Honesty, quality, integrity, fairness, attention to detail, and work ethic are themes which appear repeatedly here. Also, note the number of comments from clients regarding follow through long after project completion.....
It has taken us over thirty years to build this reputation & we are proud of it!
EDWARD S. GEORGE
“We interviewed eight different residential contractors, and by the first of October we had signed a contract with Lynn Morris Contracting. We can honestly say that we not only enjoyed working with Lynn during this year, but our respect and admiration for him grew during that time frame. This happened because of his ability to interface with us as owners, have excellent rapport with our architect, knowledge of and an ability to select top notch subcontractors and to insure that they perform as planned. Lynn’s experience and knowledge coupled with his problem solving skills certainly helped to insure the successful completion of our residence. We saw our home come to reality in the fashion that we desired”.
“Over the past forty years I have been involved in numerous building projects, and Mr. Morris would rank as high or higher than any other contractor that I have had the opportunity to employ. During the course of our construction, Lynn never once lost his focus and his commitment to the schedule never wavered. He is extremely honest and most diligent in working with the budget and in supporting his invoices. The people working directly for Lynn Morris reflect his work ethic, are highly skilled and were a pleasure to be around. Also, I would add that Lynn keeps a job site cleaner than any contractor I have known”
“While working with Lynn Morris, you know he has your best interest at heart”.
KRYSTYNA & LEE JAMIESON
One of the most important criteria in choosing a contractor for us was getting our project done in a timely fashion. We had already spent a lot of time on the detail of the plans & we wanted to enjoy our beach home sooner rather than later. We interviewed several other contractors prior to starting our project, but they did not seem to possess the same type of dedication. We chose Lynn because of his reputation for completing projects on time. Lynn's knowledge and long standing relationships with the local subcontractors and suppliers enable him to get service and quality from them that we did not feel other contractors would get.
We also had selected high end finishes and wanted work that was of a certain quality and would reflect those finishes chosen. Lynn was great at coordinating and managing all the trades... from the architect to finish carpenters to a very particular interior decorator. Also, despite the fact that we lived out of town, over 2 hours away, he did a great job at keeping us in the loop so the job progressed in a timely manner. Finally, what really sold us on Lynn was after our home was finished. A similar sized project next door, which had been started several months before ours, was not only not finished, but took another full year to complete.
We have enjoyed our home now for seven years. It is just as beautiful to us as it was the day it was finished. Lynn has continued to follow up with us to make sure everything is just the way it should be. We still walk into our home and wonder who gets to live there. We thank Lynn and his amazing crew for that feeling.
ANDREA CAMBERN, SANTA BARBARA NEWS PRESS 03/28/14 (click to read full article)
"One of Santa Barbara's most respected contractors...(Lynn) Morris has performed work on numerous George Washington Smith, Lutah Maria Riggs and Reginald Johnson designed estates.... His client roster reads like a who's who of Santa Barbara. For the past twenty years LMC has been entrusted with the historical restoration of Casa del Herrero (click here), Montecito's historic house museum on the National Register of Historic Places, and designated a National Historic Landmark."
JEFFREY LIGHT, attorney at MYMAN GREENSPAN FINEMAN FOX LIGHT, LLP
In that special library section where they keep the world’s smallest books, there’s an especially thin volume called “General Contractors: Stories With Happy Endings.” Over the past decade, we have used Lynn on three major projects. The process of working with Lynn and the results have been great. We’ve used him on a new home and a barn conversion on a ranch, a major renovation of a commercial building and a major renovation of an historical 1920s-era home. Lynn and his crew have the expertise and vision to handle projects as diverse as these three, all with attitude, skills and a ability to communicate effectively.
No one retains a contractor for a second job unless they feel the first was done at a fair cost, in a timely manner and with exceptional results. We’ve now hired Lynn for three, and we’ll surely use on our next project.
