Review of my retrofitting project by Montclair Construction C.Z. Nie 1/6/2026 We owe a house in El Cerrito about 800+ sq. Ft. We noticed the floor was slightly sloping towards the SW corner. We decided to ask Montclair Construction to take a look of the problems and provide us some correction advices. We made an appointment and Mr. Justin Caddy showed up right on time. After he checked out the house, he suggested to do a floor height level survey to quantify how bad the problem was. Mr. Justin Caddy and Mr. Nirmal came and did the survey. Luckily, the sloping was within the tolerance, but there definitely needed some work to stop it from getting worse. Mr. Justin Caddy proposed to do the following jobs : 1. Retrofitting by install more girder beams under the floor as well as piers. This would support the floor much better. 2. Install a French Drain, which would guide the water away from the foundation so the rain water would not affect the soil under the foundation. 3. Since the house was only bolted down on the foundation but did not have shear wall installed, might as well to get the shear wall installed included in the project. Because the crew would be working in the crawl space anyway. We thought these suggestions made great sense, so we asked them to do the project. The whole project started on 12/22/2025 and completed on 1/29/2026, which was not including the time engineers working on the plan and applying for the permit form the city. We are very happy with the results for the flowering reasons : The whole project was conducted by Montclair Construction in a smooth effective way. We did not have to deal with the engineering company, Upright Engineering, and the city. All of the paper work was handled by Montclair Construction in a proper professional manner. After the project we received a copy of the permit and the plan with no cost. During the construction period, my tenants were not disturbed (except some dust and noise), only once the crew asked for resetting a tripped breaker. Montclair Construction provided a portable potty at job site for their crew. During the whole process, Montclair maintained a superb communication. They promptly addressed all of my concerns and answered all of our questions ( since we know very little about construction works, we had tones of questions). We had used emails , text messages, and made many phone calls. We always got connected quickly. We had called Mr. Justin Caddy, Mr. Nirmal, Mr. Miguel, Mr. Javier, and office manager Ms. Diana Connolly many times, and anyone of them was always courteous and easy to discuss whatever the subject was. We had spoken with superintendent Tom while we were waiting for the city inspector to come. We must say that one hour wait did not seemed to me was too long, because we learned so much from Tom. We must say that everyone of the Montclair Construction employees we met was very professional and helpful. The project passed many inspections at different stage of the construction by the engineering company, Upright Engineering, and from the city of El Cerrito. Montclair Construction handled all of the inspections, so we did not need to be at the scene. During the construction We requested some favors from Montclair Construction, which was not foresaw at begging of the project. We asked Montclair to replace the small entrance door to the crawl space, because the old door was in bad shape. Montclair Construction ( Mr. Miguel's crew) replaced it with a new one, not just looks great, but also much stronger. Montclair did not charge for this job. At the end of the job, Miguel's crew pulled out some junks form the crawl space as city directed. We asked Montclair to haul them away, and they did at no additional cost. We appreciate very much! After the job, Miguel's crew did a good job to clean up the job site. We called for a few little things, and they all got addressed promptly. All in all, the experiences are all positive. We are very happy about the results. We made the right decision to ask Montclair Construction to do the job. We are very appreciative and thankful for Montclair Construction's professional help. Montclair Construction & Structural Inc. 3871 Piedmont Ave. Oakland, CA 94611 Office phone : 510-547-2457 or 510-545-9622 read more

I can't say enough good things about my recent experience with Montclair Construction and the work they 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 --- read more

I needed to replace my old brick walkway that went from the sidewalk to the house prior to selling my home. My realtor recommended Montclair Construction and they did a fantastic job. Robert contacted me to talk about the project and was great to work with throughout the whole project. He visited to take measurements and within a couple days had an estimate, which was much faster than the other contractors I talked with. The process from initial contact to completion took about 8 weeks, including time to get a permit from the city and a revision because the walkway was on the property line. Once the work started, it was done in a week. The whole project came in on budget and within my timeline and I'm very happy with the work. I will be calling Montclair again for future projects in my new home. read more

