levels. This is part 2. The Groundworks Poly crew of Anthony & Brian were very fast and efficient in completing their part of the foundation repair contract which was to level our family room slab floor. Fast, yes, but Anthony did take the time to not only explain what they were going to do but also walked me through the process as they were working. I have no problem in recommending them & Groundworks to other home owners who need to have their foundation repaired.

I spent approximately $30,000 with Groundworks, and I deeply regret hiring them…read more I called Groundworks for one reason: contractors working on my floors noticed a slope and told me the beams underneath my house needed to be stabilized before they could continue. Groundworks assessed my crawl space and recommended a system they represented would address the problem. I relied on their expertise. That is the ONLY reason I agreed to spend approximately $30,000. When the project was about 80% complete, Groundworks suddenly told me I needed to call a carpenter. They did not explain that there was significant dry rot underneath my home or that the condition of the wood needed to be addressed before the work they were performing. I learned that later, after hiring an independent home inspector. By then, Groundworks had already been working throughout the same crawl space installing stabilization and encapsulation. My inspector identified significant dry rot and explained that it needed to be addressed first. Had I known that before Groundworks performed approximately $30,000 worth of work, I would NEVER have moved forward with their recommended system before addressing the underlying damage. And here is the worst part: THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. The slope remains and appears to have increased since their work was completed. I am now facing additional repairs and expenses, and some of Groundworks' work may have to be undone or worked around to properly repair the underlying damage. The encapsulation has also been problematic. It was supposed to help keep my crawl space dry, but it was not properly secured, leaving openings that allowed rodents into my crawl space. I also later learned that the dehumidification equipment installed did not cover the entire crawl space as I understood it was supposed to. Then there is the customer service. Once they had my money, getting meaningful help became incredibly difficult. I have contacted corporate and have gone more than a month without a meaningful response. If Chris is assigned to your project, based on my experience, I would be extremely cautious. My advice before hiring Groundworks: GET AN INDEPENDENT INSPECTION FIRST. Do not rely solely on the assessment of the company selling you the system. Get everything in writing and ask specifically whether anything underneath your home needs to be repaired before their system is installed. I trusted Groundworks to identify the problem and recommend a solution. Approximately $30,000 later, my original problem remains, the slope appears worse, I discovered significant dry rot that should have been addressed first, I am facing additional repairs, the encapsulation allowed rodent access, and corporate has been unresponsive. I would NEVER recommend Groundworks based on my experience. $30,000 spent. Original problem unresolved. More repairs ahead. That speaks for itself.

All Seasons Construction

(79 reviews)

I had 5 estimates to raise the front of my house 2-inches (leveling) onto an existing solid…read morefooting. I was not as concerned about price as how the work leveling would be accomplished. All Season was the only one that offered a straight forward solution. As there were many unknowns, they offer a "time and material" bid with a max not to exceed. They did a 5-star job with much attention to detail. Set up inside laser level to make sure I was happy with the result. I will be calling them first when I do leveling on the back half of the house. Project came in at less than 1/3 of the max estimate. Super professional.

They did a fabulous job on our French drains. Crew and Jeremy were great and everything was done…read moreon time. Very good at explaining what the problems were and how they would fix them. I highly recommend them.

Foundation Repair of CA

4.1

(413 reviews)

We got our back patio leveled and some cracks filled in...Made a significant difference for a good…read moreprice! Looks much better and water doesn't pool up anymore... I can't remember the names of the 2 men that performed this repair ( it was several months ago), but they were great. I highly recommend.

