Paxton Gate recently completed a backyard redo for my wife and I, and here's a few facts about their performance: 1. work was completed reasonably fast and the job site during construction was kept clean; 2. job was completed on budget; 3. design work was done in the highest professional manner; written plans were easy to understand and Paxton Gate incorporated suggestions we made as well as suggesting numerous improvements to the existing landscape. Changes were done in writing. 100% pleased with the work. End result is a unique and creative backyard that is low maintenance and can be enjoyed year around at all times of the day. I've done 5 major remodel and/or new construction projects and I know what improvements return when it comes time to sell. landscaping is without a doubt one of the things where you can see a return on investment and Paxton Gate really delivered. read more

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We recently hired Rarefield to design both our front and back gardens. We wanted a natural design that was pet and family friendly. The design process took into account our budget, inspirations, and the feeling we wanted the garden to evoke. I also presented the designer with the challenge of re-using the cobblestones from my existing garden in the new design (from a crumbling retaining wall and 2 old ponds). The designs exceeded our expectations and we couldn't be more thrilled with the result. Everyone we worked with, on-site and in the office, were great: enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and they all seem to love what they're doing. The care and quality shows in the finished work. We are using Rarefield to maintain our new gardens and can't wait to see how the gardens look as they mature. I can't recommend Rarefield highly enough! read more

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I'm reviewing the store not their landscape design though I'm sure that rocks as well. This is my favorite store because it's like a museum. I remember when they were a little garden store in SOMA and had unusual plants and creative display in a very small space. In this space they've created a delicious environment in the store and in their small garden behind the store. I love buying unusual gifts for friends, family, read more

After a search for all-in-one contractors, we hired the Paxton Gate crew to transform our stark, barren backyard into a beautiful (and extremely usable!) space. We could not have been more happy with the process of working with Paxton Gate, and we're thrilled with the outcome. We came to PG with some initial design work, but they worked tirelessly with us to refine the plan to give us the biggest bang for the buck. Communication throughout the initial development stages were clear, direct, timely and honest. Once we settled on a design and contract to fit our budget, the real work began. The PG team built a new deck from scratch, installed a screening arbor and permeable pavers, built stairs from the deck to the yard, worked with us to design a planting plan and then implemented that plan, erected a new fence, put in low voltage lighting and installed a new door in the place where a widow once was. All in all, a fair amount of work. The team worked quickly and -- to our utter delight -- with minimal disruption to our day to day lives. When we encountered one design element that wasn't exactly to our specifications, the PG crew listened to our concerns and acted quickly to ameliorate them. Frankly, we expected this project to be a major pain the butt; one that might have caused the type of stress sometimes associated with jobs of this nature. With their excellent communication skills, admirable work ethic, considerable expertise and ability to get the job done quickly and efficiently, Paxton Gate made it look easy. Best of all, we love the final product. It's only several weeks post-construction, but we have already enjoyed countless hours in our gorgeous new space. We can't imagine how things might have come out had we gone with another crew. If that's not enough, we will continue to use Paxton Gate for maintenance work moving forward. Thank you, PG, for a truly amazing job. read more

Rarefield Design/Build - General Contractors Near Me - San Francisco, California

I think I have finally figured out this business. My experience with Paxton Gate goes back to the summer of 2010 when I hired them to prepare a design for our horrible weed covered backyard. After what felt like a productive meeting, during which we discussed a budget, we paid $300 for a really nice design concept that worked well for the space. I thought the price was fair for PG's time and effort. After a long delay of a month or more, PG then prepared a proposal to install and build their design. To my surprise and shock, the price for the work totaled over three times our budget. And it didn't even include several important elements, like new fencing, that I knew would significantly increase the construction cost. There was no way I could afford to do this project with PG, yet they kept insisting that they could reduce the price by eliminating project elements, by doing the work in phases, etc. When I questioned whether my project was just too small, and that they had to charge a lot because they could only complete so many projects in a year, they flatly denied it. But I think that's really it. PG makes money by charging for their designs, and then propose outrageously high construction costs. Every so often, some rich sucker bites.. More often, they just frighten people away. And now I know it wasn't just me. After warning him, a friend recently tried to work with PG. I was amazed at how his experience mirrored mine in so many ways. I still think PG does great and beautiful landscaping projects, but beware the cost. Then again, if money is no object, PG is for you. read more

I'm talking about Paxton Gate the landscape business. I needed a major major backyard makeover and was willing to pay for it more than they could know. These guys talked a good talk so I spent $300 on a preliminary plan. The plan had almost no relation to my priorities! -- and I communicated a LOT -- so this was a total waste of my time, consideration, and hard-earned dinero. They did not listen. So they spent a hour or two drawing up a "plan" that would NOT work given the space and my microclimate,and I got a cute watercolor and lost some sizeable bucks. Just a waste. Don't hear, don't listen, don't understand, don't compute. Cannot say much about their store, but it does win the Eclectic Prize, FWIW. read more

