Ron Mettler

I’m Ron Mettler, the founder of the company, and today I focus primarily on our marketing, messaging, and growth strategy.

My passion for building started back in 1972, when I was 18 years old in Sandpoint, Idaho. One of my first major experiences in construction was working on Sandpoint’s first set of condominiums, Condo Del Sol, built near the end of the Long Bridge crossing Lake Pend Oreille into Sandpoint. I began by insulating the individual units before sheetrock, and eventually worked my way into the framing shop where we pre-fabricated exterior and interior walls. That’s where I caught the construction bug—and it never let go.

Not long after that, I took on my first independent construction project: building a roof structure over a modular home that extended into a double carport and storage area in Sagle, Idaho, right off Highway 95. I needed help to complete it, so I brought in a partner, and that partnership grew into a small construction company called General Construction in Sandpoint. We worked together for about 14 years, building starter homes through Farm Home Administration programs and eventually moving into custom home building as Sandpoint grew from a sleepy little town into a thriving community.

After those 14 years, my father-in-law offered me a business opportunity that turned into a great adventure. I moved to Franklin, Tennessee, built his home, and then stepped into the spec home market while it was booming. For about six years, homes sold as fast as we could build them. It was an exciting time and a valuable experience.

But our hearts were always in North Idaho. That’s where we started our family—three girls and one boy—and it’s where we wanted to be. So we moved back to the Northwest and settled in the Coeur d’Alene area, where I jumped right back into building. Along with general contracting and new home construction, I also built out a bathroom and kitchen remodeling division, along with a kitchen and bath cabinet line.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned after a lifetime in construction, it’s that you don’t build great projects without great subcontractors. Over the years, we built a strong team—but one subcontractor in particular stood out early on: Michael Hickel. We originally hired Michael to install cabinets, but it didn’t take long to see how versatile and skilled he was across both residential and commercial construction. Our relationship grew quickly, and I realized the value he could bring to the company if he became a true leader within it.

Today, Michael Hickel is the Owner and CEO, running the business day-to-day, and I stay involved by leading our marketing efforts. It’s a great fit—Michael drives operations and execution, and I help grow the brand and keep the pipeline strong. And it also gives me more time to enjoy what matters most—time with my kids and grandkids.