Making MemoriesOutdoors

As the days get longer and the rains abate, thoughts turn to spending more time outdoors. Patio Pros wants to make it easier and more enjoyable for everyone to make memories outside, whether it’s sheltering from the winter rain or the intense summer heat. They’ve been building custom shade structures in Chico and the surrounding areas since 2008 and continue to grow and expand their offerings while staying true to their commitment to customer service.

Ben Eckstrom, president of Patio Pros, shares that the company began as a division of Proframe Construction, one of Chico’s predominant construction framing companies. He says, “Moving into the business was a natural fit.” The aluminum structures are low-maintenance and cost-effective. “With aluminum, you’re going to build it once and then just enjoy it. It made a lot more sense than wood in a lot of ways,” Ben continued. Patio Pros shade structures are made mostly of aluminum, with 99% sourced from recycled material, and are class-A fire resistant. From an aesthetic standpoint, the shade structures portray the beauty of wood products while also offering the durability and convenience of aluminum. What started as an additional offering of Proframe Construction quickly grew, until Ben realized it wasn’t just an offshoot of the original business, and wanted to expand and offer more to the community. The budding business allowed Ben and his team to reach out and help wherever possible, including building a probono cover for the Girl Scouts, benches for the Torres Shelter, and even stepping in to coach youth softball when needed. In 2017, with plenty of success already behind them, Patio Pros became a company independent of Proframe, and the business continues to evolve today.

While the exceptional product speaks for itself, getting the word out, designing, and installing the structures is heavily dependent on a number of people. Patio Pros has an amazing business team working both with the client and behind the scenes. The first point of contact for any project is Patio Pros’ office manager, Jey Cipolla. She joined the team after leaving another industry focused in customer service/sales and enjoys being what she describes as a hub—a tour guide in the process. She coordinates with clients, introduces the team, and follows all the way through construction to ensure the customer is completely satisfied. She says, “I live for customers who are gushing over their projects—the ones who say, ‘It’s perfect; even my dog loves it!’ When the customer is more than thrilled with what they have, that’s what makes it special.”

After making first contact, the design and sales team heads out to the client’s home for an in-person visit. It’s here where the realization of a patio dream begins. The team arrives on scene and helps find the right fit for the family and the space. During their visit, the designers develop a custom cover specifically for the client’s home in a way that enables them to entertain outside and really utilize their patio to its fullest. Tom Fitzgerald, Ben Eckstrom, and Laura Eckstrom are all part of the sale and design process. Tom shares that listening to the customer and helping them discover what can happen with a patio design is an integral part of the process. As a team, they strive to be informative, positive, and help a customer understand their choices.

Laura Eckstrom started at Proframe

Construction as a designer and later shifted over to Patio Pros to help with sales. She now also handles all social media accounts for the business. Her unique background in design lends a special angle to the sales process. Ben shares that she knows the product exceptionally well, and with her design background, she is uniquely qualified to help clients navigate with a softer touch.

Once they settle on a design and agree upon a budget, the next step is to visually recreate the environment. That’s where Mack Goodman steps in. Like Laura, Mack started working in the office at Proframe and moved over to Patio Pros as the company generated more business. He became interested in computer generated design (CAD) and took classes at Butte College to learn more about the process. Now, he’s able to bring clients’ ideas to life with a 3D image of the proposed new patio structure and home. As a result, the client is able to clearly visualize their outdoor living space.

After the client is happy with the proposal, the project moves forward to Patio Pros’ installers, Patrick Herbert and Randall Stewart. Randall moved to Chico after losing his home to Hurricane Katrina in 2006 and fell in love with the mountains of Paradise, and later, Magalia. He loves working outdoors and adding a new element to clients’ backyard spaces as most have spent years turning them into beautiful retreats. He says, “I like being a part of that. It’s nice to work around; it’s like spending time with feng shui each day.” Patrick has been with the company for almost seven years and has always been a hands-on person who loves building things. “I’ve had office jobs before, and I go stir crazy. I love being outdoors and working with my hands.” Patrick shares that in building, there are always challenges, but he enjoys the problem-solving aspect and making sure everything comes out to the client's satisfaction. The installers perform the final measurements, bring the parts and pieces to the site, and then assemble the design. Their install time usually ranges from one day to a week, based on the size and complexity of the layout. However, the lead time up to the install is usually the longest span as each component of the cover is custom-designed, crafted, and shipped according to the client’s specifications. Patio Pros’ innovative software enables the customer to stay connected to the process from anywhere. The associated portal enables them to view real-time budgets, Docusign contracts, and view their updated CAD drawings.

Ben says that the company’s accountants, Angie Roche and Marie Brown, are an integral part of the business too, setting up events and coordinating company policy. Ben Eckstrom’s energy and the overall positive disposition of the company led both Angie and Marie to recently seek out employment at Patio Pros. Angie shares, “He's passionate about people, as am I, and that’s a huge reason why I work here. It's nice to be around positive, like-minded people.” Tom Fitzgerald seconds their thoughts, “I wanted to find a company that had similar values in the way we handle customers and treat employees,” and he’s definitely found it here.

The team at Patio Pros is truly that, a team. They’ve worked hard to build a supportive group of individuals who collaborate regularly. They structure time in the morning with the entire crew, sitting around the conference table to go over the coming day. They focus on getting multiple perspectives on any issues and collectively coming up with the best practical solution. The team members share how much they love the culture at Patio Pros and look forward to helping the community, both commercially and residentially, to allow residents to create memories while enjoying their outdoor spaces.

Patio Pros can be found online at www. patiopros.com. Here, you’ll find contact information, testimonials, photo galleries, and plenty of information about their services. Check out their Instagram profile @patioproschico and Facebook profile at FB.com/PatioPros to see some amazing patio transformations and start planning your new outdoor space.