--- title: "Santa Cruz Green Builders — Home Builders | Houzz" canonical_html_url: https://www.houzz.com/professionals/home-builders/santa-cruz-green-builders-pfvwus-pf~914853388 markdown_url: https://www.houzz.com/md/professionals/pf~914853388.md entity_type: LocalBusiness business_name: "Santa Cruz Green Builders" category: ["Home Builders"] image: https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/67a38b030198f433_9757-w400-h400-b0-p0--.jpg address: "303 Potrero St. Ste 45-105, Santa Cruz, California 95060, United States" latitude: 37.0313 longitude: -122.1198 phone: "(831) 419-0514" website: http://www.santacruzgreenbuilders.com rating: 5 review_count: 45 license_verified: true best_of_houzz_awards: 11 followers: 111 last_updated: 2026-08-17 --- # Santa Cruz Green Builders > New Homes and Remodels - Santa Cruz County Original Houzz profile: [Santa Cruz Green Builders](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/home-builders/santa-cruz-green-builders-pfvwus-pf~914853388) ## Professional summary - **Primary category:** Home Builders - **Location:** Santa Cruz, CA - **Serves:** Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, Soquel, Capitola, Opal Cliffs, Felton, Bonny Doon, Mount Hermon, Pasatiempo, Twin Lakes - **Verified License:** Yes - **Houzz rating:** 5.0 out of 5 (45 reviews) - **Best of Houzz:** 11 awards (2014–2026), for Design, Service. ## About ### Houzz Badges - Houzz Pro Software User - Star Houzzer - Houzz Influencer - Recommended on Houzz - 1,000 Ideabook Saves - Best of Houzz winner - Family owned - Eco-friendly - Verified Hires ### Business highlights - Best of Houzz winner - Eco-friendly - Family owned - 1 Verified Hire We are a Design/Build family business with 17+ years building homes and doing remodels in Santa Cruz county. We specialize in new residential and commercial projects and have our own in-house design team. We are passionate about building and work extremely hard to make the whole building process as easy as possible for clients. ### Services Provided - New Home Construction - Custom Homes - Home Remodeling - Home Additions - Home Extensions - Energy-Efficient Homes - House Plans - Guesthouse Design & Construction - Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) - Green Building - Sustainable Design - Kitchen Remodeling - Custom Home ### Areas Served - Santa Cruz - Scotts Valley - Soquel - Capitola - Opal Cliffs - Felton - Bonny Doon - Mount Hermon - Pasatiempo - Twin Lakes ### Typical Job Cost $50,000 - 3 million Cost varies depending on the scope of your project. We do everything from new homes, to commercial buildings, restaurants, ADU's, remodels, new kitchens, and decks. Contact us for more details! ## Business Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Business Name | Santa Cruz Green Builders | | Address | 303 Potrero St. Ste 45-105, Santa Cruz, California 95060, United States | | Phone | (831) 419-0514 | | Website | http://www.santacruzgreenbuilders.com | | License Number | 915349 | | Followers on Houzz | 111 | **Social profiles:** - Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/SantaCruzGreenBuilders - Blog — https://www.santacruzgreenbuilders.com ## Contact - **Houzz profile:** [Santa Cruz Green Builders](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/home-builders/santa-cruz-green-builders-pfvwus-pf~914853388) - **Website:** http://www.santacruzgreenbuilders.com - **Phone:** (831) 419-0514 ## Credentials **Verified License** - Number: 915349 - Type: B - GENERAL BUILDINGC10 - ELECTRICAL - Issued by: Department of Consumer Affairs Contractors State License Board **Certifications & Awards** - Best of Houzz 2014-2025 - City of Santa Cruz Green Building Award - First Certified "Passive House" in Santa Cruz County built by Santa Cruz Green Builders - **Best of Houzz:** 11 awards (2014–2026), for Design, Service. **Affiliations** - [U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/u-s-green-building-council-usgbc-pfvwus-pf~1797160658) - [Passive House Institute US](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/schools-and-organizations/passive-house-institute-us-pfvwus-pf~1579791328) ## Reviews **Overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 — 45 reviews** *Aspect averages:* - Work Quality: 50.0 - Communication: 50.0 - Value: 49.0 ### Featured Review **★★★★★ — Will Danner, Dec. 2024** > We did a four month remodel of our house with Green Builders and had a fantastic experience working with them. They helped us throughout the entire project - starting with creating the new floor plan and designing all of the details. We install new flooring throughout the house, flipped the kitchen and the living room, redid the entryway, redesign the staircase, built a new nursery and finished everything on time and on budget. Throughout the project, they communicated well and we’re always flexible when we ran into a problem or changed our mind about something. We will absolutely work with them again in the future and I would recommend them to anyone. **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Thanks for the review Will! It was fun and satisfying working on your project and trying to figure out solutions to all the little challenges. And it was so nice to work with you both. I love the new layout with the kitchen in the back. Merry Christmas to you and your little family! ### All 45 reviews **★★★★★ — Rob Genco, April 2026** > SCGB took our project from concept to full construction rebuild. This included, planning approval, COastal Commission approval, city permitting, in-house architectural design, in-house interior design, demolition, construction, and obtaining finals from the City of Santa Cruz! > > The entire project spanned about 24 months with many unforeseen hurdles and unexpected rewards along the way. But at the end of the project, we all walked away with new friends and a feeling of pride and accomplishment! > > The entire team was always professional, informed, enthusiastic, and expert in their various specialties. We have been living in the new home for over 5 months and not a single thing has disappointed us. > > The Project Manager, Aaron, was the charismatic leader of a full time crew of 2 (expanding to 7-8 at times) that always had a vision, a plan, and many times a backup plan, when something didn't go as we expected. > > In summary, we were happy in our choice of company and in their choice of the fantastic staff that accompanied us through the project. **★★★★★ — The Santa Cruz Millwork Team, Jan. 2026** > We absolutely love working with the team from Santa Cruz Green Builders to provide window and door solutions from Marvin for their remodeling and custom homebuilding projects in Santa Cruz. We work with a variety of folks from their design team, construction project management teams, as well as the owners Spencer and Taylor. Each interaction is professional and customer focused. The quality of their work and commitment to perfection is one of the many reasons