My husband and I are really happy with New Avenue. Amer and his team, New Avenue's principal contractor, did an incredible job building a backyard music studio for my husband on our property in San Francisco as well transforming an underutilized space into a laundry room. The team was professional, and they moved very quickly to complete the job. We found the prices competitive. Working with Jeff Rexford, we're now well on our way through the design phase of our next project designed and built by New Avenue. We're very happy to continue working with New Avenue. read more

New Avenue - Our 100 sq ft. backyard music studio in San Francisco - Home Developers Near Me

New Avenue has been a joy to work with and we couldn't be happier with the incredible result. Our experience with the New Avenue architect, contractor, as well as New Avenue management has been fantastic from start to finish. We set out to build an ADU in our back yard, and we knew that New Avenue were the experts in this area--plus they came highly recommended from friends who had worked with them. We didn't have loads of cash to throw at creating a dream house, so we were picturing a very simple, basic box in our backyard, no frills. What we ended up with is a gorgeously designed and built one-bedroom house that anyone would be thrilled to live in. It's energy efficient, has hardwood custom cabinetry and built-in bookshelves, gorgeous tiling and a beautiful kitchen, lovely polished concrete floors. The style is mid-century modern, inspired by the style of the mid-century architect Rudolph Schindler. Our architect, Randolph Ruiz, an architecture professor who is a fantastic communicator with an incredible vision, guided us through a design process that got us to a beautiful design that we absolutely love, despite the fact that my husband and I lack aesthetic talent of any kind. And it came in on budget. And as quickly as could be expected considering the COVID supply issues. The whole construction process took about 8 months because there were delays in obtaining basic supplies such as wood, windows, and appliances because of COVID. Their original timeline was 4 months, and I believe they would have come in close to that if not for the supply issues. This was for a 500 square foot one-bedroom house with a kitchen and a loft. We worked with Purev Baatarchuulu as our contractor. Purev's team was communicative, friendly, and affordable. And most importantly, very competent--one of their construction workers is trained as a civil engineer in Mongolia, and often came up with great suggestions for small improvements to the design as they went along. When one of their subcontractors turned out to be unreliable, thus delaying the project by a couple of weeks (unfortunately, he'd started the project and THEN flaked!) they managed to get him moving again by sheer polite persistence. (I'm certain they won't be hiring that particular subcontractor again). We felt consistently great about working with this thoughtful, careful, communicative, ethical, and hardworking team. Working with New Avenue was key to moving this project along and completing it in a timely fashion, with the confidence that we were doing it right. Kevin from New Avenue was super helpful in answering our questions from the very beginning, when we had just started to think about what it would mean to build an ADU. He knows so much about it, he was able to help us think through our total budget, what our goals were for the ADU, and answer our questions about timeline, as well as many many other questions about how different things work, like getting financing, etc. Kevin is really good at finding the right fit for architect and contractor, so you're not just going with an architect or construction company that your friend recommends, but rather with people who are a good fit for you. He has a deep knowledge of this whole process and is really passionate about building ADUs (which, in my opinion, is super important work to make our cities denser, increase housing supply, drive down the cost of housing, and curb transportation emissions). He also really cares about people feeling great about their homes, and finding solutions that fit your family. Kevin gets it from a holistic perspective, and it has been so great, as people with no previous experience building housing, to have someone with deep experience to guide us through the process. read more

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Working with Kevin on my ADU project in Berkeley was great! - Examples of prior project budgets gave me a good idea of what I was getting into before starting the project - Recommendations on architects and contractors were solid (architects design and drawings were great, contractor did a great job with the build) - Liked the software to track project progress and particularly project budget online. Architect and contractor enter the agreed upon project budget at project start and then any change orders are submitted through the software and must be approved. - Payments are also made electronically through New Avenue software. For example, contractor requests payment against budget line items and you can see the percentage budgeted, billed and remaining Great experience overall! Would highly recommend. read more

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I really can't say enough good things about Kevin at New Avenue. First of all, I e-mailed him asking for help on city code compliance on a house that I didn't even own at the time - I wanted to make an offer, but needed to make sure what I wanted to do was possible. The fact that I didn't even own the place yet did not matter at all to Kevin, who ended up being amazingly helpful and very generous with his time. Sadly, though I did not get the house, he and his company are at the top of my list for when I finally do get one and can add an ADU. Kevin was incredibly nice, informative (I dug through Berkeley city code for days and goodness it's confusing), honest, and passionate about what he does. This might honestly be one of the best consultation experiences I have ever had. read more

