In almost four years of writing for The News, I have rarely, if ever, been caused to mine my graduate work in philosophy while working on a story. Yet there I was, sitting in the office of Schwartz Builders interviewing the team, recalling Socrates and Aristotle.

In a world that pushes toward ever greater efficiency and increased productivity at all costs, Schwartz Builders resists that pressure. The family business isn’t going to rush projects, cut corners, or burn themselves out. They take on projects they know they can do well, and they complete them to the best of their ability. They balance work with their lives as a whole.

This is moderation, a very Aristotelian concept, one he thought central to human excellence and happiness.

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If Crist Schwartz had let the results of a vocational aptitude test determine his future, today he might be a librarian. “That’s what my single highest score was,” he says. “I think it’s because I like to be organized.” Instead, he explored his options as a young man, eventually coming back around to building, his family’s trade. “I just missed the smell of sawdust and being outside,” he says.

After working for other builders, Crist established Schwartz Builders in 2000, the same year his youngest son was born. He built his business through word-of-mouth, specializing in residential construction -- new builds, additions, and remodels.

Today, after celebrating 25 years in business, that youngest son, Justin Schwartz, is CEO of the company, and son Blake Schwartz is crew foreman. Together with design draftsman Cambridge Hathaway, the trio is “kind of like the new OGs,” Blake says.

They’ve tackled all sort of projects together, from contributing to the Student-Built duplex recently completed, to designing the new restaurant, both in Kalona. They’re building a new house in Riverside, and they have large additions underway in Kalona and Keota.

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During the course of our conversation, the words ‘integrity’ and ‘character’ come up frequently. We’re back in the land of Aristotle, talking about ethics and moral values.

“Quality and integrity are really important to us,” Crist says. “We want to provide a product that we can walk away from and feel good about. It’s what we want to have in our own house. Every project we look at that, and to be honest, a lot of times that hinders our bottom line because we’re not just rushing through things. . . Integrity goes into that, just responding to people and doing what you say you’re going to do. We’re not perfect, but that’s what we try to do.”

“We’re invested in the Kalona community, and to have a good name and a good reputation means you have to stand behind your work. You have to do a good job,” Justin adds. “There’s a level of character that’s required when you’re a small-community business.”

“These homes are people’s lives. They’re a part of people’s identity and so much investment,” Cambridge says. “It’s fulfilling for us to see that last and see how that becomes a part of the community and part of our customer’s identity.”

“When I look at a project and how I want to go about my work, I want to be proud of the end result,” Blake says. “I think what drives all of us is our faith. We’re very Christ-centered, we love God, and our core belief is the Golden Rule, do unto others as you’d have them do unto you. If I can walk away from a project knowing that I put my best foot forward, and if there are mistakes, owning up to it and standing by my work.”

Quality and integrity are what Schwartz Builders wants to be known for, but these words are more than a brand identity; they are the lived values of every member of the team.

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When you’re looking to build, finding a trustworthy contractor is priority one. Beyond that, what sets Schwartz Builders apart?

“Being a design-build contractor, we can make everything custom,” Justin says. For example, you might drive by a house with an addition and have no idea that wasn’t the original structure. “We take pride in making it flow with the whole house, so that when we’re done, it doesn’t even really look like an addition.”

Having an in-house designer is also an asset. When clients work with Cambridge on the design of their project, they can visualize exactly how their home will look and feel through the use of 3D software. When it comes time to build, communication between designer and builder is seamless.

And clients don’t have to go it alone on choosing materials and fixtures, something that many find daunting. Interior designer Amy Ihrig works exclusively with Schwartz Builders at no additional cost to clients, helping them select finishes for cabinets, flooring, lighting and plumbing fixtures, paint colors, and more. She reports their decisions back to the builders, again making communication seamless.

“We get a lot of good feedback from our customers about her helping them,” Crist says.

“If I was building a house, I would want to have her help me,” Cambridge adds. “She’s great to work with.”

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Back in Ancient Greece, Socrates grew up the son of a stonemason, and thus also learned the skill. Although he made care of the soul his life’s work as a philosopher, he always held craftsmen in high regard, as he believed they possessed true knowledge in their specific fields, unlike the politicians and poets he found lacking.

I suspect Socrates would appreciate the team at Schwartz Builders.

“I’m proud of Schwartz Builders, what my husband and my boys have made of it,” Starla Schwartz says. “They all have their gifts and abilities. Blake is a trim work guy and he’s really good at it. If he does it, it’s going to be done right. Justin is more the business kind of guy, and he’s done a great job of elevating Schwartz Builders because of his giftings on that. What [Cambridge] has brought to Schwartz Builders has also taken it to another level.”

“I want to hand it off before I wear out,” Crist says, contemplating where the business is headed. “There’s a point where the older people need to step away, when it’s the right time, and before they chase off the young visionary people. So that’s kind of a goal. It’s cool for me to see the younger generation – not just my sons – get excited about building, because that’s what we’re in. And taking ownership – it’s really satisfying to see that.”

Meet the Schwartz Builders team at the Kalona Home Show, March 27-28, or stop by their office at 145 Howard St., Kalona. They can be reached at 319-321-9045 or schwartzbuilders.ia@gmail.com.