Santa Cruz Green Builders

It has been a year since we were able to move into our renovated home. We are so pleased and would like to acknowledge the construction company that helped us realize our project: Santa Cruz Green Builders. Our goal was to convert a family summer beach cottage to a year-round home. We wanted to preserve as much of the original mid-century house as possible, while adding a small second-story view room and an age-in-place primary suite. In addition to this new construction, the property needed new windows, doors, roofing, insulation and siding to support an upgrade to efficient 21st century energy systems. And, due to our proximity to the ocean, there were further local requirements to be met. Santa Cruz Green Builders is a family business and we felt they appreciated our vision for this family project. Even though they are a full-service design/build company they agreed to work with our existing architectural plans. Just as we were ready to break ground, though, the industry was rocked by the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic– and everything changed overnight. Labor shortages, rising costs and supply chain issues became major challenges to builders worldwide. This is where Santa Cruz Green Builders and their experience and good-will in the industry really came through for us. Our General Contractor Kim Midstokke somehow juggled it all; he problem-solved, made adjustments as needed and managed to keep the project flowing without significant delays. Both Kim and management remained flexible to the changing situation and kept work quality high and lines of communication open and transparent, and we couldn’t be happier with the results. We are very grateful to have partnered with Santa Cruz Green Builders to realize our forever home and highly recommend their work.

From the initial feasibility study, through the design and permitting and onto construction of our new ADU . SCGB was outstanding to work with. I would highly recommend them for your project.

Working with SC Green Builders FAR exceeded any expectations of what this experience might be!!! At every turn and with every decision they were there and amazing every step of the way!!!!

It's true what they say. We had no doubt that if we finally decided to build our home, it would cost more and take longer than any estimated budgets. This is the way. We hesitated for years, thinking mental health and financial comfort were nothing to take for granted. But the prospect of a house 800m from the beach were worth the risks. "Sure, let's go for it!" we exclaimed. Who knew what the next year (2020) would have in store? It turns out a global pandemic and increased material costs made the above truism even more severe. But here's the thing. If you have a team who's transparent, communicative, accommodating yet committed to high-quality, and extremely professional, building your dream home during a pandemic was NOT the most stressful thing that happened in the last few years. In fact, Kim Midstokke and his crew at Santa Cruz Green Builders kept us sane throughout, or at least kept us from devolving into further madness. No matter what happened, we were confident that we'd end up in the beautiful home we envisioned years earlier. Kim and his crew (Miguel, Kenny, James, Elliot, and a couple of other folk who look like they double as surf magazine models) were eager to go above and beyond whatever needed to get us into our home despite the challenges facing the entire planet during this time. Get yourself a team of builders that put up your house and let you drop in on them at the local break. Get Santa Cruz Green Builders.

Spenser and the entire crew at SCGB are fantastic! No contractor horror stories here. Spenser is a great communicator. We didn’t live in the city where our project is so Spenser kept in touch with us with emails, texts, phone calls and photos. We would visit our complete renovation and add-on project every 6 weeks or so and were always impressed by the progress each time. We were consulted about every necessary decision that impacted the design and functionality of our new home. Occasionally, Spenser and I would bounce ideas off each other until we were satisfied with the decision. The entire SCGB team, including subs, were all very professional and the level of work was top notch. The work site was kept clean. The level of trust and faith we had in SCGB was high and they they were honest and reliable throughout the entire lengthy project. We moved in after SCGB secured the C of O and were blown away at the final result. We highly recommend SCGB . I can honestly say that dealing with them was a great experience we’d do again!

Santa Cruz Green Builders deserves more than five stars for their incredible high caliber and professional work. Kim Midstokke was our project manager for our kitchen remodel and his timelines, focus, attention to detail, clear communication and diligence throughout the four month project was superb. Kim and his team of professionals were able to transform our tiny mediocre kitchen into a gorgeous and spacious kitchen which is now the focal point of our home. Kim made the process so easy during our busy work life by building us a temporary kitchen in our backyard so we could still live in our home during this important remodel. We felt truly blessed that a company like Santa Cruz Green Builders was willing to take on a smaller project such as ours. Our family feels so much gratitude towards Kim, his team and the company for improving our quality of life. We LOVE our new kitchen and recommend Kim and Santa Cruz Green Builders to anyone looking for a respectable, trust worthy and professional company who does the highest quality work.

