Meet Our Team

Services

Complete home design and remodeling services in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and the entire Twin Cities Metro Area. When you choose Quality Cut Remodelers to work on your project, you are working directly with the owners from start to finish. This means that you can trust us to do the project right the first time. We understand what a leap of faith it is to have contractors in your home, and we work hard to earn and keep your trust. A remodel can be a messy and disorganized time, but we do our best to leave the project area clean and safe at the end of each work day. Because communication is the difference between a good project and a great one, we make sure to keep you informed at every stage of the project. We truly want to make your dream renovation into a reality.

We love working on the following projects:

  • Vintage Home Restoration
  • Kitchens and Baths
  • Additions
  • Attics and Basements
  • Wine Cellars
  • Decks and Outdoor Rooms

 

 

Our Story

 

 

Kent Tsui graduated from college with a degree in technical theater and design.  Working in the remodeling field during the summers and after graduation, he found a passion for working on custom projects.  In 1994, he decided to start up his own remodeling company, working mainly by himself on custom interior finishes.  His attention to detail kept his customers coming back—and referring him to their family and friends.

In 2004, Kent met his now business partner Andre Balkcum when they had season tickets to the Timberwolves basketball games and sat near each other.  After getting to know each other as fans, they discovered that they were both in the remodeling business and decided to form a partnership to grow the business and complete larger projects.  With Andre, Kent found someone that shared his same vision, values, and drive.  They have worked together since then, delivering quality craftsmanship to hundreds of customers.  Their attention to detail and propensity for perfection helps them create works of distinction. 

Through the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Kent holds a Master Certified Remodeler (MCR) designation; and both he and Andre are Certified Remodeling Project Managers (CRPM).  These designations are important because it shows that Kent and Andre have made a strong commitment to industry best practices and have proven their technical skills.  In order to obtain these distinctions, Kent and Andre successfully completed comprehensive and challenging written exams covering critical subject areas. 

 

Kent Tsui, President

Kent’s passion for restoring old homes takes him past the normal 8-5 work day.  Currently, he lives in Red Wing with his wife Megan in a large 1875 Victorian Italianate home that had been divided up into a rental tri-plex.  Years of neglect and mistreatment are apparent, but Kent is in the process of restoring it back into a single family home and its original splendor.

Andre Balkcum, Vice President

Andre lives in South Minneapolis with his wife Kim, and their two children Toby and Clara.  In his spare time (what spare time, he has two kids!), he gardens and spends time with his family.  Andre grew up in the area, and takes great pride especially in restoring homes in his neighborhood.  His attention to detail, cleanliness, and just overall nice-ness make him a favorite with customers.

Nick Balkcum, Project Manager

Nick is a husband, father of two, music collector, beer enthusiast, hugger and lover of trim carpentry. His interest in the industry came from him loving to work with his hands. He has been part of the team for 10 years and he loves to work on projects that make him think outside of the box and are challenging.

 

Angie Spencer, Carpenter/Laborer

Angie lives in North Minneapolis with her husband and two stubborn hound dogs. A natural problem-solver, creative and perfectionist, Angie is right at home at Quality Cut.

Though new to the industry, Angie grew up watching her dad tackle house projects and build custom furniture, and has always been drawn to working with her hands. Until now, this has been through crafting: primarily designing and making one-of-a-kind quilts. At Quality Cut, she utilizes the same eye for patterns, attention to detail and meticulous construction required to produce her handmade quilts – just with a little more muscle power.

 

John Robertson, Lead Carpenter

John is our Lead Carpenter and has been working with Quality Cut for over ten years. His work with Quality Cut began as a subcontractor when the company first got started and joined Quality Cut as a full-time employee as the company started to take off.

John enjoys being creative in his job and in his leisure pursuits.  He enjoys the outdoors and the arts.

John developed a fondness for carpentry as he was growing up, learning from his grandfather and doing some carpentry tasks around his family farm growing up. Carpentry and remodeling became a full time pursuit after his college career.

One of the most challenging parts of the job is striving to make things perfect. His attention to detail and patience are characteristics that come in handy when a high level of finish is required.  His favorite type of projects are of modern design.