Our Company

Building on a tradition of excellence and quality craftsmanship, from my family to yours. 

 

From my earliest recollections, my parents always provided me with building toys; from plastic hammers as a toddler, to Lincoln logs and LEGO’s, to Erector sets and model airplanes as I got older. It’s no wonder, seeing as my grandfather William A. Jahns as well as my father Lowell W. Jahns were both builders and engineers. William started his construction company during the Great Depression. After graduating as an engineer from the University of Wisconsin my father came back to Milwaukee to run his fathers’ construction company in the 1950's and 60’s. As I grew up, I worked for my father during my summers off from school, and loved the satisfaction he had from creating and problem solving. What I enjoyed equally however, was how he cared for people he was working for, as much as the home or building he was constructing for them.

After my father went on to work for the City of Milwaukee as a building inspector, I was trained in the specialized field of residential remodeling, growing with one of Milwaukee’s largest remodeling firm Bartelt+Filo for 9 years. Starting in the carpentry field, advancing to Project Manager, then to Project Coordinator, I learned much about the remodeling industry. I also learned that I wanted to do it better by focusing first and foremost on the customers I worked for. In 2004, I made that happen by starting Refined Renovations.

Now entering our 19th year in business, I reflect on the many great customer’s my team and I have worked for. Sure, we have created outstanding homes and spaces, even won awards and accolades for our efforts, but it’s the people and their families that I think about equally. It’s why I do my best to stay in touch with them, not just with ‘business visits’, but personal interactions, catching up on the new and exciting events in their lives. I am proud to say we have worked for some of the best people in southeastern Wisconsin.

I am proud of the disciplined and collaborative process we have honed over the past 10 plus years. We have assembled the best trade partners in Wisconsin, bar none. They share my priorities of customer care. All of this to make my customers proud of what they set out to do to their home, and whom they selected to accomplish it. It is a great privilege.

As the owner, I give you my personal commitment that our team at Refined Renovations will handle your project with the greatest of care — making every effort to ensure that it will meet, even exceed your expectations. We would be honored to work for you, creating great new spaces, and great new memories.

~Matthew L. Jahns, CR

Owner