Plumbing Billionaire Herbert Kohler Selling Captiva Island Home

Billionaire businessman Herbert Kohler Jr. has listed his 4,400-square-foot Florida vacation home on exclusive North Captiva Island for sale for $5.7 million. Kohler is the chairman of the Kohler Co., a manufacturing company best known for its plumbing products.

The four-bedroom, 5.5-bath home was built in 1994 and sits on more than 6.5 acres on the corner of Red Fish Pass, at the southern end of the island.

The island is accessible by boat, ferry, or light airplane. No cars are allowed—people get around on electric golf carts, by bicycles, and on foot. Roughly half of the island’s 700 acres are undeveloped state parkland.

It’s home to a handful of restaurants with names like Barnacle Phil’s, a convenience store, and an ice cream parlor called the Pirate’s Stash. Commercial electricity and phone service arrived at the island in the 1980s. White-sand beaches and palm trees abound.

Kohler’s home sits on the largest parcel in Upper Captiva Shores. It features two guest suites with separate entrances and lofts for more guests.

A handcarved staircase, made from a single Mahogany tree, leads to the master bedroom on the top level, which has unbeatable views of the Gulf of Mexico and “endless water, endless sunrises and sunsets,” the listing reads. The home’s multiple decks include an outdoor shower and overlook a private dock with boat lift. The home is completely off the grid, with 19 solar panels powering the home’s electricity and climate system.

The home is surrounded by a classic mangrove forest, with nesting ospreys and other birds. Coldwell Banker realtor Judy Wilson described bringing her drone camera operator to the property and watching curious ospreys rise into the air to get a better look at it.

“From the private back bay to the gulf front and beach, this is the perfect getaway,” Wilson said. “This is a great property for a celebrity or private individual who wants escape the concrete jungle or demands of a busy schedule to truly relax and enjoy a private island setting in the States.”

Naturally, the plumbing fixtures in the home are incredible. “No expense was spared, with intricate details inside the home, with top-of-the-line fixtures, steam shower, outdoor showers, spa, and elevated endless pool,” the listing reads.

Kohler took over his family’s private, Wisconsin-based business in 1972 and ran it until 2015, when his son, David, assumed the role of CEO. Forbes estimates his net worth at $8.8 billion.

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