Berkeley Carpenter & Handyman

Since originally hiring Oren to work on my house, he worked on a number of other projects.
1) Installed 5 doors, a mix of exterior and interior doors, several which were a bit challenging as they had vintage charm /​flaws as I had scored them at Urban Ore.
2) Installed 2 range hoods with exterior venting
3) Installed bathroom sinks — responding to a plumbing emergency very quickly.
4) Handled the carpentry on cabinets to install a dishwasher
And all sorts of little things.
Oren has become a trusted expert who I hire to give his second opinion before and during jobs for which I might hire other specialists. Having a second opinion is especially awesome on expensive jobs involving various house systems.

The first time I hired Oren was to seal off a floor duct in my parents’ house a couple of years ago. He did a spectacular job that day, and since then, he’s done tons of work on their old craftsman and converted carriage house, ranging from replacing a toilet to a complete kitchen renovation with custom counters and shelving and under-​cabinet LED lighting… He’s a creative problem solver and is great at thinking outside the box to come up with financially conservative solutions to challenging old-​house problems. His work is always top-​notch and he leaves the spaces he works in clean and tidy. He’s also become a good friend and adviser and has seen me through several rough patches as I’ve navigated the waters of baby rearing, parental eldercare, and remote property management largely solo. He’s basically the Yoda of carpentry, only much younger and a lot less green. I’m lucky to have found such a trustworthy and all-​around great person to help me with my family’s property.

I had high hopes when I first spoke to Oren in early September. I had recently moved into a new home so I called with a long list of small, medium and larger jobs. We made a plan for a day of work and he came at the appointed time. After four hours of working on one project that had seemed straightforward (he had thought), he gave up and told me he would return and try again after his vacation. We made a date for another full day of work on September 11^th and things seemed quite amicable at the time he left. Because of all the chaos from the recent move and the start of school, I was willing to wait a week though some of the projects were safety related like strapping cabinets, replacing smoke detectors etc. On September 10^th late at night I received a curt email saying he wouldn’t be able to come the next day due to a «family matter.» I wrote back saying I understood and asking if he would like to pass on all the work (several weeks worth at least, with the larger projects) or reschedule and that I’d appreciate a response. Well I’ve given it nearly two weeks and so far no response. It’s possible of course that he’s having a terribly hard family situation and can’t return emails right now but the no-​show and lack of communication has been unprofessional by any usual standards so wanted others to know.

I called Oren this morning. I was a bit desperate to fix my 3 year old’s interior door. Yesterday I tried to install a new door handle so that she could open the door herself. Oren came quickly and took a look at the door. He brainstormed a way to fix it without having to sacrifice the antique door knob or install an ugly «door saver» metal plate. He did this all without charge. I’m definitely calling him the next time I need to fix something, I’ve been looking for a good handyman for a while.

Oren was great. Repaired a pocket door, which not just anyone can do, on a 1950’s building. Good as knew. Prepped and cleaned up well for a meticulous tenant. Did what he said he would do when he said he would do it. Also a nice, trustworthy guy. I’m sure I will be calling you again… Thanks, Oren.

I have a 4 unit building in Berkeley and Oren has always done great work for me. His rates are reasonable, and I trust him to do exactly what needs to be done. His work is very solid and he will go out of his way to ensure that everything he fixes lasts a long time.
I come from an extensive background of home repair and renovation — this guy knows what he is doing and puts my mind at ease so I can focus on other priorities.

Over the past several years, we have had Oren do a number of jobs at our house. In fact, he is in the midst of replacing/​re-​buulding our fence as I write this.
He is skilled, clever, collaborative, and loves a challenge. On every job, he has done excellent work at a fair price.
We highly recommend his services!

I can not say enough good about Oren. I have known Oren for a number of years now, ever since I met him in his signature classic red truck.
In short, Oren is simply a delightful person. While he conveys warmth and good humor, one never doubts that he is serious and capable about his work. I have seen Oren handle small jobs, such as finding a rare fitting required to repair vintage blinds. I have seen him repair rotten wood windows so well that one would never know that a problem existed. I have seen new bathrooms, new kitchens, fences, and so on, that speak as one to the quality of Oren’s work and character.
I have never used his services personally. Rather, I have recommended him to dozens of my own customers. In my follow-​up with referred customers, I have heard so many positive reviews and felt so much satisfaction that I continue to freely pass on his name and good reputation.
Since the majority of my customers don’t seem to be all that into social media, such as Unilocal, I wanted to put this recommendation on their behalf.
Review Edit — Nov 18, 2012: I recently called Oren to help me with a difficult repair project that was beyond my ability. I can now say from personal experience that Oren demonstrates incredible commitment and energy to his work. His pursuit of quality is relentless. What’s more, he really enjoys his work!
I give him 6 stars!