Projects
Kitchen Remodel 2011
A design - build masterpiece in a small home in Land Park - we opened up the ceiling to the roof with large custom built trusses, skylights and a large island with retractable hood.
The result is a breathtaking transformation of a very plain home into the spectacular center of daily life.
Rear Deck and Fence 2013
Curtis Park. Design and Construction to replace a rotten deck and fence. Cantilevered and bay shaped Deck designed to “float” over the yard and minimize footprint. It is made of Accoya® wood - a sustainably harvested non-toxic “Acetylated” wood that is guaranteed to last 50 years without treatment. Fence is all heart redwood with steel posts, featuring a 12 foot cantilever sliding gate (no track on the ground or overhead) with custom steel frame. Redwood will weather to grey, steel will rust to red. Completely constructed with screws and bolts so any parts can be replaced if needed. All designed to be left untreated and weather naturally - lasting without maintenance for at least 50 years.
Matt and his team were able to take rough ideas we had, and turn them into a dream come true!
Last winter, with our fence and deck both falling down, we called Matt who had been referred to us by friends. During our first meeting, we were struck by his expertise and friendly manner. Once hired, he took our rough ideas and turned them into well thought out plans, with every detail considered. Matt’s guidance was great, but we were also consulted about our preferences throughout the process. He took care of the permitting process and did research into materials that fit our needs, even if he hadn’t worked with them before. He’s got an old-school pride of craftsmanship, and the people he hires to work with him do too. The finished project is beyond our expectations, beautiful, sturdy and full of integrity. And now that it’s done, we miss Matt! He is easy to work with and a pleasure to be around on top of the fact that we are thrilled with his work.
R.L. and K.T. of Sacramento, CA
Green Roof 2013-2014
South Sacramento. Owner, Kent Thompson of Vegetated Roofing LLC wanted to do a green roof system on his own home and couldn’t find a contractor in town to take him seriously. We not only did that, but coordinated the entire install beginning to end. The result is the only sloping vegetated roof in Sacramento, one of the few anywhere actually! A tricky engineering and logistical feat, it is now fully planted, flat portions have yielded delicious vegetables and the overall result is a very comfortable and stable interior temperature to the home throughout the year.
I hired Matt Piner to assist me in installing a 2200 sq. ft. living roof on my home in Sacramento. He was invaluable, collaborating on design as an architect and green building expert, then helping get it built as an experienced and hard working general contractor. I highly recommend Matt for your project to anyone who values green building or craftsmanship.
K.T. of Sacramento, CA
Kitchen Remodel 2013
Arden Park. The house was essentially the same as when it was built in the 1950’s with an odd patio room with lowered ceiling in the center. We transformed the room with an open cathedral ceiling with gorgeous clear doug fir tongue and groove, removed a wall and put in an island hood, custom cantilever shelves and new cabinets top give it an updated “midcentury modern” feel. The awkward patio is now the “hub” of the house, connecting a bunch of disparate additions over the years.
Matt Piner walked into an old California Rambler that hadn't been touched since 1950 and helped us turn it into space that makes us happy every time we walk into it. Matt saw that by focusing on the kitchen and adjoining room we could bring in more light, air, and openness in a way that truly transformed our experience of the whole house while retaining the best parts of the original structure. His artist’s eye and respect for our budget made what we thought would be a high-anxiety experience into an inspirational one.
S.F. of Sacramento, CA
The house is so beautiful thank you. The wainscot in the bathroom is perfect, so is the wood on the peninsula, and the ceiling. You have transformed the old house into something I wouldn't have known to dream of. I thank you for the care you have taken with our home. You are truly an artist.
M.F. of Sacramento, CA
Bathroom remodel 2013
Curtis Park. Only 1 bathroom in the house in bad need of an update. Owners chose to forgo a tub and create a sparse, open bath with a pocket door entry, recessed shower pan, recessed shelving, custom tile, wall hung toilet and sink and an entire wall of recessed medicine cabinet created by framing a “window” into the adjacent bedroom. A 10” tube type skylight/fan combination brings in abundant natural light. Note the use of “paperless” drywall in the entire room to eliminate any possibility of mold, ever!
