Please note: this page contains reviews and opinions sent in by Berkeley Parents Net subscribers. Your own experience may be different. Please always check references before hiring!

2013 Recommendations

2010 - 2012 Recommendations

My contractor has been Dan Martinez Construction. They are reliable, honest and stick to the schedule & budget -- all things that I REALLY cared about. (http://www.danmartinezconstruction.com) I have used him several times since my major kitchen remodel for smaller jobs and his crew/guy was in and out with the job done quickly and well. My kitchen is in his before & after photos. Happy customer

Contractor for Bathroom Remodel & Side Deck/Stairs

We are looking for a trustworthy, knowledgeable (codes/permits), affordable contractor to do our bathroom remodel and side deck/stair work. We are not looking to spend a lot of money and are looking to do a fairly basic remodel. We'd still like it to look somewhat attractive even though it's basic in scope. Been using Yelp with mixed results so far. Need more recommendations.

General contractor for a variety of smallish jobs

We are looking for a contractor who can help us get ready to sell our home. Ideally, we'd like someone who can handle a variety of smaller jobs and get get them all done in a relatively quick amount of time. They don't have to do all the work themselves, but it would be great if they could manage contacts and sub- contractors. The work we are looking to have done includes, new kitchen cabinet doors, appliances, countertops, shower leak and tile, crown molding fix, and possibly some other tile work. We'd like to find someone that has a great track record in getting this kind of work done efficiently, on budget and is a nice personality to work with. If you have an recommendations, we'd love to have the info! Thanks!

Two of the things he's done for us in recent years are comparable to your situation. Most recent project was totally redoing our small kitchen and a bathroom in Berkeley: stripping them to the walls, and doing new floor, cabinets, plumbing, electric, the works. Before that, in our previous house, he very cleverly figured out how to convert an unused rough basement area into an excellent in-law apartment. Over the years, there have been many projects, for us and our friends, of the kind you write about. Very often, he came up with clever solutions to situations, that were faster and cheaper. He has a very wide range of skills -- rough and finish carpentry (you should see the built-in closets he did for a fixer- upper project we did with him in Austin), electric, plumbing, roofing, tiling . . . oh, and singing (he sings and plays bass at Ashkenaz, Freight and Salvage, and other local venues). You can reach him at fcleffer@yahoo.com or in Berkeley at 510-612-9988. Yours sincerely, Marina and John

Contractor for a wide range of projects

We are looking for a contractor to do a bunch of different types of work for our home? we are looking for a more up-to-date rec. for a good, honest builder that can take on a pretty wide range of projects including; concrete work, carpentry, plumbing and electrical. Please let us know. Michael

Contractor to fix damp semi-finished garage

My old (maybe original 1926?) cinderblock garage was semi-finished by previous owners. There are windows, drywall, flooring, and electricity. I currently use it for storage. The problem is that there is a lot of moisture, so the things I store out there get very musty. I would like to engage someone to figure out what needs to be repaired/replaced in order to make it water-tight, with the idea that I could more successfully store my things as well as put an office out there. Must decrease the must

Marin Contractor? (Gutting house!)

My husband and I recently bought a foreclosed fixer upper in Marin County and are in need of an experienced contractor who is capable of taking on large projects (including adding a structural steel moment frame). Is there anyone out there who has completed a large house project with a contractor (anywhere in the bay area) who still recommends their contractor after completion?? I have had some recommendations for contractors who have completed small jobs but, unfortunately, this is not a small job. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. maggie

203k Contractor

We may be buying a home in Oakland using a FHA 203k loan and are looking to the great BPN community for advice on the process itself and also for recommendations for contractors familiar with 203ks. Thanks in advance.

Rebuilding a house recently in a fire

Our home was recently in a fire, and we have had little luck in finding a contractor to give us bids on the re-building. I am either not getting calls back or am getting stood up after an appointment is arranged. Does anybody have any current recommendations? I have tried many of those posted from 2009 to no avail. What is going on? Tired of being stood up!

Trustworthy contractor for a kitchen remodel?

I'm looking for a trustworthy, reliable and reasonable contractor for a kitchen remodel and home addition. Can anyone give me a recommendation? Kim

Renovating kitchen and family room

We are renovating the kitchen and family room in our house. The process will involved gutting the kitchen, opening up a wall, and adding french doors and an upper and lower deck. We have an architect drawing up plans but will need a contractor. Can anyone provide positive or negative feedback about these contractors: Kaufman, Butler, Mora or Frasheski? Or, if you recommend another contractor for this kind of remodel, please let us know! Thanks! c.

Contractor to install Flush Frame Beam - Demo

Hello We live in Montclair. Our house is unique in that the walls are 8' cylinder block. We are looking to remove a small wall to open up a kitchen/living room space. Our structural engineer has determined that the wall could be taken out however a flush framed beam needs to be put in the attic (its a one story). We have an architect who has incorporated this information into plans.

Our next step is to find a contractor to help us do this job. Do you have any recommendations of anyone who is able to demo and install a flush frame beam? I am told by both the architect and structural engineer that this is not a big job therefore contractors should not be coming back with major costs on work. Anyone have any good experiences with contracts who can do this type of work? Looking for recommendation, and people who have done demo and structural examples. Thank you! Lisa

Bathroom designer and contractor needed

We would like to add a bathroom to our house in Berkeley and would love to know of great designers, design/build firms and contractors to help us do this. We are looking for a slightly modern look. sarah

General contractor for bathroom & kitchen remodel

Hi-- we are looking for a good general contractor for a bathroom and kitchen remodel. Any recommendations would be welcome. anon.

If you need a recommendation for a first-rate contractor, I have one for you. His name is Thomas Goetze and his company is T & G Construction. I first met Thomas in the mid-80s, sometime before he had actually gotten his contractor's license. He had done some work for friends of mine and when I was ready to get rid of my horrible kitchen, I called him. We spent many, many hours talking about what I wanted (even when I wasnC",b"t quite sure what that was) and he provided me with lots of excellent suggestions that turned out to be (in fact) exactly what I wanted. He was a joy to work with, and created a kitchen that is now, 23 years later, still beautiful, modern looking and highly functional. Since that time he has also tackled a number of projects in my house, including remodeling a bathroom, creating another bathroom out of unused storage space, installing recessed lighting, painting, deck building and repair, incredible cabinetry, retrofitting, termite work, renovation of an inlaw apartment and on and on. In all these years I have never once had reason to question his taste or judgment. I have never worried that his prices weren't fair (if anything, they were probably low for the quality of work that he did). And most importantly, I have always felt totally comfortable having him and his workers in my home. From the beautiful mahogany and rosewood jewelry box that he built for me to the reconstruction of brick steps that were dangerous and collapsing, Thomas has always been there to help me out. I thoroughly recommend him for whatever project you have. Contact Information: T & G Construction tngbuild@pacbell.net 510-653-6420 (voice & fax) 510-204-9226 (cellular) http://www.tngconstruction.com
Dale

Contractor who would start at noon every day

For reasons of work and sleep schedules, I am looking for recommendations for contractors to do work on my home who would be willing to start at noon every day.

Looking for a Construction Contractor

I highly recommend Seth Melchert (Master Builders), 510-654-2746. Over the years he has redone our bathroom, kitchen, built a deck, installed windows, and other work. We have been very happy with everything he's done-he has great people working for him, he is very personable and concerned with doing a good job, and makes sure all goes as smoothly as possible. Laura

Reasonable contractor to add a bathroom to our house

We are thinking of adding a bathroom to our house, want someone reasonable & reliable-- any suggestions? needing another bathroom

Contractor for building/rebuilding a garage in Berkeley

We have a very strange garage/carport hybrid in our back yard which needs a complete overhaul. It is right up against the property line - has an automatic garage door, cement foundation (but no drainage), electrical and a pitched roof complete with rain gutters. It is a 2 car structure. The catch is that it has no walls and is not framed for walls either. It was clearly done without permits. It is not in bad shape, but it does not suit our needs and it is pretty ugly.

We are looking for a contractor to do this for us - with permits. We want to tear down/rebuild this structure possibly using the existing footprint OR possibly reframing it, siding and dry walling the interior, and making it water tight for storage and an artist's studio OR rebuilding as a one car structure to maximize yard space.

In other words I am looking for someone creative, not too pricey and knowledgeable about berkeley zoning ordinances. Any recommendations?

Before hiring a contractor to build, rebuild, repair, you need to do a search of your property's history in the Zoning department, and learn when it was built, if there were permits, what is the ''legal'' status of the structure.

You need to be rather discrete about this. Just see your file, get copies, you do not have to talk to anyone about what you want to do, and get a ''no'' at this point.

Then go to the other side of the office, the Building Department side, and learn what are the current requirements for set backs, etc. for a garage. Just ask for general information, you do not have to disclose your property address.

You may have to spend the equivilent of several days of time to get all the information that you need. You will save yourself time and headaches by doing this yourself.

When you have a thorough grasp of what is permitted by the city, then it is time to talk to an architect, and or contractor. But you will save money and perhaps huge mistakes by doing the preliminary research yourself.

If you have to get neighbors ok (that absence of rear setback and permit is a big red flag), or even a variance (Let's hope not) you already are empowered with facts.

Do not overlook the Berkely Architectural Heritage society which has old Sanborn maps from the early nineteen- hundreds, which may also show footprints of improvements on the property. Lynn

Great Bathroom Contractor

Hi, I am interested in putting a bathroom in my basement. So, I need a contractor that can start from scratch (plumbing, walls, fixtures, etc). I would rather hear from people happy with their new bathrooms rather than contractors recommending themselves. Thanks!

Contractor for exterior door and stucco

We're looking for a good contractor who knows a lot about stucco and exterior doors. We have a problem with water leaking through the door frame of a french door. We know we need to replace the door and re-stucco around the door and a few feet all around the door to replace some stucco work that was done poorly in the past. We want to find someone who can help us identify the cause of the leak, replace the door and stucco, perhaps build a new overhang over the door, and make the old and new stucco match up as closely as possible. If you know of a highly skilled person capable of this type of job, please let us know. We are looking for someone who is professional and friendly, and hopefully who has tackled this type of problem before. Thanks. rachel

RESPONSIVE contractor??

We've now been through 3 contractors and are unable to find one that will return our calls! We've found through past experience that even really nice and talented contractors often can't be relied on to finish small jobs, or to communicate clearly about the work (i.e., let us know when they're coming, tell us where to look for tiles, discuss a few options for deck design, etc.) If you know a contractor who keeps the lines of communication open, does good quality work, and isn't too expensive, please let me know! It's not like I'm asking for a unicorn!! Thanks, Erika

Re: Architect for remodel and possible addition to 1920s bungalow

We used him almost three years ago for an extensive and complex remodel adding a 'guest suite' with bedroom and full bathroom (tile work throughout) which included a family room with kitchenette and laundry and an office. This addition also included two decks and landscape design including a retaining wall for our back yard making two large play spaces for our daughter. During the remodel he did major seismic retrofitting. He's also certified in lead paint removal which is nice for older home remodels.

Also, just last year we had him back for various general home updates in the main part of the house including the design and creation of a wood mantel piece.

He's got a great portfolio--being a General Contractor he does everything from building homes inside and out to fine woodworking, cabinetry, tile work, electrical, plumbing, painting, bathroom and kitchen remodels, and even landscape design to match your beautifully remodeled home! We've had him do all of that and more. Because of his range of work conceivably you save money by not having to sub-contract out various things.

He's honest, reliable, very good with amazingly creative design skills. He's a perfectionist in the right ways. Very detail oriented. His crew is hardworking, trustworthy and pleasant to have in your home.

