About Us
our story
About Cabin John Builders
Cabin John Builders was formed in early 2010 by brothers Josh and Neal Rosenthal, but the story starts well before that. Custom building was our parents’ profession, and we grew up inside it. Some of our earliest memories are Saturday mornings on our dad’s job sites, sitting on the laps of bulldozer operators and picking up trash while he walked the property and checked in with his crews. We both went on to work for the family’s small building company, and for Neal, building is the only work he’s ever done. Cabin John Builders was our chance to take everything that upbringing taught us and pair it with a more modern idea of what service in construction should be.
The timing mattered. Builders of our father’s generation presented a single price and were trusted as the sole authority on the project. The internet changed how information flows, and we saw that modern clients wanted something different: real collaboration and a real look inside the numbers. That became the foundation of the company, open-book pricing and a process built around working with our clients rather than just for them. Founding the business in the middle of the Great Recession sharpened everything else: keep overhead low, put technology to work and deliver value a homeowner can actually see.
More than fifteen years later, the division of labor hasn’t changed much. Josh runs the business side of the company: budgets, proposals, operations and the technology that keeps everything visible. Neal is ultimately responsible for all of our construction: schedules, trade partners and the daily reality of the job site. Between the two of us, every project has an owner watching both the numbers and the nails.
Our office sits in Cabin John, Maryland, right at the Beltway, steps from the Virginia line and less than five minutes from DC, a natural home base for the region we serve. We’ve stayed small on purpose, taking on a handful of projects at a time so each one gets the attention it deserves. Most of our work comes to us the old-fashioned way, referred by past clients and the architects we build with, and we’re proud to keep it that way.
We do
- Constructability review
- Line-item budget
- Trade pricing
- Permit strategy
Process
Our Process: From First Sketch to Move-In
01
Design Collaboration
Great projects are built by teams that pull in the same direction. We work alongside your architect, plus your interior designer and landscape architect when the project includes them, adding real-world input on costs and schedule while the design is still taking shape.
02
Pre-Construction
Real numbers before anyone breaks ground. We build a line-item budget from your actual drawings, open book, so you know where every dollar goes before you commit. It’s measure twice, cut once for the digital age.
03
Build
A dedicated construction manager, daily job logs and a client portal that keeps schedule, selections and budget in front of you the entire project. And because we stay small, the owners of the company directly oversee every job.
04
Handover & aftercare
A documented handover, a warranty we stand behind and a phone that still gets answered after move-in.
meet our team
Michael Carter
Project Manager
Emily Harrison
Design Director
Daniel Brooks
Senior Project Manager
Sarah Mitchell
Client Relations Manager
RECOGNITION & ACHIEVEMENTS
Recognition That Reflects Our Commitment
Over the years, our work has been recognized by industry leaders, publications, and communities. These honors inspire us to keep raising the bar.
Showcasing our approach to timeless design and craftsmanship.
press features
Luxe Interiors + Design
Press articles and features on CJB and our Projects
AWARDS &
INDUSTRY RECOGNITION
2023 Excellence in
Custom Home Building
Awards and recognition CJB has earned from industry organizations and peers
TV APPEARANCE
George to the Rescue
Follow our journey w/ George Oliphant suprise and help an amazing local family
INDUSTRY RECOGNITION
Best of Houzz
Service Award
Recognized for outstanding client satisfaction and project excellence.
Press
Awards
NBC's
Cabin John Builders on NBC's George to the Rescue
In 2011, Cabin John Builders was featured on the season finale of NBC's home renovation show George to the Rescue. Host George Oliphant and the CJB team delivered a home makeover for Laura Balun of Springfield, Virginia, who had spent 30 years of her life helping veterans. The episode aired on NBC stations across the country, including NBC4 here in Washington.
It remains one of our favorite projects. The best builds are the ones where the work means something to the people living in the house, and this one meant a lot to everyone on our crew.
TESTIMONIALS
What Our Clients Say
Cabin John Builders designed, crafted, painted, and installed two large built-in units for our DC condominium. They also completed several smaller carpentry projects...
We hired Cabin John Builders to do an extensive house renovation. Cabin John Builders (CJB) was by far the best company we worked with throughout the entire project....
We hired Cabin John Builders to help us plan and build a renovation and addition to home we purchased as a fixer upper. Of course trying to find the right contractor to partner with is a stressful process....
CJB did an excellent job with a two-story addition and lots of remodeling of existing interior. Totally professional, great communications, attention to timeline and budget....
Cabin John built our beautiful new house recently, and we can't say enough about Cabin John – they are absolutely amazing. They are so very responsive and really understand the value of solid communication...
Trustworthy, Professional, and Innovative. These are three words that come to mind when I think of Cabin John Builders (CJB). Recently my family moved into a house in Potomac...
Very positive experience. We completely gutted and rebuilt a historical Kalorama house. The Rosenthal brothers were most professional and easy to work with. Everything was done...
AMAZING building professionals! We hired Cabin John Builders to do a full renovation and addition to our 1951 colonial home. We added onto to each level and more than doubled the size of the house...
We hired Cabin John Builders (CJB) to do a major renovation of our 1922 home. The to do list was long: gut and remodel 5 bathrooms (including master bath), finish basement...
Cabin John Builders designed, crafted, painted, and installed two large built-in units for our DC condominium. They also completed several smaller carpentry projects...
We hired Cabin John Builders to do an extensive house renovation. Cabin John Builders (CJB) was by far the best company we worked with throughout the entire project....
Core Values
At Cabin John Builders, we believe exceptional projects come from exceptional process. Our core values guide how we work with homeowners, architects, designers, and trade partners — and they define what it feels like to build with our team.
Transparency
We believe trust is built through honest, timely, and clear communication — especially when situations are complex.
Collaboration
We treat every project as a team effort, and we respect the expertise of our design partners, trade partners, and internal team.
Personal Service
We lead the process and absorb complexity so our clients feel supported, informed, and confident throughout construction.
Calm Professionalism
Our job sites and our office reflect the environment we want our clients to experience: composed, respectful, and well-run.
Accountability
We own outcomes. We set clear expectations, follow through, and solve problems with urgency and integrity.
Proactive Leadership
We don’t let projects drift. We plan ahead, coordinate ahead, and lead with foresight so schedules and teams stay aligned.
Family & Loyalty
We support each other, respect each other’s lives outside work, and approach every project as shared responsibility.
