Some buyers want a builder with a sales office and a model home. Others want the person who prices the job to be the same person standing on the slab at 7 a.m.
Harken Construction is the second kind. Owner Joseph Aspland is a licensed general contractor with a construction engineering degree from NC State, and his website says he oversees every project from the ground up. The portfolio mixes new custom homes, a modern home and a contemporary house at the lake, with mid-century remodels and additions.
That mix is the point of this guide. Harken is a small, owner-run firm that does new homes and remodels. Here is what the record shows and what to check before you sign.
Who Is Harken Construction?
Harken Construction is a Raleigh licensed general contractor and custom home builder owned by Joseph Aspland. The company’s About page describes him as a second-generation craftsman who takes a hands-on approach and oversees every aspect of construction. He holds a B.S. in Construction Engineering from North Carolina State University and is a licensed general contractor in North Carolina.
The documented history
Harken Construction, LLC is listed as a builder member in the 2025 Home Builders Association of Raleigh-Wake County directory. The phone on the company’s website is 919-608-2804. The directory lists a different number. Use the one on the website.
The website does not publish a founding year, a license number, or a count of completed homes. Confirm the license and entity with the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors before you sign.
Where Harken builds
Harken lists its service area as raleigh, durham, and the surrounding Triangle. Every published client review comes from a Raleigh homeowner. The project pages do not give addresses or neighborhoods.
What Does Harken Construction Build?
Harken offers four services: custom homes, design and site consultations, additions and accessory dwelling units, and remodels and renovations.
| Buyer question | What the public record shows |
|---|---|
| State contractor license | L.78317 (Harken Construction LLC): Residential classification, intermediate license limit, active through Dec. 31, 2026 per the NC Licensing Board for General Contractors, checked Oct. 14, 2026 |
| Services | Custom homes, design and site consultations, additions and ADUs, remodels |
| Custom home projects shown | Custom Modern Home; Custom Contemporary at the Lake |
| Remodel projects shown | Mid-Century Remodel and Addition; Mid-Century Carport and Remodel |
| Owner credentials | B.S. Construction Engineering, NC State; licensed NC general contractor |
| Client tools | JobTread client login linked from the website |
| Pricing | Not published |
| Warranty | Not published |
What the reviews describe
Harken’s published reviews describe a basement finish, a pool house built from a photo the client had saved for years, a challenging remodel, and one project that combined a custom build and a renovation, which the client says finished on time and under budget during the pandemic’s supply chain disruptions. One reviewer, who works in residential real estate, ranks Aspland’s project management and cost estimating among the best she has seen.
Reviews posted by a company are chosen by that company. Ask for references on new-home projects specifically.
The pool house review is worth a second look. A client handed Aspland a saved photo, and he designed and built from it. That is the skill a custom-home buyer needs too: turning a picture in your head into drawings, a budget, and a finished structure.
The design-build piece
Harken describes its design and site consultations as “comprehensive design-build solutions.” For a buyer with a lot and no plans, that can mean one firm guiding the house from site evaluation through construction. Ask who draws the plans: an in-house designer, an outside architect, or a designer you bring.
How Does Building With Harken Work?
Harken does not publish a step-by-step process. The site shows three ways in:
- Start with a design and site consultation if you have land or an idea and need a plan.
- Hire Harken for a custom home on your lot.
- Hire Harken for an addition, ADU, or remodel on a home you already own.
The website links a JobTread client login, which suggests clients can track documents and progress online. Ask what you will see there: schedule, budget, change orders, and selections.
What Should You Verify Before Signing With Harken Construction?
Before signing with Harken Construction, verify the license, the new-home track record, the contract type, and the warranty. Our guides to finding the right Triangle builder and why the builder’s agent works for the builder explain how to keep someone on your side.
Confirm the license and entity
Match Harken Construction, LLC and the license number on your contract to the state licensing board record, and check that the license limit covers the size of your project.
Ask for new-home references
Two of the four featured projects are remodels. Ask for addresses of completed new homes, the year each was finished, and owners you can call.
Choose the contract type
Ask whether Harken prices new homes as fixed price or cost-plus, how allowances are set, and how change orders are approved. On an infill or older-neighborhood lot, ask how demolition, tree removal, and utility upgrades are priced.
Get the warranty in writing
Harken’s site publishes no warranty terms. Ask for the written warranty and compare it with our home-builder warranty guide.
How Does Harken Compare With Other Building Options?
Harken is an owner-led contractor that handles new custom homes and major renovations, with the owner running the job directly.
| Option | Price level | Lot | Builder access | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harken custom home | Ask for a quote | Your lot | Direct to owner | Buyers who want a modern custom home and a hands-on builder |
| Harken addition or ADU | Ask for a quote | Your existing home | Direct to owner | Owners who want more space without moving |
| Larger custom builder | Varies | Your lot or theirs | Sales and project staff | Buyers who want a deep portfolio and in-house design |
| Production builder | Lower | Subdivision lot | Sales office | Buyers who want a set plan and price |
Who Is a Strong Fit for Harken Construction?
Harken fits a buyer who values direct access to the builder and likes modern or mid-century design.
The strongest candidates usually:
- own a lot in Raleigh or Durham, or plan to buy one;
- want a modern or contemporary custom home;
- are weighing a new house against a major addition or ADU;
- want the owner to manage the job personally;
- will check references and read the contract closely.
It is a weaker fit for buyers who want a builder-owned lot, a model home to walk, or a published price list.
Final Thoughts About Harken Construction From Tim Clarke
Harken has the profile I like in a small builder: an engineering degree, a general contractor’s license, and reviews that praise cost estimating and site management in specific terms. It is also a firm that does as much renovation as new construction, so the new-home track record needs its own check.
Ask for completed new homes, call the owners, and get the warranty in writing.
I have spent 17+ years in Triangle real estate. We represent you, and our team builds as well as sells, so we know what to look for in a lot, a bid, and a small builder’s contract.
If a Harken custom home or addition is on your list, call us at (919) 355-8462.
Sources
- https://www.harkenconstruction.com/
- https://www.harkenconstruction.com/about
- https://www.harkenconstruction.com/projects
- https://www.harkenconstruction.com/client-reviews
- https://www.harkenconstruction.com/custom-modern-home
- https://www.harkenconstruction.com/custom-contemporary-at-the-lake
- 2025 HBA Raleigh-Wake County builder-member directory (print)
- https://portal.nclbgc.org/Public/Search (NC Licensing Board for General Contractors, license L.78317)
