"Our experience with Suj and So Cal Builders & design was very pleasant. They executed a high quality upgrade to our prior home before we sold/upgraded. We did not want anyone else to renovate our new house. Every step of the remodel was handled in a timely manner. And, honestly, Suj is quite humorous; he creates a very nice environment to be around for his team and clientele."
"Working with Nathan & KN Remodeling was the best decision we made when undertaking our garage conversion job. Nathan understood exactly what we wanted, knew our budget parameters and provided us with a range of options that helped us stay within what we were seeking to spend. We wanted it to be NICE, but didn't need to over-do any of the finishes and spend needlessly on areas that were going to be used in-frequently. The end result was fantastic. The workmanship was of the highest order, the job was executed efficiently and with constant communication and oversight. The whole job was stress free and delivered on time. I can't recommend KN Remodeling highly enough!"
"We enjoy working with Axe Construction. Such professionals. The attention to detail is evident in everything they do. They are so organized, thorough and have excellent customer service. Our experience in working with them have been so pleasant and we look forward to working with them again in the future."
"The adage “You get what you pay for” rings true with MF Construction. When we were in the market for a general contractor to build our two-bedroom/two-bath ADU in San Marino, we interviewed several general contractors. Mike Maman of MF Construction was one of them. Mike showed us several of his projects as well as his own custom home. We were extremely impressed with the end results. After reviewing several competitive bids, we selected Mike because of his 40+ years of experience in building high-quality homes. During the construction of our ADU, Mike was just a text or phone call away. He kept us informed of upcoming events and visited our job site almost daily, sometimes more than once a day. He was present at all 12 of the City inspections. Every step along the way, we noted the high quality of materials Mike uses from the Ganahl lumber to the thick insulation and roofing paper to the copper pipes and shower hot mop, and mold-resistant drywall. Mike uses materials which meets or exceeds code requirements. Everyone on Mike’s team is extremely skilled in his/her craft, many having worked with him for decades. Mike is old school and does not take any shortcuts. Along with high quality construction and materials, Mike is extremely efficient. Our ADU was completed in four months, as promised. Progress was made every day. From the rough work to the finishes, Mike scheduled his team members just in time which resulted in an extremely efficient and smooth workflow. Mike builds with his heart. His passion is infectious which inspires his team members to do their best work. The results are evident in the finished product. Our neighbors and friends are extremely impressed with the quality and build of our ADU. If you value a well-built home and appreciate attention to detail, you will not be disappointed with Mike Maman. You WILL get what you pay for with MF Construction."
"We hired McCormick Home Builders to remodel our living room, and we are beyond pleased with the result. The team was professional, worked efficiently, and Aris design ideas made a huge difference. The room feels so much brighter and more spacious. This was the best decision we made for our home, and we were already planning our next remodel with them."
"We worked with Kevin recently on an addition to our home and a full interior remodel. We're very happy with how it came out. Kevin came in with reasonable pricing and we stayed on budget and finished relatively quickly. Kevin at times went above and beyond for us to get us to our desired aesthetic. He's always very willing to work with you to get to what you want to achieve. He makes himself available to answer questions and concerns. He has never once not called me back. Thanks Kevin for our beautiful home."
"I've used this company for different renovations, backyard, kitchen and bathrooms. They're always on time and professional. The owner is very accessible. I will used them in the future if I do more remodeling in my home."
"My wife and I could not be happier with our master bedroom addition and new Walk in Closet. Jorge and the A-Right crew were the most responsive contractors I have ever worked with and in my opinion that made the entire process less stressful and much easier. I will definitely be referring A-Right builders to all friends and family who are interested in having any type of remodeling done and I am already in the process to utilize them to retile the rest of my home. Thank you Jorge & Andy"
"I would give California Builders 1 million ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ if I could, this company is top notch. The Airport Fire 🔥 ash got in my swimming 🏊 pool & started breaking away my existing plaster, the water was draining underground & my water bill has been excessively high as I have a water filler on that pool. I got a couple of local quotes from businesses off of yelp, but they were so high & unreasonable & couldn’t even start my project for months. I reached out to California Builders & they had someone draining my pool within days, after 4 days, my pool went from ruined to what now looks like a resort pool & for super reasonable pricing. Thank you, Chris & your California Builders team, can’t wait for our next project. This is the only company you should consider for all of your construction needs, there is nothing they can’t accomplish."
Custom Home Builders questions, answered by experts
Prioritize fire hardening as your first home building project by installing ember-resistant vents and establishing defensible space around the property. Next, address seismic vulnerabilities by bolting cripple-wall foundations and retrofitting unreinforced masonry chimneys. Since many Altadena properties feature older construction, inspect the electrical panels and replace any outdated knob-and-tube wiring. Finally, legalize any unpermitted accessory structures to meet CA state standards.
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After completing home building projects, retain the original signed permit cards, final inspection sign-offs, and approved plans. Keep all fire hazard compliance documents, including product certification sheets and defensible space clearance letters. Store engineer calculations for any seismic retrofits. Maintain an updated home inventory with photographs, and save all as-built drawings to guide future repairs on your Altadena property or anywhere in CA.
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Signs that previous home building work requires a redo include unpermitted garage conversions lacking proper insulation or egress windows. Inspect your exterior for non-compliant materials like wood shake roofing or standard mesh vents. In older Altadena homes, look for unreinforced brick chimneys or unbolted crawl spaces that require seismic retrofitting. Finally, check for diagonal foundation cracks indicating soil movement across the CA landscape.
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Schedule home building projects like exterior upgrades during the spring or early fall to avoid extreme heat. Plan to replace combustible siding or wood shake roofing before fire season intensifies in June. If your Altadena home still has older aluminum wiring or galvanized plumbing, update these systems immediately. Always schedule a structural inspection after any CA earthquake of magnitude 4.0 or greater.
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When reviewing quotes for home building, watch out for professionals who suggest working without permits. Altadena is an unincorporated area, so professionals mentioning city permits lack local knowledge. Ensure the quote includes compliance with CA fire-resistant construction standards and local fire hazard zone requirements. Finally, reject any proposal for structural work that ignores seismic considerations, as the area sits near active fault zones.
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The Altadena, CA homeowners’ guide to custom home building
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