From 1950 to Today: The Three-Generation Story of Skoda Construction

It Started With a Grandfather's Hands

The story of Skoda Construction doesn't begin in 1985 when the company was officially founded. It begins in 1950, when a man named Joe Cicero picked up a hammer and started building homes in Greater Cleveland.

Joe wasn't building for a company. He was building because that's what he knew — honest work, quality materials, and a handshake that meant something. In post-war Cleveland, there was no shortage of families who needed homes, and Joe helped build them. One house at a time, one satisfied family at a time.

He couldn't have known it at the time, but Joe was laying the foundation for a construction legacy that would span three generations and over seven decades.

Chris Skoda: From the Ground Up

Joe Cicero's grandson, Chris Skoda, grew up around construction sites. He watched his grandfather work, absorbed the lessons about quality and integrity, and developed a passion for building that would define his life.

With a background in civil engineering and real estate, Chris founded Skoda Construction in 1985. He started where many great builders start — with residential remodeling. Kitchen renovations, bathroom updates, basement finishes. Small projects that demanded attention to detail and built a reputation one satisfied client at a time.

But Chris had a vision that extended beyond remodeling. As his reputation grew throughout Northeast Ohio, so did the scope of his work. Residential remodeling grew into custom home construction. Custom homes grew into commercial projects. And when clients called with emergencies — water damage, fire, storms — Chris added restoration services.

By the early 2000s, Skoda Construction had evolved into the full-service general contractor it is today: custom homes, commercial design-build, renovations, and 24/7 emergency restoration, all under one roof.

Through it all, one thing never changed: Chris personally oversees every project. To this day, he manages field operations, walks job sites, and maintains the hands-on approach that his grandfather modeled 75 years ago.

"I started with remodeling properties and grew from there," Chris says. "My goal is to always exceed expectations — that's how you build a company that lasts."

Mike Skoda: The Next Generation

In 2014, the Skoda construction legacy entered its next chapter when Chris's son, Mike Skoda, joined the company as Vice President.

Mike brought a modern perspective to the family business. With a Bachelor's degree in Marketing and Management from Ohio University and a Sales Certificate from the Schey Sales Centre, Mike added new dimensions to the company — strengthening marketing, streamlining operations, and enhancing the customer experience.

But make no mistake: Mike is a builder at heart. He's on job sites alongside his father, overseeing field operations, and maintaining the direct communication with clients that defines the Skoda experience.

"My main goal is to foster effective communication between our job sites and customers," Mike explains. "Transparency and trust drive everything we do."

Together, Chris and Mike represent something increasingly rare in construction: a family-owned company where the owners are personally involved in your project. When you hire Skoda Construction, you're not getting a project manager you've never met. You're getting the family.

40 Years, 500+ Projects, One Standard

Since 1985, Skoda Construction has completed over 500 projects across Northeast Ohio, ranging from intimate home renovations to landmark commercial builds. Some highlights from four decades of building:

Montebello at Mayfield Village — Our premier residential community featuring 52 luxury home sites with four award-winning floor plans. This project represents everything we've learned about residential construction distilled into one exceptional community.

The Grove Amphitheatre — A commercial landmark in Mayfield Village that hosts concerts and community events. This project showcased our ability to deliver complex, high-profile builds on time and on budget.

Chateaux of Emery Woods — Our Warrensville Heights community offering luxury homes from the low $400s with 75% tax abatement — proving that exceptional quality doesn't have to mean exclusive pricing.

500+ Residential Projects — Custom homes, renovations, and additions across 15 communities in Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and surrounding counties. From Chagrin Falls to Mentor, Gates Mills to Solon, our work is visible throughout Northeast Ohio.

24/7 Emergency Restoration — Thousands of families helped through their worst days — water damage, fire, storms, mold. Our restoration team responds around the clock because emergencies don't keep business hours.

The A+ Standard

Throughout all of this growth, Skoda Construction has maintained an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. That rating isn't awarded — it's earned through decades of satisfied clients, transparent business practices, and a commitment to doing the right thing even when no one is watching.

In an industry where contractor complaints are commonplace, an A+ BBB rating sustained over 40 years is the strongest endorsement a company can earn.

What Three Generations Have Taught Us

Seventy-five years of family construction experience — from Joe Cicero's first homes in 1950 to the luxury estates and commercial projects we build today — has taught us lessons that no business school can replicate:

Quality outlasts everything. Trends come and go. Cheap materials fail. Cut corners get found. The only thing that endures is honest, quality construction. Joe knew this in 1950. We know it in 2026.

Relationships are the business. Our best clients are repeat clients. Families who hired us for a kitchen renovation come back for an addition. Businesses that hired us for an office build-out come back for a second location. Those relationships are our greatest asset.

Be there when it matters. When a pipe bursts at 2 AM or a storm rips off a roof, the contractor who answers the phone earns a client for life. Our 24/7 emergency response isn't just a service — it's a reflection of who we are.

Stay hungry, stay humble. After 40 years and 500+ projects, we still approach every job like we have something to prove. Because we do. Every project is a chance to uphold the standard that Joe Cicero set 75 years ago.

The Story Continues

The construction industry has changed enormously since 1950. Materials, methods, technology, regulations — everything is different. But the core of what makes a great builder hasn't changed at all: skilled hands, honest communication, and a commitment to building something you're proud of.

That's what Joe Cicero believed. It's what Chris Skoda built a company on. And it's what Mike Skoda carries forward every day.

If you're ready to add your project to the Skoda story, contact us for a free consultation. Or call us the old-fashioned way: (440) 666-0074.