We used Outerlands to do a full renovation of the interior and exterior of our house and loved the results! They were professional, timely, and thorough. I would recommend them highly for any project, big or small. read more

I wish Yelp gave every user account a one-time greater-than-5-star rating to use, because this would be mine. Outerlands converted our lower-level unfinished garage into 500 sq ft of living space + finished garage + outdoor patio in a job that involved significant excavation work. I can confidently say Outerlands was a cut above the competition because the other bids (we talked to over 20 contractors) had significantly longer timelines, told us certain aspects of the project would not be possible (or within budget), and told us there was no way we could stay in the house during construction. Outerlands kept us in the house with minimal disturbance, finished on time / on budget, and made the whole process rather enjoyable. It was clear throughout that Outerlands has a very experienced and cohesive team. From design, to engineering, to permitting, to foundation work, to all the other subs, everything was seamless. In the 5 months of work, there were virtually zero non-productive days. Kelly ran the project with a real sense of ownership, keeping things moving, suggesting improvements, and problem solving through the unexpected (we found a massive muni pipe while digging). He's a true craftsman (take a look at his cabinets or stairs) with an eye for overall aesthetic. Sara turned our vague interior style preferences into a coherent plan, developing all kinds of options we hadn't considered, sourcing the finishings, and ultimately creating a space that we love. Taking on this kind of project to our residence was a major financial and lifestyle decision, but we couldn't be happier with the look and feel of the finished product, and we are so grateful to Outerlands being such a wonderful partner to work with. read more

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Never responded to my remodel estimate request. Maybe to busy for us Sunset locals. Bad business to completely ignore estimate request. read more

I had a general idea about the desk I wanted built; reclaimed wood, metal saw horse legs and a hidden shelf underneath to store hard drives and wires. Jared took my idea and helped me refine the exact specifications (measurements and materials). He then got down to work and crafted a beautiful red elm desk that exceeded my expectations. Overall Jared was great to work with. He completed my project faster than expect and even made a couple modifications after I had a chance to see the finished product. Highly recommend! read more

My 4-bedroom house is located on 2.4 acres of steep descending terrain in Hillsborough visible from the 280 near an iconic landmark. In 2012, I went out to bid with 4-5 contractors to build close to 1500 sq ft of deck, and finally chose Jared and his team to design and build 4 levels of deck space, including drilling of concrete piers many feet deep for foundation support. Most contractors did not feel confident to take on this large project on the mountain. Jared brought with him a rare combination of engineering background (and worked well with my structural engineer), design capabilities (we did not need to hire an architect), and construction planning skills that enabled the completion of this project in a couple of months, following permits issued by the Planning Dept. The results are beautiful and I have hosted parties as large as 110 guests, including a wedding reception for one of my dear friends, on my decks. Safety is also key, and I have since had many builders come by to compliment me on both the exterior design and strength of the engineering support under the deck. I have put a 6-person jacuzzi on the lower deck, and fire pit with outdoor couches in the upper deck, and look forward to many years of enjoyment outdoors at home! read more

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My restaurant, Zazie, is well known for our lovely garden patio, so looking for someone to remodel it, add a few seats, yet keep it local and unique was quite a challenge. I found Jared and Outerlands Design here on Yelp and knew after meeting with him once that this was the team for us. He has an eye for design that is unique and creative- you can actually see his mind working as his ideas change and grow with each new challenge. Our patio was completely remodeled in 5 days- including dry storage benches, three 1,000 pound hundred year old redwood beams, and 8 posts dug six feet into the ground. He did all the lighting himself, highlighting the gorgeous reclaimed beams, and his team did all the plumbing and electrical I needed as well. I've never seen a group that worked together like they did- nine carpenters working 10-12 hour days with no drama, no frustration, no complications. I could go on and on, but it's the middle of the night and we have to open tomorrow at 9 am, so I'll just say this- stop looking. This is your designer, contractor, and friend all in one. Rarely do you find a contractor who can also work through the design process with you, but it's a magical combination- I couldn't be happier with their work and will use them for all my future remodeling plans at the restaurant and at home. read more

Brad came to inspect our unit we just purchased. We wanted a bid to gut the bathroom, kitchen and remove a small wall. He never took a measurement, but did take pictures. We had to email a week (3 days after he said he would respond) after the initial inspection. Brad response, was other projects except their bid and they won't be expected any new jobs. I would not recommend and give them a zero. The reason for the zero score is for not following up as he agreed. Also for wasting our time for not telling us they may have other jobs and the possibility they may not be able to move forward with our job. read more

