PARADISE BUILDERS : Solid Family Reputation Foundation for Success

Paradise Builders has been named The Starr Group’s Customer of the Quarter for Quarter 3 in 2023.

Keith Knapp Jr. is owner and president of the company. Construction and remodeling go back four generations in his family. Keith’s great-grandfather built new homes in Elm Grove and Brookfield, Wisconsin, and his grandfather and father were lifelong builders and home remodelers. According to the “About Us” page on their website, “Through hard work and shared experience passed down from father to son, these four generations built a solid family reputation that is the foundation of our successful company.”

We sat down for a phone call recently with Keith:

TSG: First, Keith, congratulations on Paradise Builders being named Customer of the Quarter!

KKJr: Thank you so much! We appreciate The Starr Group’s teamwork and having our back.

TSG: So, tell us a little bit about Paradise Builders. How many employees do you have?

KKJr: We Have 27 employees… 6 Sales Designers, 3 Project Managers, several Master craftsmen, and a full support team on staff.

TSG: What would you like our customers to know about Paradise Builders?

KKJr: We specialize in Custom Design, Build Remodeling and Home Improvements. We excel in Design Build Additions, Kitchens, Bathrooms and Basements. We are also very competitive and offer the best values in Decks, Windows, Roofs, and Siding. Although we have built a sizable number of New Construction Homes and have done a lot of storm damage, fire, and water restoration, we stepped back from both areas of construction so that we could focus on the other areas.

TSG: Why is that?

KKJr: During the pandemic a couple things happened to the industry. First, people spent an unprecedented amount of time at home. They began to consider home improvements and remodels over buying a new house or building one. Those who were not Do-It-Yourself types had to hire out to create the living space they dreamed of. We saw a crazy number of leads.

TSG:  You said, ‘a couple of things happened’. What else?

KKJr: Finding seasoned craftsmen and experienced journeymen had become difficult. In 2020, we saw a lot of people retiring. In 2021, there was a lot of job hopping. Experienced craftsmen are in demand, and they can go where the pay is higher. We have been blessed with incredibly good people, people with integrity.

TSG: How do you curb job hopping?

KKJr: We provide incentives for our employees. We raffle off $25 gift cards at the beginning of meetings to encourage employees not just to attend – but to get there on time.

TSG: That sounds like a great idea!

KKJr: Oh! Here’s a fun one! When a job is finished, we encourage our customers to review their Customer Experience online. I told my staff if customers name them specifically, I’d give them a $25 Amazon gift card. Well, knowing this, our team encouraged the customer on one job to name every person on the team they worked with. I ended up paying $250 out of my own pocket to my team!

TSG: That is funny… and clever!

KKJr: You know, but it’s worth it because now we have over 150 five-star reviews, and a 4.7 Star Rating.

TSG: And that’s what homeowners are looking for, right?

KKJr: Yes! Exactly! 30% of our customers are return customers or referrals from people who are really happy with the work we’ve done for them. Not just that, but HOW we’ve worked with them. We talk honestly with them about beautiful and functional designs; flexibility of what their budget might or might not allow; and what a realistic timeline looks like. Just basically setting clear expectations. It is about treating people with integrity.

TSG: I’m curious. From where did the name Paradise Builders come?

KKJr: It’s a name with a double meaning. One is the idea of a home being a place of rest and peacefulness. The other is the Christian idea of “kingdom building”. Again, it is treating people with integrity.

If you’re considering a remodel to your home, visit Paradise Builders website to view their Gallery of projects at https://paradisebuilders.biz/ or call 262-574-1166 to speak to a live person 24/7.