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!

2011 - 2013 Reviews

Deck Rebuild

I am looking for recent recommendations on deck rebuilds. We have a redwood deck that is in need of a complete rebuild. I am looking for someone that can help with general design ideas, is professional, and does a thorough job. I would also love it if the person had landscaping experience. Thanks BPN! deckless

Cost to add on a Deck

Hi, we live in the Dimond district and have a couple deck projects we would like to complete. The first would be to build an upper level balcony deck on top of an existing roof surface, aout 350 sq feet. The area currently has walkable roofing with a metal balcony railing. We'd like to make this into a nice deck with redwood, ipe, or composite materials. The current estimate we received from a local design build firm came in at around $25K, and that does not include permits or design, only construction.

The second project is to add on deck to the lower level, coming off of our kitchen. It would be about 435 sq feet, multi-level, with a couple short staircases down to our yard and we'd like it to feature a nice overhead trellis in one corner. We would need to remove a window in our kitchen and add french doors. The estimate for this project came in at $54K.

So we're looking at spending upwards of $80K to complete these two projects, according to this firm. When they initially came to look at the house, they gave us a verbal ballpark estimate of around $10K for the upper deck and $30K for the lower. This was about $5K higher than the other estimates we received from other contractors, but we thought it would be easier to go with a design build firm so everything could be handled by one business, and they would take care of getting all the permits from the city - but now I'm doubting our decision. Once we actually started working with them, we received the much higher estimates.

These numbers seem insanely high to me. I'd like to hear from others who have added decks on to their homes, how much did you end up spending? If we walk away now, we have already paid them about $3000 for design work. Since we paid for them can we now take those designs elsewhere and see what someone else quotes us? need some concrete advice

Need Deck and Fence Builder

I need a small fence and deck rebuilt. It isn't a big job, but I would like a professional who won't charge an arm and a leg. Any recommendations? anon

Deck person for mid century house?

We have a mid century modern house with a large, almost original deck that is an essential part of the house design. Does anyone have a recommendation for a deck builder or contractor who can do repairs and some rebuilding? We don't want to make any changes to the design -- just repair/replace some support beams, relevel, and replace rotten wood. Any suggestions? Anon

Hillside Stairs & Deck

We are looking into replacing the stairs from the street to our house and rebuilding the deck on our house in the Berkeley hills. We are seeking a recommendation for someone who has experience working in the hills on a steep grade.

Small Backyard Deck needs rebuilding

The deck behind my house has lots of rotten wood, and alas, I believe needs to be rebuilt. Please recommend a reasonably priced carpenter you have had success with. This is a small job. Thanks! Albany Mom

His skills include general interior repair (plaster, drywall, painting and all related carpentry); trim carpentry (installing decorative moldings, hanging/correcting/trimming doors and windows, installing baseboards); installing cabinetry in kitchens and baths (general 'remodeling' so long as the projects are not too large for him to do alone); building and repairing stairs and decks; hanging mirrors and paintings; working with plumbing and electrical fixtures but only those that are 'in the room' as opposed to installing new plumbing systems or rewiring inside the walls (both of which should be done according to code by licensed/insured contractors).

Feel free to contact me if you have questions about Mark and his work. lmack

Looking for deck contractor

We are looking to build a small deck off the 2nd story of our home in El Cerrito. The deck will extend over a patio so we need a contractor that can deal with that. If you've worked with a deck contractor in the past year or two that you would recommend, we would love to hear from you. Would also be interested in hearing from you if you've had a bad experience with a deck contractor so we know who to avoid. Thanks.

We had to rebuild our deck and was initially getting bids that would use composite material for its low maintenance aspect. Silivio actually recommended we use wood and pointed out various cons that composite material would have, and that low maintenance was not always the case. This was appreciated since none of the other general contractors pointed out them to me.

After taking out the old deck, we found issues on the wall and they had to be addressed. It added to the overall cost but Silivio was always straight forward about it and there was no sudden, unknown increase in the cost.

His crew members were very polite and courteous, working very diligently. They were prompt every day and left without leaving a mess. My two young sons were very comfortable around all of them.

I can recommend Silvio and his company wholeheartedly. http://www.hometelligentinc.com/flash.html happydeckowner

2008 - 2010 Reviews

Redwood, Trex or Ipe for deck?

