Thomas Judt

It went very well. He is very responsive, helpful with valuable suggestions, listened to my requests,. I would absolutely hire him again.

It went extremely well. We were on East coast and remodel on West coast and Tom went over and above to help us handle many things that were not his responsibility. Tom was always professional and supportive of changes. He was also helpful in suggesting other supplies of materials and services when required.

We hired Tom to help us tackle an extensive remodel of our 3 bedroom/2 bath house. We hired Tom because he was by far the easiest to communicate with. Additionally, and just as important, he was one of few contractors who approached our project and budget with an perspective of how to make it feasible vs viewing it as an impossibility. Overall we are very satisfied with the work that Tom and his team completed for us, and the experience of working so closely together for 3+ months of active site work was a relatively smooth one, no small feat for something of this scope and with all the surprises that can arise.

I am amazed,it is beautiful. You just don't know if the pictures you have in your mind will actually look good. Well planned work schedule and completed in a timely fashion. I changed my mind a couple of times and work was still completed on time. I am going to have more tile work done on another bathroom and it has already been scheduled.

Excellent . We are extremely pleased with the outcome. Mr Judt is a pleasure to work with.

Work was performed excellently, on  time and on budget.  The quality of the finishes exceeded expectations.  The work took place in a 92 year old structure and finishes matched all adjacent rooms in the style for the age of the building.

Tom was recommended to us by an acquaintance whose bathroom he had redesigned and built. We found him to be warm and friendly, easy to work with, and very responsive and helpful during both the design and build stages. He helped us understand the structure of our kitchen and what would and wouldn't be possible, with our "dream kitchen" as a starting point. He made suggestions we hadn't thought of, and made it clear that we were in charge and he was open to anything we wanted to do.

Tom was very exacting with the people working under him, firing a worker who didn't meet his standards. He waded through the very frustrating inspection process in our town with patience, and made sure everything met code and satisfied all our needs--budgetary, functional and aesthetic.

I have since recommended Tom to other people, who have also had satisfying experiences with him. I would definitely work with him again.

I've worked with Tom Judt on 4 major home renovation/remodel projects over the last 10 years -- including a huge undertaking to transfer a shabby Victorian fixer-upper into a beautiful family home that's now the pearl of my block. Tom is a great listener, with creative ideas about how to achieve the desired results practically. He is deeply experienced with a wide variety of home renovation, repair and remolding projects. He's extremely ethical, very responsive and organized. He's assembled a strong team of hard working folks that really care about the work they are doing. If something doesn't work out as expected, he's right there to problem solve and address the issue. Tom is my "go to guy" and I could not recommend him more highly.

Each project on which I hired Tom went easily, effortlessly, and the investment I made in his guidance and design input, saved me money in the long haul. The first project he consulted with me on was the remodel of a loft unit and upgrade and tiling of a new bathroom. He also managed the installation of murphy beds, closets, and cabinetry that transformed an industrial, garage space into a warm, open studio. Following that experience, I decided I wouldn't buy property again without having him view and inspect, especially when there was potential remodel work. He was indispensable in assisting me find a historic home in Vallejo, and proceeding with an upgrade and remodel that was in design alignment with the era the property was built. He knows what is worth investing in, what to leave alone, and has a wide and extremely competent network of artisan builders, as well as steady laborers. Happy to field phone calls for recommendations. We need more of his caliber in the world of home purchase and remodeling.

Tom helped me redesign my home.  Using his knowledge and design software, we were able to work together to create a beautiful flow to my 1948 home.  We removed walls to create an open concept in the living spaces and we designed a beautiful master suite in what was originally the basement.

Tom was ready to brainstorm on any idea I had and to research ways to use cutting edge technology to
achieve energy efficiency.  A renaissance man, Tom approaches every project with an open mind and open heart.

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Great! Great attitude, professional and knowledgeable!

