Hired Seamus to do a full stucco replacement and major dry rot repair, and he was outstanding from start to finish. We'd had ongoing leaks that multiple contractors couldn't diagnose, but he found every entry point, explained the causes clearly, and fixed them for good. He didn't just patch things. He opened up the walls, showed me the damaged framing, and replaced it with proper carpentry. Then built everything back the right way. New tar paper, modern blue skin waterproofing, rainscreen system, proper flashing, weep screeds, metal lath, the works. He kept me in the loop the whole way and handled absolutely everything. Permits, scaffolding, inspections, cleanup. It was genuinely stress-free. The finish is flawless, and the house looks better than it ever did. Neighbors keep stopping to say how good it looks. It's rare to find someone this knowledgeable, thorough, and transparent. If you need rot repair, stucco, or leak diagnosis, don't look elsewhere! read more

Seamus learned his craft from his dad back in Ireland. And he knows what he's doing. My 100-year old bungalow in Oakland had serious issues. Roof leaking, windows leaking, wood rot, termite damage. What a mess. Seamus has the skills (and in the case of the roof, the associates) to fix all of these problems. His team chiseled out all of the aged stucco and added new chicken wire, flashing and weep screeds. He removed all the rotten wood and essentially rebuilt the front corner of my house, including a decorative wall that was so leaky that its bones had completely rotted away. Then his team re-applied base stucco and let it cure properly before mixing a beautifully colored finishing coat that was perfectly textured. The house looks amazing now. I had been putting my head in the sand for years, ignoring all the growing cracks in the stucco and knowing that water was soaking the bones of my house. I have peace of mind now. Also, as people note below, Seamus is responsive and a good communicator. So important in a contractor. Thanks Seamus. read more

I had two gas fireplaces inserts installed in my home and the contractors had to cut out a section of a wall to get the inserts in place. The wall was originally made of lath and plaster. I prefer to keep the materials the closest the what was originally used for our home. Seamus was able to just that. He used wooden lath and plaster that blended right in to the rest of the wall. The result was great. He was also friendly and professional. Thanks Seamus! read more

We scheduled an appointment. Seamus never showed up. No call or text. He responded to my text 90 minutes later but by then I had moved on. Very unprofessional. read more

Our house was impacted by a traffic accident and we needed stucco, concrete and paint repair to be done - Seamus quickly organized a crew and now the house looks better than it did before the accident. Very organized and efficient service. Happy with the work! read more

I have a small bump-out roof that was old and leaked. Seamus came by in a timely manner and told me the plan to not only completely redo it, but waterproof it, and at a pretty fair price. Zero problems since, and I believe the work will last a long time. He is very responsive and his guys are top-notch. I will definitely give McKenna a call if I need any work done again. read more

We had plaster coming off our ceiling in several areas. Seamus and his drywall crew put up new drywall in our living room and dining room. They were fast, efficient, and cleaned up well. They finished days earlier than expected. Seamus kept in regular contact through the whole process. read more

Seamus was quick to respond and easy to work with. He provided quick turn around with quotes as I kept changing the scope of the project. And he was the most reasonable quote among the many I received for the same project. We had electricians pull out old knob and tube wiring in our 1900 Edwardian house in SF and literally had holes punched in the walls and ceilings of every room. His crew did a fantastic job of patching them to match the original lathe and plaster wall and color matched the paint perfectly. The project was started on time and they finished the project exactly when he said they would. Pleasure to deal with all around and would recommend them to anyone who asked. read more

Seamus is what you look for when you need a contractor. Quick to respond, competitively priced, friendly demeanor, and most importantly, a passion for this craft. Brilliant work over my fireplace. Thanks man! read more

I used their services to update a couple of walls that were hard in an odd space and to reach. But Seamus did a great job explaining what needed to be done, and doing it! He has a really good communication skills as well. Highly recommend. read more

I am updating my review based on my most recent experience with McKenna Plastering. As you can see from my original review, I did not use McKenna back in January 2023. My plastering project was time sensitive and communication was inconsistent so I used someone else. However! I'm all for giving things another try where it makes sense to do. I now need stucco work done urgently and this is within McKenna's expertise. I'm giving Seamus a very strong 4 stars right now which will hopefully be upgraded to 5. This is due to his immediate response on a Sunday and a willingness to help us with a temporary fix in lightening quick fashion especially given that this is a long holiday weekend. I am very grateful for his assistance and look forward to seeing what he and his team can achieve. read more

Can't recommend Seamus enough! Did great work repairing our ceiling plaster. Professional, responsive, and efficient.

