Kat and Eric Lauer knew they wanted Knutson Custom Construction (KCC) to remodel their kitchen even before they knew the Knutson name. “We had been up looking at houses before we moved to Duluth and saw one with the perfect kitchen for us. It was beautiful, but you could tell immediately it wasn’t laid out just for show. It was designed by someone who cooked,” recalls Kat Lauer. “When it came time to remodel our kitchen, we literally tracked down the house again and discovered Ken Knutson (Andrew’s father) had moved in.”

Kat is convinced KCC’s knack for kitchens is due in part to Andrew Knutson’s love of cooking. “You’re not just getting a contractor, you’re getting someone who loves being in the kitchen, so he creates a space that isn’t just beautiful, it’s completely functional, too.”

Function was just one of many concerns for the Lauers. In the 1990s, previous owners placed a poorly-constructed addition onto an otherwise beautiful turn-of-the-century house. The Lauers needed a contractor who could address their addition’s structural issues. They also needed a designer who could find a way to make the kitchen feel like it flowed with the more traditional construction of the main house. Fortunately for the Lauers, KCC offered both.

Kat particularly appreciated Andrew’s ability to think about details she and her husband would have otherwise missed. “He helped us design a kitchen with better flow than we had before, one that really takes into account that we’ve got kids running around and that we like to entertain. He’ll definitely do whatever the client wants when it comes to design, but he always offers his suggestions if he sees something might be done a better way.”

The Lauers were so pleased with their kitchen that they have hired KCC for other projects and have recommended Knutson to their friends. “Andrew’s biggest strong suit is that he’s truly invested in what he does. It shows in his work and it’s why we keep coming back to him,” says Kat.