Last updated on May 17th, 2024 at 02:52 am

Oregon’s culture has always been famous, but the television show Portlandia has taken that fame to new heights. The show teases Oregon’s principal city for being progressive, gentle, and whimsical. Portland natives reportedly find the show’s broad stereotypes tedious, but perhaps the rest of the country can be forgiven for finding the city fascinating. In Portland, as well as in much of Oregon, it does sometimes seem absurdly idyllic: you have all the advantages of one of the most cutting-edge urban art scenes on the planet, while stunning natural wonders like Mt. Hood and Crater Lake are in easy driving distance. Take a trip along one of America’s most famous roads: the Pacific Coast Highway will give you one mind-blowing view after the next as you wind around the cliffs that rise out of the Pacific. And thus Oregon’s residents have sophisticated tastes when it comes to food and art, but their appetite for camping gear and the outdoors is just as ravenous.

This dual nature of Oregonians can even be found in their homes. They are open to change, and they need a residence that can evolve with them. On this list, Oregon homeowners will find 15 of the best general contractors in the Beaver State. The firms on this list have experience, deep portfolios, and work with a wide range of styles. Oregon homeowners have an embarrassment of riches to choose from, but we’ve narrowed the list down to 15 of the best.  

15) Let’s Remodel

12518 NE Airport Way Ste 148 Portland, OR 97230

Pavel and Polina Perju operate Let’s Remodel as a family business. Pavel takes care of the construction work; Polina handles interior design. Moldova-raised Pavel acquired a degree in construction management in his country of origin; Polina acquired a degree in Interior Design at Portland Community College. The firm has completed dozens of projects in Portland – as well as a number of projects across the Columbia river in Portland’s suburbs in Washington State – and they now have 13 years of experience remodeling kitchens and baths.  

Their clients leave happy, and for a lot of reasons. The firm offers a client portal on their website that allows clients to track the progress of their kitchen and bath projects. Their portfolio records astonishing transformations performed over a wide spectrum of budget requirements. They package their services in such a way that you know what to expect when, and what it will cost. Their entry budget remodeling service includes cabinet updates and personalized lighting adjustments. Midrange remodels might include the installation of a curbless shower and a granite countertop. The luxury price range includes a layout change that employs premium materials.

14) Riggs & Martin

14200 SE McLoughlin Blvd St, Milwaukie, OR 97267

Scott Riggs started his own general contracting firm in 1995 with Dick Martin. After Dick’s retirement, Lisa Martin and Scott Weaver came on as partners. In addition to a number of professional certifications, Scott serves as the President of National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Pacific Northwest, and as a Board Member of Remodeling for Independence Together (ReFit) in Portland. He is Master Certified as a Remodeler and a Certified Kitchen and Bath Remodeler.

The Guildmaster Awards for Service Excellence have been awarded to the company for the past two years. The company does all sorts of remodeling from kitchens and baths to home additions. They are known for traditional and cabin styles, and they favor light and neutral colors. They excel at woodwork and the clever manipulation of tight spaces, creating a cozy and welcoming atmosphere.

13) Tryon Creek Construction

2905 SW Comus St, Portland, OR 97219

Certified Master Builder Jan Lewis had been employed for 12 years under one of the largest commercial contractors in Portland. In 1990 she decided to take that experience with her and started her own company. The team of more than 30 artisans and craftsmen now focus on home construction, remodeling, and renovations throughout Tigard and its surrounding areas. Lewis has also served as the 2014 President of the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland (HBA), and she was appointed by the governor of Oregon to chair the Oregon Residential and Manufactured Structures Board.

The company offers general contracting services with a broad spectrum of styles, ranging from contemporary to French to farmhouse. They specialize in remodeling and renovation, emphasizing bold decoration and the innovative use of natural lighting. To complement that light, they use natural textures and earth tones. Tyson Creek’s homes are all at once comfortable, elegant, and surprising.

12) R&H Construction

1530 SW Taylor St, Portland, OR 97205

For about four decades, R&H Construction has found success in doing all sorts of construction work, from commercial to multi-family to single-family private homes. The famed construction company has also been consistently hailed as one of the best companies to work for in Oregon. John Ward started as a carpenter for the company in 1981, and he quickly rose through the ranks; today he stands as the COO.

While the firm found success in commercial construction, R&H Construction also does general contractor services for private homes, primarily in contemporary and modern designs. They create geometrically-shaped homes with minimalist decorations and finishes. The firm also builds cabin-styled residences which primarily employ timber, woodwork, and stonework.

