Brass-Tacks | Brass Tacks

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Reimagining Community Through Thoughtful Construction

We believe building is more than just construction—it’s about creating spaces that inspire connection, elevate daily living, and stand the test of time. With a balance of precision, creativity, and integrity, we approach every project as an opportunity to blend modern craftsmanship with enduring value.

For the Altadena rebuild, our goal is to set a new standard: a home that not only restores what was lost but reimagines what is possible. We strive to deliver properties that harmonize with their neighborhoods, showcase quality in every detail, and reflect the pride we take in our work.

Guided by a commitment to excellence, transparency, and client trust, we see every project as a foundation for future memories.

Our Team

Founder: Alex Rahban brings experience from large-scale commercial projects, including Amazon’s Culver Studios headquarters. Specializes in complex builds, sound-sensitive spaces, ADUs, residential construction, tenant improvements, and fire rebuilds. Known for precision, coordination, and delivering at the highest standard.

Project Manager: Saman Rafiei started in multifamily residential construction and advanced through superintendent roles. Now focuses on residential new builds and ADUs, with hands-on field experience and a deep understanding of design-build projects for homeowners.

Licenses:

-General Contractor license B

-Bachelor of Science and Mechanical Engineering

-Osha Certified

2025B21

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Built from Experience. Designed with Heart

Built from Experience. Designed with Heart

Let's Get Down to Building!

Disclaimer

Brass Tacks vets professionals for licensing, insurance, references, and experience to help protect homeowners and support informed decision-making. While the final hiring decision rests with the homeowner, every construction project is unique, and Brass Tacks cannot guarantee pricing, timelines, workmanship, or project outcomes. Should questions or concerns arise, we're always happy to provide support and help facilitate conversations where appropriate.

Our Story

Brass Tacks is a grassroots organization founded through our partnership with the Altadena Collective and the many stories we've heard about homeowners being taken advantage of after the Eaton Fire.

As fire survivors ourselves, who are rebuilding, we know firsthand how overwhelming this process can be. This is why we created Brass Tacks, now a core part of Altadena Collective's community rebuilding effort.

We're independently built and community-driven no investors.
No board, no outside pressure. That means our only priority is you.

Our Mission

To empower homeowners with the knowledge, transparency, and support they need to move forward with confidence, while strengthening the community we call home.

Meet Our Team

Brass Tacks team

Founder & CEO

Angela Bentley

"The fire took our homes, but it didn't take our community."

After losing my home, I put my project management background to work in a new way. Learning everything I could about architecture, construction, and what it really takes to rebuild. As a founder of Brass Tacks and someone rebuilding my own home, I'm committed to making the process more transparent, less intimidating, and easier to navigate for my community.

Project management Operations Community

Angela Bentley — Image 1

Angela Bentley — Image 2

Angela Bentley — Image 3

Founder & CMO

James Peddie

"Every family affected by the fire deserves to rebuild with confidence."

With deep roots in Altadena, I've dedicated my career to helping families find and create homes they love. After losing my own home, I wanted to put my experience, local connections, and passion for helping people to work in a different way. That's why I helped launch Brass Tacks to give homeowners the guidance, transparency, and support I wish every family had access to.

Project Management New construction Owner's Rep

James Peddie — Image 1

James Peddie — Image 2

Client Account Manager

Hanna Peddie

"Dedicated to restoring efficiency, helping families navigate chaos with hope."

I'm an Eaton Fire survivor who has called Altadena home for over a decade. I know how overwhelming recovery can feel, which is why I'm passionate about helping homeowners navigate the process with a little less stress and a lot more support. Whether it's answering questions, coordinating next steps, or simply being a resource, I'm here to help.

Administration Project management Client Care

Hanna Peddie — Image 1

How it works

1

Intake & Strategy

You can upload your project yourself, or let us do the heavy lifting. Then we'll schedule time to get to know you, your goals, and your budget so we can map out a supportive plan. Insurance questions? We can help with those too!

2

Meet Your Builders

We'll introduce you to 3-5 builders so you can meet, ask questions, and most importantly, see who passes the vibe check. Don't worry, we'll give you all the right questions to ask.