PHILLIP MITTELDORF, PORTFOLIO MANAGER, NAVIELLER & ASSOCIATES
Most testimonials do not start with "we feel it is a privilege that Lynn Morris chose us to be his client". However this is very true. We are very thankful that you allowed us to be your client. When we first met with you there was a connection that made my wife Tonya quite comfortable. This was important to me as it is stressful to undergo a remodel and having my wife feel comfortable with the process added to the smoothness. When we compared your proposal to the others, the thoroughness of yours helped very much in deciding to accept your bid. While yours was not the lowest, the others were not as comprehensive in the detail. Your bid being so thorough meant that there would be fewer change orders. Being in the financial industry, I examine the downside or loss of capital that my clients may incur. The thoroughness of the proposal helped mitigate my concern of unknown mine fields. Especially, when you were willing to include a “not to exceed” clause in the contract. It turned out not to be necessary as the job was completed more than $100 thousand under budget... substantially under the lowest bid. More amazing was that you finished two months ahead of schedule. Working with my company, Navellier and Associates in Reno meant that I could not be involved day to day. Your meetings with us... telling us weekly what we needed to decide... kept the project humming. I cannot say enough of your core crew. Ted the superintendent of our project was diligent and kept tight reign over the subcontractors so that there was no downtime during the entire project. Not only that, he had his bags on and was working with the crew. Many times I’ve seen superintendents sit in their trailer and manage their crews from there. Not only are your employees very loyal to you, your subcontractors all had glowing words to say about you as well... because you were strict with the quality that you wanted and paid them in a timely manner. The work was exemplary as there was not a punch list of things to complete when we moved in. Thank you very much for the lovely home you created for Tonya and me.
MOLLY BARKER, DIRECTOR CASA DEL HERRERO
It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to endorse the excellent and extensive work that you and your crew have done for Casa del Herrero for the past twenty years Casa del Herrero gained Historic Landmark status in 2009 and stands as an artistic and architectural gem in the Santa Barbara community so it is critical to the integrity and aesthetics of our estate that all projects and repairs are carried out at the highest of standards with careful attention to detail and historical context”.
“Lynn Morris Contracting has been doing projects for our organization since we became a non-profit. It is a testament to Lynn’s character, workmanship, skill and values that he has become an integral part of the Casa del Herrero Buildings and Grounds team”.
“I whole heartedly recommend Lynn Morris Contracting for the quality of work, timeliness, and sensitivity to our budget”.
ELLEN S. ROBINSON
“ Lynn and his team of craftsmen carefully listened, first of all, to me…..no problem seemed too small, nothing was unsolvable….Lynn is well known and highly respected locally…Lynn is a stickler for details and I found his invoicing to be effective and detailed, fair and accurate for all concerned.
“I had never experienced a renovation project handled with such professionalism, reliability and excellence….Lynn has years of construction experience, and puts his organizational abilities, dedication to the customer, and eternally optimistic nature to work every day.”
JOHN HALL FURNITURE DESIGN
"My wife and I recently completed an extensive remodel of our home in Montecito using the services of Lynn Morris Contracting. The house is a forty year old, two story, Mediterranean that was in need of complete restoration. We worked carefully with Lynn in determining the extent and priorities of the work to be done.
We were extremely pleased with Lynn, his crew, and his subs. In the end we were on time and on budget. At the outset, we were given and complete line item budget and time line which he followed carefully. We found Lynn to be very professional, well trained in design, and having an extensive knowledge and background in construction. He was always available for consultation at any time and his concerns for quality, budget, and satisfaction were primary."
THOMAS N. KERN, PRESIDENT, THE VALLEY CLUB OF MONTECITO
“The Valley Club has been constructing a residence on club property for occupancy by our General Manager, Dan Mead, and his family. The construction process has been very satisfying. This quality built house will be ready for occupancy two full months ahead of schedule, with total costs on budget at the contracted amount. These results are pretty much unheard of in Montecito or, for that matter, anyplace else. This fine performance is a result of the excellent work of the contractor, Lynn Morris, the architect, Ray Ketzel and Ron Hertel, who served as the project coordinator for the club”.
DENISE KLASSEN
“I have done several projects with him and each time I have found him to be both honest and fair. The billing process was always clearly presented, and up to date which can take a huge amount of the stress out of the building process.”
“The men not only showed up on time but were accommodating, clean and easy to have in an around my home. Lynn’s creative solutions and willingness to truly work as a team with me and my architect during the construction have made all the difference in creating a beautiful, warm and unique home for me and my family.”
JOHN AND ALEGRA BESSOLO
“Our selection of you as our contractor was easy and also one of the best decisions we made. We checked out several recommendations from friends in the area and were impressed with your background and qualifications. However, the influencing factor was the sincere interest you displayed in our project. We wanted to work with someone that was as enthusiastic as we were about what we were trying to achieve. You completely understood the level of quality we were looking for and provided professional unbiased opinions pertaining to choices and costs.”
“Your availability and follow up during the past year to take care of our requests, changes and additions is greatly appreciated.”
BRADLEY DYRUFF
“For nearly a decade, my family, my clients and I have worked with Lynn Morris and his very capable crew, on projects ranging from complete residential house remodels to careful alterations of historic Santa Barbara homes.”
“I have come to know Lynn as thoughtful, meticulous and easy to work with. His attention to detail, dedication to getting projects done on schedule and desire to stay within budget are qualities that make it easy to recommend him again and again to clients, family and friends.”
