Building Excellence: Elevating Construction with Stellar Service, Premium Products, and Client Partnerships - Episode 57

Unlock the secrets to a successful home build or remodel with me, Chris Kirby, at the helm of three thriving construction companies. Get the inside scoop on why prioritizing exceptional customer service and choosing top-tier products like luxury paints can elevate your business to new heights. Throughout our dynamic discussion, I break down how being responsive and respectful not only wins over clients but also ensures their loyalty, turning one-time projects into lifelong partnerships. Plus, discover why embracing the latest payment methods and staying ahead of the curve with continuous learning can be your ticket to industry leadership.

Hear firsthand how trust and accountability form the cornerstone of any reputable contracting business - a testament to the power of a well-crafted reputation. We dive into the profound impact of community involvement and why taking responsibility as a company leader sets a precedent for success. The conversation extends to the importance of mentorship and collaboration within the contracting sphere, underscoring how these connections can raise the bar for everyone. And don't miss out as we tease our next focus, diving into the world of interior design and the trending products that are reshaping our industry. Join us for these insights and leave equipped to tackle your next construction challenge with confidence.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

The Home Building and Remodeling Show. Let's go. Welcome everybody to the Home Building and Remodeling Show. My name is Chris Kirby and I'll be your host. I am the owner of three construction companies on the Alabama Gulf Coast. The show is about residential construction. We're going to cover topics of home building and remodeling. Are you thinking of doing a remodel or building a home? Are you a contractor looking to improve your knowledge base or grow your business? Have you ever done a remodel project or built a home? There were so many things you wish you knew or that you could have done differently during the process. Then this show is for you. We break down the process of building and remodeling and how to have the best results during your project. Whether you're a DIYer looking for tips, someone looking to hire a contractor to do a project, or a contractor looking to expand your knowledge base or your business, welcome aboard. Glad to have you. Stay tuned. We kick off the show with my thoughts on home building and remodeling. I'll share best practices and talk about some of our experiences in business and out in the field. These shared thoughts and lessons learned are meant to help you on your very own journey. Let's go.

Speaker 1: 1:27

Number seven focus on customer service. That to me, is self-explanatory. Everything you should do should be client-centered, client-focused and making sure that you answer their calls, you meet their needs, you have some sort of warranty that if there's a callback, that you've taken care of them. So I am not going to spend a huge amount of time on the customer service side. Those are some, just that is a very general. Easy thing to do is make sure that you do what accounting properly and show up on time and do what you say you're going to do with the client. Take care of the client, be respectful, make sure your team is respectful and the client is going to take care of you for the most part. That's number seven focus on client customer service, all right.

Speaker 1: 2:23

Number eight use high quality products. So we talked about using tools and upgrading your tools as you go and making sure you're using the proper tools, but using high quality paints and products. That is super important because you can. So we all know there are different levels of paint. There are different levels of interior. So we all know there are different levels of paint. There are different levels of interior exterior. There are different levels of industrial paint coatings there's just different levels. And cost and budget come to mind when you're talking about paint, but for the most part, you, as the painter, you may not want to make a color recommendation, because that's not really your job, but as far as making a product recommendation, you, as a paint contractor, need to know about products. You may not be the specialist, so, for instance, there are reps that work at these local paint companies that you can defer to. I recommend that if you're not a seasoned painter and you can't vouch for the paint performing the way it's supposed to. However, you need to know enough and to know what types of paint to use where. And then, furthermore, the reason you need to be able to explain to the client the reason you use higher end products and paint, because it actually does matter. The coverage matters, how many coats you're going to do matters. So just knowing and using higher end products and paint does matter, and you need to be able to educate the client on that as a paint contractor. Number eight was use high quality paint.

Speaker 1: 4:02

Number nine expand your payment options, and this is one that you know we. We offer credit card payments. We offer debit card. They can call pay over the phone. We use QuickBooks online for all of our, all of our payments, and tracking as far as that goes. But, uh, you know people being able to just have a little square for their phone, the little square card, so they can, you know, use their credit card on site, being able to pay you cash, being able to give you a check. So, having a bank account as a contractor, that's for your business. If you're going to have a business instead of being an individual contractor, then you need to make sure all these things are in place. They need to be able to write you a check that you can cash. They need to be able to, you know, charge as far as a credit card and know is there a fee assigned to it? They need to be able to use PayPal, use Venmo. So all of these are different platforms and they make you more accessible if the client has multiple ways to pay you. So, number nine expand your payment options. And also so, before I get off, number nine there's financing programs strictly for contractors. There are banks who will finance projects I don't know so much on the paint side, but could be, because some paint jobs are large jobs. So, making sure that if you can offer financing, if that's a route that you want to take. Then you go down that route, do your diligence, get with the right program, get with the right bank and maybe they finance the project. So it's just another offering you can do and that expands your payment options to the client Number 10.