Beyond 5 stars! So creative Young professional guys CAD design of their ideas right off the bat after they stopped by to check out what we were interested in having done Unobtrusive Humorous Get 'er done attitude but really take care while they put things together We have a small back deck that needed attention. We have a neighbor immediately behind us so there was very little privacy to be had - not to mention we have a hot tub back there... and who wants to see their naked neighbors, right? Todd, Jared and Trevor created an interesting and creative solution for us that gives us more privacy yet still allows light as well as some unique spaces for plants These guys do solid and artistic carpentry! read more

We just bought a house in San Francisco and for the first time in our lives we had to hire contractors and designers. How exciting, but also how scary - given that we are still fairly new to the US and never did something like that before. Also, being in love with precision and high quality (German stereotype), we were curious how our first experience will turn out. Well, pictures are worth more than words - so here see yourself: www.outerlandsdesign.com/renovations/potrero-bath/ Awesome work, quick, reliable, creative and folks that are great to work with. We look forward to work with them again and can highly recommend Jared & crew for your projects. read more

At the risk of having folks think that this is a sham because it is all 5 star ratings... We also had a great experience with Outerlands. We went to Jared to build a very unique table that was specific to our current apartment, but also will be something we use forever. It is a "high" table that we use as an island in our kitchen, doubling as a workstation and a dining table with 32" stools. The table is really gorgeous, made out of slab acacia, which has an awesome natural finish to it. We wanted "rustic", and Jared accomplished this while maintaining impressive elegance. We aren't too formal, but you can definitely dress the table up. In addition, we were very impressed with how quickly the project was completed, and get constant comments about how nice a table it is. read more

Rarely am I moved to write a Yelp review but when something is really worth promoting I will. Our table from Outerlands Design has just been personally delivered by the designer, Jared and we are so pleased with it. I was introduced to Outerlands via friends and was instantly inspired by their ethos and approach. Jared clearly has a passion for the materials he is using and his enthusiasm makes him a pleasure to work with. I gave Jared an idea of the type of table I was looking for and he immediately understood what I was going for. The table was made within a week of our first consultation. I know from conversations with Jared that a local restaurant owner saw the table in progress and asked him to copy the style for a revamp of his entire restaurant! It's great to know that we are in possession of a beautiful and unique new table made of local materials that are salvaged and repurposed by a local designer. I smile every time I look at it :) read more

Here it is: my very first Yelp review, inspired by Jared's exceptional work. A true craftsman and artist, he completely transformed our entryway with his extraordinary doors. Constructed entirely from reclaimed Douglass Fir, each is a work of art. He located hand-forged Portuguese hardware and meticulously installed the doors with impressive precision in a space that was obviously far from square. His dedication and skill are are reflected in his final product. The project from beginning to end was the perfect blend of artistry and engineering. I echo sentiments made by other reviewers: Jared's patience, enthusiasm, collaborative nature, ethos, overall vibe, and ready smile make the entire process a joy. He is a true pro and a pleasure to work with. I ADORE my doors, and couldn't recommend Outerlands Design more highly. read more