Tom Judt - General Contractor
The qualities that make Tom a great find is Organization, Flexibility, Communication & more.
We were very lucky to find Tom on Angie's List.  We interviewed 12 general contractors for our project(s).  All of them had the basic GC skills, but it was Tom that stood out of the crowd.  
We recently purchased a beautiful 1920's house that has lots of deferred maintenance.   There was no way we could completely redo everything and moving in before the holiday; Tom helped us went thought the entire project, breaking down by phases, made perfect sense.
Tom is incredibly organized.  He advised us on allocating resources.  Because we couldn't do everything at one go; Tom guided us through using time and resources effectively.  Tom was very up front about what parts of the project he could give us a firm price and what parts of the project we wouldn?t know the price until he had opened a wall or removed a furnace.  He did, however give us broad guidelines about what to expect for those parts of the project.  
Tom was very flexible about problems. Our project involved an old house. There were a few surprises once walls were opened and plumbing removed; Tom got through them and made all worked.
Tom is a great communicator.  Every step of the way he explained to us the project, laid out the progress, told us his benchmarks - and whether they were being met, when delays were happening and why. And during this final time of punch-list items, where we have three small items - for which we are waiting on suppliers outside of our control - Tom is still staying in touch to make sure we get to finished. 
We must say that our new neighbors loved Tom. He managed the relationships with respect; as if he lived here! It was great that our neighbors liked us (because of Tom) before we moved in.
We plan on using Tom for the next phase of the project.

I was really happy with the end product, and everyone who works on his team are friendly and courteous and respectful.  I was on site the entire time, so I had a lot of interaction with them.  The quality of the work was great, and Tom always gave me affordable options for things I wanted to achieve with the project.  I felt that I got a fair price for the level of work they delivered.
My one recommendation would be the same for any contractor you work with on a project-  when getting a quote, you should work to get as clear a picture as possible of exactly what is included and what is not included.  It might help to think through and do some research on the finishes you want (lighting, floors, doors, windows, etc) before talking to contractors.  If you have to pay for an itemized quote, I'd say it's worth the trouble and expense.  I was a little caught by surprise when some of what I thought I was getting wasn't allowed for in the estimate, and I had to some things myself on top of the initial estimate.  Also, the job took twice as long as the estimate.  I'm still a happy customer and will give him a call next time we have something we need done.

I originally met Tom as a volunteer for an organization I work for, repairing homes for free with volunteers for low income seniors. He has done everything you can imagine to help me in this endeavor, I therefore always go to him when I need something that I can pay for as he has impeccable workmanship on every level. Tom is competent, timely, neat and tidy on the job site, and can assist with ideas when you are not sure what would be best for your situation.
Overall I cannot recommend him highly enough. And I have numerous times and everyone I have sent him to has the same experiences I have had, we are all very satisfied.

Everything went smoothly. There was a problem outside of Tom's control with the shower walls that I will discuss below but Tom's experience and organization mitigated the impact. to the overall schedule.
During the initial project consultation Tom can us a lot of ideas to consider in terms of scope, desirability , cost and value.  I appreciated that Tom advised us on the locations and stores to look for fixtures, toilets shower walls etc. They were good recommendations because of the variety, quality and pricing  And he recommended certain product lines that gave good value for the money or would be particularly long lasting so that we would not have trouble in the future. Particularly on the shower plumbing and the fans. We did not know anything about this stuff. His recommendations may mean that our next remodel will be when we want to not when we need to.
Tom always checked that everything was one site before starting something ( ie making sure that everything to finish the shower plumbing was here). This way he would not start only to find out we needed to go in another direction because a part would not be available for 8 weeks. And he did it a least a day before hand so there was time to run to the store to get something. This meant that he was able to smoothly transition from one task to another.
The shower walls and the countertop arrived from the manufacturer later than expected. A shower wall -one of three- arrived with a flaw and had to be re-ordered. Because he had already checked the materials onsite for each task he was able to productively use that time to finish other tasks.
Tom drew the electrical wire from the inside house panel up to the bathroom in such a way that he was be able to draw a second line to bring the other upstairs bathroom up to code as well.
I really like the ceiing  fan that Tom recommended. It solved the ventilation problem and it is quieter than the old one. We asked for  a new electrical outlet on the one side of the counter so that both sides would have one. At one point Tom mentioned that in addition to the new outlet, the old outlet could be expanded to accommodate 4 plugs for a total of 6 plugs. This was, in retrospect, a great idea.  My wife can plug in her rechargable toothbrush and hairdryer on her side and I can plug in my rechargeable razor and rechargeable tootbrush on my side and we can still plug in a radio and still have an outlet free ( for instance  to plug in a vacuum cleaner or air filter for use in the master bedroom)
I was very happy to see that he made sure the panel was labelled correctly- something not every contractor has done in our house. Also, he drywalled and painted the holes he made in the walls of the understairs closet after drawing wire and making the changes to the panel. ( something that some electrical contractors had told us they would not do when we asked for bids on electrical work).
I am very happy with the new shower and toilet. Both of which were selected based on recommendations Tom had made. We would have probably not consider either brand  had it not be for Tom recommending them. This advice based on his experience was very valuable to us.
I also appreciated that Tom was always on time and informed us a couple of days in advance if he was not going to be here so that I had time ot make other plans. If the shower walls had come time and all 3 had arrived in good condition he would have worked straight through without down time. But unlike other contractors we have had- Tom made a schedule and communicated  it to us. We did not have to call and ask if someone was going to show up that day.