I also like that he's not running a big firm with 5+ other jobs going on at once. This means you get individualized attention from him on the site throughout the job. We had bids from all different types of companies and we liked using someone with this size company the best. He?s a local owner AND he's there working on the job site. Oh, and he?s got a great sense of humor, which is nice when you?re spending so much $$...it makes it easier to write that check if you get to laugh, too.(-;

Please email me if anyone would like more information. Jennifer

2007 - 2009 Recommendations

Recommendation for kitchen remodel contractor

We are starting to look at remodeling our kitchen, and have been given a few names of contractors by our architect. Has anyone had experience with any of the following contractors: George Murany, Lukas Kacer, Tom Budzinski, or Alan Ngan? We'd appreciate any input you could give us. N.

Contractor for small project in 90-year-old home

We live in a small 90-year-old home in Piedmont and would love to knock down a huge and clunky built-in closet in our bedroom and knock out the doorway in our kids' room to create an open space. It would be great to find someone who could help us rebuild a more space-efficient bedroom closet. Can anyone recommend a contractor who would be able to work with us on this? Eventually we'd like to do more work on the house but for now, these are the two things driving us crazy! Thanks! anon

Re: fixing stucco and windows so they don't leak
With the first heavy rain this year, we suddenly had water coming in so heavily it was oozing from the wall beneath one of our windows. (We remodeled and had put in a new window there 6 years ago.) We called Dan Lynch (lynchanddaughter.com), as he had been recommended to us. He sent someone out the next day. His worker fixed both the flashing in the window (installed incorrectly) and also found a vulnerable area in our roof as well as with the gutters. After the brief but heavy rain yesterday, I am happy to say we are nice and dry. His phone number is 510-524-4044. Sarah

Architect and/or contractor for serious interior work?

I am wondering if anyone has a recommendation for an architect and/or contractor to look at a house that we are thinking about purchasing. This estimate would greatly impact our decision to bid in a couple weeks! The tasks involve a kitchen remodel and new stairway (probably needs a new location) to the attic. I greatly appreciate any info! Sarah

For our last remodel on a former home, we used Mierce Illie and had a horrible result - difficult to schedule, over budget, (also recommended on BPN) no-show on important work, bad plumbing, etc. Luca, on the other hand, is one of the most honest and delightful people to work with. He is always on time, always nice, and is very respectful. He has come by since the remodel to complete some smaller handy-man like tasks, and has always returned my calls- he even came by in a pinch to help me get an appliance installed and to shut off my water lines since he remembered our house so well. I got 5 bids and his was the most reasonable. He came in on budget and I have been very happy with the work. Call or email at lucasbuilding@comcast.net or 510.427.0585. heather

Re: Architect for craftsman style house
We are just finishing up a modern addition and renovation to our home (and deck)and have been extremely pleased with the work of our contractor, Jim Davenport (Davenport Builders Company--841-6601). He was extradorinarely careful in following the architecht's drawings and in both anticipating and communicating necessary changes and modifications. His years of experience, knowledge and connections with top level subcontractors was invaluable. His crew was very professional and pleasant--important if you will be living in the house as we did while construction is occuring. We got a number of bids and his was the best. A number of friends in the construction business have seen our renovation and have commented on the quality of the work. I am happy to provide more information if interested. truehwang

Contractor needed for modern interior renovation

contractor needed for modern interior renovation/deck. Looking for someone who is reasonably priced (low end), but does good work and follows through on the project, reads the plans and details carefully, and has foresight for problems which may come up. I know this is a hard act, but I'm sure there's someone out there who does B quality work for a C/C+ price. DS

We had a great experience with our main bathroom totally remodeled. Our house only had the one bathroom, but the plumber ensured our toilet worked every day. I checked other homes he completed in/around the Oakland Hills, San Leandro, Castro Valley... Very comforting to see the beautiful results of his work and the homeowners were extremely happy. He handles every kind of construction job well and works well with remodels. Tom Vertrees is the General Building Contractor and he is very meticulous, reasonable and fair. We love our home, and he was a joy to work with. Feel free to contact Tom at: (510) 581- 1237, he can direct you to some of those Oakland homes he's completed. Berkeley mom

For our last remodel on a former home, we used Mierce Illie and had a horrible result - difficult to schedule, over budget, (also recommended on BPN) no-show on important work, bad plumbing, etc. Luca, on the other hand, is one of the most honest and delightful people to work with. He is always on time, always nice, and is very respectful. He has come by since the remodel to complete some smaller handy-man like tasks, and has always returned my calls- he even came by in a pinch to help me get an appliance installed and to shut off my water lines since he remembered our house so well. I got 5 bids and his was the most reasonable. He came in on budget and I have been very happy with the work. Call or email at lucasbuilding@comcast.net or 510.427.0585. heather

Contractor for basic framing, windows, and sheet rocking

We are looking for a contractor or very skilled handyman for basic framing, help with window/door installation, and experience doing sheet rocking for a small house project. Please email me directly if you know someone who is good and affordable! Thanks in advance. layla

I've seen his work in a dear friend's house. The kitchen, bathroom, and garden room had rustic, hand-plastered walls, a curved barrel-vaulted ceiling in the bath, and wonderful juxtapositions of rustic plaster, shiny granite, and ceramic tile. My friend told me that she had seen a kitchen that suggested a new kitchen in an old stone house in Provence and had obtained the name of the contractor. She met with Tom a few times, hit it off, and came up with a design, a price, and after some dusty weeks, some wonderful changes to her home that are both beautiful and functional.

Please call Tom, Banfield Design and Construction, if you have any questions, at tel # 510 558 8848. Also, you can check out his website: http://banfieldbuilddesign.com Good luck with your project! Melissa

Augie's workmanship is detailed, meticulous and neat. His recommendations and suggestions are pragmatic and practical, but he can go high-end as well if that is what you want. His pricing is reasonable and fair - that is one of the many reasons why we like working with him. Call him directly if you need work done! He is in the East Bay. Augie Bituin 415-793-4137 E.L., a Happy Customer

Contractor to replace garage wall and re-frame roof

Our garage shares a wall with our neighbor' garage. I need a contractor to replace the shared wall and remove and reframe the roof. I'd like to get this done soon. Any recommendations? jn

Lead abatement - kitchen cabinets & window replacement

I've got a 1930s house with some big projects. I'm looking for a responsive contractor to do lead abatement & repaint our basement and the drawers/cabinets in our kitchen. One issue is whether it's worth the cost to have someone sand off the original paint from the kitchen drawers & cabinets, or whether we have to replace them. We weren't planning a full remodel quite yet... We are also replacing our old windows, and need to find a contractor who will take out the dry rot and replace the stucco siding. The windows are old, and are likely to have lead issues as well. Any suggestions? We've had trouble finding people who'll follow through on their commitments and make sure the job is done right. Separate recommendations for painting and window replacement companies are fine as well, as are recommendations for women-run businesses. New(ish) Berkeley Hills houseowner

Editor Note: recommendations were also received for Window Installers

Contractor/handyman for various home-improvement tasks

Has anyone ever hired someone to supervise a number of repairs/home improvements ranging from small, one-day tasks to larger tasks. How did it work out? What was the financial arrangement? Please, no self-referrals. old house in berkeley flats -- needs work

Need San Leandro Contractor to build Mother in Law unit

I need a reliable and trustworthy contractor in the San Leandro area who is reasonable in price and familiar with my local permit requirements and zoning. I have a one room studio attached to my one car garage in the back of my house. The studio was recently remodeled, but I am now wanting to add a bathroom and incorporate the garage as part of the living space in order to make a mother in law type unit. Would also consider adding a kitchenette if possible and affordable. Any suggestions or recommendations would be much appreciated. Thanks- Becky

We just had a great experience with our main bathroom totally remodeled. Our house only had the one bathroom, but the plumber ensured our toilet worked every day. I checked other homes he completed in/around the Oakland Hills, San Leandro, Castro Valley... Very comforting to see the beautiful results of his work and the homeowners were extremely happy. He handles every kind of construction job well and works well with remodels. Tom Vertrees is the General Building Contractor and he is very meticulous, reasonable and fair. We love our home, and he was a joy to work with. Feel free to contact Tom at: (510) 581-1237. Sharon (I research everything to death)

Reasonably priced contractor to install french doors

I am looking for recommendations for good, reasonably priced contractors for installing interior french doors. rachna

Contractor needed for high-end bathroom/kitchen remodel

I would appreciate some recent recommendations for a contractor who specializes in high-end bathroom and kitchen remodels. Thanks much,

Replacing windows, siding, and steps

Help! I'm in need of completing several home repairs before the next rainy season, & need help figuring out 1) how to coordinate what needs to be done, and 2) who to hire who will do excellent work & can provide suggestions on alternative ways to approach everything. First (and most urgent), the wooden siding on my 1970's Berkeley hills home is compromised or damaged in many places, the worst around parts of the foundation, where water has damaged the siding & probably leaked under it. I'm seeking someone with expertise in repairing/maybe replacing wooden siding. I'd also like to know if there's an alternative to this type of siding, one w/ lower future maintenance needs. Secondly, I would like to replace the wood-framed composite steps on the walkway leading down to my front door. Here especially I would like someone with the imagination to suggest alternative ways of approaching the project. Third, many of the double-paned windows in my house have condensation between the panes. And I have sliding-glass doors to my deck that have never worked very well. I'm looking for someone to offer suggestions on how to proceed, & how to coordinate with the siding issue. Last, I want to replace my existing double garage door & install a new garage-door opener. Anyone who's faced similar problems, with recommendations on specific contractors or other workers? I'd also appreciate ideas on how to proceed, i.e., what to do first if I go with individual work people instead of a general contractor. Thanks--Carol

Not only did Neagu build everything on time and on budget, but he also let us know if he found any unanticipated problems that would cause changes in time line or budget so that we could make a decision in advance as to whether we wanted to make this change or not. He always gave us different alternatives to any situation, and gave us terrific advice as to which approach he would take. Unbelievably, he also threw in a range of items (be they extra cedar for our closet or extra sheer walls even when the structural engineer didn't put this on the structural plan) at NO COST to us. I have never heard of another contractor doing something like that.

Before we hired Neagu, we checked references: he gave us 10 numbers, I spoke with 7 (who were all glowing), and then 2 more took the time to call us back to provide references. That means a lot to us - and now that we've worked with Neagu we understand exactly why. He is a man of his word, he is experienced, reliable, and drama-free. We have already recommended him to our friends, and we would definitely use his services in the future. His contact info is Viorel Neagu, 2136 WEST AVENUE 136th SAN LEANDRO, CA 94577 Phone: 510-351-1236 Mobile: 510-909-7247 E-mail: office@neagucontractor.net URL: www.neagucontractor.net Massimo & Barak

Architect/Contractor needed for 2nd floor add-on

We have a 1924 Craftsman bungalow, and with a growing family, we'd like a little more space. We're very interested in adding a 2nd floor to our current home. Can you recommend an architect and/or contractor to help us with the design and construction? Also, if anyone has done this and has advice for us, we'd love to hear your thoughts. Thank you. -Katie

Licensed contractor for Martinez/Rodeo project

I am looking for a licensed contractor who has a good rapport with someone at the Martinez Building Permit Office. I am in need of a contractor to pull permits and split my water, gas and electrical lines at my property in Rodeo. Who can do this type of job? jw

After interviewing many contractors in Berkeley and Piedmont, we decided on Building Lab because of the quality and style of their previous projects, and also because of the very clear bid which spelled out everything and the percentages of contractor markup. It made budgeting easy and negotiation less awkward. We chose to purchase most of the fixtures and tiles directly in order to save money. We would rather spend on the highly skilled labor which was worth every penny. Stephen also offered a guranteed maximum price which helped to reduce our anxiety in these very uncertain times.

