When’s the Right Time to Remodel After Buying a House?
The right time to remodel after buying a house depends on your goals, budget, and the condition of the property. Others rush into renovation projects…
Many commercial properties rely heavily on artificial lighting, leading to high energy expenses, poor lighting quality, and gloomy interior spaces. With VELUX Commercial Sun Tunnels, businesses can introduce powerful natural light into hallways, workspaces, warehouses, restrooms, and other interior areas that normally require constant electrical lighting.
These tubular daylighting systems are designed to deliver bright, consistent sunlight with minimal heat gain, making them an energy-smart upgrade for retail stores, offices, schools, healthcare buildings, industrial facilities, and more. With durable commercial-grade construction and leak-resistant engineering, VELUX Commercial Sun Tunnels offer decades of performance backed by industry-leading warranties.
As certified VELUX experts, Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights has delivered professional daylighting solutions to Bay Area commercial buildings for more than 40 years. We provide complete installation, replacement, and expert recommendations to ensure your business receives the most efficient, cost-effective daylighting system available.
Every commercial building has unique challenges, from long interior corridors to expansive warehouse spaces. VELUX Commercial Sun Tunnels provide a solution designed to capture daylight efficiently and distribute it deeply into large structures without requiring structural framing changes or major electrical redesigns.
Our team will evaluate your building’s layout, roof type, light needs, and energy goals to design a daylighting system that reduces operating costs and improves interior comfort. These systems deliver consistent light levels throughout the day, helping businesses reduce electrical usage and create a more inviting environment for employees and customers.
Whether you’re upgrading an existing building or constructing new facilities, Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights ensures a smooth installation process that keeps your operations running safely and efficiently.
Captures rising, low-angle sunlight and curves it down the tunnel.
Manages the intense, direct mid-day sun so that the space below is bright and comfortable without glare.
Captures the setting, low-angle sunlight, and curves it down the tunnel.
Curb mount flashing model with SunCurve available at the 22″ size
Self flashed model with SunCurve available at the 22″ size
Pitched, self flashed model
Flexi Loc—the only advanced tunnel connection system that cuts tunnel installation time in half—is designed to piece your elbows, tunnel sections, and other rigid tunnel components together quicker than conventional screws.
All VELUX SUN TUNNEL skylights feature a highly reflective silver layer that is electrostatically applied.
In San Francisco and the East Bay, Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights are the Velux Premier Skylight Specialists and they have been providing reputable general contracting, home remodeling, and skylight services for 40 years. Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights prides itself on customer satisfaction and is an ideal partner for Velux commercial skylights in the Bay Area, no matter the skylight solution.
Contact Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights today and let our 40 years of Bay Area expertise turn your dream project into reality.
Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights is certified and accredited by the best manufacturers in the industry. From Grip-Tite Foundation Systems, to James Hardie Siding, to VELUX Skylights, you can be sure to get the highest quality products for whatever your project.
Serving the San Francisco Bay Area for over 40 years with quality general contracting, home remodeling, and skylight installation means you'll get the benefits of our expertise for every project.
Maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction, we are proud to have provided our customers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area with quality construction and home improvement services for 40 years. With half of our new clients coming to us from referrals, it’s no secret that our customers/friends are truly pleased with the work we do.
Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights, Inc. is a longstanding partnership of 40 years between Archie Mares, Dennis Dow and hundreds of great customers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. We are a general contractor, building custom homes, additions, home remodeling, skylights, retaining wall construction and commercial remodeling.
Maintaining a high level of customer satisfaction, we are proud to have provided our customers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area with quality construction and home improvement services for 40 years. With half of our new clients coming to us from referrals, it’s no secret that our customers/friends are truly pleased with the work we do.
Quality and service come first. We approach every job, big or small, with the same care and attention to detail we’d give our own homes. Our team combines time-tested building practices with modern innovation to deliver results that stand the test of time.