Hi: Am replacing a redwood deck with afternoon exposure. The question is whether to replace with redwood, wood composite (Trex) or Ipe, which may be too heavy. Like wood but concerned about the maintenance of redwood. Trex has some negative press for mold and breaking down after several years. Would like to hear from those who have replaced decks with any of these materials, and esp. those who have used wood-composite, like Trex, and if it is holding up (or not). If you could do your deck again, which material would you choose? Anon.

Arbor or other shade structure for deck

We have a small house with a good sized back deck (about 20' x 15'). We'd like to use the deck more, but it's south-east facing and very hot and sunny much of the year. I love arbors and so am especially interested in building an arbor over the deck, maybe w/ some out door cloth/blinds incorporated to keep the sun exposure under control. I'm open to other shade structure ideas, as well (shade sails installed on posts maybe?). The deck itself needs repainting and might need other repair work. Can anyone recommend a good person for this job? I hope to find someone who has ideas for how to make this space more livable and comfortable for us, and who can also do the design and construction work required. Shade seeking mama

Deck builder/contractor needed

We need our deck extended and possibly a small office built under it. We are interested in using sustainable materials. Any recommendations? We are in Oakland. meera

Small job - deck repair

I just noticed there are some rotting boards in my front porch and would like to get this done well but as inexpensively as possible. The deck repair/build recommendations are from 2008. Any more recent experiences pro or con? Thanks. Kathy

Contractor to Design Deck/Garden Area for Toddler Play

We have two connected small garden spaces that we would love to have designed as a toddler play area. This would probably involve leveling the yard, deck construction and designing the area to accommodate a sandbox, splash pool, space to run etc. Any recommendations of contractors who may be able to do this for us would be very much appreciated. Thank you.

Contractor for decks, concrete stairs, retaining wall

Our house is on a steep slope and we need a low retaining wall (either wood or concrete) built along the front slope, and concrete stairs and railing added along the side of our driveway. Also need to childproof our decks by adding tension-wire style railings. Can anyone recommend a good contractor that does quality work for fair & reasonable prices? Nothing extravagant or fancy. Our house is small, so we don't want to spend a disproportionate amount of money improving the outside of the house, but we need to build these things to make our house more safe & accessible. Need someone who is reliable and returns phone calls and keeps appointments. Someone who has good design aesthetics would be nice too.

Deck builder wanted

We're looking to have our old, poorly made deck replaced with a new, well made deck twice the size. Any recommendations?

Repair/upgrade deck?

I have an 17'x25'aging deck (over a carport) that I would like to either repair or turn into a Japanese styled, gravel garden. If you have done something similar or have someone who knows their stuff , trustworthy and reasonably priced you can recommend, would love to hear from you.

We have a small backyard with numerous trees and a hot tub, creating a difficult space to create a private space that didn't feel claustrophobic. When we moved in, there were 3 fences that allowed that privacy, but they were not well built and they were an eyesore. He rebuilt them. He replaced only what needed replacing. And he eradicated the bamboo in the corner of our yard (courtesy of our neighbors) once and for all and built a beautiful fence in that very spot, allowing for a bit more space and lots more light. But that's really only the small stuff.

Remember the small weird space? He design and built our redwood deck. He designed a beautiful deck, creating special pieces designed to dazzle folks (including making redwood plugs to cover the nails in the deck). He made holes and creative adaptations for our trees. And to top it off, the man built us a small arbor to allow us to grow some vines for a bit of privacy.He is an amazingly talented man. He is very reasonable. He will work with you if you have any budget concerns (he gave us so many choice estimates for materials). I can't recommend him highly enough. Phil's phone number is 510- 292-8091. Please feel free to email me with any questions! Molly

David is meticulous (measures 5 times, cuts once), opinionated (sometimes grumbly), and experienced. When we got our bids, his price was average. His attention to detail amazing. You won't be disappointed with his work. Kim Kim

Contractor needed to install Ipe deck

We are thinking of putting in a small deck, and so far think we would like to get Ipe wood. Has anyone had a deck built with this type of wood that came out great. We are looking for a contractor with a high level of attention to detail. Thanks!

