I contacted John Ferguson after trying, unsuccessfully, to get a response from several contractors,…read morefor a relatively small job (by contractor standards). The communication between John, his foreman Raoul, and everyone else I worked with on the team was a breath of fresh air. They are very clear and very interested in the customers concerns, and full of helpful suggestions. I was sent a model of the project to review beforehand as well as a detailed breakdown of the work and costs. We discovered extensive dry rot that was not in the original scope of the project, but which was remediated within the given schedule. All the individuals who did the work were top notch craftsmen and pleasant to work with. Whereas previously the back yard was a dark depressing place, I now have a lovely aesthetic space in which I want to spend time. Thank you John, Raoul, and team.

In 2016, we used John Fergusson and More Than A Carpenter to complete a significant addition to our…read morehome in El Cerrito, expanding our house from a 1 bathroom, 2 bedroom home to 2 bathrooms and 3 bedrooms, and doubling the square footage. As you can imagine, this was a large project, and we as homeowners were nervous about budget, schedule, and quality. We had also heard horror stories about contractors going way over their budgets and schedules, and struggling with quality. It was therefore amazing to see what great work John has done. He brought the project in on time, budget, and quality, but more than that, he put his whole heart into the project. John is a unique individual who not only gets the work done, but is constantly looking for ways to improve the experience. Throughout the project, John was not only receptive to our ideas, but deeply thoughtful about new ideas. A number of the improvements he made have really been life changing for us -- an additional butcher block counter top that functions as an extension of our kitchen for example. Finally, I would say that John does his design not just off a drawing or a checklist of features, but really seeks to see what you're trying to achieve, what you like about your current home, and how you want it to feel when everything's finished. That's rare in a contractor. I am therefore pleased to recommend John and More than a Carpenter without reservation. Our work with him has been a joy from start to finish!

This is a family-oriented business; father and sons. They did a couple small projects around the…read morehouse for us. This included door installation and painting, repairing the doorsteps and porch, painting of high indoor ceiling. They work fast and always come on time (fully equipped, including scaffolds). They completed everything on time, as originally promised. Their prices are reasonable, and the quality of work is good. If we will have more projects around our house, we would hire them again. I would highly recommend this business.

This is an extremely long overdue review from work that was done two Summers ago. My deck had…read moredeteriorated to the point where it didn't make sense to just replace certain boards. It was also getting a bit wobbly and there was concern about it being attached to the house, which is on a hillside. Enter Oren of MyWorkshed. He figured out how to cost-effectively disassemble and salvage MUCH of the original pressure-treated structure. He also upgraded the design to meet current standards for structural support/integrity. I was worried about this undertaking because it was such a big deck (yes, yes, so many deck jokes ) and the whole operation was taking place on a hillside, but everything turned out perfectly and it didn't break the bank, which I though it would. MANY THANKS, OREN!!!

Oren and his crew worked on our fixer-upper house for 4 days in April. We had a disappointing…read moreexperience and would caution using him for anything larger than a very small, fixed-bid project. We were doing a lot of DIY work on the house, with everything fully permitted (by owner/us), but wanted a carpenter (preferably one with a contractor's license) to do the particularly skilled work like framing and installing windows. When we first spoke with Oren, he talked about having a crew of 2, himself and Greg. The day before he was to start, he said he had a crew of 4, including his son, who seemed unskilled in construction but happened to be in town visiting, and cost an additional $50/hour. (At this point, right before he started, we didn't feel in a position to dictate the composition of his crew.) They didn't do the work we asked them to do, did work we did not ask them to do, and then quit when they were no longer interested. We asked them to start with 4 tasks, including measuring window openings to order new windows. They did 3 of these, plus removing and re-framing a wall/header which we didn't want them to do until much later, and pulled up floor boards, which we wanted to do ourselves to save money. When I asked them to stop this demolition work, Oren got upset, saying I had "taken the wind out of their sails." After 4 days, they had still not measured the windows, which we had clearly communicated was a high priority. When I asked him about it, he jokingly handed me a measuring tape. Then he said he would come back to do that. I followed up several times, but he never came back. They charge hourly, ($70 each for the skilled carpenters), which might be fine if they worked at a good pace, but they were extremely slow. For example, it took Oren and his son 4 hours ($500) to level a drop-in tub in an already-built frame, using spray foam which is much simpler than mortar. We told him at the beginning that we did not want a "ledge" on the tub frame - we wanted the tub skirt flush with the tub lip, as the manufacturer advertised it. He disregarded this spec, adding a 3" lip on the sides, and then insisted (after it was too late, and contrary to the manufacturer's instructions) that it was the only sturdy way to do it. We had originally planned for Oren to be involved for longer, including to install the windows. But there was never clarity on how much time he intended to commit, and he never asked about our budget. He did not want to sign a contract, and even a few days before he started, we didn't know for sure if he was coming at all. After it was clear he wasn't coming back, we lost several weeks scrambling to find a replacement. His contractor's license was not a benefit, either: the only contract-like term I insisted on was a commitment that he would do everything to code. But the header they installed did not have the required number of nails, and I had to add more to pass inspection. His hit-and-run style also meant the work had no continuity: they installed a $200+ cedar sill for a window, without knowing what kind of windows we were getting and with no plan to waterproof it (we ended up removing the sill); and he covered the window frame with OSB (from the inside) and disappeared, so when it rained, the wall (which had rotted from water) got all soaked again.

