Amarant Design and Build Center

We worked with Amarant Designs to update our kitchen. I highly recommend this company. Martha was wonderful to work with and helped us to select finishes to get the look we wanted while staying within our budget. Once the work started, communication was great and the crews showed up on time and were very professional. I really appreciated that they did their best to minimize the dust and they cleaned up after themselves everyday. There were no surprise expenses and all was as quoted. Without hesitation, Amarant will be my company of choice for any of our future remodeling needs.

We moved back into our home two months ago and are thrilled. We remodeled the whole house: 3 bathrooms, the kitchen, all new windows and outside doors, and a 300 square foot addition that included the removal of a bearing wall. I had heard nightmares of remodeling. Our project came in only 10% over budget and that was because we added to the list. I really didn’t have a clear idea of the finishes we wanted and Martha patiently walked us through the process. So many decisions! But we ended up with something we love. I waited to write this to see their follow up. With not too long of a punch list, Amarant has been very responsive to fix each little detail. I think ten months of remodeling and we are all still friends says it all. I highly recommend Amarant Design and Build if you want to work with professionals who can be trusted and have a relatively stress-free remodel.

We just finished a major master bath/bedroom remodel, and couldn’t be happier with Amarant. They were on time, on budget, and the quality of their work was outstanding. We got involved with them early in the design process, and are glad we did. We had an idea of what we wanted in mind, but it is more difficult than we thought to translate our vision into a concrete plan. Fortunately, Mary Kate, their designer, is a great mind reader. We chose a granite which, though gorgeous, turned out to be hard to coordinate with. Mary Kate was up to the challenge. What we have now is even better than what we envisioned when we started the project. This was a major remodel. We took our large master bath down to the studs and completely reconfigured it, removing the tub and shower, moving the vanities, and adding a large walk-in shower. We also removed an unused fireplace in the master bedroom. Mario, who was in charge of the day to day construction, was a master. Great quality, easy to have around. They were here every day and, unlike other contractors we have dealt with in the past, there was no wasted time, no time waiting for something unanticipated to be taken care of. It was tightly planned and scheduled, and Benny, our project manager, kept it all moving like clockwork. Although my office was above ground zero, there was no disruption to my work other than the inevitable sounds of construction. They kept the site clean, cleaned up after themselves, and did any necessary touch up as they went along. There were days when, but for the sounds coming from that corner of the house, you wouldn’t know someone was there. As with any construction, there are always punch list items, and they came back and took care of them exactly when they said they would. I had been stalling my husband on this project for three years, because I couldn’t face the disruption we experienced on our last major remodel in 2006. If I had known it would go this smoothly, I would have done it years ago. We had been talking about the remodel with friends for years and have recommended Amarant to everyone who asked about it. I don’t hesitate to recommend them, and though I think this was our last major interior project (the yard is next – yuk!) I wouldn’t hesitate to use them again.

