Independently Rated Highest in Quality
E i g h t h                              Consecutive Year        
Originally Earned:
January 2005
We declare that CEF Contractors HAS QUALIFIED for and continues to meet the Ongoing Research and Rating Requirements for Diamond Certified® status.
Certificate #601
(510) 842-7990
2028 Woolsey Street
Berkeley , CA 94703

CEF Contractors remodels residential properties, builds room additions and provides structural improvement services (including seismic retrofitting) for clients in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. The company’s remodeling work extends to kitchens, bathrooms, decks, porches, garages, whole houses and more.

Owner Curt Ferson says he was originally drawn to the construction trade because of its creative and physical elements. Mr. Ferson is personally involved with every job and stresses the importance of constant client communication. “We always keep our customers updated on the progress of their projects,” he confirms. “That way, it’s easier to address any questions or concerns they may have.”

CEF Contractors is an EPA-certified Renovator, which means it’s been trained to renovate older buildings that contain lead-based paint according to the requirements of the Toxic Substances Control Act. The company has also been designated as a Certified Green Building Professional by Build It Green.

Company Philosophy

“We strive to impress our clients with the total scope of our approach. Our work ethic and superior service doesn’t stop at construction projects—we enjoy building customer relationships as much as we enjoy building houses. Our reputation and high amount of repeat customers help new clients feel reassured that they’ve hired a reliable company dedicated to integrity and craftsmanship.”

Serving all of Alameda County including Hayward, Berkeley, Fremont, Oakland, San Leandro, Piedmont, Newark, Albany, Alameda, Dublin and Union City.

Additions
Framing
Remodels
Planning
Design
Detached Structures
Green Remodels
Kitchens & Baths
Structural Repairs

Comparative Summary

Few construction companies earn the prestigious Diamond Certified award, which means they’ve been independently rated Highest in Quality. Fewer still offer each of their customers the expertise of a construction industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience, but that’s exactly the case for CEF Contractors and its owner, Curt E. Ferson. “I founded this company in 1995 after spending...

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do you offer free estimates?
A: "Initially, we’ll discuss the project over the phone to see if the nature of the work, size of the job and location of the project fit what we provide. If so, we’ll schedule a site visit to gather enough information for a free estimate. Due t...
Q: Do you bill by the hour or will you provide a fixed-price bid?
A: "We do both, depending on the nature of the job and what’s best for the client. On mid-size to extensive remodels, the contract will often include some costs that may not be determined exactly at the time of the contract signing."
Q: Do you provide design work?
A: "Yes, we work with several professional designers, architects and engineers. If you choose, we can provide detailed estimates for a fee, based on preliminary drawings. You can then determine where to add or omit improvements before the design...

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Industry Info

To save money on your remodeling project, it’s important to think outside the box.
Preparing for a remodeling project is similar to preparing to purchase a car—you may know the style you want, but the options you choose could drive the price higher than you can reasonably afford. However, there are numerous ways to stretch your...
Findings based on statistically reliable research from 55 surveys

Customer Satisfaction

Survey Question: On a scale of 1 to 10 how satisfied were you with the quality you received?
Chart.

Company Credentials

Workers Compensation
Liability Insurance
License Verification
Business Practices
Current Complaint File

Customer Loyalty

Survey Question: If you needed this product or service in the future, would you use this company again?
Chart.
100%
n = 55

Diamond Certified Qualification

Based on 55 customer surveys, we declare
CEF Contractors
has passed all rating steps and has earned
The Diamond Certified Award
No. 601
Continuously qualified since January 2005.
David Pak
Director of Ratings Research
American Ratings Corporation

Verbatim Survey Responses From Only Verified Customers

Jack R. Verified Customer Name
"Pretty much everything, they are on time, and they do top quality work at a reasonable price. They are pretty much all you are looking for in a contractor."
Research conducted by American Ratings Corporation. Ratings Methodology

Company Capabilities Table

CEF Contractors
2028 Woolsey Street
Berkeley , CA 94703
(510) 842-7990
DCID5108830740

Mon – Fri: 7:30am – 6pm

Serving all of Alameda County including Hayward, Berkeley, Fremont, Oakland, San Leandro, Piedmont, Newark, Albany, Alameda, Dublin and Union City.

