My home has close to 30 windows, so the cost of replacing them would have been very high if I had…read morechosen a more reputable window replacement company. But as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. This company offers low prices, but it's clear the owner has never even held a hammer. He couldn't measure the windows correctly, and for two of the installations, his team had to return the windows after finally taking the correct measurements. They replaced about 17 in total at my home. I wish they hadn't. As for his team, they don't even work for him directly. One had a heavy Eastern European accent and told me he works for another company but helps this guy after hours or on his days off. The crew, consisting of two workers (the other also being a weekend warrior), both had terrible attitudes. One of the windows was installed so poorly that I experienced water damage in the bedroom after heavy rain. The owner was no help at all. He was in Vegas, trying to contact his crew, but they never returned his calls. He even yelled at me for putting pressure on him, saying it wasn't his fault that his crew wasn't responding. This guy is a joke. Why am I posting this after so many years? I recently discovered that the reason wasps are getting into my master shower is because his so-called 'weekend warrior' didn't even bother to seal the window. This guy has caused more damage than the money he supposedly saved me. I should have taken legal action against him for all the damage he caused to my home.

The Skinny: Great, probably unbeatable, price…read moreTerrible customer service The Story: Beginning - August 2017 started well, but wrong patio door ordered (right side open, instead of left) we went out of town for a couple of weeks never heard from Mike when we got back Middle - had to call Mike repeatedly, very little contact from him claimed contractors were injured or unavailable had to ask for a discount even though he was in the wrong End - November 2017 a different contractor came to uninstall the wrong patio door and reinstall the patio door door had a few scratches glad to just be done To Mike: you are friendly, but your business practices decrease your reputation. If you would prioritize customer service, then you could flourish.

I have never seen such poor service, from the office you can't get a hold of anyone. To the work…read morethat was performed on my house. It is awful and all I wanted to do was speak with Frank to see what can be done, because the repair they made is not viable and is falling apart less than a year later. I am beyond disappointed and still cannot reach anyone. I do not recommend this company for these reasons. We are at a loss of over $20k because of this makeshift job that was done.

I highly recommend this company! Frank Carrasco is the best contractor I have ever worked with. He…read moreis not only conscientious, knowledgeable and courteous but incredibly trustworthy and has very good ideas. His Team is very skillful and works hard without complaining. My house was remodeled with various projects over the years. From our kitchen remodel to the master bathroom we have always been able to count on Frank and his team to create a beautiful result. I am also very proud of the work done on our driveway/front porch and walkways. I get compliments all the time. Can't wait to start on the next project!

John the designer is a real gem. The team works well together and got in and got out. Really…read moreappreciated the fact that the cabinets were hand made to our specs (high ceilings in older house). Had one shelf designed just the way I wanted it....a thing of beauty. Look at my Castro Valley pictures (before and after on-line) and tell John I said hello~

Wish I saw some of those 1-star reviews before I hired these guys to do my remodeling couple years…read moreago. I had pretty much the exact bad experiences that they have encountered. They acted all friendly until issues come up, which there were plenty. Cabinets come in don't match specs, they rarely come on site, job completion way past due date, poor workmanship and things are starting to come apart in less than 2 years.

Jason and Scott -- and their team including Chris, Kenny, Mike and more -- are fantastic talents…read more But here's what is best about them, in my opinion: By the book. What you see is what you get. On paper and in practice. There is something...unexpected and sometimes awkward about that, but I can respect it: the job goes down on paper, and what comes out on the other side is what you ordered. Nothing missing, some extra touches here and there to make the client happy, but not anything that would change the scope of the project. As someone who runs an engineering firm, I can appreciate the value of a scope of work document -- and anyone who has watched a home improvement / renovation show knows one thing: things have a nasty habit of getting out of hand, expanding in terms of process and cost. That didn't happen here. The team did a great job; changes to the project were based on requests that my wife and I made from time to time. And to top it off, the Bliss Brothers (as I prefer to think of them!) put in writing that they warrant their work for something like a decade. GUESS WHAT? They do. We needed them to come back when something went wrong with the sink -- and they did, within about 48 hours, almost a year after the job was completed. NICE. Reliable. Men of their word. They showed up on time, were trustworthy and professional, courteous -- even made nice with the dog, and considering that we ended up living in the house for part of the renovation (with an infant, so that added an unanticipated twist to the project when we had to move out of our prior house early), the group's collective attitude made the process easier to manage all around. All of this does not actually do justice to their raw talent: my wife and I bought a Pleasant Hill house that needed so much work we actually got it below asking price (when's the last time that happened in Poet's Corner?)! From plumbing to electrical to a cockeyed kitchen, the house needed a LOT of work. The Benchmark team gutted the kitchen; modernized and opened it up; led the staining of the floors; a redo of the electrical panel; created a proper bathroom (when we bought the house, the bathroom was IN THE CLOSET in the master suite, completely out of code and basically unusable -- now it's modern, tiled, marbled and gorgeous). They created French doors, installed our lighting (including one Restoration Hardware pendant and relocated the fan that I crazily wanted to hold onto); repainted the house, replaced all the doors; built out a new deck where there wasn't one before. All in a 1140 square foot house. So yeah, they did a great job. We're grateful, and plan to approach them first about our next project! Contact me with any questions. Jason, Scott and company: THANK YOU. -- Jonathon and Mabel (and Hunter!)