Our recent remodel involves stripping a 1960's bathroom to the studs, excavating and expanding into the crawl space and creating a master bath and an additional small bath for our son. The lead carpenter Chris Rogers has the rare combination of design understanding, professional competence, and a willingness to change and adapt to unexpected conditions in an old building. His perfect work with glass tiles turns a windowless space into an elegant retreat. Team members Jenny and Marciel were hardworking, considerate, and polite. They cleaned up thoroughly each day which was important when we all had to share the one remaining bathroom for 2 months.

We had other remodels done over the years but never one so painless. Now, we are hoping to save enough for a kitchen remodel in the near future. Contact Stephen Shoup at 510-420-1133 www.buildinglab.com H. Chan

We have a dry rot problem on one side of our house by a window. A while back we had a larger problem on a different part of the house and we were not completely satisfied with our contractor who did the repair work. Can anyone recommend a contractor with experience in this area that is dependable and reasonably priced? Anonymous

We have just bought a house in Berkeley witch needs major remodeling. It requires updating the kitchen and 3 bathrooms, changing the windows and doors, installing floor, plus we are thinking of adding another room and a deck. Just the thought of coordinating something like that makes me cringe in terror. But it might actually worth if I can find a good contractor. Has anyone went through a remodeling like that? Can anyone recommend a reliable contractor? Barbara

Excellent work to code, good communication, very clean/neat, respectful of your home, meticulous work indicative of craftsman-like passion and old-world pride, plus they finished the job over 2 weeks ahead of schedule! We cannot recommend this company enough. You can reach them at 510 484 5765 (Emmanuel or Alan) or you can check their website www.bayareapacificconstruction.com Stuart

The first job was a bathroom and two bedroom reconfiguration and addition. They had to build new foundations and upgrade everything. We are very happy with the results! We hired them again four years later to do a complete kitchen redesign and new roof insulation. They still had most of the same crew from four years before! They did a beautiful job and their billing is very transparent. They are very easy to work with. Besides all that they keep the job site tidy. I really LOVE the end result. happy client

Looking for a ''green'' contractor to do a small bathroom remodel

Looking for a ''green'' contractor to do a small remodel, update of my small bathroom. Not looking to replace everything, but want it to look fresh and great.

I am looking for a good remodeller who is interested in a diverse project and able to handle most of the work himself (electrical, plumbing etc) as I have a number of items in the house that need some attention- kitchen remodel, perhaps a small addition....I looked at the BPN and have seen Paul Lashley's name. A friend also recommended him. Has anybody had any recent experience with him and know his contact information?

Hello - we are getting ready to do some work (kitchen remodel and small addition) to our craftsman. Once we get the plans ready we want to have the person who will do the work ready to go... we got several recommendations (a LOT!) for Paul Lashley and his team, and the reviews on here seem to be great, too. Anyone care to chime in? Recent work? Is he getting too big and too busy? We haven't called him yet but we like what we read here and what we've heard. OK thanks. sm

Hi, we're looking for a contractor who has experience doing additions in Albany. We'd also like someone who understands the special needs of a family with small kids. Thanks. Stefan

We are looking for someone to create a pocket or sliding door in a what is now an open doorway. We may also need a few other non-major construction tasks around our house, and we are on a time line as this needs to be completed by the end of the year, before our baby is born! Can anyone recommend a builder/contractor/handyperson for this sort of thing?? We are in an older craftsman in Berkeley. THANKS!

I am looking for someone to do a small bathroom remodel in an older home in north Berkeley- essentially a facelift as I want to replace original fixtures, flooring, shower tiles, mirror cabinet, and paint but not change the placement of fixtures or change the size of the bathroom. Does anyone have a recommendation for a great contractor for a job like this? Thanks. Kate

Has anyone had any experience with ''Best Value Home Improvements'', a contracting/home improvement firm in Oakland? They were going door-to-door yesterday in our neighborhood and are coming over this week to give us an estimate on new windows for our house. I was just wondering if anyone had feedback about them; their website is www.bvhi.com and the owner is Frank Ghorban. Your help is much appreciated. Thanks! tegan

I think I need to hire a general contractor, but am not sure. Here is the scope of work. At least some of the foundation or foundation footing needs to be replaced or shored up. Along with this, we will probably eliminate 2 doors in the house and replace them with more wall and more windows. House has a crazy amount of doors. Not sure why. Additionally, a retaining wall needs to be replaced as well the front stairs and because of this, it will necessitate a re-do or updating of the front lawn. Can you please recommend a contractor who is honest and reliable. I also need some design help. I am sure about some aspects, but not others. I am not looking for the cheapest. I am looking for fair prices and excellent craftsmanship and work ethic. Thank you in advance.

Re: Contractor for Entry Door Issues - El Sobrante
I highly recommend Macrae Builders for any type of home remodel. Brian and Lilly MacRae, the husband and wife team who run this full-service contacting business, oversaw all aspects of our 6-month home renovation in 2007. From the bidding process through the final inspection, the MacRae Builders were clear, honest and timely. (And the stakes were high, because at the time of our remodel I was pregnant with our second child and needed to know that the agreed upon time line was realistic in order to finish before the baby arrived!). It was a real pleasure to work with them. And all of the work was completed with care and attention to detail. The work that their crew did, as well as the work of all the “subs” they hired, was great. And we really appreciated that they were able to “trouble shoot” or come up with creative solutions when the challenges of melding existing construction with new construction proved tricky. We love our new and improved home, and are always getting comments from friend and family about how great it is. MacRae Builders can be reached at 510-604-3661 or on the web at www.macraebuilders.com. Anna F.

I am looking for a carpenter or contractor to build and install a cantilevered trellis to attach to my stucco house. The placement is about 12 feet above ground level and is about 14 - 16 feet long. I have drawn a simple straightforward design. Most trellises I have seen are connected by posts to the ground but that is not possible here. Any suggestions? Laura

This was the second time we had the ceiling in our kitchen repaired since we had wrongly identified the source of the leak prior to first repair. As a result I had the opportunity to directly compare Curt's work to that of another good contractor we had used previously. There was really no comparison. The seams around the installed sheetrock panel were feathered out meticulously and once painted the repair was invisible.

All work was expertly done. Equally important, there were no surprises. In fact I chose his bid over a lesser bid from another good contractor we had used previously because it was clear that Curt had the better eye for the details of the job in advance of the actual work. Getz

We have a large closet in our bedroom that we would like to turn into a bathroom -- most likely a half bath as that seems like all that will fit. Anyone have experience with this type of project? What kind of permits do we need for this? We are looking for recommendations for someone who can look at the space and help us figure out what will actually fit...and then maybe do the work too. thanks

Hi, I would like to rip out my existing vinyl tub/shower in the master bedroom and put in an open shower with gorgeous tile. Can anyone recommend a designer for ideas and a contractor for the work? Thanks! Keri

Can anyone recommend a reliable contractor for a major remodel/addition we are planning for our older home (1912)? We would like to work with someone who understands the craftsmanship and design of older Berkeley homes, and hope to find someone who is honest, straight-forward and has a pleasant crew. Thank you. Stephanie

All of the work was completed as agreed upon and was done with the highest level of quality with great attention to detail. Dan’s many years of experience in the industry (design and construction, both interior and exterior) along with his perfectionism make for a completed project that looks beautiful. Not only is Dan highly skilled, but he is also a pleasure to work with – he adds so much to the project in terms of design and brainstorming; not to mention his wonderful sense of humor…and believe me, when you’re spending that much money a good laugh here and there is SO important! Additionally, his crew is polite, safe, quiet and all qualified. Jennifer

Beyond managing the project, he considers himself as his client's advocate--looking out for their best interest, insuring they get the highest quality at the best and most realistic cost. John will take the time to review your project completely, work with architects, engineers, and yourselves to identify cost savings, omissions or improvements to the overall design.

He worked on a friend's sub-level addition (dug out below the first floor)and scheduled the ''quiet'' work (such as paint, finishes, and plumbing) to be done in the afternoon so their toddler could nap at home!

His projects range from ''simple'' kitchen remodels to complex structural integration of new additions to old craftman homes, to modern San Francisco Magazine show piece properties.

Contact him directly at 510 334-2548 for an opportunity to talk to him, schedule a time to visit some of his past jobs, and talk to his past clients. If more than one BPN person could sign this letter, it would include many BPN members who would without reservations, give their recommendation to work with John Bates! Good luck, Carolin M

Clifford did an excellent job finding and motivating workers; then working with them and on his own on other aspects of the job. He showed his competency in all aspects of building from framing to finish, doing much of the sheetrocking, tiling and carpentry himself and doing parts of the electrical and plumbing.

Clifford also has multi-media skills: videography, photography, and website construction which can help to document the work. Clifford is a pleasure to work with. He can be reached at (510)725-0305
Nancy

I'm looking for an experienced, licensed contractor to help redesign part of my garage and create a small extra sleeping area on a smaller budget. There is a half-bath and I might want to add a small shower as well. So, there would be some creative design features as well.

Handyman/Contractor for shower replacement
Hi, Looking for someone who is an honest worker. My shower stall off the master bedroom needs to be replaced - I live in El Sobrante area off Hilltop Drive. Know any reliable resources? Yolanda

I am looking for a contractor to build a porch and stairs into our backyard from my second story. We live in Richmond Annex, and I really want to work with someone who has experience with our planning dept. Any reccomendations? Anon

We have a crawlspace under our 1922 N. Berkeley bungalow that we would like to have expanded into a cellar area with a concrete floor for storage. There is already a small door leading under the house. We don't need it to be legal height, but at least five and a half feet. If you have had this kind of work done and can recommend someone for the job, that would be great. We are hoping to do this without redoing our entire foundation. Feel free to e-mail me directly. Thanks! sarah

Hi. I live in the Oakland-San Leandro area and I think I am in need of a contractor. We bought our little bungalow about 4 years ago knowing it had dry rot in one area but have done nothing about it. Well, with the recent rain we're seeing water coming in through that area. I would like to find a trustworthy contractor with reasonable prices (if that even exists!). Thanks for your help! anon

We need a good contractor for a kitchen and bath in our house in Oakland. Somebody local in the oakland area that can possibly do both projects at the same time. Ingrid

I live in Moraga and had two projects with Kari. Both experiences were wonderful. My last project involved a major remodeling of my house due to the water damage. Kari would spend time to explain different options and to take me to different stores and help select materials (appliances, faucets, cabinets, tiles..etc). Kari would work within the budget the homeowners want to spend, and she was very creative in coming up with ways to save money. Although this project was complicated due to the involvement of my insurance company, Kari was very helpful and stood by me from the beginning of the process all the way to the end.

In my opinion, Kari did so much more than a normal contractor would have, and she has made my awful experience of going through this water damage less painful.

Kari is talented, creative, resourceful, and most importantly honest and produces high quality work. Also, despite her busy schedule, she is always very responsive and very pleasant to work with.

My recommendation of working with Kari Grosz is without reservation.

