WicksteadWorks isn’t the only green remodeler in Atlanta, or the only one that is motivated by a deep-seated commitment to sustainability in the true sense of the word. “I have a problem with the idea that a home is temporary,” Frank Wickstead says. “I want to build homes that will really last, and to inject 100 more years into homes that are already 100 years old.”
But WicksteadWorks is the only Atlanta firm to be named EarthCraft Renovator of the Year two years in a row (2009 and 2010). It’s also probably one of the few remodeling firms anywhere that installs an electronic “energy detective” in all of its projects, and that has an owner with a degree in interior design and a master’s (in progress) in building science.
“We are committed to doing the right thing for our clients and the environment,” Wickstead says. Besides having an award-winning portfolio, the company focuses heavily on staff accountabilities, through weekly, quarterly, and yearly reviews. “Clients repeatedly select us because of our respect for them, their homes, and their neighbors at large,” he says.
BEST PRACTICES
Recipient: 2010 Georgia Tech Environmental Leadership Award. Sends all clients a “birthday e-letter” on the occasional of the company’s birthday (April 3). Requires staff to receive continuing education at least once a quarter. Strategic networking with financial advisers and other key referral sources. Works with “outside CFO” who has deep expertise in construction financials. Benefits program administered through a professional employment organization (PEO). Community outreach that includes providing dinners at Ronald McDonald houses and building a bridge at a local park.
Notable quote: “We live and die by our company budget.”
- Leah Thayer