Today we’d like to introduce you to Dara Keefer
Hi Dara, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in the San Fernando Valley as a child in the 70s. Went to Montclair Prep for High School and continued on to Pepperdine University to study criminal justice and sociology. After graduating in 1986, I attended La Verne College of Law for a year. I found myself unsure if this was the avenue for me at the time, and decided to take a leave of absence and get a job temporarily.
I was placed as an administrative assistant for John P Ingram, Jr and Associates in Malibu, where I learned from the basics of administration tasks to then going to Santa Monica College to learn blue print reading and estimating. John gave me the foundation of the construction process which led me on to my future endeavors. I worked with him closely for 8 years up until I had my first child in 1994. I then had to re-evaluate my circumstances and wanted to stay home and raise her so I ended up leaving the company.
After 6 months at being home, I was approached by one of my subcontractors, who had recently got his own General Contractor license and asked if I would help him start up and run his company from home. I agreed and for the next 26 years, I did so and really established a natural repour with clients, subcontractors, architects, engineers and designers.
The hard work paid off tremendously because when my services were no longer needed at the company and was let go in 09/2020 I was able to start my own adventure in 12/2020. I selected my own team that I could move forward with.
I established Keefer Construction Unlimited LLC in 2020 and it was definitely challenging. I started estimating everything and any project that came my way. We won some and lost some. We received quite a few referrals, many from John Ingram to give us a start at proving ourselves. We have been extremely fortunate that with such a wonderful team of hard working people, we do not have to advertise for business. We survived the various strikes which were a few of our client bases but once that was past us things started moving forward again.
We have been fortunate enough to be able to juggle multiple jobs at once with our team and have had many of our current clients refer us to their friends and family and call us back for additional work.
It is a lot of hard work and it is definitely a 24/7 business for me. I try to be involved in every aspect that I feel comfortable and knowledgeable about. I personally estimate each and every project, I contract with the subcontractors, help the superintendents with the construction schedules, secure materials and project manage each project up through completion. It is stressful, exhausting but you get a feel of accomplishment when you look at the end result of the project and the clients are ecstatic to move in to the home of their dreams.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Ha ! Smooth road not so much. As I stated previously, I normally bid everything and anything that came our way and we were told that we were going to start several projects at once. I try to coordinate things as far in advance as possible so that I am sure that we can manage projects and man projects with sufficient manpower. We were scheduled to start a pretty substantial project and I had hired additional men to start on our anticipated start date which was on a Monday. We had the permit in hand and Sunday night at 6:00 pm, I received a call saying that the client decided to pass on the project. It was devasting but I understood at the time and it was out of my hands, so I still had to move forward and keep the men I had hired working as best I could. That was to be almost a $ 1 million project that would have taken 6 – 8 months up in smoke. We were able to continue and move forward but it turned into a financial burden that was hard to recover from the loss.
I did not anticipate the amount of taxes and insurance that this adventure was going to cost. Between payroll taxes for 20 guys, worker’s compensation fees, General Liability costs, 401k, health insurance and gas costs, YIKES !! It is alot to maintain and we have had to rely on outside funding which is tricky but necessary when running multiple projects and some clients pay weekly versus those who may or may not pay within 4 – 6 weeks at a time which makes it a financial struggle to say the least.
I eventually had to scale down on my team and find the essential members to continue on with and we have worked together to create and establish a bond in our company that I feel that we will continue to maintain our success and quality of our work for years to come.
We’ve been impressed with Keefer Construction Unlimited, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are a woman-owned general contracting firm specializing in both custom residential remodels and additions, as well as commercial projects, including tenant improvements to commercial spaces. Our expertise spans a wide range of projects, from home additions and kitchen and bathroom remodels to hardscape projects, pool and spa installations, roof renovations, and even aesthetic facelifts. If a client can dream it, we can bring it to life.
What truly sets us apart is our commitment to being helpful, courteous, and willing to go the extra mile for our clients. We take immense pride in the relationships we cultivate—not just with our clients, but also with our network of subcontractors, vendors, architects, designers, engineers, and everyone involved in our projects. Our goal is to maintain open lines of communication, ensuring that our clients know they can reach out to us at any time, even long after a project is completed.
Our dedication extends beyond the completion of a project. We stand by our work and are always ready to make any necessary adjustments or repairs. Many times, clients call upon us to rectify issues left by other contractors, and we tackle these challenges with a smile and a can-do attitude.
In terms of what I’m most proud of brand-wise, it’s the reputation we’ve built as a reliable and trustworthy partner in construction. Our clients know that they can depend on us to deliver quality results and exceptional service every time.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Treat people the way you want to be treated. Go the extra mile when you can because I believe what you put into something you will somehow get back in return. Any business can be challenging but if you wake up with a positive mind set you can take on anything that is thrown in your way. And trust me no matter how you plan your day, rocks or pebbles will try and discourage you, but keep a smile on your face and laugh at the challenges and keep moving forward. It is a tough road ahead but I have faith with my team along side of me we can meet any challenge thrown our way and hopefully be able to laugh about it later.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.keeferconstruction.net
- Instagram: keeferconstructionunlimited
