PALADIN HOME

I can't speak highly enough about Mike Roman and crew. They did an outstanding job on my bathroom reno. My bathroom was falling apart, the floor was caving in, there was mold on the back of the shower. Everything was done expertly. Electrical, plumbing, insulation removal, excellent tile work, painting, it was all done perfectly. They cleaned up at the end of each work day. Some extra things were done around my house that helped a lot, such as a railing on my back steps. Mike especially went out of his way to help with different things to make my life as a senior easier. Whatever Mike promised got done and at the price quoted, unless extra is needed but only if agreed on. He was very easy to work with. He is kind, has a great sense of humor, and an animal lover (which is important as I have a Chihuahua and two cats).

This is my second time working with Mike after a previous bathroom/laundry room renovation in our old house (reviewed here). During the pandemic we decided to buy a larger home in Alameda in our desired neighborhood. What we initially thought would be a substantial renovation of a 1915 “fixer upper” home ended up being a complete gut. I interviewed a number of contractors that either refused to bid, gave us disingenuously high bids, or were booked out for the year. I'd kept in touch with Mike and asked if he would bid. Although a complete home renovation is larger than his usual projects of kitchens/bathroom remodels he agreed and I’m so thankful he was willing to take on our project. Prior to the interior renovation starting he was able to provide us with excellent recommendations for foundation and roofing contractors. Once the interior renovation began, he created a detailed schedule for keeping the work on track. He seamlessly scheduled specialized vendors (demo, painting, stucco, heating system, and floor refinishing) to work in tandem with his team. He spent time getting multiple bids for many aspects of the project to make sure they were within budget. He could have shrugged and said “it costs what is costs” but exercised due diligence to make sure we were getting a good value. Much of the detail work he oversaw and did himself and as others have noted he is onsite every day, which is rare in a contractor. I appreciated having him here every day to keep everyone accountable. For example, the landscaping contractor we'd hired to do the hardscape cut through our neighbor’s sprinkler line causing a huge leak in our yard. Mike identified the source of the problem and fixed it while we were still playing phone-tag with other contractor. He is excellent at troubleshooting and has a great aesthetic sense and an eye for detail. If something didn’t look right or he wasn’t happy with how a vendor had done something, he would redo it himself. He pays attention to the details and adds little touches here and there that make a big difference. For instance, we needed to get a new attic door but the price difference between the regular height door and an extra tall door was substantial. He installed the regular height door and added a transom window that can be tilted out if we need extra room to get something large into the attic. Mike stands behind his work and I know I can still reach out to him if something goes wrong or to get his opinion. After living in the house for awhile, it's normal to notice things that can use some tweaking. Mike has come back to make those little adjustments that make a big difference, and is always generous with his time. On a personal note, Mike is the salt of the earth. He is honest, reliable, hardworking, and patient. In any project of this size and complexity there is a lot to think about. He was always understanding as I worked through my anxieties about this or that aspect. I cannot recommend him enough.

This is our third home renovation project with Mike in 4 years – and we still can’t find anything bad to say about him, his crew, or his work. Our gazebo, built by a previous owner who was possibly on mushrooms when it was designed (no judgment) was a non-standard rectangle with a two-level roof – until the upper level blew off in the major 2022 New Year’s Eve storm. Our original “repair” plan was to buy a new one online & have it assembled but couldn’t find anything to fit the space. I called Mike for advice; he checked it out and advised me that the roof could probably be repaired for a small cost. I appreciated his thinking about my budget and not pushing unnecessary work, but the truth is I wanted to take the opportunity to get rid of the ugly, poorly-designed flat section. Squirrels liked to hang out on it and torment my dogs, and I was never sure what the neighbors hated more, the barking or my yelling at them to stop barking. I decided rebuilding was the best option. The only problem? Mike was scheduling 18 months out: he was in the middle of a major home renovation project and had a couple bathrooms/kitchens scheduled after that was completed. We didn’t care; I zip-tied the roof back on and we waited until it was our turn on his list. Some people might have tried to find another contractor, but we’d been down that road. Other contractors either don’t want “small” jobs or have multiple projects going & aren’t on site to supervise quality every day, or just plain don’t show up for days or weeks at a time. Not Mike – he is the opposite of those things: his crew are employees, he is on site doing work himself, and if there is a rare day they won’t be working he will let you know ahead of time. In addition to being super-reliable, he’s just a great guy to work with. It sounds weird, but we’re always a little sad when projects are completed because we love having him around. Mike is a creative problem-solver, which is critical in older Bay Area houses, where the only certainty in home renovation is hidden surprises once demo starts. His work is as solid as it is beautiful. There was another storm last night (tornado warnings in the Bay Area!!!) and not a thing in our new gazebo is out of place. Whether you are nervous about taking on your first home renovation project or jaded from being burned by past experience, Mike is your guy.