“It is especially important to me that the value of those who I recommend, like Lynn, are reflected in their employees, as well as the subcontractors they use.”
LYNN & MELVIN PEARL
Several years ago we decided to undertake major renovations on our house in Santa Barbara. Rehabbing is a difficult project in all events, but as we were only here part time we anticipated a very challenging experience. However, we were most fortunate to be introduced to Lynn Morris, the general contractor we ultimately hired. Lynn met all our expectations including having a top-notch crew and excellent third party vendors. They were always on time and fully communicative with everything we needed including PDF's and email updates during every step of the project. The remodel was finished right on time with excellent workmanship and no surprises!
We enthusiastically recommend Lynn Morris and his people with absolutely no reservations.
WILSON BRADLEY, JR.
“Lynn has built two residential projects directly for me in the past few years and has built several more projects for organizations of which I am a director. In all cases the projects have been completed with the best of quality, on schedule and within budget. Well after one project was completed when problems with one of the subcontractor’s work showed up Lynn took complete responsibility to have the fault remedied rapidly.”
NELSON D. JONES
“I want to take this opportunity to tell you how very pleased we are with the new faculty residences at Cate School. Your performance in this connection was outstanding as usual. In behalf of the Board of Trustees and the entire School, I thank you.”
RANDY AND MUFFY BARNARD
“Lynn came highly recommended and after working with him we can surely see why."
"Lynn and his crew were always pleasant and always very professional. They were always prompt and very considerate of us. Our questions and concerns were always listened to and addressed in the appropriate manner.”
“Lynn has volunteered to come back at no expense to correct a few minor things that he has thought of. He is always generous with his time and advice. We will always call Lynn for any future projects we may and feel fortunate to know such a quality person.”
WILLIAM G. LAFFIN, AIA
“….The final cost of construction was below the guaranteed maximum price, as was the completion time.”…. Mr. Morris is a man of exceptional experience, knowledge and competence in all forms of construction. His extents of honesty, integrity and reliability have no bounds.”
“Since the completion of our project, I have recommended Lynn to two of my neighbors and he successfully completed both of these projects.”
BILL & HARRIETTE COOK
Several years later we opted to do a remodel job and there was no doubt in our minds that Lynn was the one. We hired him without taking other bids. He is so reliable, so prompt, so reasonable and creative. We are thrilled with the work he did. The fact that he has men who work for him that have been with him for years speaks well to his communication skills and caretaking. If we had another project we would not hesitate to use Lynn Morris Contracting.
SHOTOKAN KARATE OF AMERICA – DON DEPREE
“…We are pleased with the quality and workmanship evidenced throughout the house, and would like to express our gratitude and appreciation for the wonderful job you did. We were most impressed by your genuine consideration for the project, and the manner in which you addressed our every concern quickly and professionally.”
KARL B. SCHURZ, CPM
“I have been in the Property Management field for over 30 years, and am thoroughly familiar of all phases of construction. Having Lynn remodel our house was one of the best things that ever happened to us.”
“Lynn’s attention to detail; knowledge of all trades; and abilities as a finish carpenter are without equal. His design sense and ability to interpret expensive architectural ideas into practical and cost effective solution is unmatched. When little “bugs” popped up months after the job was finished, Lynn was there in a minute and took care of the problem cheerfully and without further cost – even though they weren’t his fault.”
“His crew and the subcontractors he chose acted like gentlemen on the jobsite and were always courteous to my wife when she had a request or question as to the work in progress.”
“At the moment we are looking for another house to buy in Montecito. Because of Lynn, it will definitely be a “fixer-upper”, and we will depend upon him to assess the potential purchase en remodel it, on a time and material basis. I wouldn’t use anyone else, no matter what the bid.”
CATE SCHOOL – RICHARD VAN ANTWERP
“It is with pleasure that I recommend Lynn Morris Contracting for your consideration. I have known and worked with Lynn for the last twenty years. It has been a successful and satisfying association and involved the expenditure of several million dollars. The projects have varied from faculty housing, private residences, school facilities, studios/training centers. The largest project was 1.5 million dollar, 10,000 SF residence in the Toro Canyon area of Montecito.
After Lynn’s performances on the first faculty residence which he has awarded after competitive bidding, our confidence in him was such that all future projects were awarded Lynn based on negotiated management fees. Lynn, in turn, would then obtain competitive bids from the trades and manage the entire project.
All of Lynn’s projects have been completed on time or earlier and on budget or under budget. He earned a performance bonus on each project.