Curt E. Ferson
20
6
Certified Green Building Professional, EPA Lead Certified
706109
Liability Insurance, Worker's Compensation
1995
Residential Remodeling
15
Residential and Light Commercial
1-Year Warranty on Workmanship, Longer on a Project-by-Project Basis

Photo & Video Gallery

Survey Responses For

CEF Contractors

CEF Contractors: Average 9.4 out of 10 based on 55 unique customer surveys of these open ended questions.
Jack R. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"Pretty much everything, they are on time, and they do top quality work at a reasonable price. They are pretty much all you are looking for in a contractor."

Carol B. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"He really listens. He is extremely sensitive to any nuances. He's responsive, thorough, and he cleans up well. When there was a mistake made, he bit the bullet and corrected it, without charging me for it. He is always double checking to make sure things are right. Curt is perfect."

Charleen M. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"He was very meticulous and communicative. I live out of the area so he was very helpful."

Neil O. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"The size of the company, it was small. I got the feeling it was small. The owner was particularly honest, trustworthy, and he did a great job. I thought he was fantastic. He didn"

Nelly B. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"There were very thorough and very nice. They did a wonderful job. I would definitely recommend them. My son found them in the Diamond Certified Directory."

Rich R. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"Just about everything, the work was done to my satisfaction. They were on time, neat, and punctual. It was unbelievable."

Barbara W. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"I had them do a bunch of work for me last year, and then I discovered I was having plumbing problems. When I called Curt, he immediately took responsibility for the problems and fixed them. It turned out that the problems had nothing to do with the work Curt had done. The fact that he took action to fix something that wasn't his fault was what I liked best."

Dave J. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"The personalities of their crew and being able to work easily with Curt"

Don E. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"They were prompt and clean. They communicated well with us. "

Doris P. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"The way they handled the job, they didn't delay, and they were very informative. I knew what was going on at all times. Curt was very professional."

Forest M. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"For one thing, Curt was on the job everyday. He didn't take another job and leave me stranded. He did exactly what he said he would do. He was on schedule, and he did excellent work."

Janet G. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"He was on time, and he stayed within the quoted price. He came up with good ideas to fix the problems leftover from other contractors. He was perfect for us."

Mike A. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"Everything was great. I liked their quality, cleanliness, and punctuality."

Neil O. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"We liked that his bid was very accurate and that he was exact with his timeline. The work was done in an orderly and tidy way. It was a dream project. We've had some doozies when it comes to contractors, but we had no problems with Curt."

Neil G. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"I liked their attention to detail. I liked being able to see the whole job in advance, so there were no surprises. They did excellent work. I've recommended them to a few people. I used them four times last year."

Alan M. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"He was very flexible with changes. Sometimes, when you do a remodel, you have to make adjustments. He went beyond what was required of him. He went out of his way to ensure that the finished product was to both of our satisfaction. When we got down to the little details, he saw things that I missed. "

John H. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"He listened to what our needs were and was able to accommodate them. "

James H. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"He was prompt and professional. He gave me great advice on what to do, and my expectations were very clear."

Barbra W. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"Curt kept me informed all the time. I knew when he was coming, what was happening, and what the holdup was. All of his people were good."

Janet E. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"They were very reliable and on time. They cleaned up after themselves and did the job we contracted them to do. I can't ask for anything more."

Jeffrey M. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"The estimate price was fair, and the work was very good."

Bill A. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"I liked the owner best, he was on the job site whenever work was being done."

Andrew B. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"I enjoyed the quality of the workmanship."

Rob F. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"He's awesome. He is honest, reliable, has a lot of integrity, and does excellent work."