Foundation Repair of CA (FRC) is the most disreputable, dishonest company I've ever encountered. I…read morehired them because I didn't want to hire the lowest bidder for a change, and I regret it. I wouldn't sign the contract when told I'd have to do my own masonry repair until sales agent Jesse Marquez showed me FRC corporate material that indicated the brick facade would be removed with a masonry saw, in an approximate 2x2' square. That was false and deceptive advertising. This is what they did to my house. No masonry saw was used, only impact drills, which act as small jackhammers. FRC significantly damaged the entire brick facade, adjacent areas showed extensive cracking, entire areas had the brick facade knocked completely off the house, and the wall foundation was separated from the brick wall entirely. I told the work crew, headed by Luis, to stop using impact wrenches on the bricks immediately, then told them TWICE. Not only did they not stop, despite direct STOP work orders, they then took all of the bricks they'd destroyed, which legally is theft, called conveyance. Jesse Marquez explained that the bricks were so old they'd shattered. Luis returned the bricks after Jesse Marquez called, ignoring my several phone calls and texts. Jesse texted that the bricks were so old they'd shattered. Luis returned them, none were shattered, all were broken by the impact drills. Luis confirmed, texting that the bricks were "broken". They took the bricks to hide the damage. The day FRC received my Contractor's State Licensing Board complaint, FRC messaged that someone would come to assess the damage for repairs, and FRC would repair the masonry they'd destroyed. They first sent Robert Pagan, who acknowledged both that there were no masonry saw marks, and that the damage was excessive. According to FRC, Jesse stated Robert hadn't said this. It wasn't until I pointed out he'd said it while standing in front of a Ring camera did that lie die. FRC then sent Troy Knight, who acknowledged the same, and stated he was there to help, and would see that the masonry was repaired and more. I have several texts, voicemails and emails from FRC stating they will complete the job. They never did. FRC employee Mike Crites was sent to perform the repairs. He returned the following week with the wrong sized bricks in the wrong color, and proceeded to do more damage. This is the work that they did. FRC employee Mike Crites initially stated that he had retired as a mason, he later revised that statement, saying he'd only worked with pavers and concrete. The work performed was so substandard, FRC sent Jovincio, who was the only honest person in my entire dealings with FRC. Jovencio said he wasn't a mason, but had "some training". Jovencio replaced the work done by Mike Crites. This is Mike's effort, and Jovincio's replacement work. The work performed is clearly substandard and unacceptable. FRC acknowledged the workers sent lacked the skills, training and necessary certifications to perform masonry repairs. When I requested that FRC send a mason, and included photos of the work, FRC responded that they'd done me a favor; the workers sent were a courtesy. The very clause they'd ignored (and invalidated) by removing the bricks was cited. That they would do no more, leaving me with the bill for their damage. This is what they left. I obtained a second quote to repair the deficient masonry 'work' FRC workers had done - without a REQUIRED permit, with no mortar pins, odd-sized and broken bricks mortared in randomly, mortar lines that range from non-existent to more than an inch. Crites' also removed the brick facade foundation in several sections, replacing it with sloppy concrete. This is a code-violating 'repair' that is neither plumb nor square. The legitimate mason company from whom I obtained a repair quote updated the quote, which has nearly doubled BECAUSE of the 'repairs' performed by the unqualified FRC employees. FRC called this doing me a favor, saying the inept crew was sent as a 'courtesy'. This is not doing me a favor, this is not a courtesy, this is at best fraud. After signing the contract (under false pretenses), Jesse insisted I needed an additional pier ($3,155) because piers can no longer be placed under a window. A pier was placed under the window. Two other piers were not placed according to the county approved structural engineering ($1,850) diagram. Half the piers were installed in the wrong places, apparently according to Luis' whims. Yesterday Groundworks gave an estimate on properly placing those piers. That's how I learned that the improperly placed piers had lifted a joist completely off its foundation supports. This, too, will require additional expense to correct, before it damages my house - literally to the roof. I should have stuck with Groundworks. This is your cautionary tale - no one who values integrity, ESPECIALLY senior women, shouldn't hire FRC.

Perma Level

(27 reviews)

I can't say enough good things about the work that was done and the great people who did the work…read moreon leveling my home. Levi Sanchez made the process seamless in its execution and follow through. Francisco paid close attention to every detail along the way. The whole process was fascinating. Never have I have any work done on my house where the workers left the place cleaner and more picked up than it was when they arrived. And things looked pretty darn good when they got here. I told them they made the neatest mess. Even the stones along where they dug down for the project were replaced better than I had arranged them. I could go on and on ... Considering how everything went so smoothly before during and after the construction, I don't think I could beat the service and value that I received. I passed Perma Level's info on yesterday to my handyman who sent it to a client of his who may give you all a call. Thank you for a great experience overall.

We hired the PermaLevel Team to level and stabilize our 3 story, 87 year old home foundation. They…read morewere very professional and easy to talk to. I had no doubt that our home was in competent hands. The workers worked very hard for about 18 days. We had 33 push piers in total. Francisco took the time to show me how the push piers worked and shared with us all the steps. Both Levi and Francisco were patient in answering all of our questions. The team was thoughtful and showed up on time every day. They secured our home when they left for the day. Our home is noticeably level now. To add, they were priced fair. The icing on the cake is when they mailed me the certification that the construction done meets all the structural requirements for structural pier placements and copies of all the pier logs and their measurements all nicely put in a folder for our records. We are all set for the roof top deck now! Thank you Levi Sanchez and Francisco for a job well done.

Xalos Foundation Support

(40 reviews)

Go visit my Google review where I give details to the excellent experience we had with our…read morefoundation lift here in Petaluma, CA. They exceeded my expectations and left the home level and clean. I checked several companies before I chose Xalos for our work. Good people, skilled crews, friendly hardworking, knowledgeable. The company has a family vibe to their business.

