Fences & Gates
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Gate and stair railing
Nov 2012
Can someone recommend a company to make and install a gate
and stair railing. I have contacted several and they
sometimes come out and say they will provide a estimate but
that is the last you hear. One company provided a good quote
and I have attempted to have them do the job, but that was
about three months ago and I have received no gate or
railing.
we used Tony Marques, a contractor who was fantastic. once
we had the bid and a work start date, everything went
smoothly and on-budget. cell number is 510-812-3923, email
marquestony2@aol.com anon
Fence Repair Person?
Oct 2012
we need someone to repair and replace
parts of our aged back/side yard fences and retaining walls.
It's rotted away in areas, gates are sagging and don't close
anymore. We need someone who's not necessarily a craftsman
(don't need anything fancy), just someone who can tell us
which parts really need repair/replacement now or in the
near future, and can pour concrete to do new posts, etc. We
want sturdy and long-lasting, not fancy.
heidi
Dagoberto Garcia (Dago's Gardening) has done numerous jobs
for us over the past few years. He has replaced a fence
(beautiful work) and repaired another one, skillfully trims
our trees yearly, keeps our irrigation system operating, and
is generally wonderful at troubleshooting problems we may be
having in the yard. He also installs French drains. His
rates are fair. He's honest and great to work with. My
husband and I highly recommend his work. You can contact
him for free estimates at garciaysna@sbcglobal.net or (510)
233-1569 or (510) 604-7555 (cell) lmac
I recently had a deck put in by H&H Landscaping. During the
project they did some fence repair and were very upfront
with me regarding the condition of my fence and what needed
to be repaired. Contact Muneer Hassan 510.376.3019 Wayne
Fence builder
Oct 2012
The most recent archives are from 2008, so I'm hoping for
more recent experience. We need a fence replaced on one
side of our Albany backyard; about 40 feet or so. We don't
want an expensive custom-built solution, but do want
something that looks nice and is durable. There will also
be the old (rotting wood) fence to responsibly dispose of.
Prefer someone with experience, environmental sensitivity,
and insurance (including for any workers). R.K.
We had out back fence replaced about a year and a half ago.
The old one had deteriorated/been engulfed by ivy over the
years. I hired Joshua Tomlinson (got his name from BPN). He
did the design, which was very basic 6' with 2' lattice to
match our side fence, but ended up subbing the work to
Servando Leos (510- 334-1304) because of temporary health
issues. Joshua was a nice guy, mostly responsive and I bet
he would have constructed an equally solid fence. But due to
circumstances, he didn't build it.
Servando and his crew were terrific! They took apart and got
rid of the old fence (that took almost a week because there
was so much ivy/rat nests), built a great fence, cleaned up
every day and were a pleasure to deal with. Servando lives
in Albany, is involved in the community and was just a great
guy. All of the financial dealings went through Joshua
because that is who I originally contracted with, but next
time I would work directly with Servando. Jennifer
Suggest you contact Alameda Fence Co. at 510-865-1100. They
have been in business a long time and do a really good job.
Roger
Looking for a fence builder
Aug 2012
I am looking for someone (or a team) to build a fence (less
then 6ft high) on our (flat) property line. The area that
needs to be covered is about 50ft long and will need some
brush cleared before the posts can be sunk. Does anyone have
(a) recommendations of easy-to-schedule and responsive/quick
crews that do this? and (b) approx. how much $ should this
cost? We aren't looking for anything fancy, but we would
like it to be wood and look nice. Thanks! -wanting a fence
soon
I have recommended Greg Watson, GF Watson Construction many
times, and I believe that others who have used him have
posted positive reviews also. GREAT contractor! Honest and
competent. I am a widow, and he really has helped me out
with my properties over the years. Greg Watson is at
510-223-1541 in El Sobrante. Good luck! dalberk
Fence post repair?
July 2012
My yard fence is about 20 years old. The fence boards and
gates are in very good shape but about a quarter of the
posts need repair/replacement. Fence builders don't seem to
also do smaller repair jobs. Any recommendations for a
person that repairs wooden fences? seeking fence help
Erwan Illian did a great job repairing a gate and a window
for us, in addition to adding a beautiful handrail to our
stairs in a tough iinstallation. Our gate is stronger than
it has ever been and you can't even tell where he replaced
wood on the wndow. He does do small jobs. I highly
recommend him for your fence post repair. His phone number
is 847-2898. Anonymous
Philip Wolfgang is really good at all types of fence
building and repair. I've worked with him a few times over
the years, and he works hard and works smart.
His phone is 740-357-4425
John
Matt Whalley is the best.......honest, prompt, very
reasonable, very skilled, personable. He does most of his
own work which is highest quality. When he built our fence
he warned me that the gate might sag, and if so he would
come back to reinforce it. It did and he came back
immediately to reinforce it. You will be lucky to have him.
Whalley Construction.....925-366-6199 Anna
Fencer?
May 2012
We need our yard re fenced. Anyone have any current recommendations. W live on a
hill and there's lots of tree roots to negotiate too.....
Thanks Need a new fence
Tom Lutz did wonderful work for us on some big fence jobs
that involved moving existing gates and building new ones.
He was responsive, professional, charged reasonably, and was
quite pleasant to be around. I was wishing I could hire him
to do everything around our house. He can be reached at
237-5616 or tomlutz7@aol.com. Beautifully Fenced In
Hi I know 2 good fencers licensed one of then is Julian and
he's phone is 510- 206-3550 and the other is Bob Lui the
phone number is 510-504-7474.
I have been working for these guys doing hauling and
demolition for long time and they do fences and decks (new
or repair) as well, I hope that information can help you.
Take care
Itamar
I already posted this recommendation under Handymen. I am
also recommending him for fence building because in addition
to doing plumbing and handyman work for me he also built a
fence for me on a very challenging lot. The fence was built
on an extremely steep, rocky area with trees and bushes in
the way. Al Hugon is such a treasure of a handyman that I
almost want to keep him a secret (he is already busy and
might get too busy). He is competent (and will tell you if
he does not feel qualified for certain projects), super
nice, extremely reliable, dependable, respectful and very
honest. Plus his rates are not just reasonable but low for
the quality of his work. He will come up with creative
solutions for problems, suggest ways to save money and and
he cleans up the work area at the end of the day. The
attribute that sets him apart from most is how caring and
thoughtful he is. I highly recommend Al as an excellent
handyman, plumber and fence builder and exceptional human
being. The only thing is, he has no crew so not sure if he
does big jobs. Contact him at 510-917-6415. Nancy
Gate - creative design and build
March 2012
I looked at the archives, but they are fairly old, and don't
really address my particular need. We want an attractive,
tall (to keep the deer out) custom-made gate for the end of
our driveway into our backyard. Due to the steep slope of
the driveway, a rather limited amount of space around the
opening, and the need for both people/bikes and cars to go
through at different times (I don't want to have to open and
close a huge gate when I'm just walking through with my
bike, but that needs to be an option for a car), I'm hoping
to find someone who can come up with a creative solution,
and build and install it. Ideally, we'd like to incorporate
some of the wood and copper we happen to have left from
previous projects, but at the very least the person must
take an environmentally sensitive approach to design. R.K.