We had had excellent experience with this company. Three engineered retaining walls, drainage system, and fence. They stayed on budget and communication was incredible. Thanks, Justin and team! read more

Montclair Construction & Structural - Back yard - General Contractors Near Me - Oakland, California

After a mediocre experience with a structural engineer who gave us some vague and high level information about the sturdiness of our property, we contacted Montclair Construction to see what work needed to be done. Justin came out and gave us an estimate and answered my uninformed questions with grace, helping put my mind at ease and being very direct and honest about whether or not work was necessary. Justin is a licensed general contractor and spoke with an air of authority that suggested he knew what he was talking about. Everything he said lined up with what our structural engineer had recommended - but he was able to communicate it more effectively. In the end there wasn't much they needed to help us with in the short term - but when we do end up proceeding with the non-urgent aspects of a seismic retrofit, I'll be sure to get back in touch based on this positive first interaction. read more

We were so pleased with the amazing job that Montclair did in repairing our brick wall! The wall, which was beginning to crumble, was replaced with the original brick wall facing which made it look just like the original. Everybody in the neighborhood was impressed with their professionalism and expertise. They were dedicated to the project and finished the wall in great time! The project manager, Robert Jarrett, was extremely knowledgeable and professional. He met with me everywhere Wednesday morning to review the work in progress and answer all my questions. He alsresponded to all my emails punctually. I would highly recommend him and Montclair construction! read more

Montclair Construction & Structural - General Contractors Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Robert came out to see a leak situation for our house. Even though the job was too small for Montclair, he spent time assessing the situation and made very helpful suggestions. it was a refreshing change from other experiences where contractors have come out and proposed (literally) $30,000 solutions to what turned out to be $300 problems. Nice to find a competent, honest firm. read more

my house has water issues since it's seated on a slop of the street. I attempted to correct the problem with different companies over the years with no Success. This April, I finally made the decision to try to fix it once for all. Enter the Montclair Constructions Company, they did a fabulous job from Justin Caddy to Eduardo Guzman. I appreciate their efforts and now the real question will be when the next heavy rain comes and how efficient their work holds out. Bill Chung read more

Poor communication. Constantly asking us for concessions. While also asking us for overages. Please don't make the same mistake we did. They are not worth the drama. read more

Montclair Construction has been doing work for us for years. We have always be satisfied with the work and their trained professionals. Recently, we had decks and a kitchen floor installed and the experience was again painless. Foreman Tom Connelly and his crew were prompt, attentive, and clean. Crew chief Connelly was instrumental in insuring the job was completed professionally and on time. What I appreciated most is how Tom kept us informed of the job's process and modification that might be necessary. Some of the supplies I had purchased were the wrong size. Once notified, he was able to organize an efficient work around. The job came in on time, exceeding my own expectations. read more

Montclair Construction & Structural - My perfect deck. - General Contractors Near Me - Oakland, California

Extremely professional staff. Will work with them again anytime.

These guys did a repair years ago in my home that involved replacing some walls and windows. Unfortunately they did not seal all the seams. Years later I had to tear out their work only to find they did a shoddy job installing the window which is why it leaked and led to dry rot. I would not use these guys ever again. read more

I called because I saw on their website that they do above ground pool installation - the women who answered the phone told me quickly that I'm not the first person to call for this service and that they don't do anything with pools. She then hung up on me - the entire call was a whirlwind. This review is strictly surrounding customer service and basic kindness but I would beware of working with a company that feels that this type of interaction is acceptable. read more

