About Us – Our Philosophy

Kurt Simmerman, Founder

Kurt Simmerman is the founder and Director of Operations of Sawhorse, Inc., a remodeling company specializing in design-driven home improvement projects.

Originally from Indiana, Kurt was raised with Midwestern values and is no stranger to hard work. Since as early as he can remember, he grew up serving as right-hand-man to his father, who was also a home remodeler.

He studied graphic design, art, and architecture at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana and graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. His professional career began a year before he graduated at Ball Corporation as a graphic designer in their corporate communications department. After traveling to Colorado with the company to work on a photoshoot, like many others, he immediately fell in love with the area and decided it would soon be home.

In 1996, he left the Fortune 500 corporate world to begin a new adventure in Boulder, Colorado, starting out working for a niche graphic design firm specializing in the outdoor sports industry. For the next several years, he worked as an art director, including two other agencies, creating brand campaigns for a diverse clientele. Honing his skills in creativity and strategy, he grew a passion for producing designs that generated results.

When the design industry “went digital” in the early 2000s, Kurt decided it would be more rewarding to create with his hands more directly, so in 2004 Sawhorse, Inc. was born, pursuing his life-long interest for building. The business began as a specialty natural playground design/build company. He built an incredibly diverse array of custom interactive landscapes and sculpture projects for school playgrounds, community parks, indoor play café’s, museums, and residential backyards, creating whimsical treehouses, artificial rock structures, zip lines, water features, interactive and developmental playscapes and more.

He immersed himself in the interactive qualities of these environments as well as becoming self- taught on the psychological benefits of our connection with nature and play. Clients included Waldorf Schools, Montessori schools, Reggio Emilia schools, Whole Foods Market, the Denver Botanic Gardens, restaurants, homeowners and of course his son.

Additionally, throughout the growth of the company, he provided other construction services to businesses and homeowners. And after tackling his own extensive home renovation project, he decided to shift the entire business focus to providing design-driven home remodeling solutions.

14 years later, Sawhorse, Inc. is continuing to grow with their brand of attention to detail and customer service, specializing in higher-end home remodels. Many of their clients hire them to construct kitchens, bathrooms, open living concepts, additions, decks and specialty projects.

Kurt has constructed inspiring remodels for homeowners and families throughout the greater Boulder County area. His company was recently featured on HGTV’s “House Hunters Renovation” where he renovated a 1950’s kitchen in Wheat Ridge, just outside of Denver.

Kurt is a creative at heart and applies a keen eye to all of his projects. He prides his success to working with people he enjoys on projects he enjoys; and keeping it all balanced and fun. So, after hours the fun must continue where he enjoys an active Colorado lifestyle and the local entrepreneurial businesses that helped inspire him to move here. Trail running, weekend road trips, apps on a patio bar, coffee at Simpson St., and any other excuse to play outside are all part of his rituals and spontaneity.

All in all, he’s been blessed with successful and diverse experiences and applies his enthusiastic spirit to his work. His background in design and creativity along with his general intellectual curiosity has allowed him to excel in the home remodeling business. Being able to make decisions on the fly and having the vision of the completed project from day one is what adds value and sets his projects apart. Knowing that what he and his team create shapes the way his clients enjoy their living space, their homes, and ultimately, their lives, is what he enjoys most about his work.