Testimonials
A Tribute to My Father, John Johannessen (November 30, 2023)
As Nathan Johannessen, I write this testimonial not just as a son, but as an admirer of my father, John Johannessen, whose genius and meticulousness in construction and various life lessons have been my guiding inspiration.
From a young age, I witnessed the magic of his attention to detail. I vividly recall, at 16, shaping footings with a claw hammer for a majestic home in Sacramento, just across from O.J. Simpson’s residence. Those early experiences, be it sweeping floors, vacuuming, or meticulously organizing a job site, taught me the value of precision and cleanliness in construction. My father always said, “A clean job site is a productive and safe one.” True to his word, every site under his watch is a model of neatness, organization, and professional excellence.
His wisdom extends beyond construction. He often advised me, “Keep a few good friends and take good care of them.” This philosophy proved invaluable, as loyal friends have supported me through life’s toughest challenges.
I am continually awed by his knowledge and skill, especially during inspections where his work often receives commendations for its unparalleled cleanliness and professional execution. Hearing inspectors laud his sites as “the cleanest, most professionally well-constructed” they’ve seen, fills me with immense pride.
John Johannessen is the epitome of class, luxury, and professionalism, qualities that have profoundly influenced my own work ethic and standards. It has been my honor to assist him in designing this website, a platform that I hope encapsulates his dedication to beautiful workmanship and perfection, both in his professional and personal endeavors.
Warm regards,
Nathan Johannessen
November 26, 2016
Dear John,
I am writing to thank you for the excellent work you did on my project that was just completed. I was impressed with your professionalism, attention to detail, and prompt completion of the work. I would not hesitate to use your services in the future and recommend you to anyone seeking to hire a contractor.
Best Wishes,
Alvin S. Michaelson
August 15th, 2013
I am pleased to write a letter on behalf of John Johannessen, Johannessen Construction Co. John was the general contractor on a major remodel of our 3 story 19,000 Sq. Ft. 14-unit condominium building at 7 Fleet, Marina del Rey. As president of the HOA, I have worked closely with John during the time that the work was being done. Now the project has finished and the results are stunning. The clearest way to demonstrate the value of John's work is to point out that units, which have recently sold in the building, have commanded much greater prices than before the remodel.
Even taking into account recent improvement in the real estate market, the increases in the selling prices are significant. In addition, some owners have been able to refinance or take out second mortgages based on high-appraised values of their property.
The quality of John's work was evident to me and the other Board members. In addition, John was very diligent in responding to all of the Board's concerns during the construction process. John was very easy to work with and very pleasant to all of us throughout the construction period. He took care to choose excellent subcontractors and he supervised their work closely, sometimes demanding that their work be redone to improve the quality of the finished product. In addition, during the work, I independently hired John to do some special work on my unit. This work was done to a high standard and on a timely basis.
John's work is not low priced. But the important thing, in my opinion, is to get a quality job, and for that, you need to be willing to pay an appropriate price. In the end, his work was consistently of high quality and for me, that is the most important factor. In summary, John offers good value for what he produces.
Grant Fraser President
7 Fleet Street HOA
Marina Del Rey, CA
Cell (818) 370-1248
July 10, 2012
To whom it may concern:
It is with great privilege that I write to you in recommendation of John Johannessen. I have worked with John since early 1980�s on various projects designed by me and built by John and his team. I have found him to be very knowledgeable in building technology and construction in general. He is a person who is never afraid to take on a challenging task. He has been one of my most trusted contractor.
John is an independent, self directed person who is able to communicate effectively and meet even the most demanding challenges. While his on the job performance has been nothing less than stellar, John has also become a close friend to me. John is not only gifted in his uncanny ability to solve construction challenges, he is also a very talented building designer. I have used his many suggestions for easing and simplifying building structural components.
I highly recommend John for employment with your organization. He is a team player, a great person and an absolute builder genius.
Best Regards,
Tony Dormanesh
P.E.Building Official
Tony Dormanesh P.E., CBO, CASp
Building Official
City of Lake Forest
Phone (949) 461-3464
November 28, 2010
To whom it may concern:
It is our pleasure to be a reference for John Johannessen and Johannessen Construction & Development, Inc. We recently discovered toxic mold growing in the wall of our kitchen. Making a long story a short one, the entire kitchen had to be torn out. We were told by a close friend about John. After talking to him and seeing photographs of his work. We decided to approve of him as our General Contractor.
It was the smartest thing we have done in a long time as John and the tradesmen who work with him are the very best. To begin with, John is a perfectionist. His work is meticulous and precise with the keen eye of a true artisan. We found to our delight, that the people who work with him are the same. Consequently, we have the most beautiful kitchen either of us can imagine.
He was very careful to obtain permits, take care of insurance requirements and cover all the legalities that such a project brings about. We felt secure at all times about this area, never wondering if this was taken care of properly.
As a person, we found him to be a gentleman at all times and a person of the highest character. He is honest and trustworthy and as far as his cell phone. We always felt secure and well taken care of in his hands. We plan to remodel one of our bathrooms soon. You can be sure we will call John to help us in this endeavor.
Most Cordially,
David & Brenda McBride
February 23, 1989
To Whom it may concern:
As supervising architect, I became acquainted with Mr. Johannessen during the construction of the 40,000 Sq. Ft. Compton Transit Center in the year 1988. Serving as assistant superintendent on the project, John exhibited a particularly good grasp of both the construction documents (drawings and specifications) and construction techniques. John and I interfaced directly on several occasions, and his understanding became evident through his timely suggestions for resolution of various field problems. I can safely recommend John for a similar position on any project.
Cordially yours,
EDWARD C. BARKER & ASSOCIATES
Elliot S. Barker
President
City of Saint George
October 30, 1986
Dear John
Your name was submitted to the St. George City Council and approved to serve on a Board of Appeals to consider requests concerning the Uniform Building Code, the Uniform Plumbing Code, the Uniform Fire Code and the National Electrical Code. When the appeals board is convened, three members of this panel will be selected who have expertise in the field being questioned.
If you choose not to serve on this board, or if you have any questions, please call me at the City Office.
Sincerely,
Joe Empey
Chief Building Official
City of Saint George
December 13, 1985
To Whom it may concern:
In considering John Johannessen Construction as a building contractor, we would like to give a few reasons why we highly recommend Johannessen Construction; as this company is the builder of our present home.
We are very pleased with the quality of construction. A lot of thought was given to our house plans prior to construction. John found numerous architectural drawing errors, which he corrected. We feel that many other contractors would have followed the original plans and would have run into problems half way through.
John completed construction in the time frame quoted on our contract. We have been residing in our house one year, and of the few problems that have arisen, John has been prompt to reconcile them.
As business people ourselves, we have had other business dealings with Johannessen Construction, and have found them to be very professional and pleasant to deal with.
Sincerely,
Wayne and Sandy Guymon