McKenna Plastering did some stucco repair on my Victorian in the city. Seamus was on time professional, gave me a great quote and the work was done perfectly. Highly recommend McKenna Plastering. read more

The best you can find! Stucco was a big investment for me, and so, I interviewed many people to find the right contractor. Seamus from McKenna Plastering was the most knowledgable professional out of five top contractors in my area I interviewed. My house was a flipper, people that renovated it before the sell cut corners on the stucco part, and did't do it properly. When we changed the windows and removed the exterior window trims, the stucco started to come off too. Four contractors suggested to simply skim coat the walls over the existing stucco even though it was clear even for me that it was barely attached to the walls. Seamus was the only one who suggested to grind the old stucco and start from scratch. I also wanted a more modern flat finish (no texture), and Seamus was the only one who didn't try to talk me out of this idea (the other contractors told me it's too much work). Seamus said that a more modern finish is worth the effort and we have to make my house the best on the street since I'm spending so much money. By the way, even though he did much more work than a typical contractor would do, his quote was still quite compatible especially since the quality of his work was much higher. And lastly, McKenna Plastering is using newer acrylic materials and fiber mesh underlay that helps to fill and mask all the cracks on the house and since the acrylic is more flexible that a typical stucco its less likely for the cracks to appear again. So happy to find such an honest and hardworking contractor. It was such a transformation! Thank you! read more

McKenna Plastering - Before - Stucco Services Near Me

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I hired Seamus and his crew to repair the stucco wall on my roof (it had to be broken out in order to install a new PVC roof). He was very responsive throughout the entire process - from getting me a bid, to responding to my questions and finishing the job. His guys kept the job site clean and did a great job. I would definitely use them again. read more

McKenna Plastering - Partial picture of the wall after the repair - Stucco Services Near Me

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When I first reached out to request a quote, Seamus was responsive and helpful. He quoted a price, we agreed on a day, and he said he'd send the contract right over. A couple of days passed, so I reached out again; he said he'd send it that day. A few hours later, a sloppy misspelled *estimate* was in my email inbox. I told him that I needed an actual contract, but confirmed that I'd see him as planned; I figured he'd bring it with him then. That was the beginning of the end. First, he was late. When I called him, he told me he'd be here "in an hour". 90 minutes later, I reached him again. This time, he said he'd be here "in an hour" and that he would substantially discount the cost he had quoted. Eventually, three hours later, someone else showed up, saying Seamus had sent him. The other person carried no tools, had no paperwork for me, and didn't even introduce himself. He also knew nothing about the negotiated cost. I told him to forget it, that the job was cancelled. Seamus himself showed up half an hour later. He said he'd "had an emergency", but didn't explain what it was, why he'd sent someone else without telling me, or why he still had no contract for me. The law REQUIRES a written contract for all home improvement projects over $500! Nonetheless, he told me that "It's okay, I don't need a contract." When I asked him about the cost, he offered me a discount that was roughly 8% off the original estimate. Needless to say, the delay, lack of communication, and general unreliability was enough to sour me on his services entirely. I have no idea whether McKenna Plastering does good work. I can only say that its owner is unprofessional, unreliable, and willing to break the law. Oh, and it turned out that the quoted price was nearly triple what the next contractor estimated. I guess I'm glad I dodged that bullet. read more

Very happy with my experience with McKenna Plastering. Seamus helped us identify the source of a leak and do some demo to investigate damage which thankfully wasn't too extensive. Looking forward to working with Seamus again on future stucco projects. read more

I cannot describe how delighted I am with the transformation of the facade of my 1912 Edwardian building, thanks to Seamus and his crew. He took care of the demolition of some extraneous elements, resurfaced the stucco and changed the color. It succeeded in preserving the historic nature of the property while giving it a much needed "face lift." Seamus was terrific to work with. He completed the job promptly and was cost effective. I recommend him very highly. read more