we love supporting their building products with Marvin windows and doors. We've even hired them to do work on our Santa Cruz showroom. Highly recommend! **★★★★★ — Dee McRobie, Dec. 2025** > Santa Cruz Green Builders recently completed a full home remodel and addition for me and I'm delighted with the results. > Their quality of workmanship is second to none and their attention to detail is evident throughout the entire house. > > The project manager, Brian, was excellent. He provided timely updates and was immediately accessible by text or phone whenever I had a concern. I also engaged their interior design team and Genevieve was wonderful every step of the way. > The project stayed on schedule and the entire team were professional, respectful of my property, and kept the job site clean and safe throughout the build. > I would highly recommend Santa Cruz Green Builders and would use them again without hesitation. > I love my forever home. **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Thank you for the kind words Dee. It was such a pleasure working with you and turning your beautiful dream into fruition. We are a little sad to be done! We will see you around the neighborhood and don't hesitate to reach out if you ever need a tune up on anything! **★★★★★ — Homeowner, June 2025** > We were very pleased with the work on our house. Aaron and his team, John and Seth, were a pleasure to work with. Green Builders is fortunate to have Aaron as a PM. He is very good at anticipating potential issues and is very good at thinking on the fly on how to effectively address issues as they come up. > > The attention to detail and the quality of work was awesome and greatly appreciated. A job well done! > > Thank you. **★★★★★ — Christina Clark, Dec. 2024** > I chose Santa Cruz Green builders after an initial consultation with Taylor who gave me a a realistic price and understood the scope of working with a 1900 cottage.Aaron ran the project and was amazing -great communicator, easy going but detail oriented which gave me great confidence.John Work came up with an affordable design and Cody created my dream kitchen and bathrooms.Everyone brought in by the team plumber, electricians, tilers and painters were personable and a pleasure to work with.Aaron also a master carpenter was able to repurpose some old redwood into book cases and outdoor raised beds which look great.Overall I was impressed with the craftsmanship ,realistic budget, timely completion and trustworthiness of the team.They are lovely people who seem to enjoy their work and working with each other.I highly recommend Santa Cruz Green Builders. **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Hi Christina, > Thank you so much for the thoughtful review! It was so nice to work with you as well. We are so thankful to have such good clients like you! Merry Christmas! **★★★★★ — Mary Edith Ingraham, Nov. 2024** > I was impressed throughout as SCGB converted a large back room in my home to a JADU. Through design, demo, construction and final completion, every single contractor was professional, talented, efficient, and fun to talk to; what a great team! I'm extremely happy with the result and the whole process. Kudos to Aaron as project manager and all-around good guy. He got the project done in 6 months and I couldn't be happier with the result. **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Thank you for the nice review Mary Edith. It was so nice working with you as well! Enjoy your new JADU! **★★★★★ — Marissa Phillips, Nov. 2024** > Everyone we worked with at Green Builders was so great, and we had so much trust in them. We had a pretty massive project and updated our entire house, so we worked together for close to a year and I'm happy to say it all went super smoothly! Everyone is so professional and good at their jobs and also just great humans. They did excellent work, were very thorough, and communicated early and often. I always knew how things were going, and I was able to make my choices and end up with exactly what I wanted. I get compliments on the house whenever someone new visits, and we are so happy living in it. We still reach out to our always-helpful project lead Kim when we have questions, and I really appreciate that we've kept up the relationship. This is truly a fantastic company! **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Thanks Marissa, you guys were such great clients, and we are so happy you love the finished result! **★★★★★ — Tom Davis Co-Owner Pacific Edge Climbing G, Nov. 2024** > We have worked with Kim Midstokke & Santa Cruz Green Builders on a variety of projects. Beautiful finish work, windows and skylights, for our Weight Room, an extremely custom job remodeling our Bouldering area, and several maintenance projects on our 30 year old facility. They are highly professional, very easy to work with, reliable and timely, and their finish products are beautiful. They have all the resources to make a job a success. Design and planning, an excellent crew that covers all the trades, and Kim is simply a great contractor to work with. We will definitely hire them again should the need arise. **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Tom, thank you for the nice review and ongoing work! We love the interesting projects you throw our way! **★★★★★ — erinmusgrave, Nov. 2024** > I can’t speak highly enough about Kim and the team at Santa Cruz Green Builders! Our kitchen/laundry room remodel turned out better than I could have ever hoped for and Kim made the process easy and dare I say, even fun. In fact, as soon as we wrapped we started thinking about more projects we could do with them down the line, which I think is a rare reaction to major remodel projects! I would give more stars if I could. Great people, great team, very knowledgeable and wonderful to work with. **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Wow thank you Erin! We would love to do more projects with you. I can speak for the whole team when I say it makes a huge difference in our lives to have clients like you, that make our job fun and rewarding! Cheers! **★★★★★ — Flo Ertel, Nov. 2024** > I called many construction companies to find one that could do a pretty sizable remodel. We needed to make one large room into 2 smaller ones. We also needed to remodel our kitchen as well as 3 bathrooms. Other companies were hard to get ahold of or seemed uninterested. Santa Cruz Builders got back to me quickly and came out within a few days to check out what we wanted to do. They were so friendly and professional from the get-go; I knew we were a perfect fit. Aaron was our project manager and was amazing. He was so accommodating and made sure everything was how we wanted it. All of the other employees who also worked on our home were equally as stellar. Needless to say, we were thrilled with the results. Santa Cruz Builders really made our house a home. I have recommended them to friends and neighbors because I knew they