A.B. Dyer Construction carries on a Sisters legacy

For Andrew Dyer, construction is a family affair. Sometimes this means sharing coffee and breakfast with a client. Once, it meant a client happily giving Dyer the keys to their Portland home, where he stayed for two weeks while remodeling their kitchen. 

Dyer runs A.B. Dyer Construction, serving the Sisters area by rebuilding decks and remodeling kitchens and bathrooms. 

Through his work, Dyer carries on the legacy of his grandfather. Dyer's grandfather was in charge of maintenance at Camp Sherman's House on Metolius. According to Dyer: "He would fix the sprinklers. He would fix the fence. He would go inside, do the trim work. He would come out and build a deck. He'd build a shed. Quite literally anything they needed done."

Throughout his childhood, Dyer was a fixture in his grandfather's woodshop, getting lessons on doing detailed work on small-scale projects. He learned the principles of "the finer tuning of doing accents and making wood come together in a...more artistic way instead of just slapping it together." At the end of every session, his grandfather would say the same thing: "Andrew, you work hard."

As a self-described shy kid in high school, Dyer quickly found a home in Tony Cosby's woodshop, seeking every opportunity to spend time there honing his craft. He helped build stacks of walls that later became a Habitat for Humanity home. He built two-and-a-half guitars (finishing one that had been abandoned by a peer) that were later auctioned off in the My Own Two Hands fundraiser, organized by the Sisters Folk Festival to benefit school arts programs. Dyer remembers Cosby telling him, "this might be your calling in life."

Shortly after high school, Dyer followed that calling and began his contracting business. At first he focused on repair jobs, but as he gathered a longer list of satisfied customers, he expanded to offering remodels.

When Dyer renovates a space, he works to modernize and brighten it. While working with clients to ensure he meets their needs and desires, he also hopes to make small spaces feel larger. Drawing on his grandfather's teaching, he prides himself in being meticulous. He hopes to never return to a client to fix anything; he cares about doing everything right the first time.

In getting those details right, Dyer relies on his grandfather's legacy in a more literal way. "He had a massive woodshop and did amazing work," said Dyer, "and he gave me all the tools that he had, which is an honor." When a job calls for an unusual angle or other fine details, Dyer still relies on his grandfather's custom tools to complete projects with care.

These days Dyer is not alone in his work. He is supported by a crew that includes a former motocross professional and commercial fisherman, each of whom bring complementary skills that help him tackle larger and more complex projects. Dyer feels honored to have people work for him. "We all have kids, too," he says. "It's cool to know that every time I write them a paycheck it's going to their families."

Dyer sees this communal feeling directly influencing the quality of his team's work. While the hard work of construction might tempt some contractors to see each job as part of a never-ending checklist, Dyer works to build relationships with clients and their families. This personal touch makes the client like a part of the team, and helps him understand how to best execute their vision. He wants to do right by everyone in the community because, as he says, he is rooted here: "I want to be here for the rest of my life."

Though Dyer has worked all over the region, from Sun River to Crooked River Ranch, he enjoys working much closer to home in Sisters, and Black Butte Ranch in particular. When asked what he enjoys about working there, Dyer smiled and broadly gestured at the panoramic view of the mountain across the meadow: "It just feels like it's home."

To learn more about A.B. Dyer Construction, email adyer.contracting@gmail.com or call or text Andrew Dyer at 541-977-7733.