A
Job Well Done
Five years ago, while working for another contractor,
William Kelly and Mark Rausch struck out on their own to pursue a unique
concept: To build a business where employees weren’t just employees,
but owners of the company.
Kelly and Rausch founded Contractor’s Services with $5,000, two
employees and a one-room office. Now home to six co-owners and lots more
office space, Contractor’s Services specializes in residential and
commercial remodeling, as well as new construction. “We knew that
we could make this work with our knowledge and a nucleus of talented people
who complement each other’s strengths,” says Kelly.
Vice President of Field Operations, Tamra Tornai, brings more than 20
years of construction knowledge with her to Contractor’s Services.
“I got into the business helping my stepfather remodel his home
and I fell in love with remodeling and construction,” she says.
Contractor’s Services focuses on remodeling both residential and
commercial spaces. “Anyone can build a new home, but remodeling
is a different art form; a whole other ball of wax,” explains Kelly.
“We can be as flamboyant as you want or as conservative as you need.”Customer
service and client care are top priorities for Contractor’s Services.
By working with an extended network of contacts that include financial
institutions, title companies, designers, architects and subcontractors,
from both Manatee and Sarasota counties, Contractor’s Services can
take care of their client’s needs from conception to completion.
“When writing contracts, we try to be as inclusive as possible.
Neither we, nor our clients like to have any surprises. If we make a mistake,
it comes out of our pocket, not the client’s pocket. We don’t
make our clients pay for our mistakes,” says Kelly, “Our clients
also get our cell phone numbers when the contract is signed, and we are
reachable at any time. The money is a great incentive, but the ultimate
payoff is the letter of recommendation at the completion of a project.
At the end of a project, we want to know how we did as a company.”
As the only authorized dealer in Florida for RIGID™ Building Systems,
Contractor’s Services is on the cutting-edge of steel building technology.
The team at Contractor’s Services beat out a dozen other companies
in Florida after a rigorous interviewing process. Kelly, Rausch and Tornai
attended builder’s school in Houston to learn the product. While
steel structures are traditionally used in airplane hangers, storage units
and other commercial property, RIGID Building Systems are now being used
in home construction. RIGID Building Systems can engineer the superstructure
to withstand hurricane winds up to 180 miles per hour - a nice feature
when you live in a hurricane zone.
“We’ve all seen what Hurricane Charley did to Port Charlotte,”
says Tornai. Kelly envisions a time when steel superstructures will be
the norm on barrier islands. “I really believe there will be a time
when it will be required on waterfront property.”
Contractor’s Services has doubled its business every year and all
owners foresee big things in the future. “We want to expand and
have our name known to the public while doing some custom projects of
our own,” he says. 2007 is shaping up to be a banner year for the
company, with projections into the millions and the opening of Contractor’s
Services Sales Inc., headed by Melissa Cowan. Kelly, Rausch and their
‘daytime family’ have come a long way in five years.
“We are here to pander to people’s wishes, desires and dreams.
Compromising is not an option,” says Kelly.
That the team reaches that lofty goal is evidenced by this quote from
a satisfied homeowner who appreciated Contractor’s Services work:
“Just a short note of thanks for a job very well done. There are
times when you get less than you expected from a job, some that meet expectations
and a very few that exceed them. Your renovation of our 50-year-old home
was most certainly one of the latter”. Kelly got another letter
of recommendation for his file.
Contractor’s Services Inc.
1877 Northgate Blvd. Suite 2
Sarasota, FL 34234
941 358-8490
Written by Christy Maxwell-Clark
