We Bring Ownership & Firsthand Experience to Your Project
Self-Perform
Knutson supports every step of your construction journey with self-perform services. Our team can execute a variety of critical building tasks—including concrete, carpentry, masonry and demolition—bringing superior safety, quality, and schedule control to your project.
We combine firsthand knowledge with expert craftsmanship to deliver the best building experience for clients. Self-performing work allows Knutson to set high safety and quality standards, drive the schedule, and provide greater cost control.
Your Project, Our Passion
At Knutson, we treat every aspect of your project as our own. We take ownership of the work, adding a personal stamp of safety, care, and quality to everything we do. That’s why clients count on us as hands-on experts who share their passion—and deliver their unique vision.
The greatest advantage of self-perform construction is assurance. We have the experience and versatility to keep your project on track—and address challenges with transparency and precision. We leverage our experience to ensure flexibility, control and quality for your construction journey.
Self-Perform Capacity
Given the labor challenges in the Twin Cities, Knutson’s extensive self-perform capacity and capabilities can be a real asset to Owners. We maintain one of the largest self-perform resources in the area, with experienced team members who are focused on safety and quality to meet our standards on every project. There is a ready pool of resources that can be leveraged as needed to meet the needs of your project.
Our capability enables tighter control over the schedule and enable our superintendents to bring people in on short notice as needed to meet specific demands or resolve issues. This ability to control labor offers some protection from cost increases and claims from contractors, and helps us control quality.
Areas of Expertise
Self-performing work allows Knutson to set the construction pace for the schedule, drive quality, set safety standards and greatly control cost. Knutson has the capability to self-perform selected portions of the work, if permitted to do so. We have extremely high standards for quality in our own work, and we hold our subcontractors to the same standards on our projects. Because we do the work, we know what it takes to achieve these standards.
Areas of Expertise Include:
+ Demolition
+ Finish Carpentry
+ Concrete
+ Masonry
+ Specialty Material Installation
+ Rough Carpentry
History of Success
We have a history of successfully self-performing work at a lesser cost than if the work was subcontracted to others. It is customary for us to operate in an “open book” format. We understand and appreciate concerns with regard to ensuring that competitive pricing is received.
Our historical costs from projects where we have self-performed work will still be valuable to our project team as we perform estimating, value engineering, constructability review, and alternative system/material evaluations during the design phase.
Industries We Serve
Knutson offers self-perform construction across all markets. Our self-perform services bring quality and consistency to each phase of the construction process, laying the groundwork for success. Explore our industries to learn more about the many clients we support—and how we take their dreams from concept to reality.
Featured Projects & Achievements
As a leader in self-perform construction, Knutson creates efficient and innovative buildings of nearly all types, including parking ramps, corporate offices, healthcare facilities, and more.
Torrey Kistler
Torrey Kistler joined Team Blue in 2015 and became the Director of Trade Services for Knutson in 2024, bringing over 30 years of experience in the construction industry. A third-generation construction professional, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from the University of Wisconsin Stout and has completed apprenticeship training in carpentry, as well as certifications in USACE Construction Quality Management and Dale Carnegie Leadership Training.
In his role, Torrey enjoys mentoring team members and ensuring client needs are met throughout project development. He has contributed to master planning for clients like Mayo Clinic. Outside of work, Torrey likes spending time with his wife, Tami, their five children, and friends, and he enjoys home improvement projects, traveling, volunteering, and hunting
Tim Jacobson
Tim joined Knutson in August 2016 as an Assistant Superintendent and now serves as the Self-Perform General Superintendent, supporting Minneapolis Superintendents and field personnel. With over 33 years of construction experience, he specializes in medical, hotels, life science, industrial, and multi-family projects, including notable ones like the UMN Masonic Institute of the Developing Brain and the Treasure Island Wolf Tower Hotel.
After starting his career building houses in SE Minnesota in 1991, Tim joined the drywall industry in Roseville, MN, after moving from Eau Claire, WI.
In his free time, he enjoys supporting his two daughters in their school and sports activities, as well as relaxing at their cabin in Southeast Minnesota with his wife, Bridget. Their hobbies include DIY projects, traveling, and spending time with family.
Nick Radloff
Nick joined Knutson in February 2025, as a Project Manager in the Self-Perform Department. With a background in self-perform roles at previous employers, Nick is dedicated to growing the sector that impacts the company’s most valuable asset: the field crews.
Nick has been on multiple jobs since joining Knutson, including Mayo Clinic, Xcel Energy, and Treasure Island, where he contributed to self-perform estimate reviews. His focus is on learning processes across different locations and using this information to drive future process improvements.
Nick supports all Self-Perform teams in his current role and works under Torrey Kistler. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business from St. Cloud State University.
Outside of work, Nick enjoys golfing and boating in the summer, hunting in the fall, and skiing and snowmobiling in the winter. He enjoys time spent with his wife, Nicole, and their two pets.