Portland is the largest city in Oregon, and one of the most progressive cities in the country. Everyone who has been to the city can attest to the warm hospitality of Portland’s locals, and their nature-inspired zen approach to life. And perhaps nature has inspired the city in other ways: Portland has made a collective effort to decrease the size of its carbon footprint, and now the city is known for being one of the most environmentally conscious cities in the United States. You can see this environmental preoccupation in Portland’s neighborhoods. Sustainable homes, even entirely environmentally friendly communities, are the standard in Portland. Most Portland contractors offer green renovations that will make your home more energy efficient: Portland’s green economy simply demands it.
Most of the contractors in Portland are Certified Green Builders, Energy Star Partners, and/or Earth Advantage certified. These are builders who are more than capable of making sustainable homes. Housing rates in Portland climb every year because green building is expensive. As a result, a lot of families opt to remodel. It’s cheaper, there are a lot of contractors who can turn an outdated home into a more sustainable living space, and it’s greener to work with an existing structure.
This article lists the 15 Best General Contractors in Portland. These contractors are capable of every kind of home remodeling service. Some of these builders are not based in Portland, but they all serve the area. These firms’ awards and publications were taken into consideration during ranking.
If you are thinking about doing a construction project we recommend checking each builder’s license with the local licensing board, speaking to past clients, and using our bidding system to get competitive quotes from at least 3 contractors. Getting multiple bids is the best way to ensure you get a fair price and that bids include the complete scope of work.
14. Elite Development Northwest
14750 NE Richard Ln, Newberg, OR 97007
For over ten years, Elite Development Northwest has been remodeling homes by basing its designs on the building site’s topography. Founders Jamie Harris and Natalie Long want the homes they work with to highlight Oregon’s natural beauty. The firm’s ranch style designs perfectly tie together with the overall ambiance of the home. For this reason, the firm’s designs are regular features in the annual Street of Dreams. Elite Development Northwest has won several awards from the event, including a 2013 “Best of Show” award and a 2010 “Best Kitchen” award.
The firm named its Street of Dreams winner “Cuvee”, after a French wine. The Cuvee is a classy rustic home with bold log accents. The home is traditional, and its warm color scheme gives the home an even cozier vibe. The tasteful wood moldings add a touch of sophistication to the simple design.
13. Roloff Construction
7911 NE 33rd Dr Ste 390, Portland, OR 97211
Mike Roloff founded Roloff Construction so he could give the Portland community the benefit of his 30 years of remodeling experience. The company specializes in every kind of remodeling service, and its founder supervises the day-to-day production of all of its projects. Roloff’s hard work has paid off and the company he founded brought him a Contractor of the Year (CoTY) award from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). Magazines Fine Homebuilding and Kitchens and Baths featured the firm’s stellar remodels.
The firm usually does traditional remodels, highlighted with modern accents. This craftsman kitchen is accented by a black brick wall, complemented with industrial lighting. The firm crafts impressive custom features for all of its remodels: examine the shelf-type shoe rack and the sink with a built-in towel rack.
12. N.W. Renovation Design Group
4868 NW Neskowin Pl, Portland, OR 97229
Led by husband and wife tandem, Lee and Lori Zajic, N.W. Renovation Design Group is an award-winning contractor that specializes in remodeling and interior design. The founders’ combination of expertise comes together in this ideal home remodeler. Lee has over 30 years of experience in finish carpentry; Lori has been an interior designer for 25 years. Their specialties are reflected in their services: the firm specializes in remodeling and has a certification from the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID). The firm has also received a Remodeling Excellence Award from the ASID.
In 2013 The Oregonian featured the firm’s stunning Rock Creek Remodel, a 37-year-old ranch next to a lush green golf course path. 500 square feet was added to the property and the iconic 1976 atrium was extended. The front entry now leads to a a rustic living room that’s linked with a cozy kitchen and dining area.
11. BC Custom Construction
410 High St., Oregon City, OR 97045
With over 1,200 homes built, BC Custom Construction has taken its place as one of the most successful building companies in Portland. The firm is known all over Portland as a custom home builder, but it also specializes in home remodeling and special needs design. Since it is an expert home builder, the BC Custom Construction always makes sure that its remodels are standouts. Furthermore, the firm’s remodels and new home constructions have won numerous awards including eleven Street of Dreams awards and 15 Building Excellence awards.
