Building Doctors reviews

5Genglish hired Dan to fit an outdoor water heater in December 2012, and years later discovered they had no hot water right after a heavy rain. They phoned Dan, who guessed the unit had taken on water, but they also called a plumber listed by the manufacturer; that plumber charged $125 to come out and, after opening the heater, declared it flooded and said it needed replacement. Not convinced, they texted Dan at 7:00 on a Friday night; by the next day a Building Doctors serviceman called, talked their husband through a reset over the phone, and the heater sprang back to life with no charge. What stood out was the quick, no-cost troubleshooting from Dan’s team that avoided a $2,000-plus replacement on an almost seven-year-old installation.

Jason hired Dan and his team about four years ago to make his house more energy efficient. When he reached out again during a roof replacement—because the roofer was also installing a new AC/heater and old permits needed locating—Dan immediately dug up and resent all the permits even though he knew he wouldn’t get the current job. He reviewed the new contractor’s heating load estimates, flagged that they were off, and backed up his advice by sending the original files from the work done four years earlier. Jason ended up with the permits and the four-year-old house files that corrected the HVAC estimates. The detail that sticks with him: Dan stayed incredibly helpful and practical, providing the exact documents and analysis needed despite having no prospect of new business.

Michael N. brought Building Doctors in for a full overhaul after his Southern California house repeatedly failed to cool below 80 on hot days. While other contractors breezed through in 15 minutes and pushed for a unit twice the size, Building Doctors spent three hours diagnosing the problem and concluded the existing AC was fine — the house needed better insulation and new ducting. They replaced the insulation and ducts, completed the overhaul, and picked up extra requests during the job, such as installing LED fixtures throughout the home. They arrived punctually each day, kept the jobsite remarkably clean, and called whenever plans changed. The crew stayed flexible, delivered high-quality workmanship, and the final bill matched what he expected — not inexpensive, but without surprises. They also handled all the rebate paperwork so he only had to deposit the check when it arrived. More than two years later, the work has held up: the house retains the cool of the morning well into the afternoon and the AC no longer struggles on scorcher days. Dan and his crew left a strong impression for their technical thoroughness and reliability. The detail that lingered most was that three‑‑

Mel C. hired Building Doctors for a job more than a year ago and paid over $31,000 up front. The night before installers arrived, Dan rewrote nearly every term of the contract and then began insisting they pay whatever balance he alone decided. They trusted him — and ended up with an unfinished project after more than a year while still facing unilateral demands for additional payment.

Rossana V. faced a large, coordinated retrofit—replacing her HVAC and ductwork, adding new insulation and bathroom heaters, and installing a hydronic water heater—to modernize comfort and energy efficiency throughout her home. She hired Building Doctors, and they tackled the complex project as a priority: crews stayed on schedule instead of disappearing for days, worked with clear expertise, and kept the house as tidy as possible given the scope of work. They also walked her through the rebate paperwork, which simplified qualification. Four years after completion the system still performs beautifully, and she has kept them on for maintenance because they remain friendly, professional and prompt. When the Pasadena Department of Water and Power inspected her system as part of an energy-reduction program, the inspector recognized Building Doctors and praised them as top of the line—an outside endorsement that matched her own long-term experience.

Alex M. hired The Building Doctors to bring his 1920s bungalow into a model of energy efficiency almost four years ago. He ended up with a retrofit that respected his budget and navigated the Energy Upgrade California program with him, but what lingered longest was their service after the install. Dan, the owner, stayed reachable for small HVAC-maintenance questions and for bigger worries, and when Alex feared one of his electrical circuits had failed, Victor — the hands-on technician — came out, diagnosed the situation and fixed it in under ten minutes. The quick repair made it clear the original work had held up and the problem was user error, and the lasting image is of a company that still answers calls and will make a house call years after the job was done.

D P. hired Dan and his company, Building Doctors, for a small home project last year and came away pleasantly surprised. They discovered Dan not only completed the work cleanly but also stayed available afterward — answering follow-up questions a year after the job at no charge. He navigated the quirks of the house, offered practical tips and walked them through how state rebates could offset the project cost, helping reduce their annual expenses. Dan showed deep hands-on knowledge and a caring approach; they even joked about giving him 6 Stars. The lasting takeaway: the free aftercare and rebate guidance turned a simple install into a smarter, more economical investment.

Garvanza B. waited a full year after hiring Building Doctors to be sure the upgrades to her 1932 fixer‑upper actually held up—and the wait paid off. The house arrived with no heating or cooling, baking in summer and freezing in winter, so she started with an energy audit that looked pricey at first but quickly proved worth it: the audit turned into a detailed roadmap tailored to the old house, with prioritized, no‑pressure options rather than hard sales pitches. She opted into a city pilot for a tankless water heater, had the team install air conditioning, and committed to major efficiency work—air sealing and added insulation. The sealing and insulation made the most dramatic difference; the improvement wasn’t theoretical, it was visible in comfort and bills a year later. Building Doctors also handled nearly all the paperwork for state and city energy credits, and flagged any forms she needed to complete well in advance, which translated into a meaningful payoff. One crew error did occur: a large section of a wall went uninsulated. The team discovered the omission during the exit energy audit and returned the next day to fix it. Garvanza appreciated that they owned the mistake

Richard hired Building Doctors to replace his HVAC and upgrade the insulation in his home, and walked away with utility bills reduced by more than 60% and a house that finally feels uniformly comfortable. He went from a three‑zone setup with two 3½‑ton units that left hot and cold pockets to a single‑zone system powered by one 3½‑ton unit — the temperature now stays the same throughout the house in every season, and he almost never thinks about adjusting the thermostat because it "just works." After more than 30 years as a homeowner, he judged them the best contractors he’s dealt with: their proposal was accurate and complete, the installation was high quality and finished on time, and when inevitable unexpected issues popped up they devised fair, practical solutions. He has kept hiring Building Doctors for smaller jobs since that remodel and consistently received top‑rate work at fair prices. The detail that stuck with him most was the steady, effortless comfort — something he wishes he’d changed 20 years ago.