Extreme Home Builders Starring Jordan Iverson

They should do a reality TV show called Extreme Home Builders.

If they did, Jordan Iverson would be its star. Just ask any homeowner who has witnessed his home design and building magic.

Meet Iverson, owner and operator of Jordan Iverson Signature Homes, a Eugene, Ore.-based design/build company and five-time winner of “Best of Houzz” Design Award.

To say Iverson’s team is a local legend in Oregon for delivering inspired homes in difficult terrain is only a slight exaggeration.

A Term of Endearment

“It’s become a joke with the realtors here. They’ll call and say, ‘Hey Jordan, I got one for you. It’s on a very steep hillside. It’ll be a breeze,’ they laugh,” Iverson says.

The professional teasing is a well-earned sign of respect, of course. The local real estate community admires the acclaimed design/builder for his ability to create showcase homes under grueling circumstances. For example, his team recently finished a home that took two and a half years to build. Work on the super-steep slope was made even more difficult by local restrictions, nearby power lines, and a lane too steep for work vehicles to unload or for a crane set-up. Every piece of lumber was hand-carried by Iverson’s crew to the jobsite.

Special Alchemy

It’s a challenge Iverson loves.

“The initial issue was the driveway,” he recalls. “Garage placement was key for a usable driveway. We used the steep terrain to our design advantage. The whole top of the garage was used for a cool outdoor deck. Instead of a big yard, the owner now has three really wonderful deck spaces connected to the house.”

His current project makes that design alchemy look easy by comparison. “We spent 13 weeks on the excavation. On some days we were progressing at just an inch a day through the rock,” he says.

Extreme Terrain

Iverson describes his home-building aesthetic as Northwest Modern, an eclectic blend of clean urban lines with Oregon woodland influences. He’s been in the custom home-building business for over 17 years and “only once built a home on a flat lot.” Part of the reason for the extreme lot terrain is a land shortage and a dearth of view sites. Iverson’s homes tend to have breathtaking sight views.

To make the most of those precious vistas, Iverson nearly always specifies cable rail in-fill for the decks. “The cable rail just disappears and allows you to see towards the city without distractions,” he explains.

Iverson finds cable rail in-fill is an easy approval from the homeowner. He typically shows photos of other projects and explains the maintenance issues associated with the Pacific Northwest. “It’s a no-brainer. It’s an easy sale,” he says.

The Industry Standard

“We don’t sell upgrades or issue change orders,” he adds. “If it’s right, we do it.” From there, Iverson specifies a Feeney CableRail System. “Feeney is the industry standard. It has the clean look we’re after.”

Iverson has parlayed his “extreme” success into the phase of his business. This year he plans to up the delivery cadence from four to six homes per year to up to 14 for the next few years. Now the big news: They’re all flat lots.

“My project foreman is super excited about it,” he laughs. Learn more about Feeney Cable Rail here.