would do an awesome job for them. If I have any other projects in the future, I would absolutely work with them again. **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Thank you so much Flo! We have gotten a lot of other work on your street and I am sure it has something to do with you spreading the word. Very much appreciated! I hope you and your family are doing well! Kids must be getting so big! **★★★★★ — Tara, Nov. 2024** > Kim, Zeke and their team were incredibly professional and experienced during our home renovation. We are so happy with the quality of their work. They were friendly and easy to communicate with during the entire process. We will be using them for any further home renovations in the future. **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Thank you Tara! It was a pleasure working with you as well! **★★★★★ — Conan, Nov. 2024** > Green Builders is amazing. They are high-quality crafts people. They are honest. They got done on time and on budget. And they are nice. We have found our contractors for life! **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Thank you so much Conan. It was great working with you folks. See you on the next one! **★★★★★ — HU-470456415, Nov. 2024** > I worked with Green Builders of Santa Cruz to remodel/upgrade my property built in the 60's. They removed a wall and opened up kitchen and living space, remodeled the kitchen and hall bathroom, installed laminate flooring though out the house, upgraded electrical system, new garage door, new roof/gutters, solar panels, painted interior and exterior. Kim Midsttoke was the contractor that I worked with. He was very pleasant to work with. My texts, emails and phone calls were also returned promptly. He was very organized and worked with a competent crew. Kim offered good suggestions and was very helpful when problems needed to be solved. My project was started in 2022. I had to wait 6 months before I was put on their calendar, but once the demo started and the project was completed the process went smoothly. I'm very happy with the end results and would recommend Green Builder/Kim Midsttoke to help them with their building project. Meredith **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Thank you for the nice review Meredith! Hope you are doing well! **★★★★★ — LIV LLC, Oct. 2024** > This is my third time using Santa Cruz Greenbuilders on a major remodel and they continue to exceed expectations. They are responsive, on time and overall great people to work with. Highly recommend them for anything you need! **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Thank you so much for the nice review! It has been great to work with you as well! **★★★★★ — Murphy Farr, Sept. 2023** > It has been a year since we were able to move into our renovated home. We are so pleased and would like to acknowledge the construction company that helped us realize our project: Santa Cruz Green Builders. > > Our goal was to convert a family summer beach cottage to a year-round home. We wanted to preserve as much of the original mid-century house as possible, while adding a small second-story view room and an age-in-place primary suite. In addition to this new construction, the property needed new windows, doors, roofing, insulation and siding to support an upgrade to efficient 21st century energy systems. And, due to our proximity to the ocean, there were further local requirements to be met. > > Santa Cruz Green Builders is a family business and we felt they appreciated our vision for this family project. Even though they are a full-service design/build company they agreed to work with our existing architectural plans. > > Just as we were ready to break ground, though, the industry was rocked by the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic– and everything changed overnight. Labor shortages, rising costs and supply chain issues became major challenges to builders worldwide. > > This is where Santa Cruz Green Builders and their experience and good-will in the industry really came through for us. Our General Contractor Kim Midstokke somehow juggled it all; he problem-solved, made adjustments as needed and managed to keep the project flowing without significant delays. Both Kim and management remained flexible to the changing situation and kept work quality high and lines of communication open and transparent, and we couldn’t be happier with the results. > > We are very grateful to have partnered with Santa Cruz Green Builders to realize our forever home and highly recommend their work. **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Thank you so much for your nice review Farr family! It was a pleasure working with you. We greatly appreciate the opportunity, and we are very happy that you are loving your new and improved home! Cheers! **★★★★★ — Blue Wilson, Jan. 2023** > From the initial feasibility study, through the design and permitting and onto construction of our new ADU . > SCGB was outstanding to work with. I would highly recommend them for your project. **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Thanks so much for the very nice review Blue! You guys were such good clients! I hope you are enjoying the ADU! **★★★★★ — Kitchen remodel, Dec. 2022** > Working with SC Green Builders FAR exceeded any expectations of what this experience might be!!! At every turn and with every decision they were there and amazing every step of the way!!!! **★★★★★ — Troy Obrero, Jan. 2022** > It's true what they say. We had no doubt that if we finally decided to build our home, it would cost more and take longer than any estimated budgets. This is the way. > > We hesitated for years, thinking mental health and financial comfort were nothing to take for granted. But the prospect of a house 800m from the beach were worth the risks. "Sure, let's go for it!" we exclaimed. Who knew what the next year (2020) would have in store? > > It turns out a global pandemic and increased material costs made the above truism even more severe. > > But here's the thing. If you have a team who's transparent, communicative, accommodating yet committed to high-quality, and extremely professional, building your dream home during a pandemic was NOT the most stressful thing that happened in the last few years. In fact, Kim Midstokke and his crew at Santa Cruz Green Builders kept us sane throughout, or at least kept us from devolving into further madness. No matter what happened, we were confident that we'd end up in the beautiful home we envisioned years earlier. > > Kim and his crew (Miguel, Kenny, James, Elliot, and a couple of other folk who look like they double as surf magazine models) were eager to go above and beyond whatever needed to get us into our home despite the challenges facing the entire planet during this time. > > Get yourself a team of builders that put up your house and let you drop in on them at the local break. Get Santa Cruz Green Builders. **★★★★★ — Robert Schindler, Dec. 2021** > Spenser and