We have a interior wood staircase that needs replacing. We would like to find someone who could design and build a custom staircase. The steps themselves are fine, but the handrails, balusters, etc are loose and we want to replace them with wood in a design that suits the craftsman style of our home. Any suggestions/ advice on who could do this type of project? Sarah

We bought a fixer in the Elmwood part of Berkeley and would appreciate recommendations for a licensed contractor for a number of smallish projects (windows, garage repairs, deck repairs, etc.). Thanks! -anon

Hi, we are berkeley homeowners with a large beautiful older house -- circa 1916. We are in need of a pretty thorough remodel: kitchen, bathrooms, rooms rearranged etc. windows and exterior work. Does anyone have any recommendations on contractors who can handle this type of job and are fairly practical/efficient. My spouse and I have a limited amount of time and are looking for someone who does quality work is trustworthy and has a get it done attitude. Thanks anon

We are thinking about building an addition on to our small Berkeley Bungalow. We are at the very beginning of this project and are trying to figure out what we can afford, best financing options, who to hire, what to do ourselves, etc. We are wondering if there is such a thing as a consultant or advisor you can meet with prior to getting a project underway to help you figure out the answers to these questions and more and who does not have a vested interest in what you decide to do? If there isn't -- seems like a good idea, doesn't it! thanks for any recommendations... 2 bdrm & 1 bth and hoping for more

I can highly recommend a licensed general contractor we've been working with, Luca Adamache. Luca has done a wonderful job on our project. He and his crew are polite, careful, efficient, and thorough. They arrive every morning at the appointed time and get right to work; we have been amazed at how quickly the project has moved forward. Luca is respectful and very easy to talk to; he asks before doing anything that might cause damage or inconvenience (e.g. taking out a plant), answers all of our questions clearly, and strives to be sure we are completely satisfied with the work. When things need correcting he does it promptly and graciously, and he is always easy to get on the phone if he's not on site. Luca is Romanian and has lived in the U.S. for many years; he speaks English flawlessly. His prices are very reasonable and spelled out clearly with no surprises; he carefully prepares the initial estimate, schedule of payments, invoices, and any change orders that need to be done as things are added. Luca is a great contractor and a lovely person. We will certainly hire him for any future projects and recommend him to anyone. Luca Adamache can be reached on his cell phone at (510) 427-0585 or by e-mail at lucasbuilding[at]comcast.net. He also has a website, www.lucasbuilding.net.
Satisfied Customer

I highly recommend Catherine and Dan at Custom Spaces to anyone looking to remodel a bathroom. When we needed a budget- friendly makeover for a compact and challenging Jack-and-Jill bath, they came forward with fantastic ideas. They were able to find attractive fixtures that were not only within our budget but also met the size specifications we needed to leave enough clearance for swinging doors. They also chose clean, tasteful, and very budget-friendly finish material, such as floor and wall tiles, lighting, faucets, and a medicine cabinet. Our tiny bathroom now looks fresh and beautifully updated. happy client

I live in Fremont and am planning a complete (all new fixtures, flooring, tub & shower, but in the same locations) remodel of our master bathroom. Does anyone have a contractor they have used (prefer license and bonded) to recommend? Our tastes run middle of the road, not high end. Thanks! Judy

I would like to offer this unsolicited recommendation of Amir Sharabi of Aviv Construction; amirsharabi[at]yahoo.com; 510 541 1357. I have worked with Amir on both office space projects as well as renovations on my home. I have also referred him to family and friends who've used him in the past. His work is of very good quality and his prices are reasonable. He is responsive and respectful. His workers are clean, conscientious and courteous. Most importantly, he is honest and trustworthy. I am happy to answer specific questions about Amir by email. Howie

We would like to turn a large bedroom closet with a sink in it into a bathroom and have no clue where to start as we are new to home ownership/renovations. Do we need a bathroom designer or will a contractor be enough? Where should we go to pick out tile, fixtures, etc.? We want a bathroom that's pretty basic, goes witht he rest of the house (built in 1907), with quality fixtures/etc. that won't go out of style when we are selling the house in a few years. Thanks sarah

Hello, We have a problem!! Our shower is leaking ( understatement) and we need someone to remove the tile, replace the damaged subflooring and then waterproof and retile. Do I need a contractor, a tiler? Is there someone out there who can do this kind of job? I would be eternally grateful and much cleaner if anyone out there could point me in the direction of such a person. Smelly and in need of a shower!!

I'd like to recommend the contractor my husband and I choose to remodel the bathrooms in our house. The job consisted of installing a shower downstairs, installing an exterior tankless water heater, completely remodeling our upstairs bath, and replacing our existing plumbing. We choose Larry Guillot not only because his bid was one of the more reasonable ones we received, but also because he provided us a bid and scope of work document within 24hrs of meeting with us and was ready to start right away. His team removed our water-heater tank, ran pipes, and installed a new exterior tankless heater in one day! This was real important to us since we have 2 little ones and a momma who needs her showers. The only issue we had concerned one of Larry's tile subcontractors, we called Larry and he came to our house on Memorial Day to take a look, agreed it needed to be addressed and called in a good friend of his to help us out the next day. The entire project took about 3 weeks. The guys worked so fast I found myself scrambling to buy fixtures in time for them to install! We would not hesitate to call Larry again, and feel so relieved to have found a dependable contractor with a great crew for a reasonable rate. Larry Guillot larry[at]quakeprepare.com 510-558-3299 http://www.quakeprepare.com Amber

Jim Zwaal is an amazingly creative bathroom remodeler. We asked him to just replace a sink & tub and he asked us what we ideally wanted, (which was a master bathroom we didn't think was possible). He then came up with a plan which created 2 full bathrooms where one and half existed, ( with no apparent extra space). The building inspector was very impressed with the plumbing solutions he had devised, and commented several times on the high quality of the work. He was able to fit everything in by creative thinking, and he has a very artistic as well as practical side, always considering attractiveness and appearance as well as function, including with tile work. He is very busy and it may take a while to hear from him, but he's worth the wait if you need a creative design plan and good workmanship. His phone # is 652-8258. Joan

I want to recommend Steve Maffin for any large or small general contractor needs. We have used him over the years to rebuild our garage that was full of dry rot, install a dishwasher, and repair a wall with dry rot. All jobs were completed efficiently and professionally. Steve is also very pleasant, always on time, always returns my phone calls even when he is out of town. He is also a really good problem-solver because most of our issues have required thinking ''out of the box''. Currently, we are working with him on a stalled kitchen and bath remodel. He has shown me examples of kitchens he has done, which are outstanding, especially the tilework. And, he is an artist, long-time Berkeleyan, and eco-friendly. Steve Maffin, 510-882-5050 e-mail: maffin.com[at]comcast.net
shauna

I am looking for recommendations for a general contractor. I need someone who can build walls, even out flooring, do interior painting, and do some basic plumbing and electric. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Mo

Hello BPNers! My husband and I just purchased a house that has mold/rot in two outdated bathrooms (one is usable, but we were told the other is best to stay out of until it's fixed). Since it will be $7k or more to remove and replaced damaged framing, subfloor, and stall shower pans, we figure we might as well remodel the bathrooms at the same time. Can anyone recommend someone they have recently worked with to redo bathrooms? Money is definitely a consideration for us, and we're in Oakland. Thanks for any help you can provide! Amanda

We are looking to expand our house in Berkeley and wondered if anyone had recommendations/disrecommendations for Designer/Builders. We were looking at Federal Building Company, Levitch, BWG Baileyworks Group, Distinctive Builders, McCutcheon, and More Than Construction. I would love to hear from anyone who has information on these companies or others. Thank you!! Vicki

Aaron DeMuynck is a highly skilled licensed contractor who has done wonderful work for my family. He specializes in granite work and I consider him a true artist at this. He is fair, timely and can turn what looks rundown into a showcase! His phone # is 510-566-1141 beevs

When the kitchen and bath were complete, there were many projects that presented new challenges which we turned over to them. In each case Marius priced the job reasonably, kept to the agreed schedule, and went above and beyond many times.

Marius and his crew are recent immigrants from Romania and are well qualified in the many aspects of home remodeling - inside and out. If you have any questions or would like further details, we are happy to respond via e-mail. You can reach Marius at 510-828-6551. mountainpoole

I highly recommend Marius Construction for remodeling and additions. Marius Adamache is an incredibly fair and honest contractor. His crew arrived every day on time and they were always very conscious of keeping the disruption to our family at a minimum during construction. He came in on budget every time and was very helpful and willing to address additional requests. Marius and his crew built a stairway, a new bedroom and did some plumbing work in our basement. They did a great job on all and we were very pleased with their work. I would use Marius Construction again with no reservations whatsoever. We are lucky to have found them! You can reach Marius at Marius Construction 510-828-6551.
Mary E

Does any one have any recommendations for an awesome contractor to do a complete remodel of a small bathroom? (tiles,plumbing, fixtures - the works!) We are willing to pay more for someone licensed and insured. Also a working knowledge of ''green'' building practices would be great. (Recycled material, low energy lights, low-flow plumbing etc). Thanks for any advice!

I have had two projects with Kari, and my current one involves a major remodeling for more than half of my house due to water damage which includes remodeling of 2 full bathrooms and one half bath.

Both experiences with Kari have been wonderful. She would spend time to explain different options and to take me to different stores and help select materials (appliances, faucets, cabinets, tiles..etc). In my opinion, Kari has done so much more than a normal contractor would have, and she makes my experience of going through this water damage less painful.

Kari is very talented, very resourceful, and most importantly, she can work with any budget the homeowners want to spend. Also, despite her busy schedule, she is always very responsive and nice to work with. My recommendation of working with Kari is without reservation.

We are ready and hoping to begin work on our house this spring/summer and would love recommendations for reliable and preferably affordable (of course) contractors to do some exterior structural work and interior renovations. The structural involves removing stucco, repairing old termite damage, hopefully some earthquake retrofitting, and new stucco. Interior work would be removing windows and adding french doors, ripping out and old bathroom and replacing it, and possibly other work if we can afford it. My husband is incredibly handy and construction-smart, but limited on time and manpower, so we would love to hire someone willing to allow my hubby some involvement (even if only verbal planning and no hands on). We are in the east Oakland foothills. Thanks for any recommendations and input! wants the house to be done!

We would like to add our names to the list of happy Berkeley Parents who have highly recommended Ron Masters. After getting his name off the BPN, my husband and I engaged him and his assistant, Dan, to design and build a deck in our back yard, which was a difficult space to engineer. What they built is the most beautiful deck I have ever seen! They gave us an estimate for the project, then finished it a week early and under budget, so we put them to work finishing up our kitchen, a project my husband and I began ten years ago. They finished up our kitchen and took it to a level of professionalism we hadn't dreamed we could afford. We are so pleased with all their work - all we can say is that the Bay Area is lucky to have these two artisans who are so skilled, generous, and honest. Ron can be reached at H 510-352-8763, And C 415-377-8400. zoe

David, even though he had a number of big jobs going, had one of his crew come over to take direction from me. He painted, fixed, completed. I kept him working a few days longer than I expected, yet David was very flexible and accommodating, even though he needed his worker for a different job. I was completely happy with the beautiful work that was done, and surprised that a couple of fix-up jobs turned out better than I expected.

In the past David has fixed an outside deck railing, laid a cement pad for a hot tub, etc., etc. I've always been happy with his work.

