My wife and I bought a single family home in San Francisco last year. The home was structurally in good condition, but required a lot of updating since the same family had lived in it for over 60 years. Once you touch something, you have to bring it up to current building codes, so it was a fairly extensive remodel: roof replacement, addition of a bathroom, revamping of 2 other bathrooms, heating system replacement + asbestos removal, electrical / network re-cabling, movement of some walls, building out a deck, etc. All in, the project took 4-5 months. We invited 3 general contractors to bid, and ended up choosing Custom Construction. From the start, Bryan impressed us as a "can do" person and a straight shooter (someone who does the job well, does not nickel-and-dime you, and is upfront about problems as they arise). I'm glad to say that our early impressions were indeed borne out. Throughout the remodeling project, Custom Construction showed attention to the details, and the construction work was of good quality. On more than one occasion, our neighbors complimented us on the choice of contractors--they said that the workers were always very hardworking (7am-7pm+), kept the exterior clean/tidy after each day, etc. We also liked that Custom Construction was not a large, bureaucratic organization (where everything needs to be signed off in triplicate), but a flexible team to work with. We conducted weekly construction meetings with them and our architect, so adjustments could be made as necessary and on a timely basis. Along the way, some issues were uncovered (electrical inspection required a few more fixes; some extra plumbing work needed to be done that was previously unanticipated). In each case, Custom Construction highlighted the issues early on, we mutually agreed on extra work to be done, and the appropriate charges were fair in my opinion. There was a little bit of slippage at the tail end of the project, but in fairness, Custom Construction was waiting for some backordered materials (tiles, lights, etc.) to be delivered, so this wasn't their fault. The contract that Custom Construction proposed, and we agreed to, was based on completion of milestones, so they had every incentive to get things done efficiently and on time. All in all, I highly recommend Custom Construction to anyone, and would definitely work with them again on future remodeling and construction projects. read more

3/5 stars (Averaged based on 4/5 for quality and 2/5 for project management and communication) My family has 3 years experience planning and working with Custom as the General Contractor on an Inner Sunset home for additions and a remodel. Overall we're pleased with the results though the project management, process and communication was very difficult and many times unacceptable. The first project was large with the addition of an 1100sqft 3rd-floor, renovation of garage and 2nd-floor electrical, steel-frame structural changes, new hydronic (radiant) heating and renovated plumbing throughout the property. The second project was a small one with the addition of a 300sqft bedroom, closet and bathroom along with the associated structural, plumbing and foundation changes. For each project, the same team was used: Architect: At-Six Architecture, San Francisco Plumber: ROS Plumbing, San Francisco Structural Engineer: Mosswood Engineering, Berkeley The value of the Architect serving as Project Manager became clear mid-way through the first project. The scheduling and communication issues were mostly handled with their oversight. We experienced many more problems serving as our own PM for the smaller addition. I'd recommend to prospective clients of Custom that they be prepared to have a strong and experienced Project Manager with them from the very beginning of discussions to ensure success and limit the problems, regardless of project size. The scope of the 3rd-floor addition required neighborhood notifications and review. Many neighbors have commented on how well the addition matched the styling of the community and some are considering their own similar additions based on our success. For further details, or to view the property, contact me through a Yelp message. read more

We purchased an older victorian that badly needed work. The previous owners had done work themselves, and you could tell! Kitchen cabinets did not close properly and did not line up. The bathrooms had wood countertops that were the same as the hardwood floors (did they just have leftover floor they wanted to get rid of?!). They took shortcuts on plumbing and made other strange/cheap decisions. We decided to gut the kitchen and 2 bathrooms. We also refinished the floors, painted, and did other misc work around the house (changing desk to closet, opening up the main room to be more of an open floorplan). We bid out the project to 4 contractors who all came highly recommended. My neighbors had used Custom Construction for an entire renovation when their apt caught on fire. He spoke highly of Bryan and his team. Bryan and his crew did an amazing job! We are extremely happy with the work, price, timeline and his follow up. The kitchen is so amazing, and we are so happy when we see it everyday. It really makes a difference when you come home to a place you love! It wasn't just the great job they did. Bryan is really good with recommendations and ideas. Based on his recommendations, we added a wooden top to our staircase that we love. We added a special door that brings light in to the bathroom but still adds privacy. We hid the duct in the kitchen into the wall (really hard to do!) so our kitchen looks clean and streamlined. There are so many recommendations he had that all made our house so awesome. I was also impressed with his attention to detail. He notices things that a regular person may catch later or not at all. For ex, my 3 pendant lights in kitchen had 1 that was a little darker. He noticed it right away and asked if we should do return it or do something about it. After completion, we had a plumbing problem, and Bryan had the urgency I had hoped he'd have. He stands by his work. He is also a pretty great guy who we enjoyed working with. Honest, practical troubleshooter and overall good guy. I highly recommend them! read more

