Good Neighbor Podcast: Tri-Cities

EP# 156: Building Legacy and Community: Levi Hampton's Journey from Military to Hampton Ridge Construction

• Skip Mauney & Levi Hampton • Episode 156

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What makes Levi Hampton with Hampton Ridge Construction a good neighbor?

Levi Hampton, a former military service member turned entrepreneur, unveils the fascinating journey that took him from truck driving to owning Hampton Ridge Construction. What sparked his transition into the world of remodeling? Learn how Levi’s passion for craftsmanship, a desire to stay rooted in his community, and the motivating dream of building a work-life balance for his family led to the creation of a thriving business in the Tri-Cities area. Levi’s story is not just about construction; it's about creating a legacy, both in his professional endeavors and his personal life, where his sons can learn the trade firsthand.

In our conversation, Levi reveals some of the lesser-known truths about the construction industry, challenging the misconceptions born from our on-demand economy. By recounting his early days of mentorship and the skills honed from his military background as a construction engineer, Levi illustrates how patience and quality go hand in hand. With a focus on community, Levi emphasizes the importance of surrounding oneself with skilled craftsmen to succeed in the remodeling niche. Tune in to hear how Hampton Ridge Construction is not just improving homes, but also strengthening community ties.

To learn more about Hampton Ridge Construction go to:

https://hamptonandsonshomeservices.com/

Hampton Ridge Construction

(423) 440-2680



Speaker 1:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Skip Monning.

Speaker 2:

So we've got a very special guest with us here today that I am very interested in learning much more about them and their company, because today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, mr Levi Hampton, who is the owner-operator of Hampton Ridge Construction. Levi, welcome to the show. Hey, skip, it's good to be here, man. We're excited to learn all about you. I'm sure our listeners are as well. So, if you don't mind, why don't you start us off by telling us what you do?

Speaker 3:

Yeah, so Hampton Ridge Construction. We are a construction business in the Tri-Cities. We mostly service the Carter County area, but we also go out into the surrounding counties. We do mostly remodeling, so that's kitchen additions, bathroom additions, really any sort of remodeling project you want in your house. We've got it covered. So that's what we've got covered. So, um, that's our scope of business and uh, we, uh, we, we love what we do. Um, I work with a great team of guys and um, yeah, so that's sort of the scope of business we do Cool.

Speaker 2:

Do you do anything outside, like if somebody says hey, I want to rebuild my deck or something like that, oh yeah decks, um, we do a lot of uh.

Speaker 3:

Termite repair, uh, foundation repair, um, so really, anything that has to do with fixing your house, we do. We haven't moved it very much into new construction. We've just found a good niche in the remodeling field. So, uh and yes, that remodeling includes exterior, like decks, windows, siding, things like that.

Speaker 2:

Very cool, very cool, good to know.

Speaker 3:

Well, how, levi, how'd you get into this business? So I started my early 20s in the military and driving a truck. Actually, I was driving over the road and wanted to gear my life up for starting a family over the road, and wanted to gear my life up for starting a family, and so I was thinking you know what I want to do, something where I can, you know, be in the community, work with my hands. And so I decided on construction, and so I got into it in 2019.

Speaker 3:

I met a guy who had been in it for 10 years and he mentored me my first year in my business, and I've just surrounded myself with a lot of people that know more about construction than I do real, true craftsmen and they've taught me and helped me to grow a business. So that's what got me into it. And another factor in it is I was homeschooled and I've got a couple of boys of my own right now, and I wanted to choose a career path where I can take them to work with me. I can have them on the job site. I can you know they can work on their education Monday through Thursday, then they'd be on the job site with me on Friday. So I thought what a better way to do that than through the avenue of construction.

Speaker 2:

So I thought what a better way to do that than through the avenue of construction. Very cool, very cool. I totally get that. What branch of the military are you in? Army, army. Well, thank you for your service.

