Crafting exceptional homes through inspired design and flawless construction.
Tortoise Construction is a licensed design-build remodeling firm based in Milwaukie, Oregon, working across SE Portland, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie, Happy Valley, Oregon City and the West Hills.
Design and construction happen under one roof, which means one team is accountable from the first drawing to the final walkthrough. No handoffs between a designer who does not build and a builder who did not design.
What sets the process apart is what happens before demolition. A 5-step pre-construction process resolves scope, selections and structural unknowns up front, so the price is locked before the first wall comes down. That is the basis of the No Change Order Guarantee: homeowners are not handed a revised invoice halfway through because something was discovered late.
Projects include kitchen remodels, bathroom renovations, basement conversions, home additions, ADUs, garage conversions and whole-home remodels, with a focus on older Portland-area homes where undersized framing, unpermitted work and dated systems are the norm rather than the exception.
Free online cost estimators give a realistic budget range in minutes. For homeowners ready to talk, the Project Risk Snapshot™ is a free 30-minute consultation covering budget range, the specific risks in the project and an honest timeline, with no obligation. 12-month zero-interest financing is available.
Licensed, bonded and insured in Oregon (CCB #214445) and Washington (TortoCL740KF).
Served areas
- Portland, OR, SE Portland, OR, West Hills, Portland, OR, Milwaukie, OR, Lake Oswego, OR, Happy Valley, OR, Oregon City, OR, West Linn, OR
Highlights and features
- No Change Order Guarantee, fixed price locked before demolition
- 5-step pre-construction process
- Design-build: design and construction under one roof
- Free Project Risk Snapshot™, a 30-minute no-obligation consultation
- 12-month zero-interest financing available
- Free online cost estimators for kitchen, basement, addition and whole-home projects
- Specialists in older Portland-area homes
- Licensed, bonded and insured in Oregon and Washington
Associations and certifications
- Home Building Association of Greater Portland (HBA)
- NARI Pacific Northwest
- Oregon CCB #214445
- Washington Contractor License #TortoCL740KF
- Houzz verified professional
Payment methods
- Cash, Checks, Debit cards, Credit cards
Services
Custom kitchen remodels across SE Portland, Lake Oswego and Happy Valley, from layout changes and cabinetry to full gut renovations. Design and construction are handled by one team, and the 5-step pre-construction process settles scope and selections before demolition so the price is fixed going in. Backed by the No Change Order Guarantee. 
Bathroom renovations in SE Portland, Lake Oswego and Happy Valley, including primary suites, guest baths and aging-in-place upgrades. Older Portland-area bathrooms often hide undersized framing, dated plumbing or unpermitted work, so those unknowns get resolved during pre-construction rather than mid-project. Fixed price locked before demolition. 
Basement finishing and conversion in SE Portland, Lake Oswego and West Linn, turning unfinished space into living areas, suites and rental units. Waterproofing, ceiling height, egress and permitting are addressed up front, which is where basement budgets usually go wrong. One fixed price, backed by the No Change Order Guarantee. 
Home additions, second-story additions, ADUs and garage conversions across the Portland Metro. Design-build means one accountable team from drawings through permitting and construction, which matters most on projects where structural work and jurisdiction review drive the timeline. Price is locked before demolition starts. 
Whole-home remodels in SE Portland, Lake Oswego and the West Hills, from full-house refreshes to down-to-the-studs renovations. Every room, system and finish is priced as one fixed number before demolition, rather than a series of separate scopes that drift. Licensed, bonded and insured in Oregon and Washington.
People
Mike Jeske
Owner & Founder
Mike Jeske founded Tortoise Construction to fix a problem he kept seeing in remodeling: budgets that moved after demolition started, timelines that slipped, and decisions that couldn't be undone.
He spent ten years in IT before moving into construction, and it shows in how the company runs. He builds systems, not just rooms. That background is why Tortoise works from a 5-step pre-construction process that locks every trade price, every finish and every scope detail before the first wall comes down, and why the No Change Order Guarantee is a process outcome rather than a marketing promise.