For making the deck I can't recommend Karl Matthies (510-259-8499) higher -- very thoughtful, with great attention to detail. He has done other projects (bathrooms, a backyard shed) for us as well as for friends. George

Deck and landscape contractor

We live in Orinda in a wooded, sloped site and are trying to capture additional useable outdoor space. We are working on plans for a backyard project to install a hot tub, extend the existing deck to partially surround the hot tub, stairs, planters/retaining wall, replacing pavers and a play area. This project may be split into two phases depending on contractors and cost, although ideally completed all at once We would appreciate any referrals/recommendations. aj

Our job involved taking a 500 sq foot background--barren and dusty-- and completely developing it with a combination of redwood decking, exquisite stone patio and walks, plants, and other features including a beautiful fountain and lighting. We had no definite plan for any of it, just some ideas and general sense of how we would use it. No problem--Josh worked with us to develop a beautiful design with great features, workplan and estimate, and as the work got underway and evolved (including our finding cool weird Indonesian wood screens and posts and asking him to incorporate), Josh adapted the design and plan. We of course paid for the modifications, but he calculated these with flexibility and alternatives, exact costs, and with our complete understanding and agreement.

I could go on and on, but suffice to say that from end to end (about 8 weeks worth of work, and with no unreasonable delays) Josh and Ian were a joy to work with. We've all heard about or had awful experiences with contractors--Headwaters gave us the exact opposite experience. Not only did the work exceed expectations, but Josh and Ian are remarkable people in their own right and worth getting to know. We highly and unequivocally recommend Headwaters Hardscape. Enjoy..... Mark

Someone to build a deck - maybe Ipe?

We have plans for a deck but no one to build it. Can anyone recommend someone to do the actual construction? We are thinking about Ipe or trek type for the flooring. I know that Ipe is hard to work with, requiring predrilling and I am not sure about any long term issues with the trek like flooring. so comments on this would be welcome as well. Virginia

Good inexpensive deck builder

Can anyone recommend a good contractor to build a deck and fence? We live in El Cerrito and are not, alas, looking for an artisan to compliment design as much as a good, childproof and not expensive outcome. Please email me directly if you know any honest builders, also we would like to do it ''Green'' if possible. Thanks! aimee

Need deck repair/paint

Looking for a reliable deck repair/painter person. Fixing railings, replacing wood, repaint that sort of thing??? Sarah

2005 - 2007 Reviews

Composite Deck

hello! i am helping my parents rebuild their current rotting redwood deck. i am leaning towards trex this time around due to its maintenance advantages but i fear the aesthetic disadvantages. i would like to invite your input on composite decking as well as possibly take a peek at your composite deck- it would help my final decisions on color, etc. Judy

Josh Tomlinson of Dialogue Design-Build just completed a gorgeous deck for me. I heard of him through the Berkeley Parents Network, called all 5 of his references (all of whom had nothing but glowing things to say), and contracted him to construct a backyard deck. I highly recommend his services. A true craftsman, he is professional, very knowledgeable, with great attention to detail, incredibly reliable, very easy to communicate with, and a pleasure to have around. Happy New Owner of a Brazilian Ipe Deck!

Do you love your deck?

Have you had a deck built and LOVE it? We are looking for some deck contractors to get estimates from & are having a hard time. Can you recommend yours? Thanks. Alison

Need a reliable, reasonable and responsible deck builder

We need a reliable, reasonable and responsible builder for a DECK. We are near Lake Merritt. Any suggestions? sophie and virginia

Someone to rebuild cantilevered decks

We are looking for an experienced, licensed contractor to repair/rebuild the cantilevered decks and bridge driveway on our Montclair home. We are eager to receive more recent recommendations as well as any warnings about recent problems with contractors. Thank you for your time.

I would like to give my strong, positive, recommendation for Charles Seames of Sequoia Pacific Construction. Mr. Seames built a deck for us with which we are very pleased. It came out beautifully, and during the course of the construction he offered a number of additional ideas that we accepted and were later glad we did. The price for the labor was extremely reasonable. I think that the following areas deserve particular mention.
- The deck was made of ipe, which is a very dense Brazilian hardwood that is heavy and very hard on tools. It requires special techniques and considerable extra work.
- At our request, we were allowed to pay for the material using our own credit card. This is unusual but of importance to us because of frequent flyer miles we accumulate.
- Mr. Seames always returned calls promptly, kept us informed of the status of the job and of materials, and met every schedule he set. With other contractors on other projects, communication has sometimes been a problem.
- We went in with the idea of ìwe want a nice deck,î without knowing what we really wanted. Charles essentially designed and built the deck, presenting ideas to us for our consideration. He showed excellent judgment in consulting us about changes or design features. This has not always been our experience with other contractors.
- We thought that the price was extremely reasonable and we did have a considerable amount of competitive bidding to compare contractors. We could have gotten a cheaper deck, but, as the expression goes, ìcheaper and worth it.î In my opinion, we got the best value from Mr. Seames and Sequoia Construction. We are extremely pleased with the deck and the contracting experience. Please feel free to contact me if you would like me to email digital photos but, in my opinion, they wouldnít do the deck justice. Charles can be reached at 415-378-8031 or by email at Charles.Seames[at]yahoo.com Gabriele