The firm’s latest Street of Dreams entry is a grand modern home with gorgeous windows. These windows open up the whole space and put emphasis on the contemporary furniture. The whole home has marble flooring, accented by Victorian carpets that lend a classic touch.
10. Maughan Design and Remodel
1910 NW Lovejoy, Portland, OR 97209
At a young age, Kathie Maughan Francis knew she wanted to be a builder. She sketched out dream home designs in her sketchpad when she was in high school. She worked all her life to achieve her dream of owning her own firm. In 1995, she established Maughan Design and Remodel, and it’s now one of the biggest firms in Portland. In fact, the firm has been part of Remodeling magazine’s Top 550 from 2015 to 2018. The firm has also been featured in several television shows including HGTV’s “America’s Most Desperate Kitchens” and KPTV 12’s “Good Day Oregon.”
The firm employs impressive, custom additions. One example: the firm made a custom dog-shower. It was a raised shower bed with a retractable step-up platform, so that the dog’s owners need not bend down when washing their dog.
9. COOPER Design Builders
720 NE Flanders St, Ste 200, Portland, OR 97232
Throughout their 25 years of experience, COOPER Design Builders has perfected a process that balances good construction and design. Founder Lane Cooper created a project management system that details every step from the design process down to the projected deadline. The firm always makes sure that there is proactive communication between the homeowner and the builder: expect a supervisor to be always present during consultation and construction. COOPER Design Builders’ approach has brought them success and several awards. The most recent awards include two 2017 Oregon Home Style and Structure Magazine awards and awards from the 2017 and 2016 Tour of Remodeled Homes.
One of the firm’s most remarkable projects is the whole home remodel of a Vancouver, Washington home. The home was transformed into a LEED-certified home and is aging-in-place certified. Some of its sustainable features are an innovative insulation system. This system features a double exterior wall which gives blown-in insulation that will make the home cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
8. R and H Construction
1530 SW Taylor St., Portland, OR 97205
One of the longest-running firms in Portland, R and H Construction has been one of the leading residential and commercial contractors in the Pacific Northwest since 1979. There are a lot of indications that the firm is a great employer. Portland Business Journal named it one of the most admired companies and Oregon’s healthiest employer. The publication has also given the firm a Gold Certification for Sustainability at Work for its fair treatment of its workforce. Furthermore, the firm is also known for making the highest level LEED home. Recently, the firm constructed over a dozen LEED certified projects including four LEED Platinum projects.
The firm did a whole home remodel on a colonial 1925 Lake Oswego home. To make the home more modern, the firm installed a cutting-edge heating system. The firm replicated the 1920s interior facade, making the jazz age sustainable for the twenty-first century.
7. Square Deal Remodeling
8603 SE Stark St., Portland, OR, 97216
Jim Kreipe established Square Deal Remodeling in 1992 to give back to his hometown, Portland. He wants his firm to offer more than just a simple remodel, he wants to give you an experience. The approach has worked, and many of the firm’s customers are repeat customers. Square Deal Remodeling is well-known since Kreipe is an active member of both the Oregon Remodelers Association (ORA) and ReFit, a non-profit organization that focuses on projects for people with mobility issues. In fact, one of the firm’s universal design projects won a 2014 NARI award. That same year the firm won two NARI CoTY awards for its Kitchen and Bath remodels.
The firm is proud of being a versatile builder that can execute any variety of remodel. 20 years in the business has paved the way for the builders to master a range of designs, from modern to traditional to contemporary. An example of this is its remodel of the 1900 Lake O. House. The firm retained the kitchen’s rustic vibe, but they updated it by installing some modern accents. A barn style sliding door, for example, separates the kitchen from the laundry room.
6. Mountainwood Homes
8324 SW Nimbus Ave., Beaverton, OR 97008
Established by Certified Master Builder Robert Wood, Mountainwood Homes is one of the leading firms serving Portland and Southwest Washington. With 30 years of experience, the firm is one of the biggest, most experienced remodeling firms in its area. It has a crew of 30 and an interior design team certified by the Interior Design Association. Mountainwood Homes has been named on Remodeling magazine’s Top 550 Builders List, and it has won awards for its modern designs. Some of its most prestigious accolades include a 2018 Structure and Style award from Oregon Home magazine, a 2017 Remodeler of the Year (REMY) award from the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Metropolitan Portland, and a 2016 Building Excellence award from the Building Industry Association (BIA) of Clark County.
