Roc Building Solutions is delivering high-quality custom homes throughout northeastern Wisconsin.

ANDY SELNER HAS never been afraid to do what it takes to make his homebuilding business succeed. Whether it means taking on field labor alongside his subcontractors to bring a job to conclusion as a deadline approaches, or simply keeping partners abreast of the objectives of a particular job so expectations are understood, Selner handles it all as the founder of Roc Building Solutions in northeastern Wisconsin.

“It takes a team to build a house, and I want my teammates to take pride in their work and the product we are creating together as that makes a lasting impact,” Selner says. “I take the servant leader approach of trying to treat others the way I appreciate being treated and in a way that hopefully helps them do their jobs better in an efficient manner.”

Selner and his wife, Nicole, founded Roc Building Solutions in 2012 out of an excitement for building and renovating spaces.

“We are passionate about creating homes with character that have strong foundations,” Selner says. “In fact, having solid foundations in both the homes and in life is what inspired our company name. We are joined by many hardworking, high-quality partner contractors who have a vested interest in building our clients phenomenal places that they are excited to call home.”

Selner has been in the construction industry for over 15 years, starting with project management for a local developer. After graduating from high school, Selner was recruited to work for a local electrician, primarily wiring commercial projects.

In 2001, Selner started a job as a project manager for a residential contractor. Selner worked on-site to make sure jobs ran smoothly and took care of the logistics to ensure subcontractors were meeting deadlines and performing the work as expected.

“By the end of my tenure with the company, I had managed over 100 projects, including a multimillion-dollar condo project, many homes, office projects and even restaurants,” Selner says. “While I appreciated this training ground, I had an inner calling to build a company of my own – one where I could directly reap the benefits of my hard work and countless hours on the job site. I also had a lot of creative ideas for design that I was looking for a consistent outlet for, as well as a desire to infuse a servant leadership philosophy within my own business culture.”

Steady Business

Since its launch, Roc Building Solutions has completed 28 new homes, seven large remodeling jobs and several smaller projects through 2016. The company has grown to the point where Nicole quit her job to help the company grow, taking on marketing, client selection meetings, bids and other operational components as well as handling duties at home.

“We continue to be thoughtful about our growth and are working to learn and be more strategic about the types of jobs we take on and other contractor partners we engage with to best serve our clients in an efficient and high-quality manner,” Selner says.

One key differentiator for Roc Building Solutions is the company’s reputation as an innovator in its geographic region, which includes Green Bay, Appleton and most of northeastern Wisconsin.

“This includes trying new styles and thinking outside the box with design elements to being strategic on the back end for my business by creating processes that promote accuracy and efficiency for both myself and my contractor partners,” Selner says.

Constant Innovation

This is especially true with some of the design elements Roc Building Solutions brings to its clients’ attention.

The company has made a name for itself by trying new products and concepts that aren’t typically found in the region.

Roc Building Solutions was on the forefront of adding elements like sliding barn doors and reclaimed materials to homes in an effort to create new looks. They are now infusing new concepts to continue to keep projects fresh.

“Clients don’t want cookie-cutter – they want something that feels special and helps define their home,” he says.

Aside from aesthetics, Roc Building Solutions aims to be innovative with its operations, as well. The company created a home vision guide for clients to help them craft their home, especially for those new to the custom homebuying experience.

“You don’t know what you don’t know,and we want to aid clients in thinking through different scenarios so they can make good decisions for their families,” Selner says.

Roc Building Solutions also developed a bid summary to help subcontractors understand the work they’re hoping to land. Selner says this
innovation has been well-received by the labor community, and it has aided his own work, as well.

“Subcontractors have noted how organized it is and how it helps them to do a better job bidding a project,” he says. “On our end, it helps us to be clear on expectations and aids in consistency across the board.

“Our company has a lot more up our sleeves that we hope to develop and implement as we are able while balancing the day-to-day operations,” Selner adds.

Innovation is just one way Selner leads by example. He refuses to be the type of person who sits in an office and lets others handle the heavy lifting on a job site.

“I dialogue to find win/win scenarios,” Selner says. “I pick up the hammer and work alongside the subs when approaching a tight deadline or am out there shoveling the job site after a big snow.”

Selner knows this may not seem like a big deal to an outsider looking in, but he has had numerous subcontractors tell him how they enjoy and prefer working for Roc Building Solutions due to his attitude.

“I take pride in that as success is nothing if you can’t hold your head high in the way you treat and work with others,” Selner says.