A Work of Art

Augedahl Construction & Cabinetry, located at 219 N. Decorah St. in Caledonia, turns plans, ideas and raw materials into works of art.

Owner Chad Augedahl, a lifelong resident of Caledonia and a graduate of Caledonia High School, knew while he was still in high school that he wanted a career working with his hands and wood.

He credits his high school shop teacher, Kenny Eglinton, with helping him develop his craft and setting him on a path that eventually led him to own a construction and cabinetry business.

After high school, he attended Riverland Community College in Austin, Minnesota. During his first year, among other classes he studied architectural drafting, and the students also built a house, giving him valuable hands-on experience.

When Augedahl sat down for an interview, a set of plans for a 6,000-square-foot home was spread across his desk. It was an appropriate introduction to a man whose career has been built around turning plans and ideas into something tangible.

Augedahl’s work extends well beyond custom cabinetry. In addition to designing and building cabinets, the company also builds houses, adds additions, remodels, and creates kitchens and bathrooms.

One particularly memorable project took Augedahl’s cabinetry work all the way to Alaska, where he built cabinets for a large kitchen in a private home.

The homeowner traveled to Minnesota with the blueprints; Augedahl drew up the kitchen layout on his office floor to determine exactly how the cabinets would fit the space.

The cabinets were then built, loaded and transported to Alaska by the homeowner, who had purchased a truck and trailer in Minnesota for the trip to Alaska. When they reached Alaska, the truck and trailer were sold.

For Augedahl, however, the long journey created one major question: Would everything fit? He admitted he was nervous until he learned the cabinets had arrived safely and that a contractor had successfully installed them.

Most of the company’s work today involves kitchens and bathrooms. They also build cabinets for laundry rooms and custom units surrounding fireplaces.

Another project that stands out are separate dressing rooms and custom his-and-her bathrooms. Photographs of the finished project highlight the type of detailed, personalized work that has become a hallmark of Augedahl Construction & Cabinetry.

The company recently built a bakery in La Crosse. Large remodeling projects are another part of the business.

Augedahl Construction & Cabinetry handled the restoration work at the Caledonia Gallery in downtown Caledonia. The building is more than 150 years old. They also are responsible for the Caledonia Bakery and Frank & Julia’s.

The company recently completed a remodel of a 120-year-old home. He added that he matched the rosette trim in the home.

What is Augedahl’s “why?” He shared, “It’s fun. No job is the same. Every job will be a little bit different,.”

Although Augedahl does most of the cabinetry work and handles the bidding, estimating and meeting with customers, he is quick to credit the people who work alongside him.

The company has four employees working on outside construction projects, while Augedahl and Kyle Augedahl work inside the cabinet shop.

Construction can be seasonal in Minnesota, but Augedahl has structured his business so that his employees can continue working throughout the year.

When winter slows outdoor construction, the company shifts its focus toward interior projects, including cabinetry and remodeling. That allows Augedahl to keep his loyal employees working instead of laying them off during the slower months.

Augedahl also takes pride in the employees who have gone on to start businesses of their own.

He has noticed that homeowners are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT for design ideas. “The one thing that I’m running into is this ChatGPT,” Augedahl said. “I think everybody is so enamored with it that they take a picture of the wall and it tells them how to do things.” For example, he said, the technology might design a 20-foot cabinet and make it appear as though it would fit on a 10-foot wall.

The technology, he said, can provide good ideas, but those ideas aren’t always practical.

His advice to homeowners is simple: Think about how a space will actually be used before investing in elaborate features.

“Don’t go and spend on some elaborate stuff that you’re never going to use,” Augedahl said.

Augedahl Construction & Cabinetry can be reached by calling or texting Augedahl at 507-429-6467.