the entire crew at SCGB are fantastic! No contractor horror stories here. Spenser is a great communicator. We didn’t live in the city where our project is so Spenser kept in touch with us with emails, texts, phone calls and photos. We would visit our complete renovation and add-on project every 6 weeks or so and were always impressed by the progress each time. We were consulted about every necessary decision that impacted the design and functionality of our new home. Occasionally, Spenser and I would bounce ideas off each other until we were satisfied with the decision. The entire SCGB team, including subs, were all very professional and the level of work was top notch. The work site was kept clean. The level of trust and faith we had in SCGB was high and they they were honest and reliable throughout the entire lengthy project. We moved in after SCGB secured the C of O and were blown away at the final result. We highly recommend SCGB . I can honestly say that dealing with them was a great experience we’d do again! **★★★★★ — Shoshanah Orzech, Dec. 2021** > Santa Cruz Green Builders deserves more than five stars for their incredible high caliber and professional work. Kim Midstokke was our project manager for our kitchen remodel and his timelines, focus, attention to detail, clear communication and diligence throughout the four month project was superb. Kim and his team of professionals were able to transform our tiny mediocre kitchen into a gorgeous and spacious kitchen which is now the focal point of our home. Kim made the process so easy during our busy work life by building us a temporary kitchen in our backyard so we could still live in our home during this important remodel. We felt truly blessed that a company like Santa Cruz Green Builders was willing to take on a smaller project such as ours. Our family feels so much gratitude towards Kim, his team and the company for improving our quality of life. We LOVE our new kitchen and recommend Kim and Santa Cruz Green Builders to anyone looking for a respectable, trust worthy and professional company who does the highest quality work. **★★★★★ — HU-989271379, Nov. 2021** > Santa Cruz Green Builders did an incredible job with a major remodel of our beach house. At every step of the way their craftsmen were professional, accurate, knowledgeable, communicative, and fun to work with. It is clear they are artisans who love their work and take extreme pride not only in the completed project, but in working with the homeowners and making them overjoyed as well. The crew helped us navigate the complexities of the physical remodel as well as the various local and state regulatory issues. All this they did with a smile. They are innovative, honest, and creative, traits we leaned on heavily as the project progressed. Our foreman, Kim Midstokke, treated the house as if he was building it for his own family. We would give them ten stars if the ratings went that high, and we'd recommend them to our friends and family in a heartbeat. **★★★★★ — Norma Sacks, Nov. 2021** > Santa Cruz Green Builders with project manager Kim M. have done two major projects for us. First they did our master bathroom and two years later, a kitchen facelift. Both jobs were done to perfection, work done on schedule, > craftsmanship excellent. Kim and his crew are responsible, considerate and trustworthy. Kim shows initiative and creativity while listening to the wishes of his clients. Our home was left completely clean and every detail attended to. I can not say enough good things about these professionals. > {sensitive information hidden} **★★★★★ — vannen, Nov. 2021** > We worked with GreenBuilders to build our ADU and we’re thrilled with their work. Loved working with Kim one of the project managers. Quality, function and aesthetic were big concerns and Kim was awesome at helping guide my decisions. Our project was completed on time and in budget! **★★★★★ — walnutave, Nov. 2021** > I can’t say enough good things about working with this crew. Kim Midstokke is a skilled craftsman and his tradesmen were not only incredibly competent but also very professional. Kim guided us throughout the building process; this included assistance with permits, making helpful suggestions and working with our architect to fine tune design details. It’s a wonderful to work with someone who loves what he’s doing and takes pride in his work. > The construction site was cleared of debris regularly which really helps with the chaos of a build, and Kim was always attentive to our questions and concerns. > The work was completed on schedule, **★★★★★ — cmaser, Oct. 2021** > SCGB built our house on our 33 acres of open land. We had trouble with the county, torrential rains and a washed out road. Spencer kept his cool through it all and the results are stunning. Everyone has contractor horror stories. We are the exception. Still happily married, have become friends with Spencer and even have a member of his crew living on our land. What better endorsement is there? ♥️ **★★★★★ — Artina Morton, May 2021** > Taylor Darling lead a talented crew of craftsmen to build our stunning Spanish style home on the westside. Our project was a unique and challenging as it encompassed the consideration and restoration of the unique Kitchen Brothers Court of Mysteries, a historic landmark. From the first time we met Taylor we knew Santa Cruz Green Builders (SCGB) would be the right team to tackle our project. Taylor's calm demeanor and organized approach was the key to managing not only the ground up construction of our new home, complete with 70’ lap pool, but also instrumental in partnering with local mason Mike Threet to ensure all of the necessary precautions and considerations were managed throughout the restoration of the decades old brick building and artifacts of this stunning historic landmark property. Taylor was by our side throughout our Historic Preservation Committee and Zoning Commission processes to the very moment we received our Occupancy sign off from the city. He never wavered and was present for every moment necessary to ensure our project went smoothly. They have most every skill in-house to tackle nearly every design/construction need one might required, and where necessary they have long standing, solid relationships with the best subcontractors in the area to cover needs outside their areas of expertise. We love to tell everyone we can that SCGB is the best construction company in the area, because as remarkable and improbable as it may seem we didn’t have a single substantial issue throughout the entire two year-long build/restoration process. We simply cannot recommend enough working with Taylor, Spencer and the entire SCGB family/crew no matter what size your project may be; they represent the pinnacle of customer service oriented, quality construction. Hire them for your project! **★★★★★ — Catherine Byrne, Aug. 2020** > I wanted to say this months ago! What an IMPRESSIVE Team and work product from