We hired Xalos to repair a section of spalling concrete on the outside of our crawlspace. Andy did…read morea great job explaining exactly what their approach would be and provided a reasonable estimate. Work was scheduled easily and completed quickly and thoroughly. Great experience from start to finish.

NAB Construction

(38 reviews)

We had a great experience NAB Construction! Our pickleball court had broken concrete on one end,…read moreand was too short on the other. NAB removed all the bad concrete and replaced it with pavers, and on the other side of the court, they added 5 feet of concrete where we had lawn, as well as adding to our existing retaining wall. After the pavers were installed, I noticed something not to my preference with the paver layout. I contacted Nick, our site manager from NAB, and he was very responsive, and arranged for Nate (the company president) to come out right away and discuss the matter, which was resolved that same day to my complete satisfaction. Nick also was happy to arrange for a few other small tasks related to bricks and concrete on our property to be taken care of, and they were - at no added cost. NAB construction was not the lowest bid we got for this work, but I have learned the hard way that going with the lowest price is not always a great idea, and I am glad I went with NAB for this project. I'm very satisfied with the results of this project, and would not hesitate to recommend NAB construction to others.

We got a new driveway with pavers installed back in 2023. It turned out great and we enjoyed…read moreworking with the owner Nate. We wanted a walkway installed so we went back but this time we dealt with someone by the name of Nick Vard. He was very unprofessional and used the terms "outside the scope of work" and asked us to make a "commitment" several times. I went to Brickyard on a Saturday at 8AM per the direction of Nick but when I called him about our selection he never called me back. He blamed us and said they lost money on the job because it took longer than expected. He tried to convince me to use a brick I did not like. And the biggest disappointment was the drainage that they left unfinished. We spent almost $10k but we feel like the job is incomplete. Wish we could recommend them but if they continue working with Nick Vard you should stay away.

Avant-Garde

(64 reviews)

this is the second home we have had do the seismic retrofit for in the past 10 years and both were…read moredone by Matthew Gatterman and Avant Garde, he has done over 3000 of these retrofit upgrades since we first used his service extremely professionally and knowledgeable and the only contractor that took the time in the crawl space to do a complete assessment, his crew, David, Josh,Jose and Matthew were prompt and took the time to prepare a dust tunnel and the process was both clean to code, The building inspector even commented about how thorough and complete the job was done! Highly recommend this company!

Excellent experience with EBB program. I requested 3 inspections before picking a contractor- of…read morethem Avant Garde did the most thorough inspection and also offered the most competitive price. (Note however that they provide a rough initial emailed estimate based on house info like sq footage- for an in person inspection there is a fee, but it is credited towards the final cost if you go with them. They do an extra thorough inspection and provide full documentation so in my experience it is worth it even if you don't go with them.) Other free inspection contractors by contrast ran through quickly and provided few to little details on the actual reinforcement plan. My crawlspace had a section of perimeter foundation that was blocked by concrete and required drilling a hole to properly reinforce- none of the other contractors noted this. Avant Garde not only noticed this but also did not charge extra for it. After the work they worked quickly with us on the documentation to get us our grant check. I did crawl the crawlspace just to inspect the work and it was done neatly and the area was left clean. Very happy with the experience and would not hesitate to recommend.

E&F Construction Services

(154 reviews)

We used E&F for a bathroom remodel. They did a fantastic job on a job that was not easy. This…read morebathroom had not been remodeled in over 70 years. Yes, 70 years. Everything needed to be torn down and replaced. The wiring was old. The plumbing was leaking. And the flooring needed to be completely replaced. They produced an estimate. And came in on budget. They gave a time frame. And finished on time. I'm not sure what more you could want in a contractor. We will use them again!

