A-1 Construction Company Profile

A-1 Construction is a decking and fencing construction company serving beautiful Marin County and Sonoma County in Northern California. A-1 Construction provides its customers with the highest quality construction services while maintaining the best safety record and on-time construction services anywhere.

A-1 Construction commits their individual and team talents to your project. A-1 Construction is a fully equipped construction company with low rates and the highest quality, dependable service. A-1 Construction builds custom decks, fencing, stairs and wood retaining walls, repairs dry rot, and installs windows and doors. 

So what makes projects by A-1 Construction such a great value? Owner Michael Quinlan, Jr. explains, "A-1 Construction is committed to excellence and your satisfaction is guaranteed. A-1 Construction's mission is to give you the best customer service possible and to use our innovative methods to build the highest quality product at the lowest possible price while exceeding performance expectations, and to insure that our products give years of trouble free service for you and your family."

Building Decks That Last

Mike Quinlan says A-1 Construction, located in San Rafael CA, takes special steps to weatherproof their decks. "We cover the joists of every deck with a protective seal and flashing. The flashing seals tightly around the screws, so there are no gaps and water can't seep into the wood. And because we use our special flashing technique, water rolls right off the deck supports and the boards don't stay wet. That means the boards don't rot."

How can he be so confident A-1 Construction decks are built right every time? Because he's always on the job site. "I help construct every deck," says Mike. "My crews are hard workers that have been with me for a long time. I taught them how to build decks my way—and that means we pay attention to detail and do the best job every time."

The Right Materials for Every Deck

Other deck contractors use cheap wood from home improvement chains instead of quality lumber that meets high standards for decks. That means those cheap boards won't stand up to weather or stress and fall apart fast.

Mike Quinlan explains how A-1 Construction uses the right lumber for each job, including traditional redwood, rare hardwoods and composite decking materials.

Sustainability is important to many Bay Area homeowners. That's why A-1 Construction offers you the choice of earth-friendly decking materials like recycled hardwood or sustainably grown lumber. "Some people don't want to cut down redwood trees for decks, so recycled wood is a good option for them. It's strong and beautiful, and your deck will be special," Mike says. "We also give customers the choice to use lumber from FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) sustainable forests."

Mike Quinlan says composite wood like Trex decking is a very popular choice for customers in Marin and Sonoma counties. "Composite wood is good because it doesn't split or crack. Some wood can crack and become unsightly over time, but composite wood will last for decades without splintering and it doesn't change color."  

A-1 Construction builds custom decks, fencing, stairs and wood retaining walls from hand drawn plans and photographs of existing decks. For homeowners that want custom design, Mike Quinlan says he can provide that, too. "We use designing software to create custom decks with your unique landscape and needs in mind."

Licensed and Experienced

Licensed deck contractors can only collect a down payment of $1,000 or 10 percent of the job cost, whichever is less. But unscrupulous companies take advantage of homeowners who don't know this law by asking for large down payments. And because they aren't legitimate contractors, there's nothing to hold these unlicensed companies accountable. In fact, some shadowy individuals will take your money and never come back to finish your deck. That's why it's so important to check your contractor's license number, or just use companies certified by The Prime Buyer's Report, since an active state license is required for certification.

Happy Customers

Other contractors earn bad reputations when it comes to customer service. But Mike Quinlan says A-1 Construction knows positive customer relationships are important. "It's our job to keep customers happy, so we bring a positive attitude to the job site, answer questions with real answers and build our customers the quality decks they want."

Mike says his company understands that you don't want to live in a construction zone. "We tear down your old deck in one day and start on your new deck right away," he says. "We have a full crew assigned to every project, so we'll finish your new deck on time."

Even during construction A-1 Construction takes cleanliness and safety seriously. Mike continues, "We keep the job site clean all of the time and we pick up our tools and materials every day because we understand it's your home and we're more than your contractors—we're your guests."

In fact, recent customers recommend A-1 Construction so highly that Carolyn, a customer who lives in southern California, chose A-1 Construction to build a deck at her Fairfax CA home after talking with several references. Carolyn told The Prime Buyer's Report, "Mike was terrific and the whole process was exceptional. I've worked with many contractors over the years, and A-1 Construction is the best of the best."

You want your deck to last, and customers of A-1 Construction tell us they are thrilled with their new decks. Because of their experience and attention to detail, we've seen how Mike Quinlan and his crew at A-1 Construction build decks that stand up to the elements and bring years of enjoyment.

—Lauren Bongard Schwarz
Associate Editor
The Prime Buyer's Report