True North Designs

When you hire Paul North, you hire much more than just a contractor. Paul was responsible for the construction of two levels of decks starting more than 30 feet above a steep hillside. When he first looked at the plans, he realized that both the designer and structural engineer had missed an important element. He worked with the structural engineer to correct this major oversight. All through the construction Paul was more concerned about getting it right than about making money. I recommend Paul without the slightest reservation.

Paul knows everything about construction. He's a problem solver, not a problem creator. He fulfills his commitments, plays fair, keeps you informed and helps you make decisions that work for you, not just for him. He has a great team and, yes, he has the most amazing dog! Give True North a try. You'll be truly happy.

Paul is very up-front with us, explains what's going on, lets us know when a problem occurs, works with us to resolve issues. He listens to what we say & is sensitive to our needs, saving us money where he can. We always know where we are. He is very knowledgeable, but not slow to admit what he does not know & if an expert is needed.

True North really understood the complexity of our bathroom design and were capable of delivering a stellar end-product. They built an on-suite that should be in Homes magazine. They kept the project clean, on time and on budget.

Paul North was my contractor on several projects. He added on an art studio and a tool shed onto the house. He also remodeled my office which included vaulting the ceiling. All of the work that he did was excellent. Paul is very conscientious and works very cooperatively to finish the job the way you want it done. I highly recommend him to you.

I selected Paul North and True North Designs to do a major kitchen remodel on an old house in Westchester after meeting with seven general contractors. I was impressed with his professional attitude and depth of knowledge and experience. His proposal contained all the necessary information in a clear concise format and at a reasonable price. When we found some unexpected structural problems after removing some walls and ceilings, I was really glad I hired Paul when he immediately came up with a couple of different options of how to proceed without losing time and at a reasonable price. Time was of the essence on this job since the family was living out of a microwave in the living room, and Paul excels at scheduling his workers to keep the job moving. He has a great crew of long time employees and subcontractors who are a pleasure to work with and know how to do the job right the first time. Even the granite contractor found us an exceptional piece of granite that really made the kitchen beautiful. Paul North is an exceptional contractor who takes pride in his work and I look forward to hiring him for my next project.

I was looking for a contractor in the end of 2012 to renovate / manage the renovation of a townhouse I purchased in Santa Monica. The worked included redoing floors into concrete, tile and hardwood, 100% paint, redoing the kitchen, some electrical work, some plumbing, etc. And, after an extensive search online, interviewing several contractors, and getting a number of estimates, I settled on True North. Paul the owner is very down to earth and straight forward. He was very responsive, the upfront estimate fair and detailed, and changes along the way were reasonably priced. Work was done on time, and the quality was great. Where there were a few issues and/or I was not happy he redid the work quickly at no cost. Most importantly however is that he earned my trust, which was critical since I work all day. I highly recommend Paul / True North and will certainly use them again when I move next.

True North Designs is a first rate, outstanding, professional operation that provided me with an impeccable finished product that far exceeded my expectations. I hired True North Designs to remedy a botched remodel of one of my houses by an incompetent contractor. Among other things, the work included dismantling and remodeling two bathrooms, removing rugs and refinishing the hardwood floors underneath, redesigning and rebuilding the fireplace, solving lighting, electrical, and plumbing issues, as well as fixing a very tricky roof leak, and interior painting. At the time of my first contact with True North Designs, this house was uninhabitable. There were many things that I considered when I hired True North Designs. After interviewing and receiving bids from many contractors, it was inescapable that this company was simply superior to the others. I'm pleased to report that I was not disappointed. Paul North, the owner, has the understated, quiet confidence of a seasoned professional. He is intelligent, cleaver, articulate, knowledgeable, attentive, responsive, a great design talent with an impressive aesthetic, a great problem solver and a great listener. He is at ease and very thoughtful and thorough in his analysis and solution based approach. Paul and his crew are all experienced, diligent, skilled craftsmen. Their attention to detail, design, beauty and functionality is remarkable. This job had several major very complicated issues. For instance, one of them was that the master bathroom was a quagmire of poor workmanship and dysfunction. Two walls of the shower were made of glass blocks. They created a beautiful affect that I loved. However, all of the contractors vying for the job concluded that it was impossible to solve the bathroom's structural problems without destroying the glass walls in the process; all of them except Paul that is. When Paul discovered the bathroom's structural problems he immediately began to fashion a remedy that would allow him to destroy the bathroom to rebuild it correctly, and yet preserve the glass walls. He was the only contractor who struggled to attain the outcome I wanted. Ultimately, not only was he able to save the glass walls, but he designed an ingenious solution to a very difficult construction problem, transforming an ugly, dysfunctional, dangerous condition into a masterpiece. Paul and his crew are reliable and dependable. They were never late and they were always available to answer my questions and to provide input. They are all superbly talented and the quality of the work is outstanding. Moreover, they operate with utmost integrity. Paul's documentation, including the initial proposal, all work and change orders, as well as all progress and status reports were detailed, comprehensive, frequent, easy to understand, timely, and accurate. There were no surprises. Since this initial job, I have repeatedly hired Paul to do additional work on this house. He has never failed to deliver excellent results and has consistently approached each project with his unique style of patience, grace and a steadfast resolve to provide me with the best. Next on the agenda is a complete remodel of my other house. I have seen pictures of Paul's kitchens that make me excited imagining the possibilities. I'm actually looking forward to tackling this next big project after reaping the benefits of Paul's truly remarkable service and talent. My best advice is to call Paul, meet him for a walk-through, and talk to him about your home improvement project. I am confident it will be time well spent.