The Great (+2 stars) ==========…read more * The structural work: Our home is on a great, new, solid foundation (with shear walls), so we feel as safe as we can be in our home for an earthquake! * Our basement is also now more usable. * Drainage: There is now drainage around the foundation and under the basement slab, so we are no longer worried about our basement flooding! * The working crew were very friendly and considerate. The Bad (-1 star): ========== * The electrical subcontractor was quite bad. The electricians didn't install the dryer outlet properly (one conductor came loose before I first used it), most outlets they installed are loose (they give when pushing in a plug), and they installed a used, old (not LED compatible) dimmer for the LED lights they installed. Also, the owner yelled at his team a lot. * The plumbing subcontractor was bad, too. They misdrilled several holes, damaging the interior of the home. They didn't seal around exterior penetrations into the house. They didn't put a cover over the branch of a wye that was no longer needed. They wouldn't do anything about the loss of hot water pressure in a bathroom faucet that occurred after they moved some plumbing around (I ended up having to disconnect and disassemble the hot water valve myself and I found a piece of silicone clogged in there). They over-glued the drain of the laundry supply box making it nearly impossible to remove the cap, and they lost the o-rings on my faucet aerator. The Ugly (-2 stars): ========== * They overlooked details in the plans about where walls and doors should go, and denied responsibility since they weren't in the structural engineer's plans, which they opted to not have updated with the revisions I told them about. This lead to a sewer pipe being installed in an inconvenient location (it went through the foundation, so it can't be moved), a structural wall that was almost built in the wrong place (I caught it while they were digging the footing), and a room that was built with no doorway (they had to cut some framing to make the opening). * The pricing/scope was negligent at best, but I'd put it closer to misleading or deceptive. During the initial visits, they talked about all the things they would do (including putting up framing, drywall, and insulation), and then sent over an estimate that I accepted. I didn't realize until halfway through the project that the estimate didn't include many of the things they talked about (including the framing, drywall, and insulation); those apparently would be part of "Phase 2," not included in the price of the first estimate. I had chosen E&F over another estimate that was less expensive even though it did explicitly contain the "additional" scope. I was also surprised that the electrical and plumbing (most of which was necessary to get them out of the way for the structural work) was billed separately; i.e., an unexpected additional expense. * They chose to rebuild a segment of stairs (rather than just adding two steps at the bottom, per the plans), which ended up having insufficient clearance with an overhang halfway down. They tried to convince me there was no new problem because they built them the same as before (but the run of the new stairs was one inch longer, causing the 4th step down to be 4 inches closer to the overhang) and resisted remedying the issue. They just ended up taking a sawzall to trim the overhang -- a joist -- which I just have to hope doesn't compromise any structural integrity! Further, they didn't even finish the stairs (sand and seal); "Test your staining skills," they said. * They ghosted before Phase 2. As the structural work was reaching completion, we were going back and forth on scope for Phase 2. However, when the structural work was actually completed, they just stopped communicating, left dirt and demo debris they left on our driveway for a month, then disappeared. There were lots of things they removed to get out of the way (like several segments of fence) but didn't put back. I could easily add 3x more issues and details, but this review is already too long.

Bay Area Deck Restoration

(51 reviews)

We are super happy with our newly refinished deck. The entire process with Rolando was a pleasure…read more He is a clear communicator, very responsive and organized, and offers a reasonable price. Highly recommend !!

We needed our old, dangerous deck replaced. Rolando responded quickly, gave us an honest estimate…read moreand time frame for completion. Within the week, he and his team came, demolished and hauled away the old deck boards, placed a temporary path, and started puting down underlayment. Next came the new deck boards. Rolando suggested an improved layout which actually made the deck look better. He even accommodated my unusual request to place a planting hole in the deck. We discovered he also does tile work and because the deck project went so well, we had Rolando and his team tile our half bath and the master bath. Came out beautiful! All within budget.

Oakland Sidewalks

5.0

(5 reviews)

I contacted Larry for a quote of fixing our sidewalk in Oakland, he was professionally checked it…read moreout within a day and gave me a precise cost estimate and the materials he used! But our old owner of our house already fixed it before we can hire Larry , I still want to give a shout out for his professionalism and no doubt will contact him again later on.

Larry was responsive, professional and quick; they took care of everything and his team did high…read morequality work!

Diamond's Concrete Construction

(39 reviews)

Taumani did an amazing job! We are very happy to have a driveway now to park in a very busy…read moreneighborhood. He uncovered a pipe during his work and was very flexible and accommodating to how we should address it. He was very responsive and easy to communicate with throughout the process. It's been over 6 months and it's still looking great. I'd highly recommend him for any concrete needs!

Great local company. Easy to work with. Definitely recommend…read more They just completed my driveway and front patio. I'm very pleased with the results.

Geovanni Handyman

(20 reviews)

I have nothing but great things to say about Marvin & his worker. They arrived on time & are…read moreefficient & professional. I had many items to tick off including installation of a very log shade on a huge window up about 9-10 feet, multiple light bulbs even higher up, outside flood lights 2 stories up, as well as a fascia repair under our back sliding door (incl priming & painting), and lastly fixing a fairly large dry wall patch in the garage ceiling. Marvin knocked off each of the projects professionally w quality work. He came out a few days earlier to see what needed to be done so he could give me a reasoned quote instead of other site unseen quotes I got from unsolicited handymen on Yelp. I would highly recommend Marvin as not only is he professional doing quality work he is also a very personable guy & that is important as well when you have a contractor in your home. A pleasure doing business with him & I will be working with him in the future.

I can't say enough good things about Marvin and the work he does. Marvin has done a number of large…read moreand small projects at our house, including: - window installation - wall stucco, insulation, and painting - dry wall repair - outdoor wood fencing - custom wood screen doors Marvin's work is extremely high quality, but more than that, he is an extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly person to work with.