We had just purchased a duplex craftsman in Lakeshore, Oakland. We immediately started working on our remodel, only to discover that the faults in the home's foundation, were much worse than disclosed to us when we purchased the home. We called Montclair because a) we were new to the area and b) they sent a postcard to our home! We responded to a direct mailing campaign. Carlo, the owner, made the time in his busy schedule to survey the property, point out the faults, and hooked us up with an engineer. Four weeks later we had permitted plans to repair our entire foundation. The Montclair crew, true to their word, said the project would take 8 weeks - full excavation of the old foundation, installation of rebar and helical-piles, and concrete pouring. They also built a new retaining wall on the hillside of our home. They started in late December and were finished by mid-February - they got the job done ON TIME! Their crew worked six days a week, and sometimes worked on Sundays. At least 5 workers showed up on a daily basis - and they never missed a day (even when it rained, they worked under a tarp). I've never seen such a diligent and reliable crew. They worked on Christmas, New Years, and all public holidays to get the job done. Their work was outstanding. Our general contractor overseeing the rest of the home remodel said he had never seen such good work. The value is all there - foundation work is inherently expensive - but Montclair gets it done with quality work and fast. Carlo and his service team were responsive to my questions, and even eased on some of the pricing when I had an issue. Highly recommended and would hire again! read more

This company is terrible! They have been working on my apartment building for over two months, a job that was supposed to take a week! The workers are rude and leave trash everywhere. Update- after writing this review the company came to my apartment and left a letter on my door as an intimidation tactic to get me to take the review down. Incredibly unprofessional and disconcerting. read more

We hired Montclair Construction for a medium-sized job and we are 100% happy with their work. Our job involved installing new and replacing an old, subterranean storm drain system that had broken (clay pipes) and was blocked by roots. They dug out the old, trenched for the new additions and installed sewer grade pvc with cleanouts, grates, and pop-up exit emitters. Everything was connected to existing downspouts and other surface drain systems. After the drainage system was complete, they installed an exterior concrete stairway with handrails and exit sidewalks down a fairly steep grade next to our house, incorporating the drainage system into that path. Everything was designed, drawn/drafted, permitted and incrementally presented for our approval. Robert was our contact/estimator for the project and he was excellent at keeping us informed. The workers and the work were always very professional. Subcontractors were hired for the concrete pour and handrails and Montclair managed them seamlessly. I had gotten bids from several companies for this project and Montclair was not the cheapest, but after talking with them, my expectation that their work would be high quality and professionally performed turned out to be completely true and the incremental cost was very much worth it. BTW, there were no change orders or any other unexpected or unpleasant additional cost surprises in my project. read more

See all

Installed a French drain to address water intrusion on ground floor . Robert promptly put together a quote and his team were on site within the week to commence work. foreman Josue and crew worked swiftly,skillfully and quietly to complete and they cleaned site thoroughly. Final cost was spot on the quote. My fist call for our next project. read more

Montclair Construction is a solid choice. I'd go with them again, for the right job. We did a new deck with hot tub that is amazing, and we replaced our siding, windows and doors to remove all our dry rot. I think we got great quality and professionalism. Overall, we're happy customers! Our hot tub is fantastic, and the siding and new windows look great. Along the way we had a few bumps that we worked through but at the time were frustrating. Doing this job required a lot of coordination from me & my wife; we did most of the project management. We hired separate electricians, tilers, painters, and an architect and coordinated them all. This was a learning process and frustrating at times, for example ordering the windows, or making sure the plans got followed precisely, or coordinating the electrician with the siding. Mostly it worked out, with a couple workarounds which nobody would know the better. I suppose we may have saved some money by doing this ourselves, but I would have expected a general contractor to have taken on more of this coordination and to be honest I'm not sure I saved by getting lots of different contracts. Because of the quality of their work, speed, and competence, I would choose Montclair again, but I'd want it to be a self-contained job that didn't require multiple sub-contractors. Solid 4 stars. We're happy. Thanks Carlo, Mark, Misael, and Diana! read more

Great job by Misael and the Montclair crew on our structural repair and driveway replacement project in Piedmont. On time and exactly per Contract. They made some necessary adjustments and added a drainpipe at no extra charge. Also a pleasure working with Project Manager Robert and Office Manager Diana. Coordination and communication was seamless and efficient. Highly recommended! read more