I hired True North Designs to remodel my home in 2010. I added 500 square feet which included a formal dining room, a beautiful master bathroom and a master bedroom walk-in closet. I also completely remodeled the existing kitchen. Paul North and his tradesmen did a great job. I designed the remodel and Paul refined and enhanced my plans with his creative input. The work his crew did met my very high standards and I was happy with the end result. Paul wasn't the least expensive of the contractors I interviewed but when hiring a contractor, cheapest is never better in the long run. The work was beautiful, the job was finished on time and only my changes increased the budget. I found Paul and the crew very professional, respectful, and pleasant to have around. Paul was reachable, and always kept me apprised of the progress on the job. There were very few days that they did not work on the project. The review above reflects only my personal experience. When hiring a contractor you have to find someone you know you can work with. I would hire True North Designs again in a heartbeat.

My wife and I selected Paul North of True North Designs to be the contractor for our kitchen remodel. We own what may be one of the last mid-century modern houses, which was constructed in 1974. As with many houses of this era, the kitchen was overly compact and also served as the breakfast nook. We wanted a kitchen that lived larger even though it would stay within the footprint of the original. Paul North made this dream come true by bringing his decades of experience to the job site along with his experienced construction crew and sub-contractors. It was Paul’s response to the unexpected surprises of the remodel that were most appreciated. During removal of the dark tile floor we found a partial concrete slab below. In order to keep moisture from wicking from the concrete into the maple floor we wanted he located a liquid moisture barrier that protected the wood. When the Bosch oven was discovered to be an inch deeper than any other standard oven he had his crew make deeper end panels for the base cabinets. There were six of seven more surprises (unusual ceiling framing, deeper than expected window headers, crooked walls, varying ceiling heights, sloping floors, etc.) that Paul addressed as they came-up. And then there were the changes we made during the remodel such as taking-out a new window his crew had just installed and replacing it with a larger one (our only chance to let in a little more light) that Paul took in stride. We know that we got our money’s worth and more from True North Designs. The stained maple cabinets they built for us are beautiful and functional. The three short months it took to go from old kitchen to new kitchen impressed us. Now, with the low windows moved up we have continuous cabinets with a granite counter that gives us four times the work and storage space as before. When people come to visit we first show them the special cabinet that Paul designed and built for us. It is at the back of a long and narrow closet under the stairs, beneath the stairway landing (a space only four-feet high). By making the face of this cabinet come through the wall that is adjacent to the kitchen we have an extra–deep cabinet that has three full-extension drawers that serve as our wine cellar, and storage for all those large and odd-sized items that never seemed to fit any place before. Thank you Paul. We’ll see you and the crew for our next remodeling project soon.

I first met Paul several years ago prior to selling our home in the Pacific Palisades. We had a converted garage and wanted to put it back in it's original condition before sale. True North Designs did an excellent job of conversion. We have since used this company for various repair and remodeling of our condo. All work was done in a workmanlike manner. He repaired leaks in our atrium which was extensive, and replaced French doors (3 sides) of atrium with sliding glass doors. I highly recommend this company for excellence in work, honesty, and reliability.

Paul North is amazing. I own 2 properties in Venice, CA and he has been my go-to contractor for the past few years for jobs as small as fixing a step to as large as structural retrofitting. He is honest, very competitively priced, and his workers are excellent and dependable. I am lucky I found him, and give him my highest recommendation.