In 1977 Steve Asher founded what would become one of the longest-lasting homebuilding companies in the Rogue Valley. At that point, Ashland was still a mostly undiscovered rural community with a significant portion of its economy based on the timber industry and the Shakespeare festival barely on its way to becoming the nationally known institution it is today.
Over the past 45 years, much has changed in the valley and Steve and his team have built more than 1,000 homes in our area, each one a testament to the company’s dedication to craftsmanship, quality, and environmental stewardship. They have seen trends come and go, building codes change, new materials introduced, and an endless progression of new technology that has improved the building process and the functionality of the homes they can build.
Over the last few years, Steve has been preparing for retirement and transitioning ownership of Asher Homes to Dustin Brown, a seasoned, second-generation builder himself. Steve will remain in an active role in Asher Homes, doing most of the design work and continuing to participate in daily operations, but Dustin is now acting as the managing partner and is chiefly responsible for the output of the company.
In today’s interview, I spoke with Dustin about the legacy of Asher Homes, his dedication to carrying Steve’s legacy into the future, and how he sees the company contributing to the community in the decades to come. 
Hi Dustin, thanks so much for taking the time to do this interview with me today and congratulations to you and Steve for working together for the transition of this great company here in the Rogue Valley.
Thank you. I’ve known Steve most of my life. He was a respected mentor for me when I was growing up in Ashland, so when the opportunity came up for us to work together it felt like a perfect scenario. I had been building homes for over 20 years and he was looking for a way to start adding more flexibility in his schedule and prepare for retirement. It’s tough for anyone to match Steve’s charisma, but we have been a very good fit in terms of the way we approach projects with a high level of client education. We’re both dedicated to building beautiful, energy efficient homes that will enhance our community for many decades to come. We also both have a keen interest in making sure that as designers and builders, we are optimizing usage of building materials in order to both control cost and reduce waste.
Dustin, the slogan for Asher Homes is “Built on Trust.” Please talk about this philosophy that has been strongly instilled into each and every home you have built.
There are so many variables when building or remodeling a home. The most crucial factor in selecting someone as your builder is that it’s someone who has earned your trust. You will bump into surprises during the building process – things like finding a huge boulder within the excavation site for a new home or finding “creative” plumbing after the walls get opened up that needs to be replaced during a remodel. It’s imperative that you trust your contractor to find the best solution with both budget and quality in mind.
Asher Homes is known for its high standard of craftsmanship. Tell us how you and Steve have developed that reputation.
One of the biggest values that a contractor brings to the table is their relationships with subcontractors and tradespeople who all contribute to the final product. Over the years we have curated partnerships with craftsmen who deliver excellence. Many of our core tradesmen have worked with us and together with each other for 15 to 20 years, developing not only clear best practices for their individual trades, but also a team environment where everyone is committed to a common goal. We are proud of the work our subcontractors do; they are true artisans who have mastered their crafts and take pride in the work they do on the homes we build together. They know the level of work that our customers demand and they give us important input in the design process and final execution. We rely on their expertise to help us create the final outcome that delight our clients.
Dustin, please tell us about the scope of services that you are offering your clients with Asher Homes?
We have three main types of projects that we have come to specialize in.
1. Designing and building custom homes both in town and on rural properties
2. Remodels in older, and especially historic, homes
3. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)
Each type of project comes with unique challenges and gives us opportunities to creatively solve problems within the budget and constraints of the existing space, whether it be the soil composition and topography of a property or the walls of an existing home.
In regards to new home construction specifically, how does your company approach this process that might be different than other companies would?
Our custom homes range from smaller homes that maximize space efficiency on flag lots in the city to large rural estates with acreage and barns. We have the network and experience to handle those and everything in between.
The first step is always to sit down with our clients and make sure we understand them. Their lifestyle, preferences, budget, and what excites them. We want the final outcome to reflect their values and taste and provide them with a space that meets all their needs and feels like an extension of themselves.
Some customers do come to us with plans ready to go or a very clear idea of what they’re looking for, but most of our custom homes start with our in-house design consultation. We invest heavily in the discovery and planning process to make sure we understand your vision and needs. Working with an experienced builder on the design gives you access to a vast library of ideas we’ve implemented in other homes. It also makes for a smoother build process as we’re already anticipating how we will execute the design in the real world.
During and after the pandemic, supply chain issues caused problems with construction. Please tell us about the solutions your company implemented to keep things moving smoothly.
The pandemic definitely created challenges we had never seen before in the construction industry.
Possibly the greatest of those was that we were having a hard time sourcing the materials, fixtures, appliances, etc. that we needed to keep projects moving. To keep things rolling as smoothly as possible, we created a new position at our company, the construction coordinator, and he worked full-time on coordinating with clients to find the products they wanted in their homes. It worked out so well that he continues in that position and acts as a coach to our clients, helping source products and keeping things on schedule by making sure they are clear on when we need to know their choices. Our construction coordinator has become an integral part of our process working with clients to find the selections they want. We still see some manufacturers with long lead times as they struggle to keep up with demand, but our construction coordinator helps us figure those issues out by sourcing alternatives or finding new suppliers.
How have you incorporated new technologies into the building process and the homes you build?
When it comes to new technologies for the home, the sky is really the limit. Smart lighting, thermostats, and garage doors are almost standard at this point, but we’ve installed everything from whole house automation to faraday curtains inside walls to block electro-magnetic waves.
All those new products are fun, but what we really get excited about are the technologies that improve the building process and make the process easier for our customers.
