Built to Last - WV Living Magazine

Jarrett Construction Services celebrates its 15th anniversary.

In 1999 John Jarrett started Jarrett Construction Services out of a bedroom in his Charleston home, with the idea of starting a business that was committed to excellence and customer-focused. “I had been working for a contractor and I thought it could be done better than the way we were doing it,” he says. “Our goal is to allow customers to focus on their business while we focus on their projects.” Now, 15 years later, Jarrett’s passion and commitment have led his business to become one of the largest commercial construction firms in West Virginia.

Fifteen years of business haven’t been passed without struggle, but Jarrett Construction Services has thrived—backed by a reputation for honesty, integrity, and quality. The company routinely completes projects ranging from $500,000 to $20 million and serves clients in West Virginia and throughout the region. The firm’s long-standing clients include the Basilica of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, the Moses family car dealerships, and Bowles Rice. More than 74 percent of Jarrett Construction Services’ business comes from repeat clients. “Not only do our clients come to us again and again, they also recommend us to their business associates, families, and friends. I think that, more than anything else, speaks volumes about the quality we are able to deliver,” Jarrett says.

Despite his company’s success, Jarrett remains humble. “I have to thank God for all his blessings and the people that work with me. It’s a pleasure to come to work every day.” A seventh generation West Virginian, he recognizes the value of the West Virginia work ethic and employs 25 West Virginians. “The people I work with are dedicated to what they do. The West Virginia work ethic is in me, and it flows through our organization,” he says.

Jarrett enjoys what he does. “I love taking a client’s dreams and making them a reality. There’s nothing better than the smile on a client’s face when I hand over the keys to a new office building,” he says. Along with building new structures, Jarrett Construction Services also specializes in restoration and renovation of historic structures. “It’s also really rewarding when we get to rescue a historical structure. One family came to us with a 150-year-old house that had been a part of the historical fabric of the family. They’d been told they would have to tear down the house, but we were about to restore it, and they’re still living in that house today.”