Provider profile
SFW Construction
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Portland-area homeowners dealing with mold tied to siding failures or dry rot, where the same contractor can trace moisture intrusion, remove mold, and rebuild the damaged exterior.
Best for
- Portland metro homeowners with mold caused by siding damage, window leaks, or dry rot, where the remediation and exterior rebuild need to happen together.
- Homeowners who want a contractor that will physically remove mold-affected materials rather than fog or spray biocides.
- Properties where the moisture source is a building envelope failure -- bad flashing, deteriorated siding, or leaking windows -- and you need the root cause fixed, not just the mold cleaned up.
- Buyers or sellers needing mold and structural repairs completed quickly to satisfy an appraisal or home inspection.
About this company
SFW Construction is a Portland-based exterior repair contractor that has been fixing siding, dry rot, and window leaks across Oregon and Washington since 2005. Mold removal is one piece of a broader operation focused on building envelope failures. Their pitch on the mold side is that they don't just remove the mold colony -- they trace the moisture intrusion that caused it and repair the underlying construction defect so it doesn't come back.
What stands out is their position against fogging and biocide-based remediation. Their website explicitly states they do not recommend gaseous or aerosolized biocides, citing EPA guidance that dead mold is still allergenic. Instead, they physically remove affected building materials, set up containment, use air scrubbers, and then repair the moisture path. They are factory-trained DuPont Tyvek and James Hardie installers, which matters when the remediation requires tearing into and rebuilding the wall assembly.
The company operates from regional offices in Portland, Tualatin, Bend, Eugene, Salem, Seaside, Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, and Vancouver, WA. Owner Steve is referenced in reviews in the context of resolving quality concerns. They offer financing through Salal Credit Union for qualifying homeowners.
4.8 stars across 154 Google reviews is a strong record, especially for a company that works in exterior construction where scope creep and cost surprises are common complaints industry-wide. Most reviewers highlight the quality of the carpentry work and the responsiveness of project managers.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with regional offices in Tualatin, Bend, Eugene, Salem, and Seaside/Gearhart on the Oregon Coast, plus Seattle, Bellevue, Renton, and Vancouver in Washington. They claim coverage across Oregon and Washington, which is a wide footprint, but the physical office locations suggest they can staff jobs in most of the major metro areas along the I-5 corridor and the coast.
Review consensus
Multiple project managers get called out by name. Doug Stoker is praised for fast estimate turnarounds during time-sensitive home transactions. Corey Parsons gets credit for clear communication and explaining the full scope of work. Arthur traveled 3+ hours for an inspection and ran tests even when the issue turned out to be a false alarm. On the crew side, TJ handled a roof emergency in Beaverton with urgency, Greg and his team drew praise for being knowledgeable and courteous, and Alex is mentioned across multiple reviews for quality carpentry and communication. Jim and Zane are praised together for window leak repairs. Several reviewers note the company doesn't try to upsell, and repeat customers (Duncan Taylor used them three times, Truman Wilson called them back for a second job) speak to consistency.
2 found across 154 total reviews at 4.8★. Both complaints center on SFW's time-and-materials billing model. The first reviewer describes a dry rot repair on second-story dormers where the on-site supervisor changed the access plan without notice, resulting in three workers spending a full day on ladder setup at $125/hour each -- $3,000 for the day with minimal repair work completed. Teardown was billed at an additional $1,781. The reviewer also flags being billed for worker break time, which SFW attributed to the Fair Labor Standards Act. The second reviewer, Robin Owens, had a positive experience with SFW in Portland in 2023 but a negative one on the Oregon Coast in 2025 -- the company refused to give an estimate, billed daily, charged credit card fees, and the final bill reached nearly $50,000. She describes catching billing mistakes and feeling trapped once the side of her house was opened up.
The billing model is the structural issue behind both complaints. SFW bills hourly per worker with no fixed estimate, which multiple positive reviewers also note (Ron: "I wasn't a fan of the company's time and materials revenue model"; Scott Hess: "The billing is a pay as you go system which is a little scary"; Joshua Johnston: "The cost added up quickly"). When the work goes smoothly and the crew is efficient, reviewers accept it. When scope changes or access complications arise, the hourly meter running on multiple workers creates sticker shock. The 0% owner response rate on recent negatives is also notable for a company with strong overall ratings -- they engage with happy customers on their website but leave the most detailed complaints unanswered.
Doug Stoker (estimating -- positive). Corey Parsons (project manager -- positive). TJ (crew lead -- positive). Arthur (field inspector -- positive). Bryan/Brian (estimating -- positive). Alex (project manager/carpenter -- positive, multiple reviews). Jose (drywall repair -- positive). Jim (carpenter -- positive). Zane (carpenter -- positive). Greg (crew lead -- positive). Foster (crew lead -- positive). Mike (carpenter -- positive). Christian (carpenter -- positive). Stephen (carpenter -- positive). Angel (crew lead -- positive). Justin (project coordination -- positive, resolved quality issues). Steve (owner -- positive, referenced in issue resolution). Bubba (unspecified role -- positive).
SFW delivers strong carpentry and has a deep bench of well-reviewed crew leads and project managers. Ask for Corey Parsons or Doug Stoker if your project involves estimating or transaction timelines. Before signing, get the hourly rate structure in writing with a projected range and a hard cap -- the talent is there, but the open-ended billing model has burned homeowners when jobs get complicated.
Keep in mind
- SFW does both mold testing and mold removal. That means the same company telling you whether you have a problem is also the one billing you to fix it. Ask whether they can provide a third-party test result or whether you can bring in an independent tester.
- They bill time and materials at $125 per hour per worker, and both recent negative reviews center on this model producing bills far above what the homeowner expected. One reviewer reported a $50,000 final cost on a coastal repair with no upfront estimate. Get the billing structure in writing and ask for a not-to-exceed cap before work starts.
- Their primary identity is exterior construction, not mold remediation. Mold removal is one of ten listed services. If your mold problem is not tied to a siding, window, or structural failure, a dedicated mold remediation company may be a better fit.
- The owner response rate on recent negative reviews is 0%. Neither of the two one-star reviews from the past 18 months received a reply from the company.