Diamond Certified Company Report

Don Hays Builder, Inc.

Diamond Certified Company Report

Don Hays Builder, Inc.

Diamond certified ratings dashboard
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION i
Customer LOYALTY i
Helpful Expertise i
Company Credentials i
  • Workers Compensation
  • Liability Insurance
  • License Verification
  • Business Practices
  • Current Complaint File
  • Legal & Finance
Phone SURVEY RESPONSES FROM 20 VERIFIED CUSTOMERS i

Derek T.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

1 of 20

Quality 10
10 10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

I'd give him the highest recommendation. He's honest, hardworking, and good at working through issues.

He delivered on time and on budget.

Lucy D.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

2 of 20

Quality 10
10 10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

I'd say Don is the greatest contractor around. He's very professional, personable, and honest. He's always willing to help and go the extra mile for me. I'd say to use him.

I think the fact that he knows what he's doing, he's very honest, knowledgeable, and hardworking. I also liked how easy it was to work with him. I was impressed with how thorough and detailed he was.

Nick C.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

3 of 20

Quality 10
10 10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

They do very meticulous work. It was done on time, and it was priced right.

The quality of the work was perfect. Everything was great. I'm satisfied with his work and the overall quality. I don't usually give anyone a '10', but Don Hays deserves it.

Read All 20 Survey Responses at Ratings View
Diamond certified VIDEO PROFILE
Diamond certified company PROFILE

Don Hays Builder, Inc. handles all phases of commercial and residential construction for clients throughout Santa Cruz County. Owner Don Hays has a broad range of experience with new construction, remodeling, additions and repair work to existing homes. Mr. Hays and his team, who have more than 40 years of combined construction experience, can update kitchens and bathrooms, build custom decks, remodel restaurants, add granny units to the backs of houses, and more.

A veteran of the construction and remodeling industry for more than 20 years, Mr. Hays says he’s proud of the reputation he’s built for providing quality craftsmanship and excellent customer service. “I offer a unique blend of design expertise and technical knowledge, and since I manage all parts of a construction job, I can accurately estimate and complete projects on time.”

Don Hays Builder offers free estimates within one week of surveying a property, and it uses the same team throughout each project so it can keep costs low for its customers.

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DIAMOND CERTIFIED RESEARCHED CAPABILITIES ON Don Hays Builder, Inc.

COMPANY CONTACT
Service AREA

Santa Cruz County

SERVICES PERFORMED

Additions & Remodels
Decks & Fences
“Granny” Units
New Construction
Residential & Commercial Construction
Restaurants
General & Structural Repairs
Red Tag Removal

DIAMOND CERTIFIED RESEARCHED ARTICLES ON Don Hays Builder, Inc.

Don Hays Builder remodeled this kitchen in a client’s condominium.

Company Profile

Don Hays Builder, Inc. handles all phases of commercial and residential construction for clients throughout Santa Cruz County. Owner Don Hays has a broad range of experience with new construction, remodeling, additions and repair work to existing homes. Mr. Hays and his team, who have more than 40 years of combined construction experience, can update kitchens and bathrooms, build custom decks, remodel restaurants, add granny units to the backs of houses, and more.

A veteran of the construction and remodeling industry for more than 20 years, Mr. Hays says he’s proud of the reputation he’s built for providing quality craftsmanship and excellent customer service. “I offer a unique blend of design expertise and technical knowledge, and since I manage all parts of a construction job, I can accurately estimate and complete projects on time.”

Don Hays Builder offers free estimates within one week of surveying a property, and it uses the same team throughout each project so it can keep costs low for its customers.

Read moreRead Less
Company Philosophy

"Our business is building, but the most important thing we build is lasting relationships with our customers. We stay true to their visions and goals and make sure we deliver what they want. While we certainly need to be satisfied with our work, it's more important that our customers are thrilled with the results."

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Comparative Summary

For Don Hays, owner of commercial and residential construction firm Don Hays Builder, Inc., the value he brings to each of his clients is directly related to his 20 years of construction and remodeling experience. Unlike larger contractors, Mr. Hays personally takes charge of each job. He’s onsite every day, working and supervising his crew to ensure everything is done to his exacting standards, on time and within budget. He says his clients have come to trust his workmanship and professionalism, earning his company very high rates of customer satisfaction.