Outerlands Design helped us with a complete remodel of our master suite, living room, an interior staircase, facade, exterior staircase, and roofdeck. We were thoroughly pleased with the entire process, from the first visit to the last handshake. There are four key qualities of this outstanding group worth highlighting: (1) Flexibility: We wanted to renovate our whole 3-story house, but in two stages, so that we could continue to live here. The first stage was going to be the top 1.5 floors, and the architect was nearing final designs for that ... when this happened: We had a flood on our lower floor, due to a blocked sewer, about 2 months before the work was going to begin. This couldn't wait to get fixed. Their team quickly pivoted, shelved plans for the top 1.5 floors, and put all their energy behind quickly creating and finalizing plans for the bottom 1.5 floors. And then this happened: Part way through the renovation, the crew discovered extensive dry rot damage in the frame of our house, due to leaks between the wood planks of our siding (and maybe the roof). What had been an interior-only project, quickly became a massive interior/exterior job, as the only logical fix was to remove the problematic siding, repair/replace the rotting wood frame, put on a new roof, and place all-new stucco. And then this happened: Faced with a bigger project than originally envisioned, we started to imagine all the little (or not so little) things that it might make sense to do while the team had various parts of our home ripped up ... and so we kept asking for more and more things (the dreaded "change order"!). Brad and his team were as gracious as saints, and remained open-minded and loyal partners in an open-ended design process, even as we were the ones causing the project to drag on further than they had anticipated. (2) Communication: Brad, the project manager, is phenomenal. As the single point of contact, he is super-efficient in his responsiveness to emails, phone calls, or texts, and he consistently follows through on questions and requests. I can't tell you how valuable it is to have a single point of contact, when your home is invaded by carpenters, electricians, plumbers, tilers, floorers, stucco guys, roofers, dry wall experts, painters, and people whose job I never even totally fathomed. Brad was not one of these people -- and he had no other job but to conduct the orchestra and respond to our needs. Priceless. Brad is not the only highlight: Jared (Brad's son and the founder/owner), the plumber, the electrician, and other key folks also had excellent communication skills and were comfortable interacting with us directly. (3) Efficiency: There was someone on our site doing work every single day. I've heard stories from friends -- and witnessed other renovations on my own block -- where projects seem to drag on with no worker on site for days or sometimes weeks at a time. We never saw a slow-down in momentum with this group. Brad had a big role in ensuring that things moved forward. (4) Aesthetic: Last but certainly not least is the design sense that Outerlands offers. As illustrated on their web site, they are fluent in the modern Bay Area aesthetic and steeped in higher-end finishes. But they do not blindly go after the most expensive options, or forget the history or overall context of a home. In our case, they transformed a dated 1980s home into a modern masterpiece, achieving holistic oneness through a renovation (as opposed to a complete rebuild, where this is easier). We're thrilled. read more

soooo.....i am a new kid to this whole "home-owning" business....basically had no idea what i was getting myself into....bought an old home and lots of things needed to be replaced. so i was getting bids on new windows, garage doors, etc. well after a couple of weeks of collecting prices and tidbits of knowledge, i realized i didn't want to just be schizo-fixing and that i needed a person who can help reinvent my home into something i would love and be proud of. after weeks of being discouraged of many bids, confusion, and no vision i ran across Outerlands Design on yelp. saw all the furniture and woodworking and fell in love with the amazing contemporary designs, so i called immediately. i met Jared the owner, a super laid back guy. he suggested a cedar siding for the pop out for my home and told me he could take care of the overall look of my house. this would include, painting front and back, new windows, window trims, cedar siding, garage door, (also a walnut slab book shelf indoors) so after a few brainstorming sessions, he set everything in motion, setting us up with the best window, painting crew (shout out to Ronnie & Hector), and garage door guys (Hamid & Ed). (btw the garage guys that Jared works with were the guys i was going to go with before ever meeting Jared...they are A Plus Garage Door Company) Howell & Rob worked for days on the siding. Within a few weeks, i came home to the sickest looking house i could ever imagine. the house went from old and outdated to handsome and contemporary. i freaking love it. our book shelf turned out fab. i am so happy with their work i am bugging them again to help me with the hard scaping of my backyard. maybe a deck in near future??? ooh lala regardless of how laid back or relaxed they may seem, they heard every detail i wanted to take care of and dealt with it. i never had to ask twice...these guys appear so calm because they totally know what they are doing. i felt i was completely in good hands. the results truly exceeded my expectations. i highly recommend them. i am looking forward to working with Outerlands Designs for many future projects. read more

We used Outerlands Design as our building contractor for a recent sunroom remodel. The remodel was extensive, replacing 3 new windows, knocking out a closet, adding a door, redoing some siding, all new drywall and a cedar lid for the ceiling. We had a pretty tight schedule with a baby on the way, but Jared and Drew were able to keep everything moving along and finish the job on time and within budget. Jared was extremely attentive to any concerns that we had and was a pleasure to work with. read more

Jarred and John (Outerlands Design) are terrific building contractors. They're knowledgeable, dedicated and totally responsible. The things I liked most about working with them was that they always did what they said they would do, they were always on the job and they were easy to work with. Their work is top notch and I would highly recommend them no matter the size of the job. They did an outstanding job completely remodeling my 100 year old garage in Noe Valley. The garage was franky a mess - exposed beams, dangling electirical wires and pipes, cracked cement floor, etc. In about a month,they completely gutted the garage and remodeled it - reinforced the foundation by adding shearing to the walls, insulated the entire garage, completely rewired all the electical conduits, sheetrocked and painted everything. It's now a showcase garage. The guys just did a great job. You won't go wrong using them. read more

