When Tom & Jo Ann Shell, long-term realtors in the Fayette-Coweta area, and Peachtree City residents for many years, needed a remodeling company to refer to their daughter for a screened porch, only one firm came to mind, Pfeifer Building Co. Inc.
“We had referred many of our seller and buyer clients to them, and all have been very satisfied with Pfeifer’s price, quality, and professionalism”, said Jo Ann Shell.
Another long-time Peachtree City resident, and ReMax Hall of Famer, Carolyn Schmalenberger, has also referred her clients to Pfeifer Building Co. over the years.
“They have always done an excellent job, and everyone has been very pleased,” she said. “Their workers are always friendly and polite, and their attention to detail and willingness to come back if a warranty issue should arise, is exceptional! Duey and Greg run a class-A company.”
Duey Pfeifer and Greg Creighton were well-known among the local real estate community from the homebuilding business. So when they started Pfeifer Building Co. in 1997, the first thing they did was let all the realtors know about their new remodeling company.
“They were very supportive right from the start, and trusted us with their clients, and still do,” said Pfeifer. “They were very instrumental in getting the business going, and we owe a great deal of our success over the years to them!”
Realtor Susan Fitzgerald has been “Agent of the Year” many times over the years, and has “referred many clients to Pfeifer Building Co. who want to remodel or add to their homes.
“I feel confident in Duey’s hard work, honesty, and eagerness to please his clients,” Fitzgerald said.
Pfeifer has not only learned from realtors the importance of referrals, they have also discovered the benefits of multiple repeat customers over the years.
“We believed in ’97, as we do today, that if we did very good work, and treated our customers fairly, with the utmost respect, then people would hear about our company”, said Pfeifer. “To this day, this is still the first & foremost on our minds.”
Also long-time residents, Rick and Marie Schlosser, have been very active in the Peachtree City community for many years. They have not only recommended Pfeifer to many others and would do so again, they have used them on multiple projects on their own home.
“The largest was a sunroom and composite deck several years ago, and recently new doors and windows, which took a lot of creative retrofitting to make everything work,” said Rick Schlosser. “Duey & Greg are true professionals, and the work has always been done in a first-class manner, within budget, and in a reasonable time frame,” he added.
When Brian and Debbie Darnowski needed their secondary bathrooms remodeled several years ago, they chose Pfeifer. to do the work, and were glad they did.
“We were extremely pleased with the quality of the work, the prompt scheduling, as well as the value for the money”, said Brian Darnowski. “If we had any issues, they were immediately resolved.” So when it came time to take the plunge to renovate the large master bathroom, the Darnowskis did not hesitate to call Pfeifer “They are extremely reliable, and Duey and Greg had all the work done on schedule and within budget,” Darnowski added. “We have recommended them to many friends, and will continue to do so. We would certainly use them on future projects.”
When Pfeifer and Creighton started their remodeling business in July of 1997, new home construction in the Fayette and Coweta Counties was at its peak.
“We did not fall back on home improvement work simply as a means to keep busy,” said Pfeifer, “We started the company to be a top-notch, full-time, professional remodeling service. We were able to put together a team of guys who were known to do quality work, and had plenty of experience, and we knew that if we did good work right from the start, we’d get our share of business. We’re very fortunate to have virtually the same team intact today, backed by excellent office support.”
Pfeifer says it is this professional experience that separates them from the rest of the large pack. He said, “Our people have come across just about every remodeling situation imaginable, from large renovations to very small repair work. When you have guys with that kind of experience, who know how to do things right, it gives us plenty of confidence going into a project. We are never learning on the job.”
Steve and Sue Tofanelli have lived in their home long enough to have used Pfeifer Building Co. for several projects, large and small, over the years, and have referred them to many of their friends.
“We could not be more pleased with the work, customer service, and loyalty to the customer after a project is completed,” said Steve Tofanelli.
In the Tofanellis’ opinion. “The quality of their work, and how they stand behind their product, are the two highest trademarks of Pfeifer. A project is started and completed on time, and on budget, no hassles. We plan to have more work to do in our house, and will be calling Duey and Greg when we are ready.”
Kevin and Brenda Fitzpatrick have used Pfeifer for four separate projects over the years: a study loft in the upper foyer space, a complete kitchen renovation, a backyard pergola, and recently, the installation of new vinyl replacement windows.
