Bæredygtigt design i Scotts Valley, CA.

“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/”

“Heartwood Residential gutted and rebuilt master bath, removed glass walls and doorways in second floor loft, extended second floor loft by 2 feet, redid the affected kitchen ceiling plaster underneath including new lighting, installed railing at edge of loft, filled in openings in walls in bedroom, plastered, installed new lighting, painting and carpeting. The quality of Nick Yegge's work is terrific and everyone who works for him is top-notch. All sub-contractors he hired were excellent too. We had a unique experience, I think, because this house was built on stilts on the ocean bluff 45 years ago with an unusual architecture. There were surprises at every turn. Nick was always honest about what he discovered and we disused how to approach the new problems as they arose. Nick always found a good solution. Santa Cruz County permitting was also a challenge but Nick would not take no for an answer and even hired an engineer to prove that what he was proposing to do was not only feasible but that it would improve the integrity of the structure of the second floor loft. Throughout the project Nick was always good about keeping in contact and workers always arrived when he said they would. I cannot say enough about the quality of the work. And the results are absolutely beautiful!”

“Timeline Design designed and build our 6,000 sq ft house. They took our ideas and made them better. As the project progressed they improved the design and solved problems as the reality of the construction unveiled ways to make it better or address issues. This was done as a matter of course, not as a way to jack up the price through change orders. Most of these changes did, in fact, not change the price. Some did require extra or different materials or effort but these only added T&M charges. We are still delighted with our house 7 years after it was completed. Timeline Design still sends people out to fix or address any issues we have as they arise. Timeline Design is an honest, committed and talented designer/builder. I can't recommend them high enough!”

“Jon and Marty did a fabulous job with our remodel. They listened well to our needs and ideas, came up with some innovative approaches and gave us the great result we were hoping for. We are extremely pleased with our 'new' home. We highly recommend the Fiorovich Group to anyone planning a home remodel.”

“We have worked with Oro Coast on a variety of renovation projects and each came in on budget and the work was excellent. We really enjoyed working with Ben and his team!”

“We (RMI Mechanical contractors) have done several HVAC and plumbing jobs for Darci and her clients. We work well together to resolve complicated problems and come up with creative and effective solutions. She is great to work for and we both have the same goal, to have a happy client.”

“I had a fantastic experience with Valley Home Builders. I used VHB to do an addition of a bedroom and a bathroom. In the bidding process they were definitely the most professional, and ended up middle of the pack in quote pricing. The remodel was well communicated and they provided a detailed schedule. Work was predictable: everyone came in on time and there was someone doing work every day. They were on time, honest, and did quality work, and we're really happy with the end result. We had other contractors in the past but this one we will be recommending to friends!”

“Talmadge Construction did a beautiful job for us on a bathroom project. Jeff is a consummate professional. Communication was clear and ample every step of the way, and craftsmanship was first class. Talmadge Construction is a very well managed company that holds itself to high standards.”

“Clayton has been an extremely professional individual to work with. His attention to detail and overall quality of work has been something I have been proud to be associated with. I have no hesitation in recommending him to any client of mine. & I look forward to many more projects with him . Steve Benzing - Architect”

“We hired House2Home to remodel our family room, kitchen, entry and living room. It was a very big change to our 50+ year old house. We had used their services the year before to remodel a bathroom and were happy with that work. After discussing our desires for the remodel, Angela provided us with a number of possible designs and after discussions with her and Matt we finalized the plan. This was a very extensive job where we moved some walls, changed some windows and doors and completely remade the kitchen area. It was very beneficial to have both the designer and the contractor from the same company. We were able to decide on whether or not to include some of the design features based on the construction cost estimates and the desirability of the potential changes. Some items did not make the cut while others were added based on our budget. Matt then took the plans that Angela had drawn up and executed the realization of the design. He did an outstanding job with great care and attention to detail. He was also able to handle the changes required in renovating an older home. There are always modifications that must occur to take into account the variations in a 50 year old house. His work was well scheduled and finished without any undue delays. That was great because we had to rent an apartment while the construction took place. The bottom line was that the finished product exceeded our expectations.The look and feel of the house changed dramatically. It was like moving back into a new home. The details that Angela suggested and put into the plan made it elegant and highly functional. Our new kitchen is so pleasant to work in that we really enjoy cooking in it. We have received many compliments on our new home and are extremely happy with the result. As a matter of fact House2Home Design and Build has so far received 3 awards for the project and pictures of our home have appeared in at least one magazine! I would highly recommend House 2 Home Design and Build to anyone.”