Taylor and Santa Cruz Green Builders! We had a leak in our upstairs master bedroom windows and wall, post winter storms. They had to be removed and the leak repaired. We also were overdue for a new exterior paint job. What a seamless process - from quote to finish. Such beautiful results! We are SO grateful. And we loved everyone on the Team. **★★★★★ — Kelly Goswamy, June 2020** > SC Green Builders built a beautiful home for us in the Santa Cruz mountains. We've been in our home for a year now and are SO happy with the craftsmanship. Our location was challenging to say the least, but this team solves problems and doesn't shy away from challenges. From limited parking, a narrow access road, and steep hillside, they came up with workable solutions for these issues. They're also detail oriented. They followed the architect's plans and inspection schedule, which made our lives during the stressful time of building a house less stressful, not more. **★★★★★ — Chazz Hacking, May 2020** > In my role as a retail design manager for a large company, I hire a lot of contractors across the country to execute my designs. Retail work is complex and very timeline-driven and beyond the scope of many contractors. Despite a lot of vetting, sometimes these jobs go well and sometimes they don't. I'm happy to report that working with SCGB was one of the best contractor relationships I have ever had. I sent the design package out to 5 local contractors and SCGB was not only price competitive, they also provided the most comprehensive and organized proposal. That was the first hint that I had found the right outfit for my project. > > Working with their team was always a positive experience and the focus always solutions-oriented. One thing that distinguishes SCGB from every other GC I have worked with is their level of "self-performance", meaning that they do more work themselves (including, electrical, plumbing, even paint) and subcontract out less. This allows for tighter timelines, less finger-pointing and better overall coordination. On top of that, every person on their team from ownership, bookkeeping -- from the super down to the painters were unfailingly pleasant to deal with and respectful of our job site. > > The communication flow was excellent even when forced to use our corporate project tracking tools and dealing with our finance and legal apparatus. The best proof I can give of my 5 star review is that I recommended them to a friend building a new house and have contacted them about my next retail project here in the Santa Cruz area. **★★★★★ — Ellen R, May 2018** > We have done 2 projects with Taylor Darling and Santa Cruz Green Builders and they are outstanding. We did a major remodel of an old master bathroom 2 years ago, and this year completely remodeled the kitchen and raised the ceiling in the living room. It is a modest house built in the 60's and he has transformed those spaces into beautiful, modern rooms. Taylor is honest, direct, and thoughtful in all his communications. He has great suggestions, is always timely in responding to questions and keeping us up to date on schedule. His time estimates are really accurate, and he immediately informed us if there was even a small delay. His team members are to a person professional, pleasant, nice people who do excellent work. Can't say enough about the quality of the people, work and materials. Can't imagine a better contractor. **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Ellen, thank you so much! It was so nice to work with you too. We really appreciate having clients that are as passionate about building and remodeling as we are! **★★★★★ — Plumbed Elegance, Aug. 2016** > We've been in business a LONG time (since 1987). We've seen a lot of contractors come and go. Occasionally, a couple of young contractors will impress us. These are impressive young contractors. They are working diligently honing their craft. They are smart. They are design aware. They are problem solvers. They are earth-minded. They have excellent communication skills so that reasonable timelines and budgets can be set forth. We're not sure how they developed these skills so quickly but we've taken note. This team is impressive and they're only getting better. We recommend them to you. **★★★★★ — jgreene62, June 2016** > Santa Cruz Green Builders designed and built a gorgeous tiny house in my backyard for me to use as a meditation and yoga practice space and retreat house for personal retreat. They also did some minor remodels on my kitchen. The work from beginning to end was stellar--aesthetically beautiful, professionally executed, extremely clean and respectful of my time and home. I honestly cannot imagine anything they could have done better or more perfectly. From the owners to each person who worked on the projects, I found everyone easy to work with and great to be around. I give these folks my very highest recommendation. **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Thank you so much Jody! It was really nice working with you as well. It is great to have clients that share a similar aesthetic. I really appreciate the flexibility you gave us on the design so we could be creative with the project. This was a great collaboration and I think it turned out quite well! **★★★★★ — C T, June 2016** > We recently used Santa Cruz Green Builders to do a minor kitchen remodel in our new townhome. They were recommended to us, so we had high expectations, and we were not disappointed. > > Even though ours was a relatively small job, Spencer and his team fit us into their busy schedule and always made us feel like our project was important. We had carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and a tile setter (not to mention the excellent Quartz fabricator!) all working on our project at various times, and they finished on time and within our budget. Everyone on the team was professional and highly skilled, and they took great care to keep the worksite and surrounding areas clean -- they were also fun and a pleasure to work with. > > Our kitchen is now gorgeous, thanks to Santa Cruz Green Builders! We couldn't be happier with the quality, the price, and the integrity of the entire SCGB crew and look forward to working with them on our next renovation project. **★★★★★ — eyeseeyousam, March 2016** > I think these guys are the best! It's nice to know there are still companies that have morals. Give these guys a go **★★★★★ — Virginia Wright, March 2016** > Taylor and his team were responsive, respectful, and friendly. Each player on the team was very good at what they did. It was a smallish job - office remodel and they did it quickly and expertly. I especially liked Taylor's ability to give creative ideas and articulate them in practical language, so I could visualize what he was saying. They delivered what they promised and I would use them again. They were also nice to talk to! **Comment from Santa Cruz Green Builders:** > Thanks Virginia! It was nice