Matt Piner was the architect and general contractor for our bathroom remodel in our 1920’s Curtis Park home. We had checked with two other architects prior to selecting Matt. We chose Matt because of his reputation and his willingness to work with us on the remodel. We weren't looking for a standard remodel, we wanted something special, and Matt helped us make that happen.
Matt's expertise as an architect and building contractor was obvious as he drew up plans for the home. It is a small bathroom, so using space efficiently was important. Matt came up with some very clever ways to save space and make the room seem larger. As we wanted to introduce some unique ideas ourselves, Matt was very helpful in figuring out the best way to build those ideas into the design and construction.
Matt oversaw the construction, and did much of it himself. Matt has an eye for detail and he set very high expectations on quality of workmanship. He was always "shooting for an 11" on a scale from 1 to 10. The results speak for themselves. We now have a gorgeous bathroom that we are proud of. As we move on to the rest of our home, we will definitely use Matt again, and highly recommend his services to others.
J.P. and E.H. of Sacramento, CA
Deck Replacement 2014
Midtown. This sweet little vintage home has no yard and one off street parking space, no garage. City of Sacramento Design review and Preservation approval was required for this design to replace a rotten (VERY rotten and termite eaten!) deck on the back of a ca. 1890’s Victorian on a corner in Midtown Sacramento. Besides the challenge of the Victorian and old framing for connections, the electrical service had to be moved, pipes accommodated along with the code requirements for the cantilevered design that allowed parking below. Again we detailed the deck to last for decades - with special treatment of all framing, bituthene flashing over all framing, a preservative called EcoWood® that both permanently protects and instantly “ages” the wood for that silver-gray look with no added application necessary ever. We also used a hidden fastener system that allows replacement of any deck boards if necessary over time. All heart redwood was chosen for all decking and railing, which will alleviate any concerns of rot or deterioration for as long as this family lives there.
Matt built our deck for us last year and finished it in January 2015. It is a testament to how beautiful it is and how much it has enhanced our life that we started sitting out there and enjoying it immediately. Neighbors have stopped to tell us how beautiful it is constructed. A handyman who did some work for us could not stop raving about it. Because Matt knew how to make the best use of our very limited yard, he was able to increase the size of our prior deck while still preserving parking and storage underneath. Matt also had to deal with a complicated and protracted permitting process, including historic review. He handled changes with grace and good humor. The end result has been a huge benefit to our family.
R and R.B. of Sacramento, CA
Green Roof and Garden 2015
Sacramento’s only shipping container restaurant, Federalist, needed a vegetated roof to keep their steel box restaurant from being an oven in summer and an ice box in winter. EcoLogic Builders once again teamed up with Kent Thompson of Vegetated Roofing LLC to design and install a complete system* that included planters and walkways to allow herbs and vegetables to be grown for use in the restaurant’s pizza and salad menu. Can’t get more locally grown than this!
* Owner took responsibility for the membrane and waterproofing aspect.
2015 Kitchen
Tahoe Park. Modest but highly effective kitchen and laundry room interior remodel. Project done while owner lived in the house. Involved removal of an old brick flue, an opening into the adjacent living room with a tapered column that mimicked one on the front porch — and some new paint grade cabinets. Features include cork flooring, cherry butcher block tops, and a new hybrid tankless water heater. Owner decided to use some old, some new appliances. Really opened up and brought the old kitchen into the new century, while maintaining a bit of the vintage look with painted T&G backsplash and the butcher block - nice touches and choices by the owner.
Home remodeling is never an exercise in certain outcomes, even with the most well-crafted designs. Matt Piner has the creative genius to solve unforeseen problems and make the best use of the resources at hand where that is appropriate. Particularly impressive is his surgical approach to deconstruction and the recycling and repurposing of many materials. Matt is an architect and a builder and that’s one factor that truly sets his work apart. It is rare combination. I look forward to my next project with Matt at the helm.
M.M. of Sacramento, CA