Building Fredericksburg’s Future By Brent Burgess
Standard-Radio Post reporter
Ryan Fleener and Kelby Greathouse launched their building company in 2019 and express a commitment to preserving the family-oriented culture of Fredericksburg. —
F
leener Greathouse Builders is relatively new to the building market in Fredericksburg, but their roots run deep and their commitment to the community drives their work.
Standard-Radio Post/ Brent Burgess
Ryan Fleener and Kelby Greathouse partnered to launch their business in 2019.
With increasing diversity among the residents of Fredericksburg, Fleener Greathouse Builders has developed a broad spectrum of designs from Hill Country traditional to more modern builds. —
Greathouse grew up around Fredericksburg with family and worked for several years with Young Life, a youth ministry geared toward high-school students. Following his time in ministry Greathouse worked in several construction and engineering jobs in the area. Fleener moved to Fredericksburg in 2017 following a career in music in Nashville, Tennessee. Fleener worked construction jobs throughout much of his musical journey. “It’s fun, because Ryan’s coming in fresh and new to the community … I’ve been here since 1983. And so it’s really cool to see the journey and to watch how Fredericksburg has evolved and grown and developed. “And then Ryan comes in here fresh and new, and to be able to combine that history and that tradition with this fresh vision. He has some fantastic perspective on some modern builds.” The combination of the two minds has made Fleener Greathouse uniquely suited to provide modern sensibilities with traditional values.
Photo by Josh Huskin
Fleener pointed to how the diversity of incoming residents has caused a shift in home design preference. “With all the influx of people coming in, you’re getting some different architecture that hasn’t been here,” Fleener said. Specifically, the builders have seen an increasing demand for more modern design. “Here lately, we have some pretty modern houses that we’re building,” said Fleener. “We’ve got a lot of opportunity to come up with some really cutting-edge design — cleaner lines, really modern architecture.” Modern design requires a builder to hide the structural support of a home to protect the aesthetic simplicity, and that requires clever design.
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“If people want a simple (home), with smooth, clean lines, there’s a whole lot of work and a lot of detail,” said Greathouse.
Unstable Market Building costs in Fredericksburg are at an all-time high. Economic trends such as supply chain difficulties, increasing demand and inflation have made it difficult for Fleener Greathouse to quote a build. “It’s changed our business model. We’re a cost-plus builder, but we still try to start a project and have a to-thedollar budget,” said Greathouse. “When we first started, we ran a 2% contingency, which is kind of standard. But we’ve run a 10% contingency because the market has been all over the place.”
I Spring/Summer 2022