working with you and I would love to get some pictures of the shelves if you get a chance. Enjoy your office! **★★★★★ — Dorinda Parker, Dec. 2015** > We recently completely remodeled our home and we are very impressed with the terrific job Santa Cruz Green Builders did on our project. We moved back into the home a year ago and have been enjoying the quality we see around us every day. Spencer was very patient in listening to our vision (which changed quite a bit over the course of the project) and gave us ideas which added to our home's character and also saved money. The SCGB crew was great to work with at all times. Our project manager, Lew, was very good at solving issues and making suggestions which made the process a true collaboration of the best kind. **★★★★★ — House of Boys Art + Design, Dec. 2015** > We hired Taylor and his team with Santa Cruz Green Builders to build our backyard studio and enclose our front porch to create an entryway. We are thrilled with the results! Taylor was always very communicative and had great ideas. He really understood my modern aesthetic. His crew were always great, too! **★★★★★ — hall0426, Oct. 2015** > Recently my wife and I had our kitchen remodeled. We were having a difficult time deciding on a contractor until we called Santa Cruz Green Builders (SCGB). Taylor Darling, co-owner, met with us and we quickly knew this construction company was right for us. We feel so fortunate we came across SCGB. Taylor’s great expertise and knowledge was evident in our first meeting. After we hired SCGB we were impressed by their skills and attention to detail. The job site was tidied up each day. The effort to minimize the effect to the rest of our home was greatly appreciated. SCGB's crew and sub contractors were all very professional and intent on doing superb work. Taylor’s excellent “people skills” and calming nature really helped us get through the big change to our living space. The project was within budget. All invoices and change orders were timely and well documented. Another plus is SCGB is very conscience about environmental impact. If you’re trying to decide on a contractor, we highly recommend you give Santa Cruz Green Builders a call. **★★★★★ — jd129, Oct. 2015** > Santa Cruz Green Builders did an excellent job of replacing our weather-beaten T111 siding with Hardie Board fiber cement siding and they beautifully designed and built replacement steps for two sets of sliding glass doors. Everyone who sees the finished result has been impressed with the quality of the workmanship and attention to detail. All SCGB employees we interacted with were professional and easy to work with and all concerns and questions were answered thoughtfully and thoroughly. We couldn’t be happier with how our project turned out and wouldn’t hesitate to work with SCGB again. **★★★★★ — walshman2000, Oct. 2015** > My experience with Spencer and Taylor and the SCGB team has been fantastic. They have helped me with multiple small projects ($20-$40K) and now most recently with a large remodel (\>$100K). In all cases they were highly knowledgeable, flexible and communicated concepts, budgets and timelines in a level of detail that was useful and appreciated. I am a hands-on home owner and they took the time with me to dive into as much detail as I requested and were open and attentive to my input. When unforeseen obstacles came up they found good solutions and kept the project moving along. When I changed my mind about something or wanted to add something to the scope of the project they were able to include it. They did an excellent job of managing subcontractors on our project, keeping things moving smoothly. Their team was experienced and courteous. I will definitely keep them in mind for future projects and am happy to recommend them to others. **★★★★★ — Nielsen Studios, Oct. 2015** > Nielsen Studios has worked on several projects with SCGB and they are a pleasure to work with. Their team's creativity and detail-oriented personalities create amazing results in every project. **★★★★★ — twakary, Aug. 2014** > We hired Santa Cruz Green builders because we wanted to build a new kitchen from quality materials and with ecological benefits to our environment and made in the USA. We worked with Greenspace in Santa Cruz and with kitchen designer Judy Keenan from Greenspace. Together they helped us create our dream kitchen! Taylor and Spencer from Greenbuilders are a delight to work with and their skills are amazing. They helped us with the entire process and our kitchen is perfect. They have a great work ethic and are on time and very clean and neat. We highly recommend them and look forward to several more projects with them! **★★★★★ — ernest77, May 2013** > We were very fortunate to have Santa Cruz Green Builders build our house. Spencer and Taylor built our home as if it was their own, integrating beautiful unique elements while also attending to the many details of constructing a partial straw bale house from the ground up. > > They were very conscious of decisions that would impact the budget and communicated carefully and clearly about all of the various decisions required. In addition, the work site appearance, and their overall demeanor were flawless. The entire staff at Santa Cruz Green Builders represents and reinforces the intention and care that Spencer and Taylor used when building our home. > > It was an extremely daunting task for us to build a home from the ground up. Spencer and Taylor took more time on the front end of our project estimating the time and costs then any other of our prospective contractors. This attention to the details in the beginning helped create a comfort and confidence in their process and execution that was carried through our whole experience. > > We feel so fortunate to have had them as our builders and are more then willing to sit down with anyone considering using them, and will give you a tour of our home if you wish. **★★★★★ — ckawahar, May 2013** > During the 13 month construction our neighbors would comment, "Your contractors are doing a good job on your house and we're impressed that they are respectful of the neighbors. I like it that they don't play loud music and clean up every day." We were happy to hear that. > > We are even happier with the results. As the first house in Santa Cruz County to be built (technically remodeled) to the Passive House standards, we enjoy a very comfortable temperature throughout the house AND use much less energy than similar houses in the neighborhood. The biggest challenge was the air tightness requirement for Passive House certification. This was tested with a blower door to verify that the house achieve 0.6ACH50 (131 CFM in our case) which is VERY tight. Achieving this level of airtightness in the house that was originally built in 1922, where we kept the original foundation and framing, has not been done before. Santa Cruz Green Builders also installed the first Heat Recovery Ventilator in this area. The