In a highly competitive industry where the

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1 Your Neighborhood Remodeler Established in 1990 Volume 44 October 2015 Hitting the Quarter-Century Mark In a highly competitive industry where the average firm only lasts a few years, it s a true honor to celebrate 25 years in business. Custom Contracting opened its doors in 1990, and Bill Farnsworth and Scott Blain (now the president and general manager, respectively) joined the firm one year later. In this Q&A, Bill and Scott reflect on Custom s long history and what they ve learned along the way. Thank you for 25Years! Back in the early days, what types of projects were you working on? Scott: Bill and I both started here as subcontractors for the original owner. My first three projects were a vinyl siding job, bathroom renovation, and gutter and window job. Early on, Bill and I did a lot of roofing and other smaller exterior projects, like siding, windows Custom Contracting, Inc. Serving you since 1990 Kitchen & Baths Additions Attics & Basements Garages & Sunrooms Dormers & Mudrooms Architectural Windows & Patio Doors Porches & Decks 1267A Massachusetts Avenue Arlington, MA (781) and doors. Today, we re doing much bigger projects for the most part kitchens, bathrooms, additions, etc. When did you realize Custom had the potential to be around for awhile? Scott: I knew it early on. I had been in remodeling since high school and had worked for various contractors. Custom was the first place where I saw a business system in place. The company was just more organized and professional than the competition. I think that s still the case today. What s been your approach to managing Custom s growth? Bill: We ve been able to grow at a nice, steady pace. Staying big enough to serve all our clients, but not becoming too big, too fast. Over the years, there have been temptations, like starting a roofing, windows, home maintenance or handyman division. But we ve always come back to the notion of sticking with what we do best remodeling rather than going for the easy bucks. Scott: A long time ago, we made a conscious decision to stay in our wheelhouse and to let the size of our client base take care of itself. Get good people, do good work and follow the growth. If we have to add people to accommodate the needs of the market, then we ll do it. But we re not going to add people to take on every door, window or gutter job out there. That focused approach has worked for us. Talk more about how Custom s clients have influenced the company s trajectory. Scott: Our clients today and homeowners in general are more educated. They read remodeling magazines. They visit sites like Houzz. They watch shows on HGTV. So they ve been exposed to a lot of ideas before they come to us. But they still need someone on our end to help them weed through Continued on page 6

2 2 Volume 44 October 2015 Management Memo: The Keys to Our Success It doesn t seem that long ago that we were celebrating our 20th year in business. Now it s 25 years hard to believe. Thanks to all our clients for allowing us to reach this major milestone. President Bill Farnsworth, general manager Scott Blain. Many homeowners ask us how we ve been able to stick around for so long. Here s what we consider to be the top 10 factors behind our success. 1) Holistic approach to home care We believe home maintenance, care and improvements are all part of one continuum. Because we see the house as a whole system with countless interrelated parts, we offer every possible service from small repairs to major renovations. Homeowners know that no matter what they need, they can count on Custom. 2) Design/build approach As full-service, design/build remodelers, we take responsibility for the design, construction and satisfactory completion of your project. By partnering with homeowners from the concept stage through construction, we create living areas that truly reflect their individual personalities, values and budgets. 3) Focus on remodeling, not building Every time new-home construction slows down, fly-by-night contractors flood the remodeling market. These roofers, siders and framers have skills that don t translate well to remodeling. As true remodeling specialists, we understand the nuances of working on an existing home and optimizing the experience for homeowners. 4) Lead carpenter system Our team includes several Certified Lead Carpenters, all of whom receive ongoing project management training. Each of our project teams, in turn, includes a lead carpenter who works at the work site. This individual oversees the day-to-day operations of the project, handling a variety of tasks to ensure everything runs smoothly. 5) A team of veterans Many of our in-house carpenters have been with us for 15 or more years. This consistency carries over to our professional trade partners, including Joe Sestito (electrician) and Rick Orcutt (painting). Bill Farnsworth & Scott Blain back in their earlier days at Custom (90 s). 6) Quality of work We stand behind our high-quality work with a one-year warranty as well as a hard-earned reputation for integrity and reliability. 7) Emphasis on customer service From preconstruction meetings that set client expectations to a project coordinator who assists with product selection to office staff who handle logistical concerns, we have the resources in place for consistently great customer service. We re also believers in a friendly, personal touch and communicating well with clients. 8) Your neighborhood remodeler That s our motto, and it s 100% true. One reason why we set up our Center on Mass Ave. is to maintain a strong local presence. People in Arlington and nearby communities know who we are, where we are and that we re easily accessible when they need us. 9) Membership in NARI Since 1994 Custom has been a member of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, a not-for-profit trade association. We ve taken advantage of a number of NARI programs to improve our people s technical expertise, knowledge of ethics, and communication and organizational skills. 10) Loyal client base We ve served hundreds of clients since These homeowners appreciate our consistency in quality and service and often recommend us to friends and family. About 70% of our business traditionally comes from repeat clients and client referrals, and we re thankful to everyone who falls into one or both of these categories. 70% of our business comes from repeat clients or client referrals.. Custom Fun Facts We ve worked in 37 towns. 60% of our projects are kitchen/bathroom renovations or additions. We ve had $45+ million in total volume. We ve completed 2,800+ projects in 25 years.