I would like to highly recommend David Ruiz and his crew for any contractor work you might have, his number is 368-0177. I'll give rec'ds, too. April

2004 - 2006 Recommendations

I am looking for a contractor to repair or rebuild my wooden front staircase of about 8 steps. I am in the North Berkeley area. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks very much! Jane

I used a contractor recently who had advertised his services on berkeley parents a few months ago. The leap of faith paid off and now I wanted to post a positive review of Larry Guillot, who is fairly new to the bay area. He handled the following for us: two bathroom remodels (one partial, one full), installation of a new heating system and new piping/plumbing and a few other smaller home projects. I found Larry to be very responsive (replied to calls and emails in a timely manner, gave me a comprehensive, detailed bid) and I was pleased with the final outcome of all the work. Larry's prices were reasonable and fair. Just a side note, Larry oversees all the projects but does not do the work himself. He has an experienced group of guys who work with him. Larry and his team do mostly small and medium projects, but he has a lot of experience with large things too (new constuction, additions). Larry can be reached as follows: 510-558-3299 or on email at larry[at]quakeprepare.com Happy Oakland Homeowner

I am thinking of having an addition ( new bathroom/bathroom/deck ) done by Lorick Design and Construction. Does anybody have any good or bad experiences to relate about them. Gigi seems great but I would like some additional feedback if any one has used them for their house projects. Thank you
Homeowner

I am so pleased with the results of my bathroom remodel, I wanted to share the name of my contractor - Luke 510-618-1228. Or his cell 510-918-8336. He did it all - plumbing, electrical, beautiful tile work, sheetrock, etc., in my totally gutted bathroon. Would be happy to show my new bathroom (I'm in central Berkeley). Luke made great suggestions throughout the construction. Luke is Asian, and I had a little trouble understanding him on the phone, but in person there was no problem at all. Great guy, talented, experienced and knowledgeable at all builing trades. Tell him Cassandra in Berkeley recommended him. Luke lives in San Leandro Cassandra

I've called all of the contractor recommendations listed in the archives (most recent posts are over a year old) and gotten a call back from ONE. Perhaps some are out of business, etc, but I was wondering if anyone out there can recommend someone they've used more recently? We are doing a ''sort-of'' kitchen remodel - no structural changes, but we're replacing all the the cabinets, adding a dishwasher, copper plumbing, disposal, countertop. Much Thanks! Catherine

My family and I will soon be moving into a duplex unit that we now own. The previous owners rented and the place is trashed, dirty, broken, mismatched. We need to fix-up/re-model the kitchen, improve on the bathrooms, replace broken/ corroding windows, and do work on the now shabby finished basement including replacing the flooring down there. This in addition to the basic cleaning, floor work and painting. I'm new at this. Where do we start? Do we call an architect? a designer? who? We want to make the place nice but not extravagant and money is an issue! Advice and recommendations are appreciated! Overwhelmed

I have had two projects with Kari, and my current one involves a major remodeling for more than half of my house due to water damage. Both experiences with Kari have been wonderful. She would spend time to explain different options and to take me to different stores and help select materials (appliances, faucets, cabinets, tiles..etc). In my opinion, Kari has done so much more than a normal contractor would have, and she makes my experience of going through this water damage less painful.

Kari is very talented, very resourceful, and most importantly, she can work with any budget the homeowners want to spend. Also, despite her busy schedule, she is always very responsive and nice to work with. My recommendation of working with Kari is without reservation

We have just completed an extensive kitchen remodel and I would like to wholeheartedly recommend our licensed contractor Marius Construction 510 828-6551. Marius's crew was very expedient and produced high quality results for a fraction of the cost that we were quoted by others. We lived in our house with our two young children and the crew was very considerate of our space. They consulted with us on a regular basis about the process, stuck to the budget, and if something needed to be changed they were very accomodating. Marius made the entire experience perfectly manageable and I would recommend him for any job. mandk

I'm a structural engineer and have worked with Ersch Construction on several projects over the last several years - the first of which was my own home. On my own project and others, I"ve found that Eron Ersch's technical expertise and the skills of his crew are top notch. Eron also has the communication skills necessary to make a project run smoothly for his clients. In large part, this often means making a job run smoothly at the permit end, with the City. This is no small task. Eron's crew was considerate and respectful. When you put it all together, this company is a pleasure to work with.

We are about to go out to bid on our 700+ sq ft N. Berkeley home addition project (2-stories) and were hoping to get some good recommendations on local licensed contractors who may have done similar work for you. We have a toddler and will be living in the exisitng 1100 sq ft house during the construction, so someone who is sensitive to these special needs and also a great communicator would be ideal. The recommendations listed on the site are all over a year old. Thank you so much for your time and help. Holly

When the plans were all done and the details nailed down, we had four contractors bid on the job. A contractor who bumped out two stories of my mother's house across the street the year previous, a contractor who did a really nice job on a house in Albany down the street, a neighbor's recommended contractor, and one from Service Magic (an Internet referral service for contractors). In the end we went with the contractor who worked on my mother's house. Incidentally, he was originally found by my mother on UC Parents Network. His name is Mircea Ilie (pronounced meer-cha e-lee).

Mircea and his extensive crew was great. The most notable thing was how fast the job got done; it was started the last week of September 2005 and we were back in the middle of February 2006. Just five and a half months. Considering that it rained almost as much that year as it did last winter, that was a feat in and of itself, but when you factor in the extent of the work, it was really incredible. Our house was taken down to the studs almost everywhere and in some places even those were replaced. The roof was taken off and the back wall removed. You could literally look right trough the whole house from the sidewalk and see the backyard. I think the job went so fast because Mircea has a massive number of guys on his crew. At times I would be walking through the house and see framers, electricians, plumbers, and tilers all crawling over each other in a frenzy of activity. I counted more than 13 people on site one day. My family moved into my Mom's house across the street during the work, because it was too extensive to occupy the home, so the speed at getting us back into the house was really appreciated. We turned my Mom's garage into a bedroom and slept there with our 3 month old son while our 2 year old son slept in another bedroom.

Mircea's bid came in the lowest of the four we got at about $25k under the next lowest bid. Sure the costs went up the standard 20% over the course of the project, but that would have happened with any one of the contractors, so I'm glad we started at a lower estimate from the get-go. Mircea was very communicative during the project and his foreman on site had great attention to detail; often calling out potential layout issues and getting feedback from us on aesthetic issues which may not have been considered. Issues were quickly addressed, so that inspections could move along at a rapid clip and the end result was very good. Mircea's team installed all our new kitchen cabinets and readied them for the counter-top subcontractors I hired. The counter-top guys remarked and the exceptional installation job of the cabinets and the level surfaces. At the end of the project I hired a subset of Mircea's crew on an hourly basis to paint the interior and add more crown moulding and baseboards to the entire house. They did a really good job and cost me a lot less than what you would normally pay for this type of work.

Mircea's crew also took care to not trash our backyard (although the stucco subcontractor did a number on the front yard, but that's kind of to be expected), and removed construction debris on a very regular basis during the project.

So, to sum up, Mircea did a great job on our house and my Mom's as well. He was fast, provided quality work, and was less expensive than the other folks I looked at. I would definitely use him again for a remodel. His contact information is: Mircea Ilie Construction, (510)459-5502, http://www.mircea-construction.com/ Gunther

I would like to recommend Jeff Miles. He is an excellent contractor. He and his crew of two replaced my steps and porch recently. They did a terrific job. He is pleasant to deal with. He follows through. His price is fair, but not inexpensive. He has done work for me in the past as well. I highly recommend him if you need a great contractor. His cell phone is:(510) 815-5692 Rob

I would like to recommend a contractor I used on a bathroom remodel. His name is Jim Tyler. Hems a licensed contractor that will work closely with you on small jobs and also has the expertise to work on large remodels, additions or new construction. I didn't use a designer or architect on my job and he was extremely helpful, patient and his tile work is beautiful. He has strong communication skills is very reasonably priced and his work is top quality. Jim can be reached at 510-672-4031
morgan

We recently used a great builder for our remodeling job. Goran came highly recommended from a friend and certainly lived up to the recommendation. He is a pleasure to work with, communicative, detail-oriented, and friendly. On our job he did almost all the work himself, including structural and drainage as well as interior finishing. We're first-time homeowners, and Goran made our remodel seem easy! He does smaller jobs, as well. Goran's cell: 510-913-2739 Jeff

I wanted to pass on a name of an excellent contractor, Brent Murray of JB Building Systems. He is extremely competent, reliable, and hardworking. He used to have a partner and they are going seperate ways and he is looking to build his client base in Oakland. He redid our kitchen, turned our old run down garage into a cute backhouse/playroom, and many small miscellanious items here and there. Any problems I had he always listened and fixed it immediately. In short, he is a good honest guy who gets the job done and done well.His work number is 510 575-7273. kathy

I am speaking from personal experience. These guys have not only worked on my home. They were amazing and respectful of our need for space and quiet. But now, they are helping to renovate a commercial building. Every week another weird twist emerges. Will showed up in the pouring rain to hop on a ladder and jump on the roof to figure out where the leaks were coming from. Howie popped by to figure out how to reroute some wiring and create "moveable walls." These guys are great to work with. They are funny, smart and great folks. I recommend them highly. Tell them Molly sent you! Centerline Construction:530-5515 Molly

Great Contractor for bathrooms
Would like to recommend a contractor we found on your website, Rebecca Fulton. She and her crew did a bathroom remodel for us this past fall, we are extremely happy with the results. The tile work turned out really beautiful, and we love the shampoo areas they installed into the wall. Her phone number is 390-0616, also she has a website, which helped us in the beginning to make our decision on which contractor to hire. it's ParagonRemodel.com Thanks, Kim

Marius has been great to work with because he works at or below budget, he passed each inspection the first time, he is fast (while paying attention to detail) and he has an excellent work ethic. Moreover, Marius is personable, dependable, reliable, patient, respectful and understanding. We probably would not have bought our second home without the confidence of knowing that Marius would be our contractor.

You can email him at adamache[at]comcast.net or call him at 510-828-6551. Jamila

Hello -

I wanted to pass on a glowing recommendation for my contractor, Marius Adamache and his brother (electrician, Josif, the latter has been written up on these posts before.

Marius is everything a contractor has never been for me - under budget, on time, respectful, has a sense of humor, has kept our house spotless in the non-construction areas and says what he tells me he is going to do, etc... This is in addition to the fine work they have been doing.

It has been very reassuring having them work on our project - which is large remodel/addition that took about 4 months in length (just a few weeks left). We added 3 bathrooms, a bedroom; closets - with substantial detail work.

You can email him at adamache[at]comcast.net or call him at 510-828-6551. He can reach his brother if needed, and Josif's # is elsewhere on these pages. Jason, Berkeley

I would like to recommend our contractor, SORIN FERARU, who finished a difficult job in our house. We had to remove 800 sq ft from our house, pour a new foundation and rebuild the family room, the kitchen and a bathroom. Sorin and his crew did a fantastic job, they worked very fast, excellent quality, very pleasant and courteous. The job was finished on time and in the budget that we agreed on. We had a couple of change-orders for which we paid a fair price. Bottom line - we are more than happy to recommend Sorin.His phone number is (510) 228-7366. P.S. Thank you, Susan, for posting his name on this site - it was very helpful. Cindy.

RE: Design/Build Contractor - Modern/Contemporary Home
I recommend James Carpenter. His office is in Oakland, and his cell phone number is 510-325-9704. He and his workers are just now finishing up a major remodel of my family room and entryway. (More than "down to the studs," they actually completely removed and re-built the walls.) The house is a 1959 structure that was poorly built in the past, and we've been gradually making it more mid-century modern. Although we had a wonderful architect to draw up plans for improvements (I recommend them too: Envelope Architecture and Design), James also has an excellent eye for modern design as well as the skill to pull it off. In addition to heavy-duty building, they did some beautiful clean-lined finish work. (He doesn't need to hide his work behind big hunks of crown moulding!) Also, he's trustworthy, tidy, polite, and a good communicator. Please feel free to email me as a reference. Nicole

I have an English Tudor style home built in 1928 and Mircea was able to duplicate all moldings, trims and details exactly. His attention to detail was wonderful. He and his crew have and old world, European work ethic and displayed a sincere desire to deliver a quality product. I am thrilled with my home. Mircea Ilie (510)459-5502. Please feel free to contact me for more details. Rhea

I would be very curious to compare the work of the other high-end craftsmen with the work Dee has accomplished. I am a big booster for him – in addition to the quality work, he has made good suggestions about design which made the project better, and the process became more interesting and fun. Also, for my friends, he has built a porch, and a new bathroom, their names are below for references.