Mike’s work is exceptional. He is an absolute pleasure to work with. He listens and figures out how to achieve what you want. He is solutions oriented. Additionally, he improves upon your plan by making recommendations that improve the project. He isn’t satisfied with his work until you’re satisfied. We’ll have no hesitation using him for future projects. Honesty, integrity, and excellent craftsmanship.

I had the pleasure of working with Mike Roman of Paladin home on two major renovation projects of my condo in 2016 and 2022. The first project was a down-to-the-studs remodel of my primary bedroom suite, and the second was the remainder of our condo, which included the second ensuite, living/dining room, and kitchen. Mike was fantastic to work with. While I'm not a professional designer, I was able to communicate my vision, and Mike was instrumental in helping me think through certain challenges, offering advice and solutions. He had great recommendations for suppliers and worked with my budget. The quality of his work and the sub-contractors he hires were excellent. And we were able to work closely to ensure the project was delivered on time and on budget. Construction projects can be stressful, and Mike was such a great "no drama" partner. I will always be happy to recommend Mike and Paladin Home for any home project.

We’ve been loyal customers with Mike Roman at Paladin Home for the past 19yrs. He’s worked at 2 of our homes on major remodels that included multiple projects including 4 bathrooms, 2 kitchens and 2 decks. The quality of his work has always exceeded our expectations, he’s responsive, professional and has met our timeline expectations on every occasion. Outstanding attention to detail and a great eye for design, a pleasure to work with from conception to completion. I highly recommend Paladin Home.

We highly recommend Paladin Homes as a business and Mike as a contractor. It's a daunting task to find someone to work on your house renovation, and it can feel overwhelming, especially if it's your first time. Contractors are high in demand in these days and it's hard to know who to trust or who will give you a fair price and quality work. It seems you'll get one or the other but seldom will you get two out of three. We were lucky that we got all 3 with Paladin Homes. In our research, the name that came up more than a few times was Paladin Homes, and Mike in particular, so it really was a no brainer for us. They worked on our full kitchen remodel of our almost 100-year old house that had a lot of challenges and Mike knew what to do. You really feel like you're in excellent hands with Mike at the helm. He's trustworthy, is hands on, responsive, does quality work and is an all around nice/cool/chill human being. They did an excellent job with our dream kitchen; we couldn't be more excited. We will definitely be using them for our next home renovation project!

We hired Mike Roman to remodel our two upstairs bathrooms and were not dissppointed! His professionalism and careful, detailed work were impressive. His communication was superb. He walked us through all parts of the project, gave us clear estimates of money and time, and let us know right away if any changes to the plans were needed. Every day he left the work area clean, dust-free, and always respected the fact that he was in our private home. We HIGHLY recommend him. We felt so fortunate that he was the man to do the job.