The 2-sentence version: We LOVED working with Paxton Gate and they did a phenomenal job with our recent backyard overhaul. I'd use them again, and in fact almost as soon as we finished the backyard we signed them up to do our front yard. The longer version: Right after we moved into our house last year, the backyard, which had been cleaned up and lightly staged by the seller, was overtaken by weeds and quickly became unusable. It was a small sloping space to start - with cracked and uneven concrete, a crumbling stucco and wooden gate, a little rotting deck and a super depressing stairway into the garage. We briefly thought about doing it ourselves, but once we realized there would need to be concrete removal, retaining walls built, soil grading, new drainage and a new gate/fence, etc. we realized it was way beyond our abilities. The guys from Paxton Gate did everything we needed: 1. They came out and met with us to hear about our hopes for the space and incorporated our ideas into the design, while adding a few awesome features that we would have never thought of ourselves 2. We got a detailed budget and estimate for the project and they stayed true to it throughout the project 3. They were great at communicating with us throughout the project, and also trustworthy and extremely pleasant to work with - both the management and the skilled craftsmen who were at our house every day to doing the work 4. They took a small space and made every part of it either usable for entertaining or beautiful to hang out in. 5. Their construction skills were top notch: the fencing and garden gate, drainage system, deck, stairs, retaining walls, benches and planter boxes are all beautiful and well-crafted 6. The gave us first-class service - since we both work full-time we didn't have the time or the knowledge about how to project manage something like this. They took care of everything from demolition to making sure we understood how to use the timer for the irrigation system they put in Check out the pictures of the project on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.524075120939921.137933.230312380316198&type=3 read more

After a long exhaustive search of landscape contractors and designers, we were thrilled that we got to work with Paxton Gate. We had a small backyard but they helped us maximize our space and provided great recommendations for materials, plants and design elements that really made our backyard something special. The design team was very creative yet understood the constraints of a budget. They were detail oriented and helped design the space we wanted along with some cool things we didn't know we wanted. The construction team did fantastic work and was a pleasure to work with (unlike most other contractors I've worked with). They were prompt, clean, detailed and they were on schedule the entire project (or as much as they could be considering the scope creep that we kept adding because we didn't want to let them go). They may not be the cheapest (they're not) but they may be the best. read more

Rarefield Design/Build - Dog not included... - General Contractors Near Me - San Francisco, California

Mike was awesome to work with. He was knowledgeable, responsive, and came up with a great landscape design for my home. Would definitely work with him and his team again. read more

We've been using Rarefield for years, from complete redesigns of backyard and porch to monthly maintenance. Our house has even been on the neighborhood garden tour twice, as the results have been so great. I love working with Mike--he shares my love of design and backs it up with his considerable knowledge of plants, irrigation, and construction. He's also very keen on eco-friendly, drought-friendly gardening. I feel like Mike is as invested in my gardens as I am! read more

We highly recommend Rarefield for landscaping design. Everyone is great, from the design to the execution of the plan. They helped us transform our wild back yard into a space that is functional and lovely to behold. Jeff was upbeat, friendly, informative, and amazing in dealing with a crazy neighbor. read more

I can't find the original review I wrote for them, so I'll make something new up. When it was time to do something with the wasteland that was our backyard, we went straight to Paxton Gate. We had been in the store many times and loved the aesthetic and the back garden. Sean was great to work with, very professional, very creative. He let us make all sorts of decisions about materials and design, all the while keeping the original concepts intact. His design scaled from affordable to excessive, depending on what we wanted. We went with something in the middle (if I were a rich man...). It came out great. Fantastic. Now that the plants have matured, it's amazing. We always get compliments on it. I almost can't wait to move so we can do another garden design! My advice: don't skimp. Sean's sense of design and materials is impeccable. And whatever you do, get the water feature. read more

They are simply the most creative, unique and high quality landscape designers in the city - bar none. They have done 2 jobs for me over the years both of which became even more magical as the flora and fauna grew in. Incredible company. read more

Terrible customer interaction. I sent several emails and texts after being asked to provide some details to Ted Logan. He never got back to me. First, I know people get busy, and I also understand a project might be not in their business model. Other establishments nicely got back to me with their thoughts. Ted Logan did not. I was drawn to them, and to wait for a response, due to the good reviews they got. So, it looks like if they deign to finally get in touch with you, you might get a good result-- otherwise they just ignore you. read more

We were extremely pleased by the excellent landscape work that Mike Santi and his team did in our backyard. Their initial plans were thoughtful and took into account what our desires were. As a result, they laid a beautiful pathway and colorful palette of plants. As a result we are thoroughly enjoying our garden read more

