Randy Grabau (Whitetail Builders)

Randy Grabau is the owner of Whitetail Builders, a remodeling company in Andover. 

From Blaine, Randy was born not too far away from Catalyst Supply in Coon Rapids.

“Where are you from?” Randy asks me as we sit across from each other.

“I’m from Osseo,” I tell him, establishing the fact that we are both native to the northwest suburbs of the Twin Cities.

I then ask Randy what it was like to grow up in Blaine, and he shares that it was great, which makes me wonder if I should stop asking this question because no one that I can recall has ever lamented how terrible their hometown was.

A brilliant carpenter, it quickly becomes apparent that Randy was born to revamp homes. 

  

“I knew right away that college wasn’t going to be what I did,” he says, but Randy didn’t immediately become a general contractor and begin to design new kitchens and bathrooms for homeowners.

His first job out of high school was in commercial roofing.

“The people upstairs took notice that I was more than just a shop kid, so they put me on the hot crew,” he says, which meant that he had to operate in grueling conditions while sealing and securing commercial roofs. 

“I lasted one week doing that,” Randy adds. 

Predictably, Randy bemoaned coming home and smelling like piping hot asphalt, his clothes filthy and his spirits dampened on account of the punishing environment.

Very quickly, escaping commercial roofing seemed almost mandatory.  

“I started looking around at the other guys on the crew, and they weren’t going anywhere,” Randy mentions, not rudely, but in a matter of fact way. 

“They were beating the crap out of their bodies, and there wasn’t a clear direction on where to go next.”

Itching to move on, Randy pivoted to working at the then-newly built Home Depot. 

While there, he dabbled in the lumberyard but also met a retired master plumber who taught him a ton about the industry. 

For the next couple years, Randy patrolled Home Depot, until a former boss walked in and offered him a job doing remodeling. 

“What will you pay me?” Randy asked.

“Nothing, you *******!”

Just kidding. 

His old boss didn’t actually say that to him.

In fact, he offered to pay him more than he was making at Home Depot, so at 21 years of age, Randy delved into remodeling. 

“I loved it right away,” says Randy, whose grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather all were carpenters.

“Remodeling was in my blood. When I did it, it made sense in my brain. I could look at a blueprint and figure out how to build it, because it just made sense in my head.”

Eventually Randy was let go from that remodeling company when they fell behind on their bills, but that did little to deter Randy from following his passion.

“I then went and got my license, and started working for myself at 25 years old,” he notes, and thus, Whitetail Builders was born.

For the last few decades, Whitetail Builders has enhanced bathrooms and kitchens all across Minnesota, deftly blending aesthetics and functionality, and consequently transforming the way people view their homes.

“My favorite projects are kitchen remodels,” Randy shares.

“Why?” I press. 

“Most people spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and when people come over, everyone tends to congregate in the kitchen,” Randy says. 

When working with Randy and Whitetail Builders, designing an ideal bathroom or kitchen is not completely entrusted to the homeowners, who may or may not know what exactly it is they want their updated living space to look like.

“If they can give me a few tidbits on what they’re looking for, then I will come up with a design that they will love,” says Randy, humbly and confidently, his words laced with a competence that over the years has been built and validated by countless homeowners. 

In most cases, Mr. and Mrs. Smith don’t just wake up one morning and find the sight of their kitchen unbearable. 

Rather, Randy says the inciting factor, the thing that makes people want to call him, is when the flat, lifeless nature of their space finally compounds to the point that necessitates action.

“They have simply had enough,” Randy affirms. 

“They don’t think their kitchen is functional anymore.”

Whitetail Builders also does a lot of projects for retired folks who suddenly want to enhance an area of their home that has remained static for 40+ years.

That being said, homeowners could call any number of contractors to assist with reenergizing their homes, but what makes Randy unique, and such a popular option among people who know him, is his palpable desire to take care of his clients. 

“From the first time I walk into their home, I’m honest and genuine, and I maintain that integrity throughout the duration of the project,” Randy says, which is key because remodels often take several months, so homeowners would be wise to hire someone they don’t mind working with on a long-term basis. 

“In my line of work, it’s about being a good person and relating with your customer.”

That, and doing outstanding work of course, but let’s not forget the former, because many contractors claim to prioritize delivering an exceptional experience, only to fall short.

“Most of my customers will give me a handshake or a hug when I walk out of their home for the final time,” Randy says. 

“They say they will miss me because it’s like I’ve been a part of their family for the last 3-5 months.”

Transparently, I’ve never heard a contractor share something like this with me, but what’s special about construction is that if you’re good at what you do, and you genuinely care about helping people, then this industry is a good pathway to making money and cementing lifelong relationships. 

“If someone is thanking me while they’re handing me a $100,000 check, then we’re leaving on a pretty good note,” Randy says with a modest laugh. 

Big checks and big smiles. 

It’s a happy ending every homeowner aims to achieve when they sign with Randy, and if his body of work is any indication, he hits the mark, to the extent that his past customers consistently generate new business for him. 

“Everything I do is referral-based. It’s cool because my customers are excited to tell their friends about me when their friends are considering a remodel,” he explains.

“There is nothing better than when you walk into someone’s house and a previous customer has already pretty much sold you before you walked in.”

In the coming years, the story of Randy and Whitetail Builders will become more known, and that’s because Randy is going to be more proactive in sharing what his company does on social media. 

“I need to be better on social media with showing people what we do, and telling a better story,” he admits.

“Well,” I say, wrapping up our conversation, “I’ll do my part.” QS

 **

Tired of that annoying tree stump that’s lingering in your front yard? 

You know, the remnants of that massive oak that all your neighbors point and snicker at? 

Well, thanks to Chris Mehrkens and ByeBye Stumps, you can remove that unsightly tree stump AND enhance the curb appeal of your home. 

If your lawn is littered with stumps, don’t wait another minute to get this done.

Call ByeBye Stumps today at (763) 258-7200!

And mention my name when you call to get $100 off your project. 

That’s 763-258-7200.

ByeBye, stump!