Carla Hall, redfrogmetaldesign.com, does beautiful custom
metal work. She created a custom front screen security door
for us, we're really pleased with the workmanship. She may
be able to come up with a design for your situation. She
works at The Crucible and has her own shop. She can be
reached at carla@thecrucible.org. Jane
My friend is a wood and steel based artist and licensed
contractor who may be a great fit for you. If you like his
aesthetic (http://jesseososki.com/) I can attest to his
skills as a contractor and a great listener who helps come
up with workable solutions within a budget. He and his team
did a great job reworking our shed and I've owned one of his
custom chairs for many years with pleasure. Jesse Ososki
#310-699-8684 Amanda
Thomas Banks is a builder and artist who has built several
gates and fences using both new and recycled materials. He
often uses google sketch-up so he can see how the design
would work from multiple angles. Thomas has come up with
highly creative solutions for a number of difficult
projects. He's done a gate and studio at my house, and I've
seen some of his other jobs that were pretty impressive. You
can reach him at tommy.banks@sbcglobal.net or 978 5679 green
and happy
We have really loved the work of Chris Romer. He is both
skilled and creative. We have hired him for a couple of
projects and both times were very happy with his work and
felt he was very reasonable as well. His number is 917-
684-6807. Good luck! Dan
Check out Organic Ironworks. They do beautiful fences and
gates as well as decorative panels for walls and fences.
They are based in Santa Cruz, but they did some beautiful
panels for our garden in Berkeley. Celise Clevenger is very
creative and can surely design a completely unique and
functional gate to meet your specifications.
http://organicironworks.com/index.php cynthia
cynthia
Hi,
We had a similar gate built in our driveway around the first
of the year. Our requirements were much the same: must allow
for occasional car access, with frequent regular access for
people/bikes/garbage cans, high enough for privacy, and
deadbolted for security. The person that did the job was
Matt Hornby. He built a double gate, with a three foot
frequent access door on one side and a five foot door on the
other side. The larger door was mostly fixed but by pulling
up the anchor pin it can swing open as well. Matt bought a
variety of hardware for me to choose from. Matt built the
gate in a style that matches the neighboring fence so it
really fits right in. My wife and I are really happy with it
and we've gotten many compliments on it. As well, Matt was
really easy to work with and we collaborated well together.
Contact Matt at matthornby72 at yahoo dot com. happy with
my driveway fence
Need fence replaced
Sept 2011
We need to have our fence replaced. Thanks!
good neighbor
'Just Fencing' in San Pablo (510-235-2698) replaced several
fence posts for us in May 2010. They had some useful
suggestions and recommendations, which we appreciated, and
they'll be on our list when we're ready to replace the whole
thing. Don
Hi! I would give Bay Area Deck and Remodel a great
recommendation for a fence repair! Wonderful job and good
yelp reviews! 510-533-6131 or www.badar.org Sara
Someone to extend redwood fence
May 2011
I'm looking for recent recommendations for someone to extend
our redwood fence to include some of our side yard. I think
it would be a relatively small job. While we of course care
about quality, competitive pricing is probably the most
important consideration for us right now.
I can recommend Magela Vaz of Berkeley Fence. He has been
building fences for many years in the Berkeley area. His
prices are very reasonable and he builds high quality
redwood fences and gates. Magela is easy to work with and
can be reached at 559-8351 or magelavaz@gmail.com. Wilma
Hi! I think John Grivas and his crew of Bay Area Deck and
Remodel are just great. They did our deck and I know they
do fences too. Worth a call to John at 415-613-4460. check
out his yelp reviews too! Sara
We used Just Fencing for a recent, small fencing job. We
didn't need anything fancy - just good workmanship at a very
competitive price. We got both with this family-owned
business.
You can check out their website at
http://www.justfencing.com/
budget conscious
Gerald Avitia was recommended to us by JB Fence who did our
backyard fence. When we needed the front yard fenced, he
recommended Gerald since it was a small job. We are very
happy with the result; we also really liked his approach of
providing pictures similar to what we described wanting. He
stuck to his estimate and timeline. All of our neighbors
and people we have never met all stop by to comment on our
great fence. Gerald has a solo business. His contact info is
510-334-0657 and email is geraldavitia@netzero.net.
Good luck with your project! Trish
Try Don at DD's Fences and Decks. He built a beautiful deck
for us and recently completed our neighbor's fence and gate.
he's at 510-207-2087 kiki
May 2011
I found Josh Tomlinson of Dialogue Design-Build through the
Berkeley Parents Network. The side gate at my house
desperately needed replacement. Josh submitted a well
planned and elegant solution, whilst being sensitive to my
budget. The removal and construction was done cleanly,
effectively, and on time. I am still impressed by the high
quality materials used and the artisanal approach to
building a structure that will be here well after we move to
another home. Is it frowned upon to take the gate with us
when we move? Happy with new gate
Covering dangerous exposed nails on gate
April 2011
I rent a home and have a gate that has a number of nail
heads (and even the sharp end of some nails) partially
exposed on the board that runs across the bottom of the
gate. They don't jut out far (probably a quarter inch or
so, on average), but enough to be dangerous. The nails
cannot be pounded in (I've tried). I'm worried that my
toddler child will fall and hurt herself on the nails, so I
want to cover them up somehow. I tried duct tape, but it
simply peeled off after a day or so. Is there a
weatherproof duct tape, or some other kind of material that
I could wrap around the board to make it less of a hazard?
-too many nails
I would get a long, narrow strip of wood (like lathing) and
nail it over the exposed nails along the bottom, using a
couple of good solid nails at both ends (careful not to
split your wood cover, you may need to pre-drill). suzanne
Another option might be to saw/clip the nail heads
completely off at the wood (you can use a dremel attachment,
cutters, or a hacksaw) - eliminating them completely. I've
done this, and it worked well! I Heart Jackalopes
Need a nice fence on a budget
March 2011
We are looking for someone to build a new fence on a budget.
We need something to keep the kids safely out of the street
that will look good with our pseudo-craftsmen style home.
Unfortunately we are on a pretty tight budget but are open
to creative solutions. Any suggestions for an excellent
fence builder who can work within financial constraints? We
are located in the Oakland hills/Montclair. Thank you in
advance. Kim
I just had ~450 feet of fence and two gates replaced by
Peter Keenan and his team at Alameda Fence Company. They
were very reasonable price-wise and I'm sure they could come
up with something nice within a limited budget. They were
fast, tidy and very responsive to all of my questions. The
fences look great! They do all the work themselves, they
don't contract it out so you can know who is on your
property by name (which you may find reassuring as you have
small children). I appreciated the careful diagrams he drew
up for the project (I share fences with a lot of neighbors
so we had to deal with each section separately). Phone:
510-965-1100 ext 2 or go to their website for photos and
email contact. http://www.alamedafence.com/ Suko
We have employed Tom to perform a myriad of tasks on our
house, large and small, for years now, including replacing
doors, electrical work, heating/duct work, installing a
plasma TV, painting rooms, small carpentry work, grouting
and plumbing, and many other areas. We are always impressed
by TomC",b"s handiwork, knowledge, availability, and ease at
creating cohesive teams of skilled contractors to once again
recommend him. He has very reasonable rates and is perfect
for customers on a budget or those who are trying to get big
jobs done in an efficient timeframe. We even have Tom check
on our house while weC",b"re away. His landline is
510-525-2123, cell 510-390-6455. Jason
Jose Maravilla (510) 381-0399 does great work and is, in my
opinion, reasonably priced. He's my go to guy for any work I
need done at my house. He pretty much a jack of all trades.
