--- title: "O'Brien Contractors — General Contractors | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/general-contractors/o-brien-contractors-pfvwus-pf~1669998822 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~1669998822.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "O'Brien Contractors" category: ["General Contractors"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/a2f338a202d41882_3659-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "Pleasanton, California 94566, United States" phone: "(925) 989-8747" website: http://contractorsobrien.com rating: 5 review_count: 9 best_of_houzz_awards: 3 followers: 8 last_updated: 2026-08-27 --- # O'Brien Contractors Original Houzz profile: [O'Brien Contractors](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/general-contractors/o-brien-contractors-pfvwus-pf~1669998822) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** General Contractors - **Location:** Pleasanton, CA - **Serves:** Fremont, Concord, Livermore, San Ramon, Pleasanton, Dublin, Castro Valley, Brentwood, Discovery Bay, Blackhawk, Sunol - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (9 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 3 awards (2015–2026), for Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Recommended on Houzz General Contractor with over 35 years of experience specializing in high-quality home renovations and custom construction. Our services include custom remodels, room additions, whole-house renovations, kitchen and bathroom transformations, in-home bars, window replacement, detailed moulding and finish work, decks, outdoor kitchens, arbors, and lighting design. We take pride in delivering craftsmanship, reliability, and a seamless client experience from concept to completion. Whether you're updating a single room or reimagining your entire home, we provide the expertise and attention to detail needed to bring your vision to life. ### Services Provided - Home Remodeling - Bathroom Remodeling - Kitchen Remodeling - General Contracting - Home Additions - Custom Homes - New Home Construction - Home Extensions - Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) - Deck Building - Guesthouse Design & Construction - Flooring Installation - Garage Building - Outdoor Kitchen Construction - Pool House Design & Construction - Porch Design & Construction - Project Management - Custom Home Bars - Tile Installation - Countertop Installation - Energy-Efficient Homes - Window Replacement - Green Building - Window Installation - Wood Floor Installation - Shower Installation - Siding Installation - Vinyl Flooring Installation - Exterior Door Installation - Stair Installation - Laminate Flooring Installation - Drywall Installation - Wine Cellar Installation - Sliding Door Installation - Trim Work - Sustainable Design - Shed Design & Construction - Lighting Installation - Crown Molding Installation - Baseboard Installation - Wood Siding - Wainscoting - Stucco Installation - Subfloor Installation - Stone Installation - Drywall Texturing - Wheelchair Ramp Installation - Linoleum Flooring Installation - Tile Cutting - Range Hood Installation ### Areas Served - Fremont - Concord - Livermore - San Ramon - Pleasanton - Dublin - Castro Valley - Brentwood - Discovery Bay - Blackhawk - Sunol ### Typical Job Cost $2,000 - 1 million ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | O'Brien Contractors | | Address | Pleasanton, California 94566, United States | | Phone | (925) 989-8747 | | Website | http://contractorsobrien.com | | License Number | 750337 | | Followers on Houzz | 8 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — O’Brien Contractors - Blog — contractorsobrien.com ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [O'Brien Contractors](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/general-contractors/o-brien-contractors-pfvwus-pf~1669998822) - **Website:** http://contractorsobrien.com - **Phone:** (925) 989-8747 ## Credentials - **Best of Houzz:** 3 awards (2015–2026), for Service. ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 9 reviews** *Aspect averages:* - Work Quality: 50.0 - Communication: 50.0 - Value: 50.0 ### All 9 reviews **★★★★★ — HU-113681337, Dec. 2025** > I’m absolutely thrilled with my newly remodeled home! Partnering with James was an exceptional experience—he promised to transform my 3,300-square-foot space in just 3.5 months, and he delivered flawlessly. Every detail was executed to perfection. Throughout the journey, James was incredibly responsive, keeping me informed and ensuring every item on the punch list was handled with care. I would highly recommend them and happy to share more info if needed. **Comment from O'Brien Contractors:** > Thank you so much for the kind review! We truly enjoyed working with you and are thrilled to hear you’re happy with both the process and the final result. It was a pleasure bringing your vision to life. **★★★★★ — Jim and Jane Benham, Dec. 2025** > We bought a 25 year old home in Livermore that needed some updating. We interviewed three different contractors to upgrade our kitchen and decide to go with O’Brien Contractors. James O’Brien, the owner, works with Jennifer