Paul McClorey

Paulson’s Construction has created two niches to supplement its full-service remodeling work: basement finishing and aging-in-place design. The company is a dealer for Total Basement Finishing, a modular wall system for fast basement builds.

“We are not doing drywall anymore,” owner Paul McClorey says, and about 20% of the company’s revenue comes from these installations. The company is working to garner more basement projects, and a part-time salesperson responds to most of these leads.

McClorey completed the National Association of Home Builders’ Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) program in 2002, but at that time, the market was not ready for universal-design upgrades. Now more clients are asking about non-institutional options — especially for bathrooms. In preparation for growth in this market, two Paulson’s Construction employees recently earned their CAPS certification.

To strengthen his company’s brand and increase its visibility, two years ago McClorey moved the operations from his personal property to a building near the center of town and added a showroom. “A big part of the reason was to lend legitimacy to what we do,” he says. “There is professionalism in having a place that everyone knows.” The location is also closer to the neighborhoods in which the company works, which has decreased travel time and increased efficiency.