We had ugly bars remove from our home that left large marks everywhere - these guys were absolute MAGICIANS and a must hire if you want high craftsmanship, a resourceful team and appreciates someone who who is quickly and at the best price. I looked forever until I found them, really had no idea what I was doing and they guided me every step of the way. They sanded down stubborn old iron bars and replaced with stunning window trim that immediately made our home look and feel significantly more high end. They were fast, responsive and delivered for what was a complex and hard project. Required them to set up scaffolding, reach hard to access places and be very resourceful. Don't mess around and hire these guys asap if you want to make the exterior of your home be as beautiful as the interior. Can't recommend enough. read more

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So happy with McKenna Plastering...(1) quick responses, (2) very competitive pricing, (3) quality work (even provided information for other subs to make house water proof, (4) efficient- they come focused to finish the work, (5) flexible- the rains came and they arranged based on weather. I highly recommend McKenna Plastering. The photos show the work that was needed and the finished results. In the photos the finished work isn't 100% dry but you can tell how even they made everything look...no bad seams from old to new. Awesome job. Thank you so much Seamus!! read more

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The years had been cruel to the plaster in a room in my San Francisco Victorian. Cracks in the walls. Ripples in the ceiling. It looked like a set for a horror movie. Whenever I entered the room at the crepuscular hour, I expected to see Norman Bates' mother sitting in the corner. Seamus replastered the walls and ceiling and even replaced the cheap looking original ceiling medallion with a new plaster medallion cast in a mold of a medallion in an historic San Francisco home. The walls are now as smooth as glass. As smooth as marble. As smooth as silk. Ready for another century. Truly impressive work. read more

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somewhat late review Work done in May 2022 Sean was responsive and did a good job on our back wall. Although we had a minor disagreement as to whether the back wall should be washed or not before applying the mud...ultimately we relied on his expertise and I'm very happy with the job he did. Looks great 6 months later! Would hire again in a heartbeat! read more

Seamus's crew was onsite and working the very next day after we reached out. They took several challenges that came up in stride and did several helpful finish samples before nailing the final result. We are working with them again on the next phase of our project. read more

Very happy with my experience with McKenna Plastering. They were able to provide me a reasonable quote and get a stucco project done for me quickly and efficiently. I would highly recommend them. read more

I wish I could say something new, or add more that said something different, but the fact is I echo everyone else here: Seamus is fantastic. He gave me a more than fair quote for resurfacing my fireplace, and was able to squeeze my job in a lot sooner than I anticipated. Showed up, knocked the job out (working non stop), and left it as clean as it was when he arrived. He even let my daughter have a go at using the trowel! He's a stand up guy, a humble expert at his craft, and does exactly what he says he's going to do. I will absolutely be hiring him again for future work. read more

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I found Seamus, from McKenna Plastering, responsive and the quote given was in line with his peers. Gail

I am extremely satisfied with the work that McKenna Plastering did for re-surfacing a multi-story home built in 1924. Firstly, Seamus was prompt in providing an accurate estimate of the work. Moreover, I was pleasantly surprised on how fast he was able to start AND complete the work. They were very thorough in their work, and did a thorough job prepping the surface. They carefully removed and reinstalled the downspouts, lighting fixtures, other electric fixtures, and awnings. Moreover, they were very careful in protecting the landscaping around the home. The finished work exceeded my expectations. My 97-year old house looks fully restored to its former glory. The foreman on the job was very approachable and was on-site every day. It was apparent that the team took pride in their work and were customer centric. I highly recommend McKenna Plastering. They are professional, trustworthy, and are experts in their trade. read more

Great job. Totally modernized the look of our previously outdated stucco porch. Couldn't be happier. read more

McKenna Plastering - Porch - Stucco Services Near Me

I hired Seamus 5 years ago to repair plaster cove ceilings in our dining room and hallway and they still look great! We needed to repair the ceiling in a large bedroom and did not hesitate in hiring McKenna Plastering again. They were responsive, good communicators, reasonably priced and did another amazing, skillful job. Thank you Seamus! read more