We have just finished our  home renovation with Superb builders, and I am ecstatic over the changes…read moreand the difference it has made for a home that has not been touched in over 50 years.  David has a skill in seeing what most other contractors or designers cannot imagine. Victor (project manager/foreman) has everything in control, day to day, and does not forget a thing.  We interviewed four other contractors, and they couldn't come up with the right floorplan for our kitchen. We did not want to settle.  David designed our kitchen and more than doubled the size.  No problem moving plumbing or switching to gas from electric and finding a better home for our fridge. Our primary bathroom was completely gutted to add a stand-alone tub, and Superb designed a walk-in closet and additional hall closet taking a foot from the adjoining room, which you would never be able to tell. He has a crew for different sets of workmanship, and they know exactly what to do in a strategic time frame. They do not waste any time and clean up the projects beautifully every day.  We had completely gutted our kitchen and primary bathroom. Had the whole house rewired, new plumbing, new LED lights throughout the house, all new flooring on the first floor, and refinished all flooring upstairs.   Superb builders accommodated every wishlist we had.  Their workmanship is precise, clean and the crew are very helpful and pleasant to work with from beginning to end.   Our biggest appreciation is that David and Victor picked up their phones or returned texts right away 100%. They passed every inspection every time, and they have done the work beyond the requirements. We are so happy to know that all the work has been done properly and safely. We will always call Superb builders for all of our future projects.  I trust that they will get the job done right, and David can help design or find a beautiful solution to any difficult home layout you may have.  They do not just remodel a space, they can build a perfect new space. Thank you David, Victor and all the wonderful crew at Superb builders!

Superb builders remodeled our kitchen in January 2020. Joe helped me to select the materials and…read moredesign, and he was very knowledgeable. I wouldn't have been able to come up with such a wonderful design without his advices. Additionally, the cabinet vendor he recommended had great prices and they assisted with designing the kitchen layout by providing computer drawn images using software. This saved a lot of time in the planning stage. Joe was our primary point of contact from start to finish, which made things go smoothly. During project execution, Victor was an invaluable point of contact for discussing and explaining technical details about our options, especially when inevitable complications arose. When we demo'd our old kitchen we found a major code violation that was concealed and they helped us correct the issue. It cost us extra but looking back I'm happy we worked with an ethically sound contractor who does things correctly and follows the city code. Those things can be huge problems later if you try to cut corners! Overall we had a great experience with Superb Builders and would definitely hire them again. They are very professional and do great work. We ended up with our dream kitchen for less than market average prices in our area!

February 3, 2016 RE:…read moreKenney Construction 925-372-7758 www.KenneyRemodeling.com This is a letter of high recommendation for David Kenney of Kenney Construction. At first I thought I would make my comments short and sweet, but I now find it difficult to do so. If I were limited to three adjectives describing David and my experience with him they would be: trustworthy, meticulous, and punctual. But I cannot stop there. First of all, my husband and I did our homework. We obtained bids from six or more contractors. Several just gave us a total figure without a line by line expense breakdown/description for our kitchen and bathroom remodel. These were Diamond Certified companies who expected us to sign a contract for over $60,000 upon their initial visit! One contractor gave us an uncomfortably low bid and upon deeper investigation we found his experience consisted of having installed a ceiling fan! Then we found David Kenney, general contractor. We felt comfortable with him from the start. He visited our home several times, looked at our cabinet design plan, asked many questions about the necessary electrical and plumbing changes, type of flooring, etc. We sensed that he is a knowledgeable tradesman, not a salesman. After a few days he emailed us a line by line contract describing exactly what he charges and for what. Example: there is a line for cabinet installation with a stated amount per cabinet. David was gracious about mentioning where we could save some money. He said "You can get your own permits, if I do it you're just paying me for my time". We pulled our own permits and did our own demolition, which saved us some money. David and his son, Alan, do all of the work. We loved this about our experience. We would not be comfortable with a parade of various subcontractors and their guys coming in and out of our home. Let me just say that both Alan and David are pleasant, courteous, and hardworking. They arrive when they say they will and don't quit until they've finished their task for the day. My husband and I feel completely comfortable being away from home while they are working. And they were very careful about not letting our pets out from their confinement in the other part of the house! David was great about suggesting places to go locally to look for tile and granite. He told us which fabricators he has worked with that do a good job. He measured and re-measured before advising us how much tile to buy of each kind. One of the things I appreciated most was being included in the decisions involved in tackling the "problems" that inevitably pop up during a remodel. Like our laundry room pocket door being out of whack. Did we want to pay for taking it all apart and rehanging it properly, or would it be ok to shave off a piece on one side that would never be noticed? David and Alan's attention to detail is wonderful; they are experienced craftsmen. I explained that I wanted our wood-look floor tile to have a random look. I didn't want to look at it and see an obvious pattern of placement. David was so good about sorting the planks into like piles and then handing them to Alan to set in the "random" way I described. He did the same thing with our backsplash. I was adamant about not being able to see a definite placement pattern of the accent tiles. The guys delivered my vision to a tee! David estimated our remodel would take five or six weeks. He and Alan finished in four! They came every day and did not juggle us around while doing other jobs. I really couldn't ask for anything more positive from this remodel experience. David and Alan came through on every level. I highly recommend them for work on your home. They know their trade and take pride in the outcome of their projects. Jerry and Marcia David, Pleasant Hill, California

