Stephen Shoup’s architecture degree brings a design focus to his company. He tries to maintain a mix of projects — one $500,000 project per year, one $250,000 job, and a few smaller remodels. “We like the stability of larger projects ... and the dexterity that comes with shorter-duration projects,” he says. He wants to maintain, or even increase, revenue by doing more remodeling work.
• Most clients are families with young children who are buying houses knowing that they need work and “engaged by the prospect of making a home their own,” Shoup says.
• The initial design contract includes a feasibility study with schematic plan and budget.
• Besides in-house design/build, the company also builds projects for architects and sells design work to other contractors.
• The company recently brought consultant Tim Faller in for one of its first formal education sessions to train its production crew on the lead carpenter system.
• Marketing is currently handled in-house, but the company is now interviewing outside firms to help it create a more cohesive approach, including changing the platform for its website and optimizing SEO.
• The company completed a new-home project last year, which almost doubled its revenue.