3

Bid & Review

Once you've found your favorites, we'll send them your plans and collect transparent, line-itemed bids. Then we'll walk through everything together, answer your questions, and help you make sense of it all.

4

Refine & Match

Once you've narrowed it down, we'll take your feedback to the builder(s), negotiate where it makes sense, and review the contract so there are no surprises lurking in the paperwork.

5

Guidance That Continues

After your contract is signed, we remain available as your trusted advocate to answer questions, help navigate concerns, and facilitate conversations when needed.

Our Commitment to Transparency

At Brass Tacks, transparency is one of our core values...

You never pay a fee to use our Bid & Match service or to be your advocate. Brass Tacks is compensated through a small fee paid by vetted builders who join our network and are selected by a homeowner. We purposely keep this fee lower than similar companies to ensure it is never passed down to you.

This fee allows us to provide hands-on guidance during the bid process and ongoing advocacy throughout construction. Our fee never influences builder recommendations since you remain in full control of selecting your builder. Because the homeowner-builder relationship is so personal, we encourage you to trust your instincts. The right fit matters just as much as the numbers. You remain in full control of selecting your builder and are encouraged to conduct your own due diligence. Because the homeowner-builder relationship is highly personal, we believe it should play a significant role in the final decision.

A portion of our proceeds supports Collective OR, a nonprofit dedicated to helping homeowners navigate construction administration during the rebuilding process.

Builder Vetting...

Builders in our network undergo a rigorous screening process that includes:

License and insurance verification
Review of experience and project capacity
Homeowner reference checks
Evaluation of contracts, communication practices, and bidding processes
Ongoing performance monitoring based on homeowner feedback

What We've Learned

Over the past year, we've been deeply involved in Altadena's rebuild process, working with homeowners, local architects, and builders, analyzing over 500+ local contractor bids.

Construction in Altadena

01

The average rebuild in Altadena should cost no more than $450–$550 per square foot depending on finishes, design complexity, and site conditions.

02

Initial bids are just a starting point to be refined and negotiated. With our dataset as a baseline we can quickly spot when numbers are off.

03

Choosing the right builder matters just as much as the cost. It's a long-term partnership, working closely together for a significant amount of time.

04

A no pressure approach is the only approach. Homeowners need to be given the time and space to make final decisions when they are ready.

05

No one wants to navigate the building process alone—and finding trustworthy guidance hasn't been easy.

$450–$550

Average cost per square foot

103

Homeowners served to date

Take a peek at Angela's rebuild journey so far...

What are people saying about
Brass Tacks?

5.0 · 10 Google reviews

Resources

Funds & Grants

Small Business Relief Fund CalAssist Mortgage Relief Program Rise Home Grant Altadena Builds Back Fund CA Resilience Fund Habitat For Humanity Disaster Relief JFL Free Loan

Loans

SBA Disaster Loan Altadena Land Initiatives - Interest Free
Financing Fahey Family Foundation

Tools & Downloads

(coming soon)

Vendor Discounts

Anatomy of a Bid

Rebuild Workflow

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Brass Tacks community members at a construction site

Still Have Questions?

If you have questions or need help navigating the platform, feel free to reach out. We're here to assist!

We help level the playing field by connecting you with vetted, local builders and architects, and guiding you through a transparent bid process so you can make well-informed decisions with confidence.

We're built for projects where quality, cost, and transparency matter including: ground-up home construction, additions and major remodels, ADUs and garage conversions, fire rebuilds, and multi-unit residential or investment builds. If you're looking to spend wisely and want multiple qualified options, Brass Tacks is a great fit.

Unlike review sites or lead platforms, Brass Tacks creates a competitive bidding environment. Builders don't pay to advertise — they earn your trust by offering strong bids and proven work. You control who bids, what happens next, and when to move forward. We also keep our fee lower than similar companies to ensure the cost is never passed down to the homeowner. We are hands-on, independently built, and community-driven. No investors, no board, no outside pressure. That means our only priority is YOU.

