Conservation Driven, Sustainable
Custom Crafted Homes,
Remodels and Retrofits Since 1978
Net-zero, carbon sequestering design and construction, and cost-plus transparency aren't trends we're chasing - they're the foundation EarthCraft Construction was founded on. One builder. One point of responsibility. Built to outlast your mortgage by 80 years.
One builder. One point of responsibility. Healthy homes built to outlast your mortgage by 80 years.
I'm Jon Clark, and building your family's home is sacred work to me.
Not "somewhat sacred." Sacred.
You're creating the environment where your children will grow up, where your family will build memories, where you'll spend the rest of your lives. That responsibility demands more than skill - it demands that I take it personally.
Ron Hixson, EarthCraft Construction's founder, taught me that. I worked alongside Ron for almost 8 years) seven and a half years until he passed in August 2025. He was a mentor, my friend, a father figure, a person to (possibly add more like worth) emulate. He showed me that when you call yourself a professional, you take on real responsibility. There's no option for mediocrity. You operate at a high level or you don't operate at all.
That responsibility shows up in three ways in every home we build:
FIRST: WE ARE CONSERVATIONISTS AT HEART
Ron started building this way in 1978 - before "green building" was even a term. His philosophy was simple: Use what you have. Don't take more than you need. Build things that last generations.
What that means for your home:
30% to 90% lower energy costs compared to conventional builds
Net-zero capable through EarthCraft’s standard building practices
Carbon sequestering through straw bale construction
R-45 walls as standard (most custom homes are R-20)
Air quality inside is cleaner than outside
We build to certification standards, but only recommend certifying when it financially benefits you. Performance matters more than plaques.
This isn't an upgrade package. This is how we build. It's been our standard for almost 50 years.
You get a home that will serve your family for the rest of your lives and your kids' lives. Air cleaner inside than outside. Materials that don't compromise your health. Built without guilt about what it cost the earth.
SECOND: WE ARE SERVICE-ORIENTED, SINGLE POINT OF RESPONSIBILITY
This is not my house. It's yours.
I'm here to build what you want, not what I think you should want. This is a collaborative process, and I need your input throughout because your home should fit the way you live.
When you have a question, you call me. Not an electrician. Not a framer. Not a project manager. Not an architect. Not a designer. Me.
You're not juggling multiple contractors. You're not playing telephone between an architect and a builder. One person is responsible for everything. I will handle it.
The people who invest in a truly custom built home need one point of contact.. That's why this model works.
THIRD: WE OPPERATE ON A HIGH INTEGRITY, COST-PLUS MODEL
We operate cost-plus, which means if I do my job super efficiently, I don't take home more money—I pass that back to you. That's a point of pride and responsibility.
What the job costs is what it costs. We don't pad estimates. We don't hide markups.
If I'm going to demand that you trust me—and I do—then I have to earn it. Our preliminary plans cost you barely what they cost us to produce. Sometimes we lose money during that phase. That's intentional. We're betting on ourselves to earn your business before you commit to anything major.
This model only works if you believe two things: that we have integrity, and that we're oriented toward serving you, not ourselves. If you believe that, then cost-plus is the inevitable place we end up—because you get the best possible product for the least amount of cost.
That's how it works. That's how it's always worked.
When Move-in Day Arrives
Your furniture goes down. You take your first deep breath in your new home.
The air is... different. Cleaner. You can feel it.
The quality isn't just visible—it's tangible. The weight of the door. The silence between rooms. The way natural light moves through the space. The thermal mass holding steady while outside temperatures swing. The smell of real wood and plaster instead of off-gassing chemicals.
Clients tell us the same thing:
"I had no idea this is what we were going to get."
They saw the plans. They trusted the process. But standing in the space—feeling the air quality, experiencing the light, understanding what 80+ years of durability actually means—that's when intellectual understanding becomes visceral knowing.
This is the difference between a house and a home built to serve your family for generations.
You're Not Just Hiring Me. You're Getting Almost Six-Decades of Mastery.
