DC Builders

DC Builders is headquartered just outside of Portland, Oregon, but has employees working nationwide to service clients across the country.

DC Builders is a full-service design and construction firm that specializes in crafting custom heavy timber, hybrid, and conventionally framed structures. Our design team creates one-of-a-kind custom design plans for clients and our project managers, framing crews, and craftsmen provide a number of construction services designed to simplify the building process. You can choose to pair our services together or select the one that best meets your needs—the choice is entirely yours. Here are the many ways you can partner with the design and construction experts here at DC Builders:

• Custom Design: Whether you’re looking to design a building from scratch or modify existing plans to include a heavy timber design, our in-house design team will collaborate with you to create the structure of your dreams. Our engineering partner—licensed in all 50 states—and our designers will then review your plans before stamping and mailing them back to you.
• Timber Frame/Post & Beam: From custom timber frame pergolas to complete post and beam residences, we’ve designed hundreds of high-end heavy timber solutions for clients across the country and can easily help you achieve your vision.
• Framing & Installation Services: We’re not just bragging when we say our framing crew is the best and most experienced team to assemble our unique heavy timber structures—we truly mean it. If you’re looking for a team you can trust completely with your project, our project managers and framing crews are available to complete the heavy timber framing, conventional framing, all-wall sheathing, and more for your custom build.
• General Contracting: DC Builders is proud to provide general contracting services for clients in California, Oregon, and Washington. With over fifteen years’ experience in general contracting for residential and commercial projects in the Pacific Northwest, DC Builders offers the expertise to successfully execute your custom build. If you’re located outside the West Coast, we offer a robust builder network comprised of vetted general contractors and can help you find the perfect general contractor for your project.
• Oregon Luxury Homes: DC Builders offers nearly two decades’ experience in crafting custom luxury homes in the Pacific Northwest. Take advantage of our mill-direct relationships, materials suppliers, in-house design team, skilled building crews, and off-site manufacturing facility to build the high-performance home of your dreams.

Yes! With our custom design services, our in-house design team will collaborate with you to create plans tailored to your vision, budget, and location or modify existing plans to incorporate heavy timber elements. Our engineering partner—licensed in all 50 states—will review your design with our team to ensure your plans comply with local building codes before stamping and mailing them back to you.

Sure! DC Builders regularly works with outside architects and designers to provide framing and installation, general contracting, and off-site manufacturing services.

We have projects located all over the country, and most likely in your area. Let us know if you’re interested in visiting one of our projects and we will try to arrange a site visit for you.

We absolutely can! We frequently partner with our sister company DC Structures to provide comprehensive design and build solutions for our clients, including the ability to transform your custom design plans into a pre-engineered building package shipped directly to your job site. These pre-engineered building packages come with everything you need to assemble your structure, including builder-ready blueprints, expertly pre-cut framing materials, premium window and door packages, and much more.

Because every project we complete is vastly different than the next, it’s difficult to pinpoint a construction cost estimate that accurately represents how much it would cost to build your structure. However, there are a number of factors we evaluate to determine the resulting cost of your project, including materials selections, location and job site conditions, the complexity of the design, and the size and scope of your build.

For instance, if you plan to build a traditional timber frame home, your price per square foot will be higher than that of a post and beam or conventionally framed home due to the materials used and the labor-intensive process involved in timber framing. That said, if you use a combination of timber framing and conventional framing methods to achieve your desired timber frame appearance, you can drive down costs while enjoying a home tailored to your vision.

This is largely dependent on where you are in the permitting process, as projects cleared for construction ahead of the design phase can take as little as four weeks to begin framing. Before we get started on designing your structure, it’s important to do your research on local standards for zoning, land use, and construction to ensure your project meets local building requirements in your area. Depending on your jurisdiction, you may need additional consultants and engineers to submit stamped drawings of your plans, including civil drawings and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) plans. By contacting your local building office in advance, you can determine what you’ll need for your specific project and how to start the process of obtaining appropriate permits.

While every project is different, our basic structures can take four to six weeks to complete. Depending on the size, scale, and complexity of your structure, your project timeline could range from a matter of three to six months to a year or longer.

Absolutely, where you place the structure matters. Excavation and foundation costs will vary depending on your site. We try and pick the most level site on the property that is closest to existing utilities. If your property does not have existing utilities, be sure to take this into consideration when budgeting for your project.

If you feel that you do not have the time or capacity to handle the permitting process on your own, you can enlist the services of our permitting specialists here at DC Builders. Although there are fees associated with this service, our experts can help you save money in the long run.