Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Goldstein.
Hi Joshua, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
We started out in June of 2019 as a property preservation company, hence the name 1918 Preservation. We primarily serviced bank owned home doing everything from roof replacements to yard maintenance to cleaning the trash out of properties. Six months in we had established ourselves as one of the premier contractors in the area by completing projects on time, communicating effectively with our clients, and doing quality work. Around that time, Covid hit and our state experienced a shut down. Unfortunately, for our line of work, they put an indefinite pause on foreclosures, effectively cutting off our pipeline of work. It ended up being a blessing in disguise.
I had two employees, one with a wife and child, and my own wife and newborn. I had no choice but to make it work. I turned over every stone trying to find us work to keep us going. I went months at a time not taking paychecks to make sure we made payroll, without my guys there is no company. I looked for demo work, junk removal, yard clean ups, etc. Anything to utilize our skills, equipment, and tools. I used job lead services like Thumbtack and Hometown Demo to find work.
One of the job lead services we worked with sent us a fence demo. I went and met with the potential customer and in passing I had asked if he was looking to have the replaced as well. He said yes and asked if we would provide a quote. We ended up doing it and realized that we enjoyed that type of work. There was demo, digging holes, and carpentry involved. (The enjoyment of intense laborous tasks like digging holes and demo has faded with age and has been replaced by building awesome structures) We ended up tackling some decks early on as well and really shifted our focus to decks and fences. One of the craziest things I experienced was going on quotes and hearing over and over again the horror stories these homeowners have had with previous contractors. From running off with deposits, to building dangerous structures, to just not showing up. It was beyond baffling.
5 years later, we have become focused on decks only and have become one of the premier deck builders in our area. We are certified pro installers of major brands in the industry including being named a Platinum installer for Trex. Looking back on how far we have come in 5 years in regards to the quality and complexity of decks we are able to provide our customers is what drives us to keep learning more. We don’t want to look back 5 years from now and say we haven’t gotten better or learned anything new.
Relying on unmatched customer service, quality work, and honesty with our customers has allowed us to become the go to deck builder in our area.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Absolutely not. Being outdoors and seasonal, we are at the mercy of the weather. From brutal winters that never end to rain outs, the weather is a constant battle.
Covid was a real test of our young company. From trying to find work to material shortages to skyrocketing material costs.
Having young children and trying to balance being present and building a company seems to be a balancing act that will always exist.
Finding quality workers that share our value and appreciation for pleasing customers through our work has been a challenge. Construction is an interesting ecosystem, especially a small company.
The rising cost as well as the fluctuation in material pricing, various insurances, and just different costs of running a business
The rising cost of labor
Wearing 10 different hats and trying to be in the field all day
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We specialize in building and repairing wood and composite decks. From small 12×12 decks to 2,000 sq ft projects, we give the same attention to detail, customer service, and constant communication.
We specialize in decks. With the emergence of composite decking and the focus on outdoor living spaces it has become more than just an area in your backyard to put the grill. People are turning their backyard into an oasis, an outdoor getaway to enjoy.
What we’re known for is treating our customer’s decks like our own. It is not lost on us the amount of money they are spending and entrusting us to build the deck they are envisioning. We try to give them the feel of working with a large company in terms of communication, professional estimates, etc. And at the same time, the small company feel of having the owner on site and be your main point of contact throughout the whole process. It’s my name on it, my guys view it the same way and we all treat it accordingly.
Our commitment to communication is something I would say gets complimented quite frequently by customers and potential customers.
I am most proud of the appreciation and reviews from our customers. I don’t nag them to leave one, I kindly ask if they have a chance it would be greatly appreciated. Referrals are my favorite estimates because somebody was happy enough with our work to suggest us to someone they know. It also means we’re doing things the right way.
I think what sets us apart from a lot of other companies is that we specialize in decks and don’t sub anything out. There are a lot of companies out there that list decks as one of the 20 services they offer. We live and breathe deck building. That allows us to constantly improve and keep up on new products, install techniques, etc. Subbing out deck work is very common in our area. We don’t view our business as a means to an end or numbers on a spread sheet. It’s a living breathing thing that exists to bring customers quality they can rely on and provide for everyone that helps make it go.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
It’s tough to say with the explosion of material choices and shift towards non wood deck and railing options. I would venture to say that wood decking would become almost obsolete. Brands have began focusing on more budget friendly offerings for the composite decking. Essentially a race to the bottom in regards to pricing. I think they’re trying to get people on the fence of wood and composite to make the jump to composite.
Alternative framing choices may also become more popular. Right now, there’s really not an affordable option besides pressure treated lumber.
I hope the ballooning number of color and railing choices across the different brands contracts. Customers feel overwhelmed with the number of choices and color options.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://1918preservation.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1918preservation/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1918preservation
