Our Story

A mason by trade, Carl Korndoerfer immigrated from Germany to Racine, Wisconsin, seeking a better life for his family. In 1926, he built his first home on Augusta Street.

That home, and the many that followed, established a reputation for quality construction, meticulous brickwork and Old World craftsmanship. Each project helped Carl build a livelihood for his family and earn the trust that would carry the Korndoerfer name into the next generation.

Carl’s son, C.W. “Wolf” Korndoerfer, continued the family’s work, establishing Korndoerfer Corporation in 1954.

The company expanded throughout Racine and the Midwest, taking on churches, schools, hospitals, shopping centers and industrial developments. As the projects grew, pride in the work remained at the heart of the business.

Meanwhile, the next generation was learning firsthand. Carl, Wolf and John Korndoerfer accompanied their father to construction sites as children and spent their college summers working on job sites.

They weren’t just inheriting a family name. They were learning how to build, and what it meant to stand behind their work.

In 1991, Carl, Wolf and John opened Korndoerfer Development Group, laying the foundation for today’s Korndoerfer Homes.

They brought generations of experience with them, but launching their own business meant taking a risk. They believed in what they could build together and were willing to put in the work to get it off the ground.

Their first model home, in the Arlington Meadows subdivision in Caledonia, also served as the company’s office (pictured). The receptionist worked from the garage, the sales agent from the den, and the three brothers from the basement.

Those early days took resourcefulness, persistence and everyone doing their part. From that shared home and office, the company grew, introducing new floor plans, developing neighborhoods and opening model homes across Southeast Wisconsin.

Korndoerfer Homes made its Metropolitan Builders Association (MBA) Parade of Homes debut in 2007.

The event gave visitors a chance to walk through a Korndoerfer home and experience its craftsmanship, thoughtful design and livable spaces firsthand. It marked another step in introducing the company to more families across Southeast Wisconsin.

In 2015, Korndoerfer Homes opened its Brookfield office, supporting the company’s continued growth across Southeast Wisconsin.

The business had come a long way from the basement of its first model home. As the team and its reach grew, the focus remained personal: helping families find the right place to build and guiding them through the process.

The Design Studio opened in Brookfield in 2016, giving homeowners over 3,000 square feet of inspiration and a dedicated place to personalize their homes.

With materials, finishes and guidance from our team in one place, homeowners could begin bringing their ideas together and choosing the details that would make a Korndoerfer home feel like their own.

In 2021, Korndoerfer Homes became a 100% employee-owned company through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or ESOP.

After three generations of family ownership, Carl, Wolf and John placed the company’s future in the hands of the people who had helped make it a success.

Today, the people who help design, build, sell and support our homes are also owners. We share in the company’s success and have a personal stake in the work we do every day.

For our homeowners, that means working with a team whose own future is connected to the company’s reputation. We care about the details, the relationships and the experience we provide because we are building something that belongs to all of us.

The family just got bigger.

In 2024, Korndoerfer Homes was named the Metropolitan Builders Association’s (MBA) Builder of the Year.

For our employee owners, it was a proud moment in a story they are helping write. It gave the team an opportunity to celebrate how far the company had come and the work they put into moving it forward.

In 2026, we celebrate 35 years of Korndoerfer Homes and 100 years since Carl Korndoerfer built that first home in Racine.

This year also brings the reopening of our newly reimagined Brookfield Design Studio, continuing our investment in helping homeowners make confident, personal choices for their homes.

From one mason’s first home to a company owned by the people who work here, our story continues through our employee owners, trade partners and the families who trust us to build the place where their lives happen.

Built on family. Carried forward by employee owners.

And we’re still building.