From humble beginnings to lakeside luxury, Marcusse Construction is raising the bar for custom homes

Founded by Klynt Marcusse in 2010, Marcusse Construction is one of Grand Rapid’s foremost providers of custom home building expertise. Klynt himself continues to own and manage the business, having built it from the ground up. As he details: “I founded Marcusse Construction over 15 years ago; I had just left school, having switched from engineering to medicine, then to chemistry and back again. I realized college wasn’t for me, so I dropped out and struck out on my own.   

“I made my start in the construction business just off the heels of the economic crash. It was difficult for a few years to really establish myself, but I stuck at it. I knew Marcusse Construction could offer something long-lasting to the industry. I took all the work I could get my hands on, re-roof projects, remodels, absolutely anything. Eventually, it all worked out. I started working in new construction, which had been my goal from the beginning, and continued to build up the brand from there.” 

With family inspirations and a wealth of experience from throughout his youth, Klynt brought Marcusse Construction to life: “I used to work on job sites during the summer holidays, in between school, and sometimes even between classes. I enjoyed the work, the sense of independence and freedom that came with it. I also liked working with my hands and making something tangible.  

“My grandpa was a builder, and so was my father-in-law, so I grew up with a background in construction. I was familiar with it, but not fully immersed in it until I made the decision to start Marcusse Construction,” he asserts.   

Today, the company offers specialist services on both custom and specification homes. As Klynt reveals: “Our portfolio is 75 percent custom homes and 25 percent spec at the moment. Our custom homes are incredibly varied, but the spec homes we offer are largely in a modern-contemporary style. Because we’re in charge of the design for spec homes, we like to be creative and lean into our own personal tastes.   

“The custom homes are the client’s vision 100 percent; we’re building their dream home after all. Regardless of whether they want Scandinavian architecture and bespoke carpentry, or a traditional structure with high ceilings and an open plan, we can do it all.”   

Better experiences 

Over the years, Marcusse Construction has worked on dozens of major construction projects. Klynt discusses some of the company’s latest accomplishments: “We recently completed a really special property, situated along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. It’s a cool place, just outside of Saint Joe. The home itself is unique – settled right on the lakeside, it’s got a clean, modern edge, yet it also retains a traditional, cottage-like feel. We love this kind of work, as it allows us to combine different aesthetics and create something entirely new.   

“We’ve also been working on our new office and showroom, which will be open for business very soon. For that one we really focused on modern stylistic elements, we have a waterfall dome, and some other amazing water features. We’ve also worked hard on the reception space, as it’s everyone’s first impression walking into the building. We’re just waiting to install a brand-new table unit, which will be the perfect finishing touch.   

“We used to lease our offices, which really limited what we could do in terms of creating a space that reflected our brand. With this new office, we can really make it our own. The new headquarters gives us an opportunity to offer clients a better experience right from the get-go, as they will have a clearer picture of who they are working with and what we can achieve.”   

Future opportunities 

Working closely with clients to build trusting and long-lasting connections has ensured Marcusse Construction’s enduring legacy of success. As Klynt affirms: “We believe trust is vital to success when working with clients on a custom home project. A standard build will take two years, so whichever way you look at it, we’re going to be working with each other for a long time. It’s important to us that we build that relationship, so that clients feel comfortable coming to us about anything.   

“It’s important also that we see eye to eye. Strong communication, and a mutually trusting partnership, makes building a shared vision so much easier. We set expectations early on and consistently live up to them. That’s one of the reasons that clients can trust us. We’re reliable, and we show up for them in every aspect of the building process.”  

For Klynt and his team, the future is full of opportunity. As he concludes: “We’re always looking to push ourselves, whether that’s taking on more challenging and experimental projects, or simply expanding our presence in new territories. My mission is to continue growing in the larger luxury home market. We have so much more to come, and it’s exciting to think where the business will be in a few years.”   

www.marcusseconstruction.com