Elite Roofing & Waterproofing

4.2

(49 reviews)

This review is definitely long overdue. I reached out to Elite over the summer to help with a few…read moreresealing projects around my house, including a leaking window and an air gap issue with one of our sliding doors. Juan handled the work and was excellent from start to finish. He was professional, clearly experienced, and made sure everything was properly sealed and taken care of. The work was completed within the timeframe that was originally given, and the results have held up great. There were a few minor hiccups when it came to confirming schedules as they came to quote but took a week to get a proposal and then another two weeks for an appointment, but honestly the quality of the work made it worth the wait. Overall, I'm really happy with how everything turned out and would definitely recommend Elite to anyone needing similar work done.

This review is long overdue. Elite was hired to waterproof a deck. The phone and email service…read morewere totally fine and the folks who came to assess the job were also great. The first time they finished the work, water was still pooling on the deck with some light rain. I complained, and they sent some folks over to redo the work. This second time they left the place pretty dirty, with painters tape half covered in waterproofing material which is still nearly impossible for me to remove. But the kicker? The work itself is still subpar. There's no primer under the paint they used on the door from the deck so it's peeling off. The water still leaks into the room below and I had to have someone else come and take a look at it. The edges of the work particularly where the deck meets the house were very poorly done. I'm disappointed that not only did they have to do the job twice, but the second time they left things so dirty, tape literally painted on, and never checked in or even had someone confirm with me the work was done. Having someone else come by has highlighted just how poorly this was handled. I wouldn't ever go back to these guys.

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Kyle R.

5 years ago

Jim Gardner Construction recently completed a project to replace my driveway, driveway bridge (wood structure under a driveway for a house like mine built on a downslope), waterproofing layer and driveway drain. I couldn't be happier with the end result. The quote was fair and the timeline appropriate. The craftsmanship and attention to detail of the finished project is fantastic. When the crew discovered more work was required than either Jim or I thought, Jim was more than fair in pricing the change order and worked diligently so that the project was still completed within the original timeline. Jim was also able to adroitly work around a problem when a vendor shipped him improper brackets. His crew was always polite, respectful of my neighbors and kept a clean worksite. I couldn't be happier with the end result and would wholeheartedly recommend Jim Gardner Construction to anyone looking at this type of project. read more

Margy W.

16 years ago

We needed extensive foundation and drainage work and French drains installed on both the uphill and downhill side of our home. Jim responded almost immediately to my initial call, quoted an acceptable rate, and began work on the agreed upon date. Despite additional work we had not expected, rebuilding our front porch and steps, Jim and his crew completed the job on time. He did an excellent job on the porch and steps, getting all the necessary permits and making them look better than before. Although the drainage and foundation work involved lots of dirt moving, the crew was neat and did regular cleanup and we had no dirt inside our home. Jim supervised the project throughout the day and at the end of the project we felt he and his crew had done an excellent job. We highly recommend him for any work one might need done. He is on top of things, highly ethical, and it is a pleasure to do work with him. read more

Christina B.

9 years ago

Jim Gardner, his right hand man Luis, and all his workers were top notch. Jim was prompt with his initial visit, gave an estimate of cost and time for the job (which in our situation was huge) and was able to make his estimate perfectly. We had some difficulty with a touchy neighbor and his men were very respectful and did what they could to meet the requests of the neighbor. Jim was always available by phone or email. He and his crew also went above and beyond the job, building us a new little fence, rebuilding a retaining wall that had to be taken down for the work, and fixing a gate that wasn't their responsibility at all. The job was very expensive but was within the range of bids I received from others. Given how hard they worked for 3 weeks straight, they earned every penny. read more

Sally T.

10 years ago

We have lived in the same Orinda ranch style house for 41 years and recently noticed a number of new cracks in our interior walls. We already knew that the soil expands and contracts between rainy and dry seasons but were concerned to know if anything serious was going on. Jim Gardner not only inspected underneath our house throughout the crawl space, but also the entire outside perimeter. He was a very good listener and he explained the difference between cosmetic and structural cracks. He reassured us that our concerns were not actionable and left without charging us for his inspection and expert consultation. Who does that? If and when we do need structural work on our property, we will call him. read more

R. H.

12 years ago

My wife and I hired Jim to build a small retaining wall in connection with a plumbing project on a hillside. The project was small and I'm guessing relatively insignificant to Jim based on its scope, but it was important to us--we needed the work done quickly and well to ensure the integrity of the hillside. Jim was extremely responsive and fit our project into his schedule, completing it very swiftly and coordinating with our plumber along the way. We were very impressed with the quality of the work and the time and care that Jim afforded our project. Jim had a very professional approach throughout. We would certainly hire him again. read more

Jeff K.

