Our house is reborn…read more We have a cedar shingle house that was looking significantly worn and the integrity of the siding was starting to fail. We were torn between restoring the shingle siding or ripping it off and fully replacing. We are SO glad that we chose to restore with Marin Wood. Paul and Romy were amazing to work with - true professionals and artisans. They restored our shingles to perfection while resealing interfaces, and the restaining is a serious upgrade to the look of our house. We feel like we were able to maintain the architectural integrity of our home - even improve it - while not sacrificing visually or structurally. And all of this for a fraction of what it would have cost (in contractor woes and money) to re-side the house. We look forward to continuing to work with Marin Wood. 10/10

We can't say enough good things about Marin Wood Restoration and Painting…read more From our very first contact through project completion, Paul and Romy have been friendly, professional, and always there when we had questions. Romy did the estimate and made recommendations as to the type of finish to use (stain vs solid stain vs paint) for our project. He also helped us pick out a great color. The workmen were fantastic - skilled at their jobs and very efficient. They treated our house like it was their own, down to washing window screens after they finished staining around the windows. Romy was out daily to check on their work, which we really appreciated. One section of the wall wasn't taking the stain as well as the rest of the house, so he had them do additional coats until it met with his approval. Our house looks better than it ever has in the 20+ years we've been in it. Marin Wood's prices may be a bit higher than the big companies in the area, but you're not going to get this kind of personalized service from them. We highly recommend them without reservation.

Ricky and his team started construction on a retaining wall for us. They left a huge gaping hole in…read moreour backyard for over 4 months, allowing rain to erode the hillside and create a dangerous situation for us and our neighbors. They took $40K from us and left us with a nightmare. Ricky also took money from my neighbors and did not complete the promised work in their yard. NEVER USE THIS COMPANY.

We hired Ricky and the team at Valenz Construction in early 2023 to do a huge renovation on our…read morehouse. It involved gutting out and starting over for the entire house, as well as reconstructing one end of it from the foundation up. It was complicated by the fact that we continued to live and work from the home throughout. We can honestly say that Ricky and the team from Valenz were a genuine pleasure to work with. Their care and willingness to work with us--and around us!--at every step of the project was nothing short of remarkable. We also always felt that Ricky was treating us fairly, honestly, and profoundly honorably throughout the entire project. The careful work, flexibility, and never-ending good cheer from everyone was simply remarkable and touched us deeply. We think of it every day as we enjoy the wonderful house Ricky and everyone at Valenz Construction created for us.

Overall: super strong construction crew, really poor communication and project management from…read moreoffice staff. We brought in Alward Construction into our Berkeley, CA home remodel project in March 2018. Keith (founder) met with us several times, and painted a wonderful picture of how the project would unfold -- clear estimations of cost and timeline, weekly meetings with project management staff, clear lines of communication. Alward is more expensive than most -- you expect you're paying top dollar for great project management and customer service. Unfortunately, as the project unfolded, most of these promises fell apart. Our master builder who was onsite every day was excellent. He and his crew pushed the project forward, with high quality work day after day. The office staff, however, proved repeatedly that they barely knew what was going on with the project, were defensive when asked simple questions, and repeatedly dropped the ball with regards to timelines, budgets, sequencing of work, and generally managing us, the clients. The budgeting process was a total waste of time. We spent weeks trying to work with their estimators, who had a giant chip on their shoulders (maybe because we're young? maybe because we're in the tech industry?) and proved to be unable to grasp the basics of our project (ultimately a kitchen remodel and new windows/doors). They came back with wild estimates that were 2x-3x off from reality and what the project ultimately ended up costing. It turns out that the project management staff were not really focused on project management. They were mostly focused on after-the-fact reporting of what the master builder was doing. This meant that we, as clients, had basically no visibility into what was happening, what the schedule would be, or what would be happening on a given day. We had dozens of emails with our project management confirming specifics ("please confirm these materials have been ordered" or "please confirm the flooring will happen after the cabinets") only to come home after a long day and see the exact opposite ultimately happened on-site (oftentimes at great expense). You never hear of a remodel project that goes perfectly -- you expect things to take longer than expected, or cost more than expected, or to encounter some twists and turns. Our house is beautiful, and we thank the Alward builders for their fine craftsmanship. However, the last 4-5 months have gone comically wrong in ways that we never could have imagined. We've basically had to project manage everything ourselves, as the Alward office staff was disorganized, combative, unprofessional, and in the end caused us so much stress and cost overruns on a nearly daily basis that we took over management of the project ourselves.

I hired Alward Construction, because a friend had known of Keith Alward for years, and because my…read morearchitect also thought they were a solid company.  I knew Keith Alward was semi-retired. However, the team that still carries his name was terrific. I bought a 100+-year-old fixer-upper home. Before moving in, I wanted to get it ready for the next 100 years by strengthening it seismically, remodeling the kitchen and bathrooms, and creating a master suite.  Alward Construction remodeled my house from the foundation to the roof and everything in between while being careful to preserve the craftsman charm that I didn't want to change.  I'd recommend Alward Construction to anyone who wants a really professional snd high-quality job, with great management and accountability from start to finish.