I worked with architect/designer Amparo Del Rio on New Avenue to design a 1-bedroom ~400 sqft ADU project in Berkeley. Amparo is an effective, professional architect, who has a sharp eye for interior design. Her attention to detail translates very well to the architecture drawings, which got rave reviews even from general contractors I spoke to. She is prompt and patient in responding to my many questions, some times going above and beyond her tasks to make the process easier for a newbie like myself. If I could give rating just for her service, I would rate 5 stars. I did remove a star for New Avenue, but I want to start with the pros since I am generally happy with New Avenue's service. The software/website itself is a nice tool to help plan for construction projects, including tools like detailed line by line budget planning, simple approval workflow for work completed, and general communication platform with partners on New Avenue. Kevin the owner is also very responsive and knowledgeable, often jump in to resolve any issues. Not taking account the byzantine maze of rules and regulations on constructing an ADU in Berkeley, the New Avenue experience depends heavily on the quality of partners that are on their platform, which in my experience was uneven. Before finding Amparo (by way of Kevin's help), we used a different architect where we had significant delays to our process. Granted we have always shared a flexible timeline with our project, we spend 2 years working with our first architect and is still waiting for a permit from the Berkeley. Fortunately, once we decided to move on to a different architect, Kevin was able to pair us quickly with Amparo, but my advice is to be diligent about selecting your partner from the New Avenue. To get the most value of your partners, invest the time to clearly (and often) communicate timeline and requirements. read more

Kevin and the team at New Avenue really came through for us on a tricky project. We had no experience in renovation projects and no connections to architects or general contractors in the area. A few things stood out in particular value to us: - We were connected with multiple architects and GCs and were able to easily select which was the right fit/personality and price point for our project. - We were able to able track all key milestones and budget questions through a single tool - Instead of signing multiple contracts with multiple entities for this project, we had a single contract with New Avenue that insulated us from potential contractual traps on contractor or architect side. Less time spend on our end triple checking a contract that might not have the customer's interest in mind! Definitely recommend working with New Avenue and will be requesting their services for the next project! read more

I contracted with NewAvenue in 2018 to build an ADU on my Oakland property. The contractor they used, Ramon Larios of Brothers Works, did an excellent job bringing in the project on-time and on budget. Ramon is a skilled craftsman and extremely knowledgeable of all aspects of a building project, bringing in other skilled craftsmen to complete the different aspects of the job. Throughout the process he was very accessible and we discussed many aspects of the project along the way. He even pointed out where we could avoid pitfalls and save money. For example,he steered us away from a pocket door, which requires much more wall structure and tends to break. We went with a barn door style which worked perfectly, was easy to install, and saved money. I could not more highly recommend Ramon Larios and the NewAvenue team for your ADU project. read more

We spoke with New Avenue before we even bought the property on which we eventually built a cottage for my Mom. Kevin helped me to understand some of the things to look for so that we would be able to build a cottage that was a good fit for our needs. In fact, he even came out and took a look before we finalized our offer. From start to finish, we've been able to get good guidance from New Avenue as we worked our way through the challenges of designing, permitting and building in Berkeley. My Mom moved in about six months ago and we're all really happy to have three generations living next to each other. Our real estate agent was recently over and said she hadn't been sure if it would all come together given all the constraints about building an ADU, but she was so impressed that we pulled it off with New Avenue's help. read more

I called New Avenue Homes for a consultation phone call, and walked away with more crucial knowledge and information than I thought I needed. Kevin was incredibly thorough and helpful with his explanation of the ADU process in San Francisco & California. He went above and beyond providing me with detailed referrals and advice on how to plan my approach to getting an ADU permitted with the city. Would highly recommend this knowledgeable group. read more

I came across New Avenue Inc., while researching companies to build a cottage in my back yard. I was impressed with New Avenue's concept of financing, and with the designs. Then, I contacted Kevin, New Avenue's founder, and later had a chance to meet him and see some of the projects under construction. One of the backyard cottages I looked at is almost finished. A mere 300 sq. ft. of area but what an efficient use of space and expansive looking interior... The exterior proportions are excellent for the size of the cottage and so is the craftsmanship. Cute as a button does not quite describe this building , it's more like "elegant and contained". Loved the design!. All my contacts with Kevin have been positive. He's prompt to reply to phone calls and mail, and a good listener too. I would highly recommend to seriously look into New Avenue's idea cottage and financing concept, as well as to approach Kevin with your own ideas and questions. You won't be disappointed!. read more

