ABOUT DEXPERTS
Dexperts has served Whatcom, Skagit, Island, San Juan counties since 2002 with the belief that, above all, the customer comes first. This means an open and honest dialogue between the homeowner and the contractor, which encourages the customer to feel comfortable throughout the entire building process and come away with a final product of that exceeds their expectations of creative, contemporary design and lasting quality.
By specializing in exterior home remodeling for over a decade, with specific attention to building and repairing decks, Dexperts has established a strong reputation and satisfied customer base. They possess a refined skill set and established relationships with suppliers and distributors. With intimate knowledge of local permit processes and building codes, Dexperts offers an unparalleled level of service when it comes to building a deck or other outdoor structurethat meets the demanding climate of the Pacific Northwest. With over a decade of specialized experience, Dexperts has been able to test and apply a wide variety of materials and, simply put, they know what works.
Owned and operated by two lifelong residents of Island and Whatcom County who spend their spare time helping promote a clean and healthy outdoor environment, Dexperts is invested in the future of Northwest Washington. Whether building a new deck, repairing an existing one, or creating fences, arbors, hardscapes, outdoor kitchens or even small home additions, Dexperts builds upon their core values of integrity, skilled craftsmanship, honesty and respect.
From Bellingham to Anacortes and beyond, Dexperts is the customer-first choice for your deck, fencing and outdoor home improvement needs.
HISTORY
Dexperts was founded in 2002 by two lifelong friends, Kevin Olney and Andrew Bleyhl, who both grew up in Oak Harbor and migrated to Bellingham shortly after high school. With extensive prior experience in the construction and home improvement business and a pair of degrees in Building, Construction & Remodel from Bellingham Technical College, the two were operating independent contractor businesses when they joined forces.
“By the end of 2001, I had built many unique projects and gained valuable experience in all phases of residential construction, but there was little consistency to the nature of my work or my paychecks,” Olney says. “Andrew Bleyhl was doing a similar one-man carpenter-for-hire business at the time. We ended up working together on a few larger projects and found we made a good team. It was time to focus.”
Innovations in materials around the turn of the millennium were also opening up new possibilities. It was a good time to start thinking more seriously about decks as an addition that adds both functional and aesthetic value to a home. “Decks were coming into their own,” Bleyhl says. “For the first time you had many more options than just treated wood or cedar decking. Decks also used all of our skill sets. You have to pour concrete, install siding, frame the deck. Decking and railing can involve trim carpentry as well, and all of this has to hold up to the outdoor environment.”
By combining their diverse skill sets and focusing on one aspect of the construction and remodeling business, Olney and Bleyhl were able to create a company that both utilized their technical prowess and satisfied their creative needs. They appreciate the aesthetic nature of building decks, fencing, and other types of outdoor improvements, and found a mutual interest in creating decks and other structures such as cedar fences that are pleasing to the eye while remaining functional and durable in true northwest fashion.
“We enjoy building decks and other outdoor structures because they provide a chance for our customers to come up with creative designs in a very functional product,” Olney says. “Deck projects vary widely in size and complexity. What many homeowners might think is a simple weekend do-it-yourself project can actually involve a lengthy permitting process, hard digging and excavation, lifting heavy timbers and detailed weatherization knowledge. We can guide them through the process and usually complete the work in a fraction of the time it would take them to complete it alone, allowing the customer time to actually enjoy the product.”
The Dexperts had found their niche in Northwest Washington.
PEOPLE
Andrew Bleyhl – Operations Manager
Oak Harbor native Andrew Bleyhl first got into home improvement when he found summer employment with a family friend’s plumbing business at the age of 13. Working in agriculture and construction after high school and moving to Bellingham in 1996, Andrew began to increasingly appreciate carpentry that was both functional and aesthetically-pleasing. While receiving an Associate Applied Sciences in Building, Remodeling & Repair from Bellingham Technical College in 1997, he founded Bleyhl Construction and ran a small business focusing upon everything from residential siding to bathroom and kitchen remodels through early 2002, when he joined forces with Kevin Olney to start Dexperts. In 2009, Andrew furthered his technical expertise by received the Certificate for EPA Lead-Safe Renovations, Repairs, & Painting from Whatcom Community College’s Building Performance Center, and in 2011 went to Ohio to become a Timbertech Certified Installer to complements Dexperts’ designation as a Timbertech Silver Contractor.
On the water since he received his first boat at age 7, Andrew is an avid outdoorsman and he can be found enjoying his free time on the many waterways surrounding Bellingham and throughout Northwest Washington. Whether fly fishing and spey fishing local rivers for steelhead and trout or cruising Bellingham Bay and the Puget Sound for salmon and bottom fish with conventional gear, he fishes at least once per week and ties his own flies. A true locavore, he also grows most of his own food.
Andrew’s passion for outdoor recreation has led him to actively engage in projects that benefit the local community and environment. He is on the board of the North Sound Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association, where he also acts as the Nutrient Enhancement Coordinator, has done site work for the Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group, donates regularly to the Bellingham Boys & Girls Club, and works alongside Kevin building low-income housing through Habitat for Humanity.
Kevin Olney – Production Manager
Kevin Olney got his start in construction when he joined his father installing cabinets as a teenager in Oak Harbor. Following high school, Kevin migrated to Bellingham, where he worked for a general contractor during the summer and in a cabinet shop during the winter. By 1998, Kevin had earned an Associate Applied Sciences in Building, Construction & Remodel from Bellingham Technical College, and in 1999, he founded the Evergreen Building Company. Without a defined business model, he took on all sorts of work from roofing and siding to bathroom remodels to pouring concrete slabs and foundations, and even worked on replica 19th century railroad cars performing detailed trim carpentry before joining forces with Andrew Bleyhl to start Dexperts in 2002.
A proud resident of Bellingham since 1995, Kevin not only enjoys working outdoors on deck, fencing, and other outdoor construction projects, but also deeply appreciates the outdoor recreation opportunities of Whatcom County and the surrounding areas. He spends his free time kayaking around the Puget Sound, hiking in the Cascades, and playing music with friends. This appreciation for the outdoors and the local community has led Kevin to take a pro-active approach to improving and preserving both the social and natural environment of the area. He volunteers his time to building projects for low-income families through Habitat for Humanity. He recently helped young people get out on the water by taking part in the construction of a boat enclosure for the Bellingham Canoe & Kayak Sprint Club. Additionally, he has joined the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association’s efforts in planting native trees and removing invasive species from stream buffer areas, done shoreline surveying for invasive grass with People for Puget Sound, and engaged in shoreline cleanup and invasive plant removal with the Surfrider Foundation.