T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R C A P TA I N S O F I N D U S T RY
ARCHITECTURE LEADERS www.architectureleaderstoday.com
Barkley Builders
FROM FILMS TO FOUNDATIONS
While having a background in the film business might seem unusual for a construction company, founder Paul Barkley believes it taught him a lot about team work.
TODAY
T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R C A P TA I N S O F I N D U S T RY
ARCHITECTURE LEADERS TODAY
Editor-in-Chief Todd Weaver Editor Diana Doyle Executive Editor Jonathan Mack Assistant Editor Joseph Orange Creative Director Emily Detoro Art Director Stephanie Hess Director of Advertising Julian Vu Production Coordinator Jason Rone Assistant Production Coordinator Elizabeth Macks Photography Editor Ian Palmer Video Director Susan Maybach Editorial Director Kate Darling Editorial Production Rachel Goldberg Copy Editor William Finch Assistant Copy Editor Amy Roberts Correspondents Brandon McBride (W), Aaron McGaskey (SW), Juan Orellana (NE), Steve Peters (Nation), Mike Rodgers (Nation), Juan Stewart (SE) Vendor Relations Director Diana Stephens Vendor Relations Eric Miller, Dov Teta Advertising Sales Coordinator Patricia O’Brien Advertising Sales Director Peter Jostens Advertising Sales Moe Kazemi, David Levi, Tom Nichols Publisher Steve Reed
oZ WORLD MEDIA, LLC 1100 H STREET NW SUITE M100 WASHINGTON D.C. 20005 Architecture Leaders Today is a quarterly B2B trade journal that services the architecture industry in education, custom build, geothermal, specialty architecture, museum and arts, and green buildingsectors. ALT has a readership of 100,000 C-Level executives within the architecture industry. We do not accept subscription requests from the general public, however an abbreviated version is available on our website.
www.architectureleaderstoday.com
west | custom home
Creative En eavors Entrepreneur Paul Barkley shifted his artistic energy from the film industry to innovative custom home remodels
C
by Jane Caffrey
alifornia is a source of inspiration for artists, actors, directors, and producers in the American film industry. As a young man, Paul Barkley was drawn to the filmmaking scene—yet his life took a surprise twist, and today he runs a home remodeling business, a field that is not completely unrelated. “In many ways, remodeling is a lot like making a film,” Barkley, Owner and President of Barkley Builders, Inc., said. “It takes many people collaborating in a team effort to come up with a finished product. Like producing a film involves a team of directors, producers, a tech crew, and actors, remodeling a home involves a designer, contractor, subcontractors, bookkeeper, manager, electrician, and the many other hats I wear. All these people play an important role; just like on a film everyone combines their talents into one completed product.” While initially intrigued by the film business, Barkley also boasts a long history in the construction industry, beginning at age 14 helping his contractor uncle and his father on their home in Michigan. After working in construction throughout high school, Barkley later continued with carpentry to pay for college. He graduated in 1989 with a film degree, but continued to work in construction to eat and pay rent. As a young man, Barkley realized that the home remodeling business could offer a stable career that offered the same outlet of creative energy as filmmaking. So in 1992, he struck out on 4 Architecture Leaders Today
custom home | west
his own and founded Barkley Builders, which was incorporated in 2007. “My education in film wasn’t wasted because I’m still looking at the big picture of remodeling a home as a larger collaboration of everyone coming together for the same effort,” Barkley said. Barkley Builders began with a concentration on remodeling existing homes around San Francisco and the Bay Area, serving a fifty-mile radius surrounding the city. Today, based out of Novato, Calif. with an annual budget of up to $900,000, the company remains focused on high-end, residential remodeling projects. “People are looking more into remodeling than into building brand new homes,” Barkley said. “We have concentrated on that, and that is still our focus. We do a full range of remodeling.” While Barkley enjoys the versatility of the remodeling industry and appreciates the wide range of projects he undertakes, Barkley Builders particularly specializes in window and door replacement. With a showroom in the Berkeley area and a window and door installation program, the company completes several replacements each year. “Remodels begin with windows and doors, and then we typically get called back to do another project,” Barkley said. “Most of our work comes from word of mouth and repeat clients.” Barkley Builders has created strong relationships with vendors of window and door products, particularly Truitt & White, Marvin Windows and Doors, Andersen, and Milgard Doors and Windows. In a recent challenging project, Barkley worked closely with Truitt & White and Marvin to install five picture windows into a curved wall. Accurate layout was critical, and the companies collaborated with a CAD specialist to create life-size drawings and ensure precise installation into the curved wall. “They’re ready to deal with whatever comes up,” Barkley said about his subcontractors. “That kind of service can’t be competed with.” Collaboration with reliable vendors is critical for a company that takes great pride in its work and remains devoted to