Best of Luck Love my garden
Metal Gate
Feb 2011
I am looking for someone who can make a metal fence? I think
that what I want. My wooden gate rotted. I was thinking of
metal, less up keep?
Thanks
dianna
metal gates are great, more permanent that wood, but nothing
is forever... i use Joe Karr for my craftsman level and
utilitarian metal work. he is an awesome craftsman and
artist.
he can be found at bohemianblacksmith@gmail.com
bohemianblacksmith.com oren
For a really nicely designed and welded gate talk to Robert
Lavezzo, 510-428-2381. For inexpensive metal fence parts,
visit Granite Expo, 510-595-7698. Andus
Recomendations for a fence builder
Nov 2010
Can anyone recommend a really good fence company or
someone who builds fences.
jm
A great fence builder - Tomas Guindon - (510) 520-0204. You will be very
happy with his work.
Happy Homeowner w/great fences! : )
Gate and fence builder recommendations
Oct 2010
We've been through the archives here looking for gate and
fence builder recommendations, but most posts are older. I'm
looking for current recommendations. We tried one guy from
the previous recommendations and had personality conflicts.
Our favorite gate builder is out of commission with a back
injury. Any current recommendations? We are looking for high
quality wood gate and fencing with style. Much appreciated!
Keep the dog in and the deer out
For new/replacement fencing and gates and general handyman
work, we strongly encourage you to call Juan Guzman, who has
his own business in Richmond. He is licensed, punctual,
careful and does very good work. Juan is also a genuinely
nice person. You can see examples of his work on his website
at www.goblessingconstr.com.
Fan of Juan
The person who did our fence and custom gate is a design and
build carpenter and artist. He was affordable, considerate,
easy to work with, and did a great job. You can see
pictures of his work atL www.jasondeantonis.com
his email is: jasondeantonis@yahoo.com
510.717.3400
He can give you local references to talk to (including ours).
happy with our fence and gate
In regards to your search for a good fence and gate
builder: I am a property manager who at landlords request
contacts fence companies to do everything from cheap
chainlink repairs to perimeter fences and gates. I have
built many, and have finally found someone good. His name
is Greg Watson @ 510-223-1541. His crew came in and built
a fence that literally had twice as much material and was
more than twice as strong for the same price as my
previous fence builder. The fence had 2x12's on the bottom
in order to exceed the ridculous 6 foot legal limit of
fence posts, overlapping boards for privacy and sound
control, support beams top and bottom, trim peices for
decoration and it was strait as an arrow, done with the
proper equipment-not hand shoveled until they got tired
and materials to last long time-and the gate will never
sag because he screwed a full sheet of wood to the
backside and stained it to match the rest. Truly great
work. If you want to take to see his work feel free to
contact me and I can give you the address.He even builds
homes from the ground up! Hope this helps- Robert, Rena,
Jayden and Bella
I want to recommend George Takash for building or repairing anything. He is a
wonderful carpenter and has done a lot of work for us over the 14 years we have
known him. This includes building stairs and fences, painting, and installing
windows and doors. He is honest, easy to have in your home, very neat, and very
reliable. I am happy to talk further with anyone who would like more questions
answered. I have recommended him over the years to many of our friends and
family and everyone has been very pleased with his work. George can be reached
at 231-0558.
Amy
Hi,
In response to your hunt for a gate/fence builder, I have
the perfect recommendation. His name is Tom Lutz. He
designed and built a wonderful gate for me. He is an
excellent listener; he wanted to know exactly what I
wanted. Then he offered suggestions and I was able to
think about the pros and cons and then we determined
together what worked and looked the best. I can't give
anyone a higher recommendation than Tom. He was referred
to me by the head of a gardeners' club and I went to her
yard to see all the wonderful things he had built for her
which included fencing, a gate, a small gardener's shed, a
patio, etc. You can reach Tom at 237-5616 or
tomlutz7@aol.com.
He's reliable and dependable and great to work with. He's
also very fairly priced, well-worth every $. If you want
to look at my gate, please contact me and I would be happy
to have you come take a look at it.
Sharon
I can recommend, without reservation, Wick Pancoast of
Pancoast Builders (510-520-9346). He built our fence and
gate, and it is still beautiful and functional after years
of wear. Wick is creative, honest, a master craftsman, and a
good communicator. He understands how to make the practical
beautiful.
Joe L
Fence builder recommendations?
Aug 2010
Can you recommend a good fence builder? Someone who has
built some interesting fences and is affordable would be
really great. Thanks for any suggestions!
joyce
I'd like to recommend Jason Abbott owner of Abbott
Improvements. He's a general contractor who can do complete
remodels , but for years he exclusively did fences and
decks. A few years ago he was actually on a few episodes of
Landscape Smart, a show on HGTV. He built about 200' of
fence around my yard last year and he did a great job and
he's quite reasonably priced. My neighbors ended up hiring
him to wrap up the rest of the fence around their yards
after he did mine. He's in Oakland and works in the east
bay (I'm in Berkeley). He's a super nice guy and someone
you don't mind having working around your home. I'm a very
picky former contractor myself (you can find my reviews on
old posts of the BPN) and Jason is someone I feel confident
about working on my 114 year old home.
510-517-6849 cell
510-638-0838 office
Mason
Fence Contractor Needed
April 2010
We are loooking for a reasonably priced contractor to
replace our fence. It's about 24 feet long and it's a bit
tricky as it has to stand on the slope between the end of
the concrete driveway and the front patio that slopes down
from the driveway. We'd like to have something practical
and will last for a long time. I would also like to get an
idea of how much is ''reasonable'' for this size of a job.
anon
Depends on access issues, materials quality, etc. I'd us
redwood with conc. footings with column bases embedded. This
will make the posts last for years. Posts embedded in soil
or concrete directly will rot in a few years.
ray
We have hired Juan Guzman (a licensed contractor in
Richmond) to do a number of repairs, including fences. Juan
is very reliable (shows up as promised, does quality work,
cleans up the area) and is a nice guy to work with. As he
replaced sections of our old falling-down fence, he
explained the flaws that led to its failure and told us how
he would improve the design. He is building his business and
delivers quality work at a fair price. He can be reached at
510-381-0155 or juan@goblessingconstr.com
Happy with our fences
Try JB Construction, License #908631
We used their services and happy with the service, results
and pricing.