11) Don Tankersley & Co.

1927 NW Kearney St, Portland, OR 97209

Don Tankersley understands the importance of collaborating with giants in the industry. In his 26 years of doing business, Tankersley has collaborated with well-respected architecture firms such as Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, In Situ Architecture, and Nick Noyes Architecture. 

The firm excels in remodeling, as demonstrated by their renovation of the Council Crest Residence. The project included a single story house that was completely transformed and gained an additional story. Constructed with a steel structural frame, it features continuous clerestory windows which allow the upper roof to look like a floating plane. The interior is comprised of narrow repeating wood window mullions and bands of wood trimmed clerestory windows that tie the house together. Their keen attention to detail is what sets them apart. 

10) Specktacular Home Remodeling

45225 SE Paha Loop Drive, Sandy, OR 97055

Mitch and Debbie Speck run Specktacular Home Remodeling. Their company has painstakingly earned all the necessary accreditations from NARI to uphold the standards of their business. Mitch is a graduate of Civil Engineering at Portland State University and a Master Certified Remodeler. Debbie – the only woman in Oregon to complete and pass the 13-week course – is a Certified Kitchen and Bath Remodeler. Their two daughters have also joined the family business, taking over client relations and architectural engineering.

Specktacular Home Remodeling offers custom home, kitchen, and bathroom remodeling services. They often use traditional accents, such as woodwork and stone. They modify the curves and the tight corners of the home to create functional, welcoming spaces. Specktacular Home Remodeling transforms old rooms into a warm, cozy space where the family can gather.

9) BC Custom Construction

410 High St, Oregon City, OR 97045

BC Custom Construction has established itself as a well-regarded general contractor. In 25 years of operations, the firm has completed over a thousand home projects; they recently won the 2018 Street of Dreams Award to complement their 15 Building Excellence awards from the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland. Bill Winkenbach, the firm’s president, has over 35 years of construction experience.

The company’s portfolio includes French, Victorian, Tudor, and contemporary styles of work. They are willing to do remodeling and addition work for all sorts of projects; they do entryways, foyers, game rooms, kitchens, and baths. Their projects often include a touch of the spectacular: grand facades, elaborate ornamentations, a playful use of color, and a unique use of columns and windows.

8) JDL Development

2314 NW Savier St, Portland, OR 97210

Joe and Dave Lyons founded a construction company that has been an Oregon staple for over 40 years. Having been featured in local circulations such as Portland Monthly, Oregon Home, and Pacific Northwest Home, the firm has solidified its presence in the general contracting market in Oregon. Currently headed by Jeff Johnson, Master of Architecture – Academy of Art University, the firm has collaborated with award-winning architecture firms, including Risa Boyer Architecture and Guggenheim Architecture + Design Studio.

The style of work done by the firm has changed since the firm’s founding in 1976. Today they primarily work in contemporary and modern styles but also excel at adapting to the personal tastes of their clients. Earth tones and muted colors are prominent in their projects; the colors accentuate clean, geometric ornaments, and the tasteful display use of artwork. They blur the line between home and art gallery, and the outcome is striking.

7) Kaufman Homes

1295 Baxter Rd SE Salem, Salem, OR 97306

NARI Contractor of the Year (CotY) Kaufman Homes has been around Oregon for more than 43 years. Kent and Dale Kaufman are the current heads of the company. Kent Kaufman started off as a carpenter in the firm 15 years ago; he now serves as the president while Dale serves as the vice president.

Their style range includes contemporary, Tudor, Mediterranean, and Traditional. Operating primarily in the Salem area, their work can be described as elaborate and gracious. The use of large French-type windows and grand entryways creates spacious, indulgent living spaces. But they also have a practical side: a generous use of storage systems and shelves makes their homes functional as well as beautiful.

6) Rainbow Valley Design and Construction

785 Grant St, Eugene, Oregon 97402

When Stephen Williams started a construction company on Rainbow Valley Road in 1971, little did he know how far the company would go. Now the company has been named one of the top 100 green businesses in Oregon by Oregon Business Magazine, and they are a frontrunner in sustainable construction and development. The firm’s current principal, Alec Dakers, graduated Magna Cum Laude at the University of Oregon School of Architecture and Allied Arts.

The projects the company takes on are as colorful as their namesake. With heavy use of the wood palette, as well as an indulgent use of vivid colors, their homes are richly textured. They maximize space and personalize every square inch of the project. Moreover, their commitment to sustainability is evident through their use of green materials, and they offer a five-year warranty.

