Construction Company reviews in Oakland, California

Jim Gardener just replaced the landing at the top of our front stairway. We were extremely impressed with Jim's knowledge, his professionalism, and his crew. The job entailed removing the original 90-year-old brick landing, the columns, and building a cement support wall underneath: the job was complicated. The work was completed quickly, even though we had rain almost every day. The crew made sure the worksite was tidy at the end of each day. Jim went above and beyond what we expected and had the crew repaint all surfaces of our front porch. It's stunning work and I highly recommend Jim Gardener. I hope to use him again.

Jim’s work, and the experience of working with him, was absolutely outstanding from start to finish.

The assessment of our project was spot on, the cost was competitive, the communication was excellent, and the quality and delivery of the work exceeded our expectations.

We recently moved into a 1920s home that had significant foundation issues, along with some framing that had apparently degraded and been patched repeatedly over the years. Between pest and foundation, we had received extremely pricey quotes.

Jim provided us with an extremely thorough inspection of our foundation and subfloor (others just gave it a few minutes’ glance) and was able to propose a solution that repaired existing damage while installing permanent drainage to help prevent future degradation.

Of all the contractors we spoke to, only Jim was able to diagnose the underlying issue, and provide an economical solution that would actually solve the problem long-term.

Permitting and scheduling were a breeze (Jim handled everything) and work began promptly after we accepted the bid.

Jim’s crew was a pleasure to work with, and were scrupulously respectful of our neighbors. The job site was clean throughout, and the crew made it easy for us to go about our normal routine during the day. Additionally, they went above-and-beyond to keep the project moving on schedule — even though patches of rain.

Through the entire process, Jim’s communication was fast and thorough. We had a lot of questions, and Jim was kind enough to walk us through his team’s process every step of the way.

The finished result is excellent. The subfloor is in great condition, the new drainage works wonderfully, and the team did a beautiful job matching the texture and color of our stucco.

We couldn’t have asked for greater ease, transparency, and quality on what we assumed would be a daunting project.

We did not end up hiring Jim for a large project because he was honest about the fact that we could afford not to do it. He did not even try to come up with something small we "needed" to do. He instead spent a good ~30 minutes with me, looking at things in close detail (including things I hadn't asked about!) and explaining his assessment in detail to make sure I understood. I'll absolutely be saving his info for whatever project comes up next.

P.S. The reason we reached out is because he did gorgeous work at our neighbor's house--an entire front yard/front porch overhaul that looked awesome. She highly recommended the whole team.

Jim came by less than 24 hours after we contacted him. He was very patient and thorough with his inspection. He provided careful guidance with solving our problem which gave us peace of mind. Highly recommend!

Jim and his crew - particularly Luis, the foreman on my job - were absolutely fantastic throughout the seven weeks of my foundation project. They were never anything less than prompt, professional, punctual, and responsive.

Replacing a foundation is a *huge* task but Jim's crew made it as smooth as possible even as I continued working from home. Jim and his crew handled everything, from the engineering drawings and permitting to dealing with a very persnickety city inspector to get the city to sign off on everything at the end. That was one reason we went with Jim Gardiner Construction - his bid included *everything*, including removing and reinstalling driveway pavers, repainting the bottom 20 percent of the house, and even repairing a damaged washing machine drain line that they discovered. Other contractors were going to leave the permits to us, and make us hire another contractor to handle the pavers. Jim's crew made it all a breeze.

I recommend Jim Gardiner construction without reservation for any drainage, foundation, or general construction job you may be considering. He'll be my first call next time I need a general contractor.

I highly recommend Jim Gardner for his deep expertise, honesty, and professionalism. I contacted Jim to assess the drainage and foundation at my house. A lot of other drainage professionals I talked with felt like they are trying to sell you something or scare you into spending a ton of money right away--but not Jim! I was very impressed and appreciative that Jim was upfront and honest that we didn't need to rush into any projects. Jim's decades of experience led us to understand that there was probably nothing wrong with our house and should wait before deciding on any major projects. He told us what to look out for in case something major changed in the future.

If we ever have drainage or foundation concerns again in the future, we will definitely be calling Jim!

We reached out to Jim to look at drainage options for a new home we purchased. Rather than selling us something we didn't need, he advised us on a simple fix that we could install ourselves with materials from Home Depot and then to see if that fixes the issue before embarking on a large project. We're incredibly appreciative of his approach that was thoughtful and not pushy/salesy.

In June of 24 I puchased a home in the Glenview neigborhood in Oakland with a crumbling foundation. I contacted 3 companys. 2 companies wanted a upfront fee to produce drawings and then recieve the actual cost. I got some high verbal ranges that were higher that Jims. What impressed me was that Jim was able to produce his own drawings - thus saving me weeks maybe months before we could start the project. The work was completed in a very timely fashion. The crews were great to work with and always kept a tidy work area every day. I highly reccomend Garder Contstruction.
Tom Hochmuth

Jim came by to assess our property’s need for drainage in our basement. He determined the work needed to fix any issues was minor and could be addressed with a less expensive solution than hiring a contractor like himself. We were impressed by his integrity and knowledge.

It’s hard to find an honest and good man these days but Jim Gardner is such a man. In my experience with contractors in the Bay Area he and his team are truly exceptional. They are kind, caring, professional, and talented structural contractors. They just completed a drainage system in the driveway at my home and did some repair work on the inside of the house due to water damage. Not only do they do outstanding work, but they are incredibly clean and efficient. I can’t recommend Jim Gardner Construction highly enough. You won’t regret working with them.

