about JHC
In 1974 John Harpster began designing and building homes in Ashland, Oregon. In 1984 he and his family moved to Santa Barbara, California where he continued to build, opening his own company John Harpster Construction in 1991. The homes he built in the Santa Barbara area were custom designed for each client and represent a wide variety of styles from Mediterranean villas, to the reproduction of a 17th Century monastery, to homes built from the hand-hewn timbers of barns selected in Maine and shipped to California. One of the barn homes is featured in the March 2006 issue of Architectural Digest “Hollywood at Home” edition. John worked closely with the top architects in Santa Barbara. He and his crew of artisans were often required to use historical building techniques and to create new ways of reproducing the look, feel and solidity of ancient craftsmanship.

In 2006 John returned to Ashland, Oregon with his twenty-two years of experience in California. He has completed a variety of projects in the Rogue Valley, and would be happy to consult with you on your project whether it be new construction, custom building, or simply a re-model to enhance your existing residence. He can shepherd you through complicated building and planning requirements, inspection processes, and safety regulations—he’s done it all before.

 

JHC philosophy
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"Constructing a home is an organic process--the end result is a place that has its own personality, its own spirit.”

“I believe a successful custom home gives back to its owner. Your home should nourish you and send you out the door refreshed.”
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“The exterior of a home should gracefully blend into its natural setting, and the interior of a home should gracefully reflect an individual’s needs as well as his or her aspirations.”

“A home is a living space—not just a space for living. A custom home can expand and contract with a family’s ever-changing concerns and its structure should be able to accommodate these changes.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
“Deciding to build a two-unit addition to our B&B was a big challenge in tight economic times. John Harpster advised us and managed the project throughout the design and construction phase. From beginning to end, he gave us the benefit of his amazing breadth of experience, creativity and determination to bring top quality to every detail. His leadership and background were the underpinning we needed to ensure that the job would be both excellent and affordable. Others will find as we have that John Harpster is a master at what he does.”

— Deedie and David Runkel, Anne Hathaway’s B&B and Garden Suites

 

John Harpster Construction Inc. creates stunning new and remodeled homes.

Custom New Homes

I especially enjoy the excitement of bringing a client’s vision to solid realization. There are so many stages of construction that bring particular satisfaction from the initial groundbreaking to my handing over the keys. My favorite moment in the process is when I recognize a house or building begins to take on its own personality—that’s when the real fun begins.

Home Remodels

Home remodels present particular challenges that new homes do not. There is an art to maintaining design integrity within the boundaries of an existing structure. Any up-grade in construction should be consistent with the established flow of the house and enhance the overall design. I know i have achieved this goal when I can see that “the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.”

Home Design

One must be a good listener to be a successful home designer. It is my job to hear and understand the needs and dreams of my clients so I can translate their ideas into a design that responds to what they’ve told me of their lives — and one which stays within the boundaries of their time restrictions and their budget.

 

"We loved working with John from design through construction to finish.  John's attention to details, creative input and sound advice made our remodel a great experience.  John truly cares about his clients' well-being and satisfaction.  John is a contractor you can honestly trust to pay attention to budget and timeline and create a home you really want to live in.”

— Molly and Terry Sullivan, Talent, Oregon (home remodel)