4.5 Stars My wife and I hired Amarant to remodel out kitchen and dining area. The kitchen and dining were originally three small rooms and our remodel had the walls removed to create a large, open-style kitchen and dining area in a transitional design style. After a brief phone call with Scott Amarant, both he and Mary Kate scheduled a time to stop by for a walk through, so they could provide us with an estimate of the cost. We were impressed with their professionalism and input during the walk through. Soon thereafter we were provided with a line item preliminary budget. We appreciated the transparency of their budget, as it helped us determine where we want to spend money and where we wanted to pull back. After reviewing other bids, we decided to move forward with Amarant. After a thorough meeting at Amarant's showroom to select cabinets and materials, we were provided with another, more-detailed quote. Unfortunately, the quote significantly deviated from the previously provided quote. We were told that they had underestimated the amount of cabinets we would need when they prepared the first quote. This was frustrating to say the least and it required that we scale back on other aspect of the remodel. That said, after working with Amarant on finishes, we were able to bring the revised quote down to a competitive level. During the remodel, we found the team, including Mary Kate and Benny, to be particularly responsive and professional during our interactions. Mary Kate always provided progress reports prior to the payment date and was open to reducing the amount of payment due when the progress reports didn't reflect the work done. Benny was available to walk us through the progress of the remodel and answer any questions or address any concerns we had. Perhaps the biggest problem with the remodel dealt with the cabinets. We had gone with a company that Amarant recommended and had an existing relationship with. Unfortunately, a majority of the cabinets came cracked or chipped (damage that occurred when fabricated and during transit). As a result, we had to re-order a majority of our cabinets two or three additional times. This resulted in significant delays. The 2-3 months remodel ended up taking 5-6 months. Of course, the problems with the cabinets wasn't a result of Amarant and they worked with us to ensure that quality cabinets were delivered and installed. However, we did go with a company that Amarant recommended to us. After our problems with the cabinet company, Amarant stopped its professional relationship with the company and found another company. In the end, we were pleased with Amarant's work on our remodel. Our kitchen and dining area came out better than we could have expected. Amarant always made sure that we were happy with their progress and would go back and fix anything that we felt wasn't correct. Furthermore, what we really appreciate about Amarant is their lifetime warranty. They guarantee their work for life. So if anything that they installed ever has a problem, they will come back and fix it, for free. After our remodel was finished, some of the work settled and shifted, as is to be expected. Amarant came back and fixed a few cracks that formed and touched up caulking that had separated along some seams. We will be remodeling our bathrooms in the coming years and we will be reaching out to Amarant for quotes.

Pros: 1) you get a designer and a contractor who work together seamlessly all in one. 2) Martha=wonderful designer. She has suggestions that saved me over $6,000 (she suggested never buying a oven/microwave combination - I was able to get double ovens and used by current $100 microwave and saved a lot of money!), but is willing to work with your style and understands your needs and aesthetic. She is essentially designer and keeps timeline in check. 3) finished on time. They gave me 5 months to finish my kitchen. They finished in 3 months. 4) Frequent communication. I need to know what's going on. Martha met with me not only in person every week, but constantly through email 5) Josh the foreman. Kept my home incredibly neat with minimal dust - very much appreciated b/c I have a 3 year old. 6) Benny- that man will stay as long as job is done, despite being manager of multiple projects. Stepped up and did our brick when brick guy never came. Cons: 1) Though Amarant's immediate team (Martha, Josh, Scott) are incredible, it goes with this type of business that their subcontractors are sometimes very unreliable. Not unusual, as I have had this experience before with subcontractors. But after Martha deals with them, they certainly get their act together . Countertop people Consentino kept dropping the ball and rescheduling - after Martha gave them an earful, countertop *viola* appeared and installed the next day! HVAC guys and brick guy were also giving us the run around- but Amarant eventually solved the problem. 2) Expensive. Expect to pay a lot. However, it seems you get what you pay for. County inspections were a breeze, likely b/c Amarant knows what they are doing and what's legal and not. They also come back and fix whatever it is that needs to be fixed to your liking. I messed a cabinet door shortly after project was done and Josh came by with a new door free of charge - thanks Martha and Josh! Thank you Amarant for working with me for my "Steampunk-Apothecary" themed kitchen!

Scott and his team are the BEST! It is such an advantage to have the same person that designs your vision for your home, coordinate the building of it. Amarant Design and Build has completed my remodel, my parents', and my friends. Scott helps guide you through the process and is direct with feedback. There is no one better in the East Bay!

My husband and I are thrilled with our new master suite addition. From the beginning of the design process when we worked with Scott on the layout and Mary-Kate on the interior design, we were impressed by their creativity and professionalism. When the estimate came out higher than what we had budgeted for, Scott and his team worked with us to make the project more affordable. During the course of construction, additional, unbudgeted costs were almost non-existent, which is impressive given the scope of the project. All of the crew are pleasant and professional and the work was completed within the estimated time frame. The bedroom, bathroom and walk-in closet are well constructed and beautiful, and thanks to the design expertise Scott and Mary-Kate brought to the project, filled with extra details that make our new master suite even more comfortable and luxurious than we had imagined.

