Our neighbor was doing some repair work on his decks and used them. So when we needed to replace some crumbling stairs with new concrete stairs and do some other structural work, of course I asked him about his experience and he said they were great. In the course of the job, they ran into some extended dry rot (apparently, the prior contractor used non-pressure treated wood) which caused the job to take longer than estimated, but they stayed on the job until it was done and did not revise the bid. Beyond new stairs and replacement of some railroad ties on the other side, we had some critters who had taken residence in our basement. When the original builders of the house put up the property, they left the tree roots which have since rotted away resulting in a series of tunnels. So not only did we need new stairs, they had to trench all around the house to seal all the tunnels. Also, we wanted to make sure they didn't harm any of the little guys when they put up the stairs and sealed the property, and asked them to keep an eye out for little noses and whiskers and let us know if they saw any so we could trap and relocate them. Instead of laughing at us, the construction guys put little wadded paper balls in the tunnels the day before they trenched to see if they were pushed out (meaning the tunnels were occupied). :) The bid Montclair Construction gave us was a little higher than the other bid we got, but nonetheless, they were so responsive and given our neighbor's experience, we wanted to go with them so we asked them point blank if they could match the bid. They came out again, reviewed the other bid, and said Yes. Once they started the job, they came every day until it was done and came the very day I called to ask them to do one small touch up after they completed it. The stairs look pretty nice. On top of that, our railroad-type stairs on the other side were creosote-laced, rather than the safer and less toxic forms of pressure-treated wood and they replaced some of those with the safer form because they did not want to poison the creek that runs through our property, at cost to them, but none to us. Pretty shocked by some of these reviews. Obviously, I can't speak to them, but this was not our experience. read more

I had water leaks involving incorrectly installed windows in my house. I paid a contractor representing himself as a water engineer several thousand dollars to investigate the leaks, and he informed me that the windows were not leaking, but rather I should buy new gutters from him. Later, I paid Montclair Construction's Robert Jarratt less than ten percent of what I paid the so-called engineer to investigate the leaks. Mr. Jarratt correctly diagnosed the problem and proposed a repair. I hired an architect who specialized in water intrusion for a second opinion, and he confirmed what Mr. Jarratt told me. Montclair Construction did the repair work, which was extensive. Almost all of the stucco on the house had to be removed, and almost all of the windows and one door had to be removed and reinstalled with proper waterproofing, or "flashing". Parts of the roof had to be removed and reinstalled. The crew was courteous and cleaned up the work site at the end of every day. The subcontractors were courteous and appear to have done their jobs well. There were no delays in the project. I found Mr. Jarratt to be a knowledgeable contractor who is interested in doing a quality job. He does not cut corners. Mr. Jarratt was on time for every meeting. There was one "hiccup", which involved a back door that would not close and lock properly after it was reinstalled following some termite repair work. The door was eventually adjusted and now works properly. This was an enormously large and difficult project. Some contractors even declined bidding on the job, claiming that it was too large or too difficult. The reality is that no large construction repair project goes along without a glitch, and with the exception of the door, this project went smoothly, was completed on time (it took months because it was so large), and there were no unexpected cost overruns. I would use Robert Jarratt and Montclair Construction again should the need arise. read more

We contracted with Montclair Construction to replace a failing cinder block retaining wall with a new wooden wall enclosing an approximately 25' x 12' area on a steep slope at our house in the Oakland hills. A California-licensed engineer we hired initially recommended that the new wall be secured with helical piers. However, Montclair Construction's licensed engineer discussed this with our engineer and proposed an alternative, less expensive, more aesthectically pleasing plan using structural concrete piers bored 12' deep, with concrete enclosing vertical steel I-beams securing steel rails that support the wooden planks. Our engineer concurred with this plan and from there Montclair Construction took over all aspects of the job, from design, to plan submittal and coordination with the City of Oakland planning department to make modifications leading to approval of the plans; through construction to final inspection. Montclair Construction also worked well coordinating an inspection with our independent engineer while the piers were being constructed. The project also included a new drainage system and backfilling of the enclosed area. The construction crew were supervised on-site by Orlando and we found them to be experienced, hard working and well supervised. Orlando did a great job answering our questions and keeping us informed on the day-to-day progress of the project. The construction phase took approximately 6 weeks from start to finish. We highly recommend Montclair Construction for projects like these involving concrete construction, drainage system design and coordination with the city for submitting plans, obtaining permits and scheduling inspections. We found Carlo to be very helpful and informative with ideas for planning this and future projects. We are very pleased with the work that was done and hope to work with Montclair Construction on other projects invloving the hardscape surrounding our house. read more

