Rich Mathers Construction, Inc.

Rich Mathers Construction (RMC) was our general contractor for a whole-home remodel plus landscaping for our mid-century modern home, which was built in 1959. The home needed a complete overhaul. Our architect, building Lab of Oakland, CA, provided a clean, modern design, but executing on such a design was anything but simple: there was no room for errors or sloppy construction. RMC did a great job overseeing the project, communicating with us and with our architect, and dealing with any problems that cropped up, and they saw the project through to a successful conclusion. They inspired confidence in us, and that confidence was well rewarded. We gladly recommend RMC to others.

I've hired Rich several times over the last decade to do lots of work, including 2 significant additions to my home - one involving a complete kitchen tearout (1998) and another a large family room addition (2008). He's also worked on smaller projects like replacing the front door and updating fireplaces and lighting. He is a man of high integrity who I do not hesitate to give free access to my home. I've always felt comfortable discussing and quickly resolving the inevitable issues that occur during the building process. The result has always been high quality delivered with constant updates and few surprises. Often the most challenging part of a remodel is the interface between old and new structure - this is an area where Rich always takes a careful detailed look and makes the transition natural. I have recommended him to several friends and will continue to do so.

I have been working with Rich for over 6 months on a complicated basement addition in Palo Alto. Rich and his entire team have been very helpful with questions, budgeting, and scheduling of the project to keep things moving smoothly. They are efficient, hardworking, and trustworthy. I look forward to collaborating with them on another project in the future!

Rich Mathers was recommended to us by our good friend and neighbor Roger - who is a real estate developer and property manager. Rich and his team had remodeled their kitchen, and not only is it an amazing space and they are super happy with it, but Roger is aware of several others projects performed by Rich and team, and relayed that each owner was very happy with the experience and end result. Probably the best referral we have ever received. Rich really gets it. He knows its your project, and its going to have his name on it - and show a pride of workmanship and skill. He is super fair and great to work with. Rich focuses on what you want and makes it happen in a cohesive and timely way with feedback built-in throughout. If there is any issue, he wants to know about it so he can get it fixed. His people (including foreman Javier) and subcontractors (framers, electricians, cabinets, flooring, counters, tile experts, etc.) are also a pleasure to deal with - craftsmen who focus on making the project work and look great. We really appreciated the very clean work site and the way Rich and team communicated with us continuously and kept us informed throughout the process, as well as how receptive they were to changes we made during the process. They helped us figure out various critical items throughout the process with expert advice and guidance. Rich and team got the project done very timely, allowing us to keep our long scheduled dinner party just before the holidays. We highly recommend Rich Mathers Construction without reservation, and the gorgeous kitchen and remodeled adjoining living/family room also speaks for itself.

I work with a lot of contractors, and Rich Mathers and his team are by far the best in the league. They are personable, care about the client and the design team, and are excellent at managing expectations. Their cost analysis approval process is fast, with their high tech on the fly signature process. They allow our team to think outside of the box and instead of saying no, they say lets do it! I can't wait for our next project. I can't say enough great things about Rich Mathers Construction.

I have worked with Rich Mathers Consrtuction on at least 5 projects. Rich and his foremen and crews are very professional, communicative and organized. They make sure that every detail is well handled and that the customers are fully happy. I highly recommend them.

We used Rich Mathers Construction for a complete remodel of the main floor of our home. The project included 1) Gutting, complete remodel and expanding of the kitchen (involved removing structural walls) 2) Gutting, complete remodel and expanding the main bathroom 3) New flooring on entire level 4) Converting carport into enclosed garage 5) Creation of laundry room 6) Electrical, paint and fixtures Overall we are very happy with how our home turned out and enjoyed working with Rich and his team. Pros: - High quality work - Very personable staff (We worked with Sam Curtis - great guy that goes out of his way to help you with basically anything) - We met most of their subcontractors and I was impressed with the level of professionalism and quality of work - They listen to what you want and suggest recommendations based on their experience and expertise Would have been better: - The project took longer than anticipated. But it was worth it given the quality of work and attention his staff paid to us. - We blew our budget. Some of that was our fault by changing things last minute. But communication on cost overruns could have been better.

