The David Brown Construction Company is creating dream kitchens and baths and more, on a budget
By Mitch Allen
One of the keys to running a successful business is the ability to recruit and retain high-quality employees. It was business guru Tom Peters who said it best: “As much as the NBA or Broadway, we are all in the talent business.”
Nowhere is this more applicable than in the remodeling industry.
“A contractor is only as good as his craftspeople,” says David Brown, the 40-year veteran home remodeler and founder of The David Brown Construction Company. David hires some of the most talented and experienced people in the trades, but he also enjoys apprenticing beginners.
That’s another secret to David’s success: his team members are multi-talented and capable of seeing the big picture. “It helps to have craftspeople who understand all of the different aspects of a job,” he says. “That way, everyone knows exactly how their work will affect the next guy in the process.”
For example, local countertop fabricators are clamoring to install granite and quartz on David’s cabinetry work because his team ensures that the cabinets are level. One granite installer told me: “We often have to spend time trying to level cabinets before we can install our countertops, but that’s not the case with David Brown. When it comes to cabinet installs, his guys kill it.”
David also maintains strong relationships with subcontractors and suppliers, including cabinet shops, tile and flooring stores, appliance companies and kitchen and bath supply houses. “Our suppliers and subcontractors are people with families. They count on us, and we make sure they get paid in full and on time,” says David, who is well known in the industry for his soft-spoken style—and big heart.
A Lake Erie Kitchen
David Brown handles most interior remodels, including kitchens, baths, windows, doors and flooring installs. Although his company is small—10 employees—they completed about 100 jobs in 2019, ranging from $5,000 to $100,000. The project Mimi explored is a recently completed kitchen in a 95-year-old Dutch Colonial in Cleveland on Lake Erie.
The previous kitchen was small—10’ x 12’—and was trapped between a tiny laundry room and a dining room. “We love our home, but after 18 years it was time,” says homeowner Danielle Stang, who lives with her husband David and their three dogs. “We love to cook and we wanted a bigger kitchen and a more open floorplan.”
David’s team went to work, tearing down two walls and expanding the kitchen to 10’ x 35’ feet. “The homeowners are creative people and they did not want a cookie-cutter kitchen,” David says. “As a result, we chipped away plaster to reveal a brick column—now a visual highlight in the kitchen—and installed a leading-edge LVT herringbone floor by Coretec. This flooring has been popular in Europe for a while now, but is gaining popularity in America.”
Dealing With Challenges
In almost every remodeling project, there are unique challenges. One challenge in Danielle’s 95-year-old home was the unlevel floor.
“That’s where we shine,” David says. “We have the talent and experience to fix problems as they come up. In this case, we were able to use special techniques to level the floor before installing that beautiful herringbone. We also worked to keep the wide casings and tall baseboards historically accurate, using a combination of off-the-shelf and custom fabricated materials, to keep the project within budget.”
And when it comes to money, with David, it’s personal.
“Some contractors look at unforeseen challenges and see dollar signs,” David says, “That’s not us. We treat your money like it’s our money. If there is a way to save money without sacrificing quality, we’ll let you know.”
David’s plan left money in the budget for Danielle to purchase updated appliances for her new kitchen, including a new stove, refrigerator, microwave, dishwasher, sink, and a built-in wine fridge. David even installed a pot filler on the stove backsplash, making it easy for the Stang family to fill large pots for boiling pasta.
“We bought our cabinets from Northeast Factory Direct and they were the ones who recommended David Brown to us,” Danielle says. “And we are so glad they did. They also helped us get a nice discount on our countertops.”
Danielle chose light-gray Shaker-style cabinets with a contrasting deep-blue peninsula and a glass tile backsplash. “It’s gorgeous,” David says. “We especially love the herringbone floor. It was a risk some homeowners wouldn’t try, but it paid off in a big way.”
More Than Kitchens
The David Brown Construction Company goes beyond kitchens and baths. The company also transforms laundry rooms, dining rooms, family rooms and great rooms. Plus, the company’s reputation for innovative thinking has made them in demand for basement remodels and, recently, a cigar room. “We’d never built a cigar room before, but we did some research and took the project on,” David smiles warmly. “The client loves it and so does his wife because the exhaust fan means she doesn’t have to smell his cigars.”
The David Brown Construction Company is located at 4702A E. 355th Street, in Willoughby, but they handle projects throughout Northeast Ohio. For more information or to receive a free estimate, call 440-571-4199. You may email David directly at David@TheDavidBrownCompany.com.