Father-son duo expand construction business

Published 7:59 pm Wednesday, February 20, 2019

GLENVILLE — A father and son duo have expanded their construction business by building a new space in Glenville that quadruples their shop space.

Bob and Shane Arnold built Arnold’s Construction this summer and hope to have the showroom, which will be featured in the shop’s entry done sometime in the spring.

The build is just a continuation of a father and son building operation that started long ago. Bob Arnold, 59, spent about 20 years traveling across Minnesota building log cabins in a six-state area. When he was 13, his son started joining him.

Email newsletter signup

“I learn by building with my hands,” said Shane Arnold, now 35.

While the pair still tackle a variety of construction projects, they have been shifting their business to focus on custom cabinetry.

“We work with the customer step by step,” Shane Arnold said.

The process usually starts with a phone call and Bob Arnold going to the residence or commercial facility to speak with the customer about what they want. Many times they can draw a sketch on the computer to show customers what the finished product would look like, and estimates for work rarely change unless the customer asks for something different after receiving the initial estimate.

Shane Arnold works on a custom cabinetry project at Arnold’s Construction, which he operates with his father, Bob Arnold. – Kelly Wassenberg/Albert Lea Tribune

The room will be measured and the cabinets will be built to specifications.

“Everything we do is custom,” Bob Arnold said, noting they don’t use particle board, melamine or filler strips.

Shane Arnold noted the pair does all the installation work as well, and since construction is their specialty, they have no problems tearing out old cabinets before new ones are installed. They have plumbers and electricians they work with as well to make sure the job is done in the most time-efficient way possible.

Depending on the countertop service the customer wants, they may need to work with another contractor to have that installed. When working with granite, or companies such as Cambria, the Arnolds can sell the product, but a representative of the company will have to do their own measurements after the cabinets are installed and will return when the countertops are ready. 

Shane Arnold said they can keep their prices comparable to higher quality box cabinets, except theirs includes the installation.

The men have no qualms about taking on small or large projects on either a residential or commercial scale, and they will do so as a team — just the two of them.

Shane Arnold said it’s the best way to ensure every piece of every project meets their standards.

Anyone interested in learning more about Arnold’s Construction can call 507-383-1345 or 507-402-5966.