The Homebuilders Association of Owensboro’s (HBAO) Parade of Homes begins this Saturday and runs for the next two weekends giving those looking to build or purchase a new home a variety of builders and options to choose from. Homebuyers will find everything from open concept one-story floor plans to multi-level 6,000 square-foot homes in all areas of the county.
One particular builder that offers homes in Bon Harbor, Philpot and now Park Haven, is KSB Living. The family-owned and operated builder has been serving the Owensboro-Daviess County area for the past five years.
The name KSB itself was created based on the names of Bill and Andi Saalwaechter’s three children, Kirsti, Sydni and Barrett. With Bill (and his faithful pup LC Mae) at the helm, Kirsti and Andi make the details happen.
Kirsti graduated from high school the year the company was created and headed to Western Kentucky University to pursue her degree in accounting, but she still came home periodically to help with the family business.
“She took a big interest in it,” Andi said. “Every summer she would come home and she would work at the subdivision helping her dad, doing blueprints and picking out all of the outside and interior combinations.”
After college, Kirsti moved back home and quickly became the KSB site manager, picking up everything she could from her dad.
“She pretty well does it all,” Andi said, adding that Kirsti does everything from scheduling all of the subcontractors and ordering all of the materials to picking out the design concepts for each of the homes.
Kirsti admittedly draws her design inspiration for each home from Fixer Upper designer Joanna Gaines and has helped complete 58 homes including her own. She even met her husband, Marvin Staser of S&S Earthscapes, after selling a home, and the two announced their first child using a construction theme.
“We met when we were working in one of the backyards that we had just sold a house in,” Kirsti said. “He was building a retaining wall.”
While Kirsti and Andi focus on the design and do most of the staging for the homes, Bill’s biggest focus is on the infrastructure and ensuring items like street paving and utilities are in order.
Bill started his own company at the age of 19 and owned Wholsale Petroleum, Inc. until 2004. He was also responsible for the construction of many local Fast Fuel convenience stores. The family’s homebuilding business began to take off after Bill purchased the third phase of Sterling Park from Jerry Butler. KSB has now built 42 homes in Sterling Park and recently sold the last one.
KSB’s latest venture, Park Haven, is a new subdivision near Yellow Creek Park. When fully-developed, Park Haven will offer 77 all-brick homes with a community lake and boulder-style retaining wall, paved walking trail and a walkway into Yellow Creek Park.
When it comes to both interiors and exteriors, KSB said they offer several items and materials that may be considered upgrades to other builders.
“We do a lot of things that are just standard,” Kirsti said. “Dad’s not big on doing upgrades — he wants to give people the most for their money.”
Each home features granite countertops throughout, Phill’s Custom Cabinets, 6-foot windows, 9-foot ceilings with a tray ceiling, upgraded lighting packages with dining room fixtures and pendants above the bar and door and window headers that are all made in-house.
“He just wants to give the best quality of work that he can to someone who is a new home buyer,” Andi said. “He really likes to make sure everyone is taken care of.”
The Saalwaechter family not only takes care of each other, they consider many of their employees and home-owners family also. From Susie who does the bookkeeping to Andrew their on-site leadman, who “can do just about anything,” to Don and Sue Leibfried who were their first home buyers.
“Our customers — all of the people that we have sold homes to — pretty much have been like family to us,” Andi said.
The HBOA Parade of Homes will be held Saturday and Sunday, June 22 and 23 and June 29 and 30. Saturday hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. with Sunday hours 1 – 5 p.m.
KSB Living will have The Cypress at 5410 Park Haven Bend in Park Haven and The Kennedy at 4700 Philpot Heights Road in Philpot available for viewing in the Parade of Homes.
For more information on KSB Living, visit their website.