Speaker 1: 5:48

Critical Continuously learn and adapt. So we are doing this show and we do this podcast and we do our how to's so people can expand their knowledge. We are not the know all be all and industry standard of every trade. There's just no way to really do that. What we do is we have I have on my team people who specialize in each trade and I let them do the how to's. And what we do is study and learn in the background, professionally develop things like courses, classes. The NCCER offers a PANK curriculum that you can actually get certified through and get your wallet card from the NCCER.

Speaker 1: 6:34

Expand your knowledge because product is changing all the time, especially in paint. There's new products, there's new applicators. Applicators is a term my Sherwin-Williams guy uses, which is paintbrush, your rollers, different things like that. There is so much to be learned other than just on the site. Hey, get that roller and roll that wall. Well, what type of roller, what type of rig are you using? What type of paintbrush? There's just so many different things that you can learn. How does paint work? Is it toxic? You know just a lot of stuff in the education piece that matters.

Speaker 1: 7:14

But also because you want to grow your business, I think education in the trades is crucial, and being able to bring somebody in that's green, completely new to the trade, and teach them in a manner that is duplicate, that you can duplicate, is huge, because as you get them trained and more up to speed and professionally developed, the quicker they'll be able to be an asset to you. So once you develop a training program that you can repeat, you are really, really gonna launch your business, and so I really recommend making sure that you know where, how and when. You can get your education in the trades and specifically paint and learn, and it makes you talk to the clients a little bit different, it helps you to answer questions of the clients a little bit better, and I really believe in professional development. I really believe in professional development, I really believe in trade schools and I think it is crucial for you to continually learn. So number 10 is to continually learn and adapt to the new environments.

Speaker 1: 8:24

So let's go through the list one final time. Number one specialize in a niche. Number two invest in quality tools and supplies. Number three offer comprehensive services. Number four build a strong online presence. Number five implement a good referral program. Number six keep your site pristine. Keep it clean. Number seven focus on customer service. Number eight is use high quality paints. Number nine is expand your payment options. Number 10 is continuously learn and adapt my thoughts, listening to our guests, listening to the designers. We appreciate you so much and the month of May will be tile month. We look forward to it and until next time and now we move into Shop Talk, it's the portion of the show where I bring in a co-host and we cover trending topics in home building and remodeling. Hope you enjoy. Let's go. We want people to come in our door that chose this, that chose to do this, and it's not attractive right now.

Speaker 2: 9:42

Right, people see construction as a dirty laborers, but there's so many Because everybody's been taught to push college and push this, and do you want to be a construction worker when you grow up? Or dig ditches as well? Exactly that. And so it was a bad thing. Yeah, and the trade if you look back in the 1940s for painters, they literally came dressed up, shirts, tucked in yeah, like they were true tradesmen that came and did their job and they respected it and they took pride in it. And so we're doing the same thing as we're trying to build that culture back up again.

Speaker 1: 10:15

So where do you balance the need for skilled employees and what you will tolerate from an employee?

Speaker 2: 10:24

Well, I just went through that this week.

Speaker 1: 10:27

I go through it every now and then too, so I knew that was a touchy and tough one.

Speaker 2: 10:31

It is because I just went through it this week. But if you will accept responsibility and you quit making that same mistake, I think is where we can work on it.

Speaker 1: 10:39

It's got back to kind of some some of the the gut thing too, though, because I've always I know who I got and I know what their triggers are. I know you know where they're going to push back on me, and there comes a time where I always started to just listen to your gut, because you know, eventually, whatever that initial gut instinct is is going to come to fruition in one way, shape or form, and there's only so much you can coach or talk or train out of or into people.

Speaker 2: 11:15

Right, that person that you thought you needed to fire. You think you need to fire now. You should have fired a long time ago because you already knew they should have went Absolutely, but you were either too nervous to have that conversation or you felt like they were too valuable to the company to let go.

Speaker 1: 11:29

But they're damn a company, yeah, and you know it. It. It's so hard sometimes because you look, and I know, as the owner, I'm not out there breaking my back every day. Now, sometimes I am getting it in, but for the most part at this stage of what I do, I have production teams that are doing the work and I know they are busting their hump every day for me, and so I always try to reflect on how hard they are in fact working and the fact that me going out there and trying to even accomplish what some of my skilled team can do, it's not going to happen. And so again, I say I overreach or overcompensate sometimes because I'm like man, I don't want to go back to where we were. So you know what, here it is, I'll accommodate you and you know, and I knew every time I did it I probably shouldn't have. You know what I mean.

