Constraction reviews in Oakland, California

My wife and I had a great experience working with J2 Building Services. From the beginning, they were professional, reliable, and very easy to work with.

They communicated clearly throughout the project and made sure everything stayed on schedule. The team paid close attention to detail and the quality of their work really shows. It’s clear they take pride in doing the job right.

What we appreciated most was how responsive and respectful they were during the entire process. Any questions we had were answered right away, and they made everything feel smooth and stress-free.

It’s not always easy finding contractors you can trust, but J2 Building Services definitely delivered. We’re very happy with the results and would highly recommend them to anyone looking for dependable and high-quality work.

— Aaron & Family

Had to remodel my bathroom this year. J2 came in and did amazing job with my bathroom. Explained everything to me, great communication, very quick, and made things easy for me. Definitely will recommend him for another job. Thank you, Juan.

I needed my kitchen remodeled. After a little research and a lot of word of mouth I decided on J2 Building Services. I called and Jay came by the next day. Jay asked what my budget was and made a lot of money saving recommendations. He had a lot of options to work with and answered all my questions. The workers were respectful of my space and loved my dogs! With all that said the worked tuned out BEAUTIFUL.

My experience with J2 Building Services was outstanding. I needed a bathroom remodel and decided to contact them after coming across their listing online. From the start, Jay Mendoza was professional, attentive, and very easy to work with.

He took the time to clearly explain the project, provide a detailed breakdown of the pricing, and ensure the work was completed with great care and attention to detail. The quality of the craftsmanship truly speaks for itself.

Overall, I had a great experience and would highly recommend their services. If you’re considering remodeling your home, don’t hesitate to reach out to J2 Building Services.

Very professional, quick, efficient, and cost effective. We've been using their services for a few years and will continue to. Everything from plumbing issues to fixture install and electrical work.

Marco and his team (especially Angel) are fast, professional, and do excellent work at a very good price.

I've worked with them many times over many years, and there's no job they can't do.

They're always the first ones I call.

Honest review. When our regular handyman retired we took a chance and hired Ambar. We needed to have baseboards replaced. Marco was on time and did a flawless job. We asked if he could rebuild a small linen closed and make it double in size. Perfect job! That led to a complete bathroom remodel, rebuilding a large wall in the living room that had dry rot throughout, pouring two new driveways, replacing the water lines from the house to the curb, and building a front deck. Those are the "big" jobs. Since that first baseboard job, Ambar has become our go-to contractor/handyman and has never disappointed. In addition to larger jobs, Ambar has installed a dishwasher and faucet, under counter lights, insulated the attic, installed a grab bar and hand rail, did some hauling, cut back our giant front tree for the winter and hung security cameras. That's only the stuff I can remember. Every 3 - 4 weeks I call to have them trim the hedges and do yard clean up. In my opinion, his work is flawless, his crew is on time, respectful of property and prices are fair. I forgot to mention the great cleanup after work is completed. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Ambar to anyone. If I could give 10 stars I would!

We could not be happier with our 950 sq. foot remodel which transformed our basement dungeon with no windows and a dirt floor into a spacious light-filled family room with outdoor access. Finished just in time before shelter in place! Many thanks to Ben and the great team.

Ben remodeled our kitchen & built a garden room addition. All in all a very pleasant experience, and the result stunned us--as in, how could there be so much more space than before? And not just more space, but beautiful use of that space. We are enormous fans.

Manzanita Design Build managed the addition of a wing to my home as well as bringing up to code and repairing the rest of the 1904 house. Because of COVID there were a few delays, but they worked around them pretty well and without going beyond budget. Their work has impressed my friends and neighbors and I am more than satisfied.

Manzanita Design Build creates thoughtful, well-crafted, and unique spaces that feel special. Ben is incredibly knowledgable and takes great pride in his craft, which is clear in every one of their projects I have gotten the pleasure to walkthrough. The designs are playful yet practical and the level of craftsmanship is top-notch.

Ben and his team built an ADU in our backyard. He helped develop a concept and plan for construction. Ben listened intently and was able to visualize what would work best on the site and magically make it happen. The whole thing went seamlessly and it was a pleasure working with Ben, Chris and Thor. We liked them so much that we were sad when the project was done! It was an enjoyable process and now we have a beautiful ADU to enjoy. I have no hesitation in recommending Ben and his team- they are all terrific!