As Dee is not a licensed contractor, I saved a great deal of money. However, he knows how to build, from rebar to shingles, learned from 30 years experience,. Take a look at his site and you can see how talented he is. His preference is for finish work, but he can do it all. Dee’s email is dee[at]berkeleymastercarpenter.com and tel is 510-234-4069. paul

My husband and I would like to recommend Sorin Feraru, our contractor,from "Feraru & Associates", for any addition or remodeling you might have. He's working on adding a deck to our house, here in Berkeley. He also remodeled our bathroom a few months ago, including wall demolition, moving the sink and toilet on another wall, replacing the tiles, paint,appliances,etc. He and his crew are almost done with the deck and it looks just great so far, plus he didn't increase the price as the job progresse - I heard that's what other contractors use to do .We're very happy with his workers, with him, with the price and the time of completion. His phone number is (510)228-7366 or (775)232-3819. Berkeley home owners

We are nearing the end of an extensive remodel/addition to our small Albany house, and would like to recommend our contractor, James McCarthy, with no reservations. He is great to work with. I think he normally specializes in Kitchen/bath remodels, and has done everyting from building a new deck and fence for us, to window replacements (and an in-law unit for my mom) over the past 10 years.

If you are looking for a productive, efficient, creative contractor/master carpenter (plumber, electrician), I suggest George Woodward. I bought a former crack house in N. Oakland. I asked George for his assistance, having seen some of his work in the home of a close friend. Here's what I found: George looks for an economical, but nonetheless "perfectionist" solution to all issues, whether questions of design or structure. I am happy to send people before and after pictures, and the changes to this now happy, bright, colorful home. In good part, thanks to George Woodward. You can reach him at: badger[at]nature.berkeley.edu or 510-547-2307 elizabeth

Great Independent Carpenter/Contractor
If you're looking for a super capable independent carpenter I cannot recommend a woman named Dixie Briggs highly enough. I worked with her for years in the trades and now that I have left the trades she is the person we hire. Her work is amazing. Dixie has over 13 years experience available with everything from small to large jobs. Her background includes remodels, kitchens, framing, interior/exterior trim, restoration, decks, fences... Residential and commercial. You name it, pretty much.

She's really sweet, efficient, organized, has an unbelievable attention to detail, and amazing abilities executing just about anything having to do with wood (and other construction materials for that matter).

Dixie's Cell # is 510-604-3765 Her email is dlb_ablaze[at]yahoo.com

I don't post my email but I can speak with you in more detail as a reference if you're interested. Just ask Dixie for my number. Bill

I'm writing to give a glowing recommendation to Guillaume Canivet, who has done much of the remodeling in my parents home (most recently two bathrooms), some work in my home and at my business. He's a contractor who does excellent finish carpentry, plumbing, electrical--almost anything. He'll tell you if it's beyond his scope. He is top-notch; his prices are reasonable; he's completely reliable and honest, and he's a super-friendly, wonderful guy to boot. At the moment he's doing a kitchen remodel in a spectacular Joseph Esherick home on Marin just above Grizzly Peak. If you are contemplating doing some work around your house--large or small--or just have something that needs to be done that you've been putting off--I highly recommend that you call him: 915-3225. Francesca

Hi, can anyone provide a referral for Mircea Ilie on recent work he has done? The last postings for him are somewhat dated. Thanks in advance. Ken

Mircea did a lot of designing as well as building to renovate the main floor of my Oakland hills home. The work included adding a full bath, installing exterior wood French doors, laying a beatiful Brazilian cherry floor, refinishing ceilings walls and adding crown molding and wainscotting, finding interior French doors to match existing ones, installing a new hood after moving the range to a better location, installing a skylight, adding many recessed halogen lights, gutting and remodeling an old bathroom with honed marble and new fixtures...

I could say more, but will conclude by saying that Mircea has been the most aesthetically aware and detail oriented of any contractor I have encountered in many years of remodeling. He is always available for questions and responsive to any concerns, and will make changes without a quibble. His workers are polite as well as skilled, but amazingly will work weekends and evenings to get the job done. He arranged to install two toilets in my daughter's home on a Sunday. He is obviously a man of great integrity who is proud of his work. And, as orther contributors to the Berkeley Parents' Network have said, his fees are extremely reasonable. My husband, who is an engineer, is delighted with Mircea's work, too. Marion

We had also been quite taken by the number of previous positive reviews (look at them carefully though; about three are from the same person), and were surprised and disappointed to have such a negative experience. Only one previously posted review of Mircea's work has been negative; possibly because a negative review is so much harder to put out. However, we noted were two, maybe three, jobs going on at the same time as ours that were also having problems of some sort w/ Mircea's work. Our suggestion would be to look/ask around a bit more for another contractor, and not to use Mircea.
Unhappy w/ contractor Mircea Ilie

I would like to recommend my contractor, Sorin Feraru. He is a young Romanian trained, very talented, hardworking and meticulous. He does kitchen and bathroom remodels as well as small jobs. He works with his father and another man. They work very hard, clean up, respect your property, ask questions and do a very high quality of work. He did a remodel of my bathroom in a record time of two weeks. (775) 232-3819 Susan

High recommedatiom for Jim Davenport who recently constructed our common house and unit on top in our cohousing community in the Temescal. He is thorough, communicative and has a sense of humor. Great subcontractors. Finished job on schedule and on budget--how often do you hear that?? And we LOVE the result. Can be reached at 841-6601 Karen

There is a wonderful general contractor named Efton Masters (510) 569-3355 that I would highly recommend for bathroom or kitchen remodels (or anything else that needs to be done in those rooms), and for tiling. He has over 15 years experience and does amazing work. He also has extensive experience in decks and fences. Great work at a great price! caribbeanmommy

Does anyone have any experience of using Jesse C Young (there are 2 Jesse Young's out there apparently). We are thinking of having him bid a kitchen remodel. loraine

I would like to recommend a wonderful contractor Jim Tyler. He just finished a downstairs remodel for me that was turned into a studio/inlaw unit. I found him through months of searching. I had come from a contractor gone bad scenario and interviewed many from this network before finding Jim from the designer that had drawn rough plans for me. Working from these plans he asked many questions, being an east coast transplant added to his eye for details as well as thinking about cost. His communication skills throughout the project were excellent. Jim can be reached at 510.655.9643

We would like to recommend our general contractor Luca Adamache for construction and home repair projects big and small. We first became familiar with Luca’s workmanship and work ethic when he worked as foreman on a second-story addition to our 1920s home – a difficult job on a tricky site, requiring considerable foundation work, a steel moment frame, and complicated framing. Luca did a stellar job and formed excellent working relationships not only with us, but with the architect and structural engineer as well. Later we hired him as our general contractor to handle a number of details around finish work, and he and his crew installed trim, designed and built a window seat and a hand rail for our new staircase, waterproofed and built a mortar bed for our shower, installed plumbing fixtures, handled stucco repair and more. Luca priced his work fairly and was intent on making sure we were 100% satisfied. He can be reached at 510/427-0585. To learn more, visit www.lucasbuilding.net.

I'm pleased to recommend Davenport Builders Company to do remodels, build houses and other contracting jobs. We had Jim Davenport and his crew remodel our Victorian flat last year and we are very pleased with the results. (Work included complete tear-down to bare walls throughout 1100- sq-ft flat, new kitchen in new location, one new/one redone bathroom, new electrical and plumbing, new central heat, on- demand water heater, new plaster, sheetrock, woodwork and cabinetry throughout. Phew!) We worked closely on everything from overall concept to final details (he was a finish carpenter for years, so really knows his stuff when it comes to making new fixtures look great in a 100-year old house!). Jim is responsible, hard-working and has a great crew and local sub-contractors for electrical, plumbing, etc.

Jim also built a ''common house'' for a No. Oakland cohousing complex recently and all six families are pleased with the result. He prefers larger jobs but will also do smaller ones, and is available this fall for the next projects. Call him in Berkeley at 841-6601 or email jim.davenport at comcast.net Nicole

I highly recommend Neil Teixeira of Piedmont Construction (510-658-9938). During the winter of 2003 he reconfigured our upstairs, removed some walls and added some new walls and doors downstairs, remodeled our kitchen and added a half bath. He is reasonable, honest, experienced, and great to work with. Contact me for more specific details about the project or working with him, if needed. Jennifer

We are doing a house addition and remodel and we are using Berkeley Craftsman Builders/Construction and we are thrilled with their work, advice and guidance! Doing an addition or remodel can be an overwhelming experience and it is wonderful to having talented and caring contractors to see you through it. All of their crew and the sub contractors have been skilled, kind and FAST! We highly recommend them! John & Jennifer Marks 526-0420 - for a more detailed reference. Berkeley Craftsman Builders 815-0123 jennifer

Peter was excellent to work with. Terrific workmanship, honest and ethical, and a nice guy! He did a lot of the work himself and his subs were all great. He was there almost all of the time for the 3.5 months that the project was in full gear. He was also flexible with us, letting us take on some parts of the project (ie, demolition, painting..) to avoid his overhead. Change orders were very reasonable.

Before deciding to hire Peter, we also met with a couple of larger companies in Oakland and Berkeley. They both seemed very good but the price would have been considerably higher for us and we're very happy we went with Peter.

I wish we would have hired him for the design part of our project instead of hiring an architect. Dan

Mircea also had really great design ideas, which saved us a lot of money, and were much better solutions in the long run. We had a number of major changes during the construction and I was surprised at how little he charged for these. He gave us great contact information on where to buy flooring, tile and granite. These places were much cheaper than the ones we had researched. His crew worked very fast, showed up on time and left the whole area very clean. In racking my brain for something that went wrong q I would say I spent a lot of time at Home Depot and other stores buying stuff. I donmt know how this could have been avoided, because I doubt any contractor can select your tile, paint or light fixtures for you.

I was 7 months pregnant during the 1 month construction and I could imagine the process being much more stressful than it was. We are very, very happy with their work and the price. If you would like more info please email me. Michelle

I highly recommend All Seasons Construction. Steve Sanchez is the owner and has many years experience with all sorts of building projects. He works a lot with foundation, drainage, dry rot, and construction. 510-685-0046

Re: contractor for addition
I highly recommend Burle Southard. He is nearing retirement and is passing on his work to his able ''right hand man'' Kelly. They did a great job on many projects at our Thousand Oaks 1936 home: adding a bathroom and two rooms with built in bookcases and overhead storage compartments, adding a bay window and window seat to our living room, new walkways, decks, a door from my son's room to the deck. He helped with design, took us to see other similar jobs he had done in the Hills. Everything was done neatly, on time, on budget, with pleasant, courteous workers. Kudos! His number is 707-552-3222, cell 510-685-1186. kathryn

This recommendation is written on behalf of Mircea Ilea, contractor, and his crew. We hired Mr. Ilea to convert our downtrodden garage into a bedroom for our daughter. With vague plans and a tight budget we hired Mr. Ilea and his crew in November 2003 and by the end of January 2004 the project was completed ahead of time and on budget. Mircea accommodated all of our special requests with his trademark comment lno problem, what else?n We also hired him to do a number of additional projects ranging from installing a french drain to removing a wood burning stove to building a new closet. All these tasks were completed quickly and professionally. His crew were extremely hardworking and nice. He seemed to have a crew member able to accomplish any task we could think of. Now that the work is done we are thrilled with the room. It is a beautiful and bright space. We would highly recommend Mircea Ilea and his crew. larry & patty

We are delighted with his knowledge of materials, good building techniques ( I was a GC years ago), and his craftsmanship. He works at the site everyday, or gives you the reason why he will not be there. He and his partner come well-equipped and put in an honest day's work. He is quite reasonably priced, beating my next bid by over 25%.

