Hanson Builders is a family owned custom home builder headquartered in Andover, MN, serving the Twin Cities metro. The company has been crafting custom homes in Minnesota since 1979 , and there is a second, unrelated Minnesota company with a similar name that confuses buyers constantly. Here is what each one builds, what the warranty actually covers under state law, and the checks worth running before you sign anything.
Who Hanson Builders Is
The Andover office runs the Twin Cities operation. The build process has been refined over roughly four decades, with project management software keeping buyers updated from day one to closing day .
The family history runs further back than the company registration. The first Hanson built home was completed in 1885 by Dean Hanson's great grandfather, and the company describes itself as multi generational and part of the greater community .
The firm positions itself as a luxury Minnesota home builder with award winning design build work since 1979 . Awards are a weak proxy for fit. Homeowner references and a walk through a home that is currently framed tell you more.
The Three Ways to Buy: Legacy, Identity, and Quick Move-In
The paths differ mainly in how many decisions land in your hands.
| Path | Level of control | Floor plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legacy | Highest | Drawn from scratch | Buyers with a specific site or an unusual layout need |
| Identity | Moderate | Pre-designed plan, then modified | Buyers who want personalization without a full design cycle |
| Quick move-in | Lowest | Already built | Buyers on a deadline or relocating |
Legacy: Fully Custom
Legacy is the fully custom path. Site selection, layout, elevation, and finishes are all buyer decisions, and the plan starts blank rather than adapted from a library.
Design starts analog and finishes digital. Initial plans are sketched by hand, then the final design is produced as digital drawings. The hand drawn stage tends to surface layout ideas a plan catalog never would.
Identity: Semi-Custom
Identity starts from a proven floor plan and then modifies it. That shortens design time and usually tightens the budget compared with a from scratch build.
The plan modification allowance is the real differentiator. Most production builders will not let you alter their plans at all.
Quick Move-In and Model Homes
The fastest route is a finished house in an active community.
Model homes are open year round across the metro, from Plymouth to Lake Elmo to St. Michael and other locations . Walking a finished home answers questions about ceiling height and traffic flow that renderings cannot.
The Build Process and the 200-Day Claim
The sequence is named rather than vague. It starts with pre-approval from a preferred lender, then a signed design build agreement, then a second design meeting that finalizes plans and produces digital drawings, then a pricing proposal, then an electronically signed purchase agreement.
Two claims anchor the pitch: the production schedule is shared from concept to completion, and the company states it has never missed a closing date. Both come from the builder, not a third party audit, so ask for the underlying schedule data in writing.
The company also states homes are finished within 200 days for both Legacy and Identity builds. That is roughly six and a half months, which is aggressive for a custom home in a climate with a hard winter. Ask what the clock starts on: permit issuance, footing pour, or contract signature. The answer changes the number.
Construction financing is where timelines and money collide. Federal disclosure rules let a lender treat a construction to permanent loan as one combined transaction or as two separate phases, each with its own Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure , which is why two lenders can quote what looks like the same loan very differently. Read the CFPB guidance on construction loan disclosures before the first lender meeting.
Warranty: What Is Required by Law vs. What Is a Real Add-On
Coverage is structured as a 1-year craftsmanship warranty, a 2-year mechanical warranty, and a 10-year structural warranty.
That 1/2/10 pattern is not a marketing invention. Minnesota statute sets the same three periods for new homes: one year for defects caused by faulty workmanship or materials, two years for faulty installation of heating, cooling, electrical, or plumbing systems, and ten years for major construction defects . The ten year period covers major construction defects due to noncompliance with building standards . You can read the text at Minn. Stat. 327A.02.
Two details most buyers miss:
For a new home, the clock starts on the earlier of first occupancy or the date you take legal or equitable title , not the date the crew leaves.
An agreement that purports to waive or modify those statutory warranty provisions is void, outside two narrow exceptions .
So the sharp question for any Minnesota builder is simple: what in this warranty exceeds the statutory floor? If the answer is nothing, the warranty is not a differentiator. Longer coverage on specific assemblies, a named warranty administrator, or a written service response window would be.
Communities and Build-on-Your-Lot
There are two site paths: buy a lot in an active community, or build on land you already own. If you are still hunting, the team will evaluate a candidate parcel before you commit.