Benchmark just completed a new kitchen for us in Emeryville…read more The kitchen has transformed our home, and the work was top quality. The whole process was smooth from start to finish, with frequent updates from Jason and Chris. When they found hidden problems or we requested changes, they were quickly on it. They added an exhaust vent the property lacked, brought the electrical up to code, and dealt with all the permits and inspections. Fantastic experience.

Avoid this company at all costs. We are still paying to repair their shoddy work in every facet of…read morea remodel job they were hired for. Electrical, plumbing, tile, drywall. You name it - they screwed it up. If we hadn't fired them and ripped out their work, it's likely we would have had an electrical fire. Most of their crew just stood around all day and some were obviously very stoned.

As a Community Manager overseeing a diverse portfolio of single-family homes, townhomes, condos,…read moreand commercial units, ALP has been a major go-to vendor for over five years. They've consistently delivered high-quality service on everything from routine repairs to large-scale projects like SB326 compliance and full community paint jobs. Their proposal turnaround time is exceptional--always prompt and aligned with my board's budget expectations. ALP's attention to detail ensures our projects run smoothly and meet our standards. Their professionalism and reliability have made them a trusted partner in community management.

I contacted Big Red after having read great reviews here and on NextDoor…read more So glad I did! This is a first rate company in every way. The owner, Kathy Kovell, is so experienced, knowledgeable and fun to work with. Her crew, most of whom have been with her for some time, are just terrific. The sub-contractors she hires are people she has worked with for years and who she trusts to do an excellent job. She holds everyone's feet to the fire, too! They built a casita (ADU) for us and, while they were here, we engaged them to have our roof replaced, a driveway added, a retaining wall and a pathway. The casita is beautiful. It was completed on time and on budget. The work is first class in every way. We absolutely could not be happier! If you are remodeling or needing to build something, you will not go wrong contracting with this great team. We are so glad we did.

If you're looking to add on to your home - look no further! Big Red Construction comes in on time,…read moreand on budget. They added 600+ sf for us, and we are loving every minute of it! Their workers are curteous, tidy and on time. Plus, Kathy (the owner) is a dynamo of a business woman! Since I wrote this review 3 years ago, Big Red Construction has: - installed an oven - built custom cabinetry - upgraded some of our bedroom lighting - replaced several windows - fixed our roof - repaired dry rot (found by Planet Orange - another great company) - and they are currently creating a dream patio and hardscape (photos to come) Big Red is all about quality. I can't tell you how great the experience with them has been. We've formed a great relationship, and everyone in their office is also helpful and very knowledgeable. I have never found this amount of service from any other contractor (and we have used several).

It's been a long time since Gayler worked on our house but we have to provide an update…read more We moved out of California and finally got around to selling the California house. So why the review update? We sold the house for WAY over ask, cash deal, quick close, in large part because of the Gayler work done on the house. Everyone who viewed the house was impressed with the quality of the work Gayler did and wanted to know who did the work. When we told the potential buyers it was Gayler, the offers came in. So we loved the work they did on the house and it turned out to be one of the rare times when home improvements turned into a very lucrative investment. Something to consider when choosing a design/build firm.

Beware. They put on a good show ... slick marketing materials, fancy offices, a slogan, etc. We…read morehired Gayler to draw up plans for our kitchen renovation with a very specific budget. My husband and I eagerly showed up for our meeting, excited to see the plans they had prepared for transforming our '50s kitchen. After they wowed us with the renderings and all the possibilities, they showed us the estimated fee, which was approximately $200K over our budget. I almost burst into tears. After an awkward silence, the Gayler team found it appropriate to pour salt in our wounds, with a comment to the effect of, "Well, maybe you can afford it if your stocks do well this year." It was the humiliation on top of disappointment that was the nail in the coffin for us. We were already out of pocket in the thousands with Gayler, but the thought of working with them made me nauseous. So we took our money and ran ... to a contractor who was open, honest, and trustworthy. He built the kitchen of our dreams, within our budget.

Drivers for this company are so reckless on the streets . One of them nearly crashed into me by…read moretrying to cut me off while towing a large trailer. Just shows how they run their business.

- They obviously admit washing all the stuff in the front yard and justify that by saying there is…read moreno asbestos in there. Their comment below is the first time they ever mentioned an asbestos report to me. They never mentioned or showed me a report before. - And I am still dealing with their sloppy work. Every time I try to replace a fixture I find some more popcorn they did not remove. And they did come back to fix it. While they come back, they seem to think they are doing me a favor. They are coming back because they didn't do it right before. - They obviously talk very different before and after you sign the contract. Before: Don't fret about the details. We can always do a change order. After: You are changing your mind. We will have to charge you for a change order. - How exactly is a homeowner supposed to know at contract time that thicker granite slabs don't need sub tops ? This is my first time ever getting a counter. They stick the 'subtop' in the contract, you trust them and later they say contract is binding. Sure it is legal, but not ethical.