He works to the finish level that is appropriate for your home. He came recommended to me by an old-home rehabber who does Craftsmen homes and exclusively uses John. But my home is a mixture of poorly done updates, so fine finish work was not my goal. I wanted well-built but fitting to my home. John found the right level of materials, and is doing an excellent job. I will use him for all future work. You can write me if you need additional information. Loni

I would like to recommend Matthew Muchnick, ROC Construction, for remodels or additions. We finished a kitchen remodel and porch on our Berkeley Craftsman home end of last year. Matt does great work and most importantly q he is VERY HONEST. He is also meticulous and thoughtful. As you can imagine, not everything went perfectly but Matt proactively took responsibility for issues on his dime. He knows the codes and is a licensed contractor. He can be reached at 510-638-5284 or hon600F at aol.com. aakinder

In response to the following requests from the last Household Digest, I can happily recommend Glen Larsen without reservation - 510-232-9122 Glen and his crew did extensive work on our house - new windows, electrical, new fences and portico (which he designed), flagstone patio, painting inside and out. Also, Glen has extensive experience with mold - he and his wife have had serious health problems from it.

''Can anyone recommend a carpenter to build a small deck and repair outside stairs and fencing?'' ''Can anyone recommend a good contractor to replace windows?'' ''We are looking for a general handyman to build shelves, remodel a small bathroom, generally do some small projects at our house in Rockridge.'' ''looking for recommendations on builders/contractors to rebuild a deck and the stairs to it.'' ''Help. I had a large flood while out of town for two weeks. Translation: My downstairs rental apartment was under 2 to 4 inches of water for 2 weeks. I need some drywall and baseboards replaced and I have a problem with mold growing down there.'' jessica

2003 & Earlier

My gifted friend has left his cabinet company for a better and more independent life so I would like to share his talents with everybody out there who is in need of help! First of all, he is a licensed contractor who has over twenty years experience in carpentry, electrical and plumbing, AND he has specialized in consulting designing and installing cabinetry for home offices garages and closets for the last twelve years. If you have limited space and want to design a home office, need to organize storage in the garage or closets, he is the one you should see. He has helped us with foundation and front yard drainage issues, yard landscaping and irrigation system. He is always quick to respond, very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. I highly recommend him for ANY types of house related issues/works. You can reach Clint [at] 510-235- 8575 or email him [at] clintrd at sbcglobal.net

Re: kitchen remodel
I would like to recommend Kim Cobb for any one doing an addition or kitchen remodel. Kim was a pleasure to work with. No nightmare stories to report. Showed up everyday, easy to talk to, beautiful work. Email me for more info on her if you want to. Her number is 569-4508. Karen

Mike and Mark Butler of Berkeley Craftsmen (510/815-0125) created a bathroom, created a organized closet, reframed doors, finished a basement room and built-in shelves in our oakland house. They are all of the above plus they have a very good creative vision and were very helpful in making design decisions.

Greg Kempton 415/771-9629 Did a huge landscaping job with massive retaining walls, drainage, irrigation, railings, concrete steps, a buit-in ourdoor kitchen and more! He created a fantastic multi-purpose yard where once there was just a hill!!!

Also, both companies have very professional and pleasant working styles and crews. I have done a lot of this kind of stuff and I can't stress enough how important it is to have pleasant people around during contruction. alison

I want to recommend my contractor, McCutcheon Construction. Two years ago they remodeled a small bathroom for us, and this summer they have been doing an attic conversion on our 1912 house, which includes seismic reinforcement of interior and exterior walls, as well as a kitchen upgrade. McCutcheon is a large company with many projects going on at once. You have an onsite carpenter/site supervisor who is there all the time, and then a project manager who oversees the whole thing. Our project managers have been very experienced men who keep things running smoothly and worry-free for me. I also like that one of McCutcheon's project managers is a woman. Stuart Fox, our site supervisor guy, is smart, skilled, and artistic - he used to build furniture for Berkeley Mills and he is amazing. I am very picky about details like wood finishing and hardware and Stuart has consistently produced exactly what I envisioned or some- times, something even better. The firm's owner, Michael McCutcheon, is a personable guy who does the preliminary work of talking and discussing and estimating, and has been right on the money in giving us an estimate for a big complicated job. Actually everyone I've worked with at McCutcheon, and all their subs too, are people that you don't mind having around your house, which is good, because they are there every day when you remodel. As to workmanship, I have high expectations and their work has consistently been better than what I expected. They pay attention to details that I don't even notice. They really do take pride in doing good work - these guys are at the top of their art. The subs they use are top notch too. Cost-wise I think they are somewhere in the moderate-to-high range. There are costs associated with a bigger firm that you won't have with a small operation because of the administrative layers. To me it is worth it though because I get a team at my house that works efficiently and quickly with minimal stress for me. They have a lot of experience working with various local sub-contractors which saves me money and stress because they make sure everything is finished and in working order. I feel that their pricing is fair, and they have been great about suggesting creative alternatives when some piece of it has gotten too expensive. I highly recommend them for a small job or a big one. Email me if you want more info. Ginger

Brandon Luce cell: 510-816-0647
Vlado Bradbury cell: 510-816-0653
Fax: 510-769-0985

We are hoping to expand our kitchen and remodel it in the upcoming year. In order to make our kitchen larger, we would like to move the front wall of our house. Consequently, a new roof will need to be put in as well. Can anybody recommend a good general contractor who can take on such a project for us? Kelly

I would like to recommend Mircea Ilie as a general contractor for jobs of all sizes. He recently rebuilt the front terrace of our house in Richmond. This terrace sits directly above our garage, so proper drainage was an issue and it was important that it not leak. The job involved removing the existing tile surface, digging out dry rot that had affected the subfloor, beams, and railing, shoring up exising support, and laying subfloor, waterproof membrane, mortar base, and new tile. Mircea and his crew were very efficient and did excellent work. They were fast (they finished ahead of schedule), they kept the area clean, and they were cheap. Mircea's bid was the lowest of all the contractors we interviewed (some bids were twice as high as his!), despite the fact that he proposed to do a more thorough job than any of the others. In addition to all this, he was friendly (though quiet) and a pleasure to work with. Hans

Re: contractor needed for kitchen remodel

I highly recommend Big Red Construction. It is a women owned business and they do a wonderful job. Kathy's crew is on time, neat and does great work. They are very pleasant and very reliable. The jobsite is left very clean each day. She is just finishing up a job for me now. Her number is 925-210-1953. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. jennifer

I don't know if I can recommend my own family's business on Parent's Network? But my husband and his brother own Berkeley Craftsmen Builders, a contracting company. They job share in order to help care for our 14 month old son, and his 18 month old daughter (also has an 8 year old). One of their carpenters also works part time to care for his baby daughter. They do good work around Berkeley from ground up projects, to foundations, to kitchen and bath remodels. They're busy, but friendly and reliable. Berkeley Craftsmen Builders Mark and Michael Butler 815-0125 Carol

If you are in need of any of these services, we highly recommend Ron Masters. We found his name through the Berkeley Parents Network a few months ago and hired him for a large deck restoration job. Ron was very reliable,conscientious, professional, and friendly. He helped us add a few modifications to the architectms plans that truly enhanced the end result. We have continued working with Ron on other projects around our home such as installing a new bathroom cabinet and sink and building a garage storage system. Ron is open and communicative, making him very easy to collaborate with. He is knowledgeable and value conscious and helps get the most out of ones budget. Also, he always returned our calls in a timely manner. You can contact Ron Masters directly at (415) 398-8496 or (415) 377- 8400. Nancy and John

Re: Contractor/Architect
We used Jamie Carlen as contractor (510-970-7977) and were more than pleased with their work. Good luck on your project. Monica

Re: Remodel of Small Bathroom
I can highly recommend Karl Mulligan, a general contractor, for the remodel of your parents' small bathroom. He does quality work, has reasonable prices and has experience working with the only bathroom in the house. Recommendations are readily available. He lives in Albany. Contact him at: (415) 871-8398. leslie

I know a good contractor for all kinds of projects. I gutted and remodelled a ranch house in Montclair with Cecil Pearson of Pearson Construction as an investment property, sold it and just put a new foundation in a little Bungalow off Hopkins St. I respect Cecil as a builder so much that I've gone to work for him as construction coordinator. He has built everything from bridges to air force bases to custom homes worth millions. He's old- fashioned in that he believes so strongly in doing things well and with integrity. He doesn't cut corners and that means that he's not the lowest bid. But I've accompanied Cecil enough times to look at people's houses that were done cheaply and now they have to be redone... He's respectful of your relationship with neighbors, keeps the worksite clean, never missed a day of work that I saw, and likes to focus on one job at a time (he won't disappear for days at a time with the project in limbo). I am proud to work for him. Evan

I can strongly recommend James Troupe of Troupe & Sons construction for almost any contracting, remmodeling or repair need. He has done two additions on my home, including a one bedroom in-law unit, and adding an attic bedroom. He has also remodeled my kitchen and completed countless other repairs. His bids are fair, he is friendly, knowledgeable and efficeint. He can be reached at troupe AT pacbell.net. jmv

Re: Kitchen remodel
Hi, I'd like to recommend my husband William Walker. He is a licensed contractor / Cabinet maker who specializes in Custom Kitchens that are excellent quality, beautiful craftsmanship and he is amazing with space saving designs; in fact his forte is designing usable, organized, storage solutions for small spaces. He has just finished four beautiful kitchens locally. He also uses certified sustainable harvested wood when possible and the price is hardly affected. He does design work with a computer and presents the project with a full color 3D rendering that shows how the kitchen will look when the project is completed. Estimates are free, however he charges an hourly rate for design time. He has many happy customers. Feel free to contact him for a consultation at SilverWalker Studios 510.215.1266 Liza Silver

Re: Kitchen remodel
In January I had my kitchen remodeled by Mircea Ilie (see www.mircea-construction.com), whom incidentally I found on this list 2 years ago. He did a fabulous job, and is amazingly fast and on budget. Call him at (510) 459-5502. Anushka

In response to the inquires looking for a contractor for a remodel (bathroom) and fence work, my husband is a general contractor in Berkeley (and greater bay area). He has been in the business for 15 years and is currently looking for smaller jobs-decks, fences, room additions, (wants to make time for new baby arriving in February). He is very reliable, does quality work, and will provide references upon request. To contact Michael please call 510-845-2808 or 510-703-1905 or email to elisa_parker AT hotmail.com Elisa

Re: Garage Conversion
I would highly recommend calling Mircea Ilie Construction (510-459-5502). Mircea is very trustworthy and gets things done quickly. He is also very consciencious about doing high quality work (and he won't rip you off). You can learn more about his company at www.mircea- construction.com. Anushka

My husband is a general contractor who also specializes in stairbuilding. He works with Tom Lawerence and Associates, a Berkeley based company. They are wonderful people to work with, and I highly recommend them. They will let you know if they can do the job within your specified budget. They can be reached at 237-3421 or 237-3567. Good luck Geri

We have found a great contractor, Will Hoyt. We have only used him for small handyman type jobs around the house, but he's excellent and very nice and dependable. His phone: 524-8629 Toby

