My experience with Golden State was better than I expected even though I was impressed by them…read moreduring our initial meeting. I have dealt with other construction companies in the past which turned out to be negative experiences. They disappeared at times and did not communicate clearly or honestly. I had the opposite experience with Golden State. Zach and Alex with Golden State were the two people that I was in most contact with. They were extremely efficient and reliable. They communicated clearly and honestly. They completed two porches which were in need of replacement and a lot of siding that was damaged followed by a beautiful paint job on our family home. They also completed the job much faster than I expected. Alex's crew did the work. Each one of his crew members was friendly, polite and a hard working individual. We thought the pricing was fair. Much better than other companies that we considered for the job. My wife and I will definitely recommend them to others who may need similar work done.

Since this will be a detailed review, including photographs, and since not everyone may want to…read moreread through all of it, I'll list the main takeaways up front: 1) This company prioritizes keeping to their schedule over doing the work correctly. 2) There is a serious lack of oversight on projects. I also want this review to be balanced, so I'll say up front that there were certainly a number of thing that went well in my siding replacement project. But enough things went badly that I regret having chosen Golden State Builders to do the work. My project involved removing 60-year old cedar siding and replacing it with t1-11 plywood siding on the front of my house. I planned to stain rather than paint the siding, which is admittedly an unusual approach. And this entailed some additional complications, two of which I discussed with the foreman before work began. First, plywood cannot be left sitting in water. I therefore emphasized that the metal flashing beneath the siding could not be flush against the bottom, and that an air gap must be left so that the plywood can dry after rain. Regardless, the Z flashing was installed flush against the bottom (see photo below), and for long stretches tilted in toward the panels, which would have acted as a basin directing water toward them and holding it there. When I pointed this out, they removed the Z flashing, which left the underlying L flashing in a somewhat tattered-looking condition (see photo). Golden State apparently considers this to be aesthetically acceptable, and it's what's currently protruding from my wall. Second, although I ordered premium t1-11 panels for this project, such panels always vary in appearance. Some are almost entirely "clean" while others have visible patch marks or major color irregularities. I therefore asked the foreman to place the dirtier panels on the right side of my house, where they would be largely hidden by foliage, and the clean panels on the left side, where they would be immediately visible to visitors and passersby. Despite this, the crew installed one of the dirtiest panels on the left side of the house (see photo). For various reasons I did not demand that they redo this, but it's indicative of a general lack of attention to customers' stated preferences. On the right side of my house, the new siding extended a little farther out than the original siding had. Consequently , it ran up against, and overlapped with, a wood fence that touches the right wall of the house. Rather than removing the obstruction, or even consulting with me to see what I wanted done, they made the remarkable decision to bend the plywood panel at the end (see photo). This could have led to delamination and other structural problems down the road, apart from not looking very nice or professionally done. But it was clearly the fastest way for them to "fix" the problem and get on to the next job. Now, the thing about all of these issues is that none of them were identified by the company itself. And the reason is that there was no effective oversight of the work crew. The onus was entirely on me to spot and report them. Once I did so, they acknowledged them and fixed (most of) them. (There were other smaller ones I won't go into here.) But clearly, the formula seems to be: if the customer doesn't know enough or doesn't check carefully enough to complain, leave it and move on. The problem here falls mainly on the project managers. My original one disappeared as soon as work started, and consequently exercised no oversight. He was replaced by a second one once I started pointing out problems, but that second one likewise identified no issues on his own, despite the fact that some were discovered (by me) only after he was put on the job. Good project managers visit worksites daily and inspect work closely. Golden State's project managers do not do this. I would identify this as the primary issue with my project. Golden State would probably argue that the main problem was the foreman. They claim to have fired him immediately after my job, but if that's even true, it's small consolation to learn that the work has been done by someone worth firing. But I would say that the onus falls on the project managers, who are simply not doing their jobs, and on management, which is probably encouraging or at least tolerating this behavior. Look, if your idea of siding replacement is throwing up some hardie board and painting it, then these guys will probably do a decent job. But if anything more complicated or detail-oriented is involved, you're probably better off hiring a small local contractor rather than a large outfit juggling many jobs over an extended area. I wish I had.

