From quaint county fairs to extravagant car shows, life in Minnesota is far from dull. While over 60% of the state’s residents reside within the borders of the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, which are the home of Minnesota’s business districts, the renowned arts community, and educational centers, the remaining residents live either around or near the state’s metro areas. These charming and picturesque small towns are both beautiful and affordable.

The houses in Minnesota’s urban and suburban areas are a mixture of modern farmhouses, ranch-style houses, and colonial-style houses. “White picket fence” houses reminiscent of the American dream are also common in the North Star State. Building, remodeling, and renovating these homes are Minnesota’s general contractors, of which the top 15 are listed here.

14) Quality Cut Design | Remodel

4224 15th Ave South Minneapolis, MN 55407

Established in 1994, Quality Cut Design Remodel began when its founder, Kent Tsui, decided to finally start up his own company after having spent several summers remodeling homes. He mainly worked on custom interior finishes until 2004, when he met his now business partner, Andre Balkcum. Now a Certified Remodeler, Tsui and his team specialize in vintage home restorations, kitchen and bath remodeling, home additions, attic and basement finishing, wine cellar construction, and outdoor living remodeling.

The firm is affiliated with the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission and has won various Contractor of the Year (CoTY) awards, including Best Historical Renovation, Best Residential Addition, and Best Residential Bath. Quality Cut Design also recently earned the 2017 Guildmaster Award for Service Excellence and the 2018 Guild Quality Guildmaster Award with Distinction.

13) AMEK Custom Builders

9340 James Ave S Bloomington, MN 55431

With over 20 years of experience, AMEK Custom Builders is a family-owned business that prides itself on its strong relationships which is reflected in its high number of referrals and repeat clients.. The company proudly uses a LifeDesign™ process, by which it expends extra efforts to get to know each client’s lifestyle and vision in order to create a truly customized home. The firm specializes in simple yet sleek contemporary spaces.

Through its approach, AMEK Custom Builders has created numerous beautiful homes, for which the firm has received several regional and national CoTY Awards from the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) and many Remodeler of Merit Awards (ROMA) from the Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC).

12) Jones Design Build

4780 Fatima Place, Shorewood, MN 55331

Jones Design Build is an award-winning firm that specializes in kitchen and bathroom remodeling, whole-house renovations, owner suite construction, home additions, universal design, green building, and condo remodeling. Led by Brian Jones, a Master of Architecture with over three decades of experience as a craftsman, the firm most recently earned the CoTY Award for Best Home Addition. The firm has also received the Best Universal Design, Best Interiors, and Best Entire House awards throughout the years.

The firm builds in a wide array of styles, including colonial, contemporary, and Excelsior. Jones Design Build’s designs are often characterized by their tall windows and finely detailed finishes.

11) Revision, LLC

153 East Lake Street Wayzata MN 55391

Revision is a premier boutique remodeler that specializes in design and renovation. The firm is led by Sven Gustafson, the son of a home builder who learned his way around the building industry from the ground up. In addition to building homes, Gustafson also developed a leading construction management software used by residential and commercial builders and remodelers across the world.

The firm’s work has been on the pages of Spaces, Remodeling Magazine, and Midwest Home. Further, Revision was distinguished by Inc. 500 as one of the fastest growing private companies in the country. With a portfolio consisting of chateaus, historic remodels, and contemporary rooms, the firm is a proud recipient of Remodeling Magazine’s Big50 Award.

10) Ispiri Design-Build

7779 Afton Road Woodbury, MN 55125

Drawing from Italian for “to inspire,” Ispiri Design Build showcases a portfolio filled with luxurious and stately Mediterranean and colonial homes. Inspiri has also worked on contemporary rooms and spaces that have earned the firm various awards, including several CoTY Awards,  a Big50 Award, a Chrysalis Award, and a few features in Qualified Remodeler.

With an extensive array of offered services, Ispiri has worked on numerous interesting spaces, including lower-level finishes and master suite reconstruction. The firm has also built and remodeled several outdoor spaces and installed multiple room additions.