Ron Masters built 2 beautiful decks for us a few months ago and the workmanship is outstanding. He used Brazilian ipe wood and custom designed a curved railing that no one else anywhere is doing. We have a great view and he suggested a stainless steel cabling system to preserve our view. Initially we were hesitant, but after living with it for a few months, we really like it. Ron also removed a large window and installed 12ft wide sliding glass doors that really frame the upper deck beautifully. He was able to remove the window and replace it with the door all in one day which was a godsend since we have 2 children. Ron and his helper Dan are very easy to work with, friendly and just good people. Ron was also able to start working within 2 months of contacting him and the timing worked out perfectly for us. Ron's direct contact info is mastersr6[at]yahoo.com or 415-377- 8400.
Karina

2002 - 2004 Reviews

I just wanted to post the strongest recommendation for my deckbuilder, Will Roberts. Two other contractors balked at the hilly site but Will quite literally just dug right in. His work is the highest quality. He works predominantly with brazilian ipe, a gorgeous, sustainably harvested hardwood that will likely outlast the plastic composite stuff that everyone else seems to be pushing these days. He also uses an undermount fastening system so there's not a screw in sight. Apart from the quality of his work, he also shows up on time and is extremely reasonable. This guy should be booked solid for six months but was actually able to start work only two weeks after giving me a quote. His website has all the info you need and plenty of pictures of his work. Check out www.handmadedecks.com for more info. If you're reading this Will, thanks for the great work! We've been enjoying dinners on the deck every chance we get and the really good weather should be just around the corner. Jim

Hi - I've searched the archives for recent deck builders but see little. Any recommendations? Thanks! Deck in Serious Need of Replacement

Will Roberts replaced our decks in summer 2004. He did a great job. Good design, efficient team, cost effective. Walt

For those looking for fences, decks and general handyman recommendations, I recommend DD's Fences and Decks. Don works by himself, so smaller jobs are his specialty. He does beautiful work, and is very reasonably priced. He can be reached at (510)207-2087. kiki

I have used Glen Larsen and his crew for many projects. One of them was designing and building my deck. I had a much different project in mind when he came by my house but he helped me design exactly what I needed for my use. We came up with a smaller deck that was the perfect size for my needs. He has good design ideas and attention to detail. And the ended up being cheaper since it was smaller. I have also had Glen install a redwood deck, a flagstone patio, bath and lighting fixtures, do inside and outside remodeling and repair, and he painted my house inside and out - he has a great color sense and helped when I chose all the colors. Glen Larsen - 510-232-9122 (and he returns phone calls) Jessica

If you are ready to build a deck, I highly recommend Ron Masters. He has great design ideas and can recommend the best materials for your budget and space. He has excellent references and sample pictures of previous decks he has completed. He and his assistant are reliable and easy to work with. You can contact him directly at 415-377-8400 or e-mail him at mastersr6[at]yahoo.com. He just finished a project and has a rare window open. Melinda

What kind of material for low-to-the-ground deck?

We are deciding what material to use for a large low-to-the-ground deck in our back hard. At the moment we favor Ipe for strength, durability and looks. I have read a lot about it on the net and think it's characteristics sound perfect, but we went down to Truitt and White in Berkely the other day and a person (unfortunately with a rather obnoxious delivery style) who worked there began to tell us how it would rot if we didn't build the deck at least 16 inches off the ground, that it would splinter like redwood and that it was really high maintenance - needing to be restained or oiled every year. Basically he contradicted everything I have read about it to date. Is he wrong? Has anyone had an ipe deck which didn't live up to expectations? What should I expect from this material? What are the pros and cons. ? Will it rot if it's built in a spot which doesn't get full sun all day?
want a beautiful deck

I would love to recommend Will Roberts for deck building. We found him via this forum. He was a pleasure to work with and built us a wonderful ipe deck. He was accommodating and did little extras here and there which really made the difference. We took several bids, and the single item which stood out the most was the he WANTED to work w/ ipe, where as other contractors tried to almost talk us out of it as it would be cost prohibitive due to additional labor. We couldn't be happier. Thanks
Thomas

