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Hammer & Hand

About us

Hammer & Hand is a general contractor celebrating over 20 years of partnership with clients and architects in the Pacific Northwest. From classic remodels to design-forward commercial build-outs to high performance passive buildings, H&H builds projects that sustain and delight. Based in Portland and Seattle, the firm serves clients by empowering employees, harnessing 21st century building science, and advancing the tradition of craftsmanship. In addition to residential and commercial construction, Hammer & Hand handcrafts custom furniture and millwork for clients across the country in its Portland workshop. The firm is fully licensed as a general contractor in the States of Oregon and Washington.

Business highlights

30 years of experience

Services we offer

New homes, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), additions, and custom woodwork., basement remodeling, commercial tenant improvements, condo remodeling, high performance building and Passive House, kitchen and bathroom remodeling, whole house remodeling

Accepted Payment Methods

  • CreditCard
Reviews
4.422 Reviews
Number of StarsImage of DistributionNumber of Ratings
5
73%
4
9%
3
9%
2
5%
1
5%
Showing 1-22 of 22 reviews
Jeff W.
Mar 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
unknown

Simon G.
Nov 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$350,000
Hammer and Hand do impeccable work but you will pay a premium price. They were able to handle an incredibly complex job on the sound room (working off hand drawn plans from our acoustician and constructing very complex walls and ceilings). They also did a great job on the deck including diagnosing and fixing leaks caused by shoddy original construction and fabricating custom balustrades to give the look and performance we needed. They are comfortable working with premium materials and complex finishes, but of course this also goes along with long lead times. They also have access to a range of high quality subs that they work with.
All of our work was done on a cost plus basis so we have no experience of working on a fixed price contract with them. They also have a rather complex administrative process with many layers of overhead, so sometimes it is not clear who is on point for a particular decision. 
I would strongly recommend Hammer and Hand for premium, complex or unusual jobs but for more straightforward work I am sure you can find much much cheaper options.

Carolyn B.
Oct 2015
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$150
Great to work with. They did everything we asked and even saved newly hatched ducklings that couldn't get out of the pool!

Neil G.
Oct 2014
3.0
$80
unknown

Laura G.
May 2014
3.0
$100
unknown

Michael B.
Mar 2014
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$150,000
Flawless execution and customer service; worth the extra cost.

Joel S.
Feb 2014
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$10,000

Hammer and hand actually remodelled out bathroom. They did a phenomenal job. They are not the cheapest company to hire but their craftsmanship is just excellent, it's superb. I mean, their attention to detail and just their skill and precision and everything, basically sum it up as craftsmanship. I last saw them about three years ago. It was probably in May. It cost about ten to twelve thousand. They installed a shower, a basic rain shower. The faucet head comes out of the ceiling and it's just kind of gravity drawn, so there is no spray or anything.


GAIL V.
Dec 2013
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
They are more expensive than other contractors but it is completely worth it as far as their craftsmanship. They are very professional and stand behind their work. If there is a problem with their work, they come back and fix it right away. They communicate well and have a lot of expertise in carpentry. They also are environmentally friendly. The workers I have come in contact with have a great sense of design and make sure to fit the character of the home.

Traci K.
May 2013
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$150,000
They did a great job. They finished the job on time. It took about 4 months, and they were ahead of schedule most of the time. They were very good about keeping us informed about how the job was progressing and about what the expenses were. They came in under budget, so we were able to add a second bath instead of the one we had originally planned for. All along the way, they made suggestions to make the job more affordable and to do things in a way that made more sense design-wise. They also helped to make the space very well insulated. They did beautiful work.

Robert R.
Mar 2013
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$22,000
We chose Hammer and Hand to insulate our 1890 Victorian house through the Clean Energy Works program. In partnership with CEW, they performed an evaluation of our house to determine how much weatherization work should be done. The pressure test pumped air into the sealed house to determine where the air leaks were and infra-red sensors were used to determine heat leakage. A team of techs examined our attic and basement spaces. The tests determined that we had about 16 complete changes of air per day. The plan was to reduce that by at least 30%. A range of options was presented to us with cost estimates for each phase. Once my wife and I decided how much we wanted to spend to weatherize the house among the many options presented to us, a work schedule was drawn up along with info on what to expect during each phase of the work. The work crews were professional and efficient, and cleaned up the work areas every day before leaving for the day. The job was scheduled to take about 7 working days to complete; however, it ended up taking roughly 10 to 12 working days to complete. Delays were caused by equipment breakdowns on at least 3 occasions beginning about the 2nd day when West Side Insulation, the subcontractor, delayed starting because of a vehicle breakdown. On two other occasions, there were delays due to malfunctioning equipment used to blow the insulation into the house walls. On every occasion, Jeremy, our project coordinator, kept us informed and up to date on developments. The insulation crew was largely Hispanic and many did not speak English well, but their coordinator, Hector, was in contact with us in person and by phone so that there On one occasion, the roofing contractor had to reschedule twice due to workload and a sick employee. This accounted for the lion's share of the delays. On every occasion, both project coordinators offered to make things right, even offering to pay for an additional night in a motel while the
foam insulation was applied. When the job was completed, cleanup was thorough though the promised airing out of the upstairs of fumes of the foam application with powerful fans did not happen until I mentioned that it had not been done. The ventilation did not end until my wife decided that there were no longer any chemical odors in the house. Any area that showed heat leakage were dealt with promptly.
Periodic quality control tests ensured that if an area was missed, that additional insulation was installed in the appropriate area. At the end of the project, another whole house pressure test was done, as well as infrared readings of the walls. Results were that the house was considerably tighter and air changes were reduced from 14 to about 4 per day. The furnace runs about half the time it did before insulation to maintain 67F. Thanks to Hammer and Hand we have a warm house this winter.


