Get matched with top architects/engineers in La Mesa, CA

"Office promptly called to schedule an appointment. Engineer was knowledgeable, pleasant, and provided the service we requested."

"There were several challenges specific to this project. First, it is was our first remodel ever - so we were novice clients and needed a GC that could provide an extra level of guidance for us. Second, the project was done remotely - we lived 500 miles away and could only visit the project periodically, so we needed someone who was a very good communicator and easy to access. Finally, the home had never been updated, so there were many unknowns about what might be discovered during the demo and remodel stages. We bought the home in 2012 on a short sale "as-is" and rented it out until we started the remodel.

At the bid stage, Danny Montijo (CEO of DM Building) provided the most detailed proposal by far. His pricing was also very competitive. He had been recommended by the architect who had drawn up our plans and he was at the top of our Angie's list search as well. We made our decision to go with Danny based on the referrals, his bid and phone conversations. He proved to be a very good communicator throughout. Since he doesn't do any of the hands-on work himself, he was very prompt in returning calls - phone/txt/email are his main personal tools. His very detailed bid/estimate proved to be a very helpful document throughout the project, as it was easy to see what was included and what wasn't. 

Quality-wise, the project was first class. During our periodic visits, we were able to talk not only to some of his team, but also to some of his subcontractors. Danny's requirement for high quality was constantly brought up unsolicited. Subtle aspects of higher quality were regularly pointed out. - from tile work, to painting, to cleaning up. Really, at every step, every decision.

The bid was fixed price; we never had a situation where Danny came back to us and complained about an aspect of the project going over budget if the task proved more difficult than expected. He was extremely fair and ethical. He was also straightforward - if he ran into a problem or felt he needed to recommend something that was originally outside the scope, he did so, provided a price, and we felt it was fair. Some of the discoveries during the demo and remodel were ugly ones in terms of budget and schedule (e.g. we learned we needed to re-pipe all hot & cold water and there was a recommendation to install all new drainage under the house, which we decided to do). We also made requests for additions/modifications that were outside of the original scope, such as adding some electrical, putting new insulation in the attic, etc. In a couple of cases, costs of the scope additions came back higher than expected, but we never felt like we were being taken advantage of - it was just a matter of the actual costs being higher than what we expected based on initial verbal discussions. 

Another positive aspect was Danny's willingness to provide his opinion (or say he didn't have one), if we asked him a design question. In a couple of cases where Danny had strong feelings about a particular design plan that we hadn't yet implemented, he volunteered his opinion. A couple of those recommendations proved to be very beneficial. Danny was also helpful in steering us toward products (e.g. doors & handles) where had no knowledge of what to order or specify. He recommendations were generally for high quality at a good price with a proven vendor.

Danny was also very skilled in managing interactions with inspectors. His good people and communication skills are very valuable in those aspects. He handled many behind-the-scenes aspects of the project without us having to worry about them. 

The only "problem" we had with the project was overall schedule. The project was supposed to take 4-5 months, but wound up taking much longer. One factor was the long-distance/remote nature of the project. Our general inexperience in remodeling/construction and our lack of availability when certain decisions needed to be made also played a role. Another factor was availability of subcontractors or crews. The project was done during a period of peak demand for good GCs and subs; one of the unpleasant learnings we had as clients was that project schedule was more dependent on subcontractor availability than anything else and that GCs have little to no control over that aspect. Even with his own staff, our project was competing with other commitments, so a delay on our end with a decision sometimes translated into subs or his own staff no longer being available. For quality and cost reasons, it appeared that Danny uses only certain subs, so if a key one is not available when the project is at the "ready" stage, it can be a problem. 

Good news conversations are easy to have; you find out about your GC and he finds out about you when you have to discuss bad news (such as ugly discoveries about the home's infrastructure that only become evident during demo or a schedule delay, etc). We found that we could have these difficult discussions in an open and respectful manner with no finger pointing or acrimony. 

His staff that we interacted with were very professional and polite and clearly had good chemistry when they were working together. He has very experienced staff who like working for someone with a focus on quality and doing things right. 

In the end, the overall result was outstanding in terms of how the remodel itself turned out. Danny lived up to his high marks on Angie's list. We have received many compliments about the remodel, including from subs who have worked on various aspects of it and know what they're looking at when they see the work of others on the project. After we moved into the home, if a problem popped up, Danny was very quick to respond and fix it. 

On the payment and financing side, everything went smoothly - Danny was easy to work with and very fair.


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"We waited for an architect to help us with getting permit to remodel our bathrooms, 2 months went by and we got nothing. We decided to give Homeguide/Angie a try, and that's how we found Leslie with Leslie Andersen Consulting. We were told that the entire process could take 6 months and longer. To our surprise, from our very first conversation with Leslie to the day we have the permit issued was 3 months. Way ahead of schedule. It must have been the very clear plans she created and all the details she added that we didn't have much of back and forth with the city. Besides great attention to detail, she is an excellent communicator, a good listener, cheerful personality and down to earth at the same time. Most importantly, she really cares about what she does! It shows through her work. Last but not lease, we thought her fee was very reasonable - our contractor told us what to expect, Leslie's fee came below the mark. Thanks Leslie for helping us, we can't wait to make your drawings the reality. :)"

"We did a full remodel of our place, full new kitchen, and expanded our place into the backyard for a new master suite. Pac Sands did a really great job with our designs. Great tools that made the communication easy with the plans and changes we needed. And they handled the engineering and permitting too, which was great. Highly recommend."

"Kacen and his team pulled up our existing lawn, his design turned it into beautiful low maintenance, water wise front yard that exceeded our expectations. Kacen and his team arrived for work early everyday, worked in the rain, made sure our yard was clean at the end of each day. The entire transformation took 4 days. We received several proposals, C & H proposal was very reasonable and gave us the most for the price that we were able to have our driveway and side walks acid stained. Kacen returned on day 5 to make sure we were 100% satisfied. I have been in contact with Kacen since the project was completed, he is quick to reply and be available to assist. We are extremely satisfied."

Will create your dream outdoor living space, So you can enjoy being outside your home with friends and family. What ever you want to build or create or change we can help. We have been doing landscape over 25 years. We are licensed as well.

With well over a decade of experience our family owned company puts the service back in customer service. We are licensed, bonded, insured and carry workman's compensation for your protection. Our goal is to exceed your expectations and deliver the yard of your dreams.

"Victor was the most professional company that came to give me a bid. He was the only one who gave me a detailed written estimate. He took the time to completely ck my sprinklers made sure of what exactly needed to be repaired or replaced. Planted new flowers, plants & transplanted for me. All new soil where needed. The price was good. I would have been disappointed with any other company. He's charged me a good price for my monthly service. I will only hire him to do the back 1/2 acre. I highly recommend his service."

"Excellent work. Made sure we were satisfied before we paid. Definitely would hire again for other landscaping work. Highly recommend this company."

"I am a general contractor and have used them for almost 20 years for many different projects."