Structural Fx

Nice work, beautiful actually. But the schedule went off the rails by months, poor communication, unmet promises and ultimately we ended up having to pay someone else to finish the work. Very disappointing and frustrating.

Brian does excellent work, he pays attention to detail and really cares about quality. We used Structural FX for a kitchen and bathroom remodel, electrical work, deck, and some windows. Brian knows a lot about what is possible, building codes, and what will pass inspection. He has plenty of experience and figures out creative solutions at a reasonable price. He referred us to a lot of good local contractors for cabinets and granite. I’m very happy with the results of the work that he did complete.
There are some areas I was not satisfied with, however. First is that the project took much longer than his original estimate. He originally said it would be done within four months, but in the end it took about six months for most of the work to be done, and now it has been more than a year and many minor things are still unfinished. He keeps saying he will get to it but takes a very long time to respond. He does not always reply to my emails or return my phone calls.
Secondly, he did some work without giving us estimates ahead of time, even though I reminded him to do so and even though that was what was in the contract. I did not get estimates for some minor painting and work in the bathroom until after the work was completed. I don’t think it’s fair to bill me for something without letting me know how much it’s going to cost ahead of time. Similarly, he increased the price of the tiling after the work was already started. I understand that it was more work than when he started, but he should have let me know before it was done.
Thirdly, his invoices were confusing. I appreciate the amount of detail in the invoices and estimates, but due to some changes in the scope of the work, there were multiple invoices covering the same work. I was never really sure how much I had paid for and how much was left.
In a remodel of an old house like ours, I was prepared for some extra work and some delays, but not answering my phone calls and not finishing all the work that I had contracted and paid for is not acceptable.

Where to begin? Brian and his team are exceptional and I would recommend them to anyone and everyone! In comparison to the large scale projects Brian usually takes on, our kitchen remodel was a small-​beans project for Structural Fx, but Brian treated it as though it was just as important as the custom houses he builds up and down the peninsula.
We came in contact with Brian through a series of random encounters and when we began seriously considering signing with Structural Fx we began to mention Brian’s name around town and everyone — literally, everyone — lit up with excitement, appreciation and great recommendations of him. Not only is Brian (and his crew) a professional outfit, Brian is one of the nicest people we have met and done business with since moving to the area. The only delays in our project (and they were minimal) were due to either the weather or Brian volunteering his time in support of others and his community. Personality goes a long way in my book, and Brian is a genuinely sincere and caring person, not to mention an extremely knowledgeable professional.
One of the things that people mentioned when talking about Brian and Structural Fx was his attention to detail. I am a control-​freak and am quite neurotic when it comes to details, so hearing this was a dream come true. And Brian proved himself again and again with the exactness he maintained on the smallest of details — the things that I take very seriously. I did warn Brian from the get-​go about my desire to control everything — the budget, the timeline, the process, etc. Brian took the time to explain everything in detail and to address every one of my concerns and questions. I don’t know which job was harder — the kitchen remodel or putting up with me.
Our kitchen has been completed for about six months now and everything is still in perfect condition and not a day goes by that we don’t think about the hard work that Brian and his team put into creating our dream kitchen. And still to this day Brian continues to be an extremely helpful resource to us. We have kept in touch with him and he still provides us with advice, support and input on upcoming projects, and the numerous house-​related questions we as new home owners have. We can’t thank Brian enough or recommend him enough for any and all projects you might have.

Brian Smart and his team at Structural FX built our house in San Mateo in 7 (yes, seven!) months from the ground up during 2006. A builder friend walked through the house afterward and gave it an A++ rating. The quality is first rate and Brian personally oversees the finishing as this is where details really, really matter. He is flexible, thoughtful, and always considerate.
Best of all, the entire project came in on budget and on time. Brian can do this because he has his own team and outsources only a few aspects of a job.
We couldn’t be happier and have recommended him to many of our friends. Whether you’re thinking of a kitchen or bath remodel, or a complete build from the ground up, you should definitely give Structural FX a call.