We interviewed 5 contractors for complete renovation of our very small bathroom (5'9"x6'4") and we instantly liked Mike Roman and his straight forward laying out of the project. While we had a basic design and photo to work from, Mike took us through options, acting like a design consultant and offering us options to carry the Arts and Crafts character of our house into the new bathroom. He made suggestions for local suppliers and websites to order tile and fixtures and when supply chain shortages prevented us from ordering a medicine cabinet, he built one of comparable design. He made modifications of wainscoting and baseboard thicknesses in order to keep all fixtures and shower enclosure within permit guidelines. When we could not find a pre-made floor to ceiling linen cabinet, he made one to fit the available space. He replaced the 100 plus year old galvanized piping with copper throughout the house, reconnecting kitchen and laundry room service. He custom build the shower pan, reconfigured the ceiling venting, and matched electrical service with metal wrapped wiring. His co-worker Evilio is a true craftsman when it comes to tilework and painting and a workhorse when it came to demolishing and roughing out the new interior. We liked that Mike is a licensed electrician and plumber and did all the work himself, rather than have subcontractors traipsing in and out. We liked that he worked with a small crew (one or two others). We liked that he and his crew showed up on time and kept the work site clean. Given that this occurred during the height of COVID, he followed all the worksite precautions and kept a negative airflow within the working space. He was patient and flexible when supply chain issues prevented arrival of fixtures and tile and helped facilitate ordering with local suppliers. All in all we could not have asked for any better contractor to work with on this our first major project. And we love our new bathroom!

Mike just finished our kitchen renovation; the best way to sum up how he did is to quote some friends: “he’s a genius.” Three different friends said these same words. I’m not an employee or relative of Mike's. But as an experienced home-owner-renovator, I can genuinely say working with Mike was the best experience in every way. He is working on-site every day, and you don’t realize the importance of the owner’s presence unless you have a project where they aren’t. Trust me. TL;DR: Mike is reliable, responsible, contractor who works on-site every day. His laid-back manner will keep you calm through renovation projects (which strain marriages 100% of the time), saving you a fortune in avoided couples counseling. Old houses (our is 100+ years) are his specialty. His attention to detail and creative problem-solving when the unexpected occurs-mid project (also 100% guaranteed) are above and beyond any other remodeling project I’ve ever completed. He starts on time, finishes on time, is reasonably priced, and takes care with your home as if it was his own. Mike will recommend cost-effective, quality materials and fixtures as alternatives to the pricey stuff designers want to sell you. If you have pets in the house, he takes care to secure construction areas to keep them safe. Read on for specifics: We scheduled our renovation 6 months ahead of time, and Mike started exactly on time. Before demolition, Mike’s prep of the job site included installing protective zipper doors to keep the dust down. Despite his warning that it would be impossible to contain all dust, the zipper doors and air scrubber he ran every day allowed us to sleep in the bedroom (right off the construction area) every night. Mike’s genius and creativity really shine when unexpected things turn up (1000% guaranteed to happen during old house renovations). Not only does he have a solution for every surprise, his calm and assuring style (“don’t worry, we’ll figure it out) keeps homeowner stress down and marriages intact. Our new refrigerator was larger than the old one. When the old cabinets were gone, we uncovered a weird bump in the floor; the new fridge wasn’t going to fit. We’d either have had to remove it (more construction in another room) or get a smaller, apartment-sized fridge. Neither option was acceptable. Mike’s solution? Raise the floor and fabricate hardwood doorway transitions to even out adjacent floors. Our cats love to jump up on top of the kitchen cabinets, but none of the trim choices for our new cabinets were going to survive climbing kitties. Mike designed and built gorgeous molding with redwood trim that could (and does) hold the weight of a good-size cat. He also designed and installed a custom cat tree – no more window-blocking, carpet-covered tower. Mike took care to keep our pets safe by sealing up temporary holes, securing tools just in case a sneaky kitty got into closed-off rooms, and taking care to keep doors closed to ensure no one escaped

We hired Mike Roman in 2019 to renovate an original 1942 bathroom and renovate a laundry room with a half bath into a separate full bath and mudroom. I cannot recommend Mike highly enough. He was exceptionally organized and helped guide us through the permitting process for Alameda and coordinate with suppliers. I had not renovated a home before and Mike's patience and communication were invaluable in moving the project along. He gave excellent recommendations for sourcing materials that were high quality but still within budget, and was good about trouble-shooting issues that came up. He also gave great recommendations that improved on the original design (e.g., no-lip shower and vertical drain, double built in shelves in shower) and we loved the finished product. In the midst of the renovation he noted other issues with our house's existing infrastructure (e.g., a slow pipe leak under the house) that we were able to fix before they became a larger problem. When we sold our home this year to move to a larger one the renovated spaces were a major selling point and Mike's craftsmanship significantly added to the value of our house. I would absolutely hire Mike for another project in the future.

