MinotDailyNews reports that K.C. and Cayttie Heister of Kopper Creek Building opened a facility near the North Central Research Extension Center. Kopper Creek is a factory systems builder, with locations in Montrose, CO and Nebraska. “We build anything from residential housing up to hotels, motels, restaurants,” Cayttie said. “Any type of building that you’re looking for, we do.” They have built a McDonald’s and can build up to four stories tall. “Basically the strong point is getting a better house faster and less expensive,” K.C. said. By purchasing directly from suppliers in volume, they can save both time and costs. The firm used a comparison to an on-site home, they built one in factory for $33,000 less and 6 months savings in time. “And we still site-build. We’re building a big, Victorian home, we do both,” Cayttie added. “But we only do that (site-build) where they require us to.” “There’s really not as much building that goes on outside anymore, it’s assembly. If you are a builder, you don’t cut roofs very much anymore, you order trusses. And then the trusses come in as a component,” K.C. continued. “You buy a prehung door, you buy premade cabinets. You’re not out in the field making your cabinets anymore.” Cayttie said the attraction to Minot was the local economy. In CO, they built in high-end areas for clients that included Goldie Hawn and Tom Cruise.

(photo credit: Wikimedia Commons)

(Correction: Cayttie Heister contacted us to clarify that their company did not build Tom Cruise’s or Goldie Hawn’s homes.  While they did build for very upscale clients, these two were not among them, but rather their firm built systems built homes in the same upscale area where those star’s homes are found.  MHMSM.com regrets the misunderstanding and miscommunication.)