One that we love using is our 3D scanning process. For new homes, we use it before we close up the walls so the customer can preserve a detailed view of the inside of the house – exact location of every stud, pipe, wire, and vent. We have found this to be invaluable not only as we continue the build process but it’s also an excellent resource for a homeowner’s future needs.
On a remodel, it means we can scan the entire house with minute detail and go from concept to buildable plans faster than ever before.
We also love using our new web-based project management system with its homeowner portal. This gives our customers the ability to see progress photos and see the schedule as it progresses. It also gives them the ability to easily make selections and communicate with us in one centralized location.
Dustin, you are joined by an amazing team at Asher Homes, including founder Steve Asher. Please say more.
Yes, we’re fortunate to still have Steve around and he continues to lead the design portion of our business. He also remains active in overseeing our projects and providing his expertise to ensure that each house is up to Asher Homes’ standards.
We have an internal team with three project managers that have 70 years of combined construction experience between them. They are the main point of contact for onsite communication and they coordinate the work of all our subcontractors whom we have chosen for their reliability and excellent work. We have in-house framing and finish carpentry crews that allow us to fine-tune the structure and put the finishing touches on with custom carpentry details. Plus our wonderful office team that makes sure the bills get paid and all the behind-the-scenes details are handled. We are fortunate to have a great team and our customers see it in the organization and efficiency.
What would you say is the ultimate goal of your customer and how do you go above and beyond to fulfill these needs?
Customers choose a custom builder like us because they want to take their own ideas and preferences and create a space that expresses their personality and supports their lifestyle – spaces that are truly theirs. We have the skills to make that happen and we also have the experience to help them see possibilities they may not have considered. We worked on a remodel recently and once we got into the space and started working, we discovered some dead space that enabled us to alter the plans and add some unplanned storage and expand the entertaining space. We also were able to pull 100-year-old carpentry details from the original space into the new area which made the new area cohesive with the rest of the house. Our client was thrilled with the final result and glad that we were able to collaborate and add our ideas to hers to ultimately make a home that was even better than she originally envisioned.
Asher Homes has made a name for itself by building highly efficient and customized homes. Please say more.
There are so many things that can be done to improve a home’s efficiency and we truly enjoy it when we get to work with a customer who really wants to integrate sustainability into their home. Starting with the design phase, choosing the best orientation for natural light and passive solar energy, optimizing the roof for solar panels, and then going into the selection of materials and the actual building process. We have started using a product called Zip System that combines weather sealing, structural support, and insulation in one product. It creates a tightly sealed building envelope and when combined with a high-efficiency HVAC system with advanced air filtration, we can deliver homes that far exceed the energy efficiency required by current building codes.
Dustin, what do you enjoy most about the work you do with Asher Homes, and what are some of your goals and dreams as we move into the future?
I love creating quality homes that will take care of families and beautify our valley for decades to come.
I’m proud of the work we do and of how we’ve been able to continually push the boundaries of efficiency and sustainability. We’re currently building an all-electric, net zero home, and I anticipate that that will become the standard before too long. I’m excited to be a part of moving those standards forward and demonstrating what is possible.
I love the deep connections we make with our clients as we work with them and I just want to keep making people’s dreams come true with the homes we build.
Tell us about some of the coolest projects you guys have been working on recently.
We love the variety we have going. We recently finished a large custom home that allowed us to let our imaginations run wild and gave our skilled trade partners the opportunity to showcase their talents and capabilities. On that one, our carpenters created four, custom, white oak bunk beds, complete with charging stations and custom-fabricated railings.
We’re also just finishing up a remodel on the oldest home we’ve ever worked on. Originally built in 1860, this house stretched our creativity to redesign and build a beautiful, functional, modern space while honoring the home’s history and working within the constraints of the original building. We got to reuse 150-year-old timber to incorporate exposed beams and were able to deliver old-world charm with modern comfort and energy efficiency.
We’re also currently working on an ADU for a customer in Ashland that will create a beautiful new stand-alone apartment that will provide the owner with some extra income while creating another home in a walkable neighborhood. 
Asher Homes also has extensive experience in home remodeling and historic remodels as well. Please say more.
We’ve had the great honor of restoring and preserving some of the valley’s beautiful historic homes. They come with some unique challenges as we bring them up to modern standards, but it’s so rewarding to have a hand in preserving the charm of these historic treasures while making them more functional and ensuring that they will continue to be around for another 100 years. Remodels are also a great opportunity to take a space and transform it into something new, whether that be a primary suite addition, new home office, or reworking kitchen space to build the kitchen our clients have always dreamt of.
If someone is looking to buy, build or remodel a home, when is the best time to reach out to you and your team?
The best time is when it makes sense for you. Prices and availability of materials have fluctuated over the last few years and that will likely continue for the foreseeable future. Prices on some things like lumber and sheet goods have come down significantly from their highs a year ago while other materials like electrical wiring and pipe will probably continue to climb as global commodity markets remain strong. In any case, you can be sure that we will seek out the best value for you and pass along the prices we get without marking those materials up.
Thanks so much for speaking with me today. Are there any last thoughts or comments you would like to share?
Selecting a builder is a big commitment. Our advice is that you select someone who has a proven record of producing quality construction at the level you want your home and that, ultimately, you select a builder that you trust and connect well with. We will be working together closely for months and maybe even over a year on a large custom home and we’ll be collaborating on countless decisions during that time. The best projects are the ones in which the homeowners trust us and know that we are committed to bringing their vision to life as efficiently as possible.
Learn More:
Asher Homes
474 Russell Street, Suite 101, Ashland
541-210-3027
