Meet Our Team

I am a Bay Area native, born and raised in Berkeley. Being outside and working with my hands drew me to building since I was a child. I have always been drawn to the detail of building, and I enjoy every aspect of construction. Specializing in stair building and finish carpentry has taught me to look at both the full picture as well as the fine details in the building trade. Now, as the principal of Oliver Builders, my goal is to make the whole experience as transparent and collaborative as possible.

Coming from parents who were both self-employed, it feels natural to run my own business. I love getting to know my clients, and developing a warm and trusting relationship with them. I take great pride in having assembled a team of caring people who understand the importance of the honest and open relationships we build with our clients, architects and other team members.

In my free time, you may find me mountain biking in Marin County, or hiking and spending time with my family. My wife, daughter and son are my pride and joy!

As Oliver Builders Project Manager, I enjoy working with people and knowing their strengths. Communicating exactly what needs to be done and planning and laying out the details! That is what I value in my work the most. I enjoy every aspect of the challenge of carrying a job through; from beginning to end, from reading the set of plans, to discussing each aspect of those plans with everyone involved which would be home-owners, architects, engineers, subcontractors, and inspectors. I love the challenge of executing every part of the project on schedule. I always shoot for perfection in all of these aspects.

I did my schooling in Guadalajara, Mexico, then moved to the U.S. 20 years ago. I have been working with Severin for the last 19 years. When I’m not at work, you can find me fishing, camping, dirt biking, attending rodeos or spending time with my family. I return to Mexico periodically, where I am helping my sister build her house.

I grew up in the world of construction. As a third-generation home builder, I started my career with my father building custom homes in the bay area. After seven years of working in residential construction as a project engineer, project manager and estimator, I made the switch over to commercial where I was a full-time estimator working on public works, pharma, and food tech projects. In 2022, I could no longer ignore the fact that I wanted to build beautiful homes again and found the perfect opportunity with Oliver Builders. Throughout my time in construction, I have found a passion for estimating, scheduling, and planning the perfect project. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my wife, two children and dogs and passionately cheering on my favorite sports teams: Giants, Steelers, and Arsenal.

Zeb grew up in Pakistan and graduated from the University of Peshawar before moving to the United States in 1996. He joined Heald College of Business & Technology and earned his Associate Degree in Business Administration in 1999. He later completed some accounting courses at Cal State East Bay. He has been in the accounting profession since 2000 in a series of diverse accounting roles, including full-charge bookkeeper, staff accountant, and controller. Having sufficient involvement and experience in small businesses, Zeb understands the importance of keeping family a priority while staying on top of career development. Zeb tries to stay current with his technology skills and continuing education to be able to adapt to any role as a modern-day bookkeeper.

He strongly believes that joining Oliver Builders was the right decision for him and he feels proud of companies that stand by their values and ethics the way Oliver Builders does.

In his personal life, Zeb enjoys outdoor activities like gardening, watching sports, and staying in touch with the rest of his family in Pakistan.

I was born and raised in Cuba. After going to college and getting a teaching credential in Havana, I taught technical drawing and wood technology for ten years to deaf middle and elementary school children. Since immigrating to Berkeley in 2001, I have been working in the construction field in different areas: as a builder, estimator and project manager. I got my license as a cabinet maker before joining the OBI family in 2014. I've known Severin for over twenty years, so the OBI team feels like extended family to me. When I'm not at work, you will find me mountain biking, hiking with friends, or traveling to lacrosse games with my wife and daughter.

My name is Juan Luis Velasco. I have 20+ years of working in the construction industry as a lead carpenter and project Foreman. I am passionate about building novel projects, creating world-class connections with clients, and ensuring my work is at the highest level. During my tenure, I have endured many challenges, but what motivates me is the smile on the faces of others when their vision becomes tangible. I look forward to continuing to grow my skill set, teach others and build beautiful projects with Oliver Builders!

Hector had worked with a few of our employees over the years and we were thrilled when he decided to join our team. Hector is skilled in many trades and is in the process of becoming a skilled finish carpenter.

I have a 30-year work history in construction under my belt, so I know what a disruptive process construction can be to homeowners. As such, I always try to empathize with them and listen to their needs in order to facilitate the project’s success. My ability to get along well with my co-workers, to continually learn new aspects of building, and to understand the architectural plans are some of the aspects I enjoy in my work.

I also have a background in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and enjoy cooking, being with my dogs and bird watching. I’m also an artist, and am mainly in my studio working on projects when I’m not at Oliver Builders. If you’ve ever driven down Colusa Avenue in Berkeley, and wondered about the yard sculpture art, that’s my house!

I have worked with Severin for over 10 years, starting as an apprentice and working my way up to being a carpenter. I appreciate his teaching, professionalism and patience. I am passionate about my work. I love building in general; from forming to trimming although framing and trim work is what I like the most in a construction project.

I enjoy relaxing during the weekends by watching the NFL games and being at home with my wife and kids.

Wilmer is a hard-working young man that has been helping his father since he was young. Wilmer loves to build and loves all aspects of construction. When not working Wilmer is taking night classes to further his knowledge in the trades as well as continue to advance his already good command of the English language. Working in the same company with his father is also of great importance to Wilmer and makes his day to day life that much more fulfilling. Oliver Builders hopes to continue to train Wilmer to be a great builder and finish carpenter and help him have a great quality of life.

Jorge is also a long time friend of a current OBI employee. We are more than glad to have Jorge as part of our OBI team. The Coronavirus pandemic has been awful in many ways but one of the positives is that a few people whom we have talked to on and off thru the years found the opportunity to come to work with us!

Ricardo came to OBI as a laborer and has blossomed into a highly skilled carpenter! Ricardo is a great asset who's understanding of OBI's process, values and principles are built into him.

Miguel has been a part of the OBI team for a long time due to his brother being our plumber for over 20 years! We have been talking to Miguel about coming to work for us for a number of years and were thrilled when the opportunity presented itself. OBI is feeling more and more like a true Family business with so many employees being connected to each other as friends and family!

Alejandro is also a relative of one both our longtime plumber and another employee! We are very happy to have Alejandro as part of the OBI team and hope we can all stay together for a long time!

I was born and raised in Mexico. I moved to the US is 2002. My first job was with a San Francisco based landscaping company, but I fell in love with construction right away and changed gears to work on becoming a builder.

My introduction into the construction field began with a big company based in Manteca that focused primarily on track home building. We built dozens of houses at a time, and it gave me the production techniques that I apply to my daily work.

I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the Oliver Builders family. It is a great working environment. There is a lot of support and encouragement. It is real TEAM work.

When I’m not at work you can find me at a BBQ with friends, playing sports or exploring new trails in nature.

Coming soon......

These are challenging times, thankfully our team and their families have remained healthy during the pandemic! We have managed to find ways to keep our team busy while staying safe. We are very thankful and grateful during these difficulties and wish the best for everyone!