“Every project was accomplished on-time, and of special note was the professionalism of the employees on each job”, said Kevin Fitzpatrick. “Every work site at my home was safe, clean, organized, and impeccably managed.”
This past September, Pfeifer Building Co. was listed among the top remodeling companies in the country by Qualified Remodeler magazine, in their annual “U.S. Top 500” issue. It was the seventh time the Peachtree City firm has been named, and the fifth time in six years. The list is based on volume of work completed. They are long-time members of the National Assoc. of Homebuilders and the Remodelors Council.
As the company approaches their 750th customer in 2011, Pfeifer looks ahead to number 1,000 in several years.
“The objective has never been to see how many jobs we could do, but we are set up to handle almost any project that comes our way,” Pfeifer said.”Again experience is everything. We handle alot of small repair work as well, and we treat each job with the same care as a large project, knowing full well that, if we leave a good taste in the customer’s mouths, they’ll tell their friends.”
For them, it’s a simple, old-fashioned, approach that works.
Al and Teresa Geiss have not only hired Pfeifer for multiple projects, they’ve used them on three different homes. When the Geiss’ moved back to Peachtree City this year, they knew who they could trust to renovate their new home on Lake Peachtree.
According to Teresa Geiss, “We had used Pfeifer’s services for several projects on two different homes…..not only was the work completed to our satisfaction, all work was completed on time and on budget”. They have recently completed job number three and Teresa sayid “We would definitely use them again!”
Mike and Susan Patterson have also had multiple jobs completed by Pfeifer on both of the homes they have lived in.
“Starting with the addition of a sunroom in 1998, we have done many projects over the years with Pfeifer, both large and small. We keep going back to them because we trust them, they are easy to work with, and we like paying for work as it is completed, rather than in advance,” said the Pattersons. The most recent project was the renovation of a small bathroom this summer. They had already completed a major re-do of their master bathroom several years ago. “Of course, we also keep going back to them because they do a good job.”
Pfeifer Building Co. has maintained a steady business despite increased competition. “I think consumers these days are much savvier than they have ever been,” said Pfeifer. “They are certainly more careful with their money and where it’s spent.” Pfeifer said that there are less large, multi-room additions being asked for, but more kitchenand bathroom renovations:
“We’re seeing the money spent more on updating and up-keeping existing homes, unless space is a real issue,” Pfeifer added.
As for bathroom and kitchen renovations, Pfeifer says there are multiple choices out there for the homeowner, from do-it-yourself approaches, to hiring individual sub-contractors, to having a professional remodeling firm like Pfeifer be involved from design through completion. More than ever, experience and track record are critical, as the home improvement market is flooded with so-called ”great deals.”
“Some homeowners have to feel like they are getting a deal. I feel that way when I’m buying a car. But there are no similarities between buying a vehicle, and hiring a remodeling company,” Pfeifer stated.
Pfeifer added that other homeowners still prefer to hire based on track record, experience, and of course, references. The customer must be able to trust the workers in their home on a daily basis.
“And we have to be competitive. If we were not, we wouldn’t do half the business that we do,” he added.
For Viru & Preeti Ranadive, Pfeifer’s personal involvement in a project is what makes the difference. They have completed several large jobs at their home in Peachtree City.
“We will always use their services, as it is hassle-free. Our experience with their team has been great,” said Dr. Ranadive,
Perhaps no one sums up the way Pfeifer conducts business better than Beth Pullias. She and husband Mike first used them to build a stone patio, covered porch, and a garage addition, and have used them several times since, including to renovate the kitchen.
“We’re so pleased with the way the work was done: attention to detail, accommodating last-minute changes and ideas, craftsmanship, and the efficient manner that the jobs were completed,” Beth Pullias said. “They never left a room unusable or a mess. If there was an issue or a change, there was always someone to talk to right away. They always listen and care about pleasing you, the customer.”
Pfeifer Building Co. maintains a website with hundreds photos of completed projects. While some photos display the kind of high-end work they are capable of, Pfeifer said the website photo gallery is not meant to be boastful: “I’ve had people tell me they didn’t use us because they thought we were strictly high-end or expensive.” So occasionally, they will add something simple to the gallery. “But it’s hard to get a decent picture of a new wall or new windows,” he said. “Some of our work is probably not worthy of being photographed.”
Visit www.pfeiferbuildingco.com or call 770-487-1380 for more information.