VANESSA W.
Jun 2012
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
They are great!

Eric C.
Jun 2012
4.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$100,000
I don't know if I would hire them again. Their work is very nice, but they have little regard for cost. Their scheduling and job site management could be improved yielding both lower costs and faster project completion. They do stand behind their work 100%, and are quite capable of tackling anything an old house can throw at them.

David S.
Jun 2012
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$180,000
All of the Hand H staff were great to work with. They were creative in solving problems, always courteous and professional, and very knowledgeable. They also completed both projects in a timely manner.

Eugene U.
Jun 2012
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$12,000
We have used Hammer and Hand for at least five remodeling projects on our 100 year old house. Except for two subcontractors (a plumber and a tile setter) the work was excellent and well coordinated. They have always been sensitive to the cost constraints of the budget and are good to deal with. I would add that they were also open to feedback on those two subcontractors and no longer use them.

JOHN H.
May 2012
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Hammer and Hand was very thorough in its explanations and was very professional. We decided, however, to postpone the work due to the cost.

DAN S.
Nov 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$20,000
We are very happy with the work they have done for us. They are very responsible and responsive to the customer's needs. They are very accommodating and nice to work with.

SUSAN W.
Nov 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$18,907
If I could give them higher marks than excellent I would. While I have had a few things done in my house in the past, no company did as good a job as Hammer and Hand. They were on time, always let me know what was going on in the project and came up with ways to get around the many quirks of my 1904 home. Kevin or Tom contacted me every day of the project to let me know what to expect and to let me know that if I had any questions I should contact them. All the subcontractors did an excellent job. They even all looked out for my cat to make sure she didn't get outside. So I went from freezing in winter because the house had almost no insulation and expensive to run Cadet space heaters to nice and toasty. The heat pump is quiet, the exhaust fan in the bathroom turns on by motion detection (how cool is that!) and I am finally warm. Thank you Hammer and Hand.

PATRICIA S.
Nov 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Their work turned out fabulously. They showed real professional and very good customer care. They had a project manager being a liaison between the company itself and the contractors. I found that to be a very positive part of the experience. They offered weekly or biweekly meetings. They provided a constant flow of information between us as the clients and the business end of getting it done at Hammer and Hand.

Eugene U.
Nov 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$14,000
They are very good to work with and allowed me to do some of the demolition for the project to save money. Always timely and the clean up after themselves every day.

JOANNE B.
Nov 2011
4.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
They did a good job. I was very pleased. All of their subs were very good and cooperative. My project manager was very good. I would say that they addressed most of my needs. I understand that sometimes things come up and no one has any control over, but I figured that was par for any project. It all turned out very nicely.

Eric G.
Sep 2011
2.0
$37,000
After interviewing and receiving numerous etimates from other contractors, we chose Hammer and Hand to do our kitchen remodel. The estimate they provided us was $24,000. We are aware that this is just an estimate, planned the avg. 10-15% over and along the way we added a few things. Not accounting for what we added, the total remodel cost us over $37,000!!! How can a company say they have been doing this work for as long as they have, and not be able to provide a more accurate and realistic estimate. We used up all of our savings as well as having to use credit to pay the rest. It is unexcusible to place people in this kind of financial strain. I would not recommend or use this company again.
Response from Hammer & Hand
"Estimating remodels is an art, one that we pride ourselves upon as a company, but one that by its very nature is imperfect.  We work diligently to communicate regularly and clearly about actual costs as they are incurred during a project.  In this case we also made painful concessions at the end of the project to make things right, and our impression was that you were happy with the ultimate outcome.  Clearly we were wrong about that, and for that I’m sorry.  As a company, we learn from every experience, and we continue to refine our estimating process. - Sam"

Peter F.
Feb 2011
1.0
$300,000
Horrible. They set up camp, and proceeded at a snail's pace. The lead on the project, Coop, was usually on the phone, and not for our project. After spending over $200k, and only getting a few windows done, we asked for a final bill. It was $120k. We paid it, then sent them away. After almost a year, they are now suing us for over $50k. I would NEVER use these fools again, and I would NEVER even recommend you call them. They are a complete rip-off. Daniel Thomas has no morals, no business sense, and no idea how to run his company. Apparently, there is a silent partner, who invested money, who makes all the real decisions. My advise is not to hire them or you'll get a Hammer and Hand job, which is to say half done, at extremely high prices.
Response from Hammer & Hand
"We at Hammer & Hand have had the privilege of working with some of the best clients one could wish for. It’s what fuels our passion for fine craftsmanship and advanced building science. We’re disappointed that the reviewer felt it appropriate to post this review. He has become something of a Portland institution … see these news articles to judge for yourself: “Bad Neighbor: One wealthy Portlander’s tool kit for conflict resolution: tasers, chain saws and “coffee bombs.” http://wweek.com/portland/article-17757-bad_neighbor.html “Man who confronted KATU photographer appears in court.” http://www.katu.com/news/64454507.html For a better picture of who Hammer & Hand is as a company, please see our many Google Places online reviews here: http://bit.ly/o9iOuu Thank you! P.S. Multnomah County Circuit Court ruled in our favor on June 17, 2011. (Case #110405091) We don't make a habit of litigation, but in this instance we had little choice."

Licensing

State Contractor License Requirements

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FAQ

Hammer & Hand is currently rated 4.4 overall out of 5.

Hammer & Hand accepts the following forms of payment: CreditCard

No, Hammer & Hand does not offer free project estimates.

No, Hammer & Hand does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.

No, Hammer & Hand does not offer a senior discount.

No, Hammer & Hand does not offer emergency services.

No, Hammer & Hand does not offer warranties.