Speaker 1: 0:30

So my name is Chris Chapman, I own MGS Contracting Services. We do interior renovations and additions and, as of now, we just finished our design, our first custom home, so that's exciting. So we do kitchens, baths, basements, additions and now custom homes.

Speaker 2: 0:52

Congratulations on that. Your first one, the home remodeling.

Speaker 1: 0:55

We just finished the design. We're in the process of speccing out the cost for the build, which we kind of knew going into it as we went through design. We tracked everything, so now we're just waiting and seeing.

Speaker 2: 1:13

Love it, and you also do basement remodeling too.

Speaker 1: 1:16

That's an important one. Yes, we do Very nice, we do basements.

Speaker 2: 1:19

And then can I ask a brief history on your background and how you got started?

Speaker 1: 1:24

So my background you know, as a as a kid I was. I was the kid that was. I was outside all the time. Um, I do have ADHD even as an adult. So as a kid I was the kid that was. I was outside all the time. I do have ADHD even as an adult. So as a kid I was just wired to go and I remember my earliest memories of it is there used to be.

Speaker 1: 1:47

I grew up in Herndon, on Eldon Street, and there was a huge hill behind the apartments we lived in and then down the center of the hill was where, like, the water had eroded a little path. But I looked at it and I was like, oh, I can build, I can build a road for my cars. So I went home and it took me. It took me a few days, it took me a while because it rained in between, but I, like dug and chipped it out, and then I, I would go to the baseball field and take the stone dust from the edge of the baseball field and I lined it and I, I made a little road for my, for my cars and I loved it.

Speaker 1: 2:24

And then, when I was probably 13, uh, we went to, we go to church here in Leesburg and, uh, my pastor owned a hardwood floor business. So I started working for him when I was 13. Yeah, Just putty and shoe mold, because I had a single mom. So anytime he kind of took me under his wing and would let me come work for him and make a little something. Sometimes I got paid, sometimes I was just there to be there.

Speaker 2: 2:53

Showed you the ropes.

Speaker 1: 2:54

Yeah, and he was a great carpenter and so we had a building that we were turning into a church and we would work there on the weekends sometimes and I loved it especially how he would look at something and then just go to a piece of wood, start cutting and then, oh, all of a sudden there was something there and I was like, oh, that's great, I want to do that yeah so I got into it pretty early with him you did.

Speaker 2: 3:22

It sounds like, too like as a kid. You just were already, like it was in your, in your bones, or something you wanted to like, create and yes.

Speaker 1: 3:30

I am very I love Legos. Even now I still like Legos. But I would you know, sometimes I would use a little instruction pamphlet and sometimes I would try to make it harder and just look at the picture and try to build it based off of the picture. Sometimes it works, sometimes it didn't, but I do like I like staying busy.

Speaker 2: 3:50

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 3:52

I don't do good, I thrive. I do better in chaos than I do when it's calm, when I get relaxed and things, I'll drop the ball and stuff. But if there's chaos involved, then I'm good, I love that. I've been doing construction pretty much since I was 13,. Other than you know, I did four years in the Marine Corps. That was the only time I put down a well, I put down a hammer and picked up a different type of tool belt.

Speaker 2: 4:24

Love it. And then, after serving four years in the Marines, what inspired you to transition into the home remodeling industry, to establish MGS Contracting Services industry to establish MGS contracting services.

Speaker 1: 4:37

So once I got out, I got out and I was like I had injuries, you know, like messed up knee and back, so not normally would you want to go into this field. So I actually went to college. I used the GI Bill. I went back to college and I got an associates in civil engineering and I like math, but I don't like sitting at a desk and that stuff. So I was like, oh, we'll get the associates. And I got my associates and then once I got that, I became a project manager for a home builder and during this I was a carpenter myself. So I did. You know, I went to trade school too. Before I, even before I joined the military, I went to trade school and I became an electrician and I actually decided one day on the job, like I was, I forget, I think I was running wire through a rafter and the wire came back down and hit me in the face.

