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!

Deck Builders

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

IPE Decks

I just had an IPE wood deck built at my home. Does anyone know how to properly seal and maintain this wood? Or, know of a professional who could answer my questions about this relatively new product? I would like the color of the wood to stay its original brown, so I am wondering how soon I should seal it. Thanks! lisa

PENOFIN for Hardwood
Penetrating Oil Finish
for Exotic Hardwood - Mahogany - IPE - Teak
99% UV Protection
Brazilian Rosewood Oil

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

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

Deck Repair, Refinishing & Maintenance

We are looking for someone to repair, power clean and restain our redwood deck. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Naka

Has anyone used Live Oak Structural/Decks for deck cleaning and restoration? I would like to learn about positive and negative experiences with Live Oak. Do people have other recommendations for deck cleaning/restoration? Thanks. Bonnie

I had a deck built in 2002 using Mangaris hardwood. Some of the boards never laid completely flat. I assume that the wood wasn't cured properly, but I couldn't get either my contractor or the wood importer to fix it. It is over due for a refinishing (or restaining?)and I'm looking for someone who has experience with Mangaris wood. Any recommendations? carole

We just had a lovely 10' x14' deck put in last month in Oakland and we need to learn to seal and take care of it. We love the color it is right now and know if we don't seal it it will turn gray quickly. I am looking for advice about the do-it-yourself process of cleaning and sealing. Any advice appreciated. We would love to hire someone to do it, but the deck project broke the bank! meredithanne

We need someone to clean and refinish our two story deck (two decks) and the archived recommendations are fairly old. Can anyone recommend someone who has had this done? Diana

If you are looking for someone to clean, stain, or do some maintenance on your deck, I would highly recommend Jay from Bay Area Deck Care. Several years ago, we hired him to clean and restain our deck. He did such a great job, people actually thought it was new! He is a very nice guy, in addition to being very conscientious, thorough, and professional. Our neighbor hired him for a job as well, and she was equally pleased with the results. His number is in the phone book. Julie

Any more current recommendations for someone to powerwash & refinish redwood decks? Judy

We need someone to power wash and seal the redwood on our deck (it's looking rather green these days). And we also need to have gutters installed on one side of our house. Any recommendations for either job? Julianna

Any recommendations for someone to refinish our redwood deck. It needs to be powerwashed and re-stained. Thanks! Seth

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

Waterproofing a deck

We have a patio with cement stairs that leak, whenever it rains, to an enclosed unfinished basement. We understand that there are waterproofers who can put some type of membrane on the stairs. Does anyone have any experience with waterproofers (good or bad) and does anyone have someone they would recommend? Thanks Ann