Lots of Robert O’Connell because the eight-time champ of our annual Quickest Nailer competitors, however his achievements prolong far past that. He’s additionally the visionary proprietor of O’Connell’s Customized Idea, a contracting enterprise primarily based in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, which is broadly acclaimed for producing breathtakingly stunning work.
We just lately had the pleasure of sitting down with Robert to have a dialog about his enterprise. On this Contractor Highlight, we take a deep dive into his journey, his beginnings within the trade, and some distinctive reminiscences he’s accrued over his spectacular years within the area. Be a part of us as we dig into Robert’s story.
How lengthy have you ever been within the trade and the way did you first get began?
I began out within the trade in the summertime of ‘94 after my highschool commencement working with Steve Eichman of Eichman Hardwood Flooring. What began out as a summer season job, changed into a full-time job. Years later I made a decision to begin up my very own enterprise and labored with Doug Lindsey of D&L Hardwood Flooring. I’ve vastly benefited from my time with each of them, and I’m grateful for his or her willingness to show me.
Photograph credit score: Robert O’Connell, O’Connell’s Customized Idea
Steve got here to me after my highschool commencement and requested me what I used to be doing for the summer season. And I stated, “I don’t know what I’m gonna do. I’ll most likely return to the orchard I had labored on the earlier summer season.
So he requested me if I wished to do hardwood flooring and whether or not I may begin the next week on Monday morning, and I agreed.
My associates and I went all the way down to the seashore for Senior Week, and I used to be supposed to begin working for him the next Monday. I used to be on my method dwelling from the seashore Sunday night time/Monday morning at 2 AM, and ended up getting in slightly little bit of an accident with my automobile.
So I used to be up all night time, drove to the Eichman’s home, and needed to work all day.
That was my first day on the job with Steve, who sadly had a slipped disc on the time. He grabbed ahold of an edger, confirmed me set it up, flip it on and use it; then set me unfastened with it. So mainly, my first day, I ended up in a crash course of sand a flooring.
It was one of many hardest days of my life–I hadn’t slept in two days, began a brand new job and did issues I had by no means completed earlier than. So my begin within the flooring trade is so memorable. He actually threw me on a motorcycle for the primary time with no coaching wheels.
Have been you at all times drawn to hardwood flooring or did you begin out doing one thing else?
After working with Eichman for a yr I went to varsity, I continued to work weekends and days off however sadly I ended up getting sick and needed to drop out of school. As I used to be recovering, I took a job the place I used to be sitting at laptop, racking my mind for 10 hours a day, doing what I used to be going to faculty for as a CIS main/laptop programmer.
Photograph credit score: Robert O’Connell, O’Connell’s Customized Idea
I did that for about 3 months as I rebuilt my power, wherein time I spotted that I felt like I couldn’t sit a desk the remainder of my life and I missed working with my arms. There’s a sure satisfaction in being part of the restoration of hardwood flooring. I went again to working with Eichman Hardwood Flooring for a few years.
A lot of the work I did with Eichman was re-finishing. Each job felt like a problem however by the tip of the day once we left, we had completely reworked it into one thing new. The fantastic thing about wooden is superb, that hooked me slightly bit. I loved doing the work and seeing the outcomes, I ended up loving it.
After a number of years of working with Eichman, I used to be courting my now spouse and she or he inspired me to department out by myself in order that was the start of O’Connell’s Customized Idea.
Contemplating the title of your online business–O’Connell’s Customized Idea–is your important focus customized inlays, border work, and so on.?
To start with that was the objective. I wished to focus on solely customized flooring, borders, inlays, and so on. I continued to work with D&L Flooring as a subcontractor, working primarily on the customized work he would get corresponding to borders, herringbone flooring, and so on.
Photograph credit score: Robert O’Connell, O’Connell’s Customized Idea
Earlier than we have been married, my spouse was my designer. She would meet with a number of the purchasers and really provide you with designs for his or her flooring in the event that they have been searching for one thing customized, and do renderings for the purchasers.
My important focus was to do customized inlaid flooring, customized. That’s the dream however desires don’t pay the payments on a regular basis. These jobs could be few and much between.
Describe your favourite job that you just’ve ever accomplished and why you preferred it a lot.
The Hummel Job – Crimson Oak and Walnut, Grecian Key Border, Croch Walnut Inlay. The client preferred the Greek key border however wished the whole lot hand minimize out of stable wooden. I needed to design and create the border/inlay out of stable 3/4” stable materials. He additionally didn’t need the nook blocks that have been customary for that border. He preferred my presentation a lot that he determined to have me do the lobby in the identical sample. This added the problem of coping with the patterns, dimensional constraints, and a number of inside/outdoors corners whereas conserving the whole lot steady.