Montclair put in a new french drain and sump pump in our oakland home. Robert has been giving us estimates on foundation and concrete work and he knows what he's talking about. The team kept our tiny lawn clean during the project - that was kind of a miracle. My husband was a contractor so he picks good contractors to work with. They do high quality work and I trust them for stuff we could never do ourselves. read more

I met with Robert Jarratt yesterday about leaks and water issues in our San Francisco basement. I was incredibly impressed by his experience, skills and observations. He noticed a number of potential causes of our issues and was the first to recommend doing a 'leak test' before creating a plan to address the issues (not something complex.... just a worker with a hose and another observing). Seems simple but no one else suggested. In the end we're not working together (and I'm bummed by that because I have confidence they would have done a great job!). They are in Oakland and we are in San Francisco and for our size job it dod not make economic sense on either end. But if we had a bigger project or were in Oakland we would not hesitate for a moment to work together. Thanks to Robert and Montclair for their amazing advice and for looking at our project! read more

I was first introduced to this company over a year ago, they were doing some structural work for my neighbor. At the time I remember being impressed by their workers, they always made sure their work did not interfere with our plans and that their trucks were not in our way. I also remember being very impressed by how clean they left the job site. Six-eight months after they completed the job I spoke with my neighbor about the structural work and he said the work exceeded their expectations. Recently, I had Montclair Construction provide an estimate and they were punctual, through, and had the bid back to me very quickly. Although we have not yet hired them we plan to and I will update my rating, most likely to five stars, when the time comes. read more

Overall I give high marks to Carlo and his team for solving a difficult and urgent basement water leak issue we faced. Exterior sourced water was penetrating our old brick foundation wall and there was no way to access the wall from the outside perimeter due to adjacent properties. Montclair quickly performed investigative work on the wall and developed an innovative solution to remediate the wall from inside the house. This involved removal of dry wall, installing a new subterranean French drain and drain paneling, and erecting a new rebar and shotcrete structural wall. Finish work included HVAC modification and reinstallation, replacement of dry wall and baseboards, electrical conduit relocation, plumbing repairs, new shelving, new tile floor, repainting and cleanup. All work was completed in an expeditious manner and there was regular communication from the project estimator and the company scheduler. The price for the work was competitive and there were minimal change orders. The few pricing and invoicing disputes that arose were resolved quickly and fairly. We encountered a number of contractor work teams and they were invariably skilled, professional and courteous, with a high level of teamwork amongst themselves. Items requiring rework or a third party specialist contractor were minimal. Site cleanup was performed daily and thoroughly at the end of the project. I would highly recommend Montclair for future structural and drainage projects, and for installation of tile floors. read more

We recently (Spring 2015) worked with Montclair Construction for french drain , complex water diversion problems and foundation work, and we think they were great. The owner, Carlo, came over at night with a flash light to look at the project and gave us an estimate. His crew were very professional and most of them have worked with Carlo for many years, which I believe is a testament to the quality of people there. We found some surprises during the project, and Carlo worked with me on the price. We would hire them again in a heartbeat. Carlo is someone I trust and you are welcome to contact me for a reference. read more

Great company. They did a major concrete repair on our 100 year old historic home in Berkeley. Great experience from start to finish. Will add more photos and details soon. read more

See all

The hardest part for me was choosing which company to do the big drainage job that my house needed. Water was coming off the backyard slope and into my garage and basement. I knew my foundation would fail eventually if I didn't fix it. I ended up going with Montclair Construction because they seemed like they were on their game and (hopefully) trustworthy. I'm glad I did. From start to finish they were unfailingly professional, polite and neat and clean. The price was competitive and they added little extra touches to the job without charging more. I could NOT be happier with their work. My head foreman was Justin. He's young but is very calm and well-spoken. I will use Montclair Construction for any future large house repairs that may come up. read more