I can't recommend Custom Construction highly enough. We used Bryan to remodel our 1915 Edwardian in San Francisco. My major concern was that we maintain the character of the home while upgrading the kitchen and bathrooms. Bryan is truly an artisan. His experience allowed him to envision what the finished product would be way before I could see it. He made suggestions that the architect hadn't thought of, and the results were perfect. Every little detail was important to him, and he made sure we were happy with everything every step of the way. We so enjoyed working with Bryan and his crew. I would recommend him without qualification for anyone planning to do a major remodel. Below is a list of some of what we appreciated working with Custom Construction: -- Thoughtful and detailed estimate, including a spot-on time estimate of 6 months -- Incredible communication with clients. Joanne, as the office manager, comes to every client meeting, takes notes, and makes sure everything gets taken care of. Having her involved made us feel like we were well looked after. She was also extremely helpful in suggesting where to look to find all the things we needed to pick out to finish the project off and to bounce ideas off of when I started to feel a bit overwhelmed by all the decisions. -- Amazing sub-contractors. Every one of Bryan's sub-contractors was a joy to work with. They obviously took pride in their work, and the results show it. -- Excellent follow-though. As expected, some small issues have arisen once the job was finished. Bryan has come out to address every one within a day or so. This dedication is so appreciated and much different from our experience 25 yrs ago during our first remodel when the contractor disappeared after getting the final payment. In summary, we are so happy with our remodel. My husband and I love coming home to our new-old house. We wish we had done it years ago, and we are SO glad we found Custom Construction. read more

Custom Construction Enterprises recently completed extensive structural construction on our home that necessitated working with structural engineers, geological engineers, architects and landscapers. The rear of our house sits on a down slope and we discovered that retaining walls were in danger of slipping and therefore the house was also in danger. Bryan Keane/Custom Construction was recommended by our Structural Engineer. We had no idea what the cost of this work would be so the Structural Engineer called Bryan and asked if he would come to the house and walk through the work to be done so we could have some idea of the cost. Bryan took time out of his own very busy schedule to walk through with the engineer and ourselves simply to give us some idea of the cost involved. After talking with and receiving estimates from Bryan and other contractors, we chose Bryan to do this work because of his very professional approach. After speaking and being with Bryan, we trusted him to do the best job. Our structural engineer also felt Bryan was the superior choice. Communication was excellent whether it was the telephone, email or texting. He was at the site every day and sometimes 2 or 3 times a day to ensure the work was being done properly. His workers were there every day, on time and ready to work the entire day. They obviously knew what they were doing and they, too, were professional in their attitudes and work ethic. Bryan always took the time to explain the process and he basically walked us through the construction. On more than one occasion, he joined the crew whether it was installing rebar or laying cement. As with any major construction, unforeseen problems arose and Bryan was right there to talk about them and solve them with us. The site was left very clean every day and the final cost was on the button re the estimate. The finished product is amazing to behold. Also amazing was to see the amount of work and the skill levels needed to complete the project. Bryan also handled all the permits and inspections and there were absolutely no problems with the work being inspected and passed. We highly recommend Custom Construction. We will definitely work with them again on future remodeling and construction projects. Barbara P. read more

My husband and I worked with Bryan Keane at Custom Construction for an extensive remodel and modernization of our Victorian home. We were especially pleased with the beautiful carpentry and finish work throughout all aspects of the project. Bryan helped harmonize our desire for a modern style through much of the home while retaining portions and details of the original Victorian style. Bryan and his team kept us up to date on the project with regular meetings, which included highlighting newly discovered issues and making sure that we were happy with the ongoing work. When there was a problem or complication, Bryan was always ready with suggestions on how to resolve it. Bryan's solution were creative and showed a real understanding of how to deal with all those Victorian problems/quirks - he was able to save our original parlor pocket doors and get them to open and shut again. Even though it was at the height of the remodel boom, Bryan had his team of subcontractors lined up and ready to go, and the project was never held up due to inspections. All the little details were important to us and to Custom Construction. His team, especially Joanne, kept all those details organized and on track - from demolition to making sure that even the doorstops were correct. It was a real pleasure to work with the Custom Construction team, and we highly recommend them to anyone planning a major remodel. read more

they did a really good job on our place. we had problems with other contractors leaving a mess and custom construction not only fixed the problem, but made the place nicer than original. thank you!!! read more

Custom Construction came recommended from another contractor working in our building. Bryan and his crew were friendly, reliable, fast, and flexible to our needs. The work looks great. I will definitely be using them again, next time I need some work done. Highly recommended. read more