SF Lofts

My first apartment in SF. I was so excited to move in and found the most amazing room in the heart of the Mission for only $600 a month. The downside? The room was small and an unusual shape. Photos 9-13 and 17 are my loft, to help you visualize.

I found David's ad on Craigslist, actually, and was pleased by his speed of response. Within 3 emails, David and I had set up a time for a free consultation for him to come over, check out the space, and dream up some solutions. David was awesome at collaborating. He wanted to hear my ideas, asked me questions about what I wanted, and even humored me by letting me sketch out some ideas. We came out of our metting with all the dimensions, expectations and timeline for building worked out.

David arrived the next weekend with all the pieces of aromatic wood pre-cut and ready to assemble. It took about 5.5 hours from start to finish, but, hey, good work takes time and is not rushed! He was also working within a very small space with no wiggle room.

At last, I had an awesome, solid built, sturdy, rustic-chic loft that is 100% what I wanted. David was sweet and even custom built a ladder for me.

I went to his apartment to pick up my ladder and was pleased to find he had built his own loft in his apartment. It was even cooler than mine-- bookshelves built in, a seating area below, desk/work area built into the side. This guy really knows how to build practical, sturdy functional lofts on the cheap.

Call up David. He's a good guy, using a skill that makes him happy to make others happy. His loft transformed my space and I am very thankful.

This review was long needed and overdue. As much as I wanted to yelp this carpentry service that was provided for me, I have to admit my need for perfection and completeness has caused me to procrastinate until my inner-self was inspired and motivated enough to give a genuine account of my experience. This drawn-out delay most likely happened because a friendship developed and cultivated between me and the brilliant loft builder I hired. (David McDowell) As much as I was satisfied with the overall project, I felt compelled to write a review that did him proper justice, in addition, expressing my appreciation through my words.
The first place I searched was online but to no avail was unsuccessful in my pursuit. I quickly realized that finding a queen size loft was not going to be an easy task. This was mostly in part to a majority of lofts being regularly manufactured smaller to accommodate a tinier bed. In other words, the lofts offered online were only compatible with full size and twin mattresses. Well, you can see how this could be an issue making my vision a reality, and stabilizing my level of comfortability which in turn keeps me sane. In addition, to this setback, I also discovered that all the main companies that sold pre-made lofts had long wait times, bad reviews, and defected equipment.
From the very first day of work, we set out too "Lowe's Hardware" and jumped right into the project. Mr. McDowell was very precise in his gathering of supplies and materials. He seemed to know exactly what was needed, definite measurements applied, and when I thought all else would fail, he didn't forget to purchased the tools he may have forgotten to bring, which was very slim. Due in large part, because he himself is quite the perfectionist, but also not limited to my own desire, of painting the loft upon completion. In addition, the custom modifications that I requested to be built. This would include a small stair case protruding from the side and leading right to the top of the loft queen bed. Please believe I was not prepared to take the ladder option. Those drunk nights would not be a good fit.
The labor was a forsure an endurance workout and I assisted as much as I could, but not having a working elevator in my building put a wide burden on myself. Nevertheless, that was not enough to stop me. My stone cold drive got the best of me, and my true appreciation of art in all its forms captivated me enough to observe this master carpenter build a fortress fit for a King. His measurements were even more precise than the "so called" professionals. On top of that, he is a man's man with a very likable personality.
The world needs builders like this guy. He exceeded the expectations, and his efficiency, along with his speed, enabled him to complete this task in less than 3 days. During the build I was inspired to purchase a top of the line sand blaster for my loft paint job, but my carelessness and unfamiliarity with sanding set me back in the end. Forgetting to place drop-cloth down and cover everything, caused me to get sand everywhere "and I mean everywhere". It was an all out sand storm inside the apartment. I was sure the Tasmanian devil had made a trip through there when my back was turned. The experience was once in a lifetime, and I really enjoyed helping and assisting Mr. McDowell.
The things he taught me by simply just observing were fascinating to say the least. Knowledge of any sort that I do not possess, drives me to do some research and learn it if it intrigues me. At least until I lose interest and seek elsewhere. If I'm being honest it was quite difficult to lose interest in the art Mr. McDowell did for me. To add to his many positive attributes, we did not part ways without him suggesting that I attend an all-male, self enrichment group called MDI (Mentor, Discover, and Inspire). "Yes, you heard me right. It was not a sobriety thing, and to my relief, not a freaky sexual thing either. It is actually a tribe of men that value and work towards becoming the best version of themselves. Who knew such a thing existed?
After meeting the men and programming with them on several occasions, I can see how my carpenter would be the stand-up guy he is. His skills were impeccable, and his professionalism and passion for carpentry, made him the right man for the job and I deeply appreciated his service.

