David Mulligan is as good as it gets when it comes to a general contractor in the Marin area. If he…read morehas availability to do your project you must hire him. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: This was my first remodeling project and I chose David and Builders of Marin after interviewing ~4 different contractors. The project was a to-the-studs renovation and expansion of a ~1,500sqft, 2 bed, 2 bath ranch home into a ~3,500sqft 4 bed, 4.5 bath contemporary home. Complicating the build was (1) that the house was on a steeply sloped, small lot, (2) needed an entirely new foundation, and (3) was on a narrow street with no parking. WORKING WITH DAVID AND BOM: Working with David on this project was a pleasure. I hear friends describe their interactions with contractors and consider myself very lucky that I was able to work with David and his team on my project. If I ever do any remodel I will only do it if I can get David to do the work, and if I ever buy another house I will get David to visit the property with me. In fact, I would probably hire David first and then shop around for an architect. David is highly responsive, detail oriented, and does what he says he will do every time. From a work-style perspective, David is the ultimate high-integrity professional -- which is difficult to find in the construction industry at times. HOW DAVID AND BOM ARE BETTER THAN OTHER CONTRACTORS: David and BOM are better than other contractors based on three very important qualities: estimate accuracy, follow-through and execution, and crew / construction quality. ESTIMATE ACCURACY: One of the most difficult things about a high-end residential construction project is getting anyone to tell you how much anything costs. David will do the work to come up with an accurate quote, and will give you a reasonable, sober estimate as to how much different scope changes will change the budget. He brought our project in on-time (incredibly rare) and on budget (when adjusted for us changing the project scope and adding ~700sqft midway through). He does not over-promise or under quote (as many GCs do), and also doesn't mark-up everything by 30% (as many GCs do). Furthermore, if he finds cost savings midway through the project he will help you realize those. FOLLOW-THROUGH: As mentioned above David is accurate at estimating project costs and timelines. He is able to BE accurate because he has the crews and sub-contractor relationships to get the work done on time. Unlike many GCs who over-extend themselves during good construction markets, David has a number of quality crews with incredible site foremen (Kim was ours -- the best!) and is able to realistically budget their time to avoid delays. Furthermore, David believes in doing what he says he will do and will make the construction personnel be there to get the work done. CREW / CONSTRUCTION QUALITY: David believes in retaining the best people and has been working with many members of his crews for 20+ years. Many of his master carpenters started out as unskilled labor with him decades ago, and he has taught and mentored them up himself. What this has allowed David to build is a team obsessed with construction quality that knows how to do things the right way, and can get things done quickly. Furthermore, he has a deep bench of talent that he can put to work on projects to get them done on time, the right way. The commitment to finish quality from David and his whole crew is maniacal, and they are able to pull-off flawless contemporary designs that require high build quality. I would like to call out Kim, Omar, Jesus and the whole BOM team who worked on my house -- they are all incredible craftsmen and wonderful people to be around. For all of these reasons and many more, I wholeheartedly recommend David and Builders of Marin for your next project. I would also recommend you get on his docket early -- he gets booked up fast!

We decided to buy an old house on a large piece of land where we could build our forever home. We…read moreknew the house was old, but we did not realize how bad it was. Little did we know at the time, what a massive undertaking this project would be. After talking to several contractors and on the recommendation of our Architect, we selected Builders of Marin to build our home. We picked David because there was something honest about him. What you see is what you get. Having experienced other contractors in the past, that is a huge positive to us and not something we normally encountered. The original plan was to expand onto the existing house but we realized that everything was rotten after decades of neglect by the previous owner and ended up tearing everything down back to dirt and started over. This turned out to be bigger than we ever planned or budgeted for. Along the way, David was able to guide us though all of it. He stepped in and problem solved a range of issues, including many interior design issues that was not even his responsibility. From the mundane of relocating an outlet, to the life changing "holy sh*t, we are having twins", David we need an extra bedroom, David and his experienced crew, handled it all to made our dream on paper become a reality.

My family has been working with Jared and Polsky Architects for many years, and it's without a…read moredoubt a pleasure to work with him. He is an architectural genius, it's amazing how he quickly sees the best use for a space and is able to conceptualize it to me the client. I can't say enough good things about Jared.

Patrick and his firm Polsky Pearlstein are delightful architects to work with offering creativity,…read moreand flexibility. They are very willing to explore lower cost solutions to achieve the desired vision.

Richard and his crew are my go-to whether it's a big project like my multi layered/multi angled…read moredeck with a lap pool sunken into it that they built a few years ago for me or a smaller project like tree removal or cleaning out the gutters of my house. Rich genuinely listens with respect and also has the vision for my untrained eye that helps facilitate us getting to our shared goal of "getting things done". He comes with a wealth of knowledge and a kind heart, as does his team. And I can't say enough about how respectful, professional and genuine his team is. It's hard to find professional landscapers. It's even harder to find a great working relationship with one. With Rich and his crew, I found both. If you want something simply done, call anyone. If you want it done to exceed your expectations with care and accountability and passion, call Rich.

