Building Clients for Life

When Robert Wood heard his name called at the 2026 International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Fla., he collected his Remodeler of the Year award and didn’t wait to get back to his seat before texting ‘We got it done!’ to his team member, Alicia DeCosta, director of marketing.

That sentiment captures something essential about Mountainwood Homes, the Portland-area design-build firm that Robert co-founded with his wife, Heather: Recognition matters and it flows outward—to the team, to the clients, and to the community. “It solidifies what our team has done,” he said of the honor he received from the National Association of Builders.

“One of our goals when we started was to win a national award,” said Heather, a designer. “It was a lofty goal considering we were working from a makeshift desk in a spare bedroom.”

Employees don’t need executive sign-off to do right by a client. “If we know in our gut this is the right thing for the client, we all have the authority to make it happen,” said Darby Sargent, director of design. “That’s a rarity. I’ve worked with enough design-builders to know you don’t hear that a lot.”

“There’s a very strong culture of accountability and drive to improve,” said Ammon Hardy, manager of project development. “Whether you just got here or you’ve been here for years, the expectation is that we’re always getting better.”

The proof of hiring the right people is literally written on the wall at Mountainwood Homes. Recently, Alicia added a new row of plaques to the tenure board. “We’re running out of wall space,” she said, “which is a good problem to have. We have almost as many staff at 10 years as we do at five.”

There are plenty of other reasons employees stay. Several said working at Mountainwood after working at other places “felt like coming home.” Cory Richardson, field production manager, said the firm stands apart for its commitment to doing things the right way.

“I come to work every day knowing I have the support to do just about anything I need to do,” Cory said. “It’s about the experience; it’s about the quality of the work. First and foremost, we’re going to do exactly what we say we’re going to do.”

When asked what sets Robert and Heather apart as leaders, Darby said it’s not about making money. “They’re genuinely passionate about people and the craft of building, which is rare in this business.” Cory credits leadership with fostering a culture of steady, measurable improvement. Rather than vague ambitions, the company emphasizes clear, trackable goals.

Mountainwood is unapologetically at the upper end of its market. Rather than compete on price, it competes on experience—starting with the first appointment. “From the day we go out and meet someone, we want to provide a different experience,” Robert said. “They may decide in that first appointment we’re not for them, but we usually make enough of an impression that those people will call us later.”

Robert strives to earn “clients for life,” and Heather traces that phrase to an observation about other service professions. “He was thinking about how people go to the same accountant because they trust that person year after year—the same with their doctor and their attorney. Why can’t we build that same level of trust to be top of mind so when someone needs another project they call us?”

About 30% of Mountainwood’s business comes from repeat clients, referrals, and even referrals from nonclients who have seen their work. “We get clients referred to us by people who haven’t used us yet but tell others, ‘I didn’t use Mountainwood, but I really wish I had,’” Robert said.

Mountainwood is also gaining clients after starting a new program called “Expert Hours,” which are casual Saturday morning coffee gatherings where prospective clients can come and ask questions, meet the team, and get a feel for the company.

“A home remodel can be scary,” Alicia said. “Sometimes the owners have thought about it for years, but they haven’t taken the first step. Expert Hours helps them feel comfortable, meet our team, and see our space. It’s working really well.”

Another thing Mountainwood does differently from many design-build companies is keeping designers actively involved in a project from the initial concept through the end of construction. That translates to clients getting more time and attention that they expected from the team. “Clients come in thinking they’re hiring a company,” Darby said. “And by the end they feel like we’re family, and we’re getting hugs.”

Robert’s influence extends beyond Mountainwood through his involvement in local and national industry organizations. It takes him away from the office and costs him hours, but he makes no apology. He’s served as past president of the Home Builders Association of Greater Portland and currently serves on multiple NAHB national committees.

“If you aren’t at the table, decisions can get made that go against your business,” Robert said. The stakes, he argues, are more immediate than most remodelers realize. Currently, the Oregon Home Builders Association is tracking 3,500 active bills in the state legislature that could affect the industry. “The solid wins have been in permitting,” he said.

In addition, through his work on NAHB’s Remodelers Board of Trustees, and Robert has built relationships with contractors across the country and built a valuable institutional network through his participation in the NAHB’s 20 Clubs, which are comprised of builders and remodelers from non-competing markets who meet several times a year to share and compare information.

What does he think about the current state of the housing market? He’s optimistic but measured. Costs are higher than five years ago, but materials have stabilized. “I think it’s a good time to remodel,” he said. “It’s predictable, but it’s more expensive than what a lot of people thought.”

Looking further out, he sees tailwinds in existing stock. “There’s more inventory on the ground right now than can ever be built,” he said. “That inventory drives remodeling and the health of the new home market feeds it further.”

In an industry often defined by dramatic transformations, Mountainwood’s success is rooted in something quieter but more powerful: consistency, clarity, and a commitment to doing things the right way—again and again.

A lot has changed since building that backyard shed 18 years ago. “My team won’t let me on a jobsite with my tool belt anymore,” Robert laughed. At the same time, he knows that’s the way it should be.

These days at Mountainwood Homes, all the building is being done by the team Robert and Heather built around themselves, which, from the very beginning, was the whole point.