About Dave

Meet Dave Stephens

Tide & Timber Handyman Services was built around a simple idea: finding someone dependable for the smaller jobs shouldn't be difficult.

Owner & Handyman

Dave’s story

The scene from the Tide & Timber logo: redwoods on a rocky point above the ocean, a sailboat on the horizon at sunset.

Dave Stephens
Owner & Handyman

20+
years designing and building custom homes
15
years as a commercial diver repairing ships worldwide
ASE
certified automotive repair
Marine Tech
degree, plus two seasons as a marine mechanic

Dave brings a practical, hands-on approach to his work and believes good service goes beyond fixing something.

It means communicating clearly. Showing up when you say you will. Respecting someone's property. Doing thoughtful work. And leaving the project better than you found it.

  1. Custom home building

    More than 20 years designing and building custom homes

    Dave spent over two decades in residential and commercial construction through Stephens Construction Services and Deep Creek Contracting, and was an HPO-certified builder in Canada for many years. He has designed, built, repaired and troubleshot custom homes and commercial properties.

  2. Mechanical

    ASE-certified automotive repair and a degree in Marine Technology

    Alongside building, Dave earned ASE automotive certification, a degree in Marine Technology, and spent two seasons working as a marine mechanic for a houseboat company.

  3. On the water

    15 years as a commercial diver, repairing ships around the world

    Dave spent 15 years as a commercial diver working worldwide on commercial ship repair, specializing in marine propulsion systems. Outside of work he has owned, maintained and operated boats, and has sailed the California coast, the Pacific Northwest, the Caribbean and the British Virgin Islands.

  4. Now

    Back in Santa Cruz, focused on the smaller jobs

    Rather than taking on large-scale construction, Dave is now choosing to focus his experience on smaller home repairs, property maintenance and marine projects, where skilled workmanship and practical problem-solving make a real difference. For Tide & Timber clients, that means the knowledge of an experienced professional home builder for the projects that still deserve to be done correctly.

From your home to your boat, Tide & Timber brings decades of hands-on experience to every job.

Why Tide & Timber

Far more than a typical handyman

  • Decades of real-world experience

    You're not just hiring someone to perform a task. You're getting decades of experience in construction, mechanical systems, marine repair, and problem solving.

  • Home and marine expertise

    Tide & Timber combines two areas of experience that rarely come together: custom home construction and professional marine repair.

  • Small projects welcome

    Tide & Timber specializes in smaller repair and maintenance projects rather than large construction jobs.

  • Fair pricing, honest business

    Straightforward communication, fair and transparent pricing, and doing business with integrity. Dave believes customers deserve an honest assessment of what a project actually needs.

Quality work. Fair pricing. Honest advice. That's how Dave believes business should be done.

The Tide & Timber standard

Reliable. Honest. Local.

Good service goes beyond fixing something. These are the things Dave holds himself to on every job, whether it’s one repair or a growing to-do list.

  • Quality workmanship

    Decades of professional building and mechanical experience, brought to the small jobs.

  • Straightforward communication

    Clear answers about what a project needs, what it will take, and when.

  • Respect for your property

    Your home, your boat, your time and your budget are treated with care.

  • Practical solutions

    Not every repair requires a major project. Dave looks for sensible, durable fixes that address the problem without unnecessary work.

  • Fair and transparent service

    An honest assessment of what a project actually needs, without inflated recommendations.

  • Knowing when a project requires a specialist

    Specialized, permit-required or licensed work is referred to the right professional, plainly.

Why Tide & Timber?

The name reflects the lifestyle behind the business

  • Timber represents the homes, craftsmanship, and natural beauty of the Santa Cruz area.

  • Tide represents Dave's connection to boats, the ocean, and coastal living.

Together, they represent a handyman business created specifically around the kinds of projects that come with living near the California coast.

Small Jobs. Bigger Possibilities.

Whether it’s one repair, routine boat maintenance, or a growing household to-do list, Tide & Timber is here to help.

Request a Consultation Call Dave: 971-454-9611

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