We had a great experience working with Jared. He generated some great ideas for our deck, was thoughtful and precise in the planning, and executed on building us a really nice deck. Throughout the process, he was always helpful and very responsive. We left on vacation furing the last couple of weeks of construction, but we left Jared with the information he needed and he took care of things -- when we returned everything was done and looked great. Some specific examples of Jared really went the extra mile include: - He lobbied the inspectors until he found the right guy to approve our permit to allow us to build right up to the property line (it's hard to put a price on that!) - He conceived of the idea, and went ahead and built for us, a really attractive storage unit for our external plumbing (for lawn irrigation) - He generated the idea of replacing traditional balusters with copper ones to give the deck a nice edge, and I think the result came out really well. Overall, I would definitely recommend Jared to friends for similar projects. For reference, our project was this one: http://www.outerlandsdesign.com/decks/ipe-deck-with-copper-balusters/ read more

Jared, Hal, and Co. have treated us fantastically across a few different home upgrade/ building contractor projects, including a deck, roofing, and repairing our front stairs. In all cases they were smart, on-time, easy to work with, and they performed excellent quality work. In fact, the last time Hal and Rob were here, they were cleaning up in the garage after working on our roof -- the job was over and they were packing up to head home -- and Rob smelled a faint gas leak, which he and Hal traced to a line in the garage. They not only found it and alerted us, but they even repaired it on their way out. That is truly going above and beyond the call of duty. In summary, these guys are very professional and a delight to work with. We'll be calling them again to re-do some floor and wall bathroom tiles that were done poorly by the original contractor. read more

We found Jared through a web search by chance and so glad we did. It's rare to find a young guy with a true passion for woodworking and exceptional attention to detail. Jared listens to what you want and will offer throughtful advice and suggestions. We wanted to add some reclaimed wood shelves to our new Kitchen and we were lucky enough to benefit from Jared's foresight in purchasing some beautiful reclaimed red elm. The end product was better than we could imagine. His pricing was more than fair and reasonable. read more

Outerlands did a fantastic job on our remodel. They listened to what we wanted, worked with us to understand our aesthetic, found innovative solutions to complex problems, and handled any number of random bumps in the road with grace and ease. The estimates were good, the final results are awesome, and I recommend them all the time. Design Build is the way to go, and they were fabulous. read more

Our beautiful walnut table has arrived! Some words to describe it: gorgeous, functional, smart, smooth, sturdy. My husband and I were very particular. We wanted an all-purpose eating & living table. We had specific measurements, special leaf requirements, and we wanted the table fashioned from one cut of wood. Jared spent an hour consulting with us in our home, taking measurements, and listening to our needs. He scouted for ages to find us the perfect walnut slab that will last several lifetimes. He visited us with samples and dealt professionally with all of our various questions and concerns. We also added a bench to the order, and it is walnut as well, and stunning. My husband and I were joking that when our two daughters are adults, they will be fighting over who gets "the family table." This is an heirloom, and we have Outerlands to thank. read more

Jared Johnson with Outerlands Design was absolutely incredible! He just redid the interior furnishings of our cafe Judahlicious. We absolutely adore his focus on sustainability and his use of eco friendly finishing products. The mixture of rescued light and dark wood has completely grounded and warmed up our dining area. He designed and installed two custom benches, a shelf, a partition, and a bar. We are currently designing new tables as well. The customers all love the comfort of the good quality wood and workmanship. Jared is the fusion of an amazingly skilled carpenter and inspired artist. You can see the passion he has for his work attempting to change the current building and design trends for the better. Aside from his beautiful work, his personality and ability to cater to our particular needs in a gracious and forgiving fashion was unbelievable. We would give 6 out of 5 stars if we could! Come visit us and check out Jared's beautiful work in person at Judahlicious on the corner of Judah and 44th in the Outer Sunset! read more

I can't comment on Jared's home remodeling skills (though I'm sure they're awesome), but I can say that he builds AMAZING furniture. We bought a table from him that, I'm not exaggerating, gets compliments from everyone who walks through the door. Using recycled, refurbished wood salvaged from older homes, Jared put together a gorgeous, unique, piece of furniture that outshines everything else in our apartment (meaning we'll need to buy more Outerlands pieces). I really can't use words to do justice to how beautiful this table is, and I know it'll last us forever. read more

