Big Red Construction

Good sales pitch and promises in the beginning: A) Your house will be kept as clean as possible, B)workers will arrive and leave on time each day (7:30 -4:00pm), C) customer service oriented staff, "we pride ourselves in quality materials and workmanship", D) trust me! Of these: materials and workmanship were true, as were customer service on the part of a few staff. Don't be surprised if you need to check for mistakes. In our case, it was daily. more

I can't imagine another contractor that offers the depth of services Big Red has. They added a beautiful great room onto our home. The Big Red team included: - the owner (Kathy) that was really on the ball, and on-site every day - an amazing architect to make our dream a reality - professional in-house design (Fran) - a talented construction team that started on-time every day, and left my home tidy as possible Kathy has since done other large projects for us, and never ditches our smaller requests. They can pour your driveway, replace your roof, remodel your kitchen or upgrade your water heater. You literally have a trusted contractor for all of your needs. They are amazing. more

Good: Big Red remodeled two of my homes at the same time. Both job sites were kept clean, things were either moved or covered so that I was not inconvenienced with a lot of dust. Ubaldo was my lead carpenter. He was so skilled that he did rough framing as well as very detailed finish work - all with the same care and skill. Every worker on the jobs was polite, well groomed, timely and a great worker. I cannot say this for the other companies I have used.. Other: I have lived in the Bay Area for over 20 years and previously used over 10 other contractors. None were as professional as Big Red. I will never use another contractor. Their work more than exceeded my expectations.. more

Very expensive, watch out for extra work costs, Kathy nice to start with but money hungry at the end, quality of work so,so for the $. more

Big Red Construction replaced the wood shingles on my home in Martinez and did a fantastic job. From start to finish, the construction team kept the place clean and organized, while staying on time, and on budget. I can't wait to have Big Red come back and remodel our kitchen! more

Over the years, Kathy Kovell and her crew at Big Red have remodeled two bathrooms and a kitchen for us. In addition, her team painted the entire exterior of our house. With each and every project, we have noted that the caliber of Big Red's craftsmanship has only been matched by the level of service and customer care that comes standard with the Big Red package. All of our jobs have come within budget and on schedule. Big Red Construction's approach to business epitomizes professionalism. Steve and Pat Johnson Orinda, CA more

Finding Big Red was a gift. I have worked with over 10 contractors in the past 10 years and would not have called any of them back. Big Red worked on two projects for me at the same time. They have a sufficient number of workers to do this and each have specific skills. All were clean-cut, honest, on time -- and most importantly, skilled. Here are the things that no other contractor did that I appreciated: Hauled away trash regularly, kept the project clean, did dust-control and covered all floors and carpets, estimated the work and change orders accurately, have one lead carpenter on the job who is responsible for everything, had someone shop with me so that when I chose something, the details were taken care of by a professional, used the most qualified subs. When a company has a number of employees who have worked for them for more than 10 years, this says it all. The other thing is that I would use them again and be happy to recommend them to my friends. more

Good: LOVED Kathy - and that she was there every day. No absent business owner.. Other: If you're looking to add on to your home - look no further! Big Red Construction comes in on time, and on budget. They added 600+ sf for us, and we are loving every minute of it! Their work is first rate, and they have premium craftsmen. Their workers are courteous, tidy and on time. Plus, Kathy (the owner) is a dynamo of a business woman!. more

The owner is fair, responsive and considerate. I wanted to use Big Red since they did a spectacular job with a large project for my neighbor; including returning three times to resolve minor issues. I was happily surprised when their bid came in towards the low end; and without all the haggling. They always showed up every day and on time; even in the rain. The work quality was, for the most part, of the highest caliper. The owner was "interviewing" a new forman, "Eric" for part of our job and while on his watch, the quality dropped from outstanding to totally unacceptable. Eric's work included studs that where not plumb, stud spacing that was not accurate, angles that where off by more than 5 degrees, nails when I asked for screws, etc. Nothing dangerous or inadequate to the building department, but not the neat perfection I expected. The owner brought back the original crew and some of the more egregious messes where cleaned up. All-in-all I am exceedingly happy with the work and would recommend Big Red to anyone. more

Yes, they were clean, yes they were nice. But that's where it ends. They didn't build my deck according to the plans, we ended up with a different shape than what waas designed. To make matters worse, one side of the deck is 5" longer than the other... IT IS OUT OF SQUARE!. The put new siding on the house which now leaks and they have been unable to stop the leaking. I call them, they come out and then say "well it's raining now, we'll come back when it isn't." We call them when it's dry and they say "well we have to come when it's raining"! We are suing them and expect to win. more

Big Red Construction is the only construction company I will ever work with again. The proprietor, Cathy, is prompt with returning phone calls and being on time with jobs. Her employees and subcontractors are extremely professional and courteous. They can do anything from repairing the smallest sheetrock patch to building and entire home. more