Speaker 3:

Oh yeah, and that kind of ties into it. So I'm a construction engineer in the Army and so I've had my experience in the in that mostly through um, um, horizontal work, so moving equipment, uh, dozers, greater scrapers, uh. So I've been on job sites in the military and that's it's sort of complimented both of my civilian life and my military life Very good.

Speaker 2:

I'm sure, I'm sure Well in in the construction business. Uh Levi, what are some myths or misconceptions that people have?

Speaker 3:

A big misconception I found is you know in this world that we have Amazon two day shipping. Anything you want can be on your doorstep in two days, and you know it's just a very on demand economy we have, which is which is wonderful. I mean, things are moving faster, we can get products and services to people quicker. But one thing you just really can't speed up is is remodeling, especially now. New construction it can, you know it can move pretty quickly, but remodeling you're going into these houses that could be anywhere from 20, 50, 100, 120 years old and so you're trying to put new products and new systems into this hundred year old house. It's going to take a little while to pull it apart and put it back together.

Speaker 3:

So I think a misconception that customers have is really just the time frames these jobs really take, and so that's something I try to educate my customers on the front end is you know, hey, look this. You can't get a bathroom done in two days and it probably isn't going to be done right, especially if it's tile, and you know you want craftsmanship. So I try to push more for these, especially with what we do. Remodeling. Quality takes time. True, craftsmanship takes time and it's worth the wait. So that's a misconception. I'd say it's just the time of how long this stuff takes.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I couldn't agree more. When I was growing up, my dad who was in the Navy, by the way, he retired out of the Navy and, uh, working on a car, working on something at the house, I'm like God, dad, this is taking forever to do this. And he said, son, you can either do it fast or you can do it right, you know. So I doing it right, I think, is the right answer, absolutely.

Speaker 1:

Very cool.

Speaker 3:

Um, so outside of work, levi, what do you do for fun? So outside of work, you know I've got a growing family. I've got one boy and one on the way. He'll be here pretty soon so I look forward to playing with him. Me and my wife we go on long walks on the Tweetsie. Actually, once or twice a week we'll do long walks on the Tweetsie Trail. So we enjoy doing that. And also we go to little nature spots. There's a lot of cute little waterfalls around here and hiking places we like to go to. But outside of that I like songwriting. So I've actually got some music out, levi James, on Spotify, apple, youtube. I've got some music out there. So songwriting has been one of my passions. And then I'm still involved in the military. So if I'm not working, if I'm not with family, then I'm typically on duty, either at drill or doing some sort of training involved with that.

Speaker 2:

So, wow, same here. Love, love the outdoors. We live in a great place, to you know. Wow, same here, love the outdoors. We live in a great place to hang out, hike camp. There's a lot of cool stuff. Congratulations, by the way, on the new one. How old is the son you have, the older, the older son? He's 18 months. Oh, wow, wow. So you're going to have two little ones, wow.

Speaker 1:

That'll be fun.

Speaker 2:

When is your second one due? When's your second one?

Speaker 3:

due May 19th.

Speaker 2:

May 19th, so they're going to be. Oh gosh, my brother and I were 22 months apart and we were hellions man. We drove my mother crazy, but but we ended up okay.

Speaker 1:

We ended up. Good luck with that.

Speaker 2:

So we expect that. Yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah. Two boys, man especially that close together, yeah, but they also watch out for each other too, so that'll be cool. Um, so let's switch gears for just a minute. If, uh, you could describe, have you been through a hardship or a life challenge that you overcame and that you came out of it on the other side stronger and better for it? Anything come to mind.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, yeah, I'd say the hardest thing I've had to do in life has been grow this business. You know, the easy part of having a business is starting it. You know, anybody can go get a piece of paper, get an EIN number and start a business. The hard part is growing it, taking the risk. It's usually a huge financial risk. I've gone months without a paycheck where I've had to pay my guys, get these jobs done, go back and fix something, and so, financially it's been a struggle. Mentally, there's been plenty of times where I wanted to quit but I didn't. And we're over five years into it now and I can say that that the hard work starting to pay off. But, yeah, and which is just just, it's caused me to deepen my faith in God. You know, there's been many times where I've just said, hey, god, I don't know what to do. You know I, I can't get through this on my own. And he's come, he's, he's always come through for me, and so, um, this experience has really deepened my faith that's awesome, man.

