About
Built
by Self
Where a strong work ethic meets design ingenuity and operational excellence.
01 — Existing
A 1950s ranch
Two bedrooms, two baths, on a steep Seward Park lot.
02 — Drawn
Every line resolved
Plans, structure and permits worked out before a wall came down.
03 — Built
Built by Self
Five bedrooms, five baths and a roof deck over Lake Washington — on the original foundation.
Seward Park Lake House · Sheet A-101
Company
Built by Self (“BBS”) is a subsidiary of Self Made Holdings, LLC (“SMH”). BBS is a licensed, bonded and insured entity in the state of Washington, performing a multitude of services around the greater Seattle area.
Founder
Zach Self
Seattle, WA · Since 2005
Zach Self is a lifelong Washington resident, growing up in Renton and later moving to the Central District neighborhood. He kicked off his investment real estate career in 2005 by way of multiple flips, multi-family rental properties and a commercial space in Pioneer Square. He stayed active through the Great Recession and into the present day, continuing to develop a long-term portfolio of cash flowing assets.
He brings a wealth of knowledge from an assortment of industries including tech, finance and not-for-profit management. He graduated from Seattle Central Community College with two associate degrees — Business Administration (’04) and later Graphic Design and Web Development (’11). He has been running his own design, strategy and digital marketing firm, ZTUDIO, for over 10 years alongside his investment real estate portfolio.
He continues to pursue creative ways to integrate and support social, diverse causes via donated expertise and faculty — joining forces with The Feels and Art Together to bring art, culture, food and great people together to fund youth art programs. Zach continues to manage the SMH portfolio to date, valued at over $6.9MM, and is dedicated to strategic, well-executed growth for many years to come.
17+
Years building
18
Properties renovated
30+
Properties bought & sold
$5.9MM
Construction budgets