How it all Started

      It was the artist in Carl Schwersinske that inspired the name Cathedral Rock Construction Inc.
several years ago. "One year, as a birthday gift, I gave him watercolor classes," Judith Temple, his wife and partner in Cathedral Rock. explains.

    During one of these classes, he saw a painting of Cathedral Rock in Sedona, Arizona, and knew he had found the perfect name for his construction company. "It just fit," says Carl, president and founder of
Cathedral Rock. Established in 1989, Cathedral Rock has already set an unsuppressed standard of quality and efficiency in the custom home building industry.

set an unsurpassed standard of quality and efficiency in the custom home building industry.

 Their philosophy is simple. "We give our clients exactly what they want," states Carl. "We do it once and we do it right."

 

 Because Carl has such a wide variety of building experience, the inception of Cathedral Rock Construction, Inc. was the next logical step. Carl, who was born in Bayville, New York, learned about building from his father, who was an electrician. "I was involved in building from the time I was old enough to hand him what he needed. I made it a point to learn everything. There isn't one aspect of this trade that I haven't done myself," emphasizes Carl.

    For more than two decades, Carl has immersed himself in every step of the building process.
"I've seen the managerial side of construction and I've done the physical side, as well," Carl says.

    Carl came to Tucson in 1969 and now considers himself a native Tucsonan. Judith, his wife, was born in Tucson. Their daughter, Leah, who is a graduate of the interior design program at NAU, contributes her design expertise.

 

 Judith has taught writing and published both poetry and fiction. She still writes, but, says Judith, "since we started Cathedral Rock, I've gotten more and more involved." Judith works with Carl to ensure that everything is done with exceptional care and attention. "It's a seamless process. We are together every day so our communication is very direct," Judith says. "We certify everything we do and go above and beyond for our clients. We do it all."

   Dave and Terry Theurer talk about building their Mediterranean­ style home with Cathedral Rock. "Carl  is great to work with," says Terry. "He made sure that things kept going smoothly and were done right on schedule. He didn't design our floor plan, but he made sure the things we wanted would work.
"We had such a positive experience," Terry adds. "A lot of people who build a custom home say 'never again,' but I'd be willing to do this with Carl again tomorrow," she says.        

    Carl's hands-on experience makes Cathedral Rock special. It is his involvement in every facet of building a custom home that helps him visualize the project from start to finish, anticipate any problems, and finally present the finished project that leaves his customers satisfied.

Carl also stresses his relation­ships with his subcontractors and suppliers. "My whole life, I have made sure that before I tell some body else what to do, I need to know how to do it myself."

 

Carl can design and build a home, or he can build a home from the client's plans. Carl states, "I'm with my clients every step of the way. I pride myself in my ability to help my clients fulfill their dreams."

Marie and John Doyle own a Southwest-style home built by Cathedral Rock. "We worked for a year on the plan. There were things that we wanted to do and ideas we wanted to use, and Carl made them work. I would say, 'I want this,' and Carl would find a way to do it," said Marie.

The methods Cathedral Rock uses are straightforward. They listen to what their customers want and need to deliver a home that meets both their design and budget demands. A site evaluation is conducted, and soils and structural engineers are consulted. Cathedral Rock uses subcontractors that are reputable and dependable, and Carl  provides continuous personal attention.

"Through each phase, 1 feel as if it is my own house that I'm working on," says Carl. "1 care so much that sometimes when 1 look at a home I'm building for a client, 1 will think, 'That home is mine.'"

It is this depth of caring about not only his work, but his clients that sets Cathedral Rock apart. Carl also adds a creative flair and describes the look of his homes with one word: drama. "All of my homes have drama, but they also have their own personality. 1 will create what my clients want: Southwest, Mediterranean, Territorial; single or multi-level. 1 also like to use innovative building products when appropriate," says Carl.

   Cathedral Rock's knack for satisfying customers is the result of  a simple philosophy: "Value design and value engineering," says Carl. "It is not an either/or situation, it's a balance. We see how much our clients want to spend and then let them know where they'll be spending it. Where do they want to spend their money? Sometimes it's interior design, or custom features or energy efficiency."    

 

Carl is careful to keep resale value and longevity in mind when designing and building a home. "We had a couple in their 30s who were planning a home, and they originally wanted several different levels of steps throughout their home. The design looked great, but I mentioned that they might not be as happy with steps when they were older. That was something they had not thought about, and we modified their plans as a result."

Cathedral Rock has one focus and Carl is careful to keep his eye on the target. "My goal is to maintain a consistent level of quality and personal commitment," says Carl. "My greatest rewards have been the kudos from my clients."

 

For more information, call Cathedral Rock Construction at (520) 529-1516.