Santa Cruz Green Builders did an incredible job with a major remodel of our beach house. At every step of the way their craftsmen were professional, accurate, knowledgeable, communicative, and fun to work with. It is clear they are artisans who love their work and take extreme pride not only in the completed project, but in working with the homeowners and making them overjoyed as well. The crew helped us navigate the complexities of the physical remodel as well as the various local and state regulatory issues. All this they did with a smile. They are innovative, honest, and creative, traits we leaned on heavily as the project progressed. Our foreman, Kim Midstokke, treated the house as if he was building it for his own family. We would give them ten stars if the ratings went that high, and we'd recommend them to our friends and family in a heartbeat.

Santa Cruz Green Builders with project manager Kim M. have done two major projects for us. First they did our master bathroom and two years later, a kitchen facelift. Both jobs were done to perfection, work done on schedule, craftsmanship excellent. Kim and his crew are responsible, considerate and trustworthy. Kim shows initiative and creativity while listening to the wishes of his clients. Our home was left completely clean and every detail attended to. I can not say enough good things about these professionals. {sensitive information hidden}

We worked with GreenBuilders to build our ADU and we’re thrilled with their work. Loved working with Kim one of the project managers. Quality, function and aesthetic were big concerns and Kim was awesome at helping guide my decisions. Our project was completed on time and in budget!

I can’t say enough good things about working with this crew. Kim Midstokke is a skilled craftsman and his tradesmen were not only incredibly competent but also very professional. Kim guided us throughout the building process; this included assistance with permits, making helpful suggestions and working with our architect to fine tune design details. It’s a wonderful to work with someone who loves what he’s doing and takes pride in his work. The construction site was cleared of debris regularly which really helps with the chaos of a build, and Kim was always attentive to our questions and concerns. The work was completed on schedule,

SCGB built our house on our 33 acres of open land. We had trouble with the county, torrential rains and a washed out road. Spencer kept his cool through it all and the results are stunning. Everyone has contractor horror stories. We are the exception. Still happily married, have become friends with Spencer and even have a member of his crew living on our land. What better endorsement is there? ♥️

Taylor Darling lead a talented crew of craftsmen to build our stunning Spanish style home on the westside. Our project was a unique and challenging as it encompassed the consideration and restoration of the unique Kitchen Brothers Court of Mysteries, a historic landmark. From the first time we met Taylor we knew Santa Cruz Green Builders (SCGB) would be the right team to tackle our project. Taylor's calm demeanor and organized approach was the key to managing not only the ground up construction of our new home, complete with 70’ lap pool, but also instrumental in partnering with local mason Mike Threet to ensure all of the necessary precautions and considerations were managed throughout the restoration of the decades old brick building and artifacts of this stunning historic landmark property. Taylor was by our side throughout our Historic Preservation Committee and Zoning Commission processes to the very moment we received our Occupancy sign off from the city. He never wavered and was present for every moment necessary to ensure our project went smoothly. They have most every skill in-house to tackle nearly every design/construction need one might required, and where necessary they have long standing, solid relationships with the best subcontractors in the area to cover needs outside their areas of expertise. We love to tell everyone we can that SCGB is the best construction company in the area, because as remarkable and improbable as it may seem we didn’t have a single substantial issue throughout the entire two year-long build/restoration process. We simply cannot recommend enough working with Taylor, Spencer and the entire SCGB family/crew no matter what size your project may be; they represent the pinnacle of customer service oriented, quality construction. Hire them for your project!

I wanted to say this months ago! What an IMPRESSIVE Team and work product from Taylor and Santa Cruz Green Builders! We had a leak in our upstairs master bedroom windows and wall, post winter storms. They had to be removed and the leak repaired. We also were overdue for a new exterior paint job. What a seamless process - from quote to finish. Such beautiful results! We are SO grateful. And we loved everyone on the Team.

SC Green Builders built a beautiful home for us in the Santa Cruz mountains. We've been in our home for a year now and are SO happy with the craftsmanship. Our location was challenging to say the least, but this team solves problems and doesn't shy away from challenges. From limited parking, a narrow access road, and steep hillside, they came up with workable solutions for these issues. They're also detail oriented. They followed the architect's plans and inspection schedule, which made our lives during the stressful time of building a house less stressful, not more.

In my role as a retail design manager for a large company, I hire a lot of contractors across the country to execute my designs. Retail work is complex and very timeline-driven and beyond the scope of many contractors. Despite a lot of vetting, sometimes these jobs go well and sometimes they don't. I'm happy to report that working with SCGB was one of the best contractor relationships I have ever had. I sent the design package out to 5 local contractors and SCGB was not only price competitive, they also provided the most comprehensive and organized proposal. That was the first hint that I had found the right outfit for my project. Working with their team was always a positive experience and the focus always solutions-oriented. One thing that distinguishes SCGB from every other GC I have worked with is their level of "self-performance", meaning that they do more work themselves (including, electrical, plumbing, even paint) and subcontract out less. This allows for tighter timelines, less finger-pointing and better overall coordination. On top of that, every person on their team from ownership, bookkeeping -- from the super down to the painters were unfailingly pleasant to deal with and respectful of our job site. The communication flow was excellent even when forced to use our corporate project tracking tools and dealing with our finance and legal apparatus. The best proof I can give of my 5 star review is that I recommended them to a friend building a new house and have contacted them about my next retail project here in the Santa Cruz area.

