Moody finds niche in renovation, restoration

by Christine Ballew-Gonzales

SBJ Contributing Writer

John Moody Construction has settled into a special place in the local construction market, but not without years of work establishing his business.

John Moody began his construction career as a laborer for a western Kansas construction company in 1969. Two years of carpentry school followed, and Moody then came to Springfield to work in 1971.

"I worked with Jerry Doran Homes Inc. as a carpenter," he said.

It was while employed with the Springfield company that Moody began establishing his early contracting contacts, which later led to renovation and restoration work.

"I just kind of fell into it," Moody said of those early jobs.

"We had been moonlighting with the restoration work, and in 1982 things just got tough around here. By then I already had a clientele built, so I just went to work," he said.

Moody started John Moody Construction in 1983. The fledgling business was a two-person operation, just Moody and his wife, Linda. Word of mouth and referrals have helped the business grow during the past 16 years, and the company now has seven employees. While the company does both residential and commercial restoration, it does not work on new construction projects, Moody said.

The company has worked on many significant renovation projects over the years, Moody said. "We did Elfindale Mansion, a 17,000-square-foot building," he said. "We also did the Walnut Street Bed and Breakfast and Sigma Kappa sorority house."

The fact that John Moody Construction does not do new construction has not limited the business, according to Moody.

"I think that has actually helped," he said. "We're specializing in renovation, which is actually a whole lot different from new construction."

Moody said there is a world of difference between the two.

With renovation "there are a lot more surprises," he said. "You don't know what you're getting into, and it is also more time-consuming and more client-oriented. Very few new-home builders want to do renovations. They think it is more trouble than it's worth."

Moody said that his patience and can-do attitude have gone a long way toward his success in renovation and restoration construction, which is an increasingly competitive market, especially when economic conditions put the squeeze on new construction starts.

"There's a lot of competition out there," he said. "When new housing starts are down, competition gets tougher because new-home builders get into renovations. And also, there are a lot of new companies coming up. One thing that has helped us gain residential business is that we have our own in-house designer people. We have more to offer the customer."

Moody does not anticipate any tapering off in Springfield's renovation and restoration construction market in the next 10 years. "I think it's going to continue to grow," he said.

Moody said his reputation has been built over the years in local construction. "We've been around a long time, and we do good work and give the best customer service we can," he said. "I expect steady growth in the company more accounts and more employees and I hope to retire at the end of the next 10 years."

[[In-content Ad]]