We love Outerlands Design & Build! Our kitchen & bathroom remodels truly changed the look and feel of our entire house. Seriously. Check out pics of our Alabama Street project on their website (if you saw the "before" pics, you'd appreciate their work even more). Any remodel is a huge amount of work and stress but the team at Outerlands made it as painless possible by respecting our budget, sticking to a tight build timeline, maintaining honest and open communication, and working with us from beginning to end on every aspect of the design and build process. They take care of all services "in house" (e.g. electrical, plumbing, tiling, cabinets) which makes it so much easier from the customer perspective (e.g. no trying to find and/or waiting on different sub-contractors). Plus, they are a super nice, professional group of people who really care about what they do and stand behind their work. Now our neighbors want to work with them. If you're considering a remodel, I strongly suggest you give them a shout! read more

Outerlands Design is where art meets carpentry. Jared came by for an initial consultation on the custom doors we wanted built. After a little idea sharing we gave Jared license to create something truly unique. The results floored us. These doors are perfect in every way. See custom doors at: http://www.outerlandsdesign.com/blog/ read more

My wife and I had long dreamt (15+ years to be exact) how best to move our late 1960's, semi-functional kitchen here in the San Francisco's Sunset district into something that would both meet not just our current needs, but ideally anticipate our future needs. Enter Outerlands Design + Build: Senior project manager Brad Johnson, founder Jared Johnson, along with their in-house cabinetry artisans and electricians - and well-complemented by their stable of A-List plumbing and tile/flooring craftsmen - were and are exactly what this and any homeowner hopes for when undertaking a project as potentially disruptive and costly as a kitchen remodel. Outerlands Design provides a single point of contact throughout the process, good humored communications/open to suggestions, forthright with their opinions, and attentive to the full range of details. And just as importantly, Outerlands Design offers a solid value and savvy investment considering all services and expertise provided. As a bonus, but for us a key decider, was their absolute confidence in their seemingly aggressive timeline for our project - their timing estimate was half that of two other competing contractors. More interesting was how this seemingly aggressive timeline seemed simply 'business as usual' to them; though the project appeared massive to my wife and I, Brad and his team viewed the project as well within their capabilities - in fact, the sense we had was our project would allow them to flex their creativity and have some 'fun'. This optimism was well placed - the initial demolition of our old kitchen began in late September and come the week prior to Thanksgiving 2016, we had our completed, newly renovated kitchen. Very impressive. All told, our new kitchen has transformed the character of our house, but as importantly, it's rekindled my wife's ambitions as a budding amateur weekend (for now) chef! Thank you Outerlands Design and supporting cast of artisans! read more

I worked with Outerlands Design last fall to redo my patio, which includes a deck and a small walkway to the garage. The team provided a great design combining wood and slate and I am totally amazed by how it transformed the space. They were super-professional and great to interact with throughout the entire process and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for creativity and professionalism in designing and building a great outdoor space. read more

I recently had these guys build me custom furniture for my bedroom and office, and could not be happier. their style is really unique, and every piece they made, will stay with me for the rest of my life. not only is the furniture made from 100% reclaimed materials, but the style is classic and soulful. being around the stuff really puts me in a more peaceful place. I am so happy i did not go to ikea or some other place that has no soul, and would not last. the turn around time is shocking and impressive. I gave them measurements, talked about what I wanted, and two days later I had a finished piece that far surpassed my expectations. they are really cool, easy to work with, and will build you the best piece of custom furniture you will ever have. read more

We used Outerlands Design for a major remodel including structural framing, adding a master bedroom, bathroom, living area and landscaping. We could not be more satisfied. The project was completed within budget and under time. Jared showed exceptional attention to detail, was present and responsive throughout the duration of the project. Jared is a true craftsman and his creative vision exceeded our expectations. We highly recommend Outerlands Design. read more