We give the highest recommendation to William Earl Roberts, phone 510-841-8830, for deck building. Will replaced a set of broken down cement stairs on the back of our house with a beautiful deck of his design which he carefully crafted to fit the style of our 1920's California bungalow. His pricing was more than fair q we had other estimates which were double his price, but no one could beat the quality of his design and craftsmanship. Will was a pleasure to be around q warm, witty, both respectful of our privacy and communicative when needed q always keeping us up to date on the projectms progress. We would hire him again in a minute. valerie

We're looking for a contractor to repair/restore existing decks and exterior stairs, as well as significantly add (1000+ sq. ft.) to our decks on a downsloping lot. Our construction needs also include dry rot repair to wood siding and framing on our house, fence building and repair, and adding an exterior door. We also plan to do some landscaping, so additional related carpentry work will likely be needed. We're beginning our search for the right contractor for our large project and appreciate any input. mike

Redwood or Composite Decking?

We are trying to determine which material to use for a new deck. We find ourselves torn between the natural look of redwood and the virtually maintenance-free benefit of composite decking (we would get the kind with a wood grain, not the cardboard-looking old Trexx style).

We live in the El Cerrito hills which means that during the summer we get mostly foggy days, but also a few Indian summer days. We also get pummeled in winter as we face the Bay and there is nothing to buffer the often strong winds and pounding rain that comes with it.

We are leaning toward composite decking only because it requires so much less maintenance and would hold up well in our weather, but we are very concerned about it retaining heat. We have a toddler and plan to have another child and we want them to be comfortable. A recent Consumer Reports letter to the editor posed the same question and the response was that composite decking is no hotter than natural wood. But my experience at my in-laws house (who live in Union City, where it is significantly hotter) is that the single board of composite decking that edges their pool is much hotter than the surrounding redwood.

Does anyone who lives in the Oakland/Berkeley/Kensington/El Cerrito hills area have any feedback for us on how hot your composite deck gets? On a normal sunny day, not Indian Summer, is it too hot to walk on with bare feet? Please also let us know what brand/color you have and what you like/dislike. We would like to go with something similar to redwood in color. Also, I've heard that composite decking easily gets grease stains (we plan to BBQ on the deck) which are very difficult to get out. Is that true?

Any pros or cons would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance. maya

It's not that expensive of a wood, but because it is so dense, it takes a lot more man-hours to put together. Nails don't work on it. Holes have to be pre-drilled (and it wears down many bits in the process) and screws used. (There is another way to put it together with special brackets, but we didn't go that route.) The end result is fantastic. There is a lot about it on the web. We hadn't even heard of it before we started talking to contractors.

More info from http://ipe-wood.com/faq.html: It's an environmentally responsible choice which naturally resists rot, decay, insects, and mold without the use of toxic chemicals used in other decking products. It is naturally fire resistant and has been awarded an 'A1' rating. It is an incredibly strong, dense wood, harvested from naturally sustainable forests only. It has very high wear durability in daily use, and is resistant to splintering and checking. It has been awarded the best decay resistance rating available - ''HIGH 25+ years'', however it has been known to last longer, there just isn't a higher rating! Katherine

I was recently faced with replacing an old deck. I had a number of people take a look, and I wasn't happy with any of the choices. I called Glen Larsen because he had built a deck for a friend of mine, and he came and re-designed my old deck built by the previous owner. He and his crew were nice and professional. The work was done in a timely fashion, and he was able to put a finish on the deck as well as finish the existing stairway. He was handy because he did a variety of work, and was able to repair some stucco damage, take care of electrical work, and put in new doors that led from the house to the deck. The thing that impressed me the most was that I had a problem with the door sticking a few weeks later, and he came out right away to take care of it. I highly recommend him; he can be reached at 510-232-9122 Warren

Last year, my wife & I hired Live Oak Landscape to design & build a deck, and do some other work in our back garden. We decided to hire them after reading a couple of positive reviews here, & meeting with the owner Neil Collier who impressed us as pleasant & competent, & his price was good.

