Brothers Doug and Bill Storey had always enjoyed construction, but Doug (right) had to exorcise his attraction to the corporate fast track — he worked for a builder after college, and later was an executive at two advertising agencies — before they officially banded together as residential remodelers.
With headquarters in a picturesque red barn on Doug’s property, Two Storey Building operates with a personal touch that connects with clients as well as a sophistication that belies the company’s relative youth. Builder of the first Silver LEED-certified home in Massachusetts, it’s also an Energy Star Partner and a long-time proponent of green practices such as reusing materials where possible and helping clients understand the simple conviction that “building green is building better.” Doug says.
Marketing is equally sophisticated as well as eclectic. “We get our presence in as many targeted places as we can, cost-effectively,” Doug says. This means carefully placed ads in media that reach key homeowners, like the local garden club phone book; aggressive use of online media such as Angie’s List, local building-related websites, and social networking sites; and ubiquitous links to the company’s website, which is revised annually.
Operational sophistication includes an ironclad contract that draws from Doug’s corporate background, Web-based production tracking, and informal outreach to prospective mentors. He sees them as “good role models who I think can help me, and do,” he says.
- Leah Thayer