E-mail: powerlabor@yahoo.com
Cell: (510) 735-4052 Cristina
I highly recommend Ori Avital for this job, and for the request for
responsive contractor. He is a
carpenter and a general handyman. He has done several jobs
for me and I always happy with the results. He is
specialized in wood working but he is also proffesional in
other areas such as tiling, ceiling, painting, repair,
remodeling and more.
He is very kind, reliable, communicative, and always keep
the place neat. He always very happy to come over to look
on the problem and to give a free estimate. His phone
number is 510-6322666 oriavital@gmail.com
John
Build a fence ourselves?
March 2010
We're getting a dog and are planning to fence in the yard. It's on a slope, already
fenced on one side. The dog will go out for brief periods -- not all afternoon.
We were planning on installing the fence ourselves. Is this inadvisable? How
about installing all-but-the-gate? Generally, we're believers that weekend
warriors who tackle a household task one time face a steep learning curve and
often a not-worth the hassle and shoddy workmanship vs. just paying someone.
But this seemed so straightforward.
Advice? What supplies? Any tips? Not worth the savings?
Thank you BPN community!
anne
Don't do it unless you have some carpentry experience- it's
not so easy as you might think to get everything straight
and if it's not straight it's not strong and won't last!
Besides, a funky looking fence can really ruin the whole
appearance of your garden.
Lumber is very expensive and you'll regret it if you spend
all that money on materials and get a poor result. Much
better to bite the bullet and get a good professional job.
A tip I can offer as a dog owner is that if your dog is a
digger who wants to get out, you can thwart him/her by
installing some kind of barrier in the ground under the
fence. In my own garden I have used pieces of scrounged
broken concrete in some places and sections of landscape
ties in other places.
Cece
I encourage you to go ahead and do it yourself.
I always try to empower my clients to tackle DIY projects around their homes
as it creates a connection with the space you live in and teaches you how to
take care of it.
If you have the will and the time to do this project right there is no
reason for
you to fail. A fence is a great first time DIY project because it is
pretty simple
and straight forward construction, easy to have it come out looking good and
the materials are not very expensive.
Idan
If you don't feel comfortable taking on the fence job by yourselves, you
might
consider hiring a handyperson to do it with you. I am a very occasional
''weekend warrior'' who did build a fence mostly by myself. I did a lot of
online
research, used tools and books from the Tool Lending Library, and had a 15
minute consult with my contractor neighbor. Once you get the set up it is
straightforward. I think it's worth it to have some experience help at
least to set
up the line, the holes' locations, etc. (Especially given that you're on a
slope).
Good Luck!
Carey
Where to buy good quality gate hinges and latches
Oct 2009
We are first-time do-it-yourselfers who just built a beautiful
front fence. Now we're ready to put up the gates but we want
good hardware, not something that is going to loosen up soon.
I'm assuming Home Depot is not the place, perhaps wrongly?
On-line is difficult because we want to see what they look like
in real life. Any fence-builders out there who can advise me?
Try Truitt and White. Or, if you're interested in reusing old stuff (potentially
very cool),
Urban Ore has some great finds for super cheap. Omega Salvage is good too: less
digging around but a lot more expensive than Urban Ore. Bring gloves to both.
CK
Repairing leaning fence
Oct 2009
The fence bordering our backyard and our next door neighbour is
seriously leaned toward their side after the heavy rain. Our
yard is horizontally higher than our neighbour's. Any referral
of experienced fence workers are appreciated. Thanks
Jen
I recently had a fence issue like yours - rotted posts causing
the fence to lean and wobble. The repair was small and most
fencing companies did not want to even give me a bid. After
calling several repair places I found DD's Decks and Fences, in
Berkeley, to do the repairs at a reasonable cost. The owner is
Don Moats and his business number is 510.207.2087. He is very
nice and does excellent work. Give him a call as he gives free
written bids for his work.
Happily Fenced In
Need someone to build wooden fence
Aug 2009
We're looking for someone who specializes in building quality
wooden fences. We live in Albany.
Deni
Wick Pancoast, owner of Pancoast Construction, is a superb and
reliable craftsman. He recently built a fence, gate and arbor
for us, as well as subcontracting cement, tiling and walkway
construction. His attention to detail is exceptional. Wick is
present on the job a large part of the time, and does an
extensive part of the construction himself. He is licensed
(License #: 935073) and insured. Pancoast Construction, Inc.;
phone 510-520-9346; email dwickp@yahoo.com.
Robert
Need someone to install an ornamental metal fence
June 2009
I'm looking to install an ornamental metal fence with a couple
of entry gates(probably iron or aluminum) in our front yard and
am looking for someone who can do the job. I've tried
contacting some fencing companies, but for some reason haven't
gotten calls back (maybe the job is too small?) and the one
company that did get back to us wants $7500 which seems
absurdly expensive. I was hoping that someone can recommend a
handyman or gardener type person who would be willing to go
purchase the parts and install it for us. Has anyone had a
fence like this installed?
Jua
I recommend Mark Phillips for architectural metal.
http://www.markphilippsfabricator.com
Sally
Need woodworker for custom gate
May 2009
We are seeking a fencebuilder/woodworker/contractor (not sure
who is best for the job) to build a custom gate for the side
entry to our property. I have had long good neighbor fences
built on 2 sides of our home around our backyard garden, and
although functional, I would like more attention to detail for
our front gate. I am seeking a craftsperson who can manage
joinery, design details and create a very fine and finished
gate. It will have 2 wide doors that will require
stabilization. And we will need concrete poured behind the gate
as well, continuing from the driveway. I look forward to your
recommendations.
Jennifer
I would recommend Frank Ciccarelli at DecksbytheBay.com
(510)759-8536. He will help you design just the right thing, and
he is very thorough.
cjrsks
Try Andrew Ilsley - (510) 502-4411. He's got a full wood shop for
fabricating a custom gate to your specs, and he's a design genius
(Berkeley Architecture grad and lots of years doing this work).
Mr Hopkins
We just had a wonderful garden fence built by Hugh Globerson.
Hugh is easy to work with and was able to build a beautiful
fence we designed with him using a few photos of fences we
liked. He's very careful, hardworking, and was able to suggest
places we could save money without sacrificing the beauty of
the fence. He does decks, fences, cement work, and has a solid
background in landscaping techniques. His email is
hughglo@pacbell.net--please feel free to email me if you want
to come see the work he's done.
jknk
If you are really looking for a fantastic custom gate, you must
see Julian Hodges at www.julianhodges.com. He does amazing detail
work in which everything is absolutely custom. His website shows
some fantastic work. Very top quality.
Sue
There is a great woodworker named David Fitch in Berkeley - his
site is www.HeirloomWoodworks.com - he specializes in high-end,
custom furniture, but I know he likes developing relationships
with clients so he is willing to work on smaller projects with
you and the caliber of his stuff is amazing. We were
recommended to him by an interior designer and even though we
only wanted a small coffee table at first, he was happy with
that and then did everything from custom doors to a bedframe
and armoire for us and various friends of ours. His number is
415-830-6280 or 808-864-9691 - he's by the Berkeley Aquatic
Park.
L R
We highly recommend Aron Lewandowski for this kind of work. He is a
woodworker -
his company is called Woodsoul Designs and he loves doing custom work.