You never pay a fee to use our Bid & Match service. Brass Tacks is compensated through a small fee paid by vetted builders who join our network and are selected by a homeowner. We purposely keep this fee lower than similar companies to ensure it is never passed down to you.

This fee allows us to provide months of hands-on guidance during the bidding process and never influences builder recommendations or homeowner decisions. You remain in full control of selecting your builder and are encouraged to conduct your own due diligence. Because the homeowner-builder relationship is highly personal, we believe it should play a significant role in the final decision.

Builders in our network undergo a rigorous screening process that includes:
- License and insurance verification
- Review of experience and project capacity
- Homeowner reference checks
- Evaluation of contracts, communication practices, and bidding processes
- Ongoing performance monitoring based on homeowner feedback

Builder participation is continually reviewed, and we reserve the right to pause or remove builders from our network at any time. Our commitment to the community is to hold builders to the highest standards of quality, communication, and accountability.

We're always happy to take a look at outside bids and share any feedback or concerns we see. However, for liability reasons, we're unable to include them in our formal bid analysis. We hope the education and guidance we provide empowers you to compare all of your options and make the decision that feels right for you.

No pressure. If our bids do not meet your needs, we can provide you with additional bids or you can walk away completely. There is no obligation to choose one of our builders.

Yes. We meet with you to review your bids in detail, answer questions, address concerns, and help you understand your options. We then take your feedback back to the builder to help refine your bids and negotiate on your behalf.

We also review bids for potential red flags; however, we are not attorneys and do not provide legal advice. You should always conduct your own due diligence and consult appropriate professionals before entering into any construction agreement.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Brass Tacks community members at a construction site

We help level the playing field by connecting you with vetted, local builders and architects, and guiding you through a transparent bid process so you can make well-informed decisions with confidence.

We're built for projects where quality, cost, and transparency matter including: ground-up home construction, additions and major remodels, ADUs and garage conversions, fire rebuilds, and multi-unit residential or investment builds. If you're looking to spend wisely and want multiple qualified options, Brass Tacks is a great fit.

Unlike review sites or lead platforms, Brass Tacks creates a competitive bidding environment. Builders don't pay to advertise — they earn your trust by offering strong bids and proven work. You control who bids, what happens next, and when to move forward. We also keep our fee lower than similar companies to ensure the cost is never passed down to the homeowner. We are hands-on, independently built, and community-driven. No investors, no board, no outside pressure. That means our only priority is YOU.

You never pay a fee to use our Bid & Match service. Brass Tacks is compensated through a small fee paid by vetted builders who join our network and are selected by a homeowner. We purposely keep this fee lower than similar companies to ensure it is never passed down to you.

This fee allows us to provide months of hands-on guidance during the bidding process and never influences builder recommendations or homeowner decisions. You remain in full control of selecting your builder and are encouraged to conduct your own due diligence. Because the homeowner-builder relationship is highly personal, we believe it should play a significant role in the final decision.

Builders in our network undergo a rigorous screening process that includes:
- License and insurance verification
- Review of experience and project capacity
- Homeowner reference checks
- Evaluation of contracts, communication practices, and bidding processes
- Ongoing performance monitoring based on homeowner feedback

Builder participation is continually reviewed, and we reserve the right to pause or remove builders from our network at any time. Our commitment to the community is to hold builders to the highest standards of quality, communication, and accountability.

We're always happy to take a look at outside bids and share any feedback or concerns we see. However, for liability reasons, we're unable to include them in our formal bid analysis. We hope the education and guidance we provide empowers you to compare all of your options and make the decision that feels right for you.

No pressure. If our bids do not meet your needs, we can provide you with additional bids or you can walk away completely. There is no obligation to choose one of our builders.

Yes. We meet with you to review your bids in detail, answer questions, address concerns, and help you understand your options. We then take your feedback back to the builder to help refine your bids and negotiate on your behalf.

We also review bids for potential red flags; however, we are not attorneys and do not provide legal advice. You should always conduct your own due diligence and consult appropriate professionals before entering into any construction agreement.

Still Have Questions?

If you have questions or need help navigating the platform, feel free to reach out. We're here to assist!