Mike leads design-build projects across SE Portland, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie and the West Hills, with a focus on the work where getting it wrong is expensive: additions, ADUs, second-story additions, whole-home remodels and older Portland houses that hide surprises behind the drywall.
He spent ten years in IT before moving into construction, and it shows in how the company runs. He builds systems, not just rooms. That background is why Tortoise works from a 5-step pre-construction process that locks every trade price, every finish and every scope detail before the first wall comes down, and why the No Change Order Guarantee is a process outcome rather than a marketing promise.
Mike leads design-build projects across SE Portland, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie and the West Hills, with a focus on the work where getting it wrong is expensive: additions, ADUs, second-story additions, whole-home remodels and older Portland houses that hide surprises behind the drywall.
Reviews (27)
Emily Kruger
Jun 30, 2026
The Tortoise team remodeled my hall bathroom back in March and did a fantastic job, from start to finish and right on schedule with no budget surprises. Mike gave a fair estimate and helped me think through design decisions I hadn't even considered, since he's clearly been through this many times and brings up things us remodel novices might miss. My bathroom went from a cold, sterile, builder-grade afterthought to a calming, coastal-toned retreat. Everything feels cohesive, well thought out and solidly constructed. Mike also suggested a custom glass shower door sized for taller heights which I absolutely love and a bathroom fan that is remarkably quiet, just a couple of small details that make a big difference everyday.
While the whole team was great, Troy was the true standout as project manager/finish carpenter. He was on top of every detail, kept the timeline moving, and checked in regularly to make sure I was happy with how things were progressing, not just at the end. He's also just a genuinely friendly, personable guy who made the whole process feel easy rather than stressful - a rare combination of being incredibly organized and genuinely pleasant to have around the house for weeks at a time. I never had to chase anyone down for updates; Troy made sure I always knew what was happening and when.
I highly recommend Tortoise to anyone looking to renovate!
While the whole team was great, Troy was the true standout as project manager/finish carpenter. He was on top of every detail, kept the timeline moving, and checked in regularly to make sure I was happy with how things were progressing, not just at the end. He's also just a genuinely friendly, personable guy who made the whole process feel easy rather than stressful - a rare combination of being incredibly organized and genuinely pleasant to have around the house for weeks at a time. I never had to chase anyone down for updates; Troy made sure I always knew what was happening and when.
I highly recommend Tortoise to anyone looking to renovate!
Anne Anne F.
Feb 11, 2026
We used Tortoise construction for our whole home remodel! We had a wonderful experience working with Mike and his team! Mike was fair, honest, reasonable with pricing, and had great communication throughout the project. Our final project turned out absolutely amazing! Mike has been very easy to work with and has had great communication and responsiveness throughout the project. He even came and helped us fix our broken fence (totally unrelated to the remodel) after the project was done. He stands by his work and we have been very impressed with the quality and outcome of the project. I would highly recommend tortoise construction for any remodel project! Ps we were the Denton Dr whole home remodel on his website!
Jose Falcon
Jun 06, 2025
Tom Cotter
Sep 19, 2024
Oscar Polo
Aug 27, 2024
Matt Liebman
Aug 26, 2024
We hired Mike and Tortoise Construction to complete a huge project of redoing our deck. The foundation was good but it needed a full new deck and railings. Our deck is 1,000 sq ft so it was a giant project.
Mike and Adam were fantastic to work with and our deck is in fantastic shape now 2 years later.
We went with a composite trex deck and black iron railings. Mike recommended a deck board on top of all railings for placing things like beverages or phones and that was a great suggestion.
The work was done quite quickly for the size of the job (about 2 weeks) and they were a delight to work with. 1 year in, we had a couple of boards that had slightly popped up and Adam came out and fixed them all, free of charge. Tortoise really stands behind their work which we appreciate.