He also
does kitchen/bath remodels and custom shelving. He does high quality
work at
affordable rates. His number is 510-435-5419 and email is
woodsouldesign@yahoo.com. Hope this helps.
Happy with shelves
Jennifer,
I recommend Jason Stearns of kunstbau+kids 415-420-3185. He is a
licensed contractor with great design sense and training in
traditional Japanese joinery. He has installed some beautiful
gates, several of which can be viewed on his website:
kunstbaukdb.com His designs are beautiful and he is a certified
green builder so uses care to select FSC (Forest Stewardship
Council) lumber. His attention to detail includes installing
designs that will hold up to use over time so you can enjoy the
gate for many years.
ilanala
Need recommendation to build fence and gates for new home
April 2009
We just recently moved into our home and the back yard is a
jungle! We had someone clean up the poison oak and weeds, but
now need a fence and possibly grass, etc. depending on cost.
$$$ is a major factor. Any recommendations for someone who does
work that is very reasonably priced?
Thanks so much for your help.
T.
I highly recommend Ariel Cabrera (510-393-1772). He's a great
carpenter and handyman and has done numerous projects on our
house and many of our friends' houses. He is meticulous, kind
and very reasonable, and always gives great advice on how to fix
a problem and/or save money.
Lily
I have used the skills and services of Steve Rudy and Rare Earth Landscape for the last
ten years. His bids have always been reasonable--and in the range of other
contractors -- and he's really pleasant to work with. I've given his name to others who
have been really happy with his work. His number is 510-524-8794.
Rachel
Seeking fence contractor
Feb 2009
I am seeking an independent contractor who can help me put up
(actually extend) a wooden fence and iron gate. I am hoping
that
this will cost less than the quoted price of $25-35 per foot
that
I got from a company near by.
If anyone knows any very competent handymen who has experience
in
fence building, landscaping, etc, please let me know. I would
appreciate some referrals.
Thank you.
I would love to recommend Pete Whipple of Limescape Landscape
and Construction for your landscaping help. 925 640 2036. He is
timely, his pricing is reasonable, and he is very knowledgeable. He
has done fencing, gates and our mailbox post for us. My neighbor
saw his work and hired him to do their fence and gates as well. I
love his attention to detail and he makes sure he understands your
needs and gets your ideas before he jumps into the job. I was
totally happy with his work in every aspect. He is also a general
contractor and I've seen many of his remodels which are great and
he has fixed many problems in our house that were done by not so
great contractors! I'd give Pete and call. Good Luck! Tia Riebling
tia
Economical Fence Repair?
Dec 2008
We live in the El Sobrante area and had some of our fence post blow
down last winter. I want to find a good, inexpensive
(don't we all) person to reapir them. Thanks.
GaryB
Try Don at DD's Fences and Decks. He did an excellent fence
repair and addition for us, at a very reasonable cost.
His number is 510-207-2087.
happy customer
Fence design and installation
Dec 2008
I need someone to help me design and install a long and tall
metal fence along the front of our house. We have a large garden
that is infested with deer and would like a way to keep them out
but not be so cut off from seeing the street, hence the desire for
an attractive metal fencing system. We live in the Berkeley Hills
and would appreciate working with someone local. Any
recommendations would be much appreciated.
I cannot commend highly enough the work of Wood Street Builders.
WSB is a woman-owned company, run by Khaia McGill. I don't know
if it's because she is a woman, or simply because she's a
consummate professional, and perfectionist, but working with
Khaia is a real pleasure. I hired her to install a gas fireplace
in my small condominium. Khaia put together a very thoughtful and
detailed plan utilizing an unused corner. The result was not only
a fireplace that can be enjoyed from almost anywhere in the front
of my unit because of its careful positioning, but it looks like
it has been there all along. Khaia also had the foresight to
figure out how to hang my flat screen tv above the fireplace, and
integrate a''nook'' where the components are hidden away C3 all into
this modest corner. I asked her in all seriousness to sign her
work when she was done, but she humbly declined.
Don't let her laid back personality fool you, Khaia has a solid
foundation of knowledge, and an artists eye. She will also
patiently explain as much as you want to know about your project.
While on the job she is completely professional, neat, and puts
the toilet seat down after using (I consider this to be a bonus).
She is licensed, and has a network of other sub-contractors she
will use if deemed necessary.
Her contact:
Khaia McGill
Tel: 510.734.8406
E-mail: khaia@woodstreetbuilders.com
Polly
Haven Builders did a great job for us on our project--give the
owner a call--Rick Patterson 510-978-1786 or E-mail him at
rick@havenbuilders.net You can call me if you want more details--
Connie
We were thrilled with the beautiful work done for us by Jose
Curiel. The fence between our house and our downhill neighbor
needed to be replaced, and we'd been told by another contractor
that simply replacing the fence on that side would be fine. I
wasn't comfortable with that because the corner post seemed to
be
losing support from the earth eroding away under it. We didn't
mention this to Mr. Curiel before he looked at the fence. He
immediately saw the problem and suggested that a new corner post
was needed. He gave us a fence with beauty for both us and our
neighbor to appreciate, and I swear he built a foundation for
the
corner of our yard that completely eased my mind about any
further erosion problems. And he did this in two days for the
same price other folks were going to charge us for the
replacement of the wooden part alone. I can't praise the
quality
of his work enough. He's an honest workman, and he really knows
his craft. I recommend him VERY highly!
Kate S.
Gate - wood craftsman style?
Nov 2008
Does anyone have a referral for someone who can build a craftsman style wooden
gate?
Jean
Joe Sampietro builds BEAUTIFUL craftsman style gates. He just
finished a gorgeous redwood gate for the front side of our house,
and we could not be happier with it. He's a true craftsman -- he
carefully took into account the style of our particular house
(1930s Mission bungalow) when creating a gate that would best
complement it. I also think his rates are reasonable given the
quality of the work -- from the top-rate construction and
materials to the beautiful, striking, yet refined design. He's
also a really nice guy, very easy to work with. You can check out
his website at seaviewfencesandgates.com or call him at 510 526-1771.
Megan
We recently had a gate custom made for our home in Berkeley and we
adore it!
Neighbors stop on the street to say how beautiful it is. I strongly
recommend Joe
Sampietro. You can reach him at 510 526-1771, and visit his website =
www.seaviewfencesandgates.com
Happy Client of Joe Sampietro
Re: Gate for our backyard
Sept 2008
I recommend Spencer Wolfe, of Wolfe Landscape Construction in
Oakland. He is a landscaper who
specializes in construction work--a few years back he made a
lovely gate for the side entrance to our back yard. He is a
great guy, on top of being quite talented. His website is
http://www.wolfelandscapeconstruction.com/
Good luck.
Amy
I would recommend Frank Ciccarelli at Decks By the Bay 510
759-8536. He built a lovely gate for us and a very sturdy fence
and retaining wall. He has a good sense of design and will work
with you to come up with ideas for your space if you want
something unique.
Christian
Need to replace part of a fence
Sept 2008
I need a portion of my fence replaced. Can someone recommend
someone they've had a good experience with in the past.