Speaker 1: 5:37

And I was like this is a stupid job. I was like 20. I'm like this is dumb, I'm over this, I'm not going anywhere. And I, I left my tools on the truck that day and I enlisted and I was gone the following week and so, but once I got out and I didn't never, I never thought I would go back into construction. I really had no set plan, it just kind of happened. But I became a project manager after I graduated and got my associates and then, after I did that, I was like, oh, what's the next goal for me? And I loved it. We built new homes in Vienna. They're huge homes that had everything in them elevators and they were super fun. I learned a ton and it was. It was a good time, but it was. It was kind of funny because people, like subcontractors, thought I was just a young kid that had never. But I did their job up until that point.

Speaker 2: 6:36

You proved to them yeah.

Speaker 1: 6:38

Oh yeah, I would, I'd call them on, I'd call their bluff.

Speaker 2: 6:41

I love it Most of the time.

Speaker 1: 6:43

Well, if I can do it. I remember one instance I told the guy I was like, look, if I can do it, give me your tools. If I do it, then you know you've got to do it all for free. And they're like, okay, yeah, we can get it done. Like okay, yeah, that's what I thought, but that kind of. After I left there, I went to a company that flipped bank-owned property. So they were all abandoned properties in DC and then some of them had been, you know, 12 years, 10 years, and they were just the worst conditions ever. And we flipped those for the bank and they either rented them out or sold them and during covid, actually they shut down and kind of let go everybody. And they had the virginia maryland, florida team and they kind of let everybody go. So I already had a contractor's license so I was like, well, I'll just go into business for myself because I have the truck, I have the trailer.

Speaker 1: 7:37

I have all the tools, I know how to do it and I have good contacts with really good subcontractors from those, so I just dove in and went for it. I bought my, created the name, paid for the insurance and prayed for the best. And then here we are.

Speaker 2: 8:01

Speaking of the name, what does it stand for?

Speaker 1: 8:02

I don't think I could find what it's is it initials, so MGS is the initials of my kids.

Speaker 2: 8:08

I have a feeling I was like I bet you. That's like something personal, that's so cute. I love that.

Speaker 1: 8:12

So M is for Malia. She's my oldest. She actually just turned 15 on Saturday. Oh, happy birthday. Yeah, she'll be. She'll be happy to hear it. Uh, g is for Gentry, he's my middle, he's my son, he's 12. And then S is Samara, she's seven.

Speaker 2: 8:29

I love that. That's so cute.

Speaker 1: 8:31

The goal is, you know, one day to to build the company up enough that, when the day comes, I can hand it off to them and they'll have income or whatever they want to do with it.

Speaker 2: 8:44

they can do with it Setting it up yeah, that's wonderful, and I love the story behind the initials there. I was like I cannot find for the life of me. With this I'm going to ask him.

Speaker 1: 8:53

Yeah, it's their initials and it took a long time to because I I didn't want the typical oh, chapman construction like yeah I because I was like, well, if I sold the company then they're not a chapman, but I have no intentions on selling it's. If they decide, you know, when I'm no longer here, not doing it, they decide to sell it, and so be it. But hopefully I have a feeling one or two of them will keep it. Keep it going. My youngest is actually.

Speaker 1: 9:27

She is she, you know she's me, and, and just as a girl though.

Speaker 2: 9:33

I love it oh she's.

Speaker 1: 9:35

She's very feisty and she can do. There's nothing she can't do according to her, but I kind of I let her roll with it.

Speaker 2: 9:45

Yeah, no, that's good. Get a mix in it with the kids, Like we've got the feisty one, the sweet one, the shy one.

Speaker 1: 9:50

Yes, yeah, 100%. Like she's just. She's the feisty one that, like if I play fight with her brother, she'll come up and push him aside and say you know, I got him.

Speaker 2: 10:02

You got a bodyguard over here.

Speaker 1: 10:03

She, she is, she's, she's great, they're all, they're all wonderful. My, my oldest, is. She's very creative, so I see her, I want her to be a my designer like that's my dream for whether or not she wants to do that. Uh, she, as of right now, she doesn't well, hopefully she'll change her mind hope, hopefully, hopefully, but we'll see, you know it is what it is.

Speaker 1: 10:27

And then my son he loves numbers and like me, so he's more like the engineer type. Uh, so I have the potential for a great team. You do, but we'll see how they go.

