Newly Licensed, Not New to Building

If you've spent any time on this site, you've probably noticed I'm a newly licensed Michigan residential builder. I want to be upfront about that, because I think it matters — and because I'd rather you hear the full story from me than wonder about it on your own.

Here's the honest version.

Fifteen years before I ever held a builder's license

I've been a licensed master electrician for over 15 years. Before that license was even on the wall, I was already deep in the kind of work that teaches you how a building actually holds together — where the weak points are, what fails first, what a shortcut costs you five years down the road.

For the last 12+ years, I've served as Principal Supervisor of Construction at DTE Energy. That role isn't about pulling wire — it's about overseeing construction, managing crews, solving problems on real job sites, and making sure the work meets code and holds up under real conditions. It's a different scale of building than a single-family home, but the underlying discipline is the same: understand the systems, respect the materials, and don't cut corners that someone else will pay for later.

So why get licensed now?

Because I wanted to bring that experience directly to homeowners, not just to utility infrastructure. I'd spent years watching how buildings are put together — the electrical, the structural decisions, the places where "good enough" construction quietly becomes a problem down the line. Getting my Michigan residential builder's license was the step that let me apply all of that directly to helping families build stronger, safer, more efficient homes of their own.

I'm new to the license. I'm not new to the work.

What that means for you

When you talk to me about building, you're not getting someone reciting a script. You're getting someone who has spent 15+ years working inside the systems that make a home actually function — electrical, energy efficiency, structural integrity — and 12+ years managing real construction projects at scale.

That's also why I build using Eco-Panels, a structural insulated panel system, instead of traditional stick framing. It's a stronger, more energy-efficient approach, and it lines up with everything my background has taught me about where typical construction leaves gaps — literally and figuratively.

No pressure, just a real conversation

I'm not interested in selling you a package you don't understand. If you're thinking about land, a custom build, or just want to know whether building could make more sense than buying, I'm happy to talk it through — no obligation, no pressure.

You can schedule a Build Discovery Call whenever you're ready, or reach out with questions first. Either way, I'd rather you have the full picture — license number and all — than wonder what you're not being told.

Michigan Residential Builder License #242600279

Keith Schieltz is a licensed Michigan residential builder and owner of Darling Homes by GoodFind LLC, serving Brownstown, Downriver, and Southeast Michigan.