Heirloom Builders transforms historical San Francisco housing stock with luxury additions without sacrificing outdoor space
Whether the project calls for a major renovation or a small remodel, Heirloom Builders, based in San Francisco, can handle it all. Utilizing a depth of expertise, coupled with commitment to providing personalized service that produces high-quality results, the company is the ideal choice for homeowners who value craftsmanship and communication.
We sit down with Zach Heir, founder of Heirloom Builders, who sheds light on how the company came to be: “I started the business five years ago after working
across a variety of roles within the construction industry. I began as a carpenter focusing on restoration work before becoming a foreman, superintendent and project manager. This experience has meant that over my career I have seen projects through their entire lifecycle, from being a worker focusing on one aspect to overseeing the direction of larger projects and liaising with stakeholders. The logical next step was to do this for myself. This enables ownership of the whole process in terms of how we execute the construction and communicate with our design partners and clients. Having seen how stressful this process can be, especially on larger projects, it was always a priority to make the experience excellent for everyone involved, building on positive client experiences to attain bigger and better projects.
“From the first job we did five years ago, we have developed a reputation for being a reliable and trustworthy partner that can help people achieve their dreams. The project was initially a bathroom remodel which ended up including an addition and full house remodel, upgraded electrical systems and sprinklers installed. This has often been the case; many projects start as one room, then when people see what we can achieve, we end up doing significantly more.”
Zach goes on to reflect on how the company overcame the significant challenges of the pandemic so early on in its history, and the evolution of the business since: “It was an enormous challenge, but it also presented opportunities. A lot of people change the way they use their space over time; this was especially the case during Covid. There was a big demand, whether it was for a home office or landscaping to make more space outdoors. We were able to build from this and completed some great projects in the last five years as a result. We are in the unique position to help people who perhaps haven’t done this before. We can guide them and bring in a team of designers and architects to create a project which provides them with the best quality and value possible.
Source of experience
“Operating in San Francisco requires a level of expertise to navigate the urban environment and all its logistical considerations, as well as permits, approval and inspection processes, alongside understanding the housing stock in terms of historical property requirements. This enables us to offer foundation-to-framing services for all residential projects alongside project management and supervision.
“Our team consists of project managers, site superintendents and carpenters who will perform rough carpentry or finish carpentry. We also have our trade partners who complete plumbing, tiling and electrical works. We will also provide pre-construction services if a client is already working with an architect or interior designer; we can evaluate their project, do a detailed estimate and a rough timeline. Around half of our projects come from existing relationships with architects and designers, or from people who bring their concept to us to turn into a viable project. The other segment comes from people who want us to build the project team. For example, someone called me yesterday who had purchased the house they had rented for over five years and wanted an addition. They were looking to us principally to find a rough cost estimate, which we can provide based on our experience; then if they decide to go ahead, we can build a team to work on aspects including design, the approval process, and technical documents.”
Technical expertise
In highlighting some notable projects, Zach goes on to describe a rather unique approach to providing additions which has arisen from the space and building constraints of often historical San Francisco housing stock. “A type of job we frequently take on is what we call a ‘dig-out’ project. This involves a typical San Francisco house which encompasses two stories where the first is an oversized garage which contains no living space. We support the second story of the house, and dig out a deeper foundation for the entire structure and that transforms a really oversized unused space into a single car garage and then we’re able to utilize between 800-to-1000 square feet of livable space, under the umbrella of the existing house. That could typically consist of one or two bedrooms plus a bathroom, a family room and a laundry room. It’s a great methodology because it’s an addition within the confines of the existing house. In an area where you’re often limited in space, if you’re lucky enough to have a backyard, you don’t want to sacrifice that to build a big house. This is a brilliant solution which definitely requires a certain technical expertise.”
Having hit the ground running when the business began, Heirloom Builders has positioned itself well to capitalize on the opportunities already being presented for the years ahead. Concluding, Zach highlights some of the relationships that have made that possible: “I’m really excited about our repeat clients on the design and architecture side. It can take a long time to get to the construction stage of a project. We’re now having conversations earlier on in the process, two years ahead of construction, which enables a much smoother process as it allows the client to prepare not just financially but also in terms of how long they’ll need to vacate the property if it’s a remodel. So, there is already a very healthy pipeline in the works for the coming years.”