Author: Melanie Merz

Welcome to Great Northern Builders Spring update.  It feels wonderful just writing that word – Spring!  For me, Spring brings thoughts of fresh air, sweet smelling flowers and birdsong. 

Len and I have spent lots of cold winter days planning and brainstorming for the busy building season ahead. Each year we ask ourselves, “What has helped us establish and maintain our reputation over the last 18 years?”  For sure, quality workmanship, great communication with clients, clean job sites and jobs delivered on time and on budget. But you might be surprised to learn about one of the biggest reasons for the success of our business.  It is not a particular building technique, or a special tool; it is our 20 Club.  

What is a 20 Club?  Many of us who are members of one, call it ‘the best kept secret of the National Association of Home Builders’.  A 20 Club is a group of 20 builders from across the country that come together to form a peer network, and support each other in using industry best practices. Our participation in this organization is one of the most important decisions we have made to advance our business.

Commitment to the Club is more than just showing up to a couple of meetings – it’s about staying committed throughout the year by continuously exchanging ideas, having a willingness to mentor, and seeking and sharing business advice with our fellow 20 Club members.

When we combine the school of hard knocks all of us have been through, we can make each other very smart indeed.  The result to our client is a stable, professionally run, effective building & remodeling company that will stay in business, honor its warranties, and continue to serve the community for the long haul.   As we enter our 5^th year of 20 Club membership, Len & I are grateful to our club for it’s ongoing support, and mentorship. 

Because of it, we are charged up, energized, and ready to help you with your next home remodeling or building project in 2019.  Happy Spring! 

We choose to work with select vendors, partners, and products that match our quality standards because our mission is to ensure longevity and craftsmanship.

Several years ago, I read a book about the L.L. Bean company, The Making of an American Icon.  It’s recollections of the early days of it’s founding, in which Leon L. Bean not only pursued his passion for making high quality outdoor gear, but also established his commitment to stand behind his products with the legendary guarantee his company has become famous for, really resonated with me.  

It was what I had always aspired to achieve within Great Northern Builders: to pursue a passion for delivering quality finished products that I would be proud to stand behind for a lifetime of trusted use and enjoyment by my customers. 

Growing up in Maine, I always sensed the special value of a purchase from Bean’s; when there was something that our family really wanted to last and perform well- camping gear, canoes, outdoor clothing- we usually bought it from Bean’s.  It was a company we knew we could trust when guaranteed quality mattered, and as such we knew that an investment in gear from Bean’s was a wise one. 

This peace of mind is what we aim to provide every customer who chooses to work with Great Northern- that the investment they make with us is a wise one, which will provide a lifetime of dependability, quality, and value.

It is in this spirit that we have been excited to provide our clients with customized Great Northern tote bags made by L.L. Bean, as a small thank you for their patronage.  The durable quality and function of these bags will serve our customers well for many years, and serve as a fitting reminder of the quality and function that Great Northern has brought to their homes. 

Great Northern fully freshened up this newly purchased home for a retiring veteran and his wife.

Working within an extremely tight 60 daytime frame around a pre-set move-in date, GNB completely updated the kitchen, painted every surface of the home’s interior, and created a new master suite above the attached garage.

The home’s original kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities were re-surfaced, quartz countertops and subway tile backsplash installed, and pendant lights and plantation shutters were added.

New berber carpeting was installed on the stair runner and in all bedrooms to replace the existing carpets, and the new master suite was transitioned from an unfinished attic over the garage into a bedroom/walk-in closet/laundry room combo, with a further partitioned room built, to be converted into a master bath down the road.

The entire scope was completely finalized by the target date, allowing the couple to have their possessions moved into their newly refinished home right on schedule with the moving service provided by the military.

The economy continues to strengthen, as does the desirability of living on the Seacoast. On average, the value of a single-family home is up 5% from the same time last year. The demand for significant remodeling projects is  also on the rise.  These are wonderful market trends for Great Northern Builders, but all situations present unique challenges.  The current challenge in the construction industry is a labor shortage; more on that later.

Another outcome of the strong economy and high demand for remodeling and new construction is the ability of high-quality remodeling companies to pick and choose their projects.  For us, this does not necessarily mean picking the most lucrative project, but the opportunity to work with clients who respect and value our knowledge, time and abilities.  Unfortunately, due to the lack of contractor licensing in the state of Maine, unscrupulous tradesmen have, over time, caused some homeowners to lose their trust in the trades. We encourage home owners to check references before hiring someone to do work on your home. When you have a qualified tradesperson in your home, they are bringing with them years of experience and troubleshooting ability, a must in the ever-more complicated field of residential remodeling and construction. 

We feel blessed to own and operate a successful Design/Build company in the Seacoast and we’re committed to giving back to the community that has given us so much to be grateful for.  I co-lead a 4H group in South Berwick, and recently joined the South Berwick Zoning Board of Appeals.  Great Northern also support several community organizations and events, such as LanternFest, Great Works Regional Land Trust, the Marshwood Education Foundation, and more.  We are blessed to be raising our daughters on the Seacoast, where we have such a lovely balance of natural beauty, a strong economy and incredibly kind and positive neighbors. Happy Fall!

It’s autumn in Maine and the days are getting shorter, but Great Northern Builders are still working long days.  We are currently building a barn for a long-time customer of ours, and at her request we’ve taken on a small side project while we are on site.  In the back corner of her property sits an old shed- sagging into the earth, its floor rotting away. We are in the process of salvaging this structure, even though this customer knows it would be cheaper to knock it down and build something new. She likes this old shed- it reminds her of one she used to play in when she was a young girl.  And so we are saving it.   It currently sits, suspended up on cribbing, awaiting a rebuilt floor tomorrow and a brand new life, yet one solidly connected to the past.

What is it about old structures that draws us in?  There is an inescapable charm to beautiful old houses that can’t be replicated.  It’s a genuine, lived-in warmth of something individual & unique, hand-distressed over generations.  From the aged patina of the roof rafters to the smoothly worn doorknobs, there’s a certain grace to an old house.   As remodelers, it’s always a pleasure to work on these homes.  It re-connects us, in a way, with the craftsmen of a bygone era as we salvage, restore, and enhance what they created decades, or even centuries, ago.  Through our work, we rebuild a new life for these homes, one solidly connected to the past. And so, as an old-home aficionado, I understand my customer’s desire to save this old shed.  

It has meaning for her, a story held somewhere within her memories.  Old structures can be like that. To step inside their walls and take in all that they are- the look, the smell, the feel of them- these solidly connect us to our past.  Therein lies their charm. We are grateful for these projects and look forward to sharing the finished product in a future blog post.