Oregon Home | 47 Transparency and Collaboration Lead to Creative Solutions SINCE TAKING OWNERSHIP of Willco in early 2020, Garrett and co-owner Ruth Warren have increased their design-build commissions to more than half of the company’s overall projects. Warren, who has worked for Willco since 2004 and is one of the company’s longest-serving employees, manages finances and HR. Garrett brings many years of experience as a carpenter and construction estimator. “Ruth and I have plans to grow our design-build program even further,” says Garrett. To that end, they have added a fulltime designer to their staff of 24, which includes 17 field staff experienced in all aspects of construction and remodeling, as well as six office staff. Garrett and Warren take pride in being totally transparent on bids and costs, and they work hard to build trust with clients. “Right from the get-go, I break costs into a line-by-line estimate with hours and materials. The client sees my thinking on everything — from the price down to our overhead and even the profit we intend to make. It’s especially important on a project like this one, where there are many new aspects we're exploring together,” Garrett says. For her part, Gittins couldn’t be happier. “I had a feeling about James on initial walkthrough,” she says. “He understood how I wanted to do the remodel. I felt we were in sync. It was such a great process and a joy to work with the whole Willco team. And the result