Rob H. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"He was really nice and willing to listen to us to accommodate our ideas."

Dave J. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"The quality of the work is great, and he is easy to work with."

Jack M. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"They finished on time and on budget. They were out here every single day."

Danial N. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"He is honest, responsible, and skilled."

Basil R. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"His work is good and he communicates well. He's also very dependable."

Rich R. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"I liked the quality of the work, their responsiveness to our needs, and they were easy to work with."

Diana S. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:10 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"Curt is wonderful. He is honest, reliable, and skilled."

Kurt B. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:9 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"He was very responsive and timely. You can't always say that about a contractor. Also, his costs were very reasonable. We were very happy and are planning to use him again."

Doug B. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:9 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"We liked how well they worked with our subcontractors. They coordinated everything that needed to be done. They did a really good job. They were good communicators, staying in touch, talking to us about what needed to be done, replying to our emails, and returning our phone calls."

Ed D. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:9 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"His integrity, he is honest. It is his number one priority to make me happy. I have used him before, and I will use him again."

Ed D. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:9 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"His integrity and honesty is probably at the top of my list."

Lynn G. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:9 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"I liked the general contractor. He was a very honest man. He was easy to work with. He listened to what I wanted. He came on time. Whenever he said he would be there, he was there. He called ahead. I've never experienced any of the horror stories about 'the missing contractor'. He has done many projects for me over the years. "

Neil G. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:9 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"They are very detail oriented. He can see the whole job in advance. He knows what is coming. I don't want any surprises and that's what he gives me, plus high quality work. "

Judi W. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:9 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"I always knew what was going on. The job was always progressing. Curt was very responsive to all of my questions."

Lynn G. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:9 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"There's a lot I could say. Curt was easy to work with and has done many projects for me. He listened to what I wanted and gave good feedback. He always made sure it was my vision, and not what he sees. He was always on time and was never late or disappeared. He was very responsible. He was available if I had an emergency. He always responded to phone calls, and got on the problem right away."

Dick E. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:9 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"Their quality of work is very good. I'm also a repeat customer."

Bill D. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:9 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"Straightforwardness. I used them once earlier this year and will be using them again in the near future. "

Roger E. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:9 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"They were prompt, stayed on target and did a nice job."

Beatrice S. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:9 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"He worked on my balcony. He was prompt, and he did the best job he could. "

Dick E. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:9 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"He is very conscientious, prompt, and he did a good job."

Carolyn G. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:9 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"He is very methodical, and he double-checked his own work the architect's. I think he went above and beyond what most contractors would do."

Jim S. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:9 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"Curt was on time."

Tony W. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:9 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"He was communicative, flexible, responsive, and he worked hard with us to meet our expectations. The quality of work was great."

Lynn G. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:8 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"I have used them for many projects. He listens to what you want, and he gives you different options to do it. He is very thorough, he follows through, and he comes to the house when he says he is going to. He cleans, he is neat, and he is a very hard worker. He lets you know if there are any problems. He doesn't hide them. He tries to get people to work with him that are knowledgeable. If he wasn't sure of something, he would get the right person, instead of bluffing through it. When he got the Diamond Certified Certification, I thought it was appropriate. "

Laurel M. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:8 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"I liked their high quality work and that they were very honest and straightforward."

William H. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:8 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"My daughter and her husband recommended them to us. They were very nice, and kept us informed of everything they were doing."

Michael L. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:8 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"I liked the way they did their scheduling to meet our needs."

Jeff M. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:8 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"He is intelligent, reliable, a good communicator, and he does good work."

Alex S. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:8 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"I like his honesty and his hands-on approach."

Everett S. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:8 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"He is a good collaborator, prompt, dependable, and he was highly recommended."

Marlene H. Verified CEF Contractors Customer Name
Q1:7 out of 10
Q2:Yes
Q3 & Q4:"They were upfront in terms of pricing and what type of work that needed to be done."