Pratt Homes Celebrates 50 Years

By Debra Neutkens | Photos by Pratt Homes

Pratt Homes has stood the test of time.

When Len and Lowell Pratt started their custom home-building company in 1973, the brothers were continuing a path started in college where they paid their way as carpenters.

There was plenty of work after graduation in the construction business, Len recalled. And there was something about the tangible evidence of a day’s work they found appealing.

“You can stand back and look at your progress: ‘That’s what we did today,’” Len said.

Fifty years later, the

Vadnais Heights company has grown exponentially to a crew of 40 highly skilled employees who build the products they sell.

“We always pride ourselves on maintaining our own in-house carpentry staff to ensure the best quality,” pointed out Art Pratt, Lowell’s son and president of construction operations. Art grew up on job sites and has a true passion for custom home construction. He stepped in as partner after Lowell semi-retired.

The family business is centered in the northeast metro, where the Pratts grew up and still live. Their specialty is premium homes with price points at $600,000 and up. “We’re not into expediency or less expensive,” Len said. “We’re into detail. Properties must have unique characteristics in a context that has appeal, space and good backdrops.”

The work is especially gratifying, continued Len, because they have an identity that survives. “Our homes are permanent and become a statement for our customers. We look at neighborhoods we’ve done and there is a quality of experience, in my book, that has an afterglow.”

Pratt Homes’ mission is exemplified in neighborhoods like Hugo’s upscale Fable Hill: Building developments that honor a community’s heritage while volunteering personal time and profits to give back to those communities.

Pratt Homes donated land, for example, to the White Bear Lake school district to build Oneka Elementary. That served two purposes, Len explained. “What is good for children matters to me a great deal. It’s also impossible to sell houses that don’t have visual evidence there’s a quality school nearby. We make sure components for our neighborhoods are well served.”

Their quest for excellence has not gone unnoticed. The Pratts have earned a long list of accolades during their 50 years.

Both Len and Lowell were inducted into the Minnesota Building Industry Foundation Hall of Fame and they were named as two of the 100 most distinguished alumni from the University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development. They’ve been recognized as “Builder of the Year” twice from the Builder’s Association of the Twin Cities, now rebranded as Housing First Minnesota. Art will chair the organization in 2024.

Lowell led lobbying efforts at the Capitol for a law requiring builders to be licensed and complete continuing education. Pratt Homes holds Minnesota Builder License No. 1 in recognition of Lowell’s efforts after the law passed.

Specialty products like luxury villas are a hot market for the builder. The one-level patio homes come with three-car garages and grounds maintained by an association. They’re popular among empty nesters looking to downsize. Their signature villas are present in Hugo, Lake Elmo and Woodbury and under construction in a new North Oaks development called Spring Farm.

Remodeling existing homes is also a significant part of their business. “That has really grown, particularly during the pandemic,” Len noted. “People were ‘ugly’d’ out and looking for a change.”

Pratt Homes believes distinctive design, exceptional locations and attention to detail are what set them apart from other builders. But it’s also about outstanding service and a personal touch.

“Being the best local home builder is about more than simply putting in the work – it’s also about caring,” Len said. “We understand home building and remodeling and we are here to guide you through every step of the process.” For more information on the custom homebuilder and remodeler, visit pratthomes.com.