5) Clarkbuilt

EXT. 29276 | 5024 N Montana Ave, Portland, OR 97217

Clarkbuilt has only been around for 12 years, yet in that time they have earned prominent awards, and they have repeatedly been lauded by the press. They were the cover story feature of the 30th issue of Gray Magazine, among others, and they are a Chrysalis Award winner. The principal of the firm, Soren Clark, graduated college with a Geological and Earth Sciences degree at Portland State University, and he founded the firm a year after graduation. Ever since then, the company has been entrusted with dozens of remodeling, renovation, and restoration projects.

Specializing in the modern and contemporary style of work, Clarkbuilt creates homes with minimalist elements and neutral tones. Geometric patterns and sharp edges create roomy, functional spaces. The company also does Traditional and Bungalow remodeling; at the core of their design philosophy are those minimalist, geometric lines. Their works are a harmonious marriage of the traditional and the modern.

4) Jordan Iverson Signature Homes

1464 Willamette St, Eugene, OR 97401

Jordan Iverson decided to start his own group of companies shortly after studying at the University of Oregon; he had been mentored for 40 years by his father, who is himself an institution in the Oregon construction business. One of the companies he started is Jordan Iverson Signature Homes. The firm does custom homes and remodeling.

Iverson is an expert in uniting fundamental shapes, intricate details, and organic lighting. Responding to the diversity of their clients’ needs, the firm works in a vast range of styles. They are renowned for combining styles to breathe new life and character into homes. Large windowpanes and doorways are often central to their design to increase the sense of space and bring natural light into the home. Earth tones and soft colors accent minimal ornamentation. Iverson creates a personal style for each project that reflects the interests and personal history of his client.

3) Hamish Murray Construction

4440 SW Corbett Ave, Ste 201 Portland OR 97239

Profiled in the New York Times, Portland Business Journal, and Portland Monthly, immigrant-owned Hamish Murray Construction has proven that it is one of the best general contractors in Oregon. The namesake of the company, Hamish Murray, is a native New Zealander. Growing up and acquiring his degree in New Zealand, he decided to immigrate to the US in 1996. He started his own construction company four years later.

Murray’s portfolio is filled with contemporary, traditional, and art deco inspirations. Simple shapes and figures are at the heart of the design, and rich, deep blues often highlight that pleasing simplicity. Hamish Murray Construction often adds quirky ornaments and other whimsical details; their portfolio reflects this mixture of playfulness and intelligence.

 

2) L. Evans Design Group

4600 Alder St, West Linn, OR 97068

Linda Evans CMKBD,CAPS has been working in the construction industry for 25 years. With a degree in Design at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, she has expertise in design, remodeling, and general contracting. Her company has bagged the Chrysalis Award, the Remodeling Excellence Award (HBA), and the NARI Regional CotY multiple times. She has also been featured in local and national periodicals including, The Oregonian, Better Homes and Gardens, and Oregon Home Magazine.

Evans Design Group specializes in modern, contemporary, art deco, and Bungalow styles of work. Linda ’s style highlights the use of geometric and progressive furniture, cubby holes and storage spaces. Unusual and innovate layouts also exemplify Evans’ work. To complement the avant-garde nature of her projects, she accompanies her design with ornaments and artworks customized to each project. The uniqueness of the details is present in the choice of materials; Evans often use irregular edges, curves, cutouts, and textures in familiar materials and surfaces. She is sensitive to the homeowner, and crafts the home around their personal tastes.

1) Hammer & Hand

1020 Southeast Harrison St, Portland, OR 97214

In more than 20 years of business operations, Hammer & Hand has been able to garner dozens of awards from numerous institutions and media outlets. Most recently, they were able to bag two Golden Nugget Awards from Builder Magazine. The firm has also been an accredited member of 19 national and regional organizations with seven certifications. The firm was founded in 1995 by a Reed College alumni, Daniel Thomas. 

Hammer & Hand is a traditional builder that adjusts to the specifications of the client and the partner architect regarding the design. Guided by the ethics of quality, durability, and beauty, the firm constructs buildings that empower employees by utilizing 21st-century building science and advanced traditional craftsmanship.

How can I find a contractor near me?

Read our latest articles on the best contractors in and near Oregon. If you don’t see your project type below, just let us know – we are happy to create a tailored recommendation list just for you.

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