Hammond & Company, Inc.

As architects we very much enjoyed working with Hammond & Company on a new LEED Platinum residence with several accessory structures. In accordance with the client’s goals, this project aimed at being deep green, while maintaining a character of a country home. Bruce Hammond and his team were the perfect fit, rooted in quality construction, but also steeped in the methods and technologies of green building. Our building design pushed the envelope along a broad spectrum of material and systems, most of which we had used previously, but some were unique innovations that required a contractor willing and capable to make a leap. Ordinarily, our passive solar designs focus on fewer alternative systems to limit the complexity, but given the experience that Hammond & Company brought to the table, the whole gamut could be realized, such as strawbale walls, foam glass sub slab insulation around seasonal heat storage sand beds, geo-exchange heat pumps, hydronic floors, solar thermal and photovoltaic systems, gray water and rain water harvesting, living roofs, low CO2 concrete and plaster formulations, to name a few. The design set a very high bar for craftsmanship, including a compound curve roof shape with exposed framing members over the entrance hall, which could not have been built without someone like project manager, Steven Eichbaum at the job site. Little was left to chance when it came to meeting the client’s high expectations for fit and finish, including extensive mock-ups and sample reviews. Sourcing of green materials is second nature for Hammond & Co, whether FSC certified framing lumber, salvaged trim or recycled content finishes. Broc Croll accompanied this process as the second project manager and estimator, keeping his eyes on budget and schedules. The project delivery as "phased construction" with several design-built components meant that Hammond & Co had to coordinate many sub-contractors and play an active role in working out details and integrating supplemental architectural drawings, as well as input from Kathleen Navarra, the interior designer. Bruce also closely collaborated with the living roof company, Symbios and the landscape design-built firm, Sentient Landscape, who played an important role in the site rehabilitation and farming aspect. As the architects, having taken this project from early master planning and site design, through the building designs, permits and working drawings, we can fully appreciate the monumental task of realizing a project with this level of complexity. Throughout the construction, it was a great pleasure to work with Bruce, Steven, Broc and all the other good folks at Hammond & Co, who always kept a friendly and calm spirit, and focused on the green building goals that we all set out to achieve.

I hired Hammond & Co. first for a remodel of two existing buildings on my property, and subsequently for a small addition to the main house. I selected them for their expertise in sustainable building and for their reputation in quality construction. My overall experience was terrific. I had specific goals for the project: quality, good value, specific design details and timeliness. This was a funky place that needed some careful attention, and the Hammond folks were totally up to the task. They understood the challenges of unusual construction, including concrete walls and commercial windows in need of repair. We cut through concrete, we poured new concrete, we built a giant retaining wall, and we added a whole bunch of solar panels. The remodel project came in on budget due to the excellent information provided by Hammond & Co. I was able to chose and prioritize my needs due to the prompt information on costs they provided. Remodels always present surprises, and they helped me to make the appropriate judgments when something unexpected occurred. The remodel project ran over in time, however, so when I hired them again to perform an addition on my main house, I inserted a bonus/penalty clause into the contract. That project was also on budget, and it was completed a week ahead of schedule! I was happy to pay the contracted bonus. This company finds good sub-contractors and stands behind their work. Bruce Hammond and his staff are knowledgeable about quality construction and green building. They offered good design suggestions, followed up on their promises, and helped me to make decisions to meet my overall goals. They are a bunch or really nice people with creative ideas. It was fun to work with them, and if I have another project, I’ll call them first! I highly recommend this company.

We felt very fortunate to have hired Hammond & Company as our general contractor. Our project was extremely complex, incorporating many state-of-the-art features, and involving a large group of design and construction professionals. Bruce Hammond, along with Project Managers Steven Eichbaum and Broc Croll, did an incredible job of coordinating the work of the team. They have the highest standards when it comes to the quality of their work and the work of their subcontractors, and an amazing eye and concern for detail. They not only managed the build phase of this project, but were also very active participants in helping to finalize design details for which we are extremely thankful. Their knowledge of systems and materials is deep, and their recommendations and decisions were always consistent with our best interests as homeowners, mindful of both quality and costs. Hammond & Company continues to be attentive and helpful with the occasional question that arises. We couldn't be more happy with the results. We love our new home, which has been awarded a LEED Platinum designation and was named a Green Home of the Year by the U.S. Green Building Council. It's hard to imagine this project would have been completed so successfully without the involvement of Hammond & Company.

I've hired Hammond & Company on a number of occasions, from the largest job (a very large multi-building home in Marin), to the smallest (construction of a media room). In every instance, they were professional, efficient, insightful and responsive. I would eagerly hire them again, and recommend them to everyone I know looking for home building/construction help in the Bay Area. Bruce and his team are outstanding individuals, committed to the highest quality, at the most affordable price. They are (and remain) flexible, and always available when called upon. Like I said, it was a pleasure to work with them in the past, and I'd eagerly do so again in the future.