About Us | Hatley Construction & Millwork

How It Started

A Garage, a Dream, and a Whole Lot of Sawdust

In 2021, the world was still catching its breath. Jeremy Hatley had just returned home after serving in the United States Coast Guard, ready to start the next chapter. The world may have shut down — but Hatley Construction was just getting started.

Armed with years of remodeling and carpentry experience, a deep knowledge of the building trades, and a work ethic that doesn't have an off switch, Jeremy launched Hatley Construction & Repair from his home garage in the Cleveland School area of Johnston County. Evenings were spent fabricating cabinetry for local clients. Days were spent chasing every lead, every handshake, every opportunity to prove what he could do.

An early contract with a local homebuilder gave Jeremy his first real shot at getting his name out there. When that opportunity came, he stepped up, took the work on solo, and delivered. That was the moment Hatley Construction stopped being a side project and started becoming a company.

"Personal excellence can be achieved by a visionary goal, thorough planning, dedicated execution, and total follow-through." — a standard we live by every day

Word spread. Other companies across the Triangle started reaching out — not because of flashy marketing, but because the work spoke for itself. The craftsmanship was undeniable, and we still work alongside many of those same partners today.

Founded in a Home Garage

Coast Guard veteran Jeremy Hatley launches Hatley Construction & Repair from his garage in the Cleveland School area of Johnston County. Evenings spent building cabinets. Days spent earning trust. What some called a "mobile command unit," Jeremy called headquarters.

Hatley Construction mobile command unit trailer - the original headquarters

A Real Shop

In November 2022, Hatley Construction moved out of the mobile command unit and into a real production facility in Clayton, NC. At the same time, the company was given the opportunity to design and build the bar at Goodnights Comedy Club — stepping into the commercial space for the first time and catching the attention of builders across the Triangle.

Empty Hatley Construction shop in Clayton NC when first moved in

Hatley Construction production facility from above when first moved in

The Shift to Manufacturing

Jeremy makes the decision to move from job-site carpentry to in-house cabinet manufacturing for residential clients. Cabinets are designed, fabricated by hand, and installed by the same crew. The "Affordable Perfection" standard is born. Perfection is a standard around here — and the view is that this work should be fun.

Growing Into It

With the pivot to manufacturing underway, 2024 became the proving ground. The focus shifted away from box cabinetry lines toward full custom builds — kitchens, bathrooms, designed and installed by the same crew. No CNC yet. No automated tooling. By August, the team had built a full assembly line of hand-built jigs for manufacturing cabinetry in-house — including drawer boxes. By the end of the year, Hatley was rolling out custom drawer boxes with dovetails and box joints. Every project that year expanded the footprint and funded the next phase.

DeWalt tools and hand jigs on the workbench - manufacturing cabinetry by hand before CNC

Full CNC Production

The shop upgrades to full CNC production equipment — Phantom CNC routers, edgebanders, and automated tooling. What started as hand-built cabinetry out of a garage is now precision-manufactured at scale, without losing the craftsmanship that built the reputation.

Phantom CNC router cutting cabinet door panels at Hatley Construction

Clayton's Only Direct Manufacturer

Hatley Construction & Millwork is the only direct-to-consumer cabinet and millwork manufacturer in Clayton, NC. A showroom now open for clients to see materials, door styles, and hardware in person. All designed, built, and installed from one shop by one crew.

Hatley Construction showroom with cabinet displays and samples

The Plank Holders

The original crew. The ones who built this from day one.

Paul and Miguel in the Hatley Construction shop wearing branded shirts

Paul & Miguel

Original Plank Holders

The backbone of Hatley Construction from the very beginning. Paul and Miguel have been with Jeremy since the early days — before the shop, before the CNC, before any of it. They set the standard for quality and dedication on every project, and they continue to prove it in the shop and on the job site every single day.

Meet the Owner

Jeremy Hatley

Founder & Owner | USCG Ret.

The guy who still gets on the ladder. Jeremy founded Hatley Construction in 2021 with a simple belief: you can deliver exceptional craftsmanship at a fair price if you cut out the middlemen and do the work yourself. His wife Katie told him he was crazy. He built the company anyway.

Perfection isn't a buzzword here — it's the standard. Every project that leaves the shop carries Jeremy's name on it, and that means something. It's why the company coined "Affordable Perfection" — because this work should be fun, and the results should exceed what you thought was possible.

"The journey is the reward." — Jeremy's favorite reminder

Long-time Clayton resident. When he's not in the shop, he's with his wife Katie, their son Hudson, and the family dog. Deeply rooted in Johnston County and grateful for every project that comes through the door.

Jeremy Hatley owner of Hatley Construction on a ladder doing finish work