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Why Berghammer Builders Chose the Amwood Building System

Wednesday, August 26, 2026

For Berghammer Builders, partnering with Amwood created an opportunity to expand its residential work without taking focus away from its commercial projects. After completing its first Amwood home, the team has seen firsthand how panelized construction can bring speed and efficiency to the jobsite without sacrificing craftsmanship. We talked with Chris Berghammer, owner of Berghammer Builders, about why he chose Amwood, what surprised him and the team about the process, and how the partnership is working so far.

1. Tell us a little about your company and the types of homes you typically build.

Berghammer Builders has been in operation since 1977. We started primarily as a residential and small commercial construction company and then evolved into primarily a commercial general contractor. Over the years, we have built a variety of homes with different square footage, including slab-on-grade homes and homes with basements.

2. Before working with Amwood, how were you building your homes, and what challenges were you experiencing with that process?

We were only building a small number of homes every couple of years, along with some residential additions, remodels and pole sheds. The issues we were having were the amount of time it took in the field from start to finish, the amount of time our office staff spent dealing with change orders, drawings, meetings, etc., and flipping back and forth between the commercial world and the residential world.

3. What first made you consider panelized construction, and ultimately, what made you choose Amwood?

I was looking for a way to expand opportunities for our business without taking away from our commercial projects. I was also looking for ways to keep our guys busy when commercial work was minimal. To be honest, the time it takes to put up a house and the partnership with Amwood were key ingredients to start with. Then, after visiting Amwood and doing our first project, the craftsmanship, attention to detail and the people have also become key reasons.

4. What was your biggest concern or hesitation before making the switch, and how has the actual experience compared with what you expected?

My biggest concerns were two things: Would people think these were modular homes? And could we sell them and make money? People have been very receptive after they hear the information, visit the websites and watch the videos. The craftsmanship was great, and everything went together really well with our first set. We were hoping to get two houses, and we might get three or four this first year.

5. Now that you’ve completed projects using the Amwood system, what differences have you noticed compared with traditional stick framing – whether in construction time, labor, quality, scheduling or overall efficiency?

Our guys love the system, and both our guys and clients are amazed by how quickly a house can get set while still being such high quality. This type of construction fits our overall calendar very well.

6. Beyond the panelized components themselves, how has working with the Amwood team – including design, estimating, engineering, manufacturing and your Regional Manager – affected the way you run your business?

Everyone at Amwood has been GREAT! Kevlin is super hands-on and only a phone call away. The designers and engineers have been super helpful, and the crane operator and rigger were great guys and very helpful. We have not had one bad experience with any employee at Amwood. They have all been very good communicators, easy to talk to and very helpful. It adds a level of confidence in the product when the people are such good people.

7. If another builder who currently stick frames asked whether they should consider working with Amwood, what would you tell them?

Heck yeah – but stay out of our area! LOL. I keep looking for a downside, and I can’t find one yet. I’m guessing I won’t either.

Considering a different way to build? Learn more about becoming an Amwood builder.

Editorial note: The interview has been lightly edited for grammar, punctuation and readability while preserving the builder’s original tone and meaning.