We had a great experience with Sky Bar Construction on our ADU project. The project took about five…read moremonths from start to finish, and throughout the entire process the team was professional, responsive, and easy to work with. The quality of the workmanship was excellent, they kept us informed every step of the way, and they were always willing to address our questions and concerns. Building an ADU is a major project, but they made the process as smooth as possible. The finished ADU turned out exactly as we hoped, and we're very happy with the result. We would definitely recommend Sky Bar Construction to anyone looking for a reliable contractor for an ADU or major remodeling project.

We had a good experience with our deck installation. Bar and his partner managed the project…read morewell--they oversaw the ongoing progress and conducted the final walkthrough with us to make sure all of our concerns were completely addressed before completion. Thank you to the team for their hard work!

I just finished a project to replace my roof with Eli from EcoStar. I'm really pleased with the…read moreoutcome! Eli promptly addressed all my questions throughout the process and I would be happy to work with him again.

Not a review for the construction itself but the workers they hire. While wearing their work shirts…read more3 young boys sat in the orchards shopping center, showing each other photos of their girls and their heights and weights. Talking about women's bodies and seeing them in real time objectify a girl walking by. Absolutely disgusting.

Called the S&I team to evaluate some work at my property. Dave B and team led the assessment -…read morethey were prompt and easy to talk to. I'm lost when it comes to construction projects and Dave and his team were able to help me understand the various options for remediation available to me and followed up with documentation to help me evaluate and make a decision. Their quote was very fair and competitive with market rates. And they helped provide me with flexibility in phasing out work to align better with my budget. Great team there with Dave and would definitely recommend the crew for any construction projects you have in mind!

2nd Review Addendum:…read more Miri, S&I owner, reached out to me to resolve the issues mention in the original review. She offered to discuss the issues and have workers come out to make things right. By this time, but I had encountered the issues mentioned in the first review addendum. I don't want her employees or day laborers anywhere on my property. After providing her with an advance copy of the first review addendum, Miri responded with a reimbursement offer of $3,000. I accepted the reimbursement. I still regret hiring S&I to work on my property. I recommend you do you extra due diligence before hiring them. I don't trust their high-star rating.

After having to halt a stonework project last year due to poor quality, I spent a lot of time…read moresearching for the right team to not only finish it but also to bring our original vision to life. I came across Together Home Remodeling, and I couldn't be happier with my decision. From the very beginning, Ron was responsive, communicative, and genuinely thoughtful. He took the time to understand what we wanted, asked the right questions, and created a clear plan with a reliable timeline that was perfect for our budget. The craftsmanship, the remarkable attention to detail in every cut, line, and finish. It's clear that this team takes great pride in their work. Their professionalism and follow-through were exceptional. The crew consistently arrived on time, worked efficiently, and treated our home with care, leaving everything clean and untouched at the end of each day. We are extremely satisfied with the final results. I highly recommend Together Home Remodeling and look forward to working with Ron and his team in the future!

We recently completed a full master bathroom remodel with Together Home Remodeling, and the…read moretransformation turned out beautifully. Ron and his crew were professional, communicative, and respectful of the house throughout the process. You can tell they take pride in their craftsmanship because the finish work and overall design feel very intentional. The bathroom now feels bright, modern, and spa-like. The vaulted wood ceiling with skylights brings in amazing natural light, and the freestanding soaking tub next to the glass shower enclosure creates a really clean focal point. The slatted wood-look wall tile, green vertical tile in the shower area, and dark stone flooring all balance each other nicely and give the space a warm but modern feel. I also love the double vanity with vessel sinks, the large backlit mirror, and the custom cabinetry that keeps everything streamlined. The glass shower enclosure with the built-in bench and recessed shelving is both functional and visually clean, and the laundry area integrated into the space was a really smart design decision. The funny part now is that my husband loves the remodel so much he's basically taken over the bathroom. I have to remind him the double vanity means we each get our own side of the sink. Overall we had a really positive experience working with Ron and his team, and we're very happy with how the entire remodel turned out.

