Working across the San Francisco Bay Area, Oliver Builders is redefining residential construction and remodeling
Specializing in custom residential projects, Oliver Builders (OBI) is a construction company known for building and remodeling unique custom residences in the San Francisco Bay Area. Passionate about providing unparalleled attention to detail and creating long-term relationships, OBI strives to create an environment of trust, transparency, and openness with clients and architects, where communication is a priority and ideas can be challenged or improved.
OBI is owned and operated by Principal, Severin Oliver, a seasoned construction professional who brings more than 35 years of experience to the business. Severin has a hands-on approach to the business, working directly with clients and taking time to build honest and open relationships both externally and within OBI. We sit down to speak with Severin at an interesting stage of OBI’s growth, with Production Manager, William Reuvekamp, set to take the business into a new era.
Transparent partner
Before we share OBI’s projects and future strategy, Severin begins with an explanation of his journey into the world of construction. “I won’t go too far back, but I got into construction and carpentry when I was very young,” he laughs. “I always loved being outdoors and working with my hands, but I never intended to be self-employed with my own business. I started my professional career in carpentry, specializing in stair building and finish carpentry, which taught me lots of different production techniques. I then worked for a local construction company and gained my contractor’s license, and I gradually added more responsibility to my role over time.
“In 2011, I decided to go out on my own, so my wife and I established a business from our garage and started networking with architects and customers. The first year was slow, but we felt like we were making progress and persevered. Business grew steadily from there; we hired a part-time bookkeeper and built an office in our yard before moving to a proper office. We’re now 15 years in the business with around 25 employees and we reached an overall revenue of $12 million last year.”
Having grown up in Berkeley, where most of the homes were originally small bungalows, Severin explains how his early experiences of extensive remodels shaped his approach to homebuilding. “As families grew, they needed more space, and demand for whole-house remodels and second story additions was high,” he says. “For these extensive remodels, we’d demolish most of the house and redo the electrical, plumbing, and heating systems, and sometimes even add new foundations.
“Today, most of OBI’s work is custom remodels for homeowners, and every project we do aims to deliver our clients’ dream homes. Many of our clients either find the neighborhood they want to live in and buy a house to remodel or have owned a home for a long time but want to remodel it to suit their family and current lifestyle.
“However, we do also build new homes, but we specialize in doing challenging or complex construction,” Severin adds. “We’ve recently completed a 1000-square-foot ADU, for instance, which was wedged into the earth on a steep lot, and we also had to build a bridge over a creek. We’ve got an excellent team for both remodels and new construction, and we’ve earned a strong reputation for being an accurate and transparent partner.”
Elaborating on his current role and responsibilities, Severin continues: “I’m constantly identifying new ways to differentiate OBI in a very competitive market, and we prioritize transparency and detail across the business. One of the ways we stand out is when it comes to pricing. Almost every company in our area uses cost-plus methodology, but it’s hard to provide a stipulated sum for remodels and we’ve recently changed our pricing strategy to suit the overall process.
“Our pricing model is still cost-plus, but we now offer a five percent buffer rather than the industry standard of ten percent,” he reveals. “During the early stages, William provides clients with a very detailed estimate and color-coded plans, and we collaborate with the client and architect throughout to build trust and estimate pricing. This also includes a pre-construction process where we visit the home and try to solve or anticipate as many problems as possible, even if that means costs appear higher at the beginning. By doing this early, we’re so confident in our pricing that we use the cost-plus five percent figure as a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) for clients, holding us accountable for our estimations and ensuring we commit to finishing a project within that five percent threshold.”
Modern projects
Although OBI’s projects are client-driven in terms of style, design, and architecture, many of its homes are described as modern. “The Bay Area is generally moving towards modern homes with clean lines, less trim, and minimal accessories,” Severin confirms. “These features require ultimate precision, as trim exists to hide any imperfections between seals, doors, windows, and walls, for example, so we must ensure every joint and measurement is perfect. Over the years, we’ve come to specialize in several aspects of modern design, including flush baseboards, trimless windows and doors, and the installation of metal components.”
To highlight this approach, Severin details a recent mid-century modern project on Skyline in the Oakland Hills. “This project was an extensive remodel for a repeat client who had always loved the neighborhood and wanted a home where she could realize her dreams of having a pool and keeping horses,” he explains. “The remodel involved major structural updates including earthwork stabilization, completely new plumbing, mechanical, and electrical systems, and many contemporary finishes including stain grade flush base, custom millwork and walnut wood paneling – the house was in desperate need of remodeling.”
For an additional project in the Oakland hills on Leimert, Severin adds: “We only kept two walls and a small part of the foundations. Now, the home is extremely modern, with features like a metal-inverted roof, high ceilings, and a huge deck, complete with a 45- foot sliding Fleetwood door with stunning views overlooking the Bay.”
Exciting transition
Severin’s passion for OBI and its client relationships is clear to see from speaking with him, but as our conversation turns to the future, it becomes apparent that Severin is ready for a change. “I’ve been in this industry for nearly 40 years, and my wife and I ran the business almost entirely for around eight years before we hired more people,” he shares. “I’m extremely passionate about the business and the service we provide. When we employed William as an estimator around five years ago, I knew he was a brilliant individual capable of amazing things. William is a third-generation homebuilder with a passion for estimating, scheduling, and planning, and he has progressed over the years to his current position as Production Manager.
“We’re now embarking on a journey where William will transition into more of a leadership role, and although I’ll remain in the business for a while, my responsibilities will lessen and I’ll focus more on sales, networking, and client relationships. I don’t want to just disappear as I think this would damage the partnerships I’ve built throughout my career but rather work collaboratively with William as he becomes the face of OBI. William has already been working directly with owners, architects, and contractors for a couple of years, and I’m excited to watch him continue to flourish as his responsibility increases.
“I feel truly blessed to have built a company with an excellent team, which we’ve recently expanded with additional project managers and superintendents,” Severin concludes. “Despite anticipating a tough time over the last couple of years with people holding onto their savings while political uncertainty continues, last year was our best year yet. For 2026, we’re already almost fully booked and have ten ongoing projects, so I’m looking forward to another successful year as William and I continue to shift our roles in preparation for the coming years.”