Thanks,
leslie
I wanted to add a word of caution to the recommendations for
Frank Ciccarelli. I read glowing praise about him in the
archives, and after meeting with a number of people, hired him to
build a deck based on his lovely portfolio and his personality.
The project was complicated, granted (we had out of date plans,
and Frank was very creative in helping to find a way to get the
plans redone in an inexpensive way), but it was clear he was in
way over his head. I made the mistake of giving Frank more and
more money, even though he wasn't making progress beyond getting
permits. After about a year, and when he stopped returning my
phone calls and email messages, I started action to take him to
small claims court. When he got the notice from the court, this
got his attention, and we worked out a payment plan. I was
satisfied in the end, but I could have been out many thousands of
dollars.
Frank is not a licensed contractor, he is more of a craftsman. I
think he trades a lot on his personality (he is very charming).
He really wanted to do the job without a permit, even though it
was a large deck on the front of a house (and there are
contractors who live in the neighborhood). He never wrote up an
agreement, even though I asked for one several times.
Fortunately, I documented all of our conversations and
transactions -- after each conversation, I would send him an
email outlining what I thought we had agreed to.
I subsequently hired someone else (also not a contractor, Andres
Jara) who did a great job. I managed the permitting process
myself. Given all the problems that Frank had, I was expecting a
complete nightmare, but I was surprised to find how completely
straightforward it was and I never had any problems. The project
was finished about 3 months after it started and was done at the
same price as Frank had bid.
This was the first time I hired anyone to do anything on the
house, and I learned a lot in the process. DO NOT pay more up
front than you should (I think this is 10% of the job or $2K,
whichever is less). GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING. Work with the city
(of Oakland) yourself, they would rather deal with a homeowner
than a someone who is not a contractor. Follow through matters
more than personality. Trust your gut -- when someone stops
returning calls, do something.
Merrilee
I highly recommend Josh Tomlinson. He designed and built a redwood
fence and 2 gates for our backyard (in addition to some stone work -
granite patio and steps - and a small Trex deck). In addition to being
an absolute craftsman with great design ideas, Josh is a very good
communicator. He took the time to talk through what we wanted and
presented a number of options we could decide among based on our budget
(I thought his prices were quite reasonable compared to other bids we
received and the tremendous quality of his work). He always kept us up
to date on the progress of his work. Also, he was very thoughtful about
ensuring for the longevity of the fence. The lower part of the fence
serves as a retaining wall and he created a drainage system to guide
ground water/runoff away from the fence. You can see some of Josh's
work on his web site http://www.dialoguedesignbuild.com/ and can reach
him at 510) 325-1917. Jeff
I wanted to second the previous recommendation for Josh
Tomlinson. Not only is he ''an absolute craftsman'' who takes the
time to ensure his solution is the best for your needs, he's
also meticulous on the business side, always producing timely
contracts and payment schedules and any amendments required by
changes in the scope of work. Finally, he's extremely
considerate of your scheduling needs. I had a toddler during
construction, and he did his best to work around her nap time.
I'll be glad to answer any specific questions you may have.
Ana
New fence and gate for front yard
Sept 2008
We'd like to a replace our current gate and enclose our front
yard with a new fence. We're in Oakland and would like to hear
from the BPN community who's reputable and who to stay away
from.
Thanks!
marie
I would recommend Frank Ciccarelli at Decks By the Bay 510
759-8536. He built a lovely gate for us and a very sturdy fence
and retaining wall. He has a good sense of design and will work
with you to come up with ideas for your space if you want
something unique.
Christian
Joe Sampietro - Seaview Fences and Gates. He has a website -
google seaview fences and gates. I always refer Joe for fence and
gate work. He does quality work and has a good eye for design.
You sometimes might have to wait a few months as he's forever busy.
Jeff
I highly, highly recommend Frank Ciccarelli. He does beautiful
work and can craft any type of fencing. The fence he built for
me 20 years ago is still in great shape and over the years I
have used him for a number of projects (rebuilding stairs, new
gate, and other sundry outdoor carpentry jobs). He
specializes, though, in fences, gates, and decks. He's
reliable, trustworthy, tremendously skilled, and a heck of a
nice guy. You can view his work at www.decksbythebay.com.
Frank can be reached at 510-759-8536. He's the best.
Stacey
Need to repair shared fence
April 2008
Our neighbors and I are in search of a someone (or company) to fix our
mutual fence that's on somewhat ''shaky ground'' since that big storm
in January and is barely standing. It would entail clearing out a ton
of ivy that surrounds and lives on the fence, and building up a new
fence. If anyone has any recommendations for someone reliable and
reasonably priced, can you let me know? We're in San Rafael. Thank
you!!
Molly
I highly recomend Marco Florian, he did the most fabulous job
on our fence. He is very reasonably, very reliable and hard
working man. He is very easy to work with. He also does any job
from title, painting, sheet rock, etc.
You can call him directly @ 510-301-5629
Fence and gate bukder needed
Feb 2008
Can anyone recommend an honest, knowledgable, skilled,
professional, and punctual (in terms of time) fence and gate
builder? Part of our back yard fence collasped during a new year
eve storm, plus our three gates already have fallen appart before
that. We also have little creek running by our property. We got
soon-to-be toddlers at home, and we want to put up a fence so
that they will not fall off to the creek.
We would like to have a simple in design, yet very sturdy 6 feet
fence with good quality wood all around our back yard (applox.
100 feet or so), and three gates to replace our current ones.
Our back yard is sloped, so we would like to make sure that the
person is skilled to work with a sloped property.
What I do not like to have is a cheap fence which is ready to
collapse again within 5 to 10 years.
I looked at UCB parent network recommendation, but it seems that
the recommendation is either limited to only a few builders. I
have called several of them, but only one person had returned my
call. I need more recommendation. Thank you.
mika
I highly recommend Peter Keenan, Alameda Fence Company. He is
based in Alameda and has done great work -- fences, kid proof
gates that our toddler ''rides'' on (ie, they are that strong) etc.
He shows up, works hard & gets the job done. He has built us a
beautiful arbor over one of the gates as well. He uses high
quality redwood - if you are going to compare his bid to others,
you need to find out if you comparing the same grade redwood. If
you can't find his number, call Encinal Hardware in Alameda -
that's where we got his info.
great fences
I used Peter Keenan to build a cedar fence and gates in my
backyard and I would recommend him. I originally got his name
from BPN a couple of years ago. He gave me various options,
suggested ways to lower the cost and was quick and responsive
when there was a problem with the lock on one of the gates.
His email address is daseinpek@sbcglobal.net. I don't have his
phone number but it should be in earlier BPN posts.
LT
I would like to recommend Matthew Whalley (his company is
called Whalley Construction). He is a licensed general
contractor and does high quality work at competitive prices.He
does all the estimating and the actual work himself so you
don't have to worry about who will show up to do the job. He
completes his jobs on time and communicates with his clients
thruout the whole process. I have recommended him to a lot of
people I know and all have agreed that he is very reliable and
easy to work with. There are a lot of photos of fences and his
other projects on his website, whalleyconstruction.com and you
can also call him on 925-366-6199.
