Today we’d like to introduce you to Oliver Gaines.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My personal story starts back as a kid, drawing the houses of the neighborhood. That fascination led to pursuing architecture and drafting starting in high school, development and commercial real estate in the early 2000’s, and then remodeling and design starting in 2013. All was going great until Hurricane Harvey showed up.
We created Twelve12 in the wake of Harvey. My current business partner, Jeremy Freeman, and I had both worked for a local division of a national builder. We had both achieved big success within the organization and were highly rewarded within the industry. When the storm hit, the rug was ripped from below our feet.
The chaos from the hurricane forced the owners of that previous company to quit the industry. Without notice, they locked the doors, fled the state and locked up the business, leaving all clients & employees abandoned without notice.
A decision had to be made… Either we walk away as well, finding new employment, or instead, we take the combined two lifetimes of experience and together build the company the industry was in desperate need of.
We stepped up to the plate and have never looked back, diving headfirst into the messy waters of Houston’s construction industry.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Starting out, we were able to leverage our personal reputations within the industry and use that credibility to create the initial burst of momentum launching Twelve12. People knew of us individually, but we had to work hard to build a reputation for our new brand quickly in order to maintain traction.
Our initial challenges were not around finding business, but more so around not yet having the infrastructure in place to support all the business. Weeding through the available trades people (or lack of), and identifying those people that would abide by our philosophy of “doing things once, right”, was a difficult task and very time-consuming. In order to deliver the high standards we had committed to our clients, it often meant we would jump in to complete things to perfection if a tradesman was not performing work to our standards. This created lots of sleepless nights and stress, but our commitment to excellence was non-negotiable and has since paid off, as we’ve now worked out those kinks and have been able to grow our organization in a way that supports the demand for business.
Now, our current challenges are mostly around creating balance for ourselves and our team to ensure complete life happiness (as a group, we’re all a bit of workaholics).
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Twelve12 Remodeling & Design – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Bathroom and kitchen remodels, that’s our sweet spot. We have the skill and horsepower to complete any residential or small commercial construction project.
HOWEVER, we have a serious passion (and skillset) for new construction homes and developing new communities. We are specialists in creating one-off, custom residential projects, boutique apartment buildings & hotels.
What are you most proud of as a company?- I’d say creating a culture and work environment that is both exciting to be a part of and one that we’re proud to stand behind. We love our clients and our clients love us, and to us that’s the most important part.
What sets you apart from others?- A few things. We love what we do and we choose to be in this profession every single day. On top of that, we’re third generation craftsmen and artists–this work is in our blood.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
We’ve got big plans on the horizon! We’re only in our infancy and have generated some serious momentum preparing for the next chapter. We have our sights set on creating and developing new Houston neighborhoods that make an impact to both the community and the lives surrounding them. Keep your eyes out, we’re bringing our A-game!
Contact Info:
- Address: Twelve12 Remodeling & Design
1113 Vine St. Suite 215
Houston, TX 77002 - Website: www.twelve12remodeling.com
- Phone: 832.302.2361
- Email: info@twelve12remodeling.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twelve12remodeling/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Twelve12Remodeling
- Other: https://g.page/Twelve12?share
Image Credit:
Bethany Brewster
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