Overall, I highly recommended using Mike, Adam, and Tortoise for any decking project!
Mike and Adam were fantastic to work with and our deck is in fantastic shape now 2 years later.
We went with a composite trex deck and black iron railings. Mike recommended a deck board on top of all railings for placing things like beverages or phones and that was a great suggestion.
The work was done quite quickly for the size of the job (about 2 weeks) and they were a delight to work with. 1 year in, we had a couple of boards that had slightly popped up and Adam came out and fixed them all, free of charge. Tortoise really stands behind their work which we appreciate.
Overall, I highly recommended using Mike, Adam, and Tortoise for any decking project!
Franny White
Aug 15, 2024
Mike Jeske at Tortoise Construction has been my go-to source for home remodeling and repair since I moved into my house four years ago. Mike and his crew has remodeled my bathroom and back covered porch, built a sturdy line of fencing and remarkably came to my rescue within a few hours when my water pipes froze during a severe cold snap. His prices are reasonable, and he has shaped every project so that it meets my needs. I’m grateful that my real estate agent recommended Mike.
Satya Byock
Jul 29, 2024
Nancy Jane Cushing
Jul 26, 2024
Matt Yoho
Jul 01, 2024
I've had a few projects completed by Tortoise Construction and it was a great experience each time. Mike is responsive, knowledgeable, and always thinking about how to save you time and cost rather than bill more hours or squeeze the most out of a bid.
I appreciated Mike's guidance and expertise very much when Tortoise converted our garage into a finished office and gym space. They really came together to nail a completion date before the arrival of a new baby at the house and I'm very happy with the results today.
They've been great to work with. I feel like I need to come up with another home improvement project just so I can catch up with Mike and the Tortoise crew!
I appreciated Mike's guidance and expertise very much when Tortoise converted our garage into a finished office and gym space. They really came together to nail a completion date before the arrival of a new baby at the house and I'm very happy with the results today.
They've been great to work with. I feel like I need to come up with another home improvement project just so I can catch up with Mike and the Tortoise crew!
Nicole P.
Jun 27, 2024
Mike and team helped me replace a section of fence that had a lot of wear and tear from the elements. He took the time to listen as to what my concerns and requests were regarding the work and provided a reasonable quote. When the time came for the actual fence repair his team was respectful, efficient, seemed knowledgeable, timely and cleaned up after themselves. And left me with a beautiful new fence! Would definitely recommend them for consideration for future work.
Philip Hatton
Feb 14, 2024
James Sanders
Aug 12, 2023
Scott Trantel
Jul 06, 2023
Kristy Lucero
Jul 04, 2023
Allison McManus
Jun 22, 2023
Peter Tax
Jun 21, 2023
Anna Martoshenko
Jun 09, 2023
Scott Gilliland
May 27, 2023
D. Whittem
May 24, 2023
Sushi Oconnor
Apr 14, 2023
Eric Sheppard
Mar 11, 2023
Scott F.
Feb 25, 2023
My family, and our household, have nothing but positive things to say about working with Mike Jeske and Tortoise Construction. We've been lucky enough to have Tortoise in our corner for many years now. High integrity, honesty, excellent craftsmanship, fair pricing, and solid communication. We also greatly appreciate how accurate and reliable Tortoise is when it comes to scheduling. This is a biggie in our household, as our schedules are tight. We've worked with Tortoise on projects big and small, and we consistently come away loving the results
Ivana Polonijo
Jan 31, 2023
Mike and the crew are our go-to guys for EVERYTHING house related. We consider them true stewards of our property. From deck refurbishing, kitchen appliance fixes and replacements, addressing basement flooding, or even decorations and wall hangings... you name it - they are the first we turn for help and have not been disappointed!
Rich Mark
Jan 19, 2023
Chuck Holland
Jan 18, 2023
Amanda Russo
Apr 03, 2022