Homes are built in selected communities across the Twin Cities that sit close to shopping, dining, parks, and trails, with access to major roads . Service area cities include Andover, Anoka, Blaine, Maple Grove, Plymouth, Rogers, St. Michael, Lake Elmo, Medina, and Minnetonka.
Hanson Builders vs. Wes Hanson Builders
Two separate Minnesota companies share the surname, and they serve different markets.
| Hanson Builders | Wes Hanson Builders | |
|---|---|---|
| Headquarters | Andover, MN |
Crosslake, MN
| Market | Twin Cities metro | Brainerd Lakes area |
| Founded |
1979
| 1986 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Suburban custom and semi-custom homes | Lake homes |
Wes Hanson Builders is a family owned company based in the heart of lake country in Crosslake, with a 37-year tradition of building . Different firm, different market, no corporate relationship.
How to Vet Any Custom Builder Before You Sign
This is the part the builder's own site will not tell you. Run these five checks on Hanson Builders or any competitor you are comparing.
- Confirm the license is active.
Minnesota requires a residential building contractor or remodeler license for anyone contracting directly with homeowners on one to four family dwellings when the work spans more than one skill area . Verify status through the state's license and registration lookup at the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.
- Ask about the recovery fund.
Minnesota's Contractor Recovery Fund exists as a financial backstop for homeowners who obtain a court judgment against a licensed residential contractor . Knowing it exists changes how you read an arbitration clause.
- Get the allowance schedule, not the price. Two identical base prices with different flooring, cabinet, and lighting allowances are not comparable bids.
- Read the change order terms. Ask for the markup percentage and the approval turnaround in days. Vague answers here predict friction later.
- Check the communication system.
Hanson Builders credits its use of Buildertrend for accuracy and efficiency . Whatever the platform, confirm you get read access to the schedule, not just weekly emails.
Building or Remodeling in New Jersey Instead?
The vetting logic above travels. The builder does not.
Our crews at Lion Construction run the same allowance, change order, and schedule discipline on New Jersey projects. On a recent Somerset County whole home renovation, locking the allowance schedule before demolition kept the final invoice inside three percent of the signed number, which is the single habit we push hardest with new clients.
If you are weighing a project here, these are the relevant paths:
- General contractor services for whole project management
- Home remodeling and exterior remodeling
- Structural framing for additions and reframes
- Basement finishing and basement waterproofing
- Window replacement and siding installation
- Masonry steps and hardscaping
We work across Short Hills, Bridgewater, Chester, Bedminster, and Readington.
If the single contract design build model is what appealed to you about Hanson, our breakdown of what a design build contractor actually does covers how that structure affects pricing and liability. Ready to price a project? Get a free estimate and we will walk the site with you.
FAQ
Where is Hanson Builders located?
The company is headquartered in Andover, MN, and builds throughout the Twin Cities metro. Model homes are open year round in metro communities including Plymouth, Lake Elmo, and St. Michael .
Who owns Hanson Builders?
It is a family owned business. The family building line traces back to 1885, when Dean Hanson's great grandfather completed the first Hanson built home , and the current company has been building custom homes in Minnesota since 1979 as a family business .
What is the difference between the Legacy and Identity collections?
Legacy is fully custom, with the floor plan drawn from scratch and every decision in the buyer's hands. Identity is semi-custom: you start from a pre-designed plan and the team modifies it.
How long does a Hanson Builders home take to build?
The company states homes are finished within 200 days for both Legacy and Identity builds, with the production schedule shared from concept to completion. That is a builder claim, not a guarantee, and selections delays or site conditions can move it. Confirm in writing what event starts the count.
Is Wes Hanson Builders the same company?
No. Wes Hanson Builders is a separate family owned builder based in Crosslake, MN, serving lake country with a 37-year building tradition . The Andover company serves the Twin Cities metro.
Does Hanson Builders build on your own lot?
Yes. You can buy a lot in one of its active communities or have the team evaluate land you already own or are considering.
What warranty comes with a new Hanson Builders home?
A 1-year craftsmanship, 2-year mechanical, and 10-year structural warranty. Those periods match Minnesota's statutory new home warranties for workmanship, mechanical system installation, and major construction defects , so ask specifically what coverage exceeds the legal minimum.
How do I verify a Minnesota builder's license?
Use the Department of Labor and Industry license and registration lookup and confirm the license is active, the license type matches the work, and the business name matches the entity on your contract.
