We had a great experience with Linda, owner at Sunrise Garden Design. She patiently listened to our…read moredreams and desires, and helped us land on a backyard design that was practical and beautiful. She clearly communicated her expertise and when our questions drifted to the actual execution of the work, she would always say "that is for the contractor to decide". While some may think this response abrupt or uncaring, Linda is clear in what she does (design) and does not do (installation). We did end up tweaking some design elements to lower installation cost but overall followed her plan. Even when we asked for different plants after her main design was completed, she helped us out at no additional cost. It was a good learning experience for us and we are happy with the final result. Thanks Linda for your great service!

My husband and I are so happy we enlisted the services of Sunrise Garden Design and had the…read morewonderful opportunity to work with its owner Linda. Linda's design process from beginning to end is extremely effective! It involved friendly communication and relationship-building to ensure we provided her with our plant interests and overall desired garden outcome that helped her with designing our front yard. Linda's expertise in plant knowledge and garden design resulted in a drafted plan that was very detailed and informative. In addition, Linda's contractor referrals helped to seamlessly complete the project process. About six years ago, we had our front yard transitioned from lawn to drought-tolerant plants, but it hadn't been thriving. With Linda's help, we were able to keep the healthier plants and incorporate their place in the yard into Linda's plan. We appreciated that as well as her suggestion to transplant many of the existing plants that didn't really fit the front yard's plan to the backyard area where they can still be enjoyed. Linda's gardening love and enthusiasm is infectious! With our newly completed front yard and improved backyard, I'm looking forward to increasing my own gardening skills and enjoying the therapeutic benefits it can provide.

Ve and his team performed an outstanding transformation on my tiny back yard…read more Well priced, prompt, fast, efficient, thorough, receptive, communicative, respectful, hard working and experienced. One of my biggest concerns was without access to the back yard, all materials would have to be transported through my living room. I do not have a back gate. Ve taped up the flooring and off they went. Not a spot of damage. The pic I have attached was my attempt to retape after day 2. They did a better job. The transformation was completed in 3 half days. I'm thrilled. Highly recommend!

Great job, Works efficiently and finished my front yard this week. I described and showed him my…read moreidea and did exactly what I wanted.

We had a great experience NAB Construction! Our pickleball court had broken concrete on one end,…read moreand was too short on the other. NAB removed all the bad concrete and replaced it with pavers, and on the other side of the court, they added 5 feet of concrete where we had lawn, as well as adding to our existing retaining wall. After the pavers were installed, I noticed something not to my preference with the paver layout. I contacted Nick, our site manager from NAB, and he was very responsive, and arranged for Nate (the company president) to come out right away and discuss the matter, which was resolved that same day to my complete satisfaction. Nick also was happy to arrange for a few other small tasks related to bricks and concrete on our property to be taken care of, and they were - at no added cost. NAB construction was not the lowest bid we got for this work, but I have learned the hard way that going with the lowest price is not always a great idea, and I am glad I went with NAB for this project. I'm very satisfied with the results of this project, and would not hesitate to recommend NAB construction to others.

We have done multiple projects with NAB construction. Nate and his crew are fantastic. They do…read moregreat work, are responsive and are very professional. Hoping to plan many more in the future.

We met Susan from Creative Exteriors Landscape Design when we were enjoying the Walnut Creek Garden…read moreTour a few years ago. She was very friendly and engaging when we met her and we subsequently saw a few of the gardens she had designed while on the tour. When we finally made the decision to update our front and back yards from grass to drought tolerant plant, we met with Susan to discuss what we were looking for. I wanted to have a "desert-scape" look, with a gravel mulch or base, in the front yard and my wife, Mary, wanted a colorful backyard filled with all the color and all of the flowers that we could plant! We were also adding a large 15' x 20' covered patio area to our existing covered patio area and adding additional aggregate patio under the new covered area. We also wanted to add a circular brick patio and fire pit to the back yard in an area that was currently lawn. Susan definitely understood the assignment and went right to work! She took photos of the existing front and back yards and produced a beautiful plan that met both of our desires. We tweaked a few things along the way and Susan helped us make our dream backyard a reality. She recommended a couple of landscape companies to bid on the job and we chose, Steve Gardell of Gardelle Construction to do the job. They were great to work with. Their entire team was amazing! Susan remained in contact during the construction and actually was onsite the day that the plants were delivered to make sure they were placed correctly. When we had concerns a few weeks later about a few of the plant choices we had made, she cheerfully guided us in replacing three or four plants with new varieties that she and my wife picked out. It's been a few months now since everything was finished and we could not be happier! I'm attaching some before and after pics for your review. All of the pictures that have lawn/grass in them are the before picks. If you're contemplating a landscape project, we could not recommend Suan any higher. Please contact her. You will not be sorry!

