The Story of Pinnacle Remodel: How Our Company Began and Grew
- Feb 13, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: May 3
Every company has a beginning, and ours did not start with a polished office, a large team, or a long list of resources. Pinnacle Remodel began in 2012 with a big leap of faith, a lot of hard work, and a willingness to do whatever it took to build something meaningful from the ground up.
Today, we are proud to be a trusted name in remodeling, built on craftsmanship, integrity, and a commitment to creating spaces that truly feel like home. But the road to get here was anything but glamorous. It was personal, messy, stretching, and full of moments that shaped who we are.
Starting Pinnacle Remodel in 2012
When our founder, Christian Raab launched Pinnacle Remodel, the timing could not have looked less “safe” on paper. He made the decision for both he and Rachel to leave their full-time jobs and start their own venture while Rachel was seven months pregnant with their first child.
That season required a tremendous amount of courage. There was no perfect setup waiting on the other side, just the conviction that building something of their own was worth the risk.
In those early days, the focus was simple: find work, serve people well, and keep moving forward. Christian took on whatever jobs he could find to build momentum. That included placing Craigslist ads and even offering “painter for a day” services. It was not glamorous work, but it laid the foundation for everything that came later.
Building a Business While Building a Family
At the same time the business was getting off the ground, Rachel was learning how to navigate life as a new mom. She was also stepping into a role she had never been trained for: bookkeeping.
Like many small business owners, we learned by doing. There was no ready-made system and no perfect playbook. Rachel gradually figured things out through trial and error, managing the books while raising a baby and helping support a growing company.
That combination of family life and business life is part of our story. Pinnacle Remodel was never built in a vacuum. It was built in the middle of real life, with real responsibilities, real stress, and real determination.
When the Office Was at Home
In the beginning, our office was in the house. In fact, one of our first office spaces was in the bedroom.
That arrangement worked until it really did not. One moment that made it clear a change was needed came when the IT technician had to be invited into the bedroom to help with computer problems. That was enough to show that the setup was not exactly sustainable.
From there, the office moved to the basement, which felt like a major upgrade at the time. It gave us a little more separation between home and work, and in a growing business, even small improvements can feel huge.
Still, the lines between family and business remained very thin. Phone calls would come into the office, and there were moments when Christian would ask Rachel not to answer if the kids could be heard in the background. We were trying to build something professional while operating in conditions that were anything but polished!
A Turning Point: Work at McConnell Air Force Base
One of the biggest early milestones for Pinnacle Remodel came when we secured a contract to complete a significant amount of remodeling work at McConnell Air Force Base.
This was a major step forward for the company. It meant more consistent work, more opportunities, and the ability to hire additional employees. It also brought a new level of operational complexity.
As our team grew, our home began functioning as more than just an office. On Monday mornings at 7:45 a.m., employees would gather in the basement for team meetings before heading out to jobs. While those meetings represented growth, they also made it obvious that our business had outgrown the home-based setup.
Rachel would try to stay out of sight with the kids while the team met downstairs. That picture says a lot about the stage we were in. We were growing, but growth was happening in tight quarters, with everyone making sacrifices to keep the business moving.
Breaking Ground in 2018
In 2018, we reached another memorable milestone: breaking ground on our new building.
That opportunity came in the form of a land auction in Kechi before 2018. We decided to go, not fully knowing what would happen. By the end of the auction, we had purchased a two-acre piece of property. It was a significant moment because it gave us a place to imagine the future of Pinnacle Remodel more clearly.
We celebrated with our team on the property, and like many meaningful memories, it was not perfect. It was incredibly windy, and while we tried to grill hamburgers and hot dogs, the fire kept going out. Even so, we marked the occasion together, and it meant a great deal to everyone involved.
That groundbreaking ceremony represented more than the beginning. It represented years of effort, sacrifice, and persistence, becoming something visible.
Building the Office One Step at a Time
The building process itself reflected the same practical, hardworking spirit that had defined Pinnacle Remodel from the start. Christian and the team worked on the new office and shop as their schedule allowed, fitting in progress between client jobs and during any open windows they could create.
It was not a process of stopping everything else to build for ourselves. It was a process of continuing to serve clients while steadily investing in the future of the company. Over the course of about a year, the project moved forward little by little.
For a growing remodeling company, that progress mattered!
Opening the New Building in 2019
By 2019, the new building was ready in time for our company Christmas party. That was a major moment for Pinnacle Remodel.
For the first time, we had moved the office out of the house and into a dedicated space of our own. We had more room, better functionality, and a setting that matched the professionalism we had been striving toward for years.
In many ways, that was the point where it truly felt like we had become a “real company.”
The People Who Made It Possible
Our story is not just about jobs, offices, or buildings. It is about people.
We are deeply grateful for the employees who have helped Pinnacle Remodel grow over the years. Their work, loyalty, and dedication have been a vital part of building the company we have today.
We are equally thankful for the clients who trusted us, especially in the early years. That trust mattered. Every project, every opportunity, and every relationship helped move the company forward.
Those early clients gave us the chance to prove ourselves. Our team gave us the strength to grow. Together, they helped shape Pinnacle Remodel into what it is today.
What Our Beginning Still Means Today
At Pinnacle Remodel, our beginning still influences how we work. We remember what it was like to start small, to wear multiple hats, to solve problems with limited resources, and to keep going through uncertainty.
That history reinforces the values we care about most:
Craftsmanship in every detail
Integrity in how we serve homeowners and partners
Gratitude for every client and team member
Commitment to building spaces that improve everyday life
Our founder’s passion for remodeling and construction has always been rooted in a love for quality work, and that has remained at the center of who we are. From those first small jobs to full-service renovations and custom additions, our mission has stayed consistent: to deliver thoughtful, high-quality remodeling that helps people feel more at home in their homes.
From Humble Beginnings to Trusted Remodeling Partner
The story of Pinnacle Remodel is a story of starting before everything looked ready. It is a story of working out of a bedroom, then a basement, then finally a building of our own. It is a story of balancing family, business, uncertainty, growth, and long-term vision.
Most of all, it is a story of what can happen when people commit to doing good work. That commitment carries through to our work today, evident by how homeowners have trusted us over the years to build their dream living spaces.
The same commitment we are now making to you.
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