Bell, owner of Enotive Design. What a great team, Jennifer made several suggestions and with her designs, James and his team did an amazing job on our kitchen. We were so pleased with the kitchen, we had James upgrade and remodel our powder room, guest bathroom, master bathroom, build a new wine bar and remove our old fireplace and replace with a beautiful modern design. He also removed the columns in our dining room opening up the dining, living room. My wife and I can honestly say, we are 100% satisfied with his and his team’s work as well as all of Jennifer’s suggestions and designs. Together, they have turned our 25 year old house into a very comfortable, more contemporary home. He was reasonably priced and competitive with the other two contractors. We highly recommend O’Brien Contractors and Enotive Design. **Comment from O'Brien Contractors:** > Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience. It was truly a pleasure working with you both. We’re grateful you chose O’Brien Contractors after interviewing several companies, and we’re thrilled to know that your newly updated home is bringing you so much comfort and joy. > Your kitchen project set the tone, and watching the transformation unfold—from the powder room and guest bath to the master suite, wine bar, and fireplace—was incredibly rewarding for our entire team. Opening up the dining and living area by removing the columns was a standout moment, and we’re glad the new flow and design feel right for how you live in your home. > We also want to thank you for recognizing the collaboration with Jennifer at Enotive Design. Her ideas and design talent pair seamlessly with our team’s craftsmanship, and together we aim to make every project as smooth and inspiring as possible. > Your trust in us—and your recommendation—mean more than we can say. If you ever need anything in the future, we’re always here to help. > Warmest thanks, > James O’Brien > O’Brien Contractors **★★★★★ — gmk1, Oct. 2025** > Gary and Pat kirscher > We recently hired James to remodel a bathroom and couldn’t be more pleased with the results. The workmanship was great, the guys were really professional ( even cleaned up the job site each night), finished the job within budget and were extremely accommodating when we made a few changes in the middle of the project. We are pleased to be able to recommend James , Gary and Pat **Comment from O'Brien Contractors:** > Thank you for your review! It was a pleasure working with you! **★★★★★ — Dianne Thompson, Oct. 2025** > I hired O’Brien Contractors to remodel my bathroom, which included removing a tub, tub enclosure, surrounding tile, toilet and floor tile and replacing it with a new tiled shower, fixtures/faucets, glass enclosure, new toilet, floor tile, ceiling / accent lighting, painting of the renovated area and new sinks and faucets. In addition, they installed a beautiful ceiling fan in a bedroom. > > The O’Brien team was neat, cleaning up at the end of each day, making sure no construction material impacted the rest of my house. The tile work was complicated and completed in an outstanding manner. The plumbing, electrical and painting work were excellent. The team was customer focused, confirming each step along the way that they understood and met my expectations. > > The work done by O’Brien Contractors was excellent and I highly recommend them to anyone considering a remodel. **Comment from O'Brien Contractors:** > Hi Dianne, Your review made our day, thank you for the opportunity to make your vision real! **★★★★★ — Christopher Wyland, Jan. 2018** > We hired O'Brien Contractors to remodel our master bathroom, and move/install 4 windows. They were fantastic! We are extremely pleased with the outcome. There was a lot of construction involved to update our walls, windows, floors and plumbing, and they did it very professionally. They do it all! The team was very talented, polite, and organized. They did what they said they would do. James has a high level of integrity that we appreciate, and would hire him & his team again. We love our new bathroom!! **Comment from O'Brien Contractors:** > Thank you! Working with you was a great experience, we’re thrilled you love the outcome. **★★★★★ — Nancy Ann St-Laurent Interior Designs, April 2015** > I hired O'Brien Contractors (James) for a large scope project: new kitchen, new master bathroom, new flooring throughout the house and everything affected like paint, baseboards, electrical, plumbery, etc. There also was a load bearing wall to tear down and replace by beams. I had 3 other contractors meet with me and provide estimates, so I had done my homework. I can sum up the experience in three words: professionalism, promise to delivery kept and fair pricing. I can't think of anything more important when you remodel a home. The subcontractor he used were a good reflection and provided the same quality of work. **Comment from O'Brien Contractors:** > It was a pleasure working with you! Thank you for your review and for letting us be part of your home transformation! **★★★★★ — donnadubose, April 2015** > To let you know how pleased I was with James O'Brien and his workmanship: I was sorry