Confessions of a design snob: those strong opinions extend to garden and landscape design. So, in…read more2005, when we had enough of the juniper and pyracantha dominating the landscape of the original ranch home we had purchased a few years earlier, we started searching for a landscape designer. Of course, landscape architects and designers abound in our neck of the woods. Most were uninspiring. Many offered a "signature" design that they rubber-stamped upon every garden. As if gardens can be purchased off-the-rack. I can't quite recall how we found Susan, but I am so glad we did! She was collaborative, listened carefully to the vision of my land plan, and introduced a sophisticated plant palette that not only worked with my preferences but also the unique conditions of our property. The plant palette flowered and peaked throughout the seasons, introducing visual variety all year long. She helped us select a landscape contractor, showed up at important milestones to ensure that our collective vision was implemented, and helped me spend our limited budget wisely (we acquired a few 15-gallon trees, splurged on key 5-gallon anchor shrubs and 1-gallons; but saved money by purchases dozens upon dozens of 4-inch plants that I installed myself ... after after work, in the dark, with a headlamp on). The prior property owners never installed drainage and therefore caused the soil to be a sodden, stinky, clay-ey mess devoid of nutrients. So the new plants took a few years to establish. Five years later, the garden was drop-dead gorgeous and extraordinary - not only to behold but to enjoy. More importantly, Susan and I had such a fantastic time working together that we've kept in touch for the past 14(!) years ... and adapted the garden (through "garden refreshes") as our needs changed. Our continued collaboration allowed us to enjoy the garden as it evolved from the pristine weekend destination of a gardening enthusiast to a relaxed outdoor space that accommodates family gatherings, a play structure, games, and soccer nets. I have and will continue to recommend Susan to any one who will listen!

We hired Ricardo to help with a remodel of the pavers in our backyard and worked closely with Pat,…read morethe project manager. They were both wonderful to work with from start to finish - very communicative, professional, knowledgeable, and easy to work with throughout the entire project. Most importantly, the work speaks for itself. Everything turned out beautifully and we absolutely love our new backyard. We're so happy with the finished result and would definitely recommend Ricardo, Pat, and their team!

We purchased a home with a huge backyard and so much potential -- but it was completely overgrown,…read moreand it was hard to envision what could truly be done with the space. From the moment I reached out to Pat, we connected right away. He is incredibly knowledgeable about landscape design, layout, and all things plants. He really helped us see what was possible. Pat then introduced us to Ricardo, who is the expert in hardscape, mechanical work, and overall execution. Ricardo and his team worked tirelessly to demo our backyard. Once it was cleared, we finally saw how much usable space we truly had -- and we even uncovered a view! We were so pleased with the entire process -- from design to execution -- and absolutely love the end result. Working with Pat and Ricardo was seamless, professional, and collaborative. We're already looking forward to having them transform our front yard next. We highly recommend Universal Pavers for anyone looking to reimagine their outdoor space!

My front yard in Lafayette is just beautiful thanks to Maverick and his crew. I get so many…read morecompliments from my neighbors and I am enjoying it so much. Thank you Amy

Best in the area. Highly recommended for any project and dream backyard. Great communicationread more

We worked with Francisco and Pat to design and install both a French drain and new driveway. The…read moredriveway came out beautifully and we are thrilled with the final product. Francisco and his crew worked hard and we were amazed at how they transformed our property so quickly. We appreciated the clear communication and thoughtful design they provided. We also felt that the price was very reasonable. We would certainly reach out to them again for future projects.