From being on the jobsite day after day, Mr. Hays knows how much customers value a swiftly completed job. “A lot of people live in their house while it’s being worked on,” he says, “so they understandably want it completed on time.” Don Hays Builder takes only one job at a time, until it’s finished. “Once we start a job, we don’t pull people off to work on another one,” Mr. Hays confirms.

Mr. Hays’ industry experience also saves his customers money. “We can often come up with changes in the plan that’ll improve its look or save money,” he explains. “For example, we can provide options for lower-cost windows that weren’t in the original plan. We provide ‘value engineering’ options to keep costs down.”

Since he’s always on the jobsite, Mr. Hays is in constant communication with his clients. “I’m not just some paper contractor; I actually do the work myself,” he says. This constant communication means clients’ needs become seamlessly incorporated into the final product.

For Don Hays and his eponymous company, success is as simple as doing quality work, completing jobs on time, and being in constant contact with homeowners so everything goes smoothly.

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Industry Info

When hiring a contracting firm, make sure it can adhere to your budget and timeline. Don Hays, owner of Don Hays Builder, Inc., says that, in today’s economy, there’s pressure on contractors to bid low in order to land a contract. “A lot of homeowners don’t realize some contractors will bid low and then charge extra for any kind of change order,” he says. Better contractors will provide a complete bid and only charge extra for major changes to the plan. “They should budget for the expected amount of changes, both in terms of time and money, so the homeowner has no surprises.”

This competitive market also means homeowners have leverage in price negotiations. “Homeowners should get several different bids,” advises Mr. Hays. “Then they can choose the best contractor, even if their bid is a little bit higher, and negotiate the price with them.”

Ultimately, it’s best to know what your budget is before you solicit bids. Choose a contractor who can promise to deliver your project within budget, and ask for references from previous jobs to confirm they’ve done it before. Don’t necessarily choose the most inexpensive contractor—that can often cost more in the long run or produce a remodel with which you’re not satisfied.

Choosing a contractor may seem daunting to the uninitiated, but it isn’t as complex as it seems. It consists of asking some basic questions about contractor’s licenses and insurance coverage, then checking references to verify the quality of work. “After that,” says Mr. Hays, “it comes down to how fast the company can do the work and what their price is.”

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long will the job take? Will there be cost overruns?

A: Every job is different, but we’ll give you a completion date before we begin and meet that date. We’re experienced in a wide variety of construction work, so we know just how long various jobs will take. The same is true for budgets. We bid the complete project instead of providing a low-ball bid upfront and then charging for change orders. We always come in at or below the budget.

Q: Do you maintain a clean worksite?

A: Yes. We clean up at the end of every day and do a major cleaning job on Friday afternoons. If clients are living in the home during the remodel, we ensure there’s separation between the work and the living space.

Q: What’s value engineering?

A: We can work with you to provide options to save money or improve the design of your remodel. Our years of experience have given us insight into design and experience with a wide variety of different building products. Clients often rely on us to improve their living space or lower the cost of a job. That’s value engineering.

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SELECTED PHOTOS FROM Don Hays Builder, Inc.

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Diamond Certified RATINGS ON Don Hays Builder, Inc.
Diamond certified ratings dashboard
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION i
Customer LOYALTY i
Helpful Expertise i

Each surveyed customer was asked, “If you needed any helpful expertise, did this company provide that expertise?” To calculate this score, total “Yes” responses were divided by total responses (excluding those that stated they hadn’t needed any expertise).

Company Credentials i
  • Workers Compensation
  • Liability Insurance
  • License Verification
  • Business Practices
  • Current Complaint File
  • Legal & Finance
Phone SURVEY RESPONSES FROM 20 VERIFIED CUSTOMERS i

Derek T.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

1 of 20

Quality 10
10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

I'd give him the highest recommendation. He's honest, hardworking, and good at working through issues.

He delivered on time and on budget.

Lucy D.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

2 of 20

Quality 10
10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

I'd say Don is the greatest contractor around. He's very professional, personable, and honest. He's always willing to help and go the extra mile for me. I'd say to use him.

I think the fact that he knows what he's doing, he's very honest, knowledgeable, and hardworking. I also liked how easy it was to work with him. I was impressed with how thorough and detailed he was.

