Above The Rest Builders Inc.

EXTREMELY impressed wth the integrity and dependability of owner Matt and his team, including Carlos and Gustavo, who drive to Marin to work, despite a challenging commute from outside Marin, for many years--which speaks for their satisfaction with working with Matt. I'm currently an outlier customer for many fence contractors because I needed an installer for an aluminum slat fence and gate to replace my wood structures (contiguous to my wood siding) per CalFire dictates for fire safety in Zone 0 of my home's perimeter (which is headed to be a legal mandate, especially in more fire-prone areas) in Tam Valley (MV).

Matt seemed to have a lot of confidence in his team and was transparent and consistent about the estimate, which was on a per-hour basis, except for concrete purchase and dump fee. He was patient about my repeated need to delay because of an intense rainy season, metal-fence delivery challenges, and my prioritized-but-problem-wrought complete roof replacement (though, my fence/gate estimate understandably went up, as gas prices and likely wages also went up after months of delay, but he was straightforward about the [painful] estimate change). For me, being able to put full trust in my contractor is the MOST important element.

Above the Rest had never constructed an aluminum-slat fence/gate before, but Carlos and Gustavo were not only extremely professional, knowledgeable, efficient, respectful, and thoughtful ace communicators ("SUPERSTARS!!")--but I was incredibly impressed by their apparently-innate ability to build a perfect gate and fence, even far beyond what two other experienced fence contractors I knew well from out-of-area even thought was feasible given the non-ideal pre-existing conditions! Despite never having built an aluminum-slat fence before, they managed to overcome hurdles that other experienced contractors didn't feel were surmountable! I didn't even order a third aluminum post because other contractors thought we were going to have to leave the house-contiguous wood post where it was (not ideal re: fire).

(To be fair, the experienced NC fence contractor who sold the aluminum parts to me "direct" did tell me that the materials I ordered were meant to be DIY, but my researched opinion is that this is only DIY if you are extremely handy and are adept at using one's circular saw . . . plus having ideal pre-existing conditions!)

fyi: Gustavo and Carlos were so amazing that I asked about the other side of my house, more optional repair! Matt reiterated to me, re: the other side of my house with a wood gate and arch, but almost 30 feet from my home siding, that they only construct WOOD fences/gates. I stay on top of FireWise/FireSafeMarin/CalFire evolution for 10 yrs, so know that Marin will need to move toward more non-combustible metal structures. For this reason, I hope Above the Rest opts to venture more with metal materials in the near future. They really are ABOVE THE REST!!!

I have used Above the Rest Builders on three occasions over the last four years. Their work has included the installation of new wood fencing and gates, deer fencing, landscape steps, wood retaining walls and planters. Each time, the highly skilled crews have come up with excellent solutions, while addressing complicated topographic conditions. I highly recommend working with Matt and his team.

From start to finish, working with Above The Rest Fences & Decks was an exceptional experience. Right after I submitted my request, Matt responded quickly, came to our house to assess the project, and delivered an itemized, transparent quote with zero wait time. The upfront, straightforward pricing made it easy to see exactly what we were paying for. The construction crew was incredibly knowledgeable and smoothly accommodated all of our requested changes. David Alvarez was wonderfully friendly and customer-focused, while Gustavo perfectly captured our vision, even suggesting design improvements to elevate the final look. Francisco and Juan Moreno rounded out the fantastic… read full review