Speaker 2: 10:42

Yeah, See what they want to do. We'll see where we are in like 15, 20 years. Maybe that's exciting. And now for Danielle. Her role focuses on ensuring excellent customer service. Can you share how her approach enhances the client experience during home renovations?

Speaker 1: 10:59

So what she does is she helps clients make selections. So you know, a lot of the times I don't get too many clients that actually want to go to the store. So I've made it a point to not have to have clients essentially leave their house. If you don't want to go to the tile shop, I don't want to send you to the tile shop, because there's 1800 types of tile and that's overwhelming to me because I'm like, yeah, that looks good, that looks good too, and so does that.

Speaker 1: 11:32

So what she'll do is she'll make selections selections, you know and then just kind of send them options within, you know, whatever investment range they're wanting to stay in. We kind of tailor everything to that. We usually ask for hey, give us a couple pinterest pictures and we'll base it off of that and she'll help make those selections. And she, like she's pretty good at shopping and finding stuff, and then she's always on top of me like, hey, you remember you got to do this because I'm super, I have adhd, I'm super, I forget almost a second. I walk away if I don't write it down. So yeah, she's always there and always like, hey, uh, you know you got to do this.

Speaker 2: 12:11

Like, oh, yeah that's a great partner to have she is.

Speaker 1: 12:14

She. She's super helpful. You know, she does some of the estimates. She does some of the estimating too. I don't do all of it, but I do most of it, but she can do if I have. If I can't get it done, I can rely on her to you know. Hey, can you knock out this estimate?

Speaker 2: 12:30

That's awesome. Yeah, so it's a. It's a. It's a good help. I love it. And then um MGS emphasizes transforming basements into functional spaces. What creative ideas have you implemented to help clients maximize their basements potential?

Speaker 1: 12:48

So what we do, I'm all about efficiency. Like I don't, like I hate picking things up twice. Like if I pick it up, I want it to go where it belongs. If I'm walking into a room, like you'll have some instances that you open a door and the light switch is on the other side of the door, like that to me, is it's dumb, like it should have never been done. There are instances where maybe a house is an older home and something happened. It had to be done that way. Okay, most of the time it can be, there's a way around it, but we just like to make things happen, work and functional and functional.

Speaker 1: 13:30

Like I'm very much a function over aesthetics type of person, like I don't grant it. We do renovations and everything. Everybody wants their stuff to look nice but like, for instance, you know, take a shower, like I can do, we can do a really great tile job, but if we don't waterproof it right, then the the pretty tile is essentially garbage because it's going to fall apart. Yeah, so what we do in basements is usually, you know, if there's a utility room, we will move utilities as best we can to make the basement more functional. Because too often if I come in and utilities are like just in a weird spot in the middle of the room, with a pipe going to the other side of the room, and I'm like that's there was no, there was no thought of the hey, what's this homeowner going to do down the road?

Speaker 1: 14:19

Like I like to think, I like to know what their plans are for the future. Cause if I can say they're getting the, say they want a deck in the future and I'm doing the basement, I'll go ahead and put up, you know, a rim board on the outside of the house because it has to be, it has to be lagged through and bolted from the inside. So I'm like, instead of the whoever does your deck coming into the basement, cutting drywall in the ceiling and bolting it up, we'll just put it up there for you. That way it's ready to go and no one has to come back in here and touch anything again. So we like to future proof it.

Speaker 2: 14:54

I guess you could say and I'm sure that your clients appreciate that, because I'm sure it doesn't even go through their minds or they didn't even stop to think about that. No, nobody thinks about it, so the fact that you come in doing that for them is amazing.

Speaker 1: 15:05

Yeah, we do it, I like doing it, I like making sure that everything and it kills me to do. Some clients are like no, we don't want to do that or we don't want to do this, and I'm like I just I really want to do it, but it's you know it's, it's their call at the end. So we'll do what they ask, but I always try to. I'm not a salesperson, I'm a problem solver, so if there's a problem to be solved.

