My wife and I bought a home in Camas WA that offered an open plan and well-conceived passive solar design, but had a number of issues that needed attention. Most of the work was on the exterior. The window caulking had begun to crack open in many locations, the cedar shingle exterior was badly weathered on the south side of the house along with one exterior door. There were several very complicated wood and shingle column covers that needed to be replaced. The beam carrying the roof over the south facing deck was improperly framed. The gutters were deteriorated and roof flashing in some areas was improperly installed causing various leaks. A steel railing was also added at the brick entry stairs. Finally, the house needed to be repainted. On the interior, we wanted to replace the gas log fireplace with a larger, wood burning metal fireplace that complied with Washington emission standards. This involved resizing the fireplace framing, increasing the flue diameter up thru the roof, and providing a finished enclosure for the fireplace, new flue, and extended chimney.
We had moved to the area in 2013 and had to do a cold search for a general contractor. We looked at several firms before finding Joseph Ketner Construction. In our first meeting at the house we spent several hours reviewing the proposed work in detail which Joe documented in extensive notes, photos and sketches. As we talked, it was apparent that his main concern was in making sure he had a clear understanding of our needs. Joe is a very good listener, he came back a few days later with a detailed written scope of work as part of a proposed contract. Pricing was reasonable for the work to be done and the size of the house.
Joe maintains an excellent core group of personnel and an extensive list of very fine subcontractors that he can bring into the work as needed. Of special note is the high level of craftsmanship that his finish carpenters provide, very impressive. Also important to note that throughout the entire project, Joe and his crew were respectful of us and our home and maintained a very clean work space both inside and out. Dust barriers, floor, and furniture protection were always used and the work site was cleaned at the end of each day.
The last phase of work, the exterior painting, was completed about a year ago. This past winter our location, at about 1400 feet above Camas, experienced many weeks of snow and ice dams on portions of the roof…not one leak. That was our greatest concern and I wanted to wait until the work proved itself before writing this review. We are extremely pleased with the completed project and will return to Joe for any future work in our home.
I’m a retired architect from the SF Bay Area and have an extensive career dealing with all types of construction and contractors. To anyone considering embarking on remodel or restoration work, I would give Joseph Ketner Construction my highest personal and professional recommendation.
Thank you Joe, for a job very well done.
Peter B, Camas, WA
