GA!: That’s a mighty cute little fellow on the cover…
Jim: Thank you! That’s Max, our son who is four. He’s quite a ham, who loves to play with my tape measure. So, if you want to know how wide a box of cereal is; just ask Max. He loves to play sports and go fishing. He says when he gets bigger he wants to work with me and already has several sets of his own tools. My wife, Vicki is my best friend and we have been married for seven years this December. I am so thankful for her. I could have never been successful without her support. We are so blessed to have Max, who is our only child. We live in Belmont and love the warmth and sense of community you will find there.
GA!: So you are a local guy- did you go to school here?
Jim: Yes, I grew up in Kings Mountain and have lived most of my life in Gaston and Cleveland counties. I’m very proud of where I grew up. I was so fortunate to live in such a great town growing up as a child.
GA!: Jim, tell us a little about your business-actually you have two divisions, is that right? When did you start the business?
Jim: I started the business in 2003 with my best friend, Daniel Honeycutt, who I grew up with in Kings Mountain. We were both in the banking industry and decided to start our own gutter business. Daniel and his wife Susan were such a big part of what our company has grown to be today. Unfortunately, Daniel passed away unexpectedly last year and that has been extremely difficult to no longer have my business partner and best friend to talk to everyday. We miss him dearly.
Yes, we have two divisions. The company has moved in a new direction over the last several years. Bobby Horne joined the team and is our general contractor who heads up our construction jobs. He has been in the construction business for 22 years and manages all of our beautiful bathroom and kitchen renovations and new construction. Along with the construction, Bobby also oversees our siding and deck installations. On the gutter and roofing work side, we offer shingle roofing, flat roofing and metal roofing for residential and commercial. We are certified GAF and IKO shingle installers, as well as, Duro-Last installers that is a PVC flat roof application. We are a multi faceted company that can handle your needs from the ground up.
GA!: Jim, we’ve had quite a few storms in the last several months, has that kept you busy?
Jim: Whew, absolutely! We have been so busy, but, again thankful. It’s been really nice that our customers chose us because we are local and offer good service at a fair price. We take pride in doing the job right. We are finding that once we complete a new roof on a home, we usually get the neighbor and the neighbor’s neighbor. Nothing is better than a customer calling or sending you a letter telling you how very happy they are about the work and how good you are at cleaning up.
GA!: What does GGCI specialize in, is it kitchen and bath remodels, or?
Jim: Bobby is a stickler for details, so when he works with folks on their new kitchen or bathroom, he puts a lot of heart and soul in what we do. Bobby builds every job like it was his own. We understand that folks want an excellent job done in a timely manner. With that in mind, we give everyone an estimated completion time up front, and we use only the best products available. If budget is a consideration, we look for workable options that won’t sacrifice quality.
GA!: What makes you guys different-why should folks call you instead of someone else?
Jim: When you choose us, it’s one call. It’s nice to know that if something goes wrong you have just one person to call. We offer turn-key services that most companies can’t. We are also local and can use about any neighborhood in the area as our showroom. We have completed over 200 roofs in Gaston county this year alone.
Customers can always be assured that the material and quality workmanship is the best over other competitors.
GA!: What about products-is there a difference?
Jim: Yes, we take pride in using local companies when we can for our products. Some contractors will use the cheapest building materials possible and sell them for a premium price. We use local lumber yards for all of our specialty work, for example: solid doors, cedar posts and railing. You can’t always find specialized items in the chain stores. I would tell consumers to ask detailed questions such as, “how thick is the siding you install”, “is this product warranted if you go out of business”. We have negotiated great pricing with our vendors and have buying power that allows us to pass on the savings to our customers. The products we offer are warranted and we are certified to install them.
GA!: Jim, I know you do some beautiful copper work…tell us about that.
Jim: When we got into the metal roofing business, it included copper. We do a lot of half- round copper guttering and also build custom cupolas, finials; we even built copper fireplaces and hoods for kitchens.
GA! I’m thinking of having some work done, what are some important things to consider when hiring a contractor like yourself?
Jim: Things that are important to ask for when seeking professional workmanship are:
- 1. Ask for references, always.
- 2. Ask to see some work they have completed recently.
- 3. Insist on a certificate of workman’s compensation and general liability.
- 4. Ensure any competing estimates include the same quality materials and installation when price differences vary. Experience and quality are important to lasting results.
GA!: What do you do when you are not being a contractor?
Jim: I enjoy being a Dad more than anything, so soccer games and fishing are big. Max caught a huge bass this year and his face said it all. Before the storms I used to play golf. My wife and I like to ride motorcycles. We enjoy going to Key West and hanging out with our friends and family.
GA!: What is the funniest or most unusual thing that has happened to you in the roofing and remodeling business?
Jim: I don’t think it was funny but definitely unusual. We installed a new roof, all new gutters and gutter guards on a home in Gastonia this year. The work was completed on a Wednesday, then Thursday night a storm came through and destroys all three. So, we did it again the following week. Very unusual situation and proves how mother nature is unpredictable.
GA!: I know you have a great team-tell us about them.
Jim: We broke all the rules of business. I have surrounded myself with great friends. I have four sales team members, not including Bobby and myself. Tom Lilly, who I have known for 16 years. Bryan Leftwich and Wayne Jenkins for 25 years. Then, our latest addition Andy Leigh for 15 years. Our office staff consists of Maggie White and Lindsay Horne. We have over 40 guys in the field who have been part of our team over the last eight years. I have been so fortunate to have had solid people surrounding me. They truly make us all successful.
910 W. 1st Street • Lowell, NC 28098 • 704-879-4384
www.gutterguysconstruction.com
