Bonsai Builder Construction

Bonsai Builder Construction: Absolutely one of the best builders in the Bay Area with a reputation of: -Durable, Quality Construction That’s Built to Last. -Excellent Communication Skills and Follow-up. -Experience in the Home Construction Industry. -A Positive Reputation and History of Satisfied Customers. -Transparency in Costs. -Builders Who Stands Behind Their Work. Awesome Company

Bonsai Builders made my dream art studio a reality! Working with plans that I had developed with architect Tom Sloan, Ernest Culp and his team at Bonsai were able to execute a fairly challenging construction of an Victorian greenhouse inspired studio on a slope which required structural engineers, steel piers in the ground beneath the slab and a steel frame to support the clerestory. Despite this heavy duty framework, the result is a light and airy space that the Bonsai team was able to customize perfectly to my needs, incorporating Civil War era reclaimed barn wood for the floor, LED, Halogen tract and decorative lighting, I have heating and cooling, a firewall, UV windows, a vintage marble sink and antique drawer pulls that I had sourced, custom cabinetry and gorgeous moldings with perfect finishes everywhere including the stone stoop at the French doors that matches the rest of out flagstone patio. In fact, the entire project was executed to feel like a part of our our Victorian home that Bonsai Builders had completely renovated in 2006. The entire team was a pleasure to work with at every turn. Communications were great, the budget and scope of the project was clearly set and followed, they handled all the permits and were very respectful of our property and privacy. There were other contractors who bid less for this project but I went with Bonsai Builders because I trusted their craftsmanship and I knew from experience that they stand behind their work. I couldn't be happier with my studio!

Over the holidays, we had our floors replaced by Bonsai Builder Construction. I have been writing this review offline for a while now, because I believe the quality of work done by Ernest (Ernest is Bonsai Builder Construction) deserves better than an off-the-cuff review. If you have read this far you have already seen that this is a 5-star rating. I will attempt to break down the reasons for the rating shortly. If you are impatient, the quick summary is : Yes I am very happy with the work done and I would not hesitate to recommend Bonsai Builder Construction or work with them again. On to the detailed review: 1. Communication and Attitude: Until I first spoke to Ernest, I found it difficult to get in touch with contractors and have them make time to come and take a look at our house. With Ernest, it was seamless. Ernest is very easy to reach. If he does not pick up his phone, he will ALWAYS promptly return your call. He is also very prompt with emails. I have never had to chase after him for any reason. If anything, I've been tardy with emails myself. Sorry Ernest. Ernest is always punctual as well. If he says he will meet you at a certain time, he keeps his word or reschedules well in advance. Even before we started talking about the work to be done, I was impressed. While the work was taking place, Ernest was in touch constantly, sharing photographs of the progress and making sure I was always in the loop with what was happening even when we were out of town on vacation. When they discovered issues with the framing that needed to be fixed before putting the new floors in, Ernest was always positive and optimistic, and was able to quickly suggest solutions to them rather than dwelling on the problem. 2. Execution and Quality of Work: We needed to replace the hardwood floors in our house, as the old flooring was not installed well and was prone to annoying squeaking and creaking. Initially, I figured the work could be done room-by-room so we would not have to move out. With a toddler at home, we wanted minimal disruption. Ernest (rightly) proposed that it would be cheaper to do the entire house at once, and that he could do it while we were away on vacation for 4 weeks. He not only delivered on his promise, but stuck to the schedule even after finding issues with the framing. Once we returned from our vacation, we were treated to spanking new floors with none of the problems we were having earlier and also all of our furniture was moved back into the house before we got home. Again, with a toddler this made things very very convenient. As far as the quality of the work itself, we are extremely happy with all of the work done. Not only were the floors taken care of but several minor things that were not 100% working were also fixed by Ernest, completely to our surprise and delight. 3. Integrity: Throughout the project, Ernest was always ready to explain to us what exactly he was doing, even if our questions were stupid. Bonsai Builder Construction has existed for almost 30 years now, and it's easy to see why Ernest gets repeat customers. He is very dependable, and we could count on him to suggest improvements not for their own sake, but based on what is best for us and our house. I would not hesitate to call him again if I had any questions about the work that was done or to ask him about work in the future. In conclusion, I would rate Bonsai Builder Construction very highly and would not hesitate to work with them again. I was given Ernest's contact information by a co-worker who had some renovation work done by Ernest about 15 years ago and is still very happy with it. After my experience, I can easily see why.