Speaker 1: 15:33

I'll solve the problem. You're the guy, yeah, but I'm not one to be like, oh, hey, you should uh, like upcharge or we need to do this. Like I don't care. I'll tell you not to do something easily, like no, you don't need it. Like why, uh, you know, for instance, we had we have clients that you know they wanted. They wanted to upgrade to, you know, a tankless water heater. I'm like you don't really need it, we can just give you an extra water heater because it wasn't that big of a home that would need it. And I was like it's a huge investment for it. So they were like, okay, you know, you know, and we go that route, but then in the future they can still do it. Like, we still set everything up. Like if you want to do in the future, you can, but at least this is the we always try for. I don't want to say the cheaper option, but the more cost-effective option up front, before we, you know, tear down the whole house and redo it.

Speaker 2: 16:31

Yeah, front, before we, you know, tear down the whole house and redo it. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I want to ask you about marketing and what you're currently doing to get the word out there about your business. Are you an avid social media user, getting your name out there? Are you more into like networking events? Why are you laughing?

Speaker 1: 16:49

So it's funny you say networking thing. So it's funny you say networking 2025, 2026, networking is going to be a big part of it. Because I know it's a, I say it's a necessary evil. I'm not huge on networking. Like in high school I was the kid in the back of the class, kind of in the corner. I had friends, but I just like being the guy behind the scenes. I don't want to be the face of it.

Speaker 1: 17:18

So what I'm doing this podcast, things like this. We do social media. We are upping our social media for this year. I do a lot of Facebook marketing. So we have an ad on Facebook that brings in a good bit. And I go out and right now I go out and I talk to every client who you know wants to schedule an appointment. I'll go out and talk to them, whether or not they are. I get a lot that are not serious. They're just kind of we're just curious about it. So I just go out and essentially educate them on, you know, how additions are done or how the construction is done, like so many people don't realize. Like, if you have a basement and we do an addition, I've got to put the addition, I've got to dig all the way down to your basement foundation and attach it there so that the home, so that the addition doesn't fall off the house yeah and so they're like oh, you have to do all that.

Speaker 1: 18:16

Yeah, I can't just scrape. I can't just scrape the ground and put it here. It doesn't work that way. Like it, it will fall off, which is why you know a lot of old homes have to have additions. There you walk in from one side and you walk into the addition and it's tipped.

Speaker 2: 18:34

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 18:35

Cause if something wasn't done right. So, uh, we educate them a lot and then we do have plans for a lot more content on on educating clients. That way you know they can, before I get there they've already been educated on the process, so they'll know. They can just ask the other questions. We don't have to go through the little stuff anymore. They'll know it, they'll see it, hopefully if they watch the videos. If they don't watch the videos, then we'll just go through it.

Speaker 2: 19:08

It is what it is. That's awesome, though, that you have a strategy or a plan that you're planning on implementing in the coming months year.

Speaker 1: 19:15

Yeah, we, we do it. And then networking. You know I'm trying to get more into that. I'm not so. I I'm a. I'm an assistant pastor, actually in in a church here in Leesburg. So it's weird that for me to say, like I'm not a huge people person, but it is definitely outside of my comfort zone to go into these spaces and I hate talking about myself. So I come in here today, what do I say?

Speaker 2: 19:42

I got you, I'll ask the question.

Speaker 1: 19:43

Yes, and that's why I was like I never responded to any of the texts like, oh, do you have anything you want us to ask? Just roll with it. Like, oh, do you have anything you want us to ask? Just roll with it. Like, but it's, I'm definitely the mentality Like, if it's something that needs to be done, we just get it done. Whether or not I want to do it or I'm comfortable with it, it doesn't matter my comfort level. If it has to be done, then we do it.

Speaker 2: 20:07

So yeah, Well, I just want to say, knowing that now that you're not like this, is not like your comfort zone, I want to say thank you for taking that risk, that chance to come on here and talk to us today.

Speaker 1: 20:18

Oh I thought about canceling a couple times, no.

Speaker 2: 20:21

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 20:21

I was like, do I want to do it? I was just just suck it up and do it.

Speaker 2: 20:27

I'm glad you did.

