Energy-Efficient Home Builders in Carmel Valley

“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/”

“I'm continually amazed by the work that they do! I have seen many of their stunning houses but recently they built a desk for my commercial space and that has become the focal point of our office. It has boosted our business and all of our clients have remarked at how beautiful their work is. It is also such a pleasure to work with them. I felt that they truly cared about every detail and they were thorough in their thoughtfulness. I could not recommend any one more than Meschi Construction!”

“We had the opportunity of working with HIGHCO Builders to enlarge and update our Monterey cottage. We enjoyed our conversations with HIGHCO and the planning that went into this experience. From the moment we began discussing our vision and hopes we were met with professionalism and a listening ear to turn the home we loved into what we envisioned it could be. HIGHCO Builders understood that our desire was to add a master bath/closet, update and transform the interior of the other rooms, all while keeping the 1930s charm and character that we love so much. Throughout the project, HIGHCO Builders demonstrated attention to detail. Their team, led by Jeremy High, planned every aspect of the construction process. Most importantly, we can say that Jeremy is an excellent problem solver. Multiple times he listened to our wishes and researched and brainstormed ways to make it happen. In many cases, more than one option was presented to us. We were living out of the area during the remodel and Jeremy communicated with us through Zoom, phone calls, texts, and a Google Drive that housed pictures, budget information, and other documents. One of the standout moments for us is when we were able to host our first get together, for all our friends. Jeremy and his wife were in attendance, and it was wonderful for us to see everyone’s reactions to the beautiful transformation, but more importantly to see Jeremy receive their praise. HIGHCO Builders is a fit for anyone seeking a builder who not only understands luxury but also knows how to listen, problem solve, and make your visions happen. Thank you, HIGHCO Builders, for making our quaint home a beautiful one filled with all the touches we wanted!”

“Owen Commons and his crew did a spectacularly great job in building an addition to and remodel of our house. The project was completed in a timely manner and on-budget. From the moment he received our architect's plans, Owen and his sub-contractors managed every detail as specified, both structurally and design-wise. He met with us every regularly on-site and answered any questions we had in a straight-forward manner. We had a checklist of items to review at our meetings with him at our home, and anything needing completion was handled quickly and efficiently by Owen and his team. His subcontractors were managed very professionally by Owen so that their work schedules were coordinated with each other, and the quality of their work was excellent. Owen's foreman Mike was on-site every day supervising the workers and keeping us informed about progress at each step of the job. We were very lucky to have selected Owen Commons as our general contractor, and we are very happy living in our beautifully remodeled home with its extra space (new bedrooms, bathrooms, flooring, painting, and outdoor deck). We wholeheartedly recommend Commons and Burt Builders without reservation! Michael & Rosalind Shorenstein La Selva Beach, California”

“In 2011 I purchased a home in Capitola and Joseph did the remodeling of my home. He did an EXCELLENT job on my remodel. He kept to the original design of the beach bungalow but gave me the modern features I desired. He started the remodel in August and I was able to occupy the home by Christmas. Following the work on my home Joseph and his team completed the re-landscaping of the property both front and back. Joseph did an excellent job and solved some issues that I thought would not be possible. I highly recommend Joseph Jacobs.”