We’re Rich and Sara Knapp.

Together we own and operate Tusk Builders. We’re also married (to each other) and have four kids, six chickens and one dog. Our family is firmly rooted in South Minneapolis, and we love this city and its homes to our core.

Rich grew up with a hammer in his hand.

And when he was 18, he started apprenticing with his dad, building custom homes in New England.

Sara spent her childhood drawing floor plans and rearranging her bedroom for fun.

She still does that, by the way.

Our winding career paths eventually led us back to helping people love their homes.

As a licensed contractor, Rich started Tusk Builders in 2017 and Sara joined as a full-time partner in 2022, bringing a focus on design, operations and creating the best possible experience for our clients.

Get in touch

Richard Knapp

GENERAL CONTRACTOR
Sara Knapp

DESIGN & OPERATIONS
Elli Honzay

PROJECT COORDINATOR
Nick Kapocius

SITE COORDINATOR

About our name

The name Tusk Builders was inspired by the beautiful elephants Rich and Sara met while on a trip to Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in northern Kenya.

It’s a symbol of the strength and family bonds that elephants are known for—we imagine the same strength and family bonds it takes to run a business with your spouse.

"They made our house so much more liveable."

Bernice H.
Minneapolis, MN
“Rich truly listened and offered invaluable feedback tailored to our vision and concerns. We felt more like partners than clients, which is a testament to his professionalism and thoughtfulness.”

Karl P.
Minneapolis, MN