The firm’s most recent award-winning project is the Nantucket Shores remodel. The homeowners envisioned the home while they were on a plane ride and wrote the initial draft on a napkin. Mountainwood Homes transformed that drawing into a modern coastal home. Its spacious open floor plan highlights the picturesque view.
5. L. Evans Design Group
4600 Alder St., West Linn, OR 97068
Established in 2010, L. Evans Design Group is founded by one of the most successful remodelers in Portland. Linda Evans has over 25 years of experience, she is a Certified Master Kitchen and Bath Designer (CMKBD), a Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist (CAPS), and she is a Certified Lead-Based Paint Renovator (LBPR). She’s been featured in several national and local publications including The Oregonian magazine, Better Homes and Gardens magazine, Oregon Home Magazine and featured on HGTV. Like its founder, the firm has won numerous awards including a 2015 Chrysalis award, two 2015 NARI CoTY awards, two 2014 HBA Excellence awards, and two 2013 awards.
The firm has a wide range of designs, but the most stunning are often classic and traditional remodeling projects. Take this study, for instance: an elegant Victorian colonial remodel. A fireplace was relocated to create two adjacent sitting areas and thus the space was expanded.
4. Metke Remodeling and Luxury
17428 SW Boones Ferry Rd, Lake Oswego, OR 97035
Jeff Metke established Metke Remodeling and Luxury in 1989, initially as a custom woodworking shop specializing in interior finish carpentry. Now, Metke Remodeling and Luxury is an award-winning firm that specializes in every kind of home remodel. The firm has been featured in many publications like Oregon Home magazine, The Oregonian magazine, Portrait of Portland magazine, Portland Tribune and Lake Oswego Review. Additionally, the firm has consistently been part of Remodeler magazine’s Top 550 from 2012 to 2015 and earned awards from the HBA of Metropolitan Portland from 2010 to 2013.
One of the firm’s happy customers is the Tigard Family. The Tigards considered downsizing the home they built in the ‘80s, but they didn’t want to give up their prime location. So Metke Remodeling updated the overall look of the home by extending the master suite. The firm added a modern outdoor porch that opened up the space to reveal a breathtaking view.
3. Green Hammer
721 NW 9th Ave, Ste 195, Portland, OR 97209
Stephen Aiguier founded Green Hammer, a full-service general contractor specializing in green and sustainable building, in 2002. In its first years, Green Hammer made five of the country’s highest-scoring LEED-Platinum Homes. This impressive accomplishment earned Aiguier a spot in Portland Business Journal’s 2011 “40 under 40” list and Sustainable Business Oregon magazine’s 2012 Top 10 Sustainable Built Environment Leaders to Watch. The firm’s recently became one of ten firms that passed the 2030 challenge of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The 2030 Commitment is a challenge that the AIA has proposed in 2005 to 525 firms. So far, only ten firms have fulfilled AIA’s qualifications and Green Hammer is proud to be one of them. Recent awards also include the 2014 and 2018 Best Green Businesses to Work for in Oregon and the 2014 Earth Advantage LEED for Home Builder of the Year.
Like its CoHousing projects, Green Hammer’s remodels promote sustainable building. Its Hasne Kitchen Remodel is a 1940s home in a distinct French cottage style. The firm put a modern Pacific Northwest spin on the French style by adding more bright colors. And, of course, the home had a comprehensive energy update resulting in a 30 percent reduction in energy consumption.
2. Hammer and Hand
1020 SE 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.
1. The Neil Kelly Company
804 N Alberta St., Portland, OR 97217
When Neil Kelly founded his first company, he only had $100 to his name, yet his drive for building and customer service kept him afloat. Four decades later, the Neil Kelly Company is one of Portland’s oldest, most well-known firms. Neil’s son, Tom, heads the company these days, and he has expanded the company to five more locations across the Northwest. Tom credits his father’s passion for building as the inspiration for his own successful career in the industry. His credentials include receiving the Fred Case Award for Entrepreneur of the Year and being the former chair of the Portland Development Commission. The Neil Kelly Company has its share of awards and its most recent is a 2018 NARI CoTY award, a 2018 Oregon Home Structure and Style magazine award, a 2017 award from the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA), and placing ninth on Builder magazine’s 2016 Top 550.
The Neil Kelly Company is especially deft at kitchen remodels.The firm likes creating kitchens that are not just functional, but can play a key role in the social life of the household. They find that an open kitchen floor plan is perfect for homeowners who want an inviting place to eat and converse, for family and guests. The Neil Kelly Company mastered this concept, and explains it brilliantly on the company blog.
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