Amarant Design and Build is a top notch organization that provides quality workmanship from concept design to project completion. We highly recommend Scott Amarant and his team. The most important testimonial we can give is that we hired Amarant Design and Build twice, in two different homes, 15 years apart! We liked their work back in 2000 and that kitchen remodel was fantastic...so when we decided to do a complete house remodel in our new home in 2015...Scott Amarant is who we called. Scott has a long history in this business and knows his stuff. He stands by his work! His whole team is great and they are people you can feel comfortable having work inside your home. They provide good communication and project management along with being reliable, on time, and quality craftsmanship. And...they are really pleasant people to work with!

As a Landscape Architect, I have worked with many different contractors in the Bay Area. On many occasions, I have had the pleasure of working with one of the best in the Bay Area, Scott Amarant. He and his team consistently deliver creative design solutions, professionally executed, to the highest level of detail. Scott is passionate about his work, never settling until everything is just right, even going above and beyond client expectations. His passion for his work and his collaborative style is refreshing and contagious. Working with Scott and his team is an experience you’ll never forget. I highly recommend him for any type of residential or commercial construction project. Susan Friedman Landscape Architect

I recommended Amarant Design and Build to a client of mine who has a home that has a lot of deferred maintenance. Not only have they been able to make the required repairs but have also consulted with the homeowner about changes to the home which will make it much more appealing to potential buyers. There's no doubt the the homes value has been significantly increased as a result of the high quality of work and the design consultation provided by Amarant Design Build

We were immediately struck by Amarant's positive customer service from the very first phone contact we made with them. Then, as we moved forward with them, it became clear to us that they were genuinely interested in us as people; they took the time to understand us, so that they could do more than just upgrade our home, but also best meet our large family's needs and desires and help us improve the quality and productivity of our home life. And the result now speaks for itself: our home is not only beautiful, but also very functional - what a combination! We received more than what we were hoping for when we first started our home project, and are now enjoying and benefiting from the design and work that Amarant provided for us. Through the entire process of remodeling, the entire crew did a great job, down to every person that worked on site. We even had compliments from our own neighbors about how courteous the workers were, and about how diligent and responsible they were. Our neighbors appreciated "how the contractor kept the area in front of the house organized and clean." The quality of Amarant's workmanship is evident even in the minutest details all around the house. They upgraded our home beautifully, even sticking as close as possible to our budget while providing creative solutions that allowed our budget to stretch further than we expected. Amarant Design provided us with the best service. They made a very stressful and huge undertaking manageable. The team was very responsive to our needs and questions. They even stayed right on track with the schedule, willingly and professionally working with us through any challenges and questions that came up. They gave us excellent and personable customer service throughout the duration of the project (three months), and were always respectful towards us, and even with our children. We appreciate the professionalism that we experienced from the entire Amarant team. They are an overall great company to work with, and we would definitely recommend Amarant Design's services to others.

We retained Amarant Design and Build Center based upon a recommendation from a friend. Our project consisted of converting our master bathroom into a walk in closet and an addition of approximately 175 sq. ft. master bathroom. We had a general idea of what we wanted for a walk in closet and the new master bathroom, but they made suggestions especially regarding the bathroom that ultimately made the subject bathroom one of the major focal points of the house. Scott Amarant and staff were very professional and knowledgeable about our needs and made great suggestions/recommendations which made the project functional and asthetically pleasing. We were especially pleased with the construction staff who were very knowledgeable, efficient and coordinated with one another. The workmanship and attitude were outstanding and we were pleased with how they responded immediately to our needs. The project was completed within our budget with few change orders. The project was completed within the original timeline. Overall, we are very pleased with the completed project and would definitely use Amarant Design and Build Center for future projects.