Ready to start your next project? Whether you’re planning a home remodel, skylight installation, or foundation repair, our team is here to help.
Reach out to us for a free consultation. We’ll listen, offer expert guidance, and provide a detailed estimate tailored to your goals.
To enhance the lives of Bay Area homeowners through expert construction, thoughtful design, and dependable service. For over 40 years, our mission has remained simple: build with integrity, serve with pride, and create spaces our clients love to live in.
We believe in integrity, craftsmanship, and lasting relationships. Every project is built on honesty, transparency, and respect - for our clients, our partners, and the homes we’re entrusted to improve.
Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights installed a large Velux skylight for me in August 2017. The entire experience was wonderful and the skylight is beautiful, both functionally and aesthetically. Janet made sure the work was scheduled to be completed before a trip I had planned. Jimmy measured carefully when he quoted the work and even accommodated a last minute change on the location when he arrived to do the work. They protected my new floors and were careful to keep dust to a minimum. Archie came by to ensure that all was going smoothly. Freddy helped matched the stain on my nearly 70 year old tongue and grove ceiling that really took some effort and he even matched some a few small spots that a previous contractor had sanded and removed the original stain. EVERYONE was cheerful and knowledgeable. Now, my little mid century house has emerged into the light!
Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights replaced two aging skylights in our bedroom and installed automatic blinds on four skylights. This was not an easy job, since our bedroom has very very high cathedral ceilings. In fact, one other skylight installer refused to do the job altogether, and a second made a bid that was almost twice as expensive as Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights. Janet Mares, who was our main contact for the job, was a pleasure to work with. Her son, Jimmy, who led the installation, was fearless climbing the ceiling, and he eally knew his stuff. We’re thrilled with our new and improved skylights, and we appreciate Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights’ solid, reasonably priced, work. Thanks guys!
I’ve had Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights install 3 sun tunnels in my home and most recently, 2 skylights in my garage/art studio. I couldn’t be more satisfied with the quality of their work and professionalism! All my communications with their office and installers have been extremely pleasant. I would use them again (and again) and highly recommend them to anyone looking to install Velux skylights/sun tunnels in their home!
Being a new homeowner, i really did my research before having someone come out and give me a quote on a skylight. You never know what to believe when you read yelp reviews. So, i went ahead and had Jimmy from mares and dow come out and give me an estimate. He was right on time, came out and measured and was very professional while he was here. Janet called me a few days later and sent me over an estimate. I went them them and couldn’t be happier. It arrived in the time frame she had told me, and they were out that week. The workers came out on time, and were very friendly and professional. Dennis ( one of the owners) came out as well and checked on the job. The went above and beyond with their work. The skylight looks beautiful! Night and day from the old one. If you are wanting a skylight, i strongly reccomend going with mare and dow
We had Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights install a Velux skylight in our new master bathroom. The space was small and dark, so Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights suggested a big skylight to add in lots of natural light. They built in a double crown molding to beautifully frame the skylight, and now the space is open and airy with wonderful natural light. We can open the skylight during warm months to let in fresh air. It was a superb addition to our bathroom renovation and a great suggestion from Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights. They did a fantastic job and were great to work with! Thanks guys!
The right time to remodel after buying a house depends on your goals, budget, and the condition of the property. Others rush into renovation projects…
The best way to remodel a home for a growing family is to focus on utility. These spaces need to be flexible enough to transform…
Smart lighting is an easy, practical upgrade for home remodeling, rolling convenience into energy efficiency and customizable ambiance. You can easily control brightness levels, color…
Installing commercial daylighting is a strategic investment in building efficiency. These FAQ answers will help clarify how Sun Tunnels work and how Mares & Dow Construction & Skylights supports Bay Area businesses from start to finish.
Yes. They are fully sealed, impact-resistant, and offer no direct visual access into the building, making them ideal for research labs, healthcare settings, and confidential work environments.