WHO WE ARE
An employee-owned construction company, PennyWise Builders has been building custom residential and commercial projects since 1994. We are passionate about our work, and particularly love the challenge of building complex custom homes, wherever our clients take us. Founder Steven Riley shaped the character and integrity of PennyWise Builders, instilling it with a value for architectural design, community support and responsible business practices.

Working in Bay Area locations like Contra Costa, Alameda and Marin County we have developed years of experience on all home improvements from small and large jobs.

Three things have been our trademarks since the beginning. The first is delivering well-researched, well-considered estimates for all our work. If you’re looking for the contractor who you can rely on for a realistic view of what it will take to build a project, we’re the ones. Our second trademark is our insistence on attention to detail and craftsmanship throughout our projects. We have built our reputation by achieving the highest quality workmanship.

Our third trademark is that, in addition to understanding architecture, we understand the design development and construction processes, and how to tailor every step of our service to meet clients’ needs.

Arch Revival

As seen in Alameda Magazine.

Designer: Helen and Peter Molloy
Contractor: Steven Riley of Pennywise Construction

When Helen Molloy tells the story of her new kitchen, she references corners and how they used to be. Where there is now a cleverly built-in window seat, she explains, there once was a massive ceiling-to-floor aluminum window. “It was nearly two inches thick,” she says. “They had to smash it and take it out in pieces.”

Striking mullioned panes with a half-moon transom replaced the aluminum window above the sink, and arches make their way into the backsplash tile design over the stove and French doors. “My husband loves arches,” she says. Since the old kitchen was narrow and dark, the Molloys lightened it up with 30 recessed lights and additional lighting above and below the cabinets. For mood and on-demand drama, they have 12 controls to light up different areas.