I was concerned that the foundation beneath my front entry area might need repair. Jim came out to assess the situation and took the time to thoroughly explain everything to me. I really appreciate his honesty—he provided a clear and honest evaluation without trying to upsell or recommend unnecessary work. His integrity and professionalism were truly refreshing.

Jim came out and looked at a potential job for me. My front porch stairs had a crack that had formed due to settling. I had previously had a couple foundation guys come and look at it- one who proposed a $15k partial solution, the other said that I should have the whole stoop rebuilt. Jim came out, looked at it, and said it was solely cosmetic and suggested I have a mason come out and repair rather than rebuild it.
He could have easily told me he could have rebuilt it and gave me a nice fat bid for the job. Instead, he proposed the solution that didn’t involve him and probably saved me $30k. That’s pretty rare in contractors and I absolutely appreciate the honesty. Trustworthy contractors are like gold!

Jim is a honest, experienced expert in the drainage space. He came by to assess our older house's crawl space and drainage. After spending time walking the space and perimeter, he politely explained the options I had. He was not pushy of his services by any means, and instead considered me and my needs more than securing business. I recommend Jim if you are looking for an expert in the very confusing drainage space before going with a plumber who may band-aid things but not provide a durable solve.

Honest advice & estimate, fast turn around, high build quality.

Jim and his crew replaced the drain in front of my garage and added 50ft of new drain pipe into cement around the house, catching all the downspouts along the way.

The crew showed up with eight guys and knocked out most the job in one day. The speed was quite impressive.

We recently worked with Jim to redo the foundation and drainage system on our 1890s brick home, and we couldn't be happier with the results. He finished on schedule (and we had a really tight schedule) and didn't go a dollar over his quote.

This was a really large project and I got quotes from 6+ vendors. While Jim wasn't the cheapest, he was far from the most expensive. He took care of everything - we didn't have to worry about permits or anything, and was always available to answer our calls and emails.

Jim worked within our tight time frame, which was crucial for us. He provided thoughtful ideas and recommendations to help expedite the work, including how to stagger work with our other contractors outside of his crew. His expertise and attention to detail were evident in the quality of his work.

Couldn't recommend Jim & his crew more!

After a heavy rain, I noticed water seeping into my house and pooling beneath the floor, likely due to a drainage issue. As a new homeowner, I wasn’t sure how to address the problem, so I reached out to Jim for help. He responded promptly and came to assess the situation.

What impressed me most was his expertise and integrity—rather than recommending costly repairs, he provided honest, practical advice on how to resolve the issue in a cost-effective and efficient way. His suggestions were straightforward and helped me understand the best course of action without unnecessary expenses. His knowledge and willingness to help were truly reassuring.

I highly recommend Jim to anyone dealing with drainage concerns. His professionalism and genuine care for homeowners make him an outstanding resource!

Jim came by today to estimate two drainage jobs for me. One for my personal residence and one for my rental home. First of all, Jim is very experienced and comes across as a straight shooter. He is the owner of his company and clearly takes pride on the work they do.

Both of my problems have to do with water intrusion due to poor original design. Jim takes a very consultative appoach and weighs the cost of repair with the amount risk if the problem is not addressed.

Rather than give me a sky-high estimate, Jim encouraged us to first determine how bad the problem is with some quick and easy to implement short-term fixes. He suggested in both cases to divert water from our gutter downspouts away from exterior walls of the house with flexible drain pipe to first see if that would mitigate the water intrusion and to report back during the rainy season or in a year when we have a better sense of the magnitude of the problem and whether simply diverting drain water is enough to mitigate the problem.

I've worked w many contractors, tradesmen, and handymen over the years. There are plenty who are in it just to make a buck by hook or crook, but thank god for the honest guys like Jim, who believe in honesty and integrity and view homeowners as long term clients vs targets to be exploited.

Thanks, Jim!

Jim came to my home, and what I thought would be a quick bid turned into a longer visit. He took the time to explain to me what I needed and how foundations and drainage systems work. With years of knowledge and experience, he genuinely wants the best for his clients, even if it means telling me that I didn't need any work done on my home. It was a pleasure to meet someone in the industry who is honest, trustworthy, ethical, and passionate about their work. I felt so relieved when he completed his inspection.

Jim came out to take a look at some leaks in my garage. He was extremely easy to communicate with and very transparent. My job was too small for his team to take on, but he still took the time to help and advise me and make sure I understood his recommendations. I would love to work with Jim on any larger projects!

Jim came out for a free drainage estimate. He identified a very simple fix that would likely solve my problem (which he walked me through completing myself), and we talked through some other possibilities should that solution not solve the whole issue. He promptly sent over estimates for the other scenarios we talked through. I will definitely work with them again if we need more work done!

I asked Jim to look at our foundation because we'd gotten two bids from other companies that ranged wildly from $15K to $80K, and his reviews made him sound like someone you could trust to give you an honest third opinion. Was he ever! He took the time to inspect everything under the house and then gave me a detailed rundown of all the reasons why it would be a bad idea to spend $$$ jacking up our foundation to fix what turned out to be a cosmetic hairline crack. He then took the time to talk me through some relatively easy and practical measures for dealing with the issue and went on his way. I'm almost sorry we couldn't hire him because it would be have been fantastic to work with such an honest and thorough outfit, but I'm very glad to be one of the many people who haven't had to spend our life savings on unnecessary repairs thanks to Jim's integrity. Many, many thanks!