Nick Baldo: Oakvale Homes & Development

The Woodpreneur Podcast

In this episode, Steve Larosiliere interviews Nick from Oakvale Homes and Development, a large remodel and new construction business in Buffalo, New York. It began as real estate investors and transitioned into working for other homeowners. Oakvale Homes focuses on high-quality craftsmanship and delivering a positive customer experience. It uses project management software like BuilderTrend to streamline its processes. The company has hired carpenters, implemented a lead carpenter system, and employed a dedicated project manager to manage its growth. Oakvale Homes targets customers who have previous renovation experience and understand the process. The company is considering expanding into custom home building and educating their audience through content creation.

Takeaways

• Oakvale Homes started as a real estate investor and transitioned into a remodel and new construction business.
• They focus on high-quality craftsmanship and delivering a positive customer experience.
• Oakvale Homes uses project management software to streamline their processes.
• They have hired carpenters, implemented a lead carpenter system, and hired a dedicated project manager to handle their growth.
• Oakvale Homes targets customers who have renovated before and understand the process.
• They are considering expanding into custom home building and educating their audience through content creation.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Oakvale Homes and Development

04:07 The Value of an Outside Perspective in the Construction Industry

04:35 The Challenges and Learning Curve of Starting a Construction Business

06:26 The Thrill of Selling a Project and Shifting the Risk to the Customer

07:22 Building a Team and Delegating Responsibilities

08:23 The Consulting Background and its Influence on the Construction Business

09:49 The Evolution of Oakvale Homes' Services and Focus

10:30 Implementing Project Management Software and Overcoming Resistance to Change

12:26 Hiring and Training Carpenters and Project Managers

14:40 The Importance of the Customer Journey and Transparency

20:21 Dealing with Challenging Projects and Learning from Mistakes

22:18 Word of Mouth Referrals and Targeted Print Advertising

24:53 Managing Multiple Projects and Planning for Growth

26:06 Considering Differentiation Between Remodelling and Custom Home Building

26:15 Exploring the Strategy of House Flipping

27:07 The Current State and Future Outlook of Oakvale Homes

28:26 Targeting Customers Who Have Renovated Before

29:22 Educating Customers and Expanding Content Creation

32:11 The Ideal Customer Profile for Oakvale Homes

Join the Woodpreneur Network and Community at Woodpreneur.com or Woodpreneurnetwork.com

Connect with Nick at:

https://www.instagram.com/oakvalehomes/

https://www.oakvalehome.com