We recently hired Tom Owczarzak, a licensed contractor, to demolish and rebuild a second floor deck off our upstairs bedroom. His price was very good, his work impeccable, and his communication skills excellent. He can be reached at 510-872-0523. I would recommend Tom to anyone. terbot

I recently wrote about winfield contractors and was asked for more specific info. They were 3 months behind schedule on a 5 month job. Their workers were careless, (they left all of our windows wide open when they left work one day), their work, especially the painting was a very low quality and they failed the structural inspection from the City. We had a terrible experience with them and truthfully, they were not very accomodating or pleasant to work with. We really would not recommend them, even if their price is low. ruthy

I am writing to caution anyone contemplating hiring a general building contractor to beware of contracting with Baycraft Construction, owned by Alan Brennan, based in Oakland. I contracted with Baycraft to do an extensive renovation of my home in July 2001, with estimated completion in May 2002. As of 9/26, the job is not finished. It has been necessary to have completed work torn out and redone and in many ways much of the work has been substandard. Although I am scheduled to move very shortly, due to the contractor's delays the utilities meters have not been installed and the house will therefore not have gas (stove, water heater, heating.) Newly installed telephone lines, embedded in the walls, are non-functional and will require rewiring. This is only a short list of the ongoing problems encountered with this contractor. I have found it necessary to retain legal council and strongly caution anyone considering hiring a general building contractor to beware of Baycraft Construction. -Muriel

Re: Contractor / Concrete Person
I noticed in the last Household Digest that two people were looking for recommendations - one for a concrete person/stamper and one for a Contractor (Well I believe this guy does both). The one that worked on my parents house was great. He was a nice guy, did great work, was reasonably priced and cleaned up after himself. My parents originally found him from a recommendation and they weren't disappointed. His name is Roger Bergin, the company is Curragh Construction. You can contact him directly on 415- 640-7963 or 925-957-9047. He works both East Bay and San Francisco. Good Luck! Stephanie

Re: deck
We highly recommend Wilbert Lyons of Lyons Construction to build a deck. We had a large 220 sq ft approx 25 feet off the ground custom redwood deck built. It was custom because it wasn't just a rectangle, it is curved and rounded. Most contractors told us our design was ''unrealistic'', ''would double our labor'', and various other annoying remarks. His response was ''no problem''. His crew was polite and hard working. They cleaned up their mess everyday and at the end of the project. They also built a fence and a beautiful gate for us. Our neighbor is having them do her entire house remodel and she is thrilled with their progress, and I quote her, '' I adore Wilbert''. He specializes in additions, remodels, etc..but we only used him for the deck/fence so far. The best news, his prices are reasonable. He has children and is very conscientious about safety issues while work is being performed. Wilbert Lyons 510-866-8347 Deck-happy

I would highly recommend Ron Masters for any remodeling you may need at a very reasonable price. He is currently booked for the next few weeks on a remodel job where he is installing bathroom tiles and a hardwood floor in an Oakland loft. He can provide you with references. The best way to reach him is on his cell phone. 415-377-8400. Melinda

A few years ago, I had my bathroom totally remodeled. It was done by Federal Building Contractors. Larry Hayden is the owner. They are great. The sub-contractors arrived ON TIME. They were neat. They do beautiful work. My very ugly, old tile was replaced and the smallish space was opened up simply by a few design changes. I would recommend Federal Building Contractors for any type of remodeling. They do large scale remodels and smaller remodels. They have pictures of their past work for ideas. Nora

My husband works for an excellent contractor who has done some lovely remodeling work, both residential and commercial. His name is Lee Grossman and he is reachable at 707-539-5122. I know his website is under construction currently, but he has a portfolio and references. He is honest and does good work. Cassi

We would like to recommend Eric Manou (Manou Restoration and Renovation). He rebuilt two sides of our backyard fence for us in less than 3 days, which was a necessity with two dogs. His price was very reasonable, and he was great to work with. He removed and hauled away the old fence, and cleaned up the area. My husband is a structural engineer and was very pleased with the quality workmanship. His number is 510.597.1790. Patty

We have been working with a super contractor for the last year. He does all levels of remodels, worked well with our budget and is very creative. He redid our basement into a playroom, bathroom and office, added a new outside door to our son's room and is now building a custom bay window with mahogany trim into our living room. His name is Berle Southard, cell 510-685-1186. Klevenson

Re: drainage problem
We had drainage issues in our home due to faulty work of a prior contractor. We hired Karl Kardel to fix it and his company did a great job. His number is (510) 261-4149. If you don't get a reply to your message, call them back. They are very busy but my experience was once they started on the job, they kept at it and finished quickly. Because I was expecting to deliver a baby in December, they also juggled their schedule to do our work before my son was born. They were just terrific.

I have had extensive experience with Rutherford and Singelstad and I can easily recommend them. They are great! Peter Singelstad worked on my old house years ago adding on a Craftsman-style second-story deck and creating a study for me. In our new house, a large Victorian, Rutherford & Singelstad have done a big kitchen/dining/family room remodel for us. They had to move a load-bearing wall, take out a wall, change window placements, remove a fireplace, create trim to match existing and more. They did everything beautifully. Now, we have a wonderful space. I would be happy to share the full experience.

We used Dick Rolander for a major kitchen remodel and were pretty happy with him. He's flexible and reliable and the he didn't go much over his bid. You do have to push sometimes to get him to think outside of the box when problem solving. Also make sure you are really clear on what the subs are providing and their quality. We ran into some problems but Dick did take care of it with no added costs. I guess these things have the potential to happen with any contractor - and Dick handled them amicably and always keeping costs in mind. Lisa

We just had some work done by a great contractor, Will Lopes. He's reliable, kind, funny, reasonably priced.Your basic good human being. He does suffer from a mild case of contractors-calendar disease, where they say they will be done before they are actually done. That said, he did work on the outside of my house in the POURING rain one day just to get finished on time. This guy is good stuff, I never felt like he was ripping me off and I always enjoyed talking with him. He also takes good care of the people who work for him which is important to me. Anyway: his name is Will Lopes and his company is called Centerline Construction. His phone number is: 510-812-5515. Tell him Molly and Chris told you to call. We think you will be happy with him. Good luck!

I am currently working on a project with the nice folks at Baywood Building and Design and cannot recommend them enough. http://www.baywoodbuilding.com/ Contact the owner, Robert Malone at 510-595-4231 or feel free to email me with your specific questions. Kreber-Mapp

Hi. I have an excellent referral for the person looking for a contractor in Pt. Richmond. Anthony Murphy, A.Murphy Construction 510-233-2545. He lives and has his office right there in Pt. Richmond, does excellent work. (I work for him, but have only just started so my recommendation comes from having seen his work and known a good friend of his for several years). Karin

If you are looking for someone to take on the small projects that never seem to get done, you might consider Michael Lehman. He's a licensed contractor and can handle everything from implementing remodels to reconstructing decks. He's even completely remodeled an entire house (plumbing, electrical, staircase, foundation, deck and roof). He turned my garage into a fabulous home office with an new floor, windows, roof and beautiful lighting and ceiling fans. He also managed all the other contractors on our house while it was being fixed up for our move in, including plumbers, electricians and heating and air guys. You can contact him at 510-655-6620. -Susan

I would like to highly recommend Daryl Walker of Walker Construction Co. He remodelled our kitchen in the last year and did a fabulous job, delivering it before the rather fixed deadline of the birth of our baby! He kept the job site clean, was easy and pleasant to work with, did very good work and made the entire process very easy. His contact information is: Daryl Walker, Walker Construction Co., 15921 Wellington Way, San Leandro, CA 94578 Tel: (510) 278-3258 Fax: (510) 317-WALK. His web site is www.walkerconstruction .net. Please feel free to mention my name. -Katrine

I have hesitated to send this in since, after all, he's my husband, but I am so impressed with the work he does, the quality of the work, the long-lasting relationships he builds with his clients, the return business that he receives, and the integrity with which he runs his company, that I thought this was information worth sharing. His office number is (510) 836-5000, email address is silvhamr at earthlink.net; the new Silver Hammer Construction website is www.silverhammerinc.com. Thanks, Deborah

For a general contractor who can help convert a garage to an office, you may try Hector at Build Right Construction, 845 5169. He has been in the Bay Area for almost fifteen years and has excellent references. He is very meticulous and extremely responsible. Good Luck. Lorane (4/00)

We used Construction Effects to do our kitchen. The owner's name is Mitch Filbert. He is a really nice person to work with, and extremely detail-oriented. He does have two or three other people working for him, and while he was redoing our kitchen, he had to take a break a couple times to take care of other jobs. I consider this a normal and understandable part of being a contractor. He was very open about the situation, and we knew that he would check in a couple times during the day to make sure that his people were doing things to his own standards. I know that you explicitly do not want someone who works this way, but let me assure you that in Mitch's case, it's not a problem.

As is usual for renovation projects, there were surprises. Mitch and crew were able to take care of a sagging support beam in the ceiling(!), an electrical problem unrelated to the project, a leak from the bathroom upstairs... Needless to say, this impacted their schedule, but Mitch was very open about explaining that those "extras" had to be charged at a higher rate, and were not covered by his estimate.

For the main body of the work, however, we felt that his estimate (in retrospect) should have been revised as he got into the project. It's my suspicion that he may have lost money on the job. In other words, he didn't charge us enough!

Mitch takes time to make sure he understands what you want. He does NOT try to push his ideas or give you the kind of "free advice" so many others are fond of giving. On the other hand, if he knows (from experience) of a better way, he is not shy about pointing that out. He works with you, especially in the planning phase, to make sure he understands what you want. The Building Inspector was impressed with his work, and caught one little token thing on the whole project: One of the GFI circuits needed a sticker on it saying it's a protected circuit - a three second job ;->

If your project is not the kind of thing he wants to work on (perfectly reasonable) then Mitch will explain that. He is not the kind who just gives an outrageous estimate in order to get rid of you, or who just never calls back.

The only snag in working with Mitch is that he is busy. He may have a lot of work on his hands and so will be unavailable. But he will tell you that, and not give you the run-around.

As I recall, he lives in El Sobrante, and works mostly in Berkeley/Oakland. He has all the right licenses, etc. His people work for him (i.e. are employees, not sub contractors) and they do *everything* themselves so the Mechanic's Lien Law is not an issue.

The info:
     Mitch Filbert
     Construction Effects
     (510) 758-8830      

We used Winfield Construction for another major construction project and can report that while we were delighted to find a contractor that actually returned our phone calls promptly, there was room for improvement in the overall quality of the work [our architectural drawings weren't followed very well (such as the depth of the concrete pour, hard to misread!), and we had language problems with the workers who were actually on-site]. By the way, this is a good forum to extend a warning to all remodelers: Even though the City of Berkeley may initially approve your plans, you may be forced to spend a LOT of money altering the finished product once built. This is because, we were told, "the public wants it this way...it allows projects to begin quickly." Our new front deck conformed to state codes but not to local city codes, and although the plans were approved by Berkeley's planning department, the finished deck failed to pass inspection. Apparently we're supposed to rely on our contractor to point out local code violations (Winfield didn't). So if you don't spend the money on a local architect, be sure your contractor is VERY familiar with local building codes.

We recently hired Michael Reardon and his daughter to build a fence and tool shed in our back yard. Their work is beautiful and they are two of the most ethical and friendly people I've ever met. They far exceeded our expectations. In addition to these two big projects, they have also done odd jobs around the house (aka fixing doors and windows, minor plumbing jobs, etc.) You can call Michael at 510-805-0907.