Lynn’s integrity, management skill and craftsmanship are heads and shoulders above his peers."
PALMER G. JACKSON
“Lynn demonstrated an ability to estimate the job accurately and to stay within the bounds of the agreed upon budget. His quality of work was outstanding and he was able to complete the job on the schedule we set jointly. He is very conscientious and a pleasure to work with.”
DAVID H. ANDERSON
“…Lynn Morris did a superb job as contractor…..selected highly reputable subcontractors, and supervised the work on a daily basis…” He is excellent at keeping track of the details and getting the subcontractors on the job at the right time. He is absolutely honest and provided us with very detailed invoices and records on the job progress.”
DONALD H. BENSEN, AIA
“From and architectural standpoint, I see Mr. Morris’ strength in his overall knowledge of construction, his ability to plan for and organize sub-contractors, and his desire for quality. Along with this construction knowledge, he has a strong business capability.”
“Along with the above, I’d like to say that Lynn is an extremely honest person.”
MARLYN JENKINS
“I interviewed four contractors for the work, and was impressed with three of them, but after my first meeting with Lynn, it became clear to me that he was the right contractor for the job. He was very honest about the scope of the work, the price of it, how much time it would take, etc. and began to trust him at that first meeting.”
“Though I was living 5 hours away from the construction site, I felt Lynn always kept me up to date on the progress of the job….Lynn kept me abreast of changes to the original plan, changes in the cost, crediting me when a subcontractor’s fee was less than expected. He presented me with detailed financial reports and receipts for materials, labor etc. I became very impressed at these meetings with his skills of organization and communication. He listened to me and took notes on my suggestions and concerns.”
“I also was impressed with his relationship with his employees. He had hired the supervisor and other craftsmen years earlier and had maintained these relationships well. His workers showed up on time, attended well to the task at hand, and did good quality work. They were respectful of me as the homeowner, and I liked them all.”
“Finally, when any small problem has occurred (and they were few) after construction was completed, Lynn took care of the problem and did not charge me if he felt the responsibility was with him. I felt this was always negotiated fairly, if sometimes not enough in his own favor. I continue to keep in contact with Lynn, and often recommend him to others seeking a contractor. I’ve been a homeowner for 30 years, have worked with several other contractors during that time, and put Lynn at the top of the list.”
LUKE J. SWETLAND - PRESIDENT & CEO, SB MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY & TY WARNER SEA CENTER
“Lynn... Thank you... for your years of outstanding services to the Museum since as early as 1999... up to just last year('s) comprehensive renovation of Las Encinitas, the Director’s Residence… no less than seven significant remodeling projects for the Museum.….Every one of these projects involved working with historic structures..."
"Your firm is to be commended for the diplomacy and professionalism with which you brought each project to successful completion. You remain the Museum’s “go to" contractor for our renovation and remodeling projects and no contracting firm in the Santa Barbara area is better qualified in this complex area of work.”
MIKE AND MARIA FERRONE
“Lynn always presented a very clear monthly statement supported by his sub-contractors’ invoices, so we knew where the numbers came from. During the bidding process he made sure we got 2 or 3 bids in each trade, so we were able to compare and choose the one within our budget”.
“There was always a supervisor on site making sure things ran smoothly…. Lynn was always available to discuss or explain any part of the project or answer any questions we may have had”.
“Since our project has ended we have had to call Lynn to address a couple of issues in our bathroom. These things were due to defects that were beyond anybody's control and happened a few years after the project was finished. … He responded immediately and fixed the damage both times at absolutely no cost... We appreciated not just the fact that he did a great job, but he stood by his promise that if there was something wrong, he was going to come back and fix it ... and that has been absolutely true.
“We highly recommend Lynn Morris Contracting”.
JAMES LESLIE, JNL GLASS INC.
“Lynn Morris Contracting is a highly professional general contractor which is reflected greatly in their work. They are a Contractor that has experience, trust, honesty, integrity, and bring a full commitment to the project. JNL Glass would recommend Lynn Morris without hesitation to any of our customers, and actually hired him to do the remodel of my own personal home. From start to finish Lynn will work with his customers to ensure complete satisfaction with their project."
DAN MEAD, GENERAL MANAGER, THE VALLEY CLUB OF MONTECITO
“As General Manger of The Valley Club of Montecito, it has been my pleasure to call upon the services of Lynn Morris on numerous occasions. He has served as general contractor for the renovation of several cottages located on the property and the members were so impressed that he was hired by the Club to achieve extensive structural alterations to the inside of the Clubhouse in 2004”.
“When the Board of Directors decided to build a residence on the property to house myself and my family, Lynn was there every step of the way solving problems with good natured sense”.
