About

Josh Salinger

Birdsmouth Construction traces its roots to Minocqua, Wisconsin, where Josh Salinger grew up around the tools of the trade and showed an early talent for working with his hands.

At age 12, Josh woke up one day to find that his pet gerbils had expanded their family and needed a bigger cage. So he ran down to the hardware store, bought supplies, rushed home, and—over the protests of his concerned mother—went to work with his dad’s trusty circular saw.

The cage was a success, and Josh’s career in building and design had begun. The family’s lake house provided a series of opportunities to learn and increase his skills. With Josh’s help, the house received a new roof, a finished basement, and a spacious deck over the years.

Those days on the lake instilled in Josh a strong sense of environmental stewardship. At the University of Wisconsin, he received a bachelor’s degree in zoology and conservation. His professional roles ranged from FDA lab technician to tree nursery consultant to bartender, but he felt something was missing. Soon he realized what he needed to do: integrate his green principles with his lifelong passion for building.

Josh created Birdsmouth Construction to offer top-notch building services with a green sensibility. This approach means using high-quality, non-resource-intensive materials. It means giving projects an ageless look that will stand the test of time. And it means keeping materials out of the waste stream whenever possible.

Josh lives in Portland with his wife and daughter. When he’s not making the area’s homes more beautiful, he enjoys traveling, hiking, venturing to the coast, and sharing good food and wine with friends.