Stel Builders

Mark Mulvaney

2024-04

I recently had the pleasure of working with Stel Builders on a guest house and garage at our home in Pacific Beach. I cannot express how impressed I am with their work. From design to final inspection, they demonstrated a level of attention to detail that exceeded my expectations.Here are the key highlights that stood out:1. Attention to Detail: Stel meticulously planned every aspect of the project. Whether it was the choice of materials, the alignment of beams, or the finishing touches, their commitment to perfection was evident. The result? A garage and guest house that seamlessly integrates with our existing home.2. Professionalism: Throughout the entire process, Stel conducted themselves with the utmost professionalism. They arrived promptly, communicated clearly, and treated our property with respect. Their work ethic and dedication were truly commendable.3. Timeliness: Deadlines matter, especially when it comes to home projects. We did have some challenges; however, these were because of needing approval from the Coastal Commission and the slow responses of the City Building Department. Given these challenges, Stel not only met but exceeded our timeline expectations. They worked efficiently without compromising quality, ensuring that our garage and guest house was completed on schedule.4. Excellent Communication: Communication is key, and Stel Builders excelled in this area. They kept us informed at every stage, explaining progress, addressing any concerns, and providing valuable insights. It made the entire process stress-free.I would like to mention Gary Romano and Brian Wood at Stel. Gary’s official role is in sales, but he did far more. He was our main contact, helping with the design, double checking everything from the initial grading to the final punch list. Gary is a perfectionist who would never hesitate to pick up a shovel to ensure things got done. Brian is the construction foreman, managing the sub-contractors, coordinating the build process, and making sure things ran smoothly. By the end of the project, both Gary and Brian feel like family.In summary, Stel Builders is truly professional combining craftsmanship, reliability, and effective communication. I wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone seeking top-notch construction services.Thank you, Stel, for transforming our house into a home we’re proud of!

Annie Waring

2023-05

We recently worked with Stel on a major second story addition project for our home. The entire Stel team was wonderful from start to finish and exceeded our expectations! Jason and Gary were wonderful in walking us through the initial design process and presented us with several options before we made a final decision. Our project manager, Cory Reiten, was truly amazing and did a great job keeping things on track and making sure everything went smoothly. We are so happy with the finished product and would highly recommend Stel for any remodel/design-build needs!

Brian Spencer

2020-05

I can't say how thankful I am for the Stel team saving the day and making our remodel goal a reality. We spent the start of 2019 looking for the right shop to do our project. After various discussions we had almost given up until Jason from Stel proposed a fantastic change that met our goals of adding 2 bedrooms and 1 bath. Not only was the project going to expand our space, but it was going to correct an issue we had with our roof. The proposal was for an upstairs addition, we were going up and taking space from our patio for a staircase the design actually made our patio more useful as its now a "California covered" patio with ceiling fans and recessed lighting with sliding doors and really makes our living room flow right out into the space.Not only did Stel propose a great design, but the overall project came in at the low end of the estimate (Jason was the most honest and accurate about project costs). Every single person that worked on my place was extremely respectful, professional, and thorough. I was assigned a project manager named Cory who was absolutely amazing and was available at all times. We had some rain during the project and he personally would rush over with plastic and would start ahead of the rest of his team. The whole experience from design, approval, permits, demo, build, and any changes were extremely well managed and simple - and it finished a month ahead of estimated schedule! I could continue gushing about how great an experience it was but I’ll keep it short. If you want to go with a no hassle hire and then be wowed, I would highly recommend Stel Builders.

Lauren S

2023-05

We hired Stel to do a remodel and addition for our home in Carmel Valley. Although the process of remodeling/building is difficult, Stel attempts to make every step of the process as painless as possible for the homeowner. We can't say enough positive things about our project manager - Cory Reiten. He helped us navigate each step of the process and was always there for us whenever their was an issue. Stel stands behind the quality of their work and we are happy with our decision to use them for our project.

Carla Goldsberry

2022-05

I found Stel Builders on a home improvement website one night. I sent them a message at 7 pm on a Tuesday, and Gary Romano called me right away. We met with Gary a few days later, and he was honest and very thorough, and knowledgeable. We signed our contract with him on his first visit. Working with STEL was easy & low stress. Everything they said they were going to do, they did. Our home remodel was completed in five months, just as promised. Our 1980's home is now modern and exactly what we wanted. Cory Reiten, the project manager, was here every morning without fail. He kept the crew on schedule and always communicated any issues immediately. Erin Gorman, the designer, is an excellent resource for design concepts and ideas. I will continue to promote and always speak highly of STEL builders to anyone who asks about our remodel.