Speaker 2: 12:28

That's right, and the ones who deserve it most usually yes, they're not asking for anything, they're just doing their stuff every day. But you'll lose those in a heartbeat if you let the other people stay around. That's right. That's because it makes bad work environments for those other people. Yeah, and so that brings us back to the new guys you were talking about. That is, I don't want to be out there pushing the paintbrush, sure. That to be out there pushing the paintbrush Sure, that's not why I started this. And so I have to trust the people out there. If I can't trust to leave you on a job, you can't work for us.

Speaker 1: 12:57

Yeah, and you're to a point in your career where you can call it pretty quick now, yeah, and you don't have to settle.

Speaker 2: 13:05

Well, if you build a strong culture, people don't stay along anyway.

Speaker 1: 13:08

Yeah, once that culture gets there, if somebody are coming to work for you, your company and with your team, and you have to protect your company and your team. And so what I tell any new employee when they come in and we hire them, a part of the orientation and the talk that we give is we've got 32 people, but that means we have roughly 70 mouths to feed and I'm not going to let you jeopardize 70 people because you're selfish or you're doing something wrong. You know and and and that doing something wrong and and things like that. You talk about branding. There's nothing that can harm your brand more than allowing a cancer to stay in inside of the company. A hundred percent, yeah, and so you know identifying those triggers the negative people go with your gut but then also keeping that name. So we're talking workforce development and how you retain employees or hire employees and things like that.

Speaker 1: 14:15

But I want to circle out into the community aspect of this, because a part of for us aspect of this, because a part of for us, because community is big. It's one of the largest communities or counties in Alabama, but the actual community is very, very small. Everybody's everybody. That's right. And so for you to be sustainable, how do you approach that community, because you're a sound businessman, you will do quality work. But what about the community side, the give back or anything like that? What, what do you, what do you do there and how do you feel about, you know, community service?

Speaker 2: 14:56

we donate. You know you've got your regular things your dancers and your ball players and you sponsoring fields and stuff like that but we get involved in community events. You know we we stay involved. How can we help out? We usually donate one or two jobs a year to help somebody out that's in need. You know that can't afford to do it. We had a lady that her house had burned up or caught fire in the kitchen last year and so we came in and we cleaned it all up and we painted it and she was trying to write us a check. You know she was like we don't need that Absolutely.

Speaker 1: 15:25

And that that sometimes that trade makes makes doing things like that easier than giving money or giving giving time, and the quality of trade and work and taking care of people in that manner right Is is huge. And then it it gives your name and your company more credibility. When you do things like that and you do the right thing and you're local and you're reinvesting your time back into the community. It's so valuable to be able to do those things. Even being in a business group like what you're in, and being consistent and showing up and being a part of that says something about what you're going to do. When somebody hires you or your company and you know, I always give the advice about being accountable, no matter what, because you're going to run into issues, you're going to run into problems, but you always should be accountable as a contractor and I think for the most part if you are at least accountable and trustworthy those two things right there you'll be okay.

Speaker 2: 16:30

Well, trust is what it's all about. So people do business with people that they trust, yeah, and you've got your price shoppers, we're not going to talk about that whole thing. Yeah, let me get the cheapest deal. But your average person out there, out there, they're gonna do business with who they trust. That's right. And so we we try not to damage that trust.

Speaker 2: 16:48

I'm kind of old school and my, my family wasn't really like that so much, but like my last name means a lot. We raised our kids. That the carpenter name is is like that's what you live by, that's right. He says right, zach carpenter, I don't want that to be a bunch of crap talking over here like that. And what you live by, that's right. He says right, zach carpenter, I don't want that to be a bunch of crap talking over here like that. And then in my business side of it I was talking to one of my lead guys monday. That was one of the tough discussions I'd have, yeah, and I told him you know, we've always heard that crap rolls downhill, that's right. You know it comes from the top. Well, in my company it don't roll down, it rolls back uphill, because I accept responsibility for everything that happens on the job. Yeah, even though I know your responsibility was to make sure that happened, I missed something when you didn't have, when it didn't happen. Yeah, you know it rolls out people's here yeah, you know it is always.

Speaker 1: 17:36

nobody's ever going to care as much about your company as you do, even the best employees, and so you have to be accountable and right. You know, at the end of the day, you could, you may, fire somebody, you're still accountable for whatever that person did. That's right. Nobody else you are. You know. Now you've got team members who will step in and help you out, but the liability is all yours. That is your business.