Poor experience with Montclair Destruction, as we now call them. Brought in to fix a damp crawl space. $40,000 later they finished and after the first rain, we then had 3 inches of standing water! They came back and put in a sump pump at their expense (after we refused to pay for it), but the problem of water seepage into the crawl space still continues. First foreman quit MC after a week or so. The crew left behind, largely unsupervised, was so bad, that even MC had to fire them. Communication between the field and the office very poor. Diana in the office did her best "I can't believe they forgot you again!" but was clearly left in the dark and forced to explain away things. Inside the house, bangs and dings everywhere. They offered to fix them but after the bull has been in the china shop, you don't normally invite it back to restock the shelves. They refused to refund any money. We cannot recommend them. read more

I had concrete slippage in a kitchen that had continued for years and resisted attempts to repair it. Montclair Construction fixed it and it has been rock-solid ever since. That was more than 15 years ago. They fixed it for good. Forever! Thanks guys. read more

I called 8 other foundation companies, only 2 returned my call and both charge $250+ just to come out and diagnose a water damage issue I have on my property. However, Robert from Montclair construction came out just to have a look before diving into the possibility of doing drawings etc. And the receptionist helped me get the earliest appointment possible. Not only was he courteous and friendly he let me know that Montclair was too big an operation to do the work and I didn't need them! I could get a handyman to do it and it wasn't nearly as bad as I had feared. If I ever have to have any foundation work done, Montclair will be the only company I call. Thanks Robert! read more

Montclair Construction recently completed a large job for me -- foundation, drainage, stairs, chimney, retaining walls, sidewalks & driveway. Everyone was very professional and easy to work with throughout the entire process which was completed ahead of schedule. Excellent design, workmanship and communication. I am very happy with the results and would hire them again. read more

We had Montclair Construction replace our upper deck and railings due to weathered deck boards and dry rot to supporting structures. Also we had them replace many of the lower deck boards. As our existing decks were high grade redwood boards we had them replaced with the same. They did a fantastic job, completed the job on time and cleaned up and hauled away all debris. The whole team which included Robert (project manager) and repair crew ( Orlando and Jose) were very professional and on time. I will definitely use them for any future projects and highly recommend them. read more

We used Montclair to demo and replace a deck and two sets of concrete stairs. The finished product is five stars, and exceeded our expectations (see photos). The Montclair office staff, estimating staff, and Justin were timely and professional. Tom and his crew were knowledgeable and experienced, and it is clear how much Tom was invested in the finished product. However, we would not use Montclair again due to the way our property was treated during and after the work. We did not expect the amount of trash (dust masks, coffee cups, soda cans, candy wrappers) and debris that were left around our house while the work was happening. Plants that we were told would not be harmed were broken. When we brought up our concerns about the trash, we were reassured several times that at the end of the project there would be a big cleanup and everything would be picked up. In the end, the surfaces that they constructed were very clean. However, immediately after they finished, we picked up about 50 screws, a saw blade, and several chunks of wood that had been left. We've picked up another several dozen screws, random construction scraps, and another saw blade. We still have to scrape concrete slurry off our basement door and repaint it, and wash our patio where their power equipment left oil stains. Montclair did exceptional work, but we would not want them back on our property. EDITED TO ADD: After posting this review, Tom reached out to us and offered to come do the remaining clean up. Montclair is definitely true to their word that they will come fix things if you are not happy. read more

See all

I had a French drain put in on one side of my house by Montclair construction, and after these crazy rains over the last few weeks it has worked as intended to keep my basement dry. I'll be contacting them again for work on the other side of my home! I work with contractors for a living so I know how unusual it is for a project to finish on time and on budget but these guys did it. The foreman Marvin was responsive and knowledgeable and I'm very happy with the result. My only complaint is that they left some concrete spatter on my plants and outdoor furniture, but it was minimal and nowhere near enough to detract even one star. Other than that tiny thing, they were great and I would certainly recommend them. read more

