Get matched with top designers/decorators in Palomar Mountain, CA

"Our remodel was done good. Fito the foreman was very easy to work with. Him and his crew were cooperative and helped us with things we needed done. Our project manager was good and he coordinated the other contractors to come out to do the railing and shower door and the deep cleaning for the house after the job was done. We really appreciated that. We want to thank you for everyone’s hard work and their diligence in working on our project. Best Mimi and Alvin Yee"

"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.


"

"Exceptional service with quality care and very professional hardscaping (Team Andy) and landscaping team (Team Omar). CEO, Emily Ayala was not only professional but provided thorough communication during our front yard project. Emily provided a 3D virtual design within hours after our initial consultation meeting all of our requests as well as comprehensive architectural design. Overall, we had an excellent experience working with Emily and her crew at San Diego Premier Outdoor Design! We are thrilled with the new look and quality of pavers, turf, landscape, lighting and irrigation system."

"I hired this landscape designer to transform my backyard and was thrilled with the end result. The designer was creative, attentive, and provided practical solutions to improve the functionality and beauty of my outdoor space. Highly recommend!"

"I called Jessica when my regular decorator was unable to help me redecorate my bathrooms and I was not disappointed! Jessica responds to all questions and phone calls almost immediately and I absolutely love her choices. My husband was not excited about updating our bathrooms until he saw Jessica’s mood-boards and now even he can’t wait to get started on the project. My only concern is that once the bathrooms are complete we will want to do more updating! Thank you Jessica and Dani! Would definitely recommend. I am a retired real estate agent so I have worked with many home stagers and decorators throughout my 35 year career and I think Jessica’s talents are among the best."

"Our front landscape was in desperate need of makeover landscaping. C&H Gardens has trimmed and removed many very large trees for me, over the last 6 years. It was an easy decision to choose Kent and C&H to do our landscaping project. Design was agreed upon and work began in mid-May 2020 and completed as designed in 3 weeks, on time and at cost projection. The professional work crew and design elements that added great visual quality to the street view was more than we expected. Our family and friends agree the work and view was fantastic. We will have an easy choice on our next project for the back yard...C&H is our contractor. Thanks Kent Horner, job well done."

"I wanted decorative rocks to cover bare dirt in my backyard. The job was done quickly, at a fair price, and to my satisfaction. I have asked Juan to come back to do landscape maintenance on the property on a regular basis."

"Luis is the best gardener and landscaper in THE WORLD. I have hired many people while owning and managing many properties throughout the last 20 years. Luis is the only one who never disappoints. He is extremely professional, timely, communicative, and just so dang excellent at his craft of lawn work. He is my only guy I use, and you should, too!! Seriously, it will just change your whole yard. Thank you, Luis, you are THE BEST as a landscaper and just an awesome human."

"Patrick from Petrone Landscaping Design was very professional, prompt communication, and did a wonderful job in the design for our front yard landscaping project."

"The bathroom remodeling was a remarkable transformation, turning our outdated space into a luxurious retreat. We're enamored with the sleek, modern design that enhances our daily routines with elegance and comfort."