Morgan and Tom Kellock
"Building a custom home from a ragged hole in the ground will challenge the limits of your patience and pockets. As you lay the physical foundation for your home and all the values it represents, your emotional and social foundations are shaken by unforeseen problems, whose solutions demand extraordinary speed, scrutiny, and ultimately, trust. If you will not be always in the trenches yourself, to coordinate and supervise the many specialized functions that make a house, you will want a general contractor like David Stafford of Graham Northwest.
 
We were fortunate to work actively on our project, researching materials and suppliers, sometimes laboring on-site alongside skilled tradesmen, and mostly, learning about the structural details in the foundation and frame, pipes and wires that become hidden behind the walls of a finished house. Yet these unseen systems are the nerves, blood and bones that sustain and enliven your home. David Stafford understood the whole building process from beginning to end, from obvious to subtle, and was able to guide us with patience from a concept on paper to the beautiful space filled with warmth and light that is now our permanent home.
 
We are committed to "green building" practices wherever possible, and Stafford shares our values. He factored sustainable materials, energy efficiency and natural light into our building's integrity. Outdoors, other contractors were not so willing to respect old trees, tread lightly on surface root zones, and to limit soil contaminants by utilizing porous paving solutions. Though it took more care and effort to protect our environment, both natural and man-made, Stafford worked with us to minimize construction impact on our landscape and community. As a result, we have the "greenest" home in our neighborhood and very friendly neighbors.
 
Throughout the complex building process, we deeply appreciated David Stafford's communication skills. We were always able to work through the inevitable problems that arise in timing, pricing, and quality control in fairness and friendship. In addition, Stafford's personable and capable staff members Paul Avery (Client Service) and Kris Stotz (Site Superintendent) were integral to the success of our project. As my brother says, "If you're still talking to your contractor when your project is done, it's a good relationship." Well, we're still talking, and Stafford, Avery, Stotz, and their families will always be welcome guests in our home."

Rebecca J. Carlson
 "We have been very pleased living in your Graham Northwest home for the past six years. We have raised two young children here and love the home and property. The natural elements of the stream and pond along with the forest surrounding our home have been a quiet refuge away from a busy world. The workmanship, floor plan and over all design selections make our home one of distinct quality. The most frequent compliment I get on my home is how spacious it is. The high ceilings and huge windows bring in much needed light for our Pacific Northwest living. The details in the cabinetry, fixtures, exterior, and millwork are timeless and will be enjoyed for years to come."

Al and Nancy Callan
"When we began house shopping we were not looking for a new home because they tended to be on small lots with no trees in developments with rules and restrictions. Then we found the Graham Northwest ICF home on the MLS and then read all about it on the web site. We loved the idea of an energy-efficient home and I have always wanted radiant floor heating. Also, the house had a great layout with an open kitchen and family room, so we decided to take a look. We fell in love with it immediately. One of our favorite things is also one of the most striking features of the house is the huge windows. Every person that walks in loves them. Combined with the nine-foot ceilings on both floors, they make it feel so light and happy and welcoming. Best of all, due to the ICF construction, the window ledges are nearly a foot deep, and the carpenters did such a quality job of framing them, they are really beautiful. And of course being energy-efficient, they don’t let in a single draft or barely a sound from outside.After living in a 30-year-old, cold-in-winter, hot-in-summer, drafty, rambler, we have been so happy to come home to our new house and have the temperature always be comfortable and constant! It was wonderful in the winter to be able to leave the thermostat set at 68 and have it feel at least that warm. With the radiant floor heating, it often feels warmer without having to keep the thermostat up. I can not explain why it is so pleasing to walk and sit and play with the baby on a warm floor when it is cold outside—but it is a wonderful feeling! We also love the fact that there are no heat vents in the house. No noisy, dusty, dry air blowing out of them. No having to worry about where to put furniture. No dust and dirt and other critters and allergens collecting up in the duct-work and vents. I don’t know why anyone would choose to have a traditional hot-air furnace over radiant floor heat if they were building a new house. So far this spring, we’ve had the heat completely shut down for over a month, but the temperature inside remains constant—right around 69 degrees even when it gets pretty cold outside. And on the really warm days we’ve already had, it never got warmer than 72 inside. Of course, one of the very nicest things about living in such an energy-efficient house is that it is energy efficient. Our gas bills through the cold months have been incredibly low. We used less gas in this new house than in our old rambler that was HALF the size (and it always felt cold in the old house).Overall, we are extremely happy with our new house and would recommend an ICF house to everyone. In fact we can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t want one if they were building their own home. Graham Northwest did a fantastic job—the things that you (and your visitors) really notice on a day-to-day basis like the moldings and trim work are so well done, they give you a good feeling about how the things you can’t see were constructed. We also had nothing but pleasant, friendly interactions with everyone from Graham Northwest.
Thanks for the wonderful house."

Tom Whiteman Sales Manager Cadman Inc.
"I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know how much Cadman appreciates your business. It is seldom that we come across a contractor who is so proactive in learning new and more efficient ways to build. As a ready mix sand/gravel supplier, Cadman is always looking for opportunities to partner with contractors who want to learn the many benefits beyond using concrete for foundations and slabs. Insulated Concrete Homes is one of the fastest growing segments in our industry that utilizes concrete’s many benefits over a typical wood framed home"over the years I have seen the quality and workmanship that you put into all of your houses (wood and/or concrete) You take pride in building with the best products available while making it affordable to the consumer. It has been a great opportunity for Cadman to partner with you in the promotion of Build Green and ICF technology. We look forward in the opportunity to continue supporting your effort in finding new and affordable ways to build better homes."

Gary G. Coy
"I have know Dave Stafford for over seventeen years" Dave and I partnered up to construct 2 apartment buildings. He took the job at hand, determined the tasks needed and completed the project. Again, Dave performed admirably."

Scott and Allison Thompson
"Everyone told us that if our marriage survived building a house together that we'd spend the rest of our lives together. We'll we're still married, thanks to the attention to detail, organization and excellent communications skills of Dave Stafford. Prior to and throughout construction, Dave took the time to find out exactly what we wanted and also offered very sound advice, making our dream of building our own home a wonderful experience."

William H. Snyder Snyder Construction
"As I recollect we have worked on 8 projects together"I want to commend the manner in which you conduct business. This world would be much better off if the trust you showed me and the courteous way you treated me, even when my performance was less than stellar, was the standard by which all worked. Needless to say, had I decided to stay in business it would have been my choice to continue working with you Dave."

Patrick Ross Quantum Group
"Quantum Group has been funding mortgages and permanent loans for David Stafford and Graham Northwest Inc. for the past 6 years. We have a full financial package in our office and are pleased to provide funding for David should he desire to enter into new Real Estate Ventures. He has maintained an impeccable credit rating, has the necessary assets, and a very organized business plan."

Geoff Swanson GS Northwest Enterprises LLC
"I have known David for 19 years both personally and professionally "When under pressure David does not give up. In challenging situations, David’s patience and ability to find the best possible solution to any problem, make him a great asset to any project. I look forward to continuing my personal and professional relationship with David."