No one LOVES having a construction crew in their home, and yet! The first few days after Mike and his crew had completed our five-month project, we really missed them! Mike if funny, considerate and a great problem solver who goes above and beyond. He hires great people and treats them well which is so important when these people are going to be in your home day after day. We were thrilled with every part of the major remodel Mike did for us. He works so hard for his clients. After a long day on the job site, we would often get texts from Mike in the evening because he had been searching online for a product that would solve some challenge, or thinking about different ways to approach a problem. What impressed me the most, I think, is Mike's dedication to make sure we got what we really wanted, even if it meant more time and work on his part. For instance, when the light switches went in, according to the architect's plan that we had approved, I realized that it wouldn't be easy for me to turn lights on and off from inside the kitchen. He could have easily said, "Well, I gave you exactly what you asked for" and moved on. Instead, he pondered the wiring that had already put in and figured out a way to add another switch for me, without disrupting the finish work that had already been done. There were times that I changed my mind about something and asked him to redo it that I'm sure would be really frustrating for any contractor, but he was patient and understanding and put in the time to make sure we had no regrets. Mike was also generous with his expertise in areas that went beyond his responsibility. Our house is old, and items we needed for the remodel were nonstandard sizes. He helped us search, calling suppliers for us, sending us photos from stores and searching through web resources in the evenings, until we found the perfect item for each need. Mike even once found us an accessory he knew we had been looking for at a garage sale on a Sunday! I would call Mike first any time I have another home project, and wholeheartedly recommend Paladin Home to local friends. Big projects are not generally fun to live through, but Mike honestly made a lot of the days fun.

Start to finish, Mike and the team from Paladin were incredible to work with for our bathroom remodel. This was our first significant project on a very old victorian home, and we were nervous. We hoped to work with a contractor who both honored the heritage of our house and brought excellence in craft. Mike far exceeded our expectations. He was both insightful and cordial - offering flexibility and expertise through the design and execution of our project. He patiently educated us to make appropriate decisions, and guided us to understand the ins-and outs of the entire renovation. He elevated all of our ideas, and brought a level of partnership that was unexpected and much appreciated. Our old home brought some twists and turns - as did a few of our hardware selections. Mike took every curveball in stride and offered solutions that kept the project on track and efficient. He literally worked magic when we ordered the wrong size light, and fabricated custom pieces without batting an eye. His crew was respectful of our home and neighbors. They left the place squeaky clean every day. The end result is incredible - the attention to detail is unbelievable. The level of craftsmanship is unparalleled. Working with Paladin Home was an amazing experience and I highly recommend reaching out to them for your next project.

We hired Mike Roman of Paladin Home to build a deck and pergola for us. He did excellent work, was completely professional, kept to his reasonable estimate and finished the work on schedule. The quality of his work was superb and we would not hesitate to hire him again. In fact this was the second major project he did for us within the last four years.

We hired Mike Roman of Paladin Home for our master bath project. We chose Mike because he was highly recommended, responsive, and his contract was comprehensive and competitive. Our bathroom plan was pretty complicated and involved moving walls, new plumbing/electrical and a curbless shower room. Mike came up with creative solutions and was communicative during the process. He was detail-oriented, patient, and kept the workplace tidy. On top of everything, he was fun and easy to work with made sure we were happy with the results. We will definitely hire him for our future home projects.