Photograph credit score: Robert O’Connell, O’Connell’s Customized Idea
On the time, one thing like this solely existed in a pre-cut prepared made engineered product, so I needed to determine the whole lot out. I spent hours on the drafting board and numerous hours slicing I don’t even know what number of 1000’s of items for that border, all by hand with a chop noticed.
However the factor that makes that job so memorable was once I completed that job and I received the verify, and I circled and purchased my Clarke American 8” inch drum sander. That job paid for it and that sander remains to be in my store and can by no means go away. (I purchased it from Metropolis Ground Provide, which was Philadelphia Ground Retailer on the time).
What’s one must-have piece of apparatus that you just at all times maintain in your van/truck/arsenal?
The Clarke Epoch HD, arms down. In my view, Hydrasanding and or multidiscing is the following development within the trade. I’m not saying that there’s something improper with the standard strategies i used prior to now but it surely mainly produces a greater completed product. For those who’re not utilizing it, you’re working too arduous to get superb outcomes.
Personally, it prices me extra money in sundries to sand with the Epoch than it did the outdated method. I take advantage of slightly extra sandpaper in comparison with the standard system, however ultimately I spend much less time, work is simpler, and the completed product is healthier. To the typical individual, the job could look simply nearly as good as another, however when I’ve different skilled flooring guys saying issues like: “How do you try this? Oh, my God, I don’t see any flaws in any respect,” I believe that’s proof sufficient.
It’s altering the whole lot. For those who’re not doing it within the subsequent 10 years, you’re going to get left behind.
Photograph credit score: Robert O’Connell, O’Connell’s Customized Idea
A couple of yr and a half in the past, I wished to do a small refinishing job for an aged couple and the facility was a difficulty. So I made a decision to do it the old-school method. You realize, drum sander, edger, hand rub within the edges and sq. buff it–I didn’t even get the Epoch out.
By the tip of the day, I used to be kicking myself. I used to be in there all day. If I had taken the Epoch in there, I might have been in there for simply half a day and it will have regarded higher. I imply, it nonetheless seems to be good. It’’s fully acceptable, there weren’t swirl marks or something like that. However the quantity of effort that went into it was monumental. The quantity of edger time that you just spend on a standard sand job, on 1000 sq. toes on a brand new flooring if it’s midway first rate, you’re spending 45 to 50 minutes working an edger to advantageous out your edges. With the HydraSand system, I spend actually lower than 10 minutes on 1500 – 2000 toes, as a result of all you’re doing is sanding slightly bit across the edge. And also you’re utilizing two or three edger discs at most.
The HydraSand will get 90% of the whole lot. That proper there saves a lot effort and time and the outcomes are superb. It’s sort of arduous to imagine it may be that simple, however it’s.
Simply to say, I’m a Clarke Man, I used to be simply introduced up that method and that i like their merchandise, I’ve nothing towards the others, all of them have nice machines.
Describe your excellent job web site situation––a job that you just’d be excited to point out as much as. Is it a sand and end or an set up? Residential or business? What are the purchasers like?
Photograph credit score: Robert O’Connell, O’Connell’s Customized Idea
My excellent job web site situation could be: New Residential Customized Set up (parquet, sample, border, and so on.)
Set up: One thing new and difficult, ideally one thing I haven’t completed but.
Shopper: Is aware of what they need, isn’t afraid to strive one thing new, appreciates the great thing about the wooden and understands the significance of expertise.
You meet somebody who expresses curiosity in getting began within the flooring trade and asks for recommendation. What do you inform them?
Do each job to the very best of your potential, by no means minimize a nook no matter what it prices you, at all times be trustworthy with the shopper and all these will profit your repute, which is an important factor you may have whenever you personal your individual enterprise. Additionally, don’t ever be afraid to succeed in out and ask questions, there may be at all times one other method or a greater method to do issues.
Photograph credit score: Robert O’Connell, O’Connell’s Customized Idea
To at the present time, if i stroll onto a brand new job web site for a brand new contractor and they’re engaged on trim or hanging doorways. I’ll ask, “Hey, will present me the way you hold a door?” regardless that I’ve been hanging doorways for 20 years there would possibly me a greater method. I additionally don’t have an issue asking different flooring guys issues both, some will share, some gained’t. I at all times attempt to assist, my methods could not at all times be the very best however they’ve labored for me.