We just finished a remodel with HQR of our downstairs that included kitchen, family room and hall…read morebathroom. I worked with project manager Ronnie and his crew led by Jairo. We had existing design plans, and before we started the project, we interviewed several contractors and decided on HQR because their portfolio of past work and talks with Ronnie. We also chose HQR because we felt the pricing was fair and transparent, especially for this area (Danville/Blackhawk). Ronnie made sure we stayed on budget and estimated 12 weeks for the project, and if it had not for a delay with our windows we would have finished within that time frame. Once we started, Ronnie's crew was here every day and was always very friendly, hard working and thorough. Staying on track and having someone work on the project every day is valuable and not something one should take for granted when working with a general contractor. Maybe it was because we had an outside designer, but I had totally underestimated the amount of time that I needed to spend myself overseeing the project. There were some hiccups along the way, and some specific installations that required me to hire some sub-contractors myself. I can say though that whenever there was an issue, Ronnie did make sure that things were fixed right away to our satisfaction. Ultimately, we got our dream kitchen for the expected price within the promised time frame, and I am thankful for HQR and Ronnie for that.

Very high price for garage conversion quoted $500 per sq ft probably the highest I have heard in…read morethe Bay area.

An unfortunate experience with another general contractor led me to reevaluate the bid process for…read moreour project. I'm very glad that process introduced me to Elay, Sean, and Gina from Build Strong. They took the time to walk me through our options, clearly explained the scope and pricing, and went above and beyond to support what we were trying to accomplish. They were professional, responsive, transparent, and easy to work with throughout the process. Although we ultimately decided to go in a different direction, I felt it was important to share how positive my experience was with the Build Strong team. I would not hesitate to reach out to them again for a future project and would gladly recommend them to others.

My wife and I had been thinking to revamp our backyard porch for so many years. I am glad we waited…read morebecause we found Build Strong. Elay, the project manager, was amazing from start to finish. He listened to me very carefully and came up with the best quality solution with the best price. We are now very happy with our porch and enjoying it so much.

Working with Kastus has been one of the best experiences I've ever had with a contractor. He's not…read morejust talented -- he's a true craftsman. You can tell he understands wood deeply -- how it behaves, how it breathes, and how to bring out its beauty in every detail. From the very beginning, he took the time to study the conditions of my house, plan carefully, and make the right recommendations. Every step of the project showed his dedication, precision, and love for quality work. Many parts of this deck could have been built in a simpler or faster way, but Kastus chose to do them right -- taking the extra time to make everything look beautiful and last longer. All the ideas you see in the photos started as rough concepts I had in mind. Kastus listened, added his own ideas, and together we created something even better than I imagined. I've worked with many contractors in my life -- I'm actually a contractor myself -- and I've never seen anyone with his level of care, patience, and commitment to excellence. In a time when most companies chase quantity over quality, finding someone like Kastus is rare. If you get the chance to hire him, you'll be working with a true woodworker -- someone who treats every project like a piece of art. I'm happy to provide references or even show you the project in person. Feel free to reach out if you'd like to come see his work or talk about my experience.

Kastus did amazing job cleaning up my backyard. The…read morecommunication was clear, he responded promptly and we easily found a time that works best for me. I can't begin to tell how efficient and professional he was. He pulled out all the weeds and bushes and even trimmed my regular garden vegetation preparing it for the winter. He even took great care of helping me dispose of the trimmed weeds. my backyard looks stunning now and a smile every time I look at it. I highly recommend Kastus and his team, they are true professionals, providing the highest quality of service.