What Karsten Interior Services does

Karsten Interior Services, L.P. is a Houston-based commercial specialty contractor founded in 1996 that delivers integrated interior construction services to general contractors, project owners, and developers across Texas. The company operates across six primary verticals — healthcare and science, corporate and workplace, education, retail, mixed-use and community, and government — serving 11 Texas cities from its headquarters at 1711 Townhurst Dr., Houston. Its service portfolio spans drywall and framing, acoustical ceiling systems, paint and wall coverings, and selective demolition, supplemented by certified installation of Mecho automated shade systems and official distribution of Teknion Architectural Interiors wall systems.

The business model is project-based, with revenue generated through fixed-price and cost-plus contracts secured via competitive bidding, RFIs, and direct negotiation with general contractors, construction managers, and project owners. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific, with no standardized tiers publicly disclosed. The Teknion distributor arrangement and Mecho certified installer status extend Karsten's role beyond pure installation into product-level lifecycle support, including demountable wall systems, acoustic assemblies, and automated shading integrated with building management and control systems. Distribution is entirely direct with no reseller, distributor, or marketplace channels.

In 2025, Karsten completed 198 projects, worked 1.2 million manhours, managed 125 active vendor partnerships, executed 6,500+ purchase orders, and ran 220 active equipment rentals alongside more than 3,500 tools under lifecycle management. A centralized supply chain function manages over 5.9 million square feet of wallboard annually, supported by a dedicated Director of Supply Chain. The company is privately held by the Karsten family — Dan Karsten serves as CEO and Todd Fry as President — with leadership largely promoted from long-tenured field positions. Workforce development infrastructure includes Karsten College delivering OSHA 10/30, NCCER apprenticeship credentials, First Aid/CPR, and equipment certifications, reinforcing an internal craft pipeline in a tightening skilled trades market.

Name

Karsten Interior Services

Legal name

Karsten Interior Services, L.P.

Website

https://karsteninterior.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Karsten Interior Services is a Houston-based commercial specialty contractor providing integrated interior construction services — including drywall, acoustical ceilings, paint, demolition, and certified Mecho and Teknion specialty systems — for healthcare, corporate, education, retail, and government clients across Texas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Interior Construction Services

SIC

Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700)

akta.pro primary industry

Education & Public Sector Interior Fit-Out (IMAFANAD)

Keywords

• Commercial interior construction
• Drywall and framing
• Acoustical ceiling systems
• Specialty contracting services
• Commercial painting services

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Commercial Interior Construction Services: Karsten generates revenue through project-based contracts for commercial interior construction. Services include drywall and framing, acoustical ceilings, paint and wall coverings, demolition, Mecho shade systems installation, and Teknion architectural interiors. Revenue is earned through fixed-price contracts, cost-plus arrangements, and direct work with general contractors and project owners. The company serves sectors including healthcare, science, corporate, education, retail, and mixed-use developments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Karsten Interior Services is a commercial specialty contractor providing integrated interior construction services to general contractors, project owners, and developers in the Houston, Texas market. Core offerings include drywall and framing, acoustical ceiling systems, paint and wall coverings, and demolition, supplemented by specialty product installations of Mecho automated shade systems and Teknion Architectural Interiors wall systems, with internal supply chain and logistics support ensuring schedule alignment.

Product overview

Karsten Interior Services is a commercial specialty contractor offering integrated interior construction services through a coordinated portfolio of core trades and specialty systems. The core service offerings include Drywall & Framing, Acoustical Ceiling Systems, Paint & Wall Coverings, and Demolition. These are supplemented by specialty product installations including Mecho® automated shading systems and Teknion Architectural Interiors wall systems. The company also provides Supply Chain & Logistics as a support service to ensure materials and equipment are delivered in sequence aligned to project schedules. This integrated approach allows the company to coordinate scopes from preconstruction through closeout.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drywall & Framing

Quantifiable outcome

• Zero safety incidents in supply chain operations in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MechocoreTechnology or IntegrationKarsten is among a limited group of specialty contractors certified to install Mecho automated shade systems. This certification reflects product knowledge and ability to execute within finished interiors and occupied environments. Mecho shade systems provide daylight optimization, solar heat gain control, glare reduction, and building management integration.
• Teknion Architectural InteriorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKarsten is an official Teknion Architectural Interiors distributor, authorized to provide, install, and support Teknion wall systems throughout their full lifecycle. Teknion systems include demountable and reconfigurable wall systems, glass and solid wall integrations, acoustic optimization assemblies, and healthcare-oriented partition solutions.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Western Partitions: Western Partitions is a commercial drywall, framing, and interior systems contractor serving healthcare, education, and corporate clients across the western U.S., providing a comparable specialty-trade value proposition to Karsten.
• Performance Contracting Group: Performance Contracting is one of the largest U.S. interior specialty contractors, providing drywall, framing, insulation, and acoustical services to commercial, healthcare, and industrial clients nationwide; it competes with Karsten on larger healthcare and corporate scopes.
• ISEC Inc. ISEC is a national specialty contractor providing interior architectural systems, doors/frames/hardware, and specialty installation services to commercial and healthcare clients, overlapping with Karsten's specialty installation capabilities.
• Heartland Interior Services: Heartland Interior Services provides commercial drywall, framing, acoustical ceilings, and interior finishes to general contractors and owners, with a similar relationship-driven, multi-trade delivery model to Karsten.
• BakerTriangle: BakerTriangle is a Texas-based commercial interior specialty contractor providing drywall, framing, acoustical, and related scopes to commercial and institutional clients, directly comparable to Karsten's core service mix.
• Marek Companies: Marek Companies is a Houston-based specialty contractor offering drywall, framing, acoustical ceilings, and related interior services across Texas, making it the most direct geographic and service-line competitor to Karsten.
• Acousti Engineering Company of Florida: Acousti is a national interior specialty contractor focused on acoustical ceilings, wall systems, and integrated interior scopes for commercial and institutional projects, overlapping directly with Karsten's interior fit-out offering.
• Southwest Interior Systems: Southwest Interior Systems is a commercial interior specialty contractor delivering drywall, metal stud framing, acoustical, and finish scopes, closely aligned with Karsten's integrated interior delivery model.

Others

• Teknion (manufacturer side): Teknion is the manufacturer of Teknion Architectural Interiors wall systems that Karsten distributes and installs; it is an ecosystem partner and supplier rather than a direct competitor.
• Mecho (manufacturer side): Mecho is the manufacturer of automated shading systems Karsten is certified to install; it is a technology partner and supplier, not a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/KarstenInterior
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/karsten-interior-services
• Instagraminstagram.com/karsteninterior

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Karsten Interior Services