How many people can say they really like their contractor and have become friends with this person? We can. Our renovation involved 3 bathrooms and updating room lights and switches throughout the house. Mike Roman is extremely knowledgeable about design, material options, brand quality, plumbing, electricity, product sourcing, building codes, permits, etc. etc. etc. His company, Paladin Home, employs a meticulous hard-worker who focuses on detail, especially when installing floor and wall tiles. Because of his many years of experience, Mike is able to offer solid opinions and alternatives when needed. He has good communication skills and constantly kept us abreast of any issues and of his progress. When a problem (like a vendor error) arose, instead of getting frustrated or upset, Mike was there with good solutions. At the end of each work day he cleaned the areas where he worked. His even temperament and great sense of humor made the entire remodeling process a whole lot easier to manage.

Mike and his team were easy to work with and made our house remodel as painless as possible. They were professional, responsive to our needs and completed our project within the projected time frame. When we had changes to our plans, they were willing to be flexible and were also able to provide professional advise to help our decision making easier. We were so impressed with their work that we are planning on rehiring for an additional project. Items completed: complete rewiring of house electric, upgraded plumbing, full kitchen remodel, re-finished original double hung windows, and much more.

I hired Paladin Home to remodel my half master bathroom into a full master bathroom and I have to say I couldn’t be happier with the results. This was the first time that I have ever done any type of work with a contractor, but Mike Roman of Paladin Home was extremely patient, was able to make critical suggestions, and was able to listen to what I wanted and make it a reality. The existing bathroom was a horrid DIY bathroom with a clunky oak vanity with those huge globe back-stage type lighting with sink and a yellow toilet that was done back in the late 70s. We had always wanted to remove an exterior wall and use the connected shed to expand the bathroom into a full bath. As I mentioned, I have never done any type of remodel and was completely unprepared at the start date, but Mike was very patient and explained what I needed to do for first steps. Mike helped us understand how the space could work. We closed off a door to the exterior shed, we resized a window, we added a tub with a rain shower fixture and a hand held shower, as well as a waterfall tub filler with a hand held shower. Mike was able to make my tile design work using five different types of tile. Great carerra style type for the shower area with something different for the niche, and two two types of glass tile over the vanity. Mike also guided me in determining the lighting, which included recessed lighting, vanity lighting, and a flush mount chandelier (my dream bath). All of the work was extremely high-quality. Mike also handled all of the exterior work and closed in the exterior door and resizing the window and putting up the new siding,as well as painting it. Mike provided a clear proposal before the start and pricing was reasonable. He was careful to advise us when changes that we made to the plan resulted in changes to the cost. It was a great experience with Paladin Home and I love my bathroom.

If you're looking for a honest and reliable contractor who does superior work, then look no further. Mike and his crew surpassed all of our expectations and we could not be happier with the result. He was very communicative throughout the process, he offered his opinion in a helpful/respectful manner (*since this was our first reno, we leaned on him a lot), and his crew was friendly, punctual, and left our home clean every day. Mike also provided great recommendations for additional contractors we needed, such as countertops, cabinets, etc. He is a wealth of knowledge and an all around good person. I would highly recommend Paladin Home to anyone looking to renovate their home.

Working with Mike and his crew remodeling our kitchen was a great experience. We did a total remodel taking down a wall, new cabinetry, flooring, countertops and appliances. Mike is honest and forthright and very easy to work with, he is also personally on the job site every day. His bid for the work was fair and we are so happy to have worked with him. His finish work on molding, walls and trim is flawless. We were so happy with his work we hired him to remodel our laundry room and that too exceeded our expectations. We highly recommend Paladin home and will use them again in the future.

Mike, owner of Paladin Home, did a wonderful job on our bathroom! We had a rough idea of what we wanted and Mike was able to fill in the gaps and create a bathroom that was perfect for the time period of when our house was built (1915) with modern upgrades for everyday use. Mike and his employees were professional, friendly and paid close attention to all of the details. They were extremely considerate knowing this was our only bathroom (and our first remodel) and worked with us to make the process very smooth and easy. The project was completed on time and on budget with a very high quality of workmanship. We highly recommend Paladin Homes for remodels and plan to use them again on future projects, especially for our kitchen remodel.