“We’ve done several home expansion and renovation projects in our 30+ years of home ownership and have experience with a few different builders. Eric is, first and foremost, one of the most honest and ethical people we’ve worked with. We trust him implicitly to hold everyone who touches an Olsten Building Company project to the highest standards of communication, workmanship, and timeliness. Finally, we’d add that Eric is simply someone we enjoy spending time with. And when you’re deep in the middle of a renovation and half of your house is ripped out, it’s good to truly like and trust the guy who’s responsible for putting it all back together. If we ever need to do another big project, Eric will be our guy!”

- Chris & Dena

“As a mother of three young children, working with Olsen Building Company was a dream. Eric and Marcie kept our family's needs at the forefront of the entire process. They prioritized safety, streamlined timelines, and truly went the extra mile every step of the way. Eric and Marcie took care of every detail  from start to finish and delivered a gorgeous renovation and kept the entire process stress free for me!“

- Sarah 

“Our new home was constructed by Olsten Building thoughtfully and carefully.  The amiable team worked on our project during Covid, creatively managing material delays and price changes.  Eric is oriented towards innovation and personally keeps his subcontractors to high standards. We are in a house that we love, and have recommended Olsten Building to everyone we know who is about to build.”

– Paulette & John

“What you hope for when you hire a contractor: 1) knowledge, expert skills and attention to detail 2) delivering on promises made 3) transparency on costs and changes in costs as they occur, 4) creative suggestions for alternative solutions, and 5) a collaboration with a group whose company you genuinely enjoy. Olsten gets my highest marks in every category.”

– James

“Eric and his team brought energy, enthusiasm, and a can-do spirit to our project. The meticulous care he devoted to our plans even impressed the architect. His steadfast commitment to quality and sustainability at every phase of construction was a big driver for us. In addition, he’s established a deep bench of top-rated trades to call upon  — everyone he engaged for our addition brought their A-game.”

–Tom & Holly

“We moved to Richmond from San Francisco with plans to do a complete renovation on our house. We didn't know any contractors and were the luckiest when Eric Olsten came recommended to us right away. We had a stellar experience with him from start to finish of our project.

Eric and his team are incredibly talented, professional, responsive, and a total pleasure all around. Eric cares deeply about high quality work and also about the people he works with. It was a gift to work with someone with such incredible expertise that's also such a wonderful person. We highly recommend Eric and team to anyone else looking to have the best possible experience and outcome (our house is gorgeous)!”

-John & Laura

“Thanks, Eric, Derek and the rest of the team at Olsten Building Company! We could not have had a better contractor to renovate our hundred-year-old home in the Museum District. OBC rebuilt our sunrooms on the back of the house, gave us a gorgeous and functional new kitchen, added a half-bath on the first floor and a laundry on the second, and more. We love the results. 

The OBC team were great partners and problem-solvers. From our first meeting with Eric, the OBC team took the time to understand what was important to us and how we wanted our home to function. As in any old house renovation, discoveries during the project created challenges. The team identified problems, offered elegant solutions and collaborated with us every step of the way. More than just creative and proactive problem-solvers, the OBC team thoughtfully highlighted the downstream impacts of decisions and helped us make choices that would exceed our goals for the project.”

-Al & Julia