EDIT 5/27, 7:29 PM.

David has edited his response to my review eight times. I received email notifications every time. I have screenshots of his full post from last night, as I posted on my social media, and I'm adding that to the images section of my review. Apparently he's now attempting to be a bit more professional, but the OP is very telling.

I wish I could reply in the thread, but Yelp doesn't seem to allow this; I'll hit the main points here.

* Dave didn't offer to waive my assessment fee if I ordered his Uber rides. Note: Rides, plural. The Pool fares were ~ $5 each, and I voluntarily deducted them from the PayPal amount I sent. The larger point is that it isn't professional to have a loft client order and pay for your rides. Call a family member or friend. Figure it out. Potentially, he can milk clients for transportation.

* Prior to meeting Dave, I told him what I wanted structurally and aesthetically, and he was excited about the opportunity. I knew that his work normally was less involved, but a contractor of his trade reasonably should have the skill set to prep better quality wood as well as to use bolts instead of screws for a loft. He partners with a painter, and, if needed, I could have supplied my own. The caliber of work he delivers, frankly, I learned in middle school wood shop class.

* He originally commented re: my Yelp reviews, saying I gave 28 one-star ratings. How thorough. I'm Yelp Elite with ~ 200 ratings that are higher. But, yes, I'm not shy about expressing my discontent on Yelp, to vent and so that others could take note. If this means I'm emotionally unstable, per Dave, fine.

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This is just dandy if ya like it rough--a quick fix involving four by fours from Home Depot delivered to your residence, screws vs. bolts by default, no to minimal sanding, and shoddy or no paint. If you're looking for a polished product, this isn't for you. Even at double the cost or more, this contractor can't deliver the quality I seek. Kudos to the guy for at least admitting this.

Had he refunded the assessment fee after he realized he couldn't do the work as requested, I wouldn't write this review. But I'm stuck paying a fee even though *he* can't perform.

And let me tell you about the assessment experience: The guy was nearly two hrs late. Approximately one hour after our appointment slot, he asked me to order his Uber because apparently he couldn't get his app to work. When he was leaving my place, I said I'd take a look at his app and settings, but he just wanted me to book another ride using my account. I ordered him two Uber Pools (not getting X or Select for a stranger!) for the sake of my time, and I deducted the fares from the assessment fee. He had the nerve to comment that people generally pay for his rides. Oh, and my passenger rating plummeted after his two rides.

Okay--a contractor without a shop to accept delivery to prep the wood, Home Depot products, no car for his transportation and tools, screwed up business tactics... Five star reviews? Really?

I have contractors in my family, and this is far from the standard.

Got a guy to do quality work sans the bs.

David came out to move the loft he built us a few months ago. He also cut it down in length and raised it 9" to fit the new space. The kids are still loving it!!!

I had a small job for David. He arrived and started on time. The final price was about what he estimated. The workmanship was good. He was very concerned about quality and me liking the job. He followed up the next day with a call, to confirm nothing unexpected or substandard was found.

Now that I'm moving, David came over to help take the bed apart and help me sell it. He came on last minute notice as well.

I slept on my loft bed for 18 months and I had zero complaints! It's super solid. Can't recommend this business enough for their customer service & quality!

SF Lofts for us was like Goldie Locks and the Three Bears, only our story was about three types of lofts. SF Lofts was "just right."

This five star review is given for 1) Quality of workmanship; 2) Price point; 3) responsiveness to customization, 4) hard work

After researching Ikea options for lofts and some prefabricated ones at specialty stores, my wife and I came across SF Lofts. We needed twin bed lofts for our twin boys. The Ikea options seemed rickety and cheap. Their prices followed suit. The high end ones looked nice, but were out of our price range. They also didn't fit the space the way we needed them to. SF Loft's customization appealed to us and we are glad we went with them.

