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About Paul

Striving for perfection, settling for excellence...

My passion for construction started when I was 4 years old, watching my dad build our home. Beginning in fifth grade and through high school, I was enrolled in industrial arts classes. After high school, I learned the ins and outs of the industry, working with experienced and knowledgeable mentors.

Between 1986 and 2021 I founded and operated two award-winning construction and consulting companies, the first serving Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia and the second based in South Carolina. From the very beginning, my professional philosophy has been to strive for perfection and settle for excellence.  I pride myself on the quality of the work I produce with my consulting company and on being responsive and very easy to deal with.

My experience includes all aspects of high-end residential construction, new builds and remodeling, light commercial construction and tenant build-outs – multiple new builds, over 60 whole home remodels, over 500 kitchen remodels, almost 400 master bath remodels, numerous tenant fit out projects, restaurants, and a historic landmark complete renovation.

Now based in  Jackson, MS, I provide high net-worth individuals  for their construction projects in the Tampa area; serve as an expert witness in litigation; and offer training and  to the next generation of construction professionals. 

For a more in-depth look at my experience, please contact me for my CV.

Construction has been my life’s work for nearly five decades.

My passion for the industry began at four years old while watching my father build our family home. From that moment forward, I knew construction was where I belonged. Beginning in fifth grade and continuing through high school, I pursued industrial arts education before entering the construction industry full-time, where I had the privilege of learning under highly skilled craftsmen and respected industry mentors.

Over the course of a 47-year career, I have worked in virtually every aspect of residential and light commercial construction. Between 1986 and 2021, I founded and operated two award-winning construction and consulting companies—first serving the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region, and later based in South Carolina. Throughout my career, my professional philosophy has remained unchanged: strive for perfection and settle for excellence.

My practical experience includes custom homes, high-end residential construction, major renovations, light commercial construction, tenant improvements, restaurants, and historic renovations. I have personally managed multiple new home builds, more than 60 whole-house remodels, over 500 kitchen renovations, nearly 400 primary bathroom remodels, numerous commercial tenant build-outs, and the complete renovation of a historic landmark property.

Today, I devote my practice to construction consulting and expert witness services. Having spent decades both building projects and evaluating construction failures, I understand not only how projects should be constructed, but why they fail. That perspective allows me to identify technical issues, analyze construction practices, evaluate contractor performance, and explain complex construction matters in clear, understandable language for attorneys, judges, juries, mediators, and arbitrators.

My work has involved matters including defective construction, contractor standard of care, construction defects, contract disputes, payment issues, scope of work, scheduling, estimating, change orders, construction documentation, project management, and damages. My opinions are grounded not only in accepted construction practices, but in nearly five decades of firsthand field experience.

In addition to my consulting practice, I am the founder of the Before You Sign Anything™ (BYSA) Homeowner Decision System™, an educational platform developed to help homeowners make informed decisions throughout the construction process and reduce the likelihood of disputes before they occur. The principles behind BYSA reflect the same practical, objective approach I bring to every expert witness assignment.

Attorneys who retain me receive more than technical opinions. They receive an expert who understands the realities of construction, performs thorough and objective analyses, communicates effectively, and recognizes that credibility is earned through preparation, experience, and impartiality.

For a detailed summary of my qualifications, project experience, publications, and professional background, please contact me to request my curriculum vitae.”

Paul Own Edge
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Testimonials

"My husband and I cannot recommend Paul Johnson highly enough. He is extremely talented and maintains the highest standards for the work he and his team execute. Paul is very communicative and responsive. Without any prompting from us, he sent pictures of the progress when we were away for longer periods. Throughout the entirety of the job, it was the cleanest job site my husband or I have ever seen. Paul and his team are extremely talented and capable of executing very high-end jobs that require precision and skill. It would take a lot for us to not give Paul preferential consideration on any future project we have. We continue to work with him and have already recommended him to family and close friends."
"Paul represented us on our remodel. Paul assured transparency during the entire project, and he provided a detailed schedule so we always knew what to expect. The agreed-upon budget was honored, with the only adjustments being costs associated with requests we made while construction was ongoing. Paul was easily reachable by phone or email for the duration of the project, and he was always pleasant and responsive to questions we had. Our project manager, Jordan, was also a pleasure to work with. We could not be more pleased with the finished results, and with the experience of working with Paul. We plan on contacting Paul first for our next home renovation project!"
"Paul Johnson was a perfect choice to represent us for our remodeling project! We were looking for someone that thinks like we do, that we could trust would not take short cuts and would recommend the type of products he would use in his own home. From the moment we met Paul, we knew he would be a great fit for our needs. Paul was not the cheapest, but he was by far the most professional and trustworthy of those we contacted. He was prompt, thorough, and detail oriented. And he was fair to work with. We have recommended Paul to other family members and we highly suggest that you give Paul and his company an opportunity to earn your business!"
"Our experience with Paul was excellent from beginning to end. Before the project began, he provided so much exact detail of how it would proceed including the schedule, logistics, costs, etc. His costing was detailed and the quality of work was wonderful. Clearly, his Builder had been vetted thoroughly. Once the project was complete, he tended to the punch list quickly and thoroughly."
"Paul and I connected in 2013, but I knew after our first meeting that I was going to have a career full of projects with him and his team. Paul is the epitome of professionalism. Paul engages me, as the designer, at all necessary points in the projects and his communication skills are superior. Both clients and myself are always kept in the loop. Honestly, finding a Representative who cares enough to fit this description is tough, but Paul and his team make it seem second nature. I recommend Paul to any client considering him."
"When I first met Paul, I'm ashamed to say that I initially brushed him off. That's because everybody will tell you they can represent Owners on high-end projects without really understanding all the facets of top shelf work. But Paul was persistent and always professional and kept keeping in touch with me until I had an opportunity to use his company on a project in Potomac, MD. His passion and absolute confidence was infectious. My client immediately felt comfortable with the production phase of the project owing to the encyclopedic knowledge of construction that Paul possessed. The project was on time, on budget and absolutely fabulous! From that point on, I used Paul's company exclusively for all my projects. His passion for premium work and business integrity speak volumes and the "after" pictures attest to the attention to detail he gives every project."
"Over the past 30 years, while in the Washington DC area, Mr. Johnson individually and with his company has been responsible for various projects on and in our house, the largest being a 3 story addition, incorporating among other things an interior elevator, a large new kitchen, a bathroom for full handicapped use. Earlier, he and his company oversaw design and construction of a very difficult terrace into a large roof, requiring additional steel-beam support into an existing attic to stabilize the large open roof. In the course of this construction, his team rebuilt/redesigned a large interior space to accommodate a suite, open to 3 sides. We found his sense of space, his careful approach to any project, and his close supervision of his team, extremely valuable, especially in today's market, when many less competent and less honorable persons are in the business in which he is. Another very important point is, that his estimates are realistic and trustworthy."