John Kraemer & Sons focuses on luxury residential projects of all shapes, sizes, and styles — they specialize in everything from large estate home construction, to empty-nest homes, to lake cabins, condo buildouts, all the way to kitchen remodels. The firm prides itself on focusing solely on high-quality construction, and its entire staff is committed to making every building or renovation project exceptional, from the moment they meet until long after they hand over the keys. They listen closely to each client and build a home that clearly reflects their lifestyle and personality.
How did you get your start in custom homebuilding?
John Kraemer & Sons was founded in 1978 by the late John Kraemer and his son and current president, Gary Kraemer. With two of Gary’s three sons, John and Jeff, involved in the business, John Kraemer & Sons will be around well into the future to build, remodel, and warranty our clients’ homes.
Why do you think your clients choose you as their builder?
We build personal relationships with every client. Not only are the Kraemers involved in every project, but each client is also assigned a job superintendent who will be on-site each day until their home is completed. We have tailored our process to meet the time needs and availability of our customers, and we work closely with them to ensure that John Kraemer & Sons not only satisfies, but exceeds their expectations. Nearly all of our business comes from former clients and friends of clients, a testament to our transparency and superior quality construction as well as to the satisfaction of our homeowners. Each of our projects is run on a 100% open-book basis, where every bid, invoice, receipt, and discount is disclosed to clients at all times. We feel that full transparency is the only way to run a business.
What are some of your projects or accomplishments you’re most proud of?
We’re proud to be the only homebuilder to be named Minnesota’s Builder of the Year four times. The award is presented by Housing First Minnesota to a member who best exemplifies trust, communication, ethics, and customer satisfaction. We are also proud of the fact that our family business has been going strong continuously for 45 years. We’ve weathered ups and downs, several recessions, and have remained a financially stable and dependable company. Our clients take comfort in knowing we’ll be in business well into the future to build, remodel, and warranty their homes.
What are the most important elements of a successful build team?
We’re only as good as the team we assemble, so we make sure to assemble a winning team. We pride ourselves on focusing solely on high-quality construction and then finding the perfect match in the architects and designers we team up with for our projects. A cohesive, collaborative, organized team is essential to any successful project. It’s important to have a lot of fun together along the way too!
What do you wish others knew about your company?
That over our 45-year history, almost 99% of our projects have come from referrals. We pride ourselves on going above and beyond for our clients, ensuring their building experience is exceptional not only throughout the process but long after they move into their new home. This level of customer service and care makes it easy for our clients to refer us to their friends, family, and colleagues who are looking to build or remodel their homes.
What makes you proud to be a builder?
Although it sounds cliché, we are making people’s dreams come true every day. Our clients dream, plan, and save to build their unique, one-of-a-kind homes with us, and we are so fortunate that we get to do that for a living. We are humbled by the trust people place in us to bring their dreams to reality. The joy people have when they move into their new home makes coming to work every day a rewarding experience.
Photo by Meghan Doll Photography
