Do a Good Job, Do What You Say You’re Going to Do, and Surround Yourself with Good People

You’d never know it to see him now, but Mike Pressgrove, founder of PDQ Construction in Topeka, Kansas, originally wasn’t at all interested in the construction industry. His father was a carpenter and taught young Pressgrove the trade, but when he graduated high school and it was time to figure out a career, his dreams were elsewhere. 

“Growing up helping my father on his carpentry jobs, I thought to myself, ‘I don’t think I can do this,’” Pressgrove said. “So, the minute I could, I told my parents ‘Sorry, but I'm going to do something different.’”   

And that he did. Pressgrove joined the Air Force straight out of high school and was stationed in Oklahoma, where he served as a crew chief servicing aircraft. However, when his military tour ended, Pressgrove found himself back in Kansas and discovered that carpentry was more in his blood than he first thought. He promptly found work as a carpenter—ironically helping to rebuild military base housing.

It was gainful employment, and Pressgrove was good at it. He stayed busy for some years working for others, but after a while he wondered if the time was right for him to go into business for himself.

“I incorporated on April Fool’s Day in 2003 and just started getting after it,” he said. “We were getting really popular with larger jobs and hiring people, and I quickly came to the realization that being a good carpenter didn't always make for being a good business owner, because I lacked those skills.” 

Pressgrove was wise enough to know there were things he didn’t know. But he was eager to learn more about running a business and fill in those knowledge gaps. That’s how he became involved with the National Association of Home Builders.

The Turning Point: NAHB

“Before NAHB, it had just been the school of hard knocks and on-the-job-training for me,” says Pressgrove. Then in 2006, he traveled to Chicago for his first Remodeler Show, and inspiration struck.

He began taking a variety of courses offered by NAHB, earning designations like certified Aging-in-Place Specialist, certified Green Professional, certified Graduate Remodeler, and Graduate Master Remodeler.

“I don't think there's any kind of degree that would have given me that kind of information,” says Pressgrove. “This was back when you had to travel for the classes, and I went to 13 different cities to get this education.”

As important as the courses and certifications are, Pressgrove notes that the value of NAHB goes even further. “It’s the people you meet from all over the country. If you have questions about things, you can call them and ask, ‘Hey, you ever dealt with this? So how did you do it?’ It's just been the greatest networking experience,’” he says.

Ten years ago, Pressgrove was named president of the Kansas Building Industry Association, an affiliate of the NAHB, and this year he’s being honored by the NAHB as 2024 Remodeler of the Year.

A Different Work Ethic, One Job at a Time

One way that PDQ differs from many remodelers is its approach to each project. “Our crews are on one job at a time—start to finish—so they’re not getting strung out between here and there and leaving customers wondering when they're going to come back and finish,” says Pressgrove.

The company jobs are many and varied; remodeling work includes additions, aging-in-place, kitchens, bathrooms, and decks and patios. There’s also masonry services, window and door installation, and space planning. 

“A good remodeler can build anything, but not all good builders can remodel. Our guys can demo one day; frame the next; install drywall, trim work, and cabinetry; and paint,” says Pressgrove. “We work in a lead carpenter system, so they're actual remodel carpenters.” For electrical, plumbing, HVAC, concrete, and roofing, PDQ uses trusted subcontractors.

PDQ has 34 full-time employees and runs 11 crews of two to three people each. Four of those crews exclusively install windows and doors. The company completes about 300 projects a year, most of which range from $50,000 to $150,000, and annual revenue is in the range of $4-$5 million. 

And Pressgrove has a refreshingly simple business philosophy: “Do a good job, do what you say you’re going to do, and surround yourself with good people.” 

Bobby Miller, an estimator and 18-year employee of PDQ, thinks that philosophy resonates with the company’s clients, too. “When people hire us, they know we’re working hard to do everything the right way. It goes a long way when people know that you’re honest and you deliver what you promise.”

Sierra Repp, an office assistant at PDQ agrees. “We’ve had people get windows installed and then they'll call us back and say we did such a good job and kept everything so clean that now they want to finish their basement or another area,” she says.

Harking back to Pressgrove’s philosophy of surrounding himself with good people, employees feel the same way. “The thing I've always liked about working for Mike and PDQ is he wants to keep everything kind of family-oriented,” Miller said. “I’ve always enjoyed that part, and my wife, Janelle, is actually our bookkeeper.” She has worked at PDQ for more than 15 years, and she’s affectionately known as momma Miller around the office. 

Inspiring and Hiring Future Remodelers

It’s no secret that the construction workforce in the U.S. is aging, which means there’s an increased focus on attracting talent to the trades—a task Pressgrove has taken on. And not only is he working to attract newcomers to the industry, but he’s also helping to reinforce the value they bring and the good living they could earn. Whether it comes from a big heart, a passion for the Topeka community, or both, Pressgrove enjoys helping young people discover and build their futures.

Pressgrove frequently speaks to high school students and those attending trade schools about the benefits of working in the remodeling industry. “We’ve sent invitations to schools across Kansas, and I’ve driven across the state to speak to the kids,” he says.

PDQ Construction also sponsors a program called Build My Future, which gives high school students the opportunity to get hands-on experience, explore a variety of career opportunities in the trades, and see what they can potentially earn after three to four years in the workforce.

“We’re set up in our big convention center, and the last couple of years we've had 45-50 different businesses provide hands-on experiences for the students,” says Pressgrove. “There’s carpentry, drywall, electrical, masonry—anything you imagine. The schools bring them, and we provide lunch, give them a t-shirt and safety glasses, and they get to explore different trades.”

“We've had quite a few kids get hired through Build My Future,” says Pressgrove. “It’s incredible to see them get excited about a career and how well they can do in the trades.”

Pressgrove has done some of that hiring. “The greatest thing about it is you can get in and teach them the right ways of how to do things. They come in with no baggage, and they don't have any of that past history or bad habits, he says.”

The company also hires high school interns for summer positions on crews, and many of them return as full-time employees.

Sierra Repp started as a summer intern while she was still in high school after hearing about the opportunity through the Topeka Area Building Association. “I reached out to Mike and asked if he had any positions because I was looking for a career, and he gave me a chance and showed me the ropes, she says.”

Repp initially assisted with photography and interviews before transitioning to a permanent role during COVID-19, and now she handles administrative tasks, including payroll and invoices.

A Good Reputation Keeps Marketing Costs Low

PDQ spends less than 1% of its revenue on traditional advertising. That’s not a typo. Customer acquisition costs can dramatically drop when almost all your customers come by way of referrals, word of mouth, and repeat business from satisfied clients. Beyond that, PDQ is a big supporter of the annual Topeka Home Show. Pressgrove also says his company gets a lot of exposure from its fleet of vehicles tooling around town with the company’s slogan: “The Bitterness of Poor Quality Lingers Long After the Cheap Price is Forgotten.”

Making a Difference

Doing a good job, doing what you say you’re going to do, and surrounding yourself with good people has served Pressgrove well over his 40-plus years in remodeling and 20-plus years as the founder of PDQ.

Those principles have also benefitted homeowners. For most people, buying a home will be the biggest investment they’ll ever make and likely the most important one for them and their families. Pressgrove and PDQ are committed to quality that lasts, and it shows—in hundreds of projects each year. 

If you happen to visit Pressgrove’s Topeka office, you’ll see some remembrances of things past. He has several of his father’s old carpentry tools (a Yankee screwdriver, a brace and bit) that Pressgrove himself used as a boy. He’s come a long way since those early days, and he’s happy to inspire others come along the way too.