A Brief History of Our Company

Our founder, Wade Freitag, has loved the history and character of Portland's older homes from the time he was in high school and helped convert a 1911 railroad depot into a county museum. While attending the University of Oregon architecture school, Wade spent summers documenting historical structures for the National Park Service. His early professional career included a variety of architectural work including museum interpretative design for the National Park Service and work for private museums such as The John Steinbeck Museum and the Abraham Lincoln Museum in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Wade decided to try his hand at contracting after he found his fixer “dream house” and was frustrated by the contractors’ lack of professionalism and workmanship. He ultimately finished the job himself. Experiencing firsthand the need for contractors who understood and respected older homes and had the highest standards for craftsmanship, Wade knew he could fill that niche. He opened Craftsman Design and Renovation in 1995 with two employees. We’ve grown since then while keeping a keen eye on standards and quality. 

Our work has led to recognition from industry peers and national publications, and to several awards. Our highest compliment is when past clients call us for their next project and tell us they wouldn’t dream of using another contractor. We have just finished our sixth project for our very first client.

Beyond making a living, we strive to create a living community. We believe not only in what’s good for the client but for our little neck of the woods and  the globe. We are proud members of the Architectural Heritage Center, the National Trust, the Bosco Milligan Foundation and the Oregon Historical Society, as well as a trade ally of the Energy Trust of Oregon and a charter member of Earth Advantage.  In our way, we hope to leave your home, the neighborhood, our city and the earth a little better than we found it.