Speaker 2: 18:01

I built this company. I grow this company. I'm responsible for everything that happens in this company.

Speaker 1: 18:06

Absolutely All right. Well, I appreciate you coming in, as always, man. We've talked about a lot of things, but in particular, you know, I think the value in hiring contractors is getting to know what they're about their business is about. It should be more than a transaction, right, it's definitely a relationship, because you know maintenance has to be done and you know part of where you make your bread and butter is repaints, and people are going to call you again when they want to repaint or touch up or redo something. So you know, keeping your brand strong, keeping your name strong, is something that I know you do and I know you're out there doing the right thing and that's why I wanted to bring you on for paint month, Cyclops. So talk to us about where they can find you your website Cyclopspaintingcom.

Speaker 2: 18:54

Facebook, instagram, tiktok, we're getting out there.

Speaker 1: 18:59

I love it, and so if anybody wanted mentoring or guidance, um, is that something that you do? Are you open to like if somebody's watching this and they say, hey, can, can I reach out to Zach? Obviously, I'm not going to get.

Speaker 2: 19:13

yeah, here's his phone number, but people do it all the time. So one of the biggest problems that we have in our industry is just a a mindset of this is my business, I ain't helping nobody else. We build a much stronger community the more people that are working together to the same set, pricing structures, all that kind of stuff. So if I can help you with anything, zach Carpenter, on Facebook, you'll see my grand national on my page and you just click on it and send me a message there you go and listen.

Speaker 1: 19:41

When it comes to the mentorship side and coaching I know you've been a part of some of that Please don't hesitate to reach out, go see his work, ask him questions. I think for people like him, and especially for people like me, we feed off of that interaction. Part of what we want to do is set the the standard and and help people out, and other contractors especially so. If you're a paint contractor and you have any questions generally about starting your own business or how to run your business or anything like that, I would recommend reaching out to zach carpenter with cyclops, please, uh, feel free to message us, inbox us. I can get you in touch with them or go follow this page. All right, thanks, man, thanks, pleasure.

Speaker 1: 20:26

Yeah, now we're going to move into the portion of the show where we talk interior design. We're going to bring in an interior designer and we're going to talk trending design and products. Hope you enjoy, let's go. Design and Products Hope you enjoy, let's go. And a paint consultation is Now. If you're going to go work on a project with us, is a paint consultation a part of the overall design package?

Speaker 2: 20:57

What I heard was that we have three colors for our estimate.

Speaker 1: 21:04

Up to up to. Let me clarify what she's saying is we charge a per square foot price or per project price. But when you start to add multiple colors in multiple rooms to the project, it does add money. You're not just going to buy a five gallon bucket of a standard color and painting throughout. Where it's quick and you can, you're starting to add colors. You're having to do a little more work. It takes a little more effort and more time.

Speaker 1: 21:34

We do allow three colors and then, beyond the three colors we do, we charge. We charge a little more, and so that's something just to be aware of for you is they get three colors and then if they want more than we have to charge for more. Right. But so when you're I'm saying in general if you're doing a project and for us we have a few ways to make money, the consults and things like that are one of them but if you're putting together a package for a new home or a remodel and saying, hey, I'm going to do 10 hours or I'm going to spend 20 hours on your project, is the paint a part of that package originally? And if they want just a paint consult, then we do just a paint console.

Speaker 2: 22:25

And that would usually just be an hourly rate, and then when the other ones that you're speaking of are all.

Speaker 1: 22:32

We package Package, yeah, we package selection. You're picking all and you're spending time shopping and then, when you're I can't overemphasize it We'll close it out with this and you just tell me your thoughts on it. Essentially for us. I know some people might think well, $150 is a lot of money, but some of the paint jobs we do are tens and twenties of thousands of dollars and the last thing you want to do is spend $20,000 on a paint job and not like it. $150 isn't even a percent of $20,000, right? Would you agree with that?

Speaker 1: 23:11

Is that why the emphasis is so high? And it is really important? Because it's not the painter or contractor's fault Once they paint it. If they did a good job and did get paint everywhere, kept the job clean and it's a good paint job, it's not on them to repaint the house because you don't like the color and it is worth whatever, and that's just what we charge. Other people may charge something different, but it is absolutely worth that. To know, you need to get a paint consultation from a professional. Who knows? That's true.

Speaker 2: 23:47

Good.

Speaker 1: 23:48

All right, Thanks. Thanks for joining us today. As always, we are grateful for our listeners and your continued support. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel. Follow us on social media via Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Follow us on social media via Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Get more info at our website, wwwthehomebuildingshowcom. And, as always, remember who we are the Home Building and Remodeling Show. Outro Music.