Mark “Ron” Hixson founded what became EarthCraft Construction in 1978 when design-build was radical and "green building" didn't exist. He built Idaho's first LEED-certified single-family home. He pioneered passive solar design, straw bale construction, and conservation-driven building before any of it had a name.
For six decades, Ron perfected not just the technical side—though he did that—but the philosophy: Building someone's home is sacred work. You're creating the environment where a family will live, have experiences, grow up. That demands your best, every time.
I worked alongside Ron for almost 8 years. He taught me that when you take real responsibility for this work, shortcuts become impossible. He taught me what integrity means in practice, not just in principle. He taught me that you can be both practical and creative, both exacting and flexible, both builder and conservationist.
What this means for you: Every home I build, remodel, or retrofit carries forward 70+ years of refinement—Ron's decades of mastering the craft plus my own. You get the benefit of mistakes we'll never make again, systems we've perfected, and a level of care that's been earned through thousands of decisions on hundreds of homes. (CONSIDER ADDING Collectively we have… over - add Jons decade 13 years)
Ron's ethos didn't die with him. It lives in every wall I frame, every material I source, every choice I make on your behalf.
Every Home Solves a Problem
Some clients come to us after conventional builders told them "you can't." We specialize in "you can."
The Moon Valley Project
Jon's first project with Ron. A high-performance conventional build— a “passivhous” model using new-age building science and materials. Super energy-efficient, super airtight, designed for healthy living, but not considering material quality.
This job taught Jon what it meant to truly collaborate with a client through the challenges. There were difficult conversations about cost and design changes. But the trust held.
Seven and a half years later, Bill came to Ron's memorial. Teary-eyed, emotional, laughing about the hard times right alongside the triumphs. Talking about how much he loves his house. Zero regrets. Only gratitude.
Building a Custom Home
Is a Labor Of Love
You've heard the custom build horror stories. The stress. The cost overruns. The chaos.
Here's what actually happens when you work with us:
We Start With Skin in the Game
Our preliminary plans cost barely what they cost us—sometimes we lose money on this phase. That's intentional. We're betting on ourselves to earn your business before you commit to anything major.
It's a low barrier to entry that proves we're confident in our ability to deliver value.
We're Straight About Cost and We Manage Expectations
I won't give you a firm price on a drawing that hasn't been drawn yet. That would be guessing. But I'll give you a realistic range based on almost 70 years of combined experience, and then we define it together as we design.
We're cost-plus. What it costs is what it costs. I'm not contractually bound to a verbal estimate, but I am accountable to my reputation. If I tell you we'll be in a certain range and then blow past it, that hurts me professionally and personally. I take that responsibility seriously.
My goal is to keep you informed throughout the process so there are no surprises. We make decisions together, and you always know where the budget stands.
When clients look back—from first meeting to move-in—they say the same thing: "It was really not that difficult; this was so much easier than we thought it would be." They see more joy than stress. And that's exactly what this process should be.
Building custom has challenges. There are difficult conversations sometimes. Things change. But when you start from a place of trust, and you have one person accountable for everything, those challenges don't turn into disasters.
Let's Find Out If We're a Fit
Our process is intentional and personal. I can only work with families who value conservation, integrity, and collaboration—because that's what this model requires to work well.
If you're the kind of person who:
Values conservation that's proven, not performative
Wants a home built to last generations, not decades
Appreciates straight dealing over sales tactics
Prefers one point of responsibility over juggling multiple contractors
Then we should talk.
I'm mindful about who I work with—not because I'm trying to be exclusive, but because this approach only works when we're aligned on values and expectations. If we're a good fit, you'll get my full attention and over 70 years of refined and mastered methodology.
EarthCraft Construction, Inc | Treasure Valley, Idaho
Serving Boise, Oregon & Surrounding Areas (208) 391-3754 | [email protected]
PO Box 9613, Boise, ID 83706
Licensed and insured in Idaho RCE-27334 and Oregon CCB-186023
© 2025 EarthCraft Construction. Built with conservation and integrity since 1978.