Minden, Gardnerville, Carson City, and the Carson Valley
For 40+ years Gary Wake has walked bare lots, settling foundations, and tired kitchens with the families who own them, then built what they pictured: custom homes, foundation lifts, Victorian restorations, and kitchen and bath remodels across Minden and the Carson Valley, with Gary on site every day.
How we build
A home is only as sound as what it stands on. Here is how we build yours, in four stages, each one proven on a real job you can walk through.
We dig out the expansive clay that moves Carson Valley homes, compact an engineered base, and pour steel-reinforced slab or perimeter foundations that stay put.
From lifting a whole house on steel I-beams and timber cribbing to post-and-beam porches and engineered roof trusses, we build straight, braced, and square.
Stacked travertine ledger stone, three-coat stucco, Spanish barrel-tile roofs, and heavy-plank redwood gates, all built for Nevada sun, snow, and wind.
Solid-wood cabinetry, granite and quartz counters, river-rock fireplaces, interior arches, and 12-foot bi-fold doors that open your great room to the Sierra.
Before and after
Every project starts with the property exactly as we found it: bare dirt, bare studs, or a foundation that had given up. Slide across to see where it ended.
See how we built the whole-home kitchen and great room remodel
What we build
Building on your own lot, opening up a dated kitchen, or saving a house that has started to sink: Gary Wake manages every trade himself, so there is one person to call and one name on the contract.
Homes designed around your lot, your views, and the way your family actually lives.
Permanent fixes for cracked slabs, failing brick footings, and homes that have started to lean.
Restorations that keep the character you fell in love with and replace everything that was failing behind it.
Kitchens and baths taken to the studs and rebuilt in solid wood and real stone.
Detached guest houses, art studios, and covered outdoor kitchens, each one a real building on its own foundation.
In-house drafting and complete restaurant and tenant build-outs, from bare shell to opening day.
Foundation repair and house lifting
Sticking doors, a crack running across the slab, a floor that slopes toward the kitchen: in Carson Valley clay these are the same problem. Patching the drywall hides it for a season. We lift the house, take out the failing concrete and the soil that moved it, and pour a foundation that stays level.
Raise the home safely onto steel I-beams and stacked timber cribbing.
Remove the failing brick piers or cracked slab and dig out the expansive clay.
Place and compact an engineered base, then tie the reinforcing steel.
Pour the new foundation and set your home back down level, plumb, and secure.
Featured portfolio
Walk through six of our favorite builds across Minden, Carson Valley, and California, with real job-site progress photos and finished spaces.
A family brought Gary Wake a bare lot facing the Sierra and a wish list most builders talk you out of: interior arches, rounded fireplaces, a wood-burning pizza oven, and 12-foot bi-fold doors. He walked it from the first footing trench to the stacked-stone entry, and the house grew straight out of the sagebrush.
A family wanted a parent close by, with privacy and a real home of their own. Gary Wake built a single-story mother-in-law house in their backyard from a bare slab to a red barrel-tile roof, with three stucco arches on the porch, a full kitchen, and a bath with a walk-in tiled shower.
The owners lived with a boxed-in oak kitchen, burgundy walls, and worn carpet for years before they called Gary Wake. He took out the walls that divided the house, built a river-rock fireplace floor to ceiling, and gave them a walnut kitchen with a white quartz island their family now gathers around.
Bob Cat Diner started as a bare concrete box with no plumbing in the floor. Gary Wake trenched the slab for grease lines, framed the kitchen and the angled ceiling clouds, and carried the job through booths, a checkerboard floor, and a trail-map mural to the day the sign went up.
The backyard had a pool, a lawn, and nowhere to cook. Gary Wake poured a patio slab, raised a timber pavilion with a knotty pine ceiling, and built a stacked-stone island with black granite, a built-in grill, and a sink. Now summer evenings end out there under the lights.
Larry and Linda Scott lived far from their 1889 Victorian and worried about trusting anyone with it. Gary Wake lifted the two-story house onto steel beams, replaced the failing brick foundation with reinforced concrete, and rebuilt the curved wrap-around porch the way it stood in 1889.
Homeowner letters
These are the letters homeowners sent after Gary built their custom home, lifted their foundation, or rebuilt their kitchen. We print them word for word.
