New homes and additions
Custom homes, cabins and additions from the excavation and foundation through framing and finish, with one schedule for every phase.
Residential · Commercial · Dirt work to finish
General Contractor in Missoula, MT
Handy's Construction is an owner-run general contractor based in Missoula. One crew and one contract cover the whole job, from excavation and concrete to framing, finish work and the final walkthrough, on homes, shops and commercial buildings across western Montana. Estimates are free and written after a site visit.
Last updated: September 2026
Handy's Construction is a licensed and insured Montana general contractor based in Missoula, owner-operated by Tyler Handy and serving Missoula, Ravalli, Mineral and Lake Counties.
What does Handy’s Construction do as a general contractor?
Short answer
Handy's Construction manages the whole project and does most of the work with its own crew: scope and estimate, permit steps, excavation and site prep, concrete, framing, finish carpentry and close-out. Licensed specialty trades are scheduled into the same plan, and you have one contract and one person, Tyler Handy, to call.
People searching for general contractors in Missoula usually find two kinds of company. Some are managers who hire out every trade and coordinate from a truck. Others are single-trade outfits that only pour concrete or only frame. Handy's Construction sits in between: Tyler Handy runs the job, and his crew runs the excavators, pours the foundations, frames the building and does the finish work.
That structure is the reason the company exists. Tyler has more than 20 years of hands-on experience building, digging and pouring in western Montana, and he started Handy's Construction on a simple idea: the crew that digs your foundation should already know how the framing will land on it, because they are framing it too. Fewer hand-offs mean fewer gaps on the calendar and nobody pointing at another company when something needs fixing.
The work covers new residential construction, custom homes, additions, shops and pole buildings, commercial new builds and commercial remodels, plus general repair and refurbishment of existing buildings. If you are looking for Missoula contractors who can take a project from raw ground to a finished building, start with a site visit.
What we manage
Which projects does Handy’s Construction take on as general contractor?
Handy's Construction manages residential and commercial jobs where several phases of work have to line up, from a new building on raw ground to a remodel inside an occupied space.
Commercial new construction
Ground-up commercial buildings such as retail and food-service spaces, warehouses and shops, including the site work and slab.
Construction management
Scope, sequence, permit steps, material orders and the specialty trades a job needs, organized into one plan and one schedule by Tyler Handy.
Commercial remodels
Interior build-outs and remodels for businesses, including new walls, counters and finish carpentry, scheduled around opening dates.
Shops and outbuildings
Shops, garages, pole buildings and accessory buildings, with the pad, slab and building handled by the same crew.
Repair and refurbishment
General repair, structural interior repairs and refurbishment of existing homes and buildings that need more than one trade.
One contract
Why hire one general contractor instead of separate trades?
Handy's Construction replaces a string of separate contracts with one. You get one estimate, one schedule and one person accountable, instead of managing the gaps between an excavator, a concrete company, a framer and a finish carpenter yourself.
Hiring trades separately
- Several estimates to compare
- You schedule the gaps between crews
- Problems land between companies
Handy’s Construction
- One written estimate
- One crew runs the phases in order
- Tyler answers for the whole job
- One schedule
When the same crew digs, pours and frames, the next phase starts when the last one finishes, not when another company has an opening.
- One point of contact
Questions, changes and decisions go to Tyler Handy. You do not relay messages between three foremen.
- Own equipment
Excavators and dump trucks run under the company's USDOT #4414052, so dirt work is not waiting on a rented machine or a hauler.
- Built for western Montana
Frost, snow load, spring groundwater and changing soils are planned for from the site visit, across every phase.
The process
How does a Handy’s Construction project run from start to finish?
Handy's Construction runs every general contracting job through the same five steps, starting with a free site visit and ending with a walkthrough of the finished work with Tyler Handy.
Site visit and scope
Tyler Handy walks the property or building, talks through what you want, and checks access, ground, utilities and existing conditions.
Written estimate and plan
You get the scope, the sequence of work and the price in writing before anything is scheduled.
Permits and scheduling
Building and septic permit steps are lined up, materials are ordered and the phases are put in order on one schedule.
Build
The crew runs excavation, concrete, framing and finish work in sequence, and coordinates any licensed specialty trades the job needs.
Walkthrough and close-out
You walk the finished work with Tyler, any punch-list items are handled, and the job is closed out.
Who handles permits on a Handy’s Construction project?
Handy's Construction lines up the permit steps before work starts. Which office issues them depends on the lot: property inside Missoula city limits goes through the City of Missoula, property outside city limits goes through Missoula County or the county where it sits, and septic systems need their own county health permit.
A Missoula mailing address does not always mean city rules, so the jurisdiction is confirmed at the site visit. Before you hire anyone, our guide on how to choose a general contractor in Missoula lists the questions and paperwork worth asking about.
Featured project
What did Handy’s Construction build for She Brews Coffee?
Handy's Construction built the She Brews Coffee location in Anaconda, Montana from bare dirt to open doors: site work, foundation and slab, full framing with electrical rough-in coordinated, and interior finish. The company has since remodeled three more She Brews locations in western Montana.
FAQ
What do people ask before hiring a general contractor in Missoula?
Have a project in mind? Call (406) 491-6141 and talk it through with Tyler.
What does a general contractor do in Missoula?
A general contractor takes responsibility for the whole project: scope, schedule, permits, the trades, the materials and the finished result. At Handy's Construction the same owner-run crew also does much of the physical work itself, from excavation and concrete to framing and finish, so fewer hand-offs happen between companies.
Does Handy's Construction build commercial projects?
Yes. Handy's Construction builds and remodels commercial buildings as well as homes. It built the She Brews Coffee location in Anaconda from bare ground and has remodeled three more of the company's western Montana locations.
Who pulls the building permits?
Handy's Construction lines up the permit steps for the job before work starts. Lots inside Missoula city limits are permitted through the City of Missoula; lots outside city limits go through Missoula County or the county where the project sits. Septic systems need a separate county health permit.
How do I get an estimate from Handy's Construction?
Call (406) 491-6141 or send the estimate form. Tyler Handy visits the site, looks at access, ground and the plan, and gives you a free written estimate with the scope and sequence spelled out.
Is it cheaper to hire each trade separately?
Sometimes a single trade job is simpler to hire directly. On a project with dirt work, concrete and a building, separate contracts mean you manage the schedule, the gaps between crews and the disputes over whose work caused a problem. Our guide to choosing a general contractor in Missoula walks through the trade-offs.
What towns does Handy's Construction work in as a general contractor?
Handy's Construction works from Missoula across 15 western Montana towns, including Lolo, Florence, Stevensville, Hamilton, Seeley Lake, Superior, Ronan and Polson. See the full list under service areas.
More from Handy’s
Other Services You May Need
Custom Home Building
Custom homes and cabins built from the foundation up in western Montana.
- Excavation and foundation in-house
- Built for snow load and cold
- Additions and ADUs too
Remodeling & Additions
Kitchens, additions, decks, flooring and interior remodels.
- Kitchens and interiors
- Additions and decks
- Commercial remodels
Excavation & Site Prep
Clearing, grading, basement digs, trenching and driveways for build sites.
- Land clearing and grading
- Basement and footing digs
- Utility trenching
Free estimates
Ready to talk through your project?
Tell Handy's Construction what you are building and where. Tyler looks at the site, the access and the ground, then gives you a written estimate with no pressure and no obligation.
or call (406) 491-6141