The reason this review is long is because how often do you decide to build a small house in your backyard for your loved one? A few years ago my husband and I were flirting with the idea of building a cottage for my mom. My husband eventually found New Avenue on an internet search and we went ahead and contacted them. After buying a house with a lot big enough for another dwelling, with a pre-screen from New Avenue to see that it was suitable, we hired them through Kevin Casey. We found Kevin to be very knowledgeable in terms of negotiating the permit process through the city, getting contracts approved, and what could and couldn't work regarding codes. We had a strict budget that we could not allow for us to surpass, and Kevin pretty much stayed within those limits. He agreed on us finishing the work such as the painting outside/inside of the cottage, laying the floor....something that the people we hired for our master bathroom remodel didn't agree to. As with any construction project (and building a small cottage is just as complicated as a big house) there were some misunderstandings in the design, but Kevin was very easy to approach and heard our concerns and in the end we ended up with a design that we were happier with. And the one person who completely shone in this project is Mick, the general contractor. As with Kevin, Mick had such a great attitude and great personality. He helped my husband a lot in getting ideas on how to do the craftsman style finish work, and other handy construction tips. He went beyond our expectations since there were a few details that looked great on the design plan but he thought in reality might not work, so we went ahead with his suggestions and we couldn't be happier. All in all, we are super happy with the outcome of my mom's cottage....so much so, that both my husband and I would like to move in there ;-) We truly recommend New Avenue to those who are interested in building a small dwelling or remodel an existing space. read more

Kevin and New Avenue are assisting immensely in my build of an ADU in San Jose, CA. Now that codes have been relaxed (Jan 2017) and changed to make such builds for my particular property, layout, setback requirements, easement relaxation, and other general circumstances more amenable, I am proceeding with a design and build that I've had in mind for nearly 9 years now. At long last, the empty space will have some more productive current and future use for one or more purposes going forward. The fact that the projects are kept and contacts made online are also quite helpful for project tracking, costing, and modifications. read more

Building anything in the Bay Area is complex. Layer that with constructing in a dense urban environment with multiple and uncoordinated municipal regulations and preexisting site conditions makes it more daunting. New Avenue makes that easier. And, they can't do it alone - you need to do your homework on top of that because no one can rely on one company to plop down a cottage in their backyard and not expect surprises. Those will come up. When I first started with New Avenue, they gave me an estimate that I thought was low. Yes, there were surprises. But working together, we overcame a few challenges and surprises, and I still spent far less than if we went the traditional way, (i.e., hiring an architect and engineers, going through bidding ourselves, etc.) I have worked in construction project management for years and find that New Avenue gives good service for what they charge. Any other service would cost triple and may result in much higher construction costs - change orders and surprises notwithstanding. Good to know that whoever is reading this review is considering a backyard cottage - it is certainly the way to go. And do your own homework - you share the responsibility of whatever you build with others. Nothing is trouble free and going the traditional way doesn't guarantee that either. Good luck! read more

As a realtor, I continually lean on New Avenue for information on additional dwelling options for my clients. With affordability issues in the Bay Area, along with increased demand for multi generational choices, Kevin and his team really help buyers and sellers consider creative ways to fulfill their needs. In addition to adding an extra unit, New Avenue also assists me in answering questions about all construction projects (additions, remodels, and new custom homes). Anyone who has participated in a simple bathroom remodel or a much more complex project like building an entire house can tell you about the stress involved. The biggest pain points of the project are an increased scope, underestimated costs, and an overwhelming amount of project management. With their online platform, New Avenue helps in all these areas. I highly recommend discussing your next project with them. read more

I have been building and remodeling homes for 25 years. I began working with New Avenue 4 years ago. The teamwork and coordination are excellent and the online software provides me with all the tools I need to track a wealth of information. When working with the New Avenue platform, I experience a greater connection to the project team and have greater overall confidence in a project than what I would typically experience. The online management tools not only track budget, change orders, contract documents and payments, they also help organize and identify ideas and goals, as well as document the project development history. All of this allows me to approach each project with complete preparedness. New Avenue helps me increase productivity by handling budgets and providing a single platform for information exchange and Q&A between myself and the homeowner or Architect. I get to focus on building and not get sidelined by bill processing, change orders, contracts or lengthy email exchanges. To a homeowner, that means I can spend more of my time in the field being a craftsman and less time in my office. The teamwork dynamic and transparency are big factors in planning a successful project. Team members have the ability to weigh in and collaborate with each other openly to deliver the best project for you. read more

Kevin Casey and his team at New Avenue are the best. They provide a practical and effective tool for homeowners, architects, and contractors to collaborate on projects and manage the administration. This company cares about the community too! They are engaged (on a VOLUNTEER basis) in the city task force to address our housing shortage here in the Bay Area. We are lucky to have an innovative and data driven start up like New Avenue in the East Bay and in the world. read more

This company did not do what I had expected them to do at all. The website states that you will be able to "pick" your architect and your contractor from several options (at least two). However Kevin told me when it was time to move forward that there was only one available to do the job (for both the design and building) so I had no options but to go with the contact they provided. New Avenue was absolutely no help in trying to resolve problems that I encountered with the permit process at all and in fact I was told "that's not our job". The biggest issue that I had with them is that they are not transparent about their fees for this so called service. There was nothing in their contract and after repeatedly asking for more information I was still not provided anything to review. read more