Mike and the Rarefied team have been excellent in taking care of our backyard. We have a number of fruit trees, ground cover plants, grass, and flowering plants that his team has taken great care of. Each member is extremely knowledgable about care of the plants, making sure to adjust water, pruning throughout each season and providing us with feedback on what was done and next steps over the course of the year. Always appreciate the transparency and knowledge that they provide! read more

I honestly cannot say enough good things about our experience working with Rarefield/Paxton's Gate on our backyard. From the initial consultation to the post-construction maintenance of our new yard, they have been consistently top notch. Eric's practically a part of the family after seeing him every morning for months. They turned our unusable backyard into an urban oasis. The design team was very responsive to our requests, and worked with us through several iterations and last-minute changes until the design was perfect. The construction team was amazing and saw that every detail was correct. We could not be more thrilled with the outcome, and would highly recommend them for any project. read more

Mike Santi at Rarefield is truly best in class. He has been maintaining our backyard for about a year now and we recently hired him to design and execute the landscaping for our front yard. From our initial consultation to the grand reveal, he was engaged and responsive all the while, helping us conceive of a beautiful and practical design, executing efficiently and exquisitely, and even keeping the project underbudget. In the weeks following the install, we had a raccoon completely ravage the garden and he responded immediately and with utter TLC. He is a gem to get to work with. read more

The Paxton Gate Design/Build team are talented in design, execution and maintenance of landscapes in challenging spaces. Our neighbors used Paxton Gate Design/Build for their Russian Hill garden, and the final product was both beautiful and built for year-round use and enjoyment. So we contacted their design team for a consultation, designed a garden, put together the final touches over several meetings, and scheduled a date for commencement of the project. There was a lot of communication during the design process, from plant species to decking, light fixtures and style of BBQ's, and our vision was created with thoughtful attention to our needs and desires, given the very unique space. The building process was a lot of fun because the building team members are incredibly skilled, as well as extremely personable and accommodating.They cleaned the job site each afternoon before leaving and were very respectful to us and our neighbors. It was really a joy to have them working here everyday and to watch our cement block of a yard be transformed into a beautiful and creative space to entertain and relax. Also to be noted, Paxton Gate was both professional and ethical with respect to documenting the project and the costs relating thereto. There were never any surprises! We now use them to maintain our garden, and love that service as well! We are very pleased with our garden, and are regularly complimented on its design and beauty. Thank you Paxton Gate! read more

My neighbor hired Paxton Gate and they left rubbish blowing around in my yard. I wouldn't mention it but a good portion of the plants they planted died and she's unhappy. She won't ever have them back to work and won't say anything but I will have to on her behalf. read more

overpriced and don't listen to your design needs. Awful customer service

I hired Rarefield for a total remodel of my SF backyard to accommodate a swim spa and I can't say enough positive things about them. The design team developed a plan for my yard that was perfect. They started by providing me with samples of what I could expect for various amounts. I gave them a max and a min and, after sharpening their pencils, they designed a yard that was amazing and within the max that I had provided. They also provided me with a plant palate - they gave me an extensive list (and pictures) of plants, let me choose what I liked and then, from my preferences, chose plants that would complement the design and each other. The design thought of everything - low maintenance, water frugal, and beautiful plants, access to the swim spa, privacy, multiple living spaces, lighting, electrical, drip system - the whole enchilada and they worked with me to accommodate my requests (can we move "this" over there? and can we add "that"? type of requests). The build team was professional and extremely conscientious (they left the interior of my house where they stored their tools and tromped in and out cleaner than it was before they started. More importantly, the build team executed the design in a thoughtful and expert manner. The build team was always careful to check in with me when they encountered challenges (subsidence in the yard, for example) and choices (when things could be done more than one way) and always listened to and respected my input (even when said input was "whackado"). When the project costs increased due to the need for a new electrical panel to accommodate the swim spa, Rarefield even offered to scale back the project (and give up my dream yard - hells no!). And they managed to mollify a neighbor that was upset about the dust and debris associated with such a large project. The result was that Rarefield delivered an outdoor living space that is AMAZING and something you would see in a magazine. read more

For the past 5 months, Paxton Gate has used our house as the staging area while working on the neighbor's house. We have a wooden house and there is a small hallway between the 2 houses. This doesn't make the work easy for the contractors, non the less they think that it's okay to throw their parts and tools against our house, as well as constantly slam the gate that joins our houses. When we asked them nicely to stop, because our house shakes every time they do (not to mention the potential damage to our house) they ignored us. When we demanded loudly that they stop, they called the police. The police told us that Paxton Gate was wasting police time. Paxton Gate got 2 parking permits for the job, but they often don't use those parking spaces and, instead, take up our valuble parking spaces on the block "in case we have a delivery."Speaking of permits, they tried to avoid getting certain permits for their work, since we work in the trades, we were able to follow up on this and they were forced to either not do the illegal work, or redo the job with permits. They have been unable to finish their work in their plan of 5 months, even though they have been working full time. read more