Building More than Houses with Tanya Cromwell of Caddis Builders

Michael Krisa sits down with Tanya Cromwell, one of the founding and managing owners of Caddis Builders in Eastern Idaho, to explore the practical side of running a successful construction company in today's competitive market.

 

Tanya's journey began in 1995 when she couldn't find a house design she liked and decided to teach herself AutoCAD and build her own home. Three decades later, she's built an impressive dual career running both Idaho Home Design, which designs 125 homes a year and creates renderings for Parade of Homes magazine, and Caddis Builders, which handles everything from multifamily and custom homes to land development in the Snake River Valley.

Our conversation covers the real challenges facing construction companies today, starting with the sobering reality that five workers are retiring for every one new person entering the trades.

 

Tanya shares her hands-on approach to addressing this workforce crisis, including how she's created ownership pathways for young employees through dividends and bonuses that convert to company shares over a 10-12 year period. This isn't just about retention - it's about building a sustainable future for the business.

 

We dive deep into the nuts and bolts of subcontractor management, where Tanya reveals her A/B contractor system and why Caddis Builders pays subcontractors weekly instead of the industry standard monthly payments. Managing relationships with over 200 subcontractors across multiple trades requires strategy, and she explains how this approach has helped them maintain loyalty and priority status even in Idaho's highly competitive market.

 

The conversation also explores the financial side of construction, particularly how Tanya approaches spec home financing without traditional bank loans. She discusses working with investors like doctors and dentists who want to diversify their portfolios, and how this strategy keeps cash flow healthy while minimizing risk.

 

For larger developments, like the 370-home subdivision she's currently building, she explains the partnership approach with investment groups that handle ownership and sales while Caddis focuses on what they do best - building quality homes quickly.

 

Throughout the discussion, Tanya emphasizes the importance of knowing your strengths and filling gaps with the right people. She's upfront about not being a fan of accounting, which led her to bring in a partner with that expertise while she focuses on operations and design. This strategic team building has been crucial to Caddis Builders' growth to 18 employees over the past three and a half years.

 

We also touch on the broader industry challenges, including the need to bring more women into construction and change perceptions about the trades. Tanya discusses how attitudes are slowly shifting, particularly with initiatives like Idaho's governor offering grants for trade school attendance, but notes that change needs to start much earlier in elementary school to truly impact career perceptions.

What We Discussed

• How Tanya transitioned from teaching herself AutoCAD to running two successful companies
• Her approach to subcontractors and why paying weekly beats monthly payments
• Creating ownership pathways for employees through dividends and share conversion
• Financing spec homes without traditional bank loans using investor partnerships
• Managing 200+ subcontractors and 18 employees in a competitive market
• Strategies for bringing more women into construction and changing industry perceptions
• Building sustainable exit strategies and succession planning for construction companies
• The importance of trade education

Tanya Cromwell brings 30 years of construction experience to this conversation, combining operational expertise with a passion for developing talent and building sustainable businesses.

Her industry leadership extends far beyond her companies - she currently serves as the National Representative for Idaho at the National Association of Home Builders, sits as a Trustee for the National Professional Women in Building Board, and was recently named Woman of the Year for the National Association of Homebuilders in 2025.

As the first female president of both her local and state builders associations, and recipient of numerous awards including Associate of the Year, Builder of the Year, and the 2019 International Company Owner of the Year Award, her insights offer practical strategies for anyone looking to grow a construction company, manage teams effectively, or navigate the current market challenges facing the industry.

You can follow Tanya on social media @Build_With_T.
Tanya on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/idahohomedesign/

Idaho Home Design website: https://idahohomedesign.com

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction

02:57 Tanya's Journey to Becoming a Builder 

03:44 Family Influence and Early Experiences

04:31 From Dance Teacher to Home Designer 

06:13 Starting the Construction Company

07:25 Importance of Trades and Education 

12:14 Partnerships and Business Growth

28:55 Innovations and Future of Home Building

35:47 Addressing Labor Costs and Workforce Challenges

37:01 Involvement with the National Association of Home Builders

37:38 Encouraging Women in Construction

41:32 Importance of Industry Associations 

43:56 Mentorship and Giving Back

48:58 Building a Successful Company

50:51 Differentiating Yourself From Competition

01:00:09 Financial Strategies for Builders