The Optimum Experience: Our “No Jerks” Policy
Here at Optimum Construction, we pride ourselves on our process.
We’ve carefully curated it over the years to make each project as efficient as possible. But, good as it is, that process isn’t the secret to our success.
It’s our team. Specifically our team of thoughtful, skilled, hardworking contractors and subcontractors.
What Makes our Team Exceptional
On top of skill, our #1 quality (for ourselves too!) we look for? No jerks. It’s that simple.
We believe that when teams are treated with respect and care, the end result is exponentially better. Richard Branson says it well:
“Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients."
Our goal is that every member of our team comes to the jobsite each day eager to be there. Running into problems is inevitable in the construction process, whether that’s a mislaid flooring, or unexpected roof leakage from a previous contractor. Yet when things go astray, our strategy isn’t to yell, because where does that get anyone?
So instead we empower our teams to think of a solution, instead of focusing on just having a problem. By the time a client knows we’ve hit a snag, we already have multiple options for solving it and can make expert recommendations on how to best fix it.
Communication is essential among high performing teams, and we’ve instilled an ethos of clean, efficient communication that permeates our work. This manner of straightforward communication keeps a project moving, meaning fewer delays and a happy client.
Our Process is as Strong as our Team
Our process centers on relationships at every stage;
from conception of an idea to handing over the keys to a completed project.
And central to building the kinds of strong relationships we value so highly is the principal of integrity.
For example, once while working on a historical home we discovered that above the ceiling laid a framing disaster. Like many homes built in the 1800s, it had likely been renovated 10+ times over the years, and certainly not to modern standards. It would have been easy to simply cover it back up, and move on to something else, but because everyone on our team has an “it’s my job” attitude, we spent 3 days shimming down the ceiling so that we could do the job well.
In an industry where unlimited problems can arise, it’s our job to have a solution, not a list of problems.
Part of valuing relationships means valuing efficiency. It’s how we retain top talent while at the same time keeping our clients happy. For us, this often means structuring timing so that when a subcontractor arrives to the job site, he’s able to get straight to work, rather than delaying because something necessary wasn’t finished first.
We call this integrity, and it’s unfortunately all too rare in our industry. But to us success isn’t measured simply by the bottom line. It’s measured by the quality of relationships we build and maintain along the way.
What Happens When we Do Our Job Well
Perhaps the best part about all of this is that when we’re doing our job well, you won’t even notice. And that’s how it should be. Whether our client is renovating a historical bungalow or constructing a 100-unit apartment building, the only thing he should notice is a job well done, not the problems that may arise along the way.
In an industry where it’s all too easy to literally cut corners, we like to miter them perfectly. Because when you walk into a space and delight in it, we know that details like symmetry, straight lines, and well placed shadows add up to become much more than the sum of the parts.
The result? A finished product that’s beautiful and built to last. Or as we'll call it, DuraBeauty.
We’re men of few words, so if you’re like us and are looking for the TL:DR (too long: didn't read), here it is:
THE OPTIMUM EXPERIENCE:
Efficiency
Integrity
No jerks
Clean communication
Solution oriented
Want to bring these qualities into your next project? We’d love to buy you a drink and hear all about it.