We are very pleased with the results of a recent, large project done by Montclair Construction. Our expectations were exceeded. The scope of our project included foundation repair and replacement, installation of drainage systems, extensive reframing and sheathing to correct dry rot, provision and installation of new windows, and replacement of a concrete driveway. The skills required ranged from concrete demolition to fine, finish carpentry. In all cases, the crew had the know-how, tools, and materials to work steadily and deliberately for almost 12 weeks. (There was no waiting around while someone ran to Home Depot.) There were no problems or delays with permits or inspections. When engineering consulting or drawings were needed, Montclair had these professionals available quickly. Foreman Josue was outstanding guiding Felipe, Edgar, and Cora through all phases of the project. Great attention was paid to the care of our garden, paths, and general livability inside the house while the work was done. The job-site was generally clean during the project and spotless at the end. Also notable: all contracts and invoices were clear and accurate, Production Manager Justin was in touch every step of the way, and the office staff was consistently knowledgeable, helpful and responsive. I would not hesitate to recommend Montclair to neighbors or friends. read more

Montclair Construction has performed 2 major jobs for us and they are wonderful. 3 years ago they rebuilt our bridge (the bridge also functions as a driveway). Recently, we hired Montclair Construction to perform demolition on the back yard. We had an un-usable patio in the back, and needed a demolition so we could renovate. Because of the hill terrain, it was important to us that the company doing the demolition had the knowledge and experience to do this work properly, and to leave our strong retaining walls intact. We needed to dismantle and remove 2 concrete decks, a cement staircase and wall, and 3 large and UGLY concrete planters, plus remove some old tree stumps and several large and overgrown juniper trees. I have before and after pictures and will post them here. Montclair Construction came in with a very reasonable and comprehensive bid. Their pricing is honest and fair. Their employees are courteous and conscientious. They arrived on time and stayed until the job was done. They kept the job site clean every day, and totally swept up on their last day. So, two great experiences with Montclair Construction over 3 years. We would not hesitate to hire Montclair Construction again in the future. The pics display in reverse order -- the "after" pics show first. read more

Montclair Construction's Adam came out right away and gave me a quote on repairing the stucco on the corner of my house. It separates where it meets the concrete foundation. I had seen ants running in and out of there all summer long. I had the stucco fixed twice before and was worried about underlying dry rot in the wood. Adam inspected it, and said there was no dry rot from what he could see, gave me a quote and said he could look a little deeper while repairing the stucco and sealing the gap. He did a very professional job, matched the color of the materials to the color of the exterior of my house and even came back a week or so later and painted the area. This will last along time and was much more detailed. It was a very reasonable price for an excellent job done. While painting after the wind storm he found a metal cap that came off the PG&E lines to my house and left me a note telling me to contact PG&E and what was needed to re-install the cap. It is rare you get such good service, quick, reliable, arriving when they say they will arrive and completing the job in a timely fashion. It is great there was such care given and I am very thankful read more

I recently purchased 3 windows and when the installer arrived, we found a tremendous amount of dry rot on one side of the house due to water damage from a damaged roof and gutters. I called Montclair Construction and Robert Jarrat was able to diagnose the problem and oversee the entire job. In May-June 2013, Foreman Tom and his crew at Montclair removed and replaced over 1,800 square feet of exterior siding, replaced damaged structural members, and installed 3 windows. The workmanship of Tom and his crew were excellent. Montclair also took care of having the entire roof and gutters replaced to prevent future water damage. During the course of the work, they happily answered all our questions and corrected any problems that were found. I would definitely recommend Montclair Construction to anyone seeking a company that can do excellent work. Montclair did an extraordinary job working with me and my wife to stay within the boundaries of our budget. In my opinion, Montclair workmanship and integrity is A+. read more

Montclair Construction did an excellent job for us rebuilding a leaky deck located just above our kitchen. That was three years ago. Several days ago with the recent rain, the deck suddenly started to leak again. Robert Jarratt of Montclair Construction responded immediately to our call for help. He was at our house by 8:30AM the day after we discovered the leak. He identified the problem as a plugged rain drainpipe and had it repaired immediately. Almost three years ago, Robert Jarratt did a fine job estimating the cost of our project as well as the time needed for completion and the schedule was adhered to until the end. The team who did the tile removal from the deck as well as the cement bed, framework and re-tiling of the deck were very professional, reliable and as tidy as can be. Robert checked all aspects of the on-going job and overall we were pleased with the outcome. This company stands by its work and can be trusted to repair any problems found, even after some time passes. read more

Whaoh! I just read a few reviews and either someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed or we have two different Companies... Monstclair Construction mainly Robert and Tom did a stellar job on my foundation. I was first told by my neighbor that like her, I would probably be looking at 2 to 3 which would grow to 4 to 5 months but in fact... As per our contract, it was 67 days from the day Robert Estimated to the time that I completed my final walk around and signed that FINAL PAYMENT! OUCH, but oh it was necessary and I feel so much better now that it is over... it was like the anticipation of pulling off a bandaid. Just do it, get it over and you will see your house can be healthy and strong again. So, thanks Montclair Crew and Diana for being so helpful with my questions on the phone! I will post a few pics when my wife shows me how! read more