We had the pleasure of working with Rich and his team this past summer through fall. It was a…read morecomplex job involving drainage, hardscape, and a comprehensive irrigation rebuild. Not only did Rich deliver on both budget and timeline, but the quality and craftsmanship of the work was exemplary. Rich kept the project well organized, was super communicative and collaborative. The crew did all the work by hand using high quality materials and kept a well-organized and clean job site. We look forward to working with Rich and his team again in the future and would highly recommend Pacific Garden Artistry.

This is an amazing boutique construction company in Marin County. I have renovated 10 homes over…read morethe years and he is hands down the best I've worked with (wish I'd found him earlier)! He has just finished a large deck at our home and it is absolutely beautiful. He listened to all of our ideas, supplied many of his own - all of which were great, and turned what was a tired, dated outdoor space into a true showplace. He stayed true to his estimate, saved us money where he could, and completed the work right on time. We love all of the wonderful finishing touches he put into the project -- really made the deck special. In addition, he and his workers are very easy to have around the house, left the space neat and clean every night, and cleaned up every bit of the area when the project was completed. We are definitely hiring him to do the next three projects we're facing and I know we'll be just as thrilled!

Bruce is amazing. He listens and does what you want at a price that's reasonable. He's honest and…read morehard-working and quality craftmanship. You will not be disappointed! He will get the job done.

Lots of missteps building my workshop. Lots of substandard workmanship. Cost was 30% over what was…read morepromised and poor management.

Aaaah, yes our "experience" with Design Build Specialists, Inc…read more.. What started as a great double bathroom project, deteriorated into a relative nightmare. This company is slick, with a great showroom, and all the bells and whistles. But, from subcontractors that didn't show up, to materials not ordered on a timely basis, to in-fighting among their staff, this very expensive $80K bathroom remodel circled the drain when it went a month beyond their timeline! We even had to bring to their attention that they had hooked up the two toilets to the HOT WATER LINE. To add insult to injury, due to their accounting error, we ended up paying in full before the project was even near completion. After reading these other reviews, I have to wonder just who completed these other projects??? If we could, we'd love to post the pictures we have of the water from the remodel upstairs flooding our home office below... ooops, they forgot to make sure the waterline had been turned off. Do your homework, and in this economy, get several bids!

Absolutely, positively 5 Star work and crew. I would recommend Patrick Newman Roofing always and…read morewithout reservation. Pricing was fair, work was impeccable, clean-up, fantastic, and follow-up terrific!

I recently had my home painted by Patrick Newman Building & Painting. I was so impressed by the…read morecare that was taken in preparing my house for paint. The crews attention to detail was phenomenal, every bad board was replaced .or patched making my home better than ever. The crew was punctual and courteous and left the job site clean. The pricing was very reasonable a d my house looks fantastic. I highly recommend Patrick Newman Building and his highly skilled team.

The professionals at W & R Architects are great listeners and execute the projects accuracy. I…read morehighly recommend them. Ralph

We are in the process of replacing our home and have been faced with the almost infinite number of…read moredesign choices and building code challenges that come with the process. Understanding the consequences of each of the choices and how they all fit together is uncharted territory for us. Enter Eric. Eric walked us through his method of taking a base sketch and presenting "what if" options in a quick and efficient way that showed not only where we might be heading off-course but also generated a brainstorming session which, we're certain, will produce a far better result. Our enthusiasm for the project also got a boost - no small side benefit. We're more than satisfied - highly recommended!

Design Line proved to be the perfect collaborator for the modern transformation of the…read moresingle-family home in Cole Valley. What made them truly stand out was their passion for their craft and appreciation for modern design. When there is shared sensibilities for design aesthetics between the "design" and the "build" teams, things naturally go smoothly on the job site, fostering collaboration, and that is exactly what happened. You can tell that everyone in the field is serious about their craft, and really enjoys being on the Design Line job site. We also shared our commitment in placing the client's interest above all. Andrew handled every challenge and each tough conversation (which is unavoidable even on a near perfect project) with integrity, approaching everything by putting himself in the client's shoes. I would accredit this personal style of Andrew's for the candor and respect for every project team member you get when you work with Design Line.

Andrew and his crew did a wonderful job completing our new house in San Francisco. His Site…read moreSupervisor, workers, and contractors hired were top notch. The overall quality of the work was outstanding. Their timing was as planned and total renovation was completed on schedule. Also, the service his office provided during the project and after our house was completed was great. I would recommend Design Line as a reliable contractor.