Before the new-home construction market in Atlanta shriveled, Roone Unger, founder of Exovations, built a company installing siding on new housing for builders. It included a residential replacement division. Today that division does a lot more than just siding and generates almost all Exovations’ revenue. “The remodeling business has continued to grow and do well,” Unger says. Sales to builders, by contrast, are a fraction of what they were in the boom.

Exovations brings to exterior remodeling a level of systemization, such as its 20-item pre-construction checklist, normally associated with design/build companies. Many of the company’s jobs today involve installing products in combination.

One process Exovations has found to be successful is the way it schedules sales appointments — they can be at 9 a.m., 1 p.m., or 5 p.m. That’s it. No negotiation. This has, effectively, weeded out prospects who are not serious. “We want to deal with educated people who are willing to pay more to get more,” Unger says.

BEST PRACTICES

  • Consistently ranks high in consumer ratings such as Kudzu. 
  • Does roofing, siding, and window replacement, as well as decks, doors, painting, and sunrooms. 
  • In an industry where the public perception is often of low customer service and high-pressure sales tactics, Exovations set out to brand itself as exactly the opposite. For instance, the company does a 12-point home inspection as part of its sales call to prioritize exterior improvements that need to be made.

- Jim Cory