A PASSION FOR BUILDING, COMMUNITY

&Build Bloom

A PASSION FOR BUILDING, COMMUNITY

By Samuel Sutton Standard-Radio Post reporter

Chris Kaiser Builder has been working on local homes and businesses since 2008, but the Fredericksburg native has been molding his skills for longer than that.

The fourth-generation home builder remembers working in his father’s cabinet shop and homebuilding firm when he was just a kid.

“I played in that cabinet shop and I made trinkets and things and sold those at Oktoberfest,” Kaiser said.

He went on to college afterward and studied as an English major for a few years, but said he wasn’t really into school. During his junior year, when he was only taking Tuesday and Thursday classes, his passion for building repurposed when working on a home that he later turned into a B&B.

“I guess I got the bug and I really hit a home run with that house,” he said. “It got a little harder after that first one, but I always liked what my dad did and it stuck.”

The builder worked for his father’s firm for a while after leaving college and continued working on other speculative houses and B&Bs on the side.

“I ended up working for my dad mostly through about 2008 and then amicably split and opened this,” he said.

Chris Kaiser, of Chris Kaiser Builder, is a fourthgeneration home builder and Fredericksburg native. He’s recently been able to use his craftsman skills for the benefit of others in the

community. – Standard-Radio Post/Samuel Sutton

HELPING OTHERS

Since beginning his own firm, he’s lost count of how many projects he’s worked on, but said it’s been a lot. More recently, he’s also been able to use his building abilities for the benefit of others.

In March of 2020, when a vehicle damaged storefronts and pillars on Main Street, his business and several other builders helped build metal poles to hold up a balcony. In March of 2021, he and other builders pitched in to build bunks for local fire crews.

Chris Kaiser’s firm can customize the interior to the homeowner’s liking, like they did with this kitchen in 2018. – Submitted photo

“Those sorts of things, that camaraderie with my competitors and those friendships with not just our competitors, but our subcontractors, that’s been really rewarding,” he said. “It’s very common that firefighters and police officers are needed, but it’s not real common that the building community gets to come rush to something, so that was a heady feeling to be able to help people and get rid of some safety concerns.”

TOUGH TIMES

Though the industry has been rewarding recently, it’s also been more challenging with COVID-19 and, maybe the toughest, the increase of lumber and steel prices.

“Steel took a 25% jump in one fell swoop,” he said. “That goes through rebar and rain gutters and it trickles its way all the way to refrigerators and things.”

Oriented Strand Board (OSB) plywood also took a hefty jump going from about $17 to as high as $100 in some places. Locally, Kaiser has found it for around $50.

This has led to increases in job costs.

“We had a residential house under contract, ready to go, and just in the period of siding the house and finalizing the contracts and stuff, this lumber quote that we had, every 2x4, every piece of plywood went from $71,000 to $89,000 in a threeweek period, in the same quote,” he said.

For fixed-price jobs, the increase of pricing falls on the builder, but if it’s cost plus — or the open billing method — Kaiser said it can be a difficult conversation to have.

“Luckily, it’s fairly common information, so they know I’m not just making it up,” he said.

In challenges like these, Kaiser often has discussions with some of his competitors in the business about how they’re handling the situation. However, some challenges — like the lumber price increase and COVID-19 — are uncharted waters. In that instance, he said he and the other builders “just did our best.”

“During COVID-19, we were always essential so we never had to close, and it was almost as if there was a building boom,” he said. “We didn’t really feel the effects of COVID in the beginning. As far as supply chain stuff, there was a big lag and we’re actually feeling more effects of unavailability of products and things like that now.”

Even though the job gets difficult at times, Kaiser said his passion for turning lumber into a home will never go away.

&Build Bloom

Chris Kaiser works with future homeowners on their plans or put his expertise to work in giving form to the homeowner’s vision. – Submitted photo

ADVICE FOR FUTURE BUILDERS

For prospective builders coming into the industry, Kaiser offered some advice.

“I think those degrees offered at trade schools, all the way up through the construction management degree at Texas A&M are really worthwhile, I would recommend a little bit of time in the field,” he said. “It’s not imperative, but learn a little bit about how to swing a hammer or cut a rafter or something. I found that, even though I’ve been a business man for a number of years and not a carpenter, it’s good to have a base.”

He also advised newcomers to “pay your dues” and work for somebody else for a while.

“I’ve had some guys whom I hire and who I wish the best, but they’ve stopped working for me a little younger than I think would’ve been wise,” he said. “I didn’t hang out my own shingle until ’08. I was 31 years old or something and had been in the business for 14 years, so I probably waited a little long.” Lastly, he said having business education is also helpful.

“A little bit of education there is beneficial, which is provided in the degrees I mentioned,” he said.