Guildmaster Award winners have demonstrated their ability to
consistently deliver an exceptional customer experience.
back
1991 Rockledge Road
Atlanta , GA 30324
In May 2000, Wright Marshall began Revival Construction with the vision to renovate and restore Atlanta's older homes. Prior to the company's founding, Marshall managed projects and then the production and sales staffs for HammerSmith, an established design/build renovation firm in the Atlanta area. Prior to that he worked as a superintendent for The Williamscraft Group, building approximately 70 houses in two subdivisions.
Revival Construction specializes in quality residential remodeling in the in-town Atlanta area, focusing on renovations and additions to Atlanta's pre-World War II homes. Recent projects include a whole-house renovation to a 1920s-era home in Brookwood Hills that reversed changes made in 1970s and better matched the original feel and intent of the house. The work included creating a furniture-style kitchen flowing into a family room and four bath remodels with mosaic tile floors and other period details.
"I'm a believer in not-so-big houses, in good buildings and good design," Marshall says. "We are always thinking, 'what can we do with this house so you don't have to leave, so you can have a great house to live in for the rest of your life?' We always push quality of space rather than square footage."
Revival Construction completes about 15-18 projects each year with typical budgets between $200,000 to $1 million. The firm limits its workload to three or four projects at a time, ensuring that there is at least one staff member at every project site each day. Marshall works directly with clients, and his full-time staff includes an office manager, administrative assitant, designer/sales assistant, two project mangers, and three onsite assistants.
Born in Griffin, Georgia in 1972, Marshall has lived in the Griffin and Atlanta areas for most of his life. After graduating from Woodward Academy in Atlanta, he earned a degree in business (with a minor in art history) at Washington and Lee University in Virginia. He has always been interested in architectural history and for his senior thesis he researched the architecture of Frazier and Bodin, an architecture firm active in Atlanta between 1925 and 1940.
On a personal note, Marshall married last year, and in spring 2004 he and his wife, Shelly, took a weeklong honeymoon trip to Southern Spain.
"We look for clients who are a good match for the company. In turn, we are very upfront and organized in the bidding and planning process," Marshall says. "We communicate a lot, put a lot in writing, and keep a good schedule - We make sure that something is going on at each project every day, and we realize that our clients are trying to live through the dust, construction, and chaos. Our team is always polite and 'house-broken.'"
Along with doing numerous projects for friends and peers (others in their early 30s), Marshall says his typical client has usually built or renovated before and seeks Revival Construction because they understand the construction process, the need for planning, and the relationship between cost and quality.
Marshall is the primary contact for the firm's clients, handling all sales and estimating. When a project is underway, he holds weekly progress meetings with the project manager and the client.
Almost every contract is fixed price with allowances for items that have not yet been selected. Revival frequently signs a Construction and Scheduling Agreement after the client has selected the company based upon the preliminary proposal. This usually will be three to four months before construction begins. "This allows us to spend the necessary time on the clients who hire us. We begin to involve the project manager, the main trade contractors and suppliers, and to complete all drawings and selections."
Despite a good referral base, Marshall still will pursue a few projects each year with new architects and designers who share Revival's goals and quality.
The firm does little marketing, and instead, has established strong relationships with several architects and interior designers who frequently refer clients and projects to Revival. The firm's website is still "under construction." When Marshall meets with potential clients , he brings a portfolio book that includes professional photography of the firm's best projects. Due to Revival's high referral rate, most potential clients are already familiar with the firm's work before calling.
"I like to use email with clients. That way, we have a log of our communications that I can print and share with the project manager. I am a big "list" person. I use a digital camera to document the progress at each project and then burn a CD at the end as a historical reference."
Software used includes: Word, Excel, Quickbooks Pro (to set monthly volume goals), Access (to track leads), and Microsoft Project (to track projects).
Marshall has earned the Certified Remodeler (CR) and Certified Lead Carpenter (CLC) accreditations from the National Association of Remodeling. All of his project managers have the CLC certification. At weekly production meetings, they share information about new products, processes, and articles in trade publications. The staff also goes on informational visits to mill shops and suppliers, participates in day classes at building shows, and is scheduled to attend CPR and first aid training.
Revival Construction provides a 401K plan and gives bonuses for projects completed under budget. Several of the staff worked together before Revival Construction was founded. There has been little turnover.
"Ever since I can remember, I've bought books about architecture and walked through houses under construction. I still have a few drawings of houses from middle school. In college I considered studying to become an architect, but decided to build first, and here I am. I love the tangible process of construction and then seeing what you've done."
"I'm also interested in smart growth, reducing sprawl, and eliminating the strip mall. Those are important issues for Atlanta. By renovating, I feel that we are improving our city."
Through travel and hobbies. Marshall also still gets "saw dust highs" from projects that his company is able to build. He says "we've done some great work. I can't help but being proud of our work and look forward to doing bigger and better things."
In 2004 Revival joined Remodelers Advantage, a peer group of top remodeling professional that meets every six months. (Members are drawn from non-competing geographical areas.) Members help each other solve problems, share best practices and create goals for each other. Marshall says his interaction with other contractors gives him encouragement to try new ideas and make difficult decisions.
We are always working to refine and improve what we're doing. Achieving balance between work and the rest of my life has been a challenge for me. Now that I am married, I have a lot more to think about other than just work. I love what I do, but I want to have time to pursue other things. I want my employees that have that opportunity, too.