Hardscaping in Oakland.

“Sarah Ray and her design build firm are nothing short of exceptional. Sarah and her crew restored our trust in the home service industry after experiencing a botched home interior addition & remodel seven years ago. Our experience with Sarah now sets the gold standard for any home service provider we hire in the future. We spent a month carefully interviewing 6 landscape designers, architects, and design-build firms. Sarah was always the front runner and knew the second we hired her that we initiated a great partnership and were embarking on an awesome ride! And it was, on every front. Sarah is not only a talented visionary, designer and expert in her field, but a great listener, collaborator and partner. We have a large flat backyard (about 5000 sq. ft.) that was overgrown and neglected. We had ideas of the style and design elements that we liked, but it was overwhelming to think of how to get there! Having Sarah shepherd us through the design to build process was a privilege and an experience I will always treasure. She is extremely approachable, upbeat, patient, and easy to work with. She was very open to listening to our ideas and iterating on design options together. We also hired Sarah to build/implement our master design plan. A full design-build firm appealed to us because of the seamless and efficient implementation of the design. Sarah is also very available throughout the build process and was onsite nearly every day, as was her foreman. Sarah also met us countless times at various suppliers so that we could carefully select our materials. Her build crew is talented and very hard working. They started at 7:30am and worked for 7-8 hours/day, sweltering hot conditions or not. We really appreciated the undivided attention and the integrity and all-around work ethic displayed by Sarah and her crew. You will also find Sarah to be very transparent. Her billing system is the most logical and straight forward approach I have experienced in the home service industry. The invoice is directly tied to our contracted line items whereby charges reflect only percentages completed on a weekly basis. All change orders were at my request, and were only represented in the invoice if we agreed to it prior. There were no hidden costs or surprises. So, aside from my change orders, the project cost aligned with the signed contracted budget. Sarah created a gorgeous garden space that is everything we ever dreamed of and much more. Our family is looking forward to enjoying this beautiful extension of our home, our new found sanctuary, for years to come. Sarah Ray Design comes highly recommended for any size project. Thanks a million, Sarah!”

“I just completed a remodel of my pool and landscaping with the Alder Group, and simply stated I could not be happier. From the first meeting until the project was completed, Don always looked for ways to improve the project and at the same time ways to minimize the cost of the project. His keen eye for design saw needed simple improvements that were relatively inexpensive but had a massive effect on the overall beauty of the project. Perhaps most importantly when the manufacturer delivered the wrong custom coping, and I worried that we would not be able to meet the deadline of a large party that was planned for my backyard; Don found a way to resolve the issue and keep the job on schedule. Don is truly one of the good guys.”

“Kristen designed a beautiful makeover for our yard - front, back and sides. She asked lots of questions before designing anything - what we wanted (pavers, pretty flowers), what we didn't want (water feature, yellow flowers) and in general, how we wanted to use our yard. She came up with lovely, detailed plans for a traditional looking garden (with our traditional looking house) - that were revised slightly with discussion, then found a couple of contractors to bid on the work. She supervised the work of the one we chose, making sure they followed the plans. She recommended a new gardner - good choice. About a year later she replaced the few plants that hadn't made it (for no charge), and now almost two years later the place is absolutely beautiful! I can't tell you how many complements we have received ever since the job was originally completed - and they continue to this day!”

“We moved into a new home and sadly had to make the decision to remove the natural turf in our yard with artificial turf. The drainage was poor and our 3 dogs would have turned the yard and our house into a muddy disaster. Blue Wagon's crew was efficient, polite and courteous. Within 3 weeks, and it would have been less if it wasn't for some rain delays, we had our new yard and we couldn't be happier. The quality of work was first rate, the house stays clean, the dogs like it, and I must admit, because I was a skeptic at first, I even think it looks great”

“David did an exquisite job with my yard: it's an oasis and I spend as much time as I can outside taking it in. it's easy-maintenance, beautiful all seasons, and simply peaceful. The process was painless, and David listened carefully to what I wanted and "got" who I am. Moreover, he was mindful of my budget, and I never felt like I had to give up anything. Over the years I have contacted him with questions, and he has always been generous with his time and ideas. He is knowledgeable, talented, and creative. I LOVE LOVE LOVE his work!”

“I recently had the pleasure of engaging Eco Tech Paving for a residential project, and I must say, their service exceeded all expectations. From start to finish, their professionalism and dedication to quality were evident. The initial consultation was thorough, with Fernando taking the time to understand my needs and preferences. He provided clear explanations of the available options and offered valuable recommendations based on his expertise. Throughout the project, communication remained prompt and transparent, ensuring that I was always informed of progress and any potential changes. When it came to the actual work, Eco Tech Paving truly shone. The craftsmanship displayed was impeccable, with attention to detail evident in every aspect of the job. They worked efficiently and diligently, completing the project within the agreed-upon timeframe without sacrificing quality.”

“I am a Landscape Contractor and have installed many of John's designs. His plans are detailed and easy to follow. He is one of the few Landscape Architects that designs to a budget. The client will know the construction costs prior to receiving my written proposal. I enjoy working with John and his staff. Very professional and talented One of the best custom residential Landscape Architectural firms in the East Bay.”

“We hired Rani to design our yard a year and a half ago and have been so happy with it! (See photos for San Mateo Redwoods.) It's perfect for entertaining, as well as family time. She listened to what we wanted, came back with several designs to show us some options and worked with us to get the perfect planting plans, too. She is very knowledgeable about plants and knew what would work in our shady backyard, and what would do better in the sunny front yard. We thought she did a great job at a reasonable price and have recommended her to many other friends and neighbors.”

“Gun was a real pleasure to work with. She listened very carefully to our half-formed ideas, made sure she understood what we wanted and liked, as well as what we didn't want and didn't like. We are delighted with the results! She transformed our somewhat neglected front yard into a lovely low-water garden. She skillfully guided us through every step, from initial consultation, design, contractor selection, installation and plans for on-going maintenance. Any questions/issues were quickly resolved. We highly recommend Blue Hibiscus Gardens.”

“David was amazing to work with! He was easy going and very open to our ideas for our small yard. He never made us feel like our wants were too much and worked with us to include all of our wishlist. He was able to design the whole property, and was very knowledgeable with the plants he recommended. We got the final copies of the plans in a timely manner and he was overall a pleasure to work with. He really made us feel like our small space was important to him!”