My wife and I chose Outerlands Design to do a significant renovation to the interior of a new house we'd bought before we moved in. We had bought a house that hadn't been renovated in decades, but had had significant DYI work done to it, including a deck and a few rooms downstairs that were not up to code. We needed to completely demo and rebuild both of those, as well as the kitchen and bathrooms upstairs. Along the way, we needed to repair the foundation and replace the plumbing, electrical, and HVAC systems. The entire interior needed serious renovations. The Outerlands Design team were great to work with, and we would wholeheartedly recommend them to others. They were great collaborators in the design, their work was excellent, and they kept a strong relationship with us throughout the whole process. As a result, we got the house we wanted. After we bought our house, we reached out to three highly-recommended teams to potentially do the renovations: one architect / GC team, Outerlands Design, and one other design-build company. With each group, we brought them through the house to see it as it was and discuss what would and would not need to be done, what the possibilities were, and what the prices might come out to. Our sense, after the tours and further discussions, was that the architect / GC team was going to be overly pushy about the direction of the design, and that the other design-build firm would not be opinionated enough. We thought that with the former, we'd get what the architect wanted to see, and with the latter, we'd get whatever we asked them to build. We knew that we needed a strong partner, since we didn't know anything about how this would go, but we also knew that we'd be opinionated and that it would be important to feel that we were getting what we wanted, even when we didn't know what we'd want at first. Outerlands Design seemed like the best match for us. They seemed to see what we saw in the potential of the house, we liked the aesthetic of their prior work, and we felt like we'd get along with them well during the project. That's probably the most important aspect of choosing a team for a project like this, since we would be in near-constant contact with them over the course of months: assuming they are capable of doing the work, how would we feel about collaborating with them? Will we respect their opinion, and will they respect ours? We thought that with Outerlands Design we had found a great partner, and over the course of the project we were proven right. The Outerlands Design team was collaborative and communicative through the the project. During the planning phase, they worked with us to figure out what the best layout was going to be, and were well-aligned with our concerns about how the space would flow, and what it would be like to live in it. We did multiple walkthroughs with them, went back and forth on floor plans, and before long we had a plan that seemed like it would work well. The execution phase went smoothly. They made sure that every day was fully-utilized, orchestrating the comings and goings of the various trade teams it takes to do a large renovation with few or no gaps. And their in-house carpentry team was great to work with and did an excellent job. After the team had been working in the house for a couple of months, they suggested a modification to the layout of the kitchen that they thought would make it flow better. We realized they were right, and we made the change to the plans. This was where it really paid off to be working with such a collaborative design-build firm, since the folks who were spending their days in the space were able to easily bring up suggestions that ended up changing the plans to be much better. As it turns out, the majority of the role that we, as the clients, were to play was to pick out finishes - all the knobs, faucets, appliances, and fixtures that make the interior space feel like a home. If this was left entirely to us, we would have struggled mightily. Instead, the Outerlands Design team worked closely with us, walking us through the process and giving us plenty of lead time to make decisions. They would usually tell us what they needed selected next, what the due date was, and give us some initial suggestions along with places we could look online if we wanted to broaden our options. They also let us know when they thought what we were suggesting wasn't going to work well, which was valuable. I don't recall any times when I thought we made a bad decision due to their influence. If you are considering Outerlands Design, our recommendation is that if you like their team, and if you like the aesthetic of what they've done before, you'll almost certainly be pleased with the results. They're a great group to work with, and I'd definitely choose them for future projects. read more

Our backyard in SF was a pit. Weeds. Raccoons. Other unwelcome wildlife. A deck that didn't drain properly. We came up with ideas inspired by Dwell, made sketches, and called Jared. They finalized the design with us and these guys are pros - they came, they demo'd, they dug, they built, and voilà, our former pit is now the envy of the neighborhood. We have a multilevel ipé deck and a seating area, beautiful lighting and stone patio. They built a planter box against the west fence. We also have a little rectangle of artificial turf for the chien to take care of his bioneeds. They are engineers and contractors that do things right. Very precise and professional. Entertaining, too. I recommend them highly. read more

We hired Jared to do a remodel of a porch and deck. He did an amazing job. Was great to work with. Honest, fair and a person of his word. Everything was completed on budget. It was very easy to work with him and his crews. Highly recommend! read more

Outerlands Design is the best design and build firm in San Francisco, IMO. These folks are honest, fair, and trustworthy. They worked with me to stay within my budget. They did not try to "up sell" me. They called me back! They did everything I asked them to, including reusing old kitchen cabinets, fixing problems, making it safe, complying with the codes, and in general doing a terrific job on my remodel. They completed within a week of when they said they would, which was amazing. They took extra steps and planned it out, so that we did not have to move out during construction, thereby saving us disruption and money that would have gone toward a short-term rental. They got a parking permit; some companies do not, then block driveways/hog spaces, so even our neighbors were impressed. They and their subcontractors are perfect gentlemen; they are artistic, creative, totally professional, hard working, funny, and cute. They listened to, and accommodated, my crazy(?) requests. They'd call me if they were going to be 5 minutes late. Special shout out to Brad (building contractor/Project Manager) who just "does it all" and Janet (Accounting) -- an amazing team. I'd give Outerlands 10 stars if I could. read more