16 years ago

Jim Gardner and his crew did excellent work for me in my house in Oakland. He gave me detailed written plans and a written estimate ahead of time and stuck to the estimate. He retrofitted my basement for Earthquake protection, built a retaining wall in an excavated area to support the foundation, put in drainage in the same area, and rebuilt my front porch and steps. Jim did great work for me at a reasonable price. Both he and his crew are very professional, polite, friendly, responsive, and easy to work with. I am totally satisfied, and recommend Jim very highly. Jeff Oakland, CA read more

Natalie G.

16 years ago

"Jim Gardner Construction completed a total foundation replacement which included installation of a drainage system. I also had work done on my laundry room and a new concrete floor was poured. The project was completed on time and without issue.The crew of men were wonderful. They arrived every day, no excuses for why they could not show. They were polite and did a meticulous clean up. Jim is responsive to calls or e-mails, usually within hours. I could not have had a better experience with a contractor. I would definitely hire him again." --Natalie G., Piedmont CA read more

Therefore I M.

15 years ago

We live in the Berkeley hills and had a serious foundation/drainage problem. We had several contractors survey the site and estimate the repairs. Jim was the only one to say categorically that he could fix the problem, while others said they couldn't commit to leaving us with a dry basement. Jim's friendly crew worked tirelessly in the 9' deep trench they had to dig to finish ahead of schedule and on budget. We're really happy with the results. This year's unusually wet rainy season tested our new drainage system, which performed flawlessly. read more

Michael E.

14 years ago

Jim Gardner construction completed a wood rot repair project for me on my home in June of 2012. His price was lower than any other bid I had received, and he used materials that were stronger than what the other bidders would have used. Additionally he saved the fixtures on my home where the stucco needed to be removed and replaced - no other bidders were going to be able to do that. I don't write reviews as a rule - but Jim proved to be a contractor which is an exception to the rules. Jim, kept his promises and over delivered. read more

Niels D.

5 years ago

Came home to find roofers working on my neighbors house. Not sure who is 100% responsible but Jim Gardner's sign is on the construction site so we can be pretty sure they are part of it or in charge. The problem is that the roofers are using my walkway nextdoor as the dumpster. The whole side of my place was trashed. I asked them to stop and they basically said roofing is messy. I've never even remotely experienced something like this. I literally had to dodge them throwing wood and tiles on my walkway to get to my car. read more

Jose A.

15 years ago

Jim and his crew replaced a large beam under our deck. He handled the building permit process in Piedmont, completed the work quickly, left everything clean and took care of getting the building inspector to come and sign off on the permit. Price was fair and he is easy to communicate with by phone and email. Some years ago he also completed a comprehensive kitchen remodel for us and also did an excellent job at a fair price. We highly recommend him for any type of construction work. read more

jeanne g.

16 years ago

Jim and his crew put in a new foundation for me and they were fabulous. They were professional, efficient, tidy, quick, and courteous. He gave me a timeline and stuck to it. His crew cleaned up thorougly every day. When Jim came to look at my home and give me a bid, he was the only contractor, out of four, who crawled under the house and took his time checking out the condition of the foundation. I trusted him right away and was completely satisfied with his work. read more

Peter S.

14 years ago

Jim and his crew completed a driveway job for us in August 2012. They started on time and completed the job almost within a week and within budget, and this was a large driveway (fits four cars) on a slope with drainage issues. Jim was great to work with and his crew couldn't have been nicer, especially to the neighbors who were impacted by the job almost as much as we were. Most importantly, the driveway looks great. read more

Kathryn M.

10 years ago

I recently had my front porch completely replaced. The results are stellar and I highly recommend this company to anyone needing structural work. They are true professionals, organized, thorough, knowledgeable, experienced, and left my home daily after cleaning up any debris created. I was kept informed on a regular basis throughout the project. The crew were friendly, helpful, and easy to work with. KM read more

Kevin D.

13 years ago

Jim is a pro! We hired him to work on a drainage issue that caused water to flow into our garage every time it rained. Jim accurately diagnosed the problem and came up with a solution that not only worked marvelously but was right within our target budget. Jim is extremely knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. I very highly recommend him. read more

todd s.

15 years ago

Jim and his crew were first class all the way. My foundation repair was done on time and within the budget we agreed upon. Very professional and Im very confident with outcome. read more

M M.

7 months ago

Jim is very knowledgeable about systems and water flow. i was very appreciative of his quick response to my request to review my situation and provide an answer. read more

Laura H.

11 years ago

Great work, good cleanup, excellent follow-through. Highly recommend!

