Amish Builders – New York

Amish Construction in the Empire State

Do you live in New York and searching for an Amish company to do your building project? Upstate New York has seen a large influx of Amish over the past several decades. Though Amish are first thought of as dairy farmers, they have in fact branched out into many other businesses over the past decades. Construction is one of the most important Amish industries in the 2020s.

New York claims over 50 Amish settlements, spread across the state, with large clusters in central New York, eastern NY, and in the north along the Canadian border. While they aren’t everywhere in the state (you won’t find any Amish in Manhattan – outside of visitors – or in other boroughs of New York City for that matter), odds are if you live outside of the NYC/Long Island region, you have an Amish community within a stone’s throw. Scroll down further for our Amish builders business listings.

Amish builders at work in central New York

We’ve gathered some of the state’s Amish construction businesses, including contractors, new home builders, roofers, and more. While there are many more Amish contractors in the state that those listed here, this guide should serve as a jumping-off point to finding an Amish building company for your next project (for a guide to Amish settlements in New York, see here).

Remember to do your due diligence when selecting an Amish builder from the list below, or any other for that matter – just as you would with a non-Amish business. The Amish in general have a good public reputation, and this translates to the perception of their business practices. And in fact, Amish companies usually do quality work. That said, no one is perfect, so be sure to check a builder’s previous work and other credentials to be confident before signing a contract.

New York Areas Covered

Amish builders and communities can be found in range of the following New York cities:

Buffalo
Rochester
Syracuse
Albany
Schnectady
Troy
Niagara Falls
Utica
Binghamton
Jamestown
Rome
Ithaca

Amish construction companies commonly travel up to one to two hours for jobs, depending on the circumstances. If you don’t live next to an Amish community, contact builders nearest you to check on their specific travel practices. Amish do use motor vehicles, typically driven by non-Amish employees (more on that below), which gives them range far beyond what a horse-and-buggy could travel.

Barn built by a New York Amish contractor

Types of jobs done by Amish builders

New York Amish construction companies do a wide range of work, including:

New construction (residential)
New construction (commercial)
Remodels
Masonry
Roofing
Siding
Driveways
Garages
Storage buildings
Barns

Check with each individual Amish builder for their specialties.

Working with an Amish contractor

How to find an Amish builder? Amish home builders typically do not advertise much, and outside of the larger, more progressive communities, most do not have their own websites. Their web presence may be limited to an online “yellow pages” style listing, or a basic Facebook page. Those who do have an online presence will often have a third-party help operate it – a non-Amish partner or friend. Many Amish builders rather rely on word-of-mouth driven by satisfied customers spreading the message of work well done to other potential buyers.

How do I communicate with an Amish contractor? Though Amish do not use public electricity in their homes, many do use telephones, to varying degrees. Some have a voicemail setup on a landline – call, leave a message, and wait for a return call. The Amish are generally reliable about replying promptly. Others in more progressive areas especially may use a cell phone or full-fledged smartphone, allowing them to be more reachable for their customers and prospective clients.

An Amish farmer moves a team of horses down the road in upstate NY

What about tools, technology, and travel? While Amish famously operate with restricted technology in their day-to-day lives, Amish builders generally have more latitude that just about any other business Amish are involved in. This is seen in their use of traditional power tools while on jobsites for non-Amish customers. For example, an Amish carpenter might use a power saw plugged into a public electric outlet or other power source. This is generally permitted as they are outside of their own communities. The Amish do not see electricity as “evil”; rationale behind restricting access to public power is about limiting worldly influences within their homes and families. Read more on Amish use of electric power here.

To get to the jobsite, most Amish make use of standard work trucks. These might be leased by the Amish business owner, with a non-Amish employee on staff serving as driver (or possibly a son of the owner who is not yet a baptized church member and has a driver’s license). The plainest Amish are restricted to jobs within buggying distance, which severely limits the scope of their work. In New York, one example of such a community would be that in Heuvelton in St. Lawrence County in the north. But most Amish permit using hired or non-Amish drivers for both business and other purposed (such as visiting family or other Amish settlements).

Amish Contractors in NY – Listings

Here is a listing of some of the Amish builders you’ll find in New York. You’ll find contact numbers as well as a brief description of the type of work done (if known). Information is subject to change, so please verify with the builder.

Bob Miller & Sons Carpentry
Route 474
Clymer, NY
(716) 355-4151
New construction, remodeling, interior and exterior carpentry, decks, pole buildings.

Double O Builders
1130 Clinton Rd,.
Fort Plain, NY 13339
(518) 673-1073
This well-reviewed builder does construction including garages and pole barns. Also a lumber and building supply outfit. Within range of Albany, Schenectady, Troy, Utica, Cooperstown, Binghamton and other central NY towns and cities.

Troyer Construction & Carpentry
Enos Troyer or Eli Troyer
Belfast, NY
Message # 585-596-…
Contact via: https://meetacarpenter.com/troyer-constructioncarpentry-carpenter-belfast-ny
They do all types of work, both indoor and outdoor. New builds, remodeling, additions, roofing, porches. Free estimates.

Inside an Amish building project in upstate New York.

Milco Roofing
Dennis Miller
10435 Mill Rd.
Medina, NY
(585) 765-9607

Harry Yoder
Corner of Cherry Hill & Kortwright Rd
Clymer, NY
Construction & Carpentry

Eastern States Metal Roofing
Ray Miller
7820 Route 474, N.
Clymer, NY
(716) 355-4374
Building materials business providing steel roofing, siding, windows, pole barns, and more.

Robert R. Miller Jr.
9013 Cherry Hill Rd.
Clymer, NY
(716) 355-4538
Masonry work.

The Amish Footprint in New York

New York has rapidly become one of the most “Amish” of all states. With an influx of Amish from states to the south, over the past several decades Amish has started many new communities across the Empire State. New York is noted for several larger communities, and many of just a single Amish congregation or two in size. One of the largest is found in Conewango Valley in western New York (Cattaraugus County). This highly entrepreneurial settlement of over 2,000 Amish is home to around 200 Amish-owned businesses.

Amish in Otsego County, NY

Other large communities in the state include western NY’s Clymer/Panama settlement in Chautauqua County (several of our listed builders are from this settlement), the settlement in NY’s Finger Lakes region (Seneca County), and the very traditional Heuvelton community near the Canadian border. Other counties with a notable Amish presence include Oswego, Allegany, Steuben, Herkimer, and Otsego. Curious for more on the Amish in New York? Read more on the state’s Amish population.

Do you know a good Amish builder that should be on this list? Share with us contact details and what makes them special in the comments. Do you need an Amish contractor in another state? View our full Amish builders and Amish roofers listings.

Images: buggy sign – Arthur Chapman; Otsego County Amish – Julia Manzerova