3 Volume 44 October Client Spotlights: A Look Back at Projects Through the Years Our customers are the reason for our continued success. It is thanks to them that we have been in business for 25 years and counting! The Druy/Rothman Home When Mark Druy and Johanna Rothman decided their two-story colonial didn t fit their lifestyle anymore, they came up with an unconventional solution. Custom helped the couple make it work. We couldn t be more pleased not only with the outcome, but also the process of working with Custom. Everyone within that organization is just first-rate. December 2014 The Ramnath Home This homeowner decided while she loved the charm of her 1920s-era colonial, she needed more elbow room and an updated interior. Fall 2011 The most important thing to me was for people to not even notice I had new rooms. And when you come into the house, they look like they ve always been there. Continued on page 4

4 4 Volume 44 October 2015 Client Spotlights: A Look Back at Continued from page 3 The quality of Custom s work was fantastic, as were the service and support. The Casey Home The Caseys go way back with Custom. After we completed a small job installing some windows in their new home, they came back to us for a larger project. Summer 2010 The McShine/Zhang Home The homeowners had some firm ideas about their addition and wanted something that would complement the existing house. They were drawn to our design/build approach. We re very happy with the selections we made and the work that Custom did. Everything looks like it s supposed to be there. Summer 2009

5 Volume 44 October Projects Through the Years 25 years and counting The Harris Home The Harris family s 1890 Victorian home truly is a labor of love. After undertaking several renovations to maintain and beautify its stately exterior, they set their sights on the heartbeat of the home: their kitchen. Not only does the kitchen look great, but it s also highly functional. In my old kitchen, I only had one drawer for cooking utensils and silverware. Now I have three! Winter 2009 We felt a high level of trust and confidence from our very first meeting. Neither of us had time to be a project manager, so it was important to find a contractor we could trust and delegate to. The Goodwin Home Fall 2005 Just a few short years after moving in, the Goodwins faced a dilemma: They loved their Arlington home as well as the neighborhood and school system. They either had to make their Arlington home fit their lifestyle or they would have to move. To read more about these Client Spotlights and to see more of our work, check out

6 Volume 44 October The Custom Fleet is Ready to Roll Keep an eye out for the Custom fleet of trucks. If you spot one in your neighborhood, you ll know that one of your neighbors is transforming their house into the home of their dreams! Hitting the Quarter-Century Mark Continued from page 1 all these possibilities, apply some structure and guide them throughout their project. Bill: Homeowners want a high-end remodeling experience at a more reasonable price point. [Project coordinator] Michael Daniell is a big part of making that happen for our clients. He s the one who helps you get a building permit, walks you through product selection and acts as a liaison with our vendors. So clients get all that, plus the services of our kitchen and bath designer, Nikki DeFelice, under one umbrella. That s very appealing to homeowners. How has technology impacted how you do business? Scott: We started out in the age of Microsoft DOS we had never used a computer or even seen a mouse! So we ve come a long way. Mobile technology has really changed things. Now, some of our employees are exclusively on smartphones and tablets; they don t even have a laptop. It s a lot easier to communicate and collaborate with clients and other team members. Bill: But we realize that technology has its place. We still maintain a brick-and-mortar presence on Mass Ave. We still mail out a newsletter. We still talk with our clients face to face. What s the key to finding good people and maintaining the right company culture? Bill: We have a nice vetting system in that most of our carpenters historically started here as subcontractors. So we get to see how they work before we hire them as employees. Basic carpentry skills are just one of many things we look at. They also have to be able to work within our systems; manage their time, projects and clients wisely; and communicate well with clients and staff. Scott: You ve got to buy in to our philosophy and meet the strict criteria for how we run the business. What s nice is that all of our carpenters started as subcontractors, were original team members or have some strong, close personal connection to someone on our team. We re not playing any guessing games when doing the hiring. What s the main reason you ve been able to thrive all these years? Scott: Relationships are critical; those are what keep us going. And relationships are what lead to client referrals and repeat business. We ve never forgotten that.