professional who came to commission the HRV commented that our installation was one of the better ones he's observed. So, the point of this paragraph is Santa Cruz Green Builders is not afraid to take on new challenges and achieve amazing results. > > When you hear the words "green building" it may bring the image of a certain contemporary aesthetic to mind. But our house has the curve appeal of a nice old house -- a 1922 bungalow that has the arts and crafts styling with details in the window trims and flared skirt look on the siding. On the interior we are very happy that Santa Cruz Green Builders talked us into keeping the original floors and refinishing them. The tight grains of old fir is appealing and the polished distressed wood brings out the period style. They carefully deconstructed the house so that original base boards, doors, etc. were re-used. We also selected finishes that reflects the old arts and crafts style. When people come to our house they can't tell what's original and what's new. We like that. > > True to their name, Santa Cruz Green Builders walk their talk. I can continue with other elements like structured plumbing, gray water, insulation, recycling, etc. If you're curious about that please visit my blog http://http://midorihaus.blogspot.com/ ## Selected projects - [The Team](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/the-team-pj-vj~6833214) - Location: Santa Cruz, CA - Photos: 7 - Description: The work we do requires a team effort, and we are lucky to have a group of talented individuals that also happen to be wonderful people too. From the team in the office doing the design and accounting, to the craftsmen out on the jobs, everyone works hard every day to deliver quality work with a positive attitude. We are incredibly thankful to have such a wonderful team. - [Our Office and Showroom](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/our-office-and-showroom-pj-vj~6833195) - Location: Santa Cruz, CA - Photos: 11 - [Detached ADU with Outdoor Living](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/detached-adu-with-outdoor-living-pj-vj~7833814) - Location: Santa Cruz, CA - Photos: 19 - Description: On Santa Cruz’s Westside, where indoor-outdoor living is a way of life, this newly completed accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is less an accessory and more a retreat. Thoughtfully designed and carefully sited, the ADU connects effortlessly to the main house with a raised patio deck featuring a custom pergola, fire pit and sunken hot tub. The result is more than an ADU; it’s an indoor-outdoor retreat space that enhances daily life and property value. Efficient, High-Impact Kitchen Inside, the kitche… - [Santa Cruz Westside - New Home & ADU](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/santa-cruz-westside-new-home-and-adu-pj-vj~7470508) - Location: Long Beach, CA - Photos: 14 - Description: This new residential construction project on an historic plot of land on the West Side of Santa Cruz is a design + build collaboration with Young America Creative. The two-story home showcases a host of materials, systems, and building practices that embody the elements of a green home, like the smart use of passive solar design, which allows the house to essentially heat and cool itself, saving on energy and making it more comfortable to live in. Custom details like a sunny kitchen dining nook,… - [Jewel Box Cottage](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/jewel-box-cottage-pj-vj~7803159) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 21 - Description: In this Capitola neighborhood, where the Village is just a bike ride away, a trip to the grocery store is a quick ride from mom, and the neighborhood kids meetup when the homework is done, remodeling a home from the ground up means making room for family and friends. This tiny cottage takes on a whole new life and shape, with a second-story addition that expands the square footage on the tiny lot just enough to accommodate three bedrooms, three baths, and a open kitchen and dining space. Home Of… - [4th Ave - Whole House Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/4th-ave-whole-house-remodel-pj-vj~7731466) - Location: Santa Cruz, CA - Photos: 14 - Description: Projects like this one only come around once in a while. An unexpected blend of history, craftsmanship, thoughtful design, and forward-thinking vision came together to transform a quirky, aging Santa Cruz Harbor-area building into a one-of-a-kind home with legacy and soul. Originally built in the early 1900s, the two-story structure began life as a symmetrical duplex, split cleanly down the middle with a mirrored floor plan. Over the decades, it morphed into a multi-tenant rental property, gaini… - [High St. Santa Cruz - New Home](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/high-st-santa-cruz-new-home-pj-vj~7470548) - Location: Santa Cruz, CA - Photos: 13 - Description: The Jennings Residence is a magnificent home that sits atop a plot of land carved into the edge of the upper West Side of Santa Cruz. A massive retaining wall props up the sprawling home and a large deck and outdoor living space that wraps around the South side of the home from end to end. The interior is full of amenities, fine furniture, and interior design by the team at Stripe Design Services. A striking section of colors and materials range from soft, pale whites, to black and white quartz… - [Seaborg Ave - Kitchen & Bath Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/seaborg-ave-kitchen-and-bath-remodel-pj-vj~7731533) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 6 - Description: Designed for all aspects of life, from cooking to entertaining to getting work done, this remodeled mid-century home underwent a total rethink of the kitchen layout and flow to create an open-air kitchen, compact food pantry, and a discreet half-bath Some of our favorite features include central skylights that let natural light stream in all day, a flush ceiling mounted range exhaust fan from Zephyr, and a thoughtful arrangement of Bellmont Cabinets that wraps into the entryway with bench storag… - [Laurent St. ADU - Garage Conversion](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/laurent-st-adu-garage-conversion-pj-vj~7731544) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 9 - Description: A few years have passed since we designed and built this detached ADU on the Westside of Santa Cruz, but the custom milled redwood siding still pops and the homeowners wowed us with their stylish landscaping and interior design. The home is built on the site of a former garage behind an early 1940s home. To maximize the floorplan and extend the use of the space for their general living, the homeowners devoted most of the square footage to living and sleeping quarters, with a spacious bathroom an… - [Westside Santa Cruz New Modern Home](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/westside-santa-cruz-new-modern-home-pj-vj~1367940) - Location: Santa Cruz, CA - Photos: 22 - [Santa Cruz ADU](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/santa-cruz-adu-pj-vj~7261776) - Location: Santa Cruz, CA - Photos: 11 - [Katherine Lane Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/katherine-lane-remodel-pj-vj~7789981) - Location: Live Oak, CA - Photos: 5 - Description: The homeowners of this 1990s Santa Cruz home focused their remodel resources on the spaces they use every day most: three bathrooms, an expanded laundry room, and a reimagined kitchen pantry with targeted kitchen upgrades. In the primary bathroom, soft curves and layered materials bring warmth and calm to the space. A custom arched shower opening, large-format marble-look porcelain tile, and a patterned tile accent create visual depth without overwhelming the room. Brushed brass fixtures and har… - [Aptos Kitchen and Bathroom Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/aptos-kitchen-and-bathroom-remodel-pj-vj~7264427) - Location: Aptos, CA - Photos: 9 - [Scotts Valley Remodel 2](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/scotts-valley-remodel-2-pj-vj~7264338) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 11 - [Navarra Dr. Attached ADU](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/navarra-dr-attached-adu-pj-vj~7731615) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 10 - Description: An Attached ADU is a smart choice for homeowers looking to expand their living space. We love how flexible they can be: a home office, rental, a guest house for aging parents, or a spot for kids moving back after college. Even a temporary home base while you rent out your main house and travel the world. Why not?! This recenlty completed Scotts Valley attached ADU includes thoughtful interior design choices that make it feel like home no matter what configuration or stage of life. Gorgeous tile… - [Santa Cruz Kitchen Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/santa-cruz-kitchen-remodel-pj-vj~7264306) - Location: Santa Cruz, CA - Photos: 8 - [Mountain Retreat - New Home](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/mountain-retreat-new-home-pj-vj~5773940) - Location: Soquel, CA - Photos: 33 - Description: This is a beautiful modern home, built with redwood milled from the trees on site. We love the design of this house. It is a 2 bedroom home, with a large primary suite and a bunk room complete with 6 beds for visitors and family gatherings. - [Soquel Remodel](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/soquel-remodel-pj-vj~7264217) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 7 - [Scotts Valley Kitchen Remodel 2](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/scotts-valley-kitchen-remodel-2-pj-vj~7264365) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 6 - [Detatched ADU - Upper Westside Santa Cruz](https://www.houzz.com/hznb/projects/detatched-adu-upper-westside-santa-cruz-pj-vj~7731553) - Location: Not specified - Photos: 8 - Description: A petite kitchen with an adjacent bathroom and bedroom fits below a loft living space, creating a spacious ADU living experience in this Upper Westside backyard. The compact design enabled the two car garage to make room for a work-from home office in an adjoining space. The faux garage doors make the back building look discreet from the drive way and provided an opportunity for some custom interior woodwork on the window sills. [See all 52 projects](https://www.houzz.com/professionals/home-builders/santa-cruz-green-builders-pfvwus-pf~914853388) ## Video - [Company video](https://player.vimeo.com/external/1017636708.m3u8?s=48708a3c0e3c1e5d3f84935a979808f0c36ba335&oauth2_token_id=1384357804) ## Frequently Asked Questions **Are you licensed and insured?** Yes, we are a fully licensed general contractor in California, holding license \#915349. We are also fully insured to protect both our team and your project throughout the entire building process. **Do you handle permitting and inspections for new home construction?** Absolutely. As a design/build firm, we manage the entire process, including all necessary permitting and inspections for new home construction. Our team handles plan submittals, tracks progress, and responds to all reviewing departments to ensure your project moves smoothly to a building permit. **How do you structure pricing and contracts for new home builds?** We structure pricing through a Design and Comprehensive Project Evaluation (DCPE) contract for the design phase, which includes rough cost estimates. This ensures the design aligns with your budget. Once plans are finalized and approved, we provide a detailed fixed bid or time and materials estimate for the construction phase, followed by a construction contract. **Do you build fully custom homes?** Yes, we specialize in building fully custom homes. Our team works closely with you from initial concept to final move-in, ensuring your unique vision is brought to life with quality craftsmanship and sustainable practices. We are dedicated to creating a home that perfectly suits your needs and style. **Do you build new homes from the ground up?** Yes, we absolutely build new homes from the ground up. Our design-build team specializes in new construction homes, managing everything from the initial design and permitting to the complete construction of your custom residence. We ensure a high-quality, long-lasting home. *FAQ content may be generated based on the Pro's Houzz profile and website.* ## Ideabooks - [Wish List](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/161700800/list/wish-list) — 1 idea [See all 1 ideabook](https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/users/scgb) ## Community Q&A **Q: what brand of tile is used in the shower?** *(in Photo Questions)* Is this Heath? A: Makoto **Q: Pendant light.** *(in Photo Questions)* Could you please share the source of the pendant light over the table? Thank you! A: It is a CB2 Totora Pendant https://www.cb2.com/totora-oak-pendant-light/s454089 **Q: Lovely white walls with the wood furnishings** *(in Photo Questions)* Can you tell me the brand, color and sheen of the paint that you used on the walls? A: It is Benjamin Moore "White Dove" in flat **Q: Love the floor STL** *(in Photo Questions)* What is the floor that is used in the bathroom? A: Hi, the bathroom floor tile is Bedrosians Makoto Hex in Kumo Grey https://www.bedrosians.com/en/product/detail/makoto-tile/?itemNo=DECMAKKUGHEX10M Makoto 10" x 11.5" Hexagon Matte Porcelain Tile iumo Grey Makoto 10" x 11.5"exagon Matte Porcelain Tile in Kumo Grey **Q: Flooring** *(in Photo Questions)* Love this flooring, what is it? A: Monarch Plank European White Oak, Prime/select grade. Collection: Forte. Color Bianco. 8" planks. **Q: what color are the walls?** *(in Photo Questions)* Love the warm wood and white combo A: The owner painted- we don't have any of those records, sorry. --- *Source: Houzz professional profile. Reflects the profile as of 2026-08-17.*