Jim Gardner Construction - contractors - Updated August 2026

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E R Home Improvements

(79 reviews)

Edwin is a very experienced builder. He was able to diagnose our years-long water infiltration…read moreissue in a brief visit. His team started work in the next week and the whole job was professionally done after four days. He knows every aspect of residential construction and can come up with creative solutions for whatever issues you're having. He handled three issues on our property--a back-up sump pump, a downspout that was bringing water back into our house instead of to the street, and some washout from underneath one corner of our foundation from years of rainwater running where it shouldn't. He also repaired a mudsill that was damage by rats. My family is very pleased with Edwin's work and are feeling confident that future rains won't lead to more interior damage in the future.

Edwin was great. Super responsive, super pro. He installed a french drain for us and did some high…read morequality work. I was not in town for the project and Edwin made it really easy for me to track progress. Really happy with the overall work and experience with Edwin!

All Seasons Construction

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Quake Busters

(33 reviews)

I had an excellent experience working with Quakebusters. Jerome and Francisco came to give me an…read moreestimate and helped me navigate the EBB application. Once the work began, the entire crew was very careful, thorough, and communicative. Unlike other contractors, they made sure to clean up the spaces when they were done for the day and made it a positive experience.

My wife and I went through the pretty byzantine CA Earthhquake Brace and Bolt (EBB) grant process…read morein order to get our house more quake-resilient and get the Berkeley rebate and CA grant money. I had spoken to Jerome early in the process for an estimate, and he came prepared with all sorts of literature about what brace and bolt consists of, the soup-to-nuts process and general earthquake preparedness. We had to get multiple quotes, but other contractors were either dismissive or way more expensive. Once we decided on Quakebusters, Francisco was tremendously patient with us and guided us through the entire process and helped with advice about how to gather the information we needed. The crew took exactly as long as they anticipated, arranged their own porta-potty facilities, were punctual, arranged for the special and city inspections, worked with our schedule and cleaned our crawlspace nearly better than they found it! Quakebusters were also transparent that there were cheaper options than to go through the official EBB grant process, but we decided spending the extra money for peace of mind and to have permits was out best option. Thank you guys so much! Who you gonna call? Quakebusters!

East Bay Retrofit Construction

(62 reviews)

Martin and team are the unicorns of the construction world. They're top notch in every particular:…read morequality, communication, and speed from start to finish. Not only do they do absolutely fantastic work - fast but never rushed, thorough but never onerous - but they also excel at communication. Martin responded clearly and quickly throughout the project. We could not be happier with their work. The team was also cheerful - a surefire sign of a healthy work environment. The price was very competitive, and we are extremely satisfied. Our project included raising an entire section of our house, and installing a new foundation below it, with a retaining wall and piers. They also did a full retrofit on the new foundation. I wish we could hire Martin and his team for every project!

The owner stated he would be around for the project. I didn't see him other than the estimate. I…read morefound myself researching all the components of waterproofing a foundation. I felt like I had to give step-by-step directions on how to complete the project. At one point they didn't plan to put a liquid membrane on the newly poured concrete. The crew was really nice and responsive. The owner paid for a primer so I could fix the poor coverage that the crew had made with the liquid membrane. Eventually, they might be a good crew. At this point I feel like they're just practicing. They did good stucco work.

Alameda Structural

3.9

(49 reviews)

Unprofessional tier contractor. I got a quote for 700k for a 200k job…read more Next time do your clients a favor and just don't bid if you don't want to do work. Read all the other reviews, this company is run by snakes.

We really enjoyed doing business with Dan and Alameda structural. The team is very professional and…read morepolite. Jose the foreman also did a great job in coordinating everything on-site and has been super reliable. The work was accomplished one week ahead of schedule with quality. They hear our needs sincerely and tried the best to accommodating. for example, Dan immediately brought us the heater when knowing we caught cold when gasline was cut due to shoring. I would definitely recommend them to anyone who needs a foundation replacement!

Carty Perez

4.4

(28 reviews)

Edwin Perez, Mike and the team did an excellent job. They showed up everyday and started promptly…read more They communicated throughout the process, didn't try to nickel and dime, and finished before they anticipated. We worked with them for some voluntary seismic retrofit, bolting, strapping, sheer walls, replacing some rot, installing a cap foundation and doing stucco work. They kept the job site tidy, and kept the project moving smoothly. Won't hesitate to call them again!

Back when Paul Carty ran the company, great can-do attitude and great customer service. We…read moreinstalled french drains and sump pump. Now with Edwin Perez as the lead, not a person to be trusted. After installation, we had issues and he promised to come out multiple times and did not. You can see here that most of the positive reviews are for Paul Carty, not Edwin Perez. Would avoid.

