There are a million stories in the U.S. residential remodeling industry, and every one began with an introduction to the profession. For some, it was a relative who made a living in the trades. Others might have started with an encouraging building-arts teacher, a summer job doing construction, or...
Hiring full-time designers can not only improve the client experience but give a boost to your bottom line as well. During the last decade, especially as public awareness of the design/build model has continued to grow, many remodelers have decided to make design a major part of their company's...
As an eighth-generation carpenter who served a “two-year indentureship without pay” under his father, a Bavarian immigrant and craftsman, and later a four-year apprenticeship through the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, John Habermeier takes education seriously.
Are you at the stage where hiring an office manager is critical? Are you approaching that abyss of information control and feel like you're on the edge of total chaos? Relax. Help is on the way.
Job candidates with upbeat expectations: good. Candidates with unrealistic expectations about flying up the ladder, making a ton of money, and soon owning a remodeling company, maybe yours: not so good.
Three years ago, Kelvin and Susan Pierce (Big50 1993), owners of Commonwealth Home Remodelers, in Vienna, Va., decided to hire a full-time estimator for the company.
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Jeff Titus, president of Titus Built in Wilton, Conn., had two key positions to fill: office manager and production manager. He knew the importance of hiring right and was determined not to rush the process. But he also knew that if he followed the traditional route, he'd have to invest a lot of...
Wouldn't you agree that hiring staff is somewhat like buying a good bottle of wine?
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Optimists by nature, most remodelers are also good, caring people — admirable traits that often, unfortunately, conflict with one another. Because we're optimists, we want things to work out, such as new hires and big projects. Because we care, we want to give the employee or the client plenty of...
Like many company owners, Susan Pierce often has trouble finding quality employees. “I was spending so many hours and dollars advertising, reviewing résumés, making phone calls, interviewing, and checking references, I couldn't get my regular work done,” says Pierce, owner of Commonwealth Home...