We have done 2 projects with Taylor Darling and Santa Cruz Green Builders and they are outstanding. We did a major remodel of an old master bathroom 2 years ago, and this year completely remodeled the kitchen and raised the ceiling in the living room. It is a modest house built in the 60's and he has transformed those spaces into beautiful, modern rooms. Taylor is honest, direct, and thoughtful in all his communications. He has great suggestions, is always timely in responding to questions and keeping us up to date on schedule. His time estimates are really accurate, and he immediately informed us if there was even a small delay. His team members are to a person professional, pleasant, nice people who do excellent work. Can't say enough about the quality of the people, work and materials. Can't imagine a better contractor.

We've been in business a LONG time (since 1987). We've seen a lot of contractors come and go. Occasionally, a couple of young contractors will impress us. These are impressive young contractors. They are working diligently honing their craft. They are smart. They are design aware. They are problem solvers. They are earth-minded. They have excellent communication skills so that reasonable timelines and budgets can be set forth. We're not sure how they developed these skills so quickly but we've taken note. This team is impressive and they're only getting better. We recommend them to you.

Santa Cruz Green Builders designed and built a gorgeous tiny house in my backyard for me to use as a meditation and yoga practice space and retreat house for personal retreat. They also did some minor remodels on my kitchen. The work from beginning to end was stellar--aesthetically beautiful, professionally executed, extremely clean and respectful of my time and home. I honestly cannot imagine anything they could have done better or more perfectly. From the owners to each person who worked on the projects, I found everyone easy to work with and great to be around. I give these folks my very highest recommendation.

We recently used Santa Cruz Green Builders to do a minor kitchen remodel in our new townhome. They were recommended to us, so we had high expectations, and we were not disappointed. Even though ours was a relatively small job, Spencer and his team fit us into their busy schedule and always made us feel like our project was important. We had carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and a tile setter (not to mention the excellent Quartz fabricator!) all working on our project at various times, and they finished on time and within our budget. Everyone on the team was professional and highly skilled, and they took great care to keep the worksite and surrounding areas clean -- they were also fun and a pleasure to work with. Our kitchen is now gorgeous, thanks to Santa Cruz Green Builders! We couldn't be happier with the quality, the price, and the integrity of the entire SCGB crew and look forward to working with them on our next renovation project.

I think these guys are the best! It's nice to know there are still companies that have morals. Give these guys a go

Taylor and his team were responsive, respectful, and friendly. Each player on the team was very good at what they did. It was a smallish job - office remodel and they did it quickly and expertly. I especially liked Taylor's ability to give creative ideas and articulate them in practical language, so I could visualize what he was saying. They delivered what they promised and I would use them again. They were also nice to talk to!

We recently completely remodeled our home and we are very impressed with the terrific job Santa Cruz Green Builders did on our project. We moved back into the home a year ago and have been enjoying the quality we see around us every day. Spencer was very patient in listening to our vision (which changed quite a bit over the course of the project) and gave us ideas which added to our home's character and also saved money. The SCGB crew was great to work with at all times. Our project manager, Lew, was very good at solving issues and making suggestions which made the process a true collaboration of the best kind.

We hired Taylor and his team with Santa Cruz Green Builders to build our backyard studio and enclose our front porch to create an entryway. We are thrilled with the results! Taylor was always very communicative and had great ideas. He really understood my modern aesthetic. His crew were always great, too!

Recently my wife and I had our kitchen remodeled. We were having a difficult time deciding on a contractor until we called Santa Cruz Green Builders (SCGB). Taylor Darling, co-owner, met with us and we quickly knew this construction company was right for us. We feel so fortunate we came across SCGB. Taylor’s great expertise and knowledge was evident in our first meeting. After we hired SCGB we were impressed by their skills and attention to detail. The job site was tidied up each day. The effort to minimize the effect to the rest of our home was greatly appreciated. SCGB's crew and sub contractors were all very professional and intent on doing superb work. Taylor’s excellent “people skills” and calming nature really helped us get through the big change to our living space. The project was within budget. All invoices and change orders were timely and well documented. Another plus is SCGB is very conscience about environmental impact. If you’re trying to decide on a contractor, we highly recommend you give Santa Cruz Green Builders a call.

