Scope of Work
Boardwalk Builders primarily focuses on residential remodeling, but also builds custom homes principally in coastal communities. Its office is located in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, which provides a central location for jobs located along the state's coast from Broadkill Beach to Fenwick Island. The company's expertise includes custom kitchen and bath renovations, Pella window and door installations, home additions and one-of-a-kind custom homes. Every member of the Boardwalk team is highly skilled and trained in state-of-the-art building practices that address and overcome the numerous challenges and issues associated with building along the coast, including complex environmental and planning regulations, changing building codes and demanding climate conditions.

Guildmaster Award Winner 2006 Guildmaster
2008 Guildmaster
2009 Guildmaster
2010 Guildmaster With Highest Distinction
2011 Guildmaster With Distinction
2012 Guildmaster With Highest Distinction

GuildQuality Partner Affiliations Pella Certified Contractor Remodelers Advantage Remodeling's Big50 James Hardie Preferred Remodeler daily5Remodel

Affiliations GuildQuality
National Association of the Remodeling Industry
NAHB Certified Graduate Remodeler
NAHB Certified Green Professional
2008 Qualified Remodeler Top 500
Qualified Remodeler Master Design Award
Professional Remodeler Best of the Best Design Award
Pella
NAHB Remodelers
NAHB National Housing Quality Award
Home Builders Association of Delaware

Guildmaster Q&A

Company History

Founded in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware in 1986, Boardwalk Builders has earned a reputation for excellence and is recognized as one of the premier remodelers and custom home builders along the Delaware Shore. President Patty McDaniel became the sole owner of the company in 1995, and under her direction the company has grown considerably, due largely in part to her dedication to the highest-quality service, standards and workmanship. As a result of McDaniel's commitment to total quality management practices and processes, Boardwalk Builders was awarded the 2004 National Housing Quality Silver Award for Excellence in Remodeling.

Scope of Work

Boardwalk Builders primarily focuses on residential remodeling, but also builds custom homes principally in coastal communities. Its office is located in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, which provides a central location for jobs located along the state's coast from Broadkill Beach to Fenwick Island. The company's expertise includes custom kitchen and bath renovations, Pella window and door installations, home additions and one-of-a-kind custom homes. Every member of the Boardwalk team is highly skilled and trained in state-of-the-art building practices that address and overcome the numerous challenges and issues associated with building along the coast, including complex environmental and planning regulations, changing building codes and demanding climate conditions.

Recent Projects

Recent projects include:

• Condo remodel with new windows, siding, kitchens and baths
• New divided light windows, with new wood shingle siding for an older traditional-style home
• New kitchen and bath in an ocean front condominium
• Second story deck and porch addition
• New custom oceanfront home on pilings

Typical Workload

Averages 5 to 10 ongoing projects, typically completing 40 to 60 projects a year, in addition to home service & maintenance work. Boardwalk Builders has a full-time staff of 10, and is able to self-perform a significant amount of the workload.

Team Makeup

Field employees are organized into teams. Each team has a lead carpenter responsible for the day-to-day management of the project. The carpentry teams are led in turn by a production management team, including a production manager, a selections coordinator, and a contract administrator. President Patty McDaniel oversees the company and new business development.

Client Profile

Boardwalk Builders primarily builds along the Delaware coast, with a significant amount of work conducted in the town of Rehoboth Beach. Regardless of the project size, Boardwalk Builders' clients have an appreciation for high-quality work and know they can trust the company to coordinate the entire building/remodeling process.

Approach to Working With Clients

Boardwalk Builders operates under the premise of listening and understanding. Before any work begins, the company talks in depth with its clients to ensure the project goals are fully understood. Boardwalk Builders' clients recognize that the company takes the time to listen to their ideas. They know that with Boardwalk Builders their house is being cared for by a professional builder that they can trust implicitly to handle the technical, operational and financial aspects of the project. Above all else, the company truly values and respects the working relationship with its clients.

Additionally, many of the company's projects are second homes. Boardwalk Builders keeps these clients updated regularly on the home's progression by sending weekly status e-mails.

Contract Structure

Uses a fixed price agreement for most projects. A typical agreement spells out the scope of work, payment schedule, start dates and duration of project as well as warranty coverage.

Marketing the Business

A majority of the business comes from repeat business and referrals. As a means to increase visibility, the company uses its job trailers as moveable billboards. The trailers are decorated with full-color graphic signage, prominently displaying the company's logo. The trailers make the company's jobsites easy to find and increase awareness among potential new customers. Boardwalk Builders also keeps its website updated with images and information on its projects.

Ongoing Staff Training and Development

As a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Boardwalk President Patty McDaniel values applied education and takes excellence and education very seriously, believing you can't have one without the other. Therefore, Boardwalk Builders' core staff of craftsmen have specialized training in all aspects of residential construction and remodeling. The staff attends trade conferences for on-going education on new building methods and the latest materials, but the staff's principal training happens on-the-job and at monthly company meetings.

Motivating Employees

Boardwalk Builders is fortunate to have customers that seek it out based on its pristine reputation for excellence and quality craftsmanship. The company has cultivated a group of loyal discerning employees and customers in an atmosphere of reciprocal appreciation and gratitude. Employee support includes the meat-and-potatoes employer offerings, as well as these considerations: flex time, tool purchase support, respect, praise, challenge, training and recognition. Boardwalk Builders' team members clearly like what they do, and it shows in their work and the company's client satisfaction.

Avoiding Burnout

Patty McDaniel keeps herself focused by participating in a remodeling peer group organized by Remodelers Advantage. The group of 14 remodelers from across the country shares ideas and holds each other accountable for improving business operations and keeping a healthy work/life balance.

What should clients bring to the table and contribute during the construction process?  What can they do to help make the relationship a success?

Ideally a client can set aside some time to make decisions early in the process because this streamlines the flow of the work.

What are the biggest challenges facing companies like yours in the building industry?  What are some of the challenges facing your business right now?

Amidst a somewhat gripping economic disruption, from which other building companies have perished, Boardwalk Builders is holding steady thanks to loyal, discerning repeat and referral customers. Our emphasis on building science and appropriate design fits seamlessly with the current pragmatic fix-it and building-green consumer mindsets. We are seeing more tempered building designs, fewer no-holds-barred indulgences, definite signs of the times.

Is there anything else you'd like people to know about you and your company?

Patty earned the NAHB Certified Green Professional designation in 2008. She earned the Certified Graduate Remodelor designation in 2002 from the NAHB Remodelors Council, which insures standards for professionalism, experience and commitment to quality. She is an experienced speaker and panel moderator at professional conferences, and also writes articles for several industry trade magazines.