Master Carpenter, Hans Hague, on All-In Carpentry

Honing the Craft: Hans’ Start in Carpentry

When it comes to carpentry, Hans has always been all-in. An early love of architecture and meaningful work alongside talented carpenters solidified his commitment to the profession — inspiring him to build his skillset deliberately and from the ground up. As any beginner would, Hans acquired a set of high-quality tools, began working full-time in carpentry, and bought a dilapidated hoarder house to practice on after work, learning rapidly through hands-on trial and error, completely gutting and remodeling a home that was, by any measure, beginner-unfriendly. “When I finally finished — five years later — I had become a pretty good carpenter with a decent knowledge of most aspects of homebuilding,” says Hans. His advice to aspiring carpenters: buy a lousy house, and get to work.

From Admirer to TreHus Master Carpenter 

Hans’ impressive skill set and work ethic eventually led him to TreHus, a familiar name to this Minneapolis local. Hans remembers driving past the old location on 4th Ave, seeing the TreHus name gilded on the signage and vans in the parking lot, and admiring the company’s reputation for “craftsmanship, classic design, historic builds, and also just plain old fanciness.” Hans’ admiration turned into motivation to gain the experience needed to join TreHus.

Building a Neighbor’s Home in Minneapolis

One of his favorite memories from his time at TreHus is building his neighbor’s house. The neighbors had recently purchased the empty lot one house away from Hans and hired a builder to construct their home. The builder only managed to pour the footings before going bankrupt; “they literally owned a hole in the ground,” recalls Hans. Hans got his neighbors in touch with TreHus to finish building their home. As the Master Carpenter for the project, Hans describes “working from home, as a carpenter! We had hot lunches, I got to wave goodbye to my daughter on her way to preschool, and welcomed new neighbors by building their house. It was great!”

Timberframe Trusses and the Decisions That Define a Craftsman

When reflecting on memorable projects from his time at TreHus, Hans explained the decision-making process behind constructing an accessory dwelling unit (ADU), a secondary housing unit on the same property as the primary residence. While building an ADU with a set of complex timberframe trusses, he found himself navigating a decision with no guaranteed outcome. “I had a vision of how the trusses would be put together and hoisted into place; I had confidence in the plan, but no one I ran it past said, ‘That’s perfect, Hans, a guaranteed solution!’ It was my first taste of having to make critical decisions that didn’t resolve for a long time — long past the ‘point of no return’.” When the trusses finally came together, the relief was immediate. “MengPe, my carpenter collaborator, and I were smiling big smiles.”

The Collaborative Philosophy Behind Great Building

Hans’ inspiration is, without a doubt, his family. The same skills and expertise that guide him at work also make him a fantastic dad. He’s flexible, perceptive, and attuned to the people around him. “I’m good at feeling out other people’s capacities,” says Hans, and this rings true both personally and professionally. At home, he knows when to keep a pocket full of Dum-Dums to keep his kindergartener happy. At work, he communicates effectively with homeowners and subcontractors and is eager to approach every situation as an opportunity to collaborate. “Subcontractors are often blown away when I offer even minimal accommodations to support their work– HVAC equipment, plumbing drains, electrical boxes– you don’t get the feeling other builders approach them with a collaborative spirit,” says Hans.

Life Outside of TreHus

When he’s not at TreHus, Hans loves to get outside and mountain bike. “Once a week, I get in my minivan, crack open a sparkling water, and queue up some of my not-for-everyone favorite music. It’s Dad vacation.” When asked about a surprising fact about himself, Hans shared that he has the ABCC11 gene, which means he has little to no body odor. “I can’t believe it either… (sniff test)… still good!”