We hired Kenny Construction to replace a sliding glass door in our kitchen that was leaking. We are…read morevery pleased with the job they did. David and his son are very professional, gave us realistic quotes and timeframes for the work to be completed and stuck to them. They explained and discussed the problems and their plan for fixing them. They were very detailed with the finish work perfectly matching and touch up painting the outside stucco so you'd never guess anything was done. The door looks great and we couldn't be more pleased. We would definitely use them again. Adam G

Daniel and his team did a great job on the kitchen update. I wanted to keep the cabinets as they…read moreare solid wood and great rolling drawer built-in shelves, but I couldn't stand the 80's tile any longer. I needed a surface I could clean. I selected all the materials, so the design choices are all mine and not MGS's (for good or bad, but it is what I wanted). Daniel came in at a similar rate to other bids (except for one low-ball "handyman" bid) but in the interview process he seemed more engaged than the others. Anytime I had an issue with a process he was able to course correct and meet my expectation. As I was upgrading the cooktop to induction I wanted the job to be permitted and inspected. All went well. One thing I dislike about contractors is that a couple bids had too aggressive of a payment schedule, one even outlining full payment before work completion. I have had to make sure in the past to hold back final payments until the work is completed as they are almost always off to the next job and leave loose ends. Daniel was the complete opposite of this and I found that refreshing and felt more relaxed that he was concerned about the job and not getting money ahead of work. He estimated a 3 week down time for the kitchen and it ended up being 4 weeks. So not bad at all.

Slow communication and unclear. Not good for small/medium jobs. Feels overpriced compared to other…read morecontractors.

Decade Construction proved to me yet again that my "ok" doesn't compare with their delivery of…read morequality and professionalism. Robert came to look at a wall between my kitchen and lounge room. He advised that opening it would be simple and he knocked it out, re-headed the opening, and made the house truly open up. When he finished our kitchen stood out that it was outdated, so while he was there for the job he was kind enough to give a quote and share his ideas that were spot on. Experience and pride in his work show. Needless to say, I hired his crew again and now I've got an amazing kitchen that I can work in while I watch the kiddos in the lounge room. Thank you Decade!

Robert and his crew--Vidal and Miguel--did an incredible job for me in Dublin. A pre-sale home…read moreinspection uncovered multiple issues with the roof, eaves, plumbing, and HVAC. Decade handled everything seamlessly; there truly wasn't an item they couldn't take care of. While I was stressed about the scope of work, Robert continually reassured me with, "We've got this--no worries." I highly recommend Robert and his team for being extremely capable, thorough, and professional. Overall, it was a far more positive experience than I could have imagined.

After contacting multiple contractors to do some general fixups on the house we purchased, I had…read morethe luck of my fiance finding Joel via Yelp. WHAT A BREATH OF FRESH AIR! What does one want in a contractor/handyman? This is what I experienced with Joel: (1) Arrived on time for the initial visit/inspection, on short notice (with his wife and two lovely children). (2) Understood what we were looking for, understood that we had NO IDEA what we really needed, and very professionally walked through the house with us, suggesting improvements with an *amazing* eye for detail. Things like replacing door hinges, changing the grout in tiles, repainting cabinets. (3) Settled on a final work list within a day, with an estimate that was less than half of what the general contractors quoted us for less than half the work. (4) Came with me to home depot, on his own time, and helped me pick out parts for the repair, explaining the process to me in the meantime. He did not charge me for this, even though we spent several hours at Home Depot. (5) Started work on time, the major job being repainting all the cabinets the house. All precautions were taken, including covering the floor and walls. (6) FINISHED WORK ON TIME. On exactly the day he had quoted, he handed the keys back to me and we did the final walkthrough. It came out way, way better than I had expected. (7) BILLED EXACTLY WHAT HE QUOTED. It shouldn't be that hard to do this, but it's rare! I am so happy with Joel's work, and could not write a more glowing review. He's definitely won all my future business.

Im very impressed with Joels work. He estimated a kitchen remodel for one of my properties and…read moreexecuted the completion before the time scheduled. he is very professional , works very hard and worked with our budget . I look forward to working with him on my next remodel project and I highly recommend his services .