Homes crafted for mountain living.

Thoughtfully built homes for every season of life.

Featured in Tahoe Quarterly

Modern building with large glass windows overlooking a lake, with trees on the opposite shore and outdoor furniture including chairs, a small boat at the water's edge, and a scenic mountain background under a clear sky.

Lakefront Love Project

We’re honored to have this lakefront project featured in Tahoe Quarterly’s Mountain Home Awards issue, recognizing thoughtful mountain design, craftsmanship, and timeless Tahoe living.

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Living room with floor-to-ceiling windows showing a lake and forest, wooden ceiling, modern furniture, and wall decor including crossed oars.

Featured in Tahoe Quarterly Mountain Home Awards

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Our Services

Mountain Life Construction provides construction and remodeling services throughout the California Sierra, including Truckee, Donner Summit, Olympic Valley, Alpine Meadows, and the North and West Shores of Lake Tahoe.

Modern kitchen with wooden cabinetry, pendant lights, black countertops, and large windows showing trees outside.

  • Luxury mountain homes thoughtfully designed for modern Tahoe living, seamlessly blending contemporary comfort and conveniences with warm alpine character, artisanal details, and timeless natural materials that celebrate the surrounding landscape.

  • Transforming outdated cabins into fully functional, modern luxury homes by introducing thoughtful design touches, high-end finishes, and contemporary amenities that create comfortable, stylish, and inviting living spaces.

  • Kitchens, bathrooms, additions, and other lifestyle-driven upgrades that enhance comfort, convenience, and everyday functionality for modern living, creating more usable space and a better flow for daily routines.
Work With Us

Portfolio

Why Choose Us？

A cozy A-frame cabin with large glass windows illuminated from within, surrounded by snow-covered trees and landscape at dusk.

Built for Snow

Engineered for mountain conditions — where snow-load performance, advanced drainage systems, backup power solutions, and year-round durability work together to keep your home resilient, functional, and reliable through every season. From heavy winter storms to everyday mountain living, every detail is designed to protect comfort, access, and long-term performance in the Sierra.

Modern house by a lake at dusk with warm lighting, outdoor fire pit, patio seating, and mountain silhouette in the background.

Built for Lifestyle

A mountain home designed for easy living: organized gear storage and a practical mudroom, plus wellness spaces and saunas, indoor-outdoor entertaining, family-friendly layouts, and smooth indoor-outdoor flow.

Modern house with a wooden deck, metal railing, and a black bear sculpture on the porch.

Built to Last

Crafted for lasting mountain living — where premium exterior materials, extreme weather resilience, low-maintenance longevity, and precision craftsmanship come together to create homes that feel timeless, durable, and refined. From custom finishes to architectural detailing, every element is designed to withstand the Sierra environment while elevating the everyday mountain living experience.

Client Reviews

“We have used Mountain Life Construction for two projects. Two years ago we did a major kitchen/bath/laundry remodel, and this last summer we had them demolish and rebuild a large deck.

We have found Pavlo and his crew to be professional, thorough, responsive, and easy to work with. The work has been top quality.

Pavlo is an excellent businessman, providing a detailed breakdown of costs and clear payment schedule. He was available and kept us informed at all stages of both projects.

We highly recommend him and Mountain Life Construction.”

Margaret L.

Sacramento, CA

Eight red badges with white stars in the center, arranged in a row. 
Jan 15, 2019

“The team at Mountain Life Construction are amazing. True craftsman. Pavlo has an incredible eye for design. We worked with Mountain Life over the last few years to upgrade our home in Tahoe Donner. They were responsible for refurbishing our kitchen and three bathrooms. Mountain Life also helped to turn our master bedroom into a true mountain retreat, with a new stone fireplace, barn doors on the closets and custom built cabinets. And most recently the team out did themselves by creating an awesome outdoor space in the back yard with a firepit, hot tub and an expansive stone patio.

I highly recommend Pavlo and Mountain Life Construction.”

Allyson F.

San Ramon, CA

Eight red coupons with white stars in the center 
Oct 22, 2016

“Pavlo and his team at Mountain Life Construction are expert craftsmen in their field of construction in the Tahoe Truckee area. I have experienced his services from the project planning stages, design and execution stages. The materials used and service that Mountain Life Construction provides are top rate and would refer this team to anyone I know that is looking for a professional construction team both on and off the mountain.”

Chris B.

Truckee, CA

Seven red restaurant review stars, five are filled and two are empty. 
Sep 9, 2014

Ready to build something incredible?

Let’s Build!

From conceptualizing to constructing, we’re ready to design your architectural dream. We promise a client-centric approach that empowers ideas, eases concerns, and delivers quality craftsmanship we’ll all be proud of.

Our Team

Black and white portrait of a man smiling with short, wavy hair, wearing a dark shirt.

Pavlo Gesmundo

President

Pavlo grew up working with wood in rural Michigan. His father Jack was a builder and instilled in Pavlo an eye for detail and a spirit of excellence in his craftsmanship. Pavlo moved to Lake Tahoe in 1991 to pursue his dream of living and skiing in a mountain town. 

He has been working in the construction industry for thirty-six years, thirty-two of which are based in the Truckee/Tahoe area. Through the years of building in the mountains, Pavlo has learned what is necessary to create buildings that have sustaining beauty and value. He knows that harsh mountain environments require understanding and skill in layering different building materials to protect a home from the forces of snow, water, wind, the cold temperatures and a dry climate.

Pavlo started Mountain Life Construction in 2003 with the vision of helping his clients create home environments that reflect their mountain lifestyles. Pavlo recognizes that certain people are drawn to the mountains for a variety of reasons. Skiing, boating, hiking, or just getting away from it all and relaxing with friends and family are just a few reasons people are attracted to a life in the mountains. Whatever the reason, people find something special about having a home in the Sierras. Pavlo listens to his client’s particular desires for their lifestyle, and then works to design and build a home that reflects those wishes and needs.

Black and white portrait of an older man with short hair, wearing a button-up shirt, smiling slightly, against a plain dark background. 
VP of operations

David Achey

David Achey is a seasoned professional with over thirty years of diverse management experience in construction, resort operations, and project delivery. He specializes in leading cross-functional teams, managing multi-million-dollar projects, and driving operational efficiency through advanced business analytics.

For three decades, David and his family have called Truckee, CA, home. Since obtaining his General Contracting license in 1993, David has built numerous homes in the Truckee Tahoe area. During this time, he also managed several winter resorts and operations. His academic achievements include both a Bachelor's and a Master’s degree in Business Administration, with emphases in Management, Finance, and Project Management, from the University of Nevada, Reno. 

David further enhanced his expertise by earning a Business Analytics Certificate from Cornell University.

In the past decade, David has worked with nationally recognized home builders, including DR Horton and Toll Brothers, where he honed his skills in delivering high-quality single-family and multi-family homes in the northern Nevada region. His career has always been rooted in construction management and a strong commitment to customer satisfaction.

David brings this wealth of knowledge and experience to Mountain Life Construction as the VP of Operations, where he is utilizing his extensive skills and experience to ensure clients receive the highest quality and care, turning their dreams into reality.