We hired Building Efficiency to convert our failed gas water heater to an energy-efficient electric heat pump water heater. David Hamburger did the site review/estimating; and office manager, Mae Adams, handled the admin and rebates. We all worked very well together. Building Efficiency also coordinated nicely with an electrical company doing other upgrades in our home to locate a new 220V/240V line to the site. The Building Efficiency installation team was also very professional and swift in their installation, which required moving/reinstalling another unit’s adjacent water heater and providing a new/expanded base pan for both tanks. David also worked with us to find the most efficient heat pump that would fit into the area’s physical constraints. The City permit inspector was very complimentary of the final installation, which was nice confirmation of a job well done. We are very happy with the results of our new energy-efficient, electric-heat-pump, water heater. The BAYREN rebate just arrived today, and the very important conversion from gas to electric was well worth it. Thank you Building Efficiency!
Justin J | San Francisco
Building Efficiency installed insulation into my 1800 sf San Francisco house (which had no insulation prior) at the end of 2021. Insulation was installed both into the exterior facing walls (via holes in the interior drywall) and into the very low clearance attic crawlspace (maybe 1.5-2 feet of clearance). They were willing to crawl in the very small attic crawlspace to get the insulation installed – which was impressive b/c the clearance was so low.
Day-to-day life in the house is completely different. The temp is actually regulated. Heat no longer dissipates immediately after being run. The house also doesn’t get super hot when the sun shines on the walls. In the dead of winter we used to sleep with wool hats on – no longer! (We’ve never run the heat at night at still don’t.) I actually only use a light sheet when sleeping at night now – even when it’s cold. It really is the single best thing I’ve ever done to this house and I should have done it much sooner. It’s as life changing as anything you can do to a house can be lol.
I was concerned about having holes drilled in the drywall but they matched the texture of our drywall (skip trowel texture) and you absolutely cannot tell at all that there were ever holes in the drywall.
I also got my BayREN rebate timely to help offset some of the cost.
Lauren H | San Francisco
We wanted to do energy efficiency upgrades, but didn’t know where to start or what we needed. David helped us put together a long-term plan and figured out what we needed. They put in wall insulation, redid the attic insulation, removed our gas furnace and air conditioner in the garage and installed a heat pump in the attic, and installed a heat pump water heater. At some point we’ll have them get our crawl space in order too. We are finally on the verge of being 100% electric and removing our gas line! He teams handles all the permits and rebates, and has been patient through all of out delays with PG&E. I don’t know anything about this stuff, but the building inspectors have been impressed with both the equipment and the installation work, so I take that as a good sign!
Lara E | San Francisco
Highly recommended. David and his team are all very professional and knowledgeable. From the virtual review of my project all the way through to completion, everyone was helpful as I navigated the very complex topic of electrifying my hot water and heating system. All members of the team were friendly and patient with my numerous questions. They also were responsive every time I reached out and they completed the project within the timeframe they estimated. If you are doing any energy upgrades or electrification projects, I highly suggest you reach out to Building Efficiency.
Jonathan K | Burlingame
Building efficiency replaced our two 25 year old gas furnaces with heat pumps in late 2022/early 2023, and did a terrific job. The new system is quieter, safer, and more efficient, plus we now have air conditioning, which is becoming more and more necessary on the Peninsula. Dave Hamburger was able to advise us about all different kinds of equipment, and he chose the system that would be best for our house. Sometimes contractors just do the same thing over and over again, but not these guys. The install team was also terrific and accommodating. I highly recommend them!