Hope this helps
Eileen
I would like to recommend Celtic Homes Services 510-499-2828 for
deck construction and repair. Imve used them on jobs around the
house in the past and they are always punctual, neat and
affordable. They are also fantastic about returning phone calls.
You are welcome to email if you have questions.
Lazar Landscaping built a beautiful, high quality redwood fence for
us last summer, with a lovely double-gated entrance and charming
cut-outs, and a trellis on one section.
Their business includes designers as well
as skilled carpenters, and our fence blends in well with
our 1912 Craftsman home, though it uses the basic components of
most other redwood fences you see around. Visit their website to see examples.
I highly recommend them! G.O.
July 2007
Just wanted to say that we just worked with Joe Sampietro of
Gate Designs and we had a great experience. He came up with an
attractive design for three gates and a small side fence that
covered our driveway. He was easy to work with and flexible.
We have received many compliments about the design and
workmanship of the gates. He can be contacted at
joesampietro[at]yahoo.com.
LS
Would like to recommend woodworker, Joe Sampietro, of Gate
Designs should you need a smart, beautiful gate and fence. Joe
is a great guy with an eye for detail, uses quality products,
and can creatively balance design asthetics with functionality.
We wanted a nice, simple, clean, and elegant, yet modern gate
that would compliment our 1920's bungalow. Joe is very creative
and builds to compliment your homes architectural style. If you
are looking for drop dead cheap, run of the mill stuff- this
aint. But if you are looking for a custom, simple, creative, or
even one of a kind design this is a guy that you should bring
on your project. He specializes in old growth woods and will
work with you to help achieve your design ideas within your
budget. As far as pricing goes, he does have a range- I would
say that he starts at the mid range to the sky's the limit. But
again, this is for great craftsmanship and beautiful wood.
Contact Joe at: joesampietro[at]yahoo.com or 510 526-1771. He can
email photos of his work.
glangc
April 2007
We wanted a unique fence that would compliment and add charm to
our house while giving a ''pop'' to the curb appeal.
We hired Joe Sampietro from Gate Designs who specializes in
craftsman style gates, fences and doors. His work is
exceptional and his attention to detail unsurpassed. Joe
skillfully analyzed our home to determine the best choices for
type, style and height of the fence and gates. Joe also
incorporated our ideas so we definitely felt like the process
was collaborative.
The detailed work resulted in the fence taking longer to build
than a typical fence, but we are more than happy with the
results and the numerous compliments we get from neighbors is
telling.
If you're looking to add a unique new fence or gate to your
home then I recommend Joe. Joe Sampietro - 510-526-1771 or
joesampietro[at]yahoo.com.
Kristin
We recently had a fence designed and built by Joe Sampietro at
our Berkeley home. He did an outstanding job. Our project
included 2 gates and a complete backyard fence. Joe created a
fence that gave us privacy, security for our dog and the fence
actually made our yard look better. He carefully chose the
best redwood that fit our price range and matched the pieces
well. You can reach Joe at Joe Sampietro - Gate Designs
joesampietro[at]yahoo.com
Cathy S.
Feb 2007
We recently had about 100 feet of 6' deer fence built on our
property. I met with several fence builders who seemed affable
and experienced, but ultimately chose Jose Curiel. Recommended on
BPN, Jose was punctual, flexible, and generous with his time and
suggestions. We are so pleased with the job. His number
(510)821-4270.
Cheers
Hilary
June 2006
I can highly recommend Matthew Whalley for fence work. He has done several projects for me
and I have referred to my family and friends and everyone has been very happy with his work.
He is professional and reliable and does a great job.
His number is: 925.366.6199
s.maher
I have to second the posting for Peter Keenan of K&S Fencing
(Alameda). He was so wonderful to have around(with my young kids) and
his fence and deck are beautiful. He has great suggestions, he's
honest, reliable, quick, friendly and very reasonable. When we are
ready to build our next fence(a long one 75ft one) on our property I
will definately call him back.
Maya
May 2006
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
We recently replaced a fence and hired Peter Keenan of K&S Fences
(865-1100). He did a fantastic job and was very nice to work with.
He gave us a bid within two days as promised, showed up when he
said he would, and did the job including hauling the old stuff
away. I highly recommend him.
Jennifer
April 2006
For the person looking for gate and/or fence builders, I'd like to recommend Joe
Sampietro of Gate Designs for distinctive gates and fences. Specializing in
reclaimed old-growth redwood and cedar, he'll work with you, the landscape, and your
home's architecture to create elegant entryways and borders. You can phone or email
him for a free consultation at your home or business and he has digital photos and
references available on request.
joesampietro[at]yahoo.com
(510) 526-1771
Dianne
March 2006
Hired Kennedy (lic 029820) of Paradise Landscape, for a small but very easy fence and
gate install and found him to be unreliable. He was referred by ______. Kennedy's
work was sloppy (crooked fence boards), which he promised to correct but never did.
Once he got paid, left the gate unfinished and did not return (repeated) calls.
Besides, his work on the gate was so flimsy that it had to be completely taken out.
Ultimately, we had to hire someone else to finish the gate and do it right.
Anon
February 2006
My landscaper, Jose Curiel, just redid a fence in our backyard to match an exiting fence. He is not a licensed contractor, but I am much happier with the fence he built than with the other fence done by ________. Jose listens well and was on the job the whole time so that the fence turned out the way we discussed it. With the other company there was poor communication between Mr. Beckworth and the crew and I had to pay extra money to have them redo things that looked quite poorly and were not well thought out. Jose's number is 510-821-4270. Feel free to contact me with questions.
Judy
Posting a message for quality fence work and gate. I went online to look for referrals. After an round around, I found Peter from K&S Wooden Fencecraft at 510 865 1100, who actually does the fence work with his nephew on site and does not send crews. He works with you on the design and works with the highest quality redwood. He was a delight to work with and brings experience and poetry. Please email me for any questions - susan
August 2005
After interviewing MANY people we chose Peter Keenan from Alameda to build our fence, gate and small garden deck. He mainly works in Alameda, Berkeley and Oakland, but came out to Orinda to do the job for me.
Peter is straight forward, no BS, no exorbitant prices (he buys his lumber wholesale), he completed a computer drawing of the fence and gate he was going to build for me and he completed the job on time. My children and I enjoyed having him around, and he allowed my boys to "help" him (at the end of the day he gave them a $1 for "working hard"!).
I believe I got the recommendation from this network!
K&S Fences, Peter Keenan (510) 865-1100
maya
April 2005
Someone asked for a recommendation regarding a fence. I've never posted before, and I usually read recommendations with skeptism because I assume they're posted by friends or family. But I just had a really great experience with a fence guy, and someone asked for a recommendation, so here it is. FYI, I have no connection to him other than the fact that we hired him to do the work. We had a fence that needed partial repair and partial rebuild. I tried to get a number of bids, but most people wouldn't show up or said the job was too small. Peter from K&S fencing not only showed up, he gave me a timely bid, did great work, and was wonderful to work with. He's at 510-865-1100. I didn't check his references before I hired him, but I'm happy to be a reference for him. I highly recommend him.