San Francisco Remodel

4.5

(51 reviews)

If you're looking for a contractor in the Bay Area, you know how hard it is to find someone you…read moreactually trust. After consulting with a few different teams to deal with some serious leaking at our front stairs and rear door, we decided to go with David and the SF Remodel team. Their proposal was the most reasonable, and we especially appreciated that they specialize in water intrusion and mold remediation, which were our two biggest headaches. David, Saul, Jordan, and the entire crew were fantastic. They didn't just patch the problem; they fixed the root cause. They pulled out the old stairs, rebuilt them with proper flashing and drainage, and sealed everything with an elastomeric membrane. They also replaced all the damaged drywall underneath and added a moisture barrier, cement, and extra drainage as a failsafe. The real test came right after they finished: we had a massive rainstorm, and I'm happy to report we didn't see a single drop of water leak through. Overall, the team was professional, knowledgeable, and, most importantly, extremely responsive and communicative. We're already talking to them about a much bigger project to add a bedroom and bath in our garage. We couldn't recommend them enough!

SF Remodel converted half of my garage into a pantry and bathroom, and overall I'm very happy with…read morehow it turned out. They handled everything -- planning, architecture, permits, inspections, and construction -- which made a complex project much easier to navigate. The finished space matches what I had envisioned, both functionally and aesthetically. Throughout the process, the team was consistently nice, honest, and flexible. They were easy to work with, willing to accommodate changes, and I never felt pressured or intentionally misled. Their direct employees, in particular, did excellent work and were professional on site. There were a couple of drawbacks that keep this from being a full five stars. First, the project took significantly longer than expected. There didn't seem to be much formal project management, so it was often unclear when work would happen or who would be coming by. If you value tight schedules and proactive communication, you may need to push for updates. Second, the subcontractors they used weren't top-tier. The plumbers and electricians I've worked with independently were faster and more reliable. Again, their in-house crew was great -- the inconsistency mainly came from subs. That said, the final result is excellent, and I would use SF Remodel again -- just with clearer expectations about timeline and subcontractor quality going in.

Montclair Construction & Structural

4.1

(98 reviews)

I just completed a deck rebuild over living space with Montclair Construction. This job was not a…read moretypical deck job - it was little more complicated. They assessed the situation quickly and completed the deck in a few weeks. The finished project looks great and their bid was reasonable. A good experience!

I can't say enough good things about my recent experience with Montclair Construction and the work…read morethey did on my backyard retaining wall. It was a big project involving drainage and a complete rebuild, and they handled every part of it flawlessly. The crew was fantastic--courteous, kind, and incredibly diligent. Even my next-door neighbor commented on how impressed he was with their professionalism. No litter, no loud music, no parking issues--just a great construction team doing excellent work. A special shoutout to Robert and Diana, who guided me through the entire process and answered every question along the way. Orlando, who oversaw the project, was also a pleasure to work with. Their communication was excellent, and they kept everything on schedule. I wish I remembered the names of the two main guys on the crew, because they absolutely deserve recognition--they were A+ workers, always hardworking and always smiling. I highly recommend Montclair Construction. They get a 10/10 from me--an A+ rating. This is one very happy customer, and I'll definitely use them again for my next construction project. C. Beam Oakland Hills ---

Varga Construction

(68 reviews)

Harvey and his team did an excellent job stabilizing and repairing our outdoor stairs. The stairs…read morewere in really poor shape and felt like they were ready to fall down, so we needed the work done immediately. Harvey was extremely responsive and his crew started quickly. He communicated clearly about what was possible and was honest when the stairs turned out to be in worse condition than first assessed. The team replaced the unsalvageable parts and stabilized the rest, and the workmanship on the parts they replaced looks solid. All-in-all there was only so much they could do given the stairs were built incorrectly and were in very bad condition, but they pulled through and got everything into a safe, workable state. Harvey was also a really nice guy to talk with. Professional, personable, and easy to work with. He kept us informed when the timeline shifted, worked efficiently, and left the area tidy when they finished.

It is so rare to find a contractor who is willing to take on a range of tasks from small to large…read moreand do excellent work on every task. Harvey Varga took on a whole list of things that we needed done--from building a 150-foot fence, building a sidewalk and concrete pad, rebuilding kitchen cabinets to install a dishwasher, putting in a new vent fan, fixing an improperly installed dryer vent, etc. He was very responsive to our initial request for work and had a crew with a couple of days. Each task was given detailed attention and done with perfection. His crews were efficient, competent, thoughtful, and quiet. They were respectful of us, our property, our neighbors, and our dogs, and cleaned up at the end of each day. It was a pleasure to work with Harvey Varga and his crews. We give him and them our highest recommendation particularly for someone who has a mix of small and large jobs. Tom & Virginia

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