Dever Design & Build strives for perfection

By Patricia Nugent

Jack Dever likes to say that sawdust runs through his veins.

With his father in the construction field, he grew up loving every aspect of it, from planning to design and build. After college, Jack worked in the corporate world for several years, but the tug of nails and studs, hardhats and blueprints brought him back.

“It started out slowly, I would buy a property here and there and renovate it to sell, then people would see my work and ask me to do the same for their home,” he recalls. “Before you know it, I was transitioning to a full-time builder and left the corporate world behind to found Dever Design & Build. When I started the company, I took an unwritten oath that I am 100% responsible for my clients’ happiness while they’re in my care. Thirty years later and I’m fortunate to still be doing what I love.”

The Euclid native has lived with his wife in Kirtland for the past 20 years, where he’s been active coaching his two college-aged kids’ sports teams when they were growing up and stayed involved in the community.

How He Differs from Others
“You often hear the horror story of someone who hires a contractor, then he doesn’t show up to work and they have no way of contacting him,” says Jack. “That’s the antithesis of how I run my business. I show up at the job site personally every day. I’m the only person a client will deal with. The people on my team, from the architect to the designer and craftsmen, work together seamlessly and have all been in this business for decades. We’re like family.”

At the end of the day, he’s not happy until his clients are happy. And judging by all the five-star reviews, they are head-over-heels happy.

“I’m lucky in that I’ve never had to ask a past client for a referral,” he says. “By the end of the job, they often ask me if they can write one. And they send their friends to me, too.”

A Commercial Undertaking with All the Comforts of Home
One such referral is the McMahon-Coyne-Vitantonio Funeral Home on Center Street in Mentor.

“Even though most of my work is in residential, this commercial client reached out to me because they were interested in transforming their 1970s building into an elegant and homey place of business,” says Jack. “Their goal was to make it more spacious, functional and beautiful, both internally and externally. They wanted to take the setting from dark and dreary to light and welcoming.”

From a functionality standpoint, they plan to enlarge the bathrooms and make them more wheelchair accessible, expand the office and meeting room, and create a kitchen/family gathering area where food can be served.

“Their main viewing room is the largest in Lake County and can be separated into three individual rooms,” he says. “We plan to give them a warm and inviting feeling by adding more light and introducing distinctive touches, like crown molding and white-on-white wainscoting that you’d find in a fine family home.”

Collaborating with interior designer Karen Koeth of KK Interiors, Jack met with the clients to get a feel for how they wanted to update the building esthetically.

“One structure from the existing building I had to design around was a rustic brick wall built by Tony Vitantonio’s father,” Karen says. “I went with a palette of soft and complementary colors to enhance it, from ambers and golds to black and tans.”

For flooring, they chose an eclectic mix of black and tan ceramic tile in the entranceway, leading to black carpet and patterned carpet in the viewing rooms. Lighting will be a key element in the new design, and Karen and Jack worked to add and expand windows, as well as bring in ceiling and ambient lighting fixtures.

“In the expanded kitchen area, we’re putting in countertops in cream and gold Carrara marble, and the cabinetry is a mix of cherry wood and painted white wood,” she says. “Since this is a funeral home, we wanted to keep things traditional, but add some modern flair.”

The two-sided fireplace between the vestibule and kitchen will feature a cherry wood mantel with family photos. Look for monthly updates on this transformative renovation project starting in February and running throughout the year.

Revitalizing Room Renovations, Additions
When Mary Jo and Jon Gurry bought a nine-foot Christmas tree that didn’t fit in their Willoughby home back in 2019, they saw it as a sign. It was time to put an addition on their home—with taller ceilings.

“We also needed more room for entertaining,” says Jon. “The home was perfect for two people to live in, but every time we had a party, it was really cramped with our large extended families and friends.”

They met with several builders and felt that Jack Dever had the best ideas that fit into their budget.

“We couldn’t be happier with the quality of the finished 288-square-feet of family room and dining area,” says Jon. “When the inspector came in, he noticed the meticulous workmanship, and so do people who visit that are familiar with construction. They worked closely with us on every detail. Jack went the extra mile, suggesting we add six inches of insulation under the slab to keep the addition warm in the winter and cool in the summer.”

The finishing touch was installing a covered walkway from their garage to the new addition. Like many home improvement projects, Amy Bloomberg’s South Euclid first floor renovation in 2018 began with just wanting new flooring. It snowballed from there.

“My kitchen was stuck in the 1980s, with white square tile flooring and white Formica countertops,” she says. “Once we got into the nuts and bolts of the design, Jack came up with the idea of knocking down the wall to the formal dining room to add more space. What we gained helped us create a large island with seating for four, and another wall of counter space and special illuminated cabinetry with glass doors to showcase prints that are meaningful to us.”

Selecting leathered black granite countertops with a subtle matte texture added an interesting element juxtaposed against the sleek white cabinets. And installing a sliding barn door that leads to the basement created a rustic element while saving space.

“Having to move what was our dining room window up to counter height would have cost significantly more money, since we would’ve had to change the siding on the exterior, too,” Amy explains. “Jack came up with the idea of keeping the longer window and putting a charming window seat under it with storage.”

She says every person on his crew was creative and talented and collaborated with her throughout the process. For instance, one craftsman had the idea to use a piece of granite to fashion an extended windowsill by her sink that she now uses to showcase plants.

“I actually texted Jack after the pandemic hit, thanking him for the joyful space he had built for us to quarantine in,” she says.

Dever Design & Build is based in Willoughby. Jack offers free consultations, just fill in your information on the Contact Us page at DeverDesignAndBuild.com, or call Jack at 440-477-2338.