There were a number of things that happened during the course of the job which concerned us. Although the price given was quite fair, it turned out that it did not include several items that we had asked for & thought had been included. We then had to pay additional for those items. We were never quite sure when to expect the crew as Neil was moving them around between several jobs, & when they did come they would rush around in a great hurry. Since none of them spoke good English, if we had a question we had to phone Neil or his foreman (who was sometimes on the job with the crew but not always, & we had some questions that he was unable to answer anyway). We felt quite frustrated with the overall communication & it seemed that things that we had talked with Neil about were not thoroughly passed on to the foreman. We also began to notice that there were details left unfinished or done sloppily that we had to call Neil's attention to. It became exhausting to have to check on things so closely. Although Neil got the proper permit for the deck construction, we realized a couple of months after the job was finished that the he did not get a permit for building the arbor on the deck, which makes no sense, & puts us in the position of having to disclose that when we sell the house.

We think that we were too eager to get a ''good'' price & that we should have talked to more designers/contractors. In the future, for any home projects, we will work with a smaller company where the owner works on the job him/herself so that there is easy communication & hopefully, better quality control, & we'll pay more for the right person. live and learn

We highly recommend Lusk Construction in Berkeley. Joel Lusk built a gorgeous deck for us; he is a real craftsman, with an eye for detail, and he worked with us on the design. He did other construction in our house (built 1925) as well, all of which matches seamlessly. He also does a lot of solar work (though we didn't have that done ourselves). Lusk Construction phone# (510 ) 872-0556 mchavigny

Can anyone recommend a carpenter to build a small deck and repair outside stairs and fencing? Karen

I highly recommend Karl Mulligan, a general contractor. He works (preferably) in the East Bay and specializes in remodels, decks, finish carpentry and more. His craftsmanship is excellent and his rates are reasonable. He can be contacted at (415) 871-8398. Leslie

We just had a deck rebuilt by Carl Kudrnac and are very happy with it. Carl is extremely contientious and had some very helpful suggestions about what would and would not work. He is also redoing walkways and retaining walls for us. His number is 925-299-8701. Theresa

We have had the most wonderful experience with Carl Kudernash (sp??) at Bushveld Construction. He came to us courtesy of our landscape architect to build a deck. Then we had him fix the extensive dry rot on another deck. Carl is one of those rare contractors who keeps in touch, comes when he promises, charges fair rates, stays on budget, and does great work. He is very attentive to cost, and comes up with creative ways to cut costs. If anything, he can be a bit too fussy. He worries about small details, and calls when he fears a budget overrun of even just a few dollars. But I'd much rather have that than the alternative. Carl can be reached at 925-299-8701. Leslie

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 architect's 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. Please feel free to contact us with any questions at (510) 528-4408 (evenings/weekends), or you can contact Ron Masters directly at (415) 398-8496 or (415) 377- 8400. Nancy

We didn't have a great experience with JV Fence when they built a fence and deck for us about 2 years ago. They took a couple of shortcuts that let to some kludgy work. First, a step they built into our deck was wobbly and it took a lot of prodding to get them to fix it, which they did in a kind of half-a**ed way. The other was a fence post that they made too short and fixed by gluing another piece of post on top. Most people who see our fence and deck think it looks great. They used good quality wood and the angles are neat. But it really irks me knowing about these little shoddy details when we paid so much money. I saw that another person on this list was happy with their work; I don't know if they had a better experience or if they haven't scrutinized for the kinds of shortcuts that we found them doing. n Ilana

I am looking for someone who can build a deck in my backyard, at a reasonable cost. It's a fairly straightforward design, nothing terribly elaborate. There was a recent recommendation for a Bill Roberts based in Berkeley but no phone number was given. I have also looked at the archives for carpenters but was unsure how many of these also do decks. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. - Mary.

2001 & earlier

Hi, any recommendations for someone who could build a high deck (above 4 feet) in a contemporary style ( and which won't break all the piggy banks in the house?) Limor

Regarding Deck Construction: We recently had a deck built (as well as our kitchen remodeled) by Vinny Ernano. The deck is beautiful. Vinny's # is 308-2420.

We had our deck refinished last fall by Omni painting and are very satisfied with it. I think it cost just a few hundred dollars, but then again it was rolled into the big estimate for exterior paint for the whole house. They used a power water-washer, and then did waterproof untinted "stain" over all. Good luck! Meg

My friend had a deck built this year and she's practically evangelical about the praising the contractor. His name is Harold Holmes, 415-523-8595, and apparently he's built about 900 decks in his lengthy career. I'm told he's exceptionally capable and conscientious, and a pleasure to work with. Kelly