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Alyssa Lee
The trimwork at the Isles Perch, designed by Laurel Ulland Archi…
Pacesetters 2012: Pete Welch and Don Forsman
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When Don Forsman and Pete Welch met 30 years ago, both were Minnesota natives starting careers in carpentry. “Back in the 1970s, if you had a hammer and a truck, you could be a carpenter,” Forsman recalls. The two realized they had similar philosophies on how to run a business, and they joined forces in 1985 to form Welch Forsman Associates in Minneapolis.
The Twin Cities teem with houses built in the 1870s to the 1930s. To contractors who love the challenge of applying their craft to older houses, the area serves as a rich canvas for remodels and additions. Most of Welch Forsman’s portfolio consists of infill renovations, with a few new lake houses thrown in. While it’s best known for whole-house remodels and major additions, the company also does smaller jobs such as kitchens and baths. “We’ve always worked with architects,” Forsman says. “We’re interested in great design. It doesn’t matter if it’s large or small.”
One of the most important aspects of their old-house remodels is the infrastructure, a crucial but frequently overlooked element. “Often we’re starting with a building that’s not plumb level or square,” Forsman explains. “We need to bring it back to being plumb level and square. If we don’t spend that time, the rest of the decisions along the way will be the lesser of two evils, rather The right decision.”
In 2004, the company started its own cabinetry and millwork shop, Ingrained Wood Studios , to help control quality. Today, Ingrained is divided into two entities— The Mill, a custom millwork facility located in Bloomington, Minn., and The Lab, a custom cabinetry and furniture workshop in Minneapolis, near Welch Forsman’s main office.
Forsman oversees the shops, while Welch handles business management for all three divisions. (The two divide responsibility for the general contracting side; Welch leads the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work, while Forsman takes charge of the rest.) Until recently, the shops worked for Welch Forsman projects only, but now they’re starting to add outside clients.
As with Welch Forsman’s peers nationwide, the recession has forced it to do more with less. But its versatility and experience working on a wide variety of house styles, from Victorian to mid-century modern, have helped it remain an active, dynamic business. “We have definitely reorganized in the last three years, to the betterment of the company,” Forsman says.
View all 2012 Pacesetter Awards winners.
Welch Forsman Associates / Minneapolis / www.welchforsman.com / Years in business: 27 / Employees: 24 / 2011 volume: $7 million / 2011 starts: 12