“I feel confident that we will work together again whenever the need arises”.
THARRELL AND DINAH MING
“After observing the quality of work Lynn was doing in our neighborhood, we hired him to remodel our house in Carpinteria. We were not disappointed in the final outcome! Besides his estimate of job cost and estimate of time to completion being right on, he employed the finest subcontractors”.
“I must add 2.75 years after our home was completed, Lynn was still attending to problems that would arise.”
“We would use him again without hesitation!”
PENN TUDOR
“Many thanks for doing such a terrific job in building our pool pavilion. From beginning to end we observed an attentive, caring professional manner on the part of you and your people. We are delighted with the end product”.
KENNETH C. KRUGER AIA ARCHITECT, INC.
“Lynn Morris has constructed numerous projects for me and my clients during the last ten years, including major remodeling of several residences”.
“His work, in my opinion, is impeccable. Especially significant is his attention to detail. In the construction process, most often during remodel projects, the contractor must make immediate decisions that can affect design ad costs. Lynn’s sense of the right choice is unusual, often saving time and money”.
“Another important aspect of Lynn’s practice is this detailed paper work. Monthly invoice contains information as to the percentage of work completed, what his carpenter’s hours and rates are being charged, and invoices for the various trades and material suppliers involved in the project. This allows seeing exactly where the project is at that point in time”.
“For the above reasons, and because trust is an essential ingredient in the architect-client-contractor relationship, I can recommend Lynn Morris as an excellent choice as a general contractor”.
TOM AND DEE ELLISON
“Our experience with you as the General Contractor on our “beach” cottage addition in Carpinteria was nothing less than excellent. We have worked with other contractors on new and remodel projects. You have raised the bar and set a standard that is rare indeed”.
“Beyond your very pleasant manner under all circumstances, we appreciated your attention to detail, your anticipation of what was needed well ahead of time, your listening to us and making thorough notes for follow up. While we could not be on the job during the week, you always took time to meet with us at our convenience and earned our trust while we were away during this process”.
“Although design by our architect in Los Angeles, you gave this house much needed attention to details and showed great care at every turn. Lynn, so many people have commented that our corner cottage reflects the spirit of the area and expresses a unique architectural character that fits so well in Carpinteria”.
“Thank you for building our beautiful cottage home”.
PATTI ELLIS
"I wanted you to know how much Todd and I appreciate your professional commitment to our project. As I have told you on many occasions, I was very fortunate to have found you back in 1998. You put me in touch with my architect, Bryan Pollard, who listened to my wishes, wants and needs, then designed them on paper. In 10 months, you turned the paper into reality…our beautiful home.
The subcontractors you chose for the project were not only professional and efficient at their tasks, their expertise became part of the ‘spirit’ of our home.
I knew taking on the challenge of tearing down the old house and building a new one from scratch would be a monumental task. Would I do it again? In a minute, but only if you were my contractor!
Thank you and your team, especially the amazing Ted Williams for my beautiful home.”
SALLY AND MARK HAMILTON
“It was always such a pleasure to visit our site and appreciate the skill and good nature of the men at each stage of the project. There was never a day that the work was idle and there were many days when we came with new ideas for changes or additions. Always, we were met with polite friendliness and assurances that whatever we wanted would be accomplished.
Ken Kruger recommended that you be the contractor. He was so emphatic in his guarantee that we would be pleased with you and your work that we never considered anyone else. When we saw your portfolio, visited a few of your sites, and heard your interest and enthusiasm for our remodel, we were convinced. As we mentioned your name to others in the building trade we were continually assured that ‘Lynn is the most reliable, the hardest working, the nicest guy, the best’.
You and Ken met with us every week to detail the progress, hear our ideas and concerns, and kept us current on the budget. You always had your notebook and wrote down everything. We have been especially impressed with your predawn to dark energy and precise attention to all the details of your work. The detailed craftsmanship on our home is a work of art. From the framing to the artistic restructuring of Japanese doors…the carpentry work is solid and beautifully finished…
GENNARO ROSETTI, BERMAN ROSETTI FURNITURE
“Thank you for the excellent work you did on the Shotokan Center in Carpinteria. Through the course of several years, as work on both the Residence and Center were completed, your professionalism and attention to detail were truly appreciated. I enjoyed working with you and learned a lot about the process of building. I hope you are proud of your accomplishment. In my opinion, there are very few contractors who could have accomplished the same results. I especially appreciated your creative input and practical solutions to some rather imposing technical difficulties.
Thank you, once again, for all your help”.
Contact information for any of the above clients will be provided upon request.