9) Michels Homes

5959 Centerville Road, Suite 250B North Oaks, MN 55127

Now on its fourth generation of builders, Michels Homes has been in the industry for over 40 years. The firm’s services include new home construction, whole-house remodeling, disaster recovery work, and home additions. The company’s style, on the other hand, is a wide range of sophisticated and elegant colonial, French, and Tudor designs. The firm is currently led by Robert Michels, who has been in the industry since 1965. Michels has served as the BATC’s president and as a member of its board of directors.

With numerous CoTY and ROMA Awards, including Best Regional Interiors, Best Total Home, and Best Kitchen, the firm also completes green building projects in pursuit of its goal to construct more energy-efficient homes.

8) Castle Building & Remodeling

2600 Johnson St NE Minneapolis, MN 55418

Castle Building and Remodeling is a multi-award-winning firm led by Loren Schirber and Aaron Johnson. Originally owned by Schirber’s father, Loren first became involved with the company while he was attending university. After learning the ropes of the business, Loren acquired control of the firm from his father. From there, Loren began opening more design studios throughout various neighborhoods, and in 2012 he partnered with Johnson to merge Castle with Camelot Builders.

Passionate about sustainable remodeling and designs, the firm has been highly recognized in the industry. Earlier this year, Castle was ranked the 63rd largest full-service remodeler in Remodeling Magazine’s annual Top 550 list. Castle is also a big promoter of utilizing local supplies and hiring local artisans.

7) DiGiacomo Homes & Renovation

11655 Ridgemount Ave W Minnetonka, MN 55305

DiGiacomo Homes and Renovation is an award-winning design-build firm that has been serving the Twin Cities area for nearly three decades. With a comprehensive and streamlined design and build process, the firm offers an extensive range of services, which include site analysis, architectural design, interior design, and, of course, construction. From new home construction to whole-house remodeling projects, the firm has worked on some interesting spaces including age-in-place master suites, urban modern farmhouses, and fresh outdoor living areas. Every space is packed with timeless finishes, high-function storage and sophisticated detailing.

The firm has won multiple industry awards, including a first-place accolade in the Bedroom Suite category from the American Society of Interior Designers and numerous CoTY awards, including Best Kitchen and Best Organizational Space. The firm is also a proud recipient of several ROMA Awards. DiGiacomo’s work has graced the pages of Midwest Home, Mpls-St. Paul Home & Design, and MN Architecture.

6) John Kraemer & Sons

4906 Lincoln Drive Edina, MN 55436

John Kraemer and Sons pride itself for being the only four-time winner of the Builder of the Year Award from the BATC in Minnesota. With projects ranging from estates to cabins, the firm offers a wide range of services.  The firm has worked on chateaus, contemporary-style homes, French Mediterranean mansions, country homes, lodges, lakefront homes, and even castles.

Established in 1978 by founder and president Gary Kraemer, one of a few select professionals in the industry to receive the title of Certified Graduate Builder, the firm employs its own superintendents, project managers, and finish carpenters. Each client is then assigned a superintendent who is responsible for overseeing the client’s project from start to finish.

John Kraemer & Sons won two CoTY Awards from the NARI in 2017, multiple Annual ROMA Awards from the BATC, and the first and second place awards at the 2015 Rave Awards from Mpls. St. Paul Home and Design Magazine. The firm’s designs have graced the pages of Midwest Home Magazine, Artful Living Magazine, and Minnesota Monthly. John Kraemer & Sons have also been featured on KARE 11’s 2018 Artisan Home Tour and WCCO 4 News’ 2016 Artisan Home Tour.

5) McDonald Remodeling

6015 Cahill Avenue East, Suite 100 Inver Grove Heights, MN 55076

Founded by Jim McDonald in 1976, McDonald Remodeling ’s portfolio is filled with ranch, farmhouse, and modern-style homes. The firm’s expansive design range also encompasses homes with contemporary coastal-inspired spaces often accented with white finishes. Further, the company’s designs are characterized by their high windows and ceilings along with their stucco details, as in the photo below. Currently led by Greg Alsterlund, the firm is a proud recipient of numerous CoTY, ROMA, and Chrysalis Awards for Best Kitchen, Best Bathroom, and Best Basement.

