I started my first construction company, Shelton Development Inc, in 1992.  In 1996, I successfully completed my first major project, the development and management of a 640 acre estate which is known as the Tanglefoot Wildlife Refuge located on Priest Lake Idaho.

Early in my career I always approached my projects from my strength as an experienced journeyman carpenter and working superintendent.  Understanding the need to learn the project management side as well, I put my company on hold and began to work as a commercial project manager.  While working as a project manager, I had many successes.  I have planned and built almost every architecture vernacular possible, from very high end custom residential estates to department of defense and educational facilities, dental facilities, tenant improvements and even a large scale casino addition.  After learning what I thought was necessary to restart my business, in 1998 I reopened under the name of RP Shelton Inc.

I have successfully completed advanced education studies at Harvard University focusing on improving building performance and have appeared as a guest speaker for the American Institute of Architects (AIA). 

My company has completed and managed individual construction projects ranging in costs up to 25 million dollars.

I also have extensive experience in various project control systems, Owners Representation,  estimating, distressed project turnaround, insurance company support and forensic investigative services for the construction Industry.  I am listed as an expert witness for the California Attorney Generals Office, Contractors State License Board (CSLB) of California, California Department of Justice and Idaho Bureau of Business Licenses.        

I am the inventor and developer of the Structural Rammed Earth (SRE) process.  The ancient art of rammed earth has been revived in modern construction in the recent past. It’s beauty is unmistakeable and it is certainly environmentally friendly. However, few building contractors possess the skill or experience to produce a satisfactory rammed earth product. RP Shelton is an exception as not only have l built extensive rammed earth structures, but I have taken this centuries old process to a new level.

Through proprietary formulation I developed a rammed earth process that meets California building code requirements and has gained building department approvals including Los Angles, Sonoma, and Napa Counties, as a load bearing structural and seismic component. This formulation allows a designer the freedom to specify rammed earth as a concrete or masonry application, which allows for greater clear-spans and or designs without the requirement of massive structural steel frame cantilever elements. I used the process to produce extensive rammed earth walls on two projects I built in Northern California. One of those projects was built using 2,500 cubic yards of rammed earth, much of which serve as load bearing structural walls and is the greatest volume of rammed earth known to be used in any residential building.