Manzanita built our sweet two-bedroom ADU home and I'm very happy with the process. I showed up with drawings I had made with my kid, and Ben worked with me to figure out what was doable and how to realize it within the constraints of the city's regulations, adding in good ideas and respecting my different choices. Ben listened carefully, and took time to get an idea of our values and what we were looking for.
Throughout the process I had access to a spreadsheet with the running expenses and budget, and there was clear communication about finances throughout. The planning and construction process all stayed within the agreed timeline and budget, and I was kept in the loop with fequent updates and reminders of what was needed from me next.
Then construction itself took a little over half a year. It was surprisingly easy to live right by the building site, much of which is thanks to site manager Chris and the entire crew. Their communication was timely and clear at all times, and they took into account the sensibilities of our neighbors as well. All the subcontractors who worked on the project were excellent in their craft. There was a positive and respectful vibe at the site: it felt like everyone who came through actually cared about making this a good home for us.
After our move-in the folks at Manzanita have continued to be responsive and made time to promptly attend to the minor things I noticed that needed attention. My warmest recommendations for Manzanita!

Manzanita Design Build did a fantastic job designing and building a multifamily home for me in Oakland. Ben was easy to work with throughout the design process and provided a clear vison for beautiful, functional spaces throughout the home. I expected the project to be delayed by the pandemic but thanks to their diligence and foresight with planners, contractors and materials it was finished on time and within budget. I would recommend them to anyone looking for high quality design and craftmanship in the bay area.

Ben designed and started construction of our ADU in Oakland. Since we started working with a design/build firm, we will never go back to using a separate architect and general contractor. Everything is taken care of by Ben, and is your single-source of contact for design, zoning approval, building permit, and construction. There’s no finger pointing, communication issues, or blaming someone else for problems.

Ben has an easy communication style. He listens to your concerns and patiently walks you through your options. His deep-depth of knowledge on Oakland’s zoning and building codes, allowed us to weigh our options and make decisions efficiently. Budgets are transparent and realistic, which has minimized surprises and kept us on track, financially.

We are through the first phase of construction, which included foundation and rough framing. The construction team at Manzanita is equally amazing to work with, and their quality is excellent. I’ll plan to do a follow-up review of the finish construction as we enter the next phase of work. I’m sure we will be just as pleased.

Hiring Ben was the single best decision I made for a comprehensive rebuild project.

He saw things in design I would have never considered - elements that substantially elevated the usage and flow of the space - and saw them through to seamless completion. Design, permits, build, finish, he did it all.

Every facet, from electrical placement to stair geometry to plumbing choices, Ben not only knows but could probably give a dissertation on. He could give the pro/con of every decision, grounded in countless hours of experience, and his choice would certainly be the right one. It became clear very fast that Ben’s full service design build is precisely what I wanted. This is the person you’re looking for.

Thank you so much!

We had a wonderful experience with Ben and Manzanita Design. The project came in on budget and on time. Ben was extremely responsive and communicative throughout the entire process. He and his team were excellent design partners, and have stayed in touch after construction. We’re very happy with our ADU and have already recommended them to several folks.

Manzanita Design Build designed and built a new ADU for us, and we cannot recommend them highly enough. Ben listened carefully to what we wanted, including our budget and constraints. He designed a house that met all of our criteria and desires. Thor did a fantastic job on execution, with great craftsmanship. The whole team , including first-rate subcontractors, did excellent work, on time and on budget. And, it was truly a pleasure to work with Ben and Thor who were good communicators, fun to be around, responsive to questions, and flexible. We are thrilled with our new home - which exceeds all of our expectations - and with Manzanita Design Build.

Before working with Ben at Manzanita Design Build we had worked for a short time with an architect I had previous experience with many years earlier working as a general contractor in Berkeley. Early on we assumed I would do our remodel/addition myself by hiring carpenters and subcontractors. It started to become apparent to both my wife and me that our architect wasn’t listening to us and didn’t seem to have much energy or enthusiasm for our project. It was difficult for us to end the relationship after having some time and money invested but we knew it would be for the best. We found Ben after doing our research and quickly it became apparent that Ben had the energy and creativity we were looking for. I personally liked that Ben was a builder having had some frustrating past experiences working as both a carpenter and contractor with architects unfamiliar with some of the realities of building. Quickly we became convinced to just let Ben design and build our whole project and we’re glad we did. Ben always listened to the ideas we had and working together we always improved upon them. Ben also had a practicality about things that made it easy to go with his suggestions. Our project was fairly involved and all of Ben’s employees and subcontractors were skilled and very easy to get along with. I’d have to guess that compared with most clients I was probably more difficult and given to micro managing because of my building background, but Ben and his crew made it feel like a collaborative experience. In the end we’re very happy we chose Ben and are extremely happy in our amazing remodeled house with our marriage intact!

We've done a lot of remodel projects over the past twenty years, with quite a few different architects and construction companies. Ben and his team were hands down the best experience. The design was gorgeous, the communication was great, and the construction was smooth and timely. If you need an ADU in Oakland or Berkeley, they are your best option.

Very professional service.