Speaker 1: 20:28

Yeah, most of the time I'm pretty good at just, I just go for it. I'm not a big public speaker, but I do speak to crowds and it is what it is. It's just. I guess that's what even though I don't particularly like that aspect of it, but it is I do enjoy, I found, as a reason reason I enjoy educating people on things like I. It makes to see that somebody's oh, picked up what I've, you know, given them like that's. That's a huge feeling.

Speaker 2: 21:05

Yeah, it's really nice speaking of educating, can you give us maybe some tips or maybe insider tips or anything that you could educate potential people who are thinking of renovating their home or making some changes, some common misconceptions that a lot of people go in thinking a certain way and maybe you can open their eyes to it?

Speaker 1: 21:26

One is like the cost of building a new home as opposed to the cost of doing a renovation or an addition per se. So, in addition, doing an addition is probably going to be cost the same amount per square foot as building a new home, and the reason that is is because there's so much more involved. It's easier to do something when the slate is blank, but there's way more involved. In addition, because we have to A, we have to make sure we're protecting the property that's existing, but we also want to design it and build it in such a way that it doesn't look like this was an afterthought, like we want it to look like. Oh, the house was built that way, that was not an addition. Like the, the lines, the roof lines, the, the geometry all needs to match up, so that way when somebody looks at it. So I get asked all the time. You know why is that like? Well, it's because it's you know it's a lot harder to do additions as compared to having a blank slate where we can just do what we want. Plus, we're having to deal with, you know, most of the time there you're living in the house, so we're coming in at a certain time and we're quitting at a certain time, whereas new construction we can start early, we can work as long as we want and and different things like that. So they it's. It is a misconception that it's cheaper or should cost less and it in the end of the day, it doesn't. It's actually almost more of a headache.

Speaker 1: 23:09

I would, honestly, I would. I would prefer. I love doing new construction. It's just, it's so much nicer, it's a lot nicer. It's it's easier. But that and what else do we get? Kitchen layouts. Kitchen layouts like is the number one, like something that I've learned doing. All this is most homeowners are not happy with the layout of their kitchen as opposed to. It's not necessarily the aesthetics of it, it's hey, this doesn't work for our family, like. So I would do the research on you know what's going to work best for your family and then or find somebody that you know takes that into consideration when they're designing your kitchen, because I can design you a great-looking kitchen, but if it's not functional, then every time you go in there to cook you're going to be like dang Chris, you set me up for failure.

Speaker 2: 24:11

You set me up for failure.

Speaker 1: 24:12

Yeah, like no, I don't want. My goal is to A never come back to the house to do any repairs. Want my goal is to a never come back to the house to do any repairs and for every time you walk into the space that we did like be like, I'm glad I did it, or I'm glad we went with them for it, as opposed to, I wish I wish we had done it this way or no regrets yeah. No regrets.

Speaker 2: 24:32

Love it.

Speaker 1: 24:33

Just just go for it.

Speaker 2: 24:34

Thank you, thanks for sharing that, and now I want to ask about your process. Just go for it.

Speaker 1: 24:39

Thank you, thanks for sharing that, and now I want to ask about your process Give me an idea about what that process is like and how does it contribute to a smoother remodeling experience for your clients? So our process I feel like my process is ever changing. We've been in business since 2020, but I'm always finding new ways. I'm never opposed to new ways of doing things. I don't sit and tell anybody that, oh, my way is the best way and the only way, uh, but our process right now is so we do two, two processes.

Speaker 1: 25:11

We do a design phase for for additions. We'll say we do a design phase. Uh, we'll go through the design. Uh, the hardest part there is a lot of clients don't like to tell you what they want to invest in the project. So I can design you a million dollar addition, easy, okay, but I what's the point in designing that if that's not where you're at? And so it's uh, the process.

Speaker 1: 25:36

What we do is we do the, we do the design. That's not where you're at, and so it's the process. What we do is we do the design. That's the architect, engineer, all that stuff. That gets us our plans and that's one cost, and then, at the end, you have the plans. They're yours to keep. So if you want to go with us for the build, we will have given you a bid, a price, for doing the build, for those plans. But if you don't want to go with us, that's fine, you still have your plans at the end of the day.