1
1. Entry Addition in Bel Marin Keys, Novato, Calif. Photo by Paul Barkley. Spring 2010 5
west | custom home top quality. In fact, Barkley regularly sets up mobile offices with subcontractors, crews, and owners on jobsites to ensure that projects run smoothly and punctually. Beyond a strong commitment to quality and service, Barkley holds numerous credentials and is a NAHB Certified Graduate Remodeler, NARI Certified Remodeler, NARI Northbay Builders member, certified Installation Masters Installer, Truitt & White Trained Installer, and CSLB Licensed Contractor. Yet for Barkley, there is always room to strive for additional achievement. “What sets us apart is our focus on continuing education and keeping up with the industry,” Barkley said. “Whenever the opportunity presents itself, I strive to attend seminars, integrate the latest tools of the trade, make new information available to the homeowners, and always stay on top of the ever-changing world of remodeling. I’m trying to set ourselves apart as being on the front edge of the industry.” Willingness to learn and an open mind are required qualities of all employees, ensuring that through teamwork and continued education the company stays in stride with an evolving industry. Staying up-to-date with such changes undeniably signifies keeping on the cutting edge of the green movement. With the increasing importance of green consciousness and the growing presence of the EPA and RRP in the industry, Barkley has completed training in green building and is today a Build it Green Certified Green Builder and member of the Green Remodelers Guild. He is also EPA certified in the Renovation, Repair, and Painting Program for lead-safe practices, which became federal law in April 2010. As a certified green builder, he views the issue of sustainability seriously and personally, and integrates environmental awareness into daily life at the company. “As an industry, we need to be aware of how everything that we do affects the 2. The curved window wall of a full remodel in Marinwood, San Rafael, Calif. Photo by Paul Barkley. 3. Compass inlay hardwood floor feature in a kitchen/family room Remodel in Novato, Calif. Photo by Paul Barkley. 4. Trellis, Lucas Valley, San Rafael, Calif. Photo by Paul Barkley. 5. Bathroom remodel in Tiburon, Calif. Photo by Paul Barkley. 6 Architecture Leaders Today
custom home | west
2
3
4
5 Spring 2010 7
west | custom home
overall global climate,” Barkley said. “But also, how our clients perceive that green movement, and what it really means for projects and remodeling a house. I want to make it more understandable for people, to make them realize that they are being green and in fact helping the planet in many ways. It is the direction everything is moving, so we need to stay on the edge of that as well.” Barkley does not see major financial expansion or company growth in upcoming years. He prefers to continue assisting each individual client with personalized service, creativity, and successful remodels. Without a large advertising campaign, nearly all of the company’s work comes from word of mouth. In fact, several projects have sprung from initial bathroom or window and door remodeling jobs, when clients later call Barkley Builders 8 Architecture Leaders Today
for additional remodels of kitchens and family rooms, whole houses, or new residences. “At the end of the day when you look back on those projects, its very nice to know that they had a pleasant experience throughout the months of construction, and that we still have good relationships with them today,” Barkley said. “Those to me are the most rewarding, because in addition to remodeling their homes, we built a relationship that is strong enough for them to call us back. The bottom line is to build an honest relationship with our clients.” Business philosophy at Barkley Builders is summed up with one classic golden rule: treat others as you would like to be treated. “We treat everyone’s home as if it were our own. When I come up against a problem, I think, ‘What would I do
on my own house? How would I solve this?’” Barkley said. With a wide array of projects, and no two alike, the creativity of a former filmmaker comes into play. Like a film relies on innovation, teamwork, and hard work to create a particular essence, Barkley incorporates the same skills in forming the scene of a new living space. “I want to make the space look like it belongs,” he said. By bringing unique perspectives and originality to every remodeling project, Barkley is able to channel his artistic energy, originally developed in the film industry, into the Bay Area’s stunning homes. CLT
6. A kitchen and family room remodel in Terra Linda, San Rafael, Calif. Photo by Paul Barkley.
T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R C A P TA I N S O F I N D U S T RY
ARCHITECTURE LEADERS www.architectureleaderstoday.com
1100 H Street NW Suite M100 Washington D.C. 20005 info@architectureleaderstoday.com www.ozworldmedia.com
TODAY