Nick C.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

3 of 20

Quality 10
10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

They do very meticulous work. It was done on time, and it was priced right.

The quality of the work was perfect. Everything was great. I'm satisfied with his work and the overall quality. I don't usually give anyone a '10', but Don Hays deserves it.

Audrey P.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

4 of 20

Quality 10
10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

I think Don Hays is so incredibly respectful and personable. He has great ideas, he sticks to the budget, and he definitely tries his best to find ways to economize.

I honestly feel like I've been working with him for forever. At the end of the day, I just liked having him and his crew around. They were all awesome. I'm about to start my third project with him very soon, which I'm super excited about. He does the best quality work I've ever seen for an honest and fair price.

Abbie S.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

5 of 20

Quality 10
10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

Their ability to work with us, we were able to talk them into modifying some things. They came up with good suggestions. We were very pleased.

Annie N.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

6 of 20

Quality 10
10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

Can I give them a '10+'? There is no other place that I'd ever go. I worked mostly with Don. They really listened to me regarding my vision of what I had in mind, instead of how they thought it should be. They were reliable, and they had great ethics. The job was done perfectly. The deck was done and sealed. It was perfect. They were so good that the neighbors were watching, talk about customer satisfaction.

Demeon B.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

7 of 20

Quality 10
10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

The overall experience, and they were very punctual. Everything that was discussed, they did. They were very professional.

Derek T.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

8 of 20

Quality 10
10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

They did what they were supposed to do. They were on budget and on time. There weren't any excuses. I didn't have any issues with them, like I've had with other contractors.

Gene M.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

9 of 20

Quality 10
10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

He did the job within the budget and on time. In fact, he did it faster than I thought he would, and that's rare.

Heather B.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

10 of 20

Quality 10
10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

They were very responsive and open to our questions. It made a great working relationship. If there were any issues, we were able to work through them. They cleaned up the house really well, including the deck. They were really awesome.

Hildi B.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

11 of 20

Quality 10
10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

We liked the way they listened and worked with our ideas. The end result was true to the vision that we had. Their standards, and quality of their work and materials was very high. The result is beautiful.

Ian M.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

12 of 20

Quality 10
10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

They kept somebody at the jobsite every day. They didn't stop and move the crew around. They finished the job from beginning to end and stayed on it until it was finished.

Maggie M.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

13 of 20

Quality 10
10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

We plan to use them in the immediate future. They came in at the right bid, stayed on budget, and finished when they said they would. Their communication was good. They were open and responsive to anything we had to say. The finished product was great. We have recommended them to many of our friends.

Matt S.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

14 of 20

Quality 10
10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

Their response and the quality of their work, they were nice guys.

Mike D.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

15 of 20

Quality 10
10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

They were on budget. They got the job done cheaper than I expected. They worked hard on the job, and they were definitely prompt. That was the biggest thing. I had a pretty good experience.

Mike G.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

16 of 20

Quality 10
10
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

He was on it. He was always there when I needed him. He picked up the phone each time I called. That was very unusual for a contractor. He also had a good reputation. I checked him out beforehand. He worked on a couple of restaurants that I know, and he did a great job on them.

Gordon H.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

17 of 20

Quality 9
9
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

He is a really personable guy. He is knowledgeable. He does a good job. I like the guys who work for him. They have good communication.

He has good prices, and he is easy to work with. He is personable.

Alan K.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

18 of 20

Quality 9
9
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

They did what they said they were going to do. They showed up on time, and they cleaned up their mess at the construction site.

John F.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

19 of 20

Quality 9
9
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

They didn

Tim B.

VERIFIED Don Hays Builder, Inc. CUSTOMER

20 of 20

Quality 9
9
Loyalty Yes
CRITIQUE

Don is extremely knowledgeable. His greatest gift, among other things, is looking at plans and finding new concepts and ideas to embellish them. He is very good at designing. He makes stuff work. For instance, we had a stairway that he completely changed, making the best use of the space. It was brilliant. He was amazing. He has an artful eye, as well as being a builder, which is very rare. He is not an automation. He is able to see and visualize. Both he and Rich are really great. They have great customer service skills, and they really listen. They are very quick and efficient with time.

Read All 20 Survey Responses at Ratings View
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