The walls and ceiling of the dining room in our Victorian home in San Francisco had seen a lot of wear and tear. There were several cracks in the plaster and the room was in desperate need of some repair. Seamus did an outstanding job re-plastering all the walls. Watching Seamus work through the steps in the plastering process, it was clear how much care and attention to detail he put into the project and his craft. After the plaster was done drying, Seamus painted all the walls and cleaned up the room and hallways leading to it. Seamus was responsive in our communication and easy to work with. We're very happy with the result! read more

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Seamus did a beautiful job with my small interior plaster repair preserving the original look of my 1906 home. Great guy also. Highly recommend. read more

Seamus responded immediately to my request for a quote and came out in person to see the project, despite the fact that I already provided photos. He gave a fair bid and answered all our questions during the process, and completed the work quickly at high quality. He even dropped off some extra paint when we asked to have it for future patching. Great work Seamus! read more

Had our kitchen ceiling replastered and a hole in the ceiling patched where we were installing a new light. All done in one day, Fast and professional work. I would definitely use them again. read more

McKenna Plastering - Stucco Services Near Me

Refinished a wall and patched cracks elsewhere. Sent a lot of photos ahead of time and communicated by text. Expert workmanship. Great results. read more

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I can not express enough how impressed I am with McKenna Plastering. Seamus was so easy to work with and made the process extremely smooth and quick. He was very professional, polite, timely and did a fantastic job!! Everyone was very happy with his work and his prices are extremely reasonable. We appreciated his flexibility, communication and workmanship so much that we hired him for another one of our properties and will continue to do so. 5 stars!!! read more

Seamus worked on our bedroom walls and did a FANTASTIC job! He responded and arrived in a timely fashion, extremely kind and professional, always upfront and open about the work he would be doing and made sure we were always on the same page. It's been about 5 months now and everything still looks amazing! He knows his work and he does it to perfection. He also quoted me a really responsible price for the work I was requesting. You definitely get what you pay for and I would pay it again should the need come up! Don't hesitate to hire him, you will not regret it. read more

This is the second time we have had Seamus come out to fix our aging plaster walls. The first time, he did a terrific job skim coating our main hallway after I struggled to remove three layers of wallpaper that had been painted over a few times and the wall had hairline cracks (think earthquake). Seamus said that he could do this prep work but I didn't think to call a professional until my fingers were numb. The result is great, natural-looking walls that fit the house. The second time, recently, we had a back stairway wall partially buckle after years of bulging more and more. We found out that in houses this old (90 years), they didn't use wire mesh in the plaster, so the plaster is applied directly over the wood slats (laths). Without the wire for additional needed support, the plaster loosens over time due to vibrations like doors slamming, people banging, and yes, earthquakes. Seamus cut out the compromised plaster, supported some parts with screws to the existing struts and added a bit of wire mesh before plastering over everything. He was passionate about making the texture of the walls match the remaining untouched wall (still 90 years old). The result, after repainting, is a stairwell that looks much better than it did before and his work blends seamlessly with the rest of the wall. Overall, I would recommend Seamus for any similar work you may need to have done. He can be hard to get a hold of at times but well worth it. plus, he is a nice guy! Tell him David and Lorraine sent you. read more

We had a room with old plaster walls that were buckling and separating from the lath. Our building contractors recommended tearing down the plaster and lath and putting up drywall, but we wanted to keep our walls (and avoid the huge mess) so we looked for other options. We found a few plaster/stucco folks on Yelp, including Seamus. Seamus' quote for the entire room + ceiling was around what the other guys wanted for two walls. Seamus did the room in one marathon day, spotted a plumbing leak in the ceiling that delayed his work but saved us a ton of future trouble, and even texted us the next day to make sure we were happy. Our new walls (which are the old walls!) look great. read more

The winter rains exposed a hole in the roof that collapsed a ceiling. After the roof got patched up I started to hunt for someone to fix up our 100 year old ceiling. I found Seamus through Yelp and within a few hours of getting in touch with him we had scheduled the repair and the quote was within our budget without having to haggle. It amazingly took just about 24 hours to prep the room, make the repair, break down all the gear, and clean up. If you have any plastering needs he's the man to get the job! read more

McKenna Plastering - before - Stucco Services Near Me

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I'll add my voice to the chorus of praise for Seamus. He plastered an interior wall for me the same week I contacted him, and the work came out perfect. Wish all my contractors were this good! read more