It opened June 1, 2004. There are five employees, including me. We have an on-staff interior designer, (and) we specialize in upscale remodels - kitchens, baths, room additions, outdoor living space. We do both commercial and residential work. We do new construction also.
If somebody wanted a custom home, we could build one for them, but my company hasn't built one yet.
(We subcontract) for electrical, plumbing, Sheetrock. Sometimes we subcontract painting.
What's the scope of your company's projects?
We've always said the small jobs fill in for the big jobs. We've done some as small as even hanging an attic ladder for someone. Relatively small jobs take about three or four weeks, to redo a bathroom, but we're doing (a job) right now in Southern Hills that's basically a whole-house remodel. Three baths, the kitchen, the laundry room moved from the mudroom back to the master bathroom, new vanities in that bathroom and a new shower. We've been there three months, and we'll probably be there until Christmas. It might be longer than that, because they want to do some outside stuff, too.
What's the meaning behind the name Steward Construction?
This question is asked a lot. I wanted to come up with something unique. Our tagline is, "Service above self-interest." We're here to be your steward.
A lot of construction companies are name-based, but if you're ever going to sell the company ... it's hard to sell your name with a company.
Has the economy affected your business?
We did see a little slowdown last fall and ... in January and February. But once March got here, in the remodeling sector, it seemed everybody was calm (and) knew where everything was going after the election and everything had settled.
Normally, remodel (customers) don't go for a loan. Usually it's liquid cash that they're using, or they have other assets they can put against it.
What are the top challenges facing your company?
Just growing pains. We're all multitasking. We're not large enough to have a full-time estimator yet, but we're so close to it that it's stretching us out. It's the growing pains of working to keep up. We're looking to hire right now, for foremen or job superintendent (openings). People walk in daily, just about, filling out applications, but it's finding the right fit.
What are some of the key reasons homeowners remodel?
Usually, it's an update. But I think (some) people are just doing maintenance on their houses.
The economy's tough, so (they say), "Oh, my gas bill's high," and they start putting in insulated windows. And of course (there are) all kinds of rebates to make a house energy-efficient. The tough times really drive that kind of stuff. The regular remodels, like for the kitchen or the bath, that stuff is just going to happen whether it's tough or not.
They just want the update. They want something that's a little fresher and newer, and they've got a little seed money saved back.
What kinds of projects do you have on the horizon?
We're getting ready to start a 2,400-square-foot building down by Saddlebrook, which will house an RV, and there'll be living quarters off of one end of it (and) a four-stall horse barn that's connected to it.
We've got several contracts, five signed now.
We're getting ready to do a bathroom in Ironbridge.
What's the last remodeling project you did for your own home?
I updated the lighting in my kitchen and dining room, and I put some crown molding around the top of my cabinets. I put new hardware on the cabinetry in the kitchen, and that's about it so far. We've got a dream list a mile long, though. My wife is dying for a pocket door on the laundry room so we won't have to listen to it in the evenings when she's doing laundry. That's on my to-do list.[[In-content Ad]]
The first southwest Missouri location of EarthWise Pet, a national chain of pet supply stores, opened; Grey Oak Investments LLC relocated; and Hot Bowl by Everyday Thai LLC got its start.