Rebecca
We are in the process of having our fence and gate built right now by Peter Keenan of K&S Fencing (510) 865-1100. I looked at 7 bids for our fence, gate, a small garden deck and repairing a bench. I rcvd a bid from a very large fence company (Borg in Pleasant Hill), a mid-size landscaping company that specializes in fences and a number of single artisan type people. I knew from the moment I met Peter that he would be the one to build our fence! He's honest, straight forward about what the job entails, thorough(he does a computer drawing of your fence so you know exactly what it will look like), nice, and does great work. His quotes were very very reasonable, in fact a little cheaper than the large fence company. He also has access to very nice redwood lumber at a good price. My deck looks beautiful and the half of my fence and gate that is up is very nice.
When I was interviewing fence people, I had one artisan type say, "You know, I don't do bids. You either like my work and hire me or you don't." Well, I do bids, and I'm glad I did! Peter is giving me exactly what I want at a reasonable price.
Anon
August 2004
We just had our fence repaired by a really great guy. He
was dependable, honest, reliable, relatively inexpensive,
and did a very good job. He returned my phone calls and
gave me a fair estimate in a reasonable time. His name is
Tom; phone number: 601-5576.
Toby
March 2004
Hi,
David Ward at Sticks-n-Stones is really good. His number
is 658-5863.
anon
We had a great redwood fence built a year ago by Eric
Manou. He was terrific to work with -- timely,
professional and pleasant -- and the fence is handsome and
well-built. His bid was also the lowest of the three we
got. I would use him again. Eric Manou: 510-597-1790.
tyche
June 2003
I highly recommend Matthew Whalley (925) 366-6199 for deck,
gate and fence work. He built a sturdy and beautiful picket
fence, a backyard fence, awning, and a 6 Ft gate. His
estimate was the lowest and reasonable. My deck architect
was highly impressed with the quality of his work. He was
efficient, punctual, great to work with, and cleaned up.
Contrary to a previously posted messsage, he happily
painted the picket fence and the awning, stained the back
fence and did a superb job. His workmanship, rate and
attitude are out of this world. I recommend him highly.
Jan 2003
Does anyone have experience with JV Fence? Also, any
recommendations for deck cleaning and refinishing?
Terri
JV Fence just completed a fencing job for us not more than
2 weeks ago. They built an approximately 75 foot ''good
neighbor'' fence in 2 days (3-4 man crew)! They were clean,
courteous and very competitive with regard to rates. The
quality of work was far superior to the work a different
company had done for us on the other side of our yard the
previous year. We would not hesitate to recommend them.
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
We recently did lots of fencing, and liked our fence builder,
William Earl Roberts, 510-841-8830
Karen
June 2002
We're hoping to get a recommendation for a good company or
person to put in a wooden fence for our front yard and do
some other misc construction work, both indoors and out.
Any good people/companies out there?
- rsladekn
We recently hired Eric Manou to install a 100 foot
section of fencing and also to do trenching/piping work
to tie in our gutters to underground drains. We were
very pleased with his work and recommend him
wholeheartedly.
- Vali
June 2002
In reponse to the postings re: deck builder/contractor Bill
Roberts, the phone number is 510 841-8830. If it is busy
in the evening, the teenage daughter is probably on-line.
Best to leave a message during the day. Although he
prefers to use the phone, e-mail messages can also be sent
to me & I will give them to him:
randice at uclink4.berkeley.edu (He will respond by
telephone, so be sure to leave a phone number.)
Randice
I have a close friend who owns a fencing company. I've never used her
services, but
knowing her personally I'm sure she's great and very reasonable. The
company is called
CVFENCE Co. Phone number is 581-6116 or 1-877-57-FENCE Good luck!
Monica
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.
2001
Matthew Whalley, whose name we got from this list, did a
good job on our white picket fence for a reasonable price (925-366-6199). He
painted the fence a bit unwillingly and the paint job was poor, but the
fence structure and gate were fine.
I highly recommend Frank Ciccarelli (382-9179). He put in a fence for us 12 years ago which is
still in great shape. He's dependable and honest, and helpful with suggestions. We've had him
do some other basic carpentry work around our house this past year. You can tell him I
recommended him.
-Stacey
I recommend my brother-in-law Brian Zirkelbach. In addition to building fences, he
has experience in a variety of construction/remodeling projects including stucco,
framing, bath and kitchen remodels. He did the drywall for the ceilings and walls in
our 1928 Oakland home. Last month, he replaced four single-pane windows in our
home with new-construction, vinyl, double-paned, low-e windows.
His most recent project was a lovely, elevated playhouse for a Lafayette family. You'll
find his rates reasonable and his attitude exemplary.
Contact Brian directly at bmzirk at hotmail.com.
Stella
We just had a new fence built by Roger MacGreggor, (510) 562-2095.
Roger does truly fine work. We have had any number of people stop and admire
our fence and the neighbors love it. The design was largely my wife's (she's
a woodworker too) and so the two of them got into the gorey details. Some of
his design suggestions proved to be perfect, complimenting the style of our
house.
Two snags: He's not super cheap (but waaay cheaper than some other bids we
got!), and he can be a little hard to get moving. His passion appears to be
building fences, not business. Having seen several examples of his work
around North Berkeley, we were confident all along that the fence would be
great and that it would get finished.
I happen to know that business is slow for him right now (like the rest of
us) so now would be a good time to talk.
He has pictures of our fence in his portfolio, but if you'd like to see it
in the flesh, as it were, drop me an email message (johnt at acm.org) and I'll
give you the address.
Regarding permits: We did NOT need a permit. AFAIK, only fences taller than
six feet need a permit. Beware of arbors or pagodas or the like: Berkeley
(for weird historical reasons) discourages them, imposing a stiff permit
fee. The folks at the one-stop permit office are very helpful, so best to
check the facts with them. They are very good about cutting through red tape
and will give you straight answers on the spot.
Good luck!
--John
I was very happy with Peter Keenan (865-1100) who built a fence for our dog a
couple of years ago. His workmanship was good, he was showed up when planned
and carried out the job efficiently, and he even composed a beautiful poem
about our yard and dog as a parting gift. I'd recommend him highly.
July 2005
We are in need of a fence to be put up ASAP. Any suggestions? We got one quote for a straight line of fence 45 feet long for $5,500. I just can't believe that is the going rate, I mean, it was a quote for a fence 6 feet high with an additional trellis on top, but can it really be so expensive? We need it to block out sound of unattended children in neighboring daycare and the director of said day care who is violent and verbally abusive. Having baby in August-Help!
good fence, good neighbor
You mentioned the primary goal of the fence is to block out sound from voices next door. A wooden fence will attenuate, but not eliminate the sound of voices. Cinder block would be somewhat more effective, but neither is likley to render the voices inaudible. I'm a sound engineer, and I suggest you contact an acoustician for advice--you could easily spend the $5,000 and still have to listen to the folks nextdoor.
rudy
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