Santa Cruz Green Builders did an excellent job of replacing our weather-beaten T111 siding with Hardie Board fiber cement siding and they beautifully designed and built replacement steps for two sets of sliding glass doors. Everyone who sees the finished result has been impressed with the quality of the workmanship and attention to detail. All SCGB employees we interacted with were professional and easy to work with and all concerns and questions were answered thoughtfully and thoroughly. We couldn’t be happier with how our project turned out and wouldn’t hesitate to work with SCGB again.

My experience with Spencer and Taylor and the SCGB team has been fantastic. They have helped me with multiple small projects ($20-$40K) and now most recently with a large remodel (>$100K). In all cases they were highly knowledgeable, flexible and communicated concepts, budgets and timelines in a level of detail that was useful and appreciated. I am a hands-on home owner and they took the time with me to dive into as much detail as I requested and were open and attentive to my input. When unforeseen obstacles came up they found good solutions and kept the project moving along. When I changed my mind about something or wanted to add something to the scope of the project they were able to include it. They did an excellent job of managing subcontractors on our project, keeping things moving smoothly. Their team was experienced and courteous. I will definitely keep them in mind for future projects and am happy to recommend them to others.

Nielsen Studios has worked on several projects with SCGB and they are a pleasure to work with. Their team's creativity and detail-oriented personalities create amazing results in every project.

We hired Santa Cruz Green builders because we wanted to build a new kitchen from quality materials and with ecological benefits to our environment and made in the USA. We worked with Greenspace in Santa Cruz and with kitchen designer Judy Keenan from Greenspace. Together they helped us create our dream kitchen! Taylor and Spencer from Greenbuilders are a delight to work with and their skills are amazing. They helped us with the entire process and our kitchen is perfect. They have a great work ethic and are on time and very clean and neat. We highly recommend them and look forward to several more projects with them!

We were very fortunate to have Santa Cruz Green Builders build our house. Spencer and Taylor built our home as if it was their own, integrating beautiful unique elements while also attending to the many details of constructing a partial straw bale house from the ground up. They were very conscious of decisions that would impact the budget and communicated carefully and clearly about all of the various decisions required. In addition, the work site appearance, and their overall demeanor were flawless. The entire staff at Santa Cruz Green Builders represents and reinforces the intention and care that Spencer and Taylor used when building our home. It was an extremely daunting task for us to build a home from the ground up. Spencer and Taylor took more time on the front end of our project estimating the time and costs then any other of our prospective contractors. This attention to the details in the beginning helped create a comfort and confidence in their process and execution that was carried through our whole experience. We feel so fortunate to have had them as our builders and are more then willing to sit down with anyone considering using them, and will give you a tour of our home if you wish.

During the 13 month construction our neighbors would comment, "Your contractors are doing a good job on your house and we're impressed that they are respectful of the neighbors. I like it that they don't play loud music and clean up every day." We were happy to hear that. We are even happier with the results. As the first house in Santa Cruz County to be built (technically remodeled) to the Passive House standards, we enjoy a very comfortable temperature throughout the house AND use much less energy than similar houses in the neighborhood. The biggest challenge was the air tightness requirement for Passive House certification. This was tested with a blower door to verify that the house achieve 0.6ACH50 (131 CFM in our case) which is VERY tight. Achieving this level of airtightness in the house that was originally built in 1922, where we kept the original foundation and framing, has not been done before. Santa Cruz Green Builders also installed the first Heat Recovery Ventilator in this area. The professional who came to commission the HRV commented that our installation was one of the better ones he's observed. So, the point of this paragraph is Santa Cruz Green Builders is not afraid to take on new challenges and achieve amazing results. When you hear the words "green building" it may bring the image of a certain contemporary aesthetic to mind. But our house has the curve appeal of a nice old house -- a 1922 bungalow that has the arts and crafts styling with details in the window trims and flared skirt look on the siding. On the interior we are very happy that Santa Cruz Green Builders talked us into keeping the original floors and refinishing them. The tight grains of old fir is appealing and the polished distressed wood brings out the period style. They carefully deconstructed the house so that original base boards, doors, etc. were re-used. We also selected finishes that reflects the old arts and crafts style. When people come to our house they can't tell what's original and what's new. We like that. True to their name, Santa Cruz Green Builders walk their talk. I can continue with other elements like structured plumbing, gray water, insulation, recycling, etc. If you're curious about that please visit my blog http://http://midorihaus.blogspot.com/