Alexander F. Marshall

When we installed an air conditioning system, we found that the only feasible place to install the AC unit was in our garden. We asked Alex if he could build us an enclosure to try to camouflage the unit. He counseled us to build something that would be decorative but which would not end up looking like a box which, in his view, would be only slightly more attractive than the AC unit itself. It turned out he was absolutely right and we ended up with a design we are delighted with. The enclosure is built of redwood and ipe woods and doesn't try to hide the AC unit but, in our view, is elegant and a real enhancement to our garden. It is functional, in that it can be easily moved to give access to the unit for servicing. Alex has a real eye for design and artistry. His process is very creative and collaborative and his workmanship is excellent. He did the work on site and was considerate and tidied up every night. I am immunosuppressed and Alex was sensitive and flexible about masking and maintaining physical distancing. It was very enjoyable to work with him. We would recommend Alex very highly.

Our 35 year old deck and balcony were in dire need of replacement. Alex came to our rescue. From the get-go I appreciated his realistic approach to our needs and creative innovations. We decided on a combination of ipe for the decking and select redwood for the rails. Alex gave special attention to details and proper techniques and materials to insure we'll never experience dry rot again. We worked on a time and materials basis which allowed us to make adjustments as we proceeded without the hassle of renegotiating contracts. I was also able to take on some work myself under Alex's oversight which helped keep the cost down and was fun, too. We love the final result and only regret that the CV lock down has limited our opportunities to show it off.

Alex did a terrific job when he replaced the deck on the back of our house. He proposed a design based on our request, and then he was very flexible about modifying the plan when we thought of additional issues. He knows his craft very well and guided our final plan. He paid attention to all the details. We were very happy with the final deck. We heartily recommend him.

This review is long overdue. Everytime I see my kids playing in the treehouse I think about how I should write a review for Alex, but then I got distracted and forgot about it. We are so fortunate to have found Alex through houzz last year. We’ve been thinking about having a treehouse built for some time, and finally it came true thanks to Alex. Alex is great! He is easy to work with, and has a good eye for aesthetic and function with the ability to find the perfect balance between the both. He also pays great attention to details and has a good work ethic. He designed and built a beautiful treehouse that my kids (and their friends) enjoy, based on what we wanted. The treehouse that Alex built for us has a platform to jump off for our tree swing, a rope ladder to get on it, a pulley for the kids to pull the bucket up and down, and a ship wheel. We added the zipline afterwards. And its not just that, the way he built it, we could always add to it and it could grow with our kids. We will definately work with him again for our next project.

I needed a skilled craftsman to do some tricky work on the exterior fascia of our craftsman house. I'm glad I found Alex. He specializes in carpentry (having apprenticed in England as a carpenter/joiner). I couldn't be more happy with the outcome. He's a straight shooter, communicates well and wants you to, and is a perfectionist (the good kind--not overly fussy and taking forever). I recommend him highly.

We feel so lucky to have found Alex! We wanted to convert our small shed roof patio to a room, and Alex did a great job. He is as much a designer as a carpenter. What might have been a pedestrian looking addition turned out to have real charm. He took great care to make sure at critical junctures to let us know of different choices and made good suggestions when we we were unsure. He is talented, hardworking, and has a reasonable fee. He is someone you can trust to do a great job,.

Alex just finished a fantastic job for us - the most beautiful shed in Palo Alto! It is a great addition to our back garden. He is a true craftsman who loves to apply his creativity and experience to woodworking. He also listens carefully to what you want, presenting choices as the project proceeds. And as other reviewers have noted, he's fun to work with, very honest, and cleaned up well at completion. Highest recommendations.

I asked Alex to do a couple of jobs for me. He converted an unusable 1/2 bath into a wonderful closet. He was able to enlarge the room by taking part of another, too-large coat closet. Removal of toilet and sink, holes in the floor and walls, cracked lath and plaster - he handled it all. He installed sheetrock and shelving. An aged unpleasant bathroom is now a clean and useful closet with more storage than I imagined possible. Who knew a closet could be "fabulous"? The second job was to remove a builder grade mantel in my living room and create a streamlined one. I wanted a longer, more simple mantel to display 3 paintings. He did a wonderful job figuring out how to give me exactly what I requested. In the process he replaced ceiling and baseboard molding to match the rest of the room. He created a great 'niche' that will be tiled or marbled. Before and after pictures are attached. Alex' job with the mantel is finished, but I have a way to go. Right now it is just primed. I want to live with it for a while and will then paint it and apply either tile or marble to the niche....or... !? I could not be happier. Alex is fun to work with; he is quick and clean. He is trustworthy. He seems to really like a challenge and a chance to problem solve. Great sense of humor! I could not give him a stronger recommendation.

I originally found Alex for an exterior trim job. My 60+ year old house had its share of problems; he took the rotted and mismatched exterior trim and made it work together again. He installed carriage doors for me and they hang/move like a dream! I'm also the proud owner of one of his “little houses”. Originally a darling playhouse, he altered it to be a beautiful shed for my garden. Alex is not only a quality carpenter, he's a problem solver, conscientious about detail and making your project uniquely yours. There are no shortcuts with Alex; everything he builds is old world craftsmanship. I would not hesitate to hire him again or recommend him to anyone wanting a quality carpenter.

Alex repaired the tongue and groove porch of our historical Victorian. He did a great job. He was meticulous, reliable and proactive. I highly recommend Alex!

Alex helped us enlarge and reshape our outdoor deck and steps. The previous contractor who built it did not pay much attention to detail and after seeing Alex work on the deck he clearly had a vision on how to best increase the size of the deck and stairs to make it an elegant design that is also practical. I would recommend him and planning to use hi again for another project soon.

Alex is an exceptional carpenter with a keen eye for aesthetics. We hired him to install a skylight in a dark barely-used room and were pleasantly surprised with his concern for both technicalities and design. The skylight he built has transformed the room to one that is now light -filled and attractive. Alex is very professional and finished the job in time and within budget. We are delighted with the end product and enthusiastically recommend him.