With a 30-year career constructing homes for others—and recently one for his own family—Dave Hall brings fresh insight from experiencing both sides of the business. This dual perspective has added to his knowledge, ultimately benefiting his clients.
He founded DH Builders in 2014. Shortly after, he brought on master carpenter Sean McKinney, who became a key part of the company as part-owner and chief operating officer. Their teamwork is showcased in Central Oregon luxury housing communities, including Broken Top, The Highlands and Crosswater. In 2022, Hall had time to focus on building a home for his family.
An important lesson he learned from building his own home was that it doesn’t have to take 18 months to two years—or longer—to complete if the builder and client have mutual trust. He finished his personal residence in just 11 months.
An interview with Dave Hall of DH Builders
What are the first steps you should take when considering building a home?
Start by doing your homework on what you want in your house, then focus on assembling a team of professionals. Sometimes clients come to us after hiring an architect, and other times it’s the reverse. What matters most is that the builder and architect work well together and that the builder is involved in the design process from the beginning. Interior designers usually join the project later, but bringing one in early can be beneficial—they can help set realistic allowances based on the overall budget.
What features are your clients asking for today?
The trends haven’t shifted much—clients still want wood floors, fireplaces, and modern styles with Northwest Lodge elements. They want durable, industrial finishes like steel and concrete softened by warm wood accents. Granite and quartz remain popular for kitchen islands and engineered quartz slabs for kitchen perimeters. Powder baths are a place where clients often choose something bold or funky. People want to open up to the outside using sliding, stacking or accordion-style doors.
For your own home, what did you choose?
We picked a sunny lot in Bend’s Westgate neighborhood to take advantage of passive solar energy—maximizing warmth in winter and shade in summer. The house features advanced insulation systems, radiant heat over concrete floors and ductless mini-splits for cooling. The house is so efficient, it’s silly. For fire resistance, we opted for stucco and durable fiber cement boards. The entry has a salvaged barnwood cladding that was treated with a fire-resistant clear coat.
Our 2,700-square-foot modern home with shed and flat roofs includes three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, and a mud room for all the Central Oregon gear. The primary suite includes a “wet” cedar sauna, hot tub, cold plunge and a “beachy” patio area with real sand.
Tell us about trust issues.
Between 2020 and 2023, during and after COVID-19, the construction frenzy drew an influx of marginal or inexperienced builders, which led to consumer horror stories. These experiences left homeowners hesitant to trust builders, which often slows projects down significantly. I’ve seen builds drag on for two years or more. My wife was so happy that we got exactly what we wanted on a good budget in just 11 months, from the start to move-in date.
DH Builders has refined a system that allows us to build efficiently and handle high-level, complex remodels without delays. Sean’s technical wizardry and problem-solving skills help us move more quickly. Every Monday, he and our project managers outline the week’s plan, followed by a Friday update with what’s coming the next week. After each on-site meeting, we provide detailed follow-up documentation to ensure we’re on the same page as our clients. This communication protocol goes far beyond what most builders do, making the client experience much more enjoyable and relaxing. When clients know how much we care about their project, they often return because we’ve established an element of trust.
DH Builders, Inc.
20765 Carmen Loop, Suite 130, Bend
dh-builders.com