We use Montclair Construction for their handyman service in our commercial three story building . Twice a month, Adam, Montclair's handyman, fixes everything for us from crumbling grout to hanging ceiling tiles. Adam has hung multiple whiteboards, installed a number of keyboard trays, adjusted cube furniture, built shelves, and repaired our dumpster gate - just to name a few items. When it comes to fixing something - Adam seems to know a lot about everything. He is professional, polite, and he works extremely hard. His work is always exceptional and I trust his judgment and expertise. I consider Adam and Montclair Construction to be one of my luckiest Internet finds. I would highly recommend Adam and Montclair Construction for any home handyman jobs or commercial repairs. read more

The Montclair Construction crew was super: knowledgeable, efficient, and meticulous. Tom and Justin make a great team: they work well together and kept our house accessible and functional during construction. We had them do major structural repairs: foundation work, replacement of exterior stairs, gutter and soffit work on the roof, and re-working of drainage along the sides of the house. Window and door replacement, too. Truly fine craftsmanship, rebuilding the front door frame and threshold! Robert handled contract details and was flexible when scheduling issues came up. Very professional. I'll definitely call on them again when I'm ready to tackle the next project! I trust them. So grateful for the beautiful work they've done! read more

We love Montclair Construction! We live in the hills, and we had a bad leak into our bedroom, wood siding that was falling apart, and stairs/decks that were rotting. MC fixed everything. They rebuilt the outside of our house with beautiful stucco and new stairs and decking. It was a very large project, and they managed everything superbly. The crew worked SO hard and was always careful and courteous. Carlo managed everything personally and made sure it was all perfect. He even fixed (at no charge) a bunch of things that weren't even in our contract - just because he cares so much. The project was done on time and on budget. And then some. We could not be happier - we will never use anyone else. read more

Montclair Construction has completed two separate projects for us on our 100 year-old house in Oakland during the past two years. Both projects were relatively small, under $6,000 each, which some companies don't really want to deal with. Montclair Construction was happy to bid on our jobs, gave reasonable estimates, and completed the jobs efficiently and quickly. They cleaned up after the jobs. One job involved their employees working on a high scaffold to remove and replace rotted wood. They worked carefully and safely, were polite and informative when we asked about the progress of the job, were hard working and did excellent quality work. We would recommend them for jobs large and small. read more

I like this company and I loved working there last year. I say this emphatically because the TEAM of people they have, are employees for many years and each of the foremen are specialized in their fields and experts all on their own. Not to mention Their Estimators who are Brilliant in handling even the most complicated issues. If you want the work done RIGHT the first time, with no worries in the future - this is the place to go. Most of the employees have been working there for 10+ years. (Robert, Roberto, Josue, Tom, Diana, etc etc.) When I was working there, I took pride in my job and every member I knew! Its the PEOPLE that make a company. not the endorsements. :-) read more

I used Montclair Construction to build a fence around my backyard. They finished it on time and under budget. I changed my mind so many times and they were very understanding and worked with me to figure out the best solutions. They did an amazingly solid job and the fence looks beautiful. The workers were very polite and very professional. They would go out of their way to address my concerns or answer my questions. I bought an old house in Oakland Hills and it needs a lot of work. So I've been dealing with a lot of contractors and I've found Montclair to be a very rare company and above all others. I'll be calling them again and again to help me with my projects. read more

I had my 1st roof leak in my home and had to have an emergency repair. After the repair I realized I needed my roof replaced and looked at bids from about 5 other companies. Montclair wasn't the cheapest, but they made the best case. They were able to schedule the work and get it done in a timely manner. I also identified some additional wood rot around my back door frame that they were able to fix including gutting part of the exterior wall and re-stuccoing. I definitely had a lot to learn about roofing materials and processes in order to select a roofing company. Montclair was very helpful, and I believe I made the right choice. read more

Back in 1998 when we bought our Kensington hillside home, the old 1920's house had significant settling on the down-hill side. We had Robert of Montclair Construction come out, give us a reasonable bid to put in upwards of 18 piers on the settled side, put in a new beefy foundation, correct the settling by jacking up the 2-story house, finish and clean-up. Robert and his crew were professional and diligent, and now almost 20 years later the job has stood the test of time! We strongly recommend Montclair Construction for anyone whose house may have settled due to the nature of gravity vs. our California hilly terrain. read more

Montclair Construction did an amazing job on my home remodel, which included a new kitchen and laundry room, replacement of a driveway, and repair of siding and portions of decks and railings, and installing a new door and window. They were timely, professional and kind throughout the process. There were several delays occasioned by outside suppliers; yet Montclair Construction responded with flexibility and efficiency. Thanks so much to Robert Jarratt for overseeing the project, to Diana and Valeria for their coordination and responsiveness and to Luis and Javier, and their crews, for the beautiful work. read more

Having previously dealt with a nightmare contractor who failed to adequately address my water problem, Montclair was a breath of fresh air! Robert J. was very professional, always showed up when he said he would. His workers were very neat, and best of all, solved my water problem! He was easy to deal with, answered all my questions, and was extremely knowledgeable about foundations, waterproofing and general construction. I could trust him and his judgement, which was especially important for me, as I live full time on the east coast. Team Robert J. gets 5 stars from me! read more