Makers■ Artisans■ Dreamers■

John Ellertson has devoted over 25 years to perfecting his craft of custom homebuilding. The first ten years of his building and construction management experience were spent in the field, working his way up from laborer to carpenter to superintendent in his father’s construction company. He then joined Charter Construction in 2004. He learned to build multimillion-dollar new custom homes in an era of trust and handshake deals. That honesty and commitment to the client have stuck with him to this day. “My word is my honor,” he says.

John’s real-world professional expertise combined with his rigorous academic knowledge—he holds a dual degree in Construction Management and Architecture from the University of Washington—makes him the rarest of custom home builders: someone who can design like an architect, problem-solve like a construction manager, and build like a seasoned carpenter.

John follows three principles when it comes to working with homeowners: Listening, Learning, and Leading. He believes in understanding not just what a homeowner wants, but why they want it, then translating that desire into a physical space. He believes in being honest from day one. He loves working with clients through the challenges and celebrations of a project. 

He’s most inspired by that moment of turning over the final work to the owner when a structure becomes a home. A place that holds memories, fingerprints, and spilled red wine, laughter, and life.

“At the end of the day,” he says, “every project is a one-off. We’re doing projects that truly inspire people’s visions and reflect who they are.”