Mike Spangler

2021-05

Stel Builders was a pleasure to work with. The one stop shop from design to project completion was ideal for our family. We went from a 3/2 to a 4/4, completely gutted, added a second floor. We had to move out during construction, but was pleasantly surprised they did this all in 8 months. Cory Rieghton, their Project Manager is very communicative, fair and just a great guy to work with. He made the entire project run very smoothly.

Camille Newton

2022-05

We had a remodel of our kitchen, new windows and other cosmetic improvements and a facelift for the house. It turned out beautiful. The pictures say it all.

Katie Zunich

2021-05

When I bought my home 20 years ago in Allied Gardens, I had dreams of what this 1950’s bungalow could be. Over the years I would meet with contractors, get ideas, but nothing would feel right. Last year I learned about Stel Builders, and decided to meet with them to see what they could do for my aging home. Finally, I met the right contractor and team. It was evident from the start that this project was going to work out, and I would be happy with the outcome.I had ideas, but Jason really impressed me by “thinking outside the box”. His knowledge of design as well as “what works” in a home is evident. He was able to design a solution that not only met my needs but turned out beautiful! I didn’t add any square footage to my home, but it feels so much bigger. Jason was able to make otherwise wasted space useful.Once construction started, I began working closely with my project manager Cory. I cannot say enough wonderful things about this man, personally and professionally. He made sure that I was informed every step of the way, answered any question or concern timely, and made sure that my family and I were taken care of during the construction process. He personally saw to it that my home was safe during the rains and even made sure that I would not get my feet wet while walking to the car in the morning by placing pavers along the path. I am very grateful for the genuine kindness he has provided to me and my family during this long process.When COVID started the project did not skip a beat! Seth, the owner, reached out to me to let me know that he would ensure that his subcontractors remained safe and that the project could continue. Every subcontractor who worked on my project was amazing. I enjoyed taking to them each day and was even sad to see them leave after their part of the job was done.Stel is well..... Stel-lar! I would highly recommend them to anyone for a remodel of any size. They not only have the skills and the know how to do the work, but are genuinely kind, which is often difficult to find in today’s world.

Zane Thompson

2015-05

Seth with Stel has always met all of our expectations. We are now working on our 2nd project with them. They have an incredible level of creativity that has been so much fun to work with over the years. Our last project was an addition to accommodate our aging parents on a single level of the home and turned out great, our current project is a remodel that we hope to achieve the same level of quality and design creativity with a smaller budget than before. Seth and the team has always been able to find solutions for our design and budget constraints. They have a fabulous sense of how to design around existing conditions so you really feel like that new part of the house was always there. They really do listen to you and take into account how a family really lives. A+

Jay Yu

2018-05

We hired Stel for a major remodel of our home in PB. Our family has lived in this house since it was new in the early 1950s so, while we wanted to do a number of updates, we also wanted to maintain some of the character and feel of the original house. Seth and his team quickly and completely understood our requirements, and provided us a design that absolutely blew us away without blowing our budget. Working with the design team was awesome, despite the overwhelming nature of having to pick from an endless range of options.The build process was easier than we thought it would be considering the large project we were about to undertake (full kitchen remodel, addition of a partial second story to include a master suite and laundry room, 2 bathroom remodels, and new paint and flooring throughout the rest of home).  Brian, our project manager, was communicative, clear, and on-time. The trades were responsible, respectful, and hard-working. The only significant impacts to the budget and the schedule were ones they warned us could happen (e.g., asbestos and lead abatement), or ones we caused (e.g., picking expensive things). Despite the fact that so many subcontractors and vendors were involved, it never felt like we were working with more than one company - Stel managed all of the communication, payments, and scheduling for everything within their scope. What's more, while Stel was handling many projects besides ours, we never felt like we were waiting on anyone or anything – instead they made us feel like their top priority.We could not have possibly been happier with our remodel experience with Stel and recommend them without hesitation.

Diane Armstrong

2020-05

Stel Builders is an outstanding company. They are very professional and genuinely concerned with providing exactly what the consumer wants. We were impressed with their attention to details, their open communication and the kindness of their employees. Gary Romano, project designer and Cory Reiten, project manager were especially attentive and invested in our project. Absolutely recommend!