Speaker 2:

I tell you what, uh, and I can relate. You know, this is a small business for me. Um, I'm in my first year, actually, and, uh, it's hard to start a business. I mean, well, like you said, it's not hard to start a business, it's hard to make it successful and grow it, and so I totally, I totally get it. But, um, he's got a plan. So, uh, congratulations on five years. That says something right there itself. I mean, make five years. A lot of small businesses don't make it to that point, so congratulations. Well, if, uh, levi, if there was one thing that you would like our listeners to remember about Hampton Ridge construction, what would that be?

Speaker 3:

You know I mentioned I mentioned earlier, I think before, before we went live but I'm merging with another business right now. It's a business in the area called Buffalo Ridge Construction. We've been working together for the last year or so and we have just decided to come under one banner and work together. And so those guys are Ben Tyson and Jonathan Tyson, two just upstanding guys in the community. We come from similar walks of life. We share the same values, have the same vision. We come from similar walks of life, we share the same values, have the same vision. So I'd say just the one thing I want people to know is we're a quality group of people. We're hometown boys, we're veterans, young, motivated, we're family men. We take our kids to church on Sundays. We care about our community. We're here to do right by people and to grow a thriving business. You know, for our community, for our community. We're here to do right by people and to grow a thriving business for our community, for our children. So nobody's going to be on drugs, nobody's going to be shady.

Speaker 3:

One thing I'm most proud of with my business is the guys that I have the opportunity to work with, both my business partners and our helpers. So, total, we're a team about ten guys. We've got two girls that also work with us. Jennifer Berkner she covers the design, all the design work for us when so that she makes the 3d renderings for, specifically, the additions and things like that. And then Ashley McInturff, she does the bookkeeping payroll. She keeps us legal, which is very, very important. So, yeah, we just got a good team of people and I'm super proud to say that and to show them off and you know, that's yeah, that's what I want people to know.

Speaker 2:

Well, trustworthiness and, you know, knowing that you're dealing with good people means everything to me, so that's a good thing. So if anybody any of our listeners are interested in doing business with you, they have a project that they'd like to talk about, how can, how can they learn more about Hampton Ridge Construction?

Speaker 3:

Absolutely. Yeah, you can find me. I upload a lot to Facebook. Yeah, you can find me, I upload a lot to Facebook. So right now that name is still Hampton and Sons Home Services, with a parenthesis Hampton Ridge Construction. You'll find that as well on Google, because we are going through a brand change at the moment. So shoot me an email, hampton and Sons 2020 at Gmail dot com, text me or call me 423-440-2680.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so Facebook, Google or you can just call me, contact me directly, and that number was 423- 440-2680. 2680, very80. 2680. Very good, all right. Well, levi, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you being on the show. Congratulations on being in business five years and with your expansion merging with Buffalo Ridge, that's something to be proud of, for sure, and moving forward. We wish you and your family and your business all the best moving forward.

Speaker 3:

Skip, it's been an honor to be on your podcast and I just thank you so much for reaching out and for Michael also referencing me. He just finished my gutters, actually a couple of weeks ago, and that's also a phenomenal up and coming business. We're talking gutters.

Speaker 1:

But yeah, I want to wish you the best.

Speaker 3:

I think you're doing a great thing in the community also a phenomenal bit up and coming business with talk of gutters. But yeah, want to wish you the best. I think you're doing a great thing in the community. This is good to get local people together to share what we do and share knowledge. So keep you know. Thank you for what you're doing well, thank you.

Speaker 2:

Thank you so much. I appreciate that and maybe can, once you get your new branding completed and all that, we can get you back on the show. That would be great. That'd be great, all right. Thanks so much, levi. Have a great rest of the week, thanks.

Speaker 3:

Gabe you too.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to the good neighbor podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnptry-citiescom. That's gnptry-citiescom, or call 423-719-5873.