7 Volume 44 October The Custom Contracting Team When we began in 1990, we had three employees. Twenty-five years later, we ve grown to 20. We re proud to say that many of our employees have been here for years! Front row: Elena Bartholomew 98; Craig Lielasus, 98; Michael Daniell, 91; Terry Tighe 92; Tom Fay, 12; Eric Forgues, 10; Tyler Beauregard, 15; Sean Farnsworth, 03; Mark Bozicas, 13; Dave Surrette, 03; Justyn Atwood, 15; Brenda MacHarrie, 09; Karin D Angelo, 14; Scott Blain, 92; Bill Farnsworth, 92. Back row: Kirk Stanford, 93; Tom Blain, 12; Steve Donohue, 03; Tom Culkins, 05; Bryan Lamoureux, 11. Not pictured: Nikki DeFelice, 12. Custom Contracting Through the Years Custom Contracting is founded. Win EM-NARI ConMove into first tractor of the Year real office space Award for 1205R Mass. Ave. Residential Kitchen. Arlington. Named to Qualified Become NARI Remodeler s Top 500 member. for the first time Launch company website. Expand office, open Design/ Build Remodeling Center. Win EM-NARI Contractor of the Year Award for Residential Kitchen Add in-house kitchen & bath designer. Staff grows to 20. More than 1,300 individual customers to date. Now dealing Bertch Cabinetry. 25th anniversary! Bill and Scott join the company. Move into current location, 1267A Mass. Ave. Arlington. Staff reaches 10 employees. Win EM-NARI Contractor of the Year Award for Residential Interior. Bill Farnsworth takes over ownership. Celebrate 20 years in business. Join National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA). Add Touchstone Fine Cabinetry.

8 1267A Massachusetts Ave Arlington, MA (781) MA Reg. # INSIDE THIS ISSUE First class mail Hitting the Quarter-Century Mark Management Memo: The Keys to Our Success Client Spotlights: A Look Back at Projects Through the Years The Custom Fleet is Ready to Roll The Custom Contracting Team 25-Year Timeline Meet the Newest Team Member Meet the Newest Team Member Tyler Beauregard The newest member of the Custom team is Tyler Beauregard, who came on in June. Tyler grew up in Templeton (about 50 miles west of Arlington) and was active in sports during high school. After graduating in 2004, he started getting interested in carpentry. I began learning the craft by working and watching others, he says. For the last eight years prior to joining Custom, Tyler worked in new construction, building homes primarily in the Needham/Wellesley area. He s found remodeling to be much more challenging. You never know what you re going to find once you open something up, he says. You could have a set plan, but then it gets side-tracked. Everything is straightforward with new construction, but with remodeling, there s more creativity and problem solving involved. Over the past few months, Tyler has been involved in a number of projects at Custom, helping out however he can. Already a talented carpenter, he hopes one day to join our ranks of National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) Certified Lead Carpenters. But his more immediate priority is personal in nature: He ll be marrying general manager Scott Blain s daughter, Cindy, in December. The couple has two daughters, ages two and five, and lives in Gardner. I enjoy everything about working at Custom, Tyler says. Everybody s been great. They treat me well, and I m glad to be here. Visit Custom Online Check out custom-contracting.com to see our blog, a portfolio of our projects, an archive of past newsletters and client spotlights, and more. You can also find us online at: Client Referral Program Refer a friend, get a reward: That s how our Client Referral Program works. You qualify for this program when: someone calls in and says you referred them, a referral signs on with us for their project, or you serve as a reference to a prospective client. There are other ways to qualify. For more details, please call us at