We found Jared and Drew on yelp and they somehow managed to exceed all the 5 star reviews. They started by designing and building a custom, hand made desk from reclaimed wood. Not only does it look amazing, but it also has a shelf that hides our computer cords! We loved it so much that we hired them to make custom, built-in bookshelves. Again, they wowed us with a unique finished product, reasonable prices, and speedy work . Now, we're planning to have him build a dresser for the bedroom. You get the idea...we're addicted! read more

My wife and I had a great experience with Outerlands Designs on our Noe Valley home remodel. OD has a great team, from start to finish. We worked with Michael (Architect) who went above and beyond to create and maximize every square ft with detail and care. Michael always made himself available and helped with everything from design and finishing decisions to reworking the deck plans late in the game to accommodate other back yard features. Brad the project manager was very responsive and a pleasure to work with. Kelly the foreman has exceptional skill and a can-do attitude. I always felt the project was under control with Jared's experience. The project was completed to my absolute satisfaction and on schedule. Thanks guys! We appreciate it and love the finished product. read more

I discovered Jared and Outerlands on Yelp and am so glad that I did. My wife and I met with Jared, saw some of his work at his shop, and proposed a furniture project. He came to our home to see the space and work with us to design the piece. The piece soon became three pieces, and then we commissioned two more projects after that. We are very pleased with all of them. Jared is an artist and it helps if you get into his rhythm when speaking with him. You will be rewarded if you take the time to do so, as he has terrific skills, good taste, good connections on getting unique materials, and will work with you to apply his talents to achieve your vision (even when it differs from his). He did the work very close to the schedules agreed upon. His prices are extremely reasonable and he's willing to work with you on that as well. As he becomes better known, I expect that he'll begin charging more. For now at least, if you take a little time with Jared, you can get unique custom pieces for less than store-bought pieces that may not fit your home perfectly. You can see several of the projects that he did for us on his website under the "Haight Street" label. (His website is quite cool, btw.) They were: 1. The furniture project that grew into 3 pieces -- an entertainment console, a coffee table, and a side table for our family room. Jared used salvaged woods for all of it, including from an old table that we had that had been ruined by years left outside. We designed the three pieces together with him by looking at photos on-line and measuring the spaces of the room. We are very happy with all three. The finish on the coffee table required a re-do of sorts, and Jared worked with us to get it just right. (Getting different use than the other pieces, it needed a different finish.) 2. Jared then created a built-in desk and bookshelves for my son's bedroom. He used three large pieces of wind-fall acacia that are just gorgeous. (This project is not on his website, but you can see other pieces that he made from the same tree.) The desk itself is supported by a metal plate that you cannot see. The effect is of a beautiful thick slab just emanating from the wall nook with the two book shelves in the nook above the desk. It's perfect for the small space and beautiful to look at. 3. Jared's masterpiece for our home: the balcony enclosure done with salvaged mahogany with touches of white oak. All of the pieces are ship-lapped in addition to the regular waterproof lining so as to be super protective to weather. This also gives you a sense of just how finely pieced-together the mosaic is. Jared is fond of creating wood mosaics, his artistry finnds expression in the juxtapositioning of the different woods, their placement calling out the unique tones and grains of each while also creating an overall look that has a nice ambience. Jared's work reminds me of a more natural version the Dutch artist Piet Hein Eek's work, whose unique salvaged wood mosaic tables grace the restaurant Credo. Instead of combining different old painted surfaces as Eek does, Jared combines the different woods themselves. This reflects a reverence for the natural but also a unique artistic approach. We are very happy with it. The enclosure has not only made the balcony a lovely space, but serves as a piece of art that complements and seems to enlarge the living room that feeds onto it. (I should add that we didn't like some of the lines, which were purely aesthetic differnences. Though it took Jared additional time, he made changes to adapt the project more to our taste.) The only other comment I'd add is that with time Jared will get better at estimating how long it takes him to do projects -- and likely charge more as a result. He takes his time to things right, and that can cause him to underestimate the cost in advance. He needs to develop that skill in order to eliminate the very small bit of tension that we ever had in our weeks of working with him. It really was not a problem though, and we do not hesitate to recommend him to others. Before I finally got around to writing this review, we'd given his name to several friends who admired his work in our home. read more