I feel Kevin's perspective isn't honest. Kevin's company left out drainage and forgot to include other elements in the fixed budget and contract for our project. Damage occurred to our property. He stated, in front of a neighbor who was getting ready to sign up to work with New Avenue, that he would make it right. Kevin also stated he was trying to save us money. We spent $7000+ to correct the omissions and damage that New Avenue created on our property. Submitted an itemized lists to Kevin. They dug up our landscaped front yard to install new water line and didn't put it back together correctly. New drainage issues needed to be corrected in the front yard and in the back due to omission of French drains for the new cottage. New Avenue didn't landscape our front yard. They tore up the $15000+ landscaped front yard to install the new waterline AND didn't put the yard back the way they found it. We had to correct the drainage issue they created. Two neighbors on the block were going to work with New Avenue; it is my understanding they are no longer interested in New Avenue. I don't have any reason to lie about any of this. I JUST ASK THE CONSUMER TO BE AWARE. I truly believe in the concept; no longer believe in the company. Integrity and honesty is essential in my book for such a project, not a good car salesman. read more

If you want to use New Avenue, it is important to understand what they do and what they don't do. I understood, mistakenly, that they were project managers. But the "management" appears to be limited to referring the architect and contractors and counting the money. The architect they referred was notoriously SLOW, but even when I expressed concern for the long periods of inaction, New Avenue did not take action to move him along. I talked to Kevin on several occasions and he was clearly knowledgeable and experienced with the building process. So if you are looking for a bean counter, New Avenue may be a good fit. But if you would like more support for real project management, then consider looking elsewhere. read more

I've dealt with contractors and building stuff before and there are always problems (big & small). I decided to go with New Avenue because their business model attempts to minimize problems by tracking everything online in a project management type of fashion with the goal of being as transparent as possible. Kevin was very upfront about the strengths of this system and even though it was a pain to build in Berkeley, his company delivered. It's as simple as that. read more

I have been working with New Avenue Homes for about a year now, and I have developed a respect for their professionalism about everything. Here are a few things that have gone in to building that respect: - A fair and balanced approach. ADUs typically have a lot of unknowns. NAH does't go overboard with enthusiasm that everything is going to be smooth, nor do they present a "it can't be done, its the Bay Area" pessimistic view that you hear from a lot of architects or contractors. With their experience and research they have been able to forewarn me of many issues that were likely to come up, and they have been willing to work with me to find creative solutions. In the past year on my project with NAH, I have dealt with the city, the architect, the contractor, and suppliers, and having NAH guiding me has really made it possible for me to work with good knowledge and confidence. - Great communicators. Not only does NAH provide good information, they summarize the issues well when things get too complicated. And their online communication system (project website) has been really wonderful to keep track of issues, maintain an information trail, and communicate with the entire team. - Knowledgeable. I don't hesitate to ask them a question whether its about a material, its constructability, durability, the environmental issues, or whether its about how to deal with any issue with the contractor or designer, or about what to expect in the process. NAH checking the contractor's invoices and presenting them clearly saves me a lot of time and angst. NAH says I am pretty hands-on compared to their other clients, and I take a deep interest in all the decisions. Thanks to NAH, I have really enjoyed the process, which otherwise can be quite stressful. read more

Amazing software and a great idea. Now I know how to get started with my home remodeling project.

The team at New Avenue is top notch. They've been invaluable in assisting with the design and permitting of my secondary dwelling. I would highly recommend! read more

New Avenue has been a fantastic new outlet to help identify and track construction prices at the early stages of residential design projects, particularly for accessory dwelling units in the Bay Area. There are literally thousands of decisions that need to be made from start to finish, and New Avenue helps keep the entire team (owner, architect, contractor and sub-contractors) accountable for tracking both the big picture and the small changes that inevitably have to be made to the project. In addition, the entire project record (photos, sketches, materials, products and permit drawings) are all kept in one, central web-based location, so there is always a way to track the history and progression of the project. Speaking as an architect who works through New Avenue and with the clients they refer us to, this is has been an essential part of our business model because it helps us to work with clients and contractors simultaneously when design changes and/or unforeseen conditions arise during our projects. We feel we are providing the client much better service by being able to help them track estimated pricing at the beginning of the design, then to also see and compare construction pricing once construction gets underway. This gives the client much more control and flexibility over the design should budget requirements dictate a change in the design. Simply put, it takes the stress out of the construction process because everything is so much more transparent on the costs side of the process. We greatly appreciate this new way of working with clients and would highly recommend using New Avenue for your next accessory dwelling project in the Bay Area. read more