SF Lofts and David's service were "just right" for what we needed in terms of customization, quality, durability, and price. We wanted a safe loft for our eleven-year-old twins, and beds customized to the space. David delivered.

David is a skilled and meticulous craftsman. He is fair with his pricing. As a sole proprietor his skills lean toward his craft, but not necessarily his organization around the sales process. He presents as someone still learning his sales procedures. But what is clear in talking with him was he wants to do the right thing by his customers. I urge those who call him to take time to ask questions and get a sense for each step of the process so there is no confusion. I think based on my experience with him he appreciates questions to help him think through each job carefully and thoroughly.

For example, after some discussion by text we had a call where he disclosed that he would do jobs in the East Bay, but that he charged his expenses for travel. It was not clear initially what this meant, but he clarified it once we talked about it. It may be important for a new customer to get a firm agreement about this so there is not a misunderstanding. The travel costs for him may be different for each job. I think it is a more than fair request to ask for travel expenses, however, if he is making an hour and half round trip or more to do a custom design talk with you without even the guarantee of getting the job.

David was also generous with his time during the assessment and answered all my questions. He took over an hour to evaluate the beds we needed and their specifications.

The day of the job, he and his employee were efficient and worked very hard.

A few days later he checked in and asked if everything was ok.

We are very happy customers, and my kids love their new beds.

Dave, Wolf, and all the people at SF Lofts are great! Intelligent, people persons who really know their stuff and put together the most high quality custom loft beds at a super fair price! I am so lucky I went with them when I was on-the-market for a loft bed in my SF apartment. It has held up so incredibly well and really helped me create so much more space in my 650 sq. ft. spot in Nob Hill which as you know, is clutch! They really made the bed specifically to what worked best for me- adding in some awesome shelving and making the height such that I could walk under easily without worrying about accidentally hitting my head. They really went above and beyond, and even dealt with my building/ working with me to reschedule without stress when people in my building were being rude about the construction and made us halt production. I learned the hard way that I needed to write in to my building to get permission first. Writing this little tidbit here in this review in case it helps anyone avoid this situation. Anyway, back to the main point, I can't endorse SF Lofts enough- they are the best and I wouldn't look anywhere else cause they got it all :)

Reasonable priced w/ good quality Space Saver loft bed! David is great in his work. From planning we are transparent communicating our ideas then He made sure everything goes well accordingly to what we wanted, he offers many options to chose from and gives insights from his years of building experiences though there is a some changes in the process due to the new norm we are still able to work everything out. We decided to pick/transport our lumber together with David. He is very knowledgeable for picking up good quality woods. For build details you could tell he really gives time to explain, make sure the build is safe and precise to your customized needs. Our loft build is special case the bed size we wanted is 12 inch over the regular queen size, we utilized our space in a small living room near a non working fire place, and also the ceiling is dome shaped but inspite of it David was able to manage building our very sturdy loft bed. We are very pleased and happy in our new loft.

I had David and Wolf built me a Great Book Shelf and Desk for my Tiny WSenior Apartment, where I can have Nice Place for my Many Books. I couldn't not be no happier if I had a New Tooth. They done it Right, with Style and fineese, like Real Gentelmens. PRICE WAS RIGHT for a *^ YEARS OLD MAN ON SSI and nothin else.

SSI is like $300 a month Spendin maneys, I am PROUD of DAVE & WOOF! I reccomind.

I live in a very typical SF studio, i.e. tiny but with very high ceilings, and thus perfect for a loft!

Prior to calling up Dave, almost every square inch of my living room was covered by a piece of furniture; I had no walking room whatsoever and having people over was out of the question.

Dave transformed my place from an uncomfortably crowded mess to a very aesthetically-pleasing and roomy studio!

Dave is an amazing carpenter who worked wonders. He is passionate about his work and takes great pride in delivering the best results he possibly can. He also works fast and charges very reasonable prices for his top-notch work.

Thanks Dave!