to see him go. I've never said that about a contractor in my home. More typically, I'm counting down the days until the work is finished and the crew is gone. > > James took the shell of my existing cupboards and replaced all doors, drawers, and hardware, and sanded & spray painted the existing boxes - transforming all-oak kitchen cabinetry into a gorgeous light, tidy new kitchen. The new cabinets are off-white with beadboard and special trim. James also added roll out interior shelves, painted the kitchen, mounted new lights, and installed a stove and dishwasher. All work completed on time, on budget. > > The project started with James giving suggestions on ideas I may want to consider, along with project alternatives that impacted features and pricing. James is organized, all project milestones are written and respected and he keeps 100% focus on your project until the job is complete. He is immediately available in-person, by text, phone, or email if questions arise. Once James is on the case, he takes full responsibility for coordinating all players - his subcontractors along with any party the homeowner introduces. > > On his own, outside the scope of my kitchen project, multiple times James fixed minor things that he came across that were not operating properly. He didn't add additional fees or make a big to-do about his generosity, he just quietly went about getting his job done, and making other improvements as he went along. > > At one point there was an alignment in the cabinet hardware that James wasn't pleased with. When he pointed it out to me I encouraged him to leave it as-is because I couldn't detect anything out of line. But he insisted on redoing the work because, in his words, "I'm not putting my name on that." It's that kind of pride in his work that gets him so many repeat customers. > > Even after my kitchen was completed, I have called on James for professional recommendations as he is the "concierge of contractors." He has been in this area, in this business, for so long that he knows who is dependable and who is not, who charges a fair rate and who does not. > > I trust Jame's workmanship, honesty and judgment without reserve. Based on past performance, he's my contractor for life! **Comment from O'Brien Contractors:** > Hi Donna, thank you so much for your kind words and for your belief in our integrity and workmanship. We are happy to know that we met all of your expectations and we look forward to the possibility of working with you again! **★★★★★ — Karla Garcia, July 2014** > We are currently in the midst of our third project using James O’Brien Contractors. Since we are only allowed to post one review per contractor, I am including all three reviews in one. The projects are titled by date and type. The project cost reflects all three jobs. > > I first watched James work on a neighbors exterior stucco deck from our home office. The more the project progressed, the more problems they uncovered: Moisture, dry rot, termites....I watched, daily, as James and his team worked diligently worked to repair this “disaster”. When the job was completed, It looked amazing - as if there had never been a problem. > > As he was finishing up the job, I asked for his card. It read “Integrity is doing the right thing, even if nobody is watching.”. What James didn’t realize is that someone was watching, daily. So impressed by his workmanship and work ethic, when the time came for us to have a small job completed, it was James we contacted and used. > > SEPTEMBER 2013 - ASSORTED ITEMS THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE: Following some discussion with James about a laundry list of things we wanted to have done, we hired James to complete a number of items around the house: Painting both the upstairs and down stairs - this included all door frames (the doors and hinges were removed for proper completion of this) and baseboards, and the vaulted ceilings on both floors. I addition, framing, priming and painting an existing wall mirror, placing top caps and aprons on two half walls (also primed and painted) and installing a chair rail in an upstairs dressing area (primed/painted). > > The contract was reasonably priced and James took care of all the prep work, clean up, as well as providing all the wood material needed and the paint. He moved all of the furniture, lamps, plants and bookcases, covering everything carefully in plastic. The work was completed, doors replaced, furniture replaced, all debris was cleaned and disposed of, including any sawdust in the driveway. > > James was excellent about explaining what the days work was every morning. He was also outstanding in answering the many questions I would have. When it’s your home, you worry – especially when less professional contractors have been in your life! > > When all was completed, we were thrilled with the outcome and entire experience of working with James...it was time to tackle the kitchen.... > > MARCH 2014 – THE KITCHEN > First, it should be known that we were redoing a 30 year old kitchen by Morrison Homes, complete with dark cabinets, non adjustable shelves, 6” tile with dark grout and ancient appliances – hideous! > > James had his own team of contacts (countertops, cabinets, plumbing, doors) that he said we could choose to use or not. We did most of our own research and leg work, which saved us some money, but we did choose to use his team which was very wise. Since all of the entities must work together, it is critical that they all know what the other is doing PLUS keep in close communication with James. Their interaction together was phenomenal and it was obvious this group had worked together repeatedly, in the past. > > James suggested that we go with custom cabinets, rather than modular (pre built). It was sage advise and our cabinets are flawless and fit our space, well, as if they were made for it. They are simply stunning. (Brent’s Custom Cabinets) > > For our countertops, we chose recycled glass. Everlasting Surfaces works with Arizona Tile (both in Livermore) to produce what you choose. We chose our countertop from the endless selection at Arizona Tile, communicated our choice to Nancy at Everlasting Surfaces and the rest went into the well oiled “James machine” to be incorporated into this process. The counters are made from a template that is custom made to fit your cabinets, sink and fixtures once the cabinets have been installed. Make certain you have chosen the rest of your items, prior, which we had. When the countertops arrived all of the major work had been finished at their manufacturing location and only some fine tuning of backsplashes and fixture hole location was needed. The seams in the counter are virtually invisible. > > James’ plumber also did an outstanding job in having to relocate pipes as well as installing all of our fixtures – and even replacing some in the laundry room that he noticed were corroding and needed replacing. > > James’ is also a licensed electrician and did quite a bit of relocating electrical and adding fixtures, a new recessed light box, all new dimmable switches, receptacles in the cabinets and on the back splashes. > As always the utmost attention and respect was given to the rest of our home and belongings. Items are covered, protected, moved, whatever is needed. At the end of the day, whatever mess is cleaned up to the maximum it can be – things are swept, vacuumed, or wiped – inside and out. > > James is true perfectionist and this is reflected in his team. They are precise, knowledgeable, ask questions, give thorough answers and accommodate special or last minute requests (within reason, people!) without hesitation. They are all local (Pleasanton/Livermore) which we feel has an important value. > > The outcome – a kitchen we love! It is functional, looks beautiful and has added cost savings because of the lighting we chose. If we had to it over again, we would go straight to James again and use all of his people – how often can one say THAT after using a contractor? As stated in an earlier review, book early with James as he is in demand for good reason, but he is WELL worth waiting for...without question. > > JULY 2014 – FIRST FLOOR WINDOWS: > Once again we hired James to replace 30 year old windows on our first floor. As stated in my earlier reviews, James’ workmanship, precision, attention to detail and respect for our home, was spot on, as before. When James replaces windows, it includes everything associated with the window - the trim and stool and apron (sill). We were able to have the sill match the trim on the top caps done last year so everything ties in. In addition he also encased a poorly rough sawn beam that looked out of place with the contemporary finishes. It’s beautiful. James’ talents seem to be limitless. Once again, Bravo to James for an outstanding job! Next year we are redoing all the bathrooms with James, of course. If HOUZZ will let me add to this review, I will. > > UNFORTUNATELY I COULD ONLY CHOOSE 4 PHOTOS TO POST. **Comment from O'Brien Contractors:** > Hi Karla, Thank you for your review and thank you for your continued trust in bringing your visions to life. It’s always a pleasure to work with you! **★★★★★ — Patricia Arsenault, July 2014** > James has actually completed two different bathrooms in different homes, what I most appreciated is that he took the time to do it the right way, he always explained what he was doing and why it should be done for the long term. He made sure everything was done professionally w/o cutting corners. You may need to book him in advance, but he's truly worth the wait. You will not be disappointed. **Comment from O'Brien Contractors:** > Thank you for your review Patricia! We truly appreciate your feedback and are thrilled you’re happy with the work we’ve done. ## Selected projects - [High Castle](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/high-castle-pj-vj~6466965) - Location: Livermore, CA - Photos: 18 - [Rustic Whiskey Retreat](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/rustic-whiskey-retreat-pj-vj~6278799) - Location: Livermore, CA - Photos: 13 - [Orvieto Place](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/orvieto-place-pj-vj~6466971) - Location: Pleasanton, CA - Photos: 17 - [Arlene Way](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/arlene-way-pj-vj~6466994) - Location: Livermore, CA - Photos: 12 - [Douglas Drive](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/douglas-drive-pj-vj~5955619) - Location: Concord, CA - Photos: 25 - Description: This sprawling countryside ranch home needed three bathrooms, and a laundry room remodeled. Starting with the master bath, we enlarged the shower and created a curb-less entry, broad bench, and niche, with porcelain slabs. The clunky built-in tub area was replaced with a simple freestanding tub, wall-mounted faucet, placed on marble mosaic rug, that details the wall below the window. An energy efficient three-sided gas insert fireplace and stack stone wrap around floor to ceiling. In the main ba… - [Disco Bay Modern Update](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/disco-bay-modern-update-pj-vj~6278808) - Location: Discovery Bay, CA - Photos: 16 - [Marble Mosaic Master Bath](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/marble-mosaic-master-bath-pj-vj~5622163) - Location: Livermore, CA - Photos: 3 - Description: The master bath was reconfigured to have a large walk-in rain shower, that was bright and spacious with a marbled porcelain subway tile. The rain head fixture is recessed into the ceiling, the hardware is all oil-rubbed bronze, and it is accented with a delicate marble mosaic. The shower floor is an accented with a calcatta diamond mosaic. - [Bay View](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/bay-view-pj-vj~5955624) - Location: Castro Valley, CA - Photos: 18 - Description: This home was built in the 40s and had honey oak cabinets, a small window opening into the family room with a raised bar counter. The family room was lacking a space for a TV and storage. With the renovation, we painted the upper cabinets white, lowers a warm grey, opened the wall into the family room, and lowered the counter height to match. The two rooms now flowed together and felt much larger and open. A new wall was added to house a custom media cabinet and wall mount the TV: new appliances… - [Beaumont Court](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/beaumont-court-pj-vj~6130827) - Location: Pleasanton, CA - Photos: 40 - Description: This beautiful home was built in the early 2000s and had a Tuscan theme throughout, and every room was painted a different color with heavy draperies, and honey oak wood throughout. The family wanted a modern refresh without having to replace all the warm beige tile, and existing hardwood flooring, and for all the rooms to have a cohesive feel. By playing off the warm brown wood, beige tile, and the black mosaic design in the entry, we did white walls throughout the home and painted the railing,… - [Urban Modern Master Bath](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/urban-modern-master-bath-pj-vj~6278803) - Location: Livermore, CA - Photos: 12 - [Kitchen Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/kitchen-remodel-pj-vj~6136043) - Location: Castro Valley, California - Photos: 7 - Description: The client did not want to remove the existing cabinets so we came up with solutions to alter the existing cabinets by, changing hinges to soft close, installing a trash/recycling bin, removing wine cabinet and installing new doors, painted cabinets, inset the refridgerator to give it a built-in feel, tiled the back splash and walls, install new LED lighting both under counter and general lighting, and we install new counters with new sink and sink fixtures. - [Rees](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/rees-pj-vj~6466977) - Location: Livermore, CA - Photos: 12 - [6th Street](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/6th-street-pj-vj~6799456) - Location: Livermore, CA - Photos: 12 - Description: Enotive had the opportunity to design this outdated and poorly functioning bathroom into a luxurious and modern space. We decided to go with a classic yet sophisticated look and opted for a stunning marble mosaic accent tile for the vanity wall, and a classic black hexagon for the floors. The shower was expanded and the walls were done in a white porcelain slab with frameless glass and matte black fixtures. A custom walnut vanity with space for sitting, accented with matte brass hardware and smo… - [Saint Charles](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/saint-charles-pj-vj~6799449) - Location: Livermore, CA - Photos: 5 - [Puffin Lane](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/puffin-lane-pj-vj~6799439) - Location: Watsonville, CA - Photos: 25 - [Alamo Hills](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/alamo-hills-pj-vj~6799437) - Location: Alamo, CA - Photos: 34 - [Hopyard Road, Pleasanton, CA](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/hopyard-road-pleasanton-ca-pj-vj~7726590) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 11 - [Room Addition & Whole House Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/room-addition-and-whole-house-remodel-pj-vj~7721926) - Location: Alamo, CA - Photos: 14 [See all 18 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/general-contractors/o-brien-contractors-pfvwus-pf~1669998822) --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-08-27.*