We hired Rich Mathers and his team for our phased remodel, and could not have been happier with our choice. We wanted a general contractor who shared our aesthetic, would listen to our broad wish list and needs and strategize with us about the best path to achieve our goals, and who was an excellent communicator -- we don't like surprises. Also, we are not high-rollers and it was important that we work with a GC who would respect our budget and help us make smart choices about our remodel to maximize value. Rich and his team whacked the cover off the ball on all points. We had many planning discussions, set a timeline and a budget, and stayed in daily communication with Rich and the site manager throughout our project. Our remodel came in on time, under budget, and most importantly, we now have a house that we absolutely love and never want to leave. Rich and his team are dedicated to the highest quality work product, his subs love working with him and will go the extra mile for him and his clients, and his clients reap the benefits of this. GCs need to make tens, if not hundreds, of small decisions on a daily basis while the owner is not on-site, and it's important to choose a person who manages his team well, exercises good judgment in making those decisions on the owner's behalf, and elevates issues to the owner as necessary. Rich and his team are true professionals who take their jobs seriously. Having to chase after your contractor or do substantial re-work seems to be surprisingly common, and we did not have to do any of that. We had no horror stories about blown budgets or schedules, arguments, cranky subs, or switching GCs mid-project. Rich advocated (strongly, repeatedly) for us when we had an issue with our window supplier, and we did not have to get involved at all in order for the issue to get resolved to our satisfaction. He just handled it. And did I say this already? We love our house! Once we save up for the next part of the remodel, we will absolutely use Rich and his team again. We could not be happier about having been able to work with Rich Mathers Construction, and highly recommend them to anyone looking for a GC in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Rich Mathers and team did a substantial remodel for our home, and it has turned out great ! We transformed a 1950s Ranch style home to a Contemporary California home with inside outside living, with clean lines and finishes. Rich and his team’s experience was instrumental in delivering the project. We had narrowed down the list of GCs to 3, and selected Rich based on his prior experience, prior clients who are still strong referrals and Rich’s commitment to his clients and projects. As with any remodel projects, there will be some surprises, Rich and his team of seasoned sub-contractors are experienced with great communication skills. They always put themselves in the home owner’s shoes and try to do the best for all parties involved. Rich was personally engaged in the project, attended every weekly meeting, available to us via a phone call and prompt to meet us on-site to discuss any changes / surprises. Even after we moved in, Rich was been available to resolve issues that were not directly his responsibility. As an example, after we moved in our sewer had a blockage based on a lingering issue, we called Rich he called his contacts at the City, the sewer trucks showed up promptly and Rich stayed with us through out the morning to help resolve the issue. Overall, we have been very pleased with Rich Mathers as a contractor and more importantly as a person. He is honest, genuine and trust worthy. Any project has surprises and a roller coaster; you need a GC who is there with you and helping you get the home of your dreams – Rich has been that contractor for us.

We hired Rich Mather's Construction to do a major remodel/addition to our home. The scope included adding a new garage, kitchen and family room as well as complete renovation of the rest of the interior and exterior of the house (plumbing, electrical, doors, windows, roof, siding etc). We are completely satisfied with Rich's service. The project was completed on budget in a timely manner. Rich had great ideas and was extremely knowledgeable and flexible enabling us to make some changes during construction (for example, adding skylights and changing to a curbless shower). Rich worked well with the planners/inspectors from our town to make sure everything went smoothly. Also several of my neighbors expressed their appreciation for his keeping them informed and minimizing any inconvenience due to deliveries, noise, etc. I highly recommend Rich Mathers Construction.

We used Rich Mathers Construction for our remodel in the summer of 2013. We couldn't have been more pleased with the process or the outcome. Rich was very easy to work with, and his standards are as high as mine. We had a project manager assigned to our site, and he was there every day that the workers were there. On the advice of friends, I was on site every day in the beginning until I realized that the project manager had it under such good control that I didn't have anything to do when I came. Either he or Rich called me whenever an issue arose, so I was involved in everything. And if I had a question or concern, Rich was always available to talk it through with me. Rich and his team made the entire project so easy for us, and the outcome is fantastic. On top of that, the remodel stayed on budget and ended only about a week later than projected (due to some unexpected issues with the house that were uncovered during the remodel). I would definitely hire Rich again if I had to do another remodel, and I'm happy to recommend him to others.

As architects and designers, we are typically first in line to recommend general contractors to our clients; Rich Mathers of RMC remains at the top of our list for consideration. In our experience, it has been a pleasure to work with an experienced and seasoned general contractor who has command of his trade. That experience extends to those Rich will engage in the project, whether direct hires or sub-contractors. A particular example of our working relationship that stands out is his team’s collaborative approach while under construction; if clarification is needed, or a better assembly method is possible, whether in construction or cost, Rich and his team will bring that to the forefront. This kind of collaboration delivers both quality construction and the intent of the design, honoring the promise to the client. Consistently, our clients cite that Rich is a gentleman; they feel taken care of from the inception of the relationship to post construction. Rich’s attention to a project is focused, organized and consistent, always maintaining a clean and safe job site. Since we often review multiple contractor bids with clients, we find that RMC’s bids are competitive – reasonable, fair and commensurate with current costs. Post construction, it would be a rare instance where RMC’s bid didn’t come in as projected. If relationship, experience and reasonable construction fees are of value to you and your project, we recommend that RMC be considered for your project; it would be our pleasure to speak with anyone directly of our recommendation. Jonathan Pearlman Principal www.ElevationArchitects.com