Kitchens that keep the original footprint
We refinish fir floors, rebuild the window casings and fit cabinets to walls that are not square. Plumbing and gas lines are replaced while the room is open, so you never pay to open it twice.
Home renovation · Portland, Oregon
Old houses deserve a patient renovation.
Harbor & Beam Renovations rebuilds kitchens, baths and whole floors in Portland's bungalows, foursquares and mid-century ranches. We open the walls, show you what is inside, and price the repairs before we choose a tile.
Oregon CCB licensed, bonded and lead-safe certified.
Credentials and the shops we buy from
- Oregon CCB Licensed & Bonded
- EPA Lead-Safe Certified Firm
- Energy Trust of Oregon Trade Ally
- Pratt & Larson Tile
- Rejuvenation Lighting
- Marvin Windows
The rooms we rebuild most
Every project starts with the house you actually have: plaster behind the wallpaper, a 1927 panel with two spare breakers, a floor that tilts toward the drain.
Bathrooms with a waterproofing plan
Pan liners, membrane over every seam, and a fan that actually exhausts outside. Portland's damp winters find the shortcuts, so we do not take any.
Rewires and panel upgrades
Knob-and-tube comes out wall by wall behind a licensed electrician, with insulation blown in while the cavities are bare.
Seismic and foundation work
Anchor bolts, cripple-wall bracing and sill plate replacement, drawn to the city's retrofit guidelines and often done before the finish work above it.
Attic and basement conversions
Dormers, mini-splits and egress wells for the extra bedroom or office, with air sealing done before the drywall closes.
Aging-in-place remodels
Zero-threshold showers, wider doors, grab-bar blocking and lever hardware, designed with an occupational therapist when your family wants one.
A few numbers from our job files
- Portland homes renovated
- 340
- Years on the same Hawthorne shop floor
- 11
- Of clients who called us back for a second phase
- 92%
- Average time between phases for returning clients
- 26 mo
Finished houses across the east and northwest sides
Photographed in the first month after handover, before the furniture came back.
Three ways to scope a renovation
Starting prices come from our own invoices. Your written proposal replaces them after we have opened a wall and measured twice.
Winter starts price about 20% lower
Room refresh
One room, same layout. New surfaces, lighting and paint with the plumbing left where it is.
$18,500 and up
- Floor, trim and paint
- Fixtures and lighting swap
- Four to six weeks on site
Room rebuilt
A kitchen or primary bath taken to the studs, with relocated plumbing and new circuits.
$64,000 and up
- Design hours included
- Permits and inspections
- Eight to twelve weeks on site
House in phases
Several rooms sequenced so you can stay home, with systems upgrades done in the first phase.
$185,000 and up
- Phase calendar and budget
- Dedicated project lead
- Rewire, insulation and seismic work
Neighbors who handed us a key
“They opened the bathroom wall, called us in to look at the rot, and gave a price for fixing it that same afternoon. No drama, no padding.”
“Three phases over two years, and the second crew knew exactly where the first had left the wiring. That continuity is why we stayed.”
“Our house is from 1924 and the finished kitchen looks like it always lived here.”
Illustrative quotes from fictional clients.
Questions before a renovation begins
Do you handle permits for Portland and Multnomah County?
Yes. We pull building, electrical and plumbing permits, schedule inspections and keep the signed cards in your binder at handover.
Is my 1920s house a problem?
It is our favorite kind. We test for lead paint and asbestos tile before demolition and work under EPA lead-safe rules whenever paint is disturbed.
Can we stay in the house during a kitchen rebuild?
Most families do. We set up a temporary kitchen in another room, seal the work zone and clean it at the end of every day.
What if you find something behind the wall?
We stop, photograph it, and send a written repair price the same day. Work on that area waits for your signature.
Do you offer design help?
A designer joins the Room rebuilt and House in phases tiers. For refreshes we bring samples to your home and help you choose between two or three palettes.
Tell us which rooms you are dreaming about
A project lead reads every form. Expect a call within two business days, and a site visit within the week after that.
Bring us the house you already love
We will help you keep what is worth keeping and rebuild what is not.