Bonsai Builder Construction Company Profile

he owner of Bonsai Builder Construction, Ernest Culp, was born and raised in Los Gatos, California, where he now runs his business. Though he is a General Building Contractor, Ernest has a large artist side to him, which is what led him to his specialty: Building beautiful, custom homes from the ground up and as remodels.

After years working for other construction companies, Ernest Culp started Bonsai Builder Construction in 1989 to purse his own dream and place his own artistic stamp on his projects. "I wanted to build the highest-quality homes possible, homes that would stand the test of time. We stay away from trendy styles and focus on the classics."

Over the years, Ernest and his skilled crew have completed a wide range of projects from remodels, to basement additions, to new homes, in styles including California Contemporary, Victorian, Craftsman and Tuscan. No matter the style of home, they leave no detail to chance and complete much of the work in-house, including foundations, foundation drainage, site drainage, framing and finish work.

Ensuring Quality
Ernest Culp is a stickler for detail and personally oversees each project, staying in close touch with the client and ensuring nothing is overlooked or under-built. True quality, according to Ernest, is as much unseen as it is seen, from structural integrity to energy efficiency. His crew at Bonsai Builder Construction, many of whom have been with him for many years, share his passion for quality. Ernest said he loves the challenge of a difficult build as it allows him and his crew to exercise their creativity and skills.

Working Closely With Each Customer from Start to Finish
"I work very closely with my customers, especially on the finish work," said Ernest. "In twenty years we've never had a liability or claim issue due to faulty construction. We're very proud of that."

Ernest Culp understands that in each building project, three factors must be juggled: time, cost and quality. Scrimping on the first two can affect the third and he will not let this happen. "Time and cost can vary as unseen factors come into play," said Ernest. "We, at Bonsai Builder Construction, try to work closely with the customer so they can understand the project and where the money's going. We always remember, it's one thing to finish the project and have a great looking house, but it's got to last for decades - lifetimes even. Ours will. My goal is to have our customers love their home." He paused and added, "That's what brings me the most satisfaction, when my customer is completely satisfied and loves their new home and I know it was done right."

Complete Design Assistance, Inside and Out
Ernest's wife, Amy, joined the company five years ago. She brings a Bachelor's degree in Fine Arts from USC and years of experience in interior design to each project. Her presence has rounded out the skills and services offered by Bonsai Builder Construction. According to Ernest, many clients know they want a new, custom home but aren't sure about the details. If the client requests it, Ernest and Amy can color consult, help design and prepare drawings for kitchen and bathroom layout, tile layout, custom cabinets and other custom woodwork and assist in creating the overall design and feel of the interior.

Ernest Culp plans to grow Bonsai Builder Construction from the small company it is as opportunities present themselves, but never at the expense of compromising his number-one priority: quality.

---Jim Brumm
Staff Writer
The Prime Buyer's Report