What a find! Manny is terrific, and his team (hi, Jose!) is wonderful. They remodeled my whole…read morebathroom including conversion of tub to walk-in shower. It was as painless as any remodeling job could be. Manny was so responsive to questions and requests and even helped me with some design dilemmas. He has an eye! I could not be more pleased and grateful for his work, help and support throughout the project.

We employed Manny Escobar, general contractor, to renovate our condo before we moved in. We needed…read moreto convert a tub-shower to a walk-in shower. He and his team are very talented and provided us with all the work necessary to complete the task. Manny is intelligent, competent and gave us information we needed to have a beautiful, successful job. He also painted the inside of the unit, at our request, so we could start fresh. Manny and his workers are friendly, flexible and on time. We couldn't ask for a better outcome or contractor. We highly recommend him. Tracy and Joan Newkirk

Mark and his crew have done two fairly big complex projects for me; one was to rebuild and expand a…read more2-level deck, replace deteriorating railing system and enhance outdoor lighting; and the other was a substantial 1500+ s.f. renovation (replace forced air heating system with radiant heat floors, new flooring*, cabinets, lighting, repainting the entire interior*, new door and kitchen cabinet hardware, and some new appliances). They are extremely thorough, Work very hard and very competently. And very nice to work with. This is quality workmanship. It is not going to be the least expensive GC, and I feel that I have gotten very good value. *flooring installation and painting done by others

We used Mark Bachelder as a contractor to do a complete remodel of our kitchen and entire first…read morefloor in our townhouse, and could not be more pleased with the results. I always thought this would end up better but still limited because of our space. But, that's not the case. We love it! First of all, Mark was more than patient with me and my husband, as we planned out this remodel over a long period of time, not being sure what we wanted and what we could afford. Mark provided great insight on the plan itself and so carefully estimated the cost, that we stayed within budget. His crew was professional, trustworthy, accommodating and thorough. They were a joy to work with and have in our home. Their work is of the highest quality.

We've worked with Art for 2 completed home remodels now that included removing a load-bearing wall…read moreto create an open floor plan, kitchen, and bath renovations. Art was always responsive and knowledgeable. He helped secure permits and advise on materials and design where needed. It can be a hassle renovating older homes in San Francisco and navigating the different code requirements, but Art was helpful every step of the way. When we were re-doing our roof, a different contractor made a mess of the job, and Art and his team helped us clean up and get our project back on track. If you're considering any sort of kitchen or bath remodel, I'd recommend meeting with Art to get an estimate.

We highly recommend Art and his team. We've worked with Art on multiple projects and we won't…read morehesitate to work with him again for all future projects - remodels, additions, building an ADU, etc. Art and his team are very honest. This truly sets them apart. Art and his teams take deep pride in their work and are committed to getting things right vs just finishing up and moving on. Art is an expert - an exceptional and determined problem solver. For instance, he consistently addressed and resolved unusual, unforeseen issues that inevitably arose when opening up our 100-year-old house. He's a strong collaborator and he takes the time to explain. And he's just a great person. We always feel in good hands working with Art and his teams, and we will love the finished projects for years to come!

My home is really feeling great right now thanks to Jacob at Sonoma Residential Services. I can't…read morebelieve how much he did in one day! I'm so relieved and grateful.

Ryan and his crew remodeled an old out building on our property, changing it from run-down storage…read morearea into a new office. They did the drywall, flooring, and painting and some carpentry. The new room looks great and I appreciated their flexibility and willingness to add and subtract from the job as we went. Communication was always easy and responsive. Thanks for the great job!

This company is awesome and they do beautiful, high-quality work. The owner, Manuel Hernandez, is…read morea talented and clever master-craftsman, who has trained his crew to be careful and perfectionistic. He's worked on multiple projects for us since 2001 First on a 1927 Berkeley house that needed major work due to water/rot damage, where Manuel and his team calmly brought the whole back wall and corner down to the studs and then strategically restored the framing and all the details. We replaced 15+ windows. A huge undertaking that was really just another day's work for them. We were able to feel safe and calm, because they knew exactly what they were doing. Their work was just beautiful. Recently, they have spent the last few years helping us, on-and-off, to remodel a Bay Area home with 4 sets of French doors, skylights, vaulted ceilings, electrical, heating, plumbing, a large wrap-around 600sf deck, outdoor arbors, kitchen appliances, gas, and 160 linear feet of fencing with an additional 3ft retaining wall (9ft total height). This company consistently goes above and beyond with sensitivity to deadlines. Bonus: they arrive on time (or early) and clean the space up nicely after each workday!

I loved working with Hernandez Construction. We did several projects with this crew and they…read morecontinue to provide excellent service. Leveling floor and installing tile in four rooms of our home. Finishing the room with base boards custom stained to match our cabinets. Refinishing our master bathroom. Also a handful of smaller projects including patching a deck, refitting doors in an older house, and others. Thanks Hernandez Construction for all you've done.