Speaker 1: 26:06

Yeah, and so I don't want to. I'm not trying to strong arm people into using me. Like, oh, you don't get the plans unless you use us for the build. No, if you don't want me in your house and I force it, that's just. That's starting the job off way wrong and we want good relationships, yes, from the get. So if, if you're not comfortable with me, and also if I'm not comfortable with you, I can just hand you your drawings and say, you know, good luck. Yeah, like I'm not working with you or whatever the case, because it's definitely a relationship Like, yes, you would hire me, but at the same time I'm kind of hiring In my mind I can fire you just as easy as you can fire me.

Speaker 1: 26:49

Yeah, and so like there are people that you know I don't want to work for, I'm very, I'm very laid back and easygoing and I'm not uptight about things. Things don't bother me, and I've had clients ask how are you so calm in this? So my job at the Marine Corps. I was a firefighter and then I was an EMT too, out in town. So I'm like when you get on a truck with a patient and you're new and you're afraid that that person's going to die, like that's when I worry, like, but if the tile gets set wrong I can fix it. But I at the end of the day I tell them like, nobody dies. Like, if we mess up on the tile, nobody dies.

Speaker 2: 27:34

Like that's my past job.

Speaker 1: 27:37

If I messed up up, there was potential for death. If I messed up on my job so I'm like now this is, this is a breeze.

Speaker 2: 27:46

Yeah, we'll just take it off and we fix it that kind of like trained you to like not sweat the small stuff because there are bigger issues in the world.

Speaker 1: 27:53

There's so many bigger issues like the like this tile is miscolored or the veining doesn't line up, like oh is it we'll fix it yeah, like, will it cost me extra to fix it?

Speaker 1: 28:06

yeah, but I can do it, like we can do it, but can I, can't. You can spend all the money you want and you're not going to bring somebody back to life and so, yeah, like I use that. I'm like nothing, really, not too many things bother me. Like I'm pretty easy going and I and it just uh, it's kind of there's more of an annoyance when clients are like, oh my goodness, this, this, like calm down, it's all good.

Speaker 2: 28:32

We got you.

Speaker 1: 28:33

Yeah. Like you go do like clients ask well, what do you need from me? Nothing. Like I don't want you to do anything because, like we're providing a service, like that's the value of us is, I don't want you to have to do anything. I have clients. Do we need to pull the permits? No, like you, just tell us what you want, let us create it, and then you enjoy at the end and maybe tell a friend.

Speaker 2: 29:02

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 29:03

And then call us if you have something else or you know at any time, call us. Like we want to build relationships. So I have it on my website. Like building dreams, earning trust and forging relationships. Like it's not when Chris or when MGS walks away, you're done with them. No, like if you have a problem, even if something that we don't handle, still call me. Like most likely I know somebody or I can find somebody for you that can take care of it. Like so that's that's kind of what we want to do. Like build more relationships with people in the community and our, our clientele, so that way we're, you know, we're at the top of their list when they have a problem. Because I I I legitimately just enjoy solving problems.

Speaker 2: 29:48

Like I, it's fun to me yeah, and you're a math guy, so that that adds up yeah it's when it's not.

Speaker 1: 29:54

If it, if there's not a huge problem to solve, then it's not as fun. I mean doing a bathroom renovation there's not too many problems to solve in bathrooms, so those go pretty quick and pretty easy. And I'm like, yeah, we'll do them later. But the ones that get me really excited are, like we've done, hidden rooms behind bookcases or like we've done, you know, hidden rooms behind bookcases. And those are the jobs that like I go in and I put on the tool belt because I'm like, no, I want to do this. Yeah, like I'm very I love building stuff.

Speaker 2: 30:27

You like the challenge?

Speaker 1: 30:28

I love the challenge and I like building the cool stuff. So, like I, so bad want somebody to put a glass garage door in their kitchen so we can open up to the outside, and I haven't had anybody want to do it yet. So hopefully somebody's watching because we want to do it Like I think it's the coolest thing. It's just unique and I'm like you can bring outside in, so let's, let's do it, but no, no one's done it yet, hopefully.

Speaker 2: 30:55

I'll reach some ears.

