SF Craftsman, Inc.

David Tamboury: A Lifelong Craft

By Matt Solis, Editor

David Tamboury’s construction journey began as a child, when he would help his grandfather maintain his Victorian home in San Francisco. “I would visit him on weekends and we’d do all sorts of things—replacing windows, gardening, painting and even some soldering,” he recalls. “This was the late ’80s, but it wasn’t until 1997 that I got serious about working in the construction industry. I was teaching senior water aerobics at the YMCA and a man asked if I wanted to do that for the rest of my life. When I said no, he told me his son-in-law was looking for employees for his contracting firm in Pacifica. I jumped on the opportunity and never looked back.”

David spent a few years working for that company before transitioning to the plumbing industry, but it wasn’t long before he realized he didn’t want to depend on others for work. “I started putting myself out there and ran some ads in The Advertiser, which was a free paper in San Francisco,” he explains. “I was doing little odds-and-ends jobs until a client suggested I get licensed, so I went to contractor school and established SF Craftsman, Inc. in 2005.”

A lifelong San Franciscan, David says his favorite aspects of The City are the culture, diversity and food scene. “I love being exposed to almost everything the world has to offer and making my own decisions on what to experience. I also love the Victorian houses—I see them every day driving to jobsites and still can’t get enough of them.”

Outside of work, David enjoys spending time with his wife and children, bowling, cooking and baking, and taking on various building projects. “Right now, I’m working on my late grandfather’s Victorian home and adding three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and multiple decks,” he says. “I guess I just love building things, even outside of work.” 

In terms of a personal or professional philosophy, David espouses the importance of the Golden Rule. “I believe in treating other people with the same amount of respect that I would expect in return,” he offers. “That’s something I live by every day, and I tend to get better results from treating people nicely than the alternative.”

When asked the first thing he’d do if he retired tomorrow, David turns to one of his favorite pastimes. “I’d probably start by going bowling,” he laughs. “After that, I would book a long trip to an exotic location that I’ve never seen before.”

Ask Me Anything!

Q: Coffee or tea?
A: Tea. I don’t drink coffee at all—I took one sip a while ago and didn’t like it.

Q: If you could immediately travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: Bali. I’ve heard a lot of good things and it seems pretty affordable.

Q: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
A: Original Joe’s in San Francisco. I’m actually friends with the head chef.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
A: Curl up on the couch with my wife and watch a movie in front of the fire.