One person, one truck,
one project at a time.
Grain Build & Wood is an owner-operated general contracting shop in Minnetonka, Minnesota. I’m Seth Dickenson — the person who answers the phone, walks the site, and signs the contract.
seth dickenson · principal
A builder’s shop, not a brokerage.
I started Grain Build & Wood in 2018 after eight years on framing and finish crews around the Twin Cities. I work alone on small jobs and bring in two trusted tradespeople — an electrician and a plumber I’ve known for a decade — on full remodels.
I grew up between Minneapolis and a cabin in the desert outside Joshua Tree, and the work I’m drawn to lives somewhere between the two: low ceilings, long horizons, warm wood, and the kind of light a window finds at four in the afternoon.
Every job runs through me. I do the walkthrough, I put together the scope and the range, I pull the permits, and I’m on site every day there’s work happening. One contract. One point of contact. One person accountable.
- BasedMinnetonka, MN
- Service areaWayzata · Excelsior · Orono · Deephaven · Minnetonka
- LicenseBC804178
- InsuredGeneral liability & workers’ comp
- Started2018
Built slow.
Built once.
Built well.
Honest numbers.
I give you a real cost range on day one — not after months of sunk design fees. If a budget doesn’t work for what you want, I’d rather say so early.
Basic to custom.
Not every project needs to be a custom kitchen with inset cabinetry and stone slabs. Sometimes the smart move is a cosmetic refresh that lasts ten years. I’m happy to run either kind of project.
The same person, start to finish.
You’ll see me at the first meeting, during demo, and at the final walkthrough. No handoffs to a project manager you’ve never met.
Local by design.
I only take on what I can personally run. That’s usually about a twenty-mile radius from my shop in Minnetonka — the lake-area west metro.
Lic. BC804178
Minnesota Residential Building Contractor license, held in continuous good standing.
General Liability & Workers’ Comp
Full commercial general liability insurance and Minnesota workers’ compensation on every project.
Two-Year Workmanship Warranty
I stand behind the work for two years from substantial completion — longer on items covered by manufacturer warranty.