Master Builder, James L. Liebl, today is the founder and president of Stile and Rail Construction ; however, he did not earn the title of Master Builder and develop this company overnight. It all began in the small town of Stratton located in eastern Colorado where Jim and his wife Pam both grew up. After marrying and purchasing their first home, Jim and Pam increased their family size to four with two daughters. With their increased family size, they decided to expand their living space to accommodate their family. Jim, not having any previous building experience, purchased a Modern Carpentry book and began the endeavor of adding on to their home. It was during the process of this addition that sparked Jim's desire for a career in building.
In the summer of 1978, Jim and his family moved to another small town in eastern Colorado, where they purchased the local lumberyard and hardware stores. It was in this small town of Eads with a population of approximately 700 people that Jim became known as Lieb, and his journey to becoming a Master Builder began.
Within his first year in Eads, the local pharmacist and his wife approached Jim. They asked Jim if he would remodel their home. Jim accepted. It was after this project was completed that the jobs began to pour in, and Jim became "the" local builder. From brand new homes to churches and every remodel project imaginable, Jim did it all.
The unique thing about being the local builder in a small community is that you are not only the general contractor on all projects, but you are the subcontractors as well. In the 13 years Jim and his family lived in Eads, Jim had performed every aspect of building on the various projects he did, from excavation to laying carpet and everything in between. Jim also designed passive solar systems for many of the homes he worked on. When it came to building a structure, Jim had the abilities to perform every aspect of the project from the ground up.
In August of 1991 with a longer backlog list of projects than ever, Jim and his wife Pam sold their lumberyard and hardware stores and moved their family to Fort Collins, Colorado. Soon after their move, Jim and Pam started Stile and Rail Construction. In the beginning of this company, Jim focused on cabinetwork where he greatly improved his joinery and finish work skills. In 1996, Jim was asked by a couple he and Pam went to high school with in Stratton, if he would transform their two story farm house into a Stick Style Victorian. It was through this project that Jim heightened the design aspect of his building.
Jim and Pam's most recent accomplishment is a 3,335 square foot, Victorian farmhouse representative of the 1890's with a 2,250 square foot basement and a 1,500 square foot detached workshop. This home brought every aspect of Jim's love for building together, including his expertise in design and detail work.
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