McDonald’s stellar work has been featured in Qualified Remodeler, which also honored the firm with a Master Design Award. The firm has also appeared in Mpls. St. Paul Magazine, HOME, and Domino Magazine.

4) L. Cramer Builders + Remodelers

5500 Lincoln Drive Edina, MN 55436

L. Cramer Builders is a nationally recognized firm originally founded by Larry Cramer, a Builders Association Hall of Fame inductee. He eventually turned ownership of the firm over to Greg Jurvakainen, a long-time business associate and trusted subcontractor, in 2015. Known its luxury custom homes throughout the Twin Cities, L. Cramer Builders provides custom home building, home addition, and remodeling services, with a specialization in rustic lake homes and classic designs. The firm’s portfolio is a showcase of timeless estates and country homes with dynamic exteriors, relaxing patios, and beautiful landscaping.

Jurvakainen and his team make it a point to keep up with all the latest trends in design and technology, which manifests in the firm’s sleek combination of function and style—for particularly busy rooms, such as kitchens, appliances are hidden, which creates a classic, clean, and timeless look. Additionally, every element of the firm’s master closets and home theaters are custom made.

The firm is a proud winner of numerous Reggie and Trillium Awards and has been featured in several publications, including Midwest Home, Trends, and the Mpls St. Paul.

3)  DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen by Worldwide

6801 Wayzata Blvd #4 St Louis Park, MN 55426

Originally known as Worldwide Refinishing Systems, Inc., the firm was hailed by Remodeling Magazine last June as the sixth largest full-service remodeling company in the nation. The firm is the proud recipient of more than 15 GuildMaster Awards and over five Big50 Awards. Although better known for its bath and kitchen work, the firm also provides an extensive range of interior remodeling services.

The firm has worked on several home offices and home entertainment centers. Although the firm generally builds within a wide range of styles, its portfolio is dominated by contemporary, traditional, and modern themes.  

2) MA Peterson Design Build, Inc.

6161 Wooddale Avenue, Edina, MN 55424

MA Peterson Design Build is a full-service custom remodeling firm that emphasizes the design-build process. The firm has been serving the Twin Cities and Minnesota metro areas for more than 39 years. Manned by a team of experts in design, carpentry, landscaping, cabinetry, and illustrations, the firm specializes in modern and mid-century styles and has worked on mud rooms, wine cellars, entertainment bars, and boathouses. MA Peterson has also built Tudor homes complete with elegant beams and stucco finishes.

The firm is a proud recipient of a ROMA Award for Best Lower Level, a Chrysalis Regional Award for Residential Specialty, and a CoTY Award for Best Residential Addition. The firm has also been featured in Better Homes & Gardens, Vanity Fair, and Architectural Digest.

1) James Barton Design-Build Inc.

5920 148th Street West #100 Apple Valley, MN 55124

James Barton Design-Build is an award-winning firm that specializes in home remodeling, renovation, and new home construction. Known for its exquisite modern take on farmhouses, the firm builds in a wide range of styles. The company’s portfolio also showcases a variety of Cape Cod, ranch, and craftsman homes. The team is led by James Madsen, a craftsman with over 30 years of industry experience who ensures that each project receives the benefit of his knowledge.

In addition to winning numerous CoTY awards for Best Residential Bathroom, Best Exterior, and Best Universal Design, the firm has received numerous Chrysalis and ROMA Awards. James Barton Design-Build has been featured on Qualified Remodeler and Professional Remodeler’s annual “40 Under 40” list.

How can I find a contractor near me?

Read our latest articles on the best residential contractors and home builders in and near Minnesota. If you don’t see your project type or city below, just let us know – we are happy to create a tailored recommendation list just for you.

General contractors in Minneapolis

General contractors in St. Paul

Kitchen remodeling contractors in Minneapolis

Kitchen remodeling contractors in Minnesota