Speaker 1: 30:56

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 30:57

Love it, and is there anything that I have not touched on that perhaps you would like to get out there or share with your audience or put out there in regards to yourself, your business, anything at all.

Speaker 1: 31:08

you have the floor um, you know, just uh, check us out on instagram and follow us on Facebook. So we're one of the plans for this year is to get a videographer to just kind of follow me and do everything. Just more educational stuff. I just really want to educate people on the process so that way they're more informed when, when contractors go in to you know they can ask the right questions and you know not get.

Speaker 1: 31:44

I hate, uh, we're, we're getting ready to do a shower for a gentleman that he hired someone to come in and do it and it's probably the worst repair job I've ever looked at in my life, so that one's going to be documented heavily, cause it was like it blew my mind when I seen it that somebody did this to him and he paid for it, and so I felt bad having to tell him yeah, it's going to cost this much to fix it. I want to do it Like I actually discounted it super heavily just so I could do it and document it more for a marketing thing, because it was so bad, and I was like I'm sorry, you had to pay for this. And I feel bad that people have to pay for stuff that is subpar. I don't do.

Speaker 1: 32:30

I was in the Marine Corps. I don't. We do everything. I have no tolerance for doing things halfway. We do it the first time so we don't ever have to touch it again. And so and I'm I'm picky with the guys I hire. Last week I hired a guy on Wednesday and I let him go on Friday because I just I have no time.

Speaker 2: 32:52

Yeah, no, that's that's important to have as a business owner be able to know when it's time to let somebody go or when something's not working out.

Speaker 1: 33:04

I don't like cutting corners. There's not enough gain for me to cut corners. But I have way more to lose if I cut the corners to get it done for, you know, a small profit, as opposed to just spend the extra, take the extra time, uh, and do it right. And so those are really the guys that are on my team are kind of the same, like core values, like my name is attached to it, it's going to be done Right. So that way, nothing comes back on me, even even if I open a wall and somebody else has done something.

Speaker 1: 33:42

If I'm there I'm fixing it, and half the time I don't even tell clients that we did it and I don't charge them for it, because my wife does get on to me for that, because I'll do a lot of stuff. And I'm like, oh, I did this. And she's like, well, after she's going through the books, she's like, well, what did this? What was this spent for all that? Oh, I repaired this and I repaired that. And, uh, we've had to get this. And she's like, did you charge?

Speaker 1: 34:04

uh, no, it was just quicker for me to go get the stuff and fix it and try to work up a change order, and I hate change orders so like that's a big thing we don't want. We don't really do change orders unless you absolutely change something other than that. We, we try to do everything from the beginning, design wise, it's all already laid out and done, so that way I don't have to do any more paperwork because I don't want to.

Speaker 2: 34:27

Well, I'm glad again, as I said before, I'm glad Danielle is there to like help balance everything out, because if not, I don't know so that's great.

Speaker 1: 34:33

We probably wouldn't be profitable oh, thank you, danielle.

Speaker 2: 34:36

you, danelle, shout out to you girl. And now what?

Speaker 1: 34:45

is your Instagram handle, because you said follow me, but we want to just plug that in there. It is oh, it's okay. I'm not a social media really person. I only have a social media because I have a business. It is MGS underscore contracting, underscore services underscore contracting underscore services. Uh, and I thought you can find it on his website. Yes, it's on my website and the website is mgscontractingus, and so we we post on instagram and facebook so like you can comment if you have questions subscribe yeah, we like we are going to do a youtube channel too.

Speaker 1: 35:19

Uh, that'll all be linked in there, but feel free to reach out. I like we have no problem letting people know, like, hey, this is how things are done, and I'll sit, I'll come, come out and meet with you and give you a little lesson on how to do this or how this is done. Beautiful, we're good with it thank you.

Speaker 2: 35:36

Thank you so much for coming on the podcast. Really Really appreciate your time.

Speaker 1: 35:38

Oh, thanks for having me. Thanks for reaching out. I know you reached out a while back. We did. I missed it and then I seen it and I just forgot.

Speaker 2: 35:45

It's okay, it happens, people are busy, they're doing things, but we're so grateful that you were able to eventually come on in.