We had a great experience with Francisco and Gonzalez F Landscaping. Francisco provided a…read morecompetitive bid, started quickly, and completed the project on schedule. He built a stacked-block retaining wall with a very solid, conservative design, including a concrete foundation beam that others had not proposed to help ensure the wall wouldn't settle or move. Francisco also designed a thoughtful hillside drainage and discharge system to control runoff, prevent erosion, and avoid creating drainage problems for our downhill neighbor. His extensive experience with drainage systems was obvious, and he clearly takes pride in building things to last rather than cutting corners. Francisco is also an excellent communicator and listener. He took the time to explain the design and each phase of the work, listened carefully to what was important to us, and was very open and responsive to our questions and feedback throughout the project. His crew was hardworking, friendly, and a pleasure to have around. Francisco stands behind his work with a strong guarantee. We would definitely use Gonzalez F Landscaping again and highly recommend Francisco and his team.

I had Legacy Landscapers do 2 separate projects and they did a fantastic job…read more The first project we had weeds growing in through the rock landscaping in our front yard. I had asked that we need to replace the barrier underneath. The got it done in about 2 days. The 2nd project we had grass installed in our backyard and get the sprinklers working again (previous owners never got it fixed, so I'm glad that it wasn't any major work). They did it all in one day. They did a fantastic job - so fast, but most importantly, great quality and such good value. I would hire them again for future projects and highly recommend them to others.

Cristian was responsive, professional, and easy to work with. He immediately gave me a quote for a…read morefence replacement and DG installation after visiting our property. After getting two more quotes we decided that we liked the price and interaction with Cristian the most and went forward with Legacy Landscape. After four full days of work, our backyard was transformed and it turned out to be exactly what we wanted and more. We appreciated his input and experience throughout, and the crew was very friendly and hard working. One of the crew members was actually his dad, who always had a smile on and walked us through the progress when Cristian wasn't around. They deserved 5 stars and we would definitely use them again!

My husband and I recently moved to a brand new home in Oakley, Ca. Our home has a huge back and…read moreside yard. It is all dirt right now. And we need a professional landscaper to do a project for us. We met and saw a few contractors and decided on this company. We met with owner Gabriel Freitas. He is professional, prompt and knows landscaping well! He is patient and answered all our questions. We had designs we want and Gabriel assist us in making our designs work. He took notes, took measurements and told us he will get back to us in a few days. When we met him again, he showed us a 3D design of our backyard and it looked incredible! Next we talked about cost and told Gabriel we have a budget. Gabriel worked in our favor and we signed a contract! We can't wait to see how all this turns out. Stay tune for the finished project! If you are looking for a landscaping company, give Gabriel Freitas a call.

Driveway demolition and brick paver installation. I had 5…read moredifferent companies come out to offer design consultation and pricing. Gabriel was by far the most professional and attentive. He was the only one who met us and showed us pavers on a large scale. He communicated effectively with the teams at every point in the process and was on site for much of it. You always want to know your GC will be accountable, trustworthy and effective and he proved to be all that and more. Veronica B. - Oakland, CA

Small job treated with the care of a big job. I had Justin quote on replacing two saplings with a…read moredwarf blood orange and a dwarf fuji apple, sealing the fences, and taking my small narrow side yard and laying in a walkway for garbage can access with a narrow planting bed for future passion fruit vines. Justin made some suggestions, and his crew executed perfectly We went with concrete for easier and safer access, benderboard instead of blocks because of the narrow yard. Simple, cleanly done, bed is edged to contain the soil, trees are well seated and fertilized, irrigation updated for the new plantings, weed cloth under the gravel. Concrete has a nice brushed finish for traction in the wet, tree is staked, can't wait to see them bloom. It's the nice little details that make a quality job. Every day the site was cleaned as if they hadn't been there, they worked quickly and carefully even in the narrow areas. I'm very happy with the job and execution, and highly recommend them.

Our experience with Justin's Professional Landscaping was very disappointing. We encountered…read moreserious workmanship and installation issues that could not be resolved directly with the contractor. We contracted for landscaping work, a redwood pergola, patio cover and a cement patio for just under 30k. We ended up having to file a complaint with the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB), and after an independent inspection and mandatory arbitration, we were awarded $18,140 for the cost of repairs. The contractor ultimately paid the award in full to avoid loosing their Contractor's License and possibly their bond. Unfortunately, the arbitration process took almost a year and required significant time and effort. We would never use this contractor again but if you do, we would highly recommend that you perform thorough due diligence, make sure the contract spells everything out in detail to include specific dimensions, types of materials, etc., keep detailed records throughout the project and if any issues arise do not make any additional payments until all identified issues are resolved.