We had a flood in our home from excess rainwater runoff. We called Montclair Construction and Robert came out the next day to advise on how to prevent this from recurring. Robert came up with a solution and within a few days the drainage issue was address. We were kept in the loop at all times and the cost was right in line with the expectations. I am manage lots of apartment units and deal with many contractors but have to share that prompt, reasonable service is not common in the industry. Robert and Montclair are the real deal and based on my experience I would recommend them to anyone read more

We hired Montclair Construction to rebuild our backyard deck. I communicated with Justin throughout the project, and he made sure everything went smoothly. They started and finished on time, and we are very happy with the new deck - it is well built with great attention to detail. I would definitely hire them again! read more

We used Montclair Construction for a deck renovation. The owner, Carlo came out to estimate the project for us and gave us honest options for repair or replacement. He was very considerate and helped me to evaluate not only the durability of the deck but considered safety impacts for my children. We decided to hire them to replace our entire 2 story deck and we are extremely pleased with this company and their work. The entire process, from estimating, permitting, construction, completion to clean up was EXCELLENT! Everyone I worked with was great to work with, the owner, office staff, Diana and foreman, Martin; all of them were professional, friendly and responsive, truly a customer service oriented company that delivered a high quality product. Another aspect to highlight is the crew, they kept the site tidy and were respectful of our space, children (observers) and the close proximity we were to the project space. I recommend using Montclair construction for your major home improvement needs. We will be using them again in the future without hesitation. They are honest, professional and communicated well with me throughout the entire project. I knew where they were on the schedule, when they were coming out, when they would be late or not onsite for the day. We are very happy with the final product. read more

See all

We needed some significant home repairs and contracted with Montclair Construction. The work was completed in a professional and timely manner. It was a pleasure working with Justin, Louis and the crew assigned to our project. We were kept well informed throughout the project, the workmanship exceeded our expectations, and the cleanup was thorough and much appreciated. Based on the process and results, we are planning to contract with this company again soon. read more

May 2009 - I first got in touch w/ Montclair to bid on our bathroom remodel. Estimator #1 says he'll be in touch in 10 days. I never hear from him again. 10/10/09 - the HOA I'm on the board of has a project and I think, 'Maybe that was a fluke,' so ask Montclair to come out and bid on it. Estimator #2 comes out to look at the HOA project. I'm abt ready to start w/ my remodel fr May having found a different contractor but figure since Montclair's here again, might as well see if I can get an actual bid. Estimator #2 sounds as if both HOA and my project will be no problem. 10/15/09 - I call Estimator #2 to see if bid is ready. No call back. 10/18/09 - I call the office to see if bid is ready. Office person #1 says I'll definitely get back to you. No call back 10/23/09 - I call the office and leave a msg. No call back 10/24/09 - I call the office and Office person #2 says I'll have the estimator get back to you. No call back 10/25/09 - I call the office and Office person #2 says I don't know why he hasn't called, we're not bidding b.c. it isn't a good fit. Good fit or not this was extremely unprofessional and if this is any reflection of how the job would've gone, we're lucky this happened before anything was signed. read more

I had Montclair construction replace foundation, install bolting, repair dry rot, and install french drains on my prior house, in 2006-07. They did a first rate job. Also, they were on time, stayed within budget, professional, clean, courteous, etc. So I hired them to do an even more complicated structural job on my current home. Robert Jarratt provided the most thorough and informative estimate and worked with me to come up with solid, code-compliant solutions to the issues on the job. He also noticed details and issues that other companies overlooked. Montclair is not cheap, but you get what you pay for. For a serious structural job, I would (and do) use Montclair. As far as the rating, note that all of the good reviews are filtered out. Shame on you, Yelp. In my opinion, if you want a fair assessment, read ALL of the reviews, including the "filtered" ones. Better yet, ask them for a proposal, and you will see for yourself how professional and knowledgable they are. read more

We were totally ripped off by these guys. One of the main guys Robert was a liar. The supposedly professionals we had with them did not appear professional at all. We had to call several times and speak with the head person before we got our preliminary assessment which was $1000 and nearly unreadable. I would not recommend them. Terrible. read more