What sets your company apart?
We are a design-build company, taking our projects from design through completion. We have won a number of awards both locally and nationally.
We pride ourselves on the number of local and national awards we have won. Recent awards include the 2010 STAR Award for Best Deck, Porch or Gazebo over $100,000; the 2010 Top 100 Small Business Awards from Business Leader magazine; the 2009 STAR Award for Best Select Interiors; the 2008 Raleigh/Wake County Home Builders Association. Remodeler of the Year; the 2008 Raleigh Wake County Home Builders Association Presidential Award; the 2008 NCHBA Stars Award for Best Special Project; and the 2007 first-ever Livable Communities Award for Remodeling presented by AARP magazine and the National Association of Home Builders.
I have been on the Executive Board of the Raleigh/Wake County Remodelers Council for over 15 years.
In order of importance, what are the top three things you look for from a supplier?
Quality is the most important factor to us, followed by attention to details on orders. We need orders to be delivered correctly at the time they were promised. Price also is important. Another key element is follow-up after the sale to ensure there were no problems.
Describe your best vendor and why they are the best.
A good vendor works closely with us on budgeting and pricing needs, and they supply samples when they are needed.
When was the last time you changed vendors & why?
We develop long-standing relationships with our vendors. We are loyal to them, and they are loyal to us by servicing our account in the ways we have requested. A good vendor needs to be responsive to our needs and they will gradually earn more of our business.
When & why would you accept an appointment from a new supplier/vendor?
If our current vendor starts disappointing us in responsiveness and services. They could bring us new, creative materials. We don’t anticipate this type of change occurring because of the way our business is being handled now.
What is the number one problem that keeps you up at night?
Keeping our pipeline full. We have managed to keep 10 employees on our payroll. We have the best of the best in our area, but we need to ensure we have new projects coming in to keep them busy as each project is completed.
We are currently revamping our entire marketing campaign starting with our website. We also participate in the annual Remodelers Home Tour each April.
What do you see as your biggest opportunity?
The diversity in our area makes it a prime location for potential employers. We have pharmaceutical, technologies and many other industries, as we expect them to gear up as the economy improves. We also have some of the best higher-education facilities in the country. As a result, people are relocating here daily from other areas of the country for employment and have to find housing. If they sell their current home to move here, they will buy something else and remodel it.
What do you wish suppliers understood about your business?
When other suppliers ask about how they can gain more of our business, I often ask them about co-op marketing programs. As a remodeler, stretching our marketing dollars as far as possible is critical, and few suppliers take advantage of this opportunity.
Building Green is a growing trend. How does it affect you?
Green building is becoming a bigger part of our processes, and we embrace sustainable design and construction in many ways. When we remodel a home, we make it as energy-efficient as budgets will allow. During the remodeling process, we take refuse to a material-reclamation center. If we have items that we remove from the home that are salvageable, we take them to Habitat for Humanity’s Reuse Center. It resells the items to the public and uses the money to build new homes for deserving families.
Our company incorporates green products and technologies in each of our projects by using such as synthetic decking, energy efficient windows and doors, insulation, LED under cabinet lighting, Energy Star appliances, kitchen cabinetry and fiber cement siding.