“As we began inquiring about the possibility of building a custom home, we had several requirements: a reasonable bid, a competent contractor, a solid and sound finished structure, and a clean job site. We didn't know this contractor would need to find solutions to so many difficult problems and have the patience of a kindergarten teacher to explain things to us, or what would appear to be a Houdini to solve several problems we encountered building our home. Gary Wake was all of that for us. We have a beautiful home that under the guidance of Wake Construction grew out of a grass field. Shortcomings in our design created countless problems, but Gary is such an expert problem solver, all issues were resolved to our satisfaction. We had many unique details (arches, wood-burning pizza oven, rounded fireplaces, 12-foot bi-fold doors) that were like mysteries to us, but our detective took care of them with expertise and a nod to the decor theme. We were often on site, but when we could not be, we were kept updated with phone calls, emails, and photos. Gary is punctual and always returns phone calls or emails quickly. Gary's unequaled customer service throughout the project helped us feel at ease and confident with our choice. We would happily recommend Gary Wake and Wake Construction for any of your construction needs.”
Ground-up custom home with arches, wood-burning pizza oven, rounded fireplaces, and 12-foot bi-fold doors
“By recommendation, I contacted Wake Construction to repair the severely broken foundation and rebuild the extensive structural damage to my apartment. The renovation far exceeded my expectations and I would recommend Wake Construction for your project needs. There isn't a job or task they cannot complete.”
“Living out of the area we were skeptical about a major renovation performed on our 1889 Victorian home. We contacted Wake Construction and were very comfortable from the first phone call. The communication and explanation of the scope of work to be performed were excellent throughout the project. Not seeing the house for several weeks prior to completion, WOW, our 1889 Victorian home turned out beautiful and we want to share it with everyone.”
“Wake Construction performed many construction services on my home. Included were foundation lift, chimney and hearth removal, family room addition, complete new kitchen, granite countertops in kitchen and bathrooms, tile flooring, removal of acoustic ceilings, painting, wrought-iron and vinyl fencing, and many other miscellaneous projects. I am very satisfied with Wake Construction's performance and the supervision by the owner, Gary Wake, who was always an advocate for daily neatness. I am pleased to recommend this contracting firm to anyone who would be interested in having work performed by this company. I will continue to contract with this firm for further house repairs and redecorating.”
“Wake Construction recently added a mud room to our house. The planning, workmanship, clean-up, and communication during the project were all excellent. We can enthusiastically recommend the company to anyone planning a home improvement or similar project.”
Homeowner protection guide
Gary Wake would rather you hire the right contractor than hire the wrong one and call him afterward. Before you sign anything with anyone, make sure these four protections are in writing.
Verify an active state contractor license, bond, and workers compensation insurance before work starts.
Never pay more than 10% or $1,000 as a deposit to secure a residential contract.
Insist on a detailed written contract that itemizes scope, materials, and milestone payments.
Never hire an unlicensed handyman for structural, plumbing, or electrical work over $500.
Field notes & construction guides
Straightforward breakdowns on remodeling sequences, bathroom planning, and hiring a licensed general contractor.
Stucco fences have emerged as a popular choice for homeowners seeking to enhance their property's aesthetic appeal while providing functional benefits. These structures, made from a mixture of cement, sand, and lime, are not only visually striking but also offer a range of advantages that make them a practical option for boundary demarcation.
Custom gate design is an art form that combines functionality with aesthetic appeal, serving as a crucial element in the overall architecture of a property. A well-designed gate not only enhances the visual appeal of a home or business but also provides security and privacy.
Upgrading the electrical systems in historical homes is a crucial step in ensuring both safety and functionality. Many older homes were built at a time when electrical standards were vastly different from today's requirements. As a result, these homes often have outdated wiring, insufficient power supply, and inadequate grounding systems.
Start the conversation
When you call or write, you reach Gary Wake, not a sales desk. Describe the lot, the kitchen, or the crack in the slab, and he will walk the property with you, explain what it needs in plain language, and put it in writing. Call (775) 515-5649 or send a consultation request and we will respond within two business days.
Every consultation is handled personally by Gary Wake. Whether you are planning a custom home on your lot, lifting and replacing a failing foundation, or remodeling a kitchen or bathroom, we walk your property and talk through the work together.
