Pleased to meet you.

Sasha Certo-Ware checking level on a concrete pad
 

Subversive Building is a Philadelphia-based company led by Sasha Certo-Ware. Our core belief is investing in longevity, performance, and sustainability. When we say invest, we don’t just mean spend. Investment is about forethought, planning, and prioritizing. It’s about incremental improvements that will pay dividends for the life of your project.

We believe in research, building science, and taking the time to do truly great work. Sustainable building isn’t living in a school bus and harvesting rain water. It’s about building methods and designs that will stand the test of time, and work for you over the years. See The Granite Slab Paradox

We are a full service builder, taking on projects from kitchens and baths to full gut renovations. We also offer consultation services and diagnostic inspections.

- Meet Sasha Certo-Ware -

Sasha Certo-Ware Mexico 2019

I grew up in a family of makers, artists, and entrepreneurs, so I’m at peace when I’m building and learning. My childhood dream was to become an environmental attorney - I have a degree in Economics and in another lifetime, I worked in the legal field here in Philadelphia. It wasn’t long before I realized that my passion was creating. After my stint wearing a suit, I worked in sales, and was a professional brewer for many years. While I love the culture and the challenges that came up every day, I was as happy re-wiring the brewhouse as I was using it.

Meanwhile, I bought a couple houses after college and started fixing them up on the weekends. That led me to work as a project manager for a phenomenal builder in Brewerytown, managing projects ranging from rental flips to million dollar mixed-use spaces. He and I are still close friends, and I occasionally let him beat me in ping pong.

Outside of my work for clients, I’m rehabbing a home in Philly and trying to conform to PassiveHaus standards while on a strict budget. For my next project, I hope to buy land in the Catskills and build an A-Frame cabin near a ski mountain.

When I’m not working or scouring the internet for new building techniques and technologies, you can find me restoring a 1970’s cafe racer, doting over my rescue doberman, or spending as much time outdoors as possible.