From start to finish it was a wonderful experience.  He met with me to learn what I wanted for my new backyard and offered great suggestions that turned my vision into even more that I had hoped for.  He is truly a master craftsman.  He used invisible screws for a flawless finish on my deck (something no contractor had done before on previous decks - what a difference!).  He knew that I waned to grow herbs and vegetables, so he built a 30' planter box across the back fence, ran a line out there so I can water more easily (something I never would've thought of), and built a bench seat all the way across the box, giving me extra seating throughout. 
I work from home, so I was here most of the time and was amazed at the hard work and precision Thomas displayed (it was also 90 degrees out!)  Best of all, he came in exactly on time and on budget (something that I think is hard to come by these days).  I highly recommend Thomas Judt Builders.  Thanks to his fine craftsmanship, I'm spending a lot more time outside, enjoying my new space.

He does a great job.  he is very knowledgeable, timely, and worked well with other contractors.

As an architect, I have worked on a
number of projects with Tom Judt over the years from small scale bathroom
remodels to additions and major renovations. As an architect, I
have come to trust in Tom?s skills and abilities; I know if Tom is on the
project the work will be done correctly and professionally. Whether a large
project or a small one, Tom gives the same care, quality, and attention to
detail to all of his projects. He is extremely well organized and has an
exceptional attention to detail.
Having worked with Tom on a variety of projects I appreciate
that he is very good at understanding design intent of our work and executing
our designs. We frequently work directly with Tom during the design process as
he has the ability to offer valuable insight to keeping projects on budget. Tom
can see the big picture of a project, which is not something all contractors
can do well. He is very good at working with homeowners to meet their goals
while working with their budgets.
Once a project has started, there are always
unforeseen issues that develop during construction; this is the very nature of
the business. Tom is very adept at handling the vast array of
issues that present themselves during the life of a project. Construction
projects are stressful, and Tom does an outstanding job at keeping the stress
that a homeowner feels during a construction project to a minimal, thereby
keeping the process as smooth as possible for the homeowner. He is
a good problem solver and a good communicator; he is,
very thoughtful in his work and the way he interacts with homeowners.
Quality is of the utmost importance to Tom in the work that
he does; his work has to speak volumes for him long after he has completed a
project. I have seen Tom interact with building inspectors during field
inspections;,
the quality of his work means inspections go smoothly and without
complications. This is key to not only the overall quality of a project, but in
staying on time and on budget.
Every project presents unique challenges. and
When you are making an investment on
in improving your home there is no
such thing as a small project. A builder is someone who will be a part of your
life for the duration of the project,;
this needs to be someone you can trust on many levels. As an architect I am
always delighted to work on projects that Tom is involved with because I know
the project will be done correctly and I know Tom will be a consummate
professional.

Tom came highly recommended by a family member, so when we bought a small house in the hills that was in need of a good deal of restoration we gave him a call.  On his first trip to the house he replaced two sliding doors, the front door and installed a door out on to the deck.  That done, he fixed a hatful of electrical problems and increased electrical service to the house three fold.  It was then on to the shop to install a service panel and bring the electrical service up to code.  All this was accomplished with neither delay nor drama. 
Somewhat later it was time to totally replace the bathroom.  Through a series of phone calls prior to beginning the project Tom would frequently say, "Well, you could do that.  You might want to consider . . . ."  Each time his suggestion was an improvement.  When the project was completed he had brought our bath into this century.  All of Tom's work is level, plumb and straight; no small feat in a house which is none of those things.  There is a beauty to his plumbing and electrical work that is covered by wall board and which no one will ever see.  But I know it is there.  Every project has been an improvement to the house, and everything has been completed on schedule.  We are currently waiting the convergence of his schedule with ours so that we can begin another project.  Given that any remodel is a strain on finances (not to mention relationships) I cannot imagine a less stressful or more gratifying experience than working with Tom Judt.

We had a great experience with Tom. He has tons of experience in bathrooms and did a fantastic job re-doing ours. The quality of his and his crew's work was great. On top of that, Tom was extremely attentive to all our questions and special requests. Hands down, it was the best experience we've had with a contractor to date -- highly recommended. 

This was a long process - almost 4 months, and if it had been any other contractor besides Tom, we probably would have ended up killing each other. Remodeling is a stressful experience when so much of your house (and life) is torn apart for so long. Tom made the process as painless as possible.
Once we removed some load bearing walls, it was necessary to add new rafters to the roof. While he was doing that, Tom pointed out that it was not necessary to reinstall a new ceiling, that we could vault the ceiling to the roof. What a difference the vaulted ceiling makes to the spaciousness of the room, and it was all Tom's idea.
Tom does a majority of the work himself, and brings in workers and sub-contractors as needed. He redid the electrical, plumbing and carpentry in the entire space. Our friends are so impressed with the appearance of the space and the quality of the workmanship.
The thing we like most about dealing with Tom is that he is the classic Design/Builder in that when something does not work as planned, he is able to design around the issue and produce a uniquely clever solution.
He may not be the least expensive contractor, but you definitely get your money's worth and you know before you start how much it is going to cost. Tom is very flexible and works with you to deliver what you want within a budget you control.

Demolition revealed significant dry rot and improperly installed waterproofing.  I worked with Tom in developing details and replacement methods. A double layer, "belt and suspenders" method was utilized.  The work proceeded smoothly and repairs have been successful without leaks.

• Thomas Judt is a General Contractor working primarily in Oakland/Berkeley/El Cerrito and points North.  He was recommended to us originally by a friend, who used him on a bath and kitchen re-model similar to the one we contemplated.  We were impressed by what we'd seen of the quality and finish of his work, and by reports of his excellent communication skills and flexibility in working with his clients to get the most bang for their buck.  As the job unfolded, these reports proved to be more than accurate.
  
  Our kitchen was long overdue for a remodel, as was our downstairs bath.  Price was definitely an object for us, but we wanted the best quality we could get.  This resulted in what proved to be a poor selection in our modular cabinetry provider.  We designed our new kichen around a corner sink to maximize our linear counter space.  After gutting the kitchen of its old cabinetry, on unloading of the new work from the truck we found that the corner sink module was not present.  The warehouse said "so sorry, we're out of that build.  We should have more arriving from China in about 6 weeks!"
  
  So, we were looking at month-and-a-half before we could even start replacing our ravaged kitchen, and then another 2-3 weeks for the actual building to occur.  Fortunately, we had hired Tom as our General contractor.   Did we mention that he was flexible?  And highly skilled?  Working from observations and templates taken from the demonstration models on the floor at Sincere Hardware (our cabinetry supplier), Tom crafted a perfect simulacrum of the corner unit we thought we?d bought from doors and pieces other additional modules that Sincere supplied at reduced cost by way of apology for their warehousing error.
  
  Custom building the corner module added only a bit more time and expense and gave us exactly what we needed as opposed to a repeat of the same mildlyawkward layout we were replacing. With that done, the rest of the cabinetry went in without a hitch, with
  only a few days lost in the schedule while Tom sorted the problem w/Sincere and built us out of it,  We're delighted with the result...as the actual build quality of the cabinetry is quite good.  It was Sincere's warehousing and sales liaison that was sub-par.
  
  In the wake of the corner sink debacle, we were left with less money in our tight budget to spend on the bath remodel.  Instead of the tile work we had been contemplating, Tom suggested a Swanstone insert that saved us both time and money.  He also showed us how we could increase our bathroom space by almost 1/3 by reclaiming the space behind one wall occupied by our ageing conventional water heater and hanging a tankless on the side of the house.  This gave us a spacious new bath, a Federal Tax deduction, and a 25% reduction in our utility bills.  Oh, and endless hot water when we want it.
  
  Throughout the project, Tom was professional, patient, and attentive---time and again willing to go the extra mile to make sure we were happy with what we were getting and aware of all the options available to us within our means.  Highly recommended, and we will use him again in future.