Diamond Construction in Plum carries hammers, saws and SERVICE in their toolbox!

Recently, Rich Hubner, who owns Diamond Construction in Plum, Pennsylvania along with his brother Doug, sat down for an interview with Bowman’s Money College. When researching this successful home improvement and construction company you may initially think it is run by forensic scientists. Why? An incredible focus on detail. To hear it from Rich Hubner, business success and customer loyalty in the home remodeling industry are built on service that is comprised of quality and value. It is the Hubner’s dogged attention to the details, that ensure value and a quality job, that make Diamond Construction sparkle today. However, as with so many small business success stories, things weren’t always so good.

Before the diamond gleamed.
As Diamond Construction opened for business in 1991 you would have thought a lump of coal was a more appropriate logo than a diamond. With little money and no assets the original four partners scraped up $200.00 each to get the business going. Each partner owned only basic hand tools, but more importantly they had ability, a strong work ethic, and a desire to build a better business.
Getting started was hard. The Hubners had previously been working for a construction company, but like true entrepreneurs knew they could do things better. Money was tight and Diamond Construction had just dipped their toe into a competitive sea of handymen and contractors. In order to cope they kept their personal living expenses to a minimum, and focused on attracting more customers.

Getting the word out.
Rich says that Diamond Construction’s clientele was built on word of mouth referrals. With only limited resources to work with, expensive print and traditional advertising were out of the question. Happy customers, who shared their experiences with others, is what drove home improvement business to Diamond. This is a key success factor that continues to be evident at Diamond today. A quick internet search reveals many 5 star referrals for Diamond Construction.
Word of mouth referrals still make up 80% of Diamond’s business. However, Diamond Construction does have a new advertising tool. Their website, launched two years ago, has dramatically changed how Diamond Construction gets their message out. Not only does it cost much less than traditional advertising, but it allows much more flexibility. With plenty of before and after pictures, the website makes it very easy for potential customers to see with their own eyes the quality of work the craftsmen at Diamond produce.

Building the Diamond Construction identity.
It was interesting to learn that the Diamond logo was not always a gem stone! There were originally four owners, and Rich wanted a four point shape in the logo – one point representing each owner. The logo was a baseball diamond, but Rich wanted to use a pyramid when one of the original four owners left. One problem. Everyone was talking about the pyramid schemes reported in the news back then and Rich certainly didn’t want any negative connotations hanging on his logo! So the baseball diamond became the diamond gem stone we see today.

A logo helps make a small business more recognizable, but in Diamond Construction’s case it is the quality of their work that has built their identity. One point that makes Diamond stand out is their ability to charge affordable prices without cutting corners.

In February 2010 there were historically brutal storms that damaged hundreds of homes in Plum, Penn Hills, and the surrounding area. The State Farm insurance adjusters visited many of those homes and viewed just as many contractor quotes. One of those adjusters stated to me that the quote from Diamond Construction was a “very good deal”. Hearing that from an insurance representative who reviewed hundreds of quotes tells you Diamond’s pricing stands out.

So you want to be an entrepreneur?
Rich says there are freedoms that come with owning your own small business. For example, Rich has the opportunity to help design home improvements for customers; something he is passionate about. He loves “creating characteristic” for his customers’ homes. With over 20 years of experience running a small business, Rich had many insights to offer those wanting to start their own small business.

You can read more about Diamond Construction at their website.

Do you have a “skill turned small business” success story? I would love to hear from you. Email your story to mike@bowmansmoneycollege.com and you may be featured in this weekly column!