By Lisa Balshchunat
Creative designs, blueprints, two-by-fours
and sawdust are in Joseph Katevas’ blood. He
was born into the building business in Athens,
Greece, learning the trade and fine-tuning
his craft under the watchful eye of his father.
For 20 years, Katevas ran a successful company
in athens building contemporary homes
and apartments. He employed 35 workers and
built 25 to 30 homes a year.
Katevas moved to Saratoga Springs with
his wife, Natasha, and their two daughters,
three years ago to be closer to her family in
Gloversville. He said the timing of their move
coincided with the “change in economics in
Greece.”
Highly regarded for his designs in Athens,
Katevas’ work resembled the style and grandeur
one would expect to see in the homes of
the “rich and famous” in the U.S.
In November 2013, he ventured into his
“first build” in Wilton. With this past winter
being among the longest and coldest winters
on record in the region, he quickly learned
how to schedule residential construction in
the northeast.
“It is imperative that I plan exterior building
in the summer and interior work in winter
weather,” he said.
His designs are distinctive and contemporary
featuring an open floor plan and unique
staircases. Katevas said he prefers working
with about 2,500 square feet when building a
three-bedroom home. He is known for his attention
to detail, intricate crown molding and
wood floors, utilizing all of the space available
and creating a flow from one floor to the next.
Comparing building supplies in Saratoga
County to that available in Greece, Katevas
said, the supplies here are plentiful and “everything
is good.” He said he appreciates the
quality and “doing business here is a pleasure.”
Katevas recently teamed up with Roohan
Realty to sell the new 29 Gailor road home.
“We have a great collection of construction
here in our area,” said Tamara Valentine,
real estate agent. “Many builders go with the
standard colonial style, but ioseph brings in
a fresh, new concept of visual style to the
custom built home.”
His second build will be adjacent to his
first, on lot 27.
“I will begin building the house by the end
of July,” he said. “It is my plan to build four
houses each year and increase that to six to
eight houses, as the market allows.” Designing
and building houses for Katevas is a passion.
He explained, “I build a house with much
care. each time I build, I build as if I would
be living there.”
He especially enjoys experimenting with
new design concepts and mastering new materials.
“Joseph builds houses with love and honesty,”
said his wife Natasha. “He builds nice
houses to sell to good people.”
Katevas presently has two permanent
employees and has subcontracted with five
others, including an architect, plumber and
electrician.