We used SFDB for a major remodel for a 1930s fixer home we bought in Burlingame. After meeting with several contractors, I am so happy we went with SFDB! Their estimate was clear and very specific, whereas the other contractors were pushy, quick to bid high (40k for electrical?) and slow to explain their prices, OR - they didn't inspire confidence in being able to handle all of the major issues we were facing in fixing the house. We worked closely with Rudy and Jessica and ended up gutting our kitchen and family room, as well as doing all new windows/sliding doors, skylights, a new deck off of new french doors in the kitchen, all new lighting, new HVAC, and a partial bathroom remodel. It was a huge job. Both Jessica and Rudy were fabulous to work with - they had great ideas, were responsive to phone calls and emails, and were extremely professional and pleasant to work with. When we opened things up to install the new windows/doors, we came across a lot of dry rot. They ended up rebuilding large sections of the house - I was so grateful that they were fast and very competent! I'm also glad Rudy gently suggested we might consider getting new cabinets if we were going to get new countertops....upon closer inspection the existing painted wood cabinets were sticky and crooked and not worth saving. Our new kitchen looks totally amazing, as does our family room and every project they did in the house. They showed up on time, worked long days 6 days a week, and finished the majority of the large projects in about 4 months so we could move in! All of the people who worked in our house - Samuel and crew, Giovanni (electrical), Moises (HVAC), Jose Luis (gas lines/plumbing) etc were all professional, nice, and cleaned up at the end of each day. It has been about 2 years since we completed most of the work, and the follow up has been amazing. We have had only minor problems crop up here and there, and they come back and take care of them without charging us, even if the issue ends up being somewhat unrelated to the work they did! (For example, a very small leak near the kitchen door was caused by a problematic nearby downspout, more the territory of the roofers...but SFDB addressed the problem and fixed it for us!) They have also come back several times to address a heat vent that did not work well in the Master Bedroom. They ended up installing an additional vent in order to adequately heat the room.
The one thing I wish we had done differently - although this is not the fault of SFDB - is I wish we had decided from the beginning to take on as many large projects as we did, such as the new windows and doors. We had a tremendous # of change orders and sometimes the billing got confusing due to how many simultaneous projects were going on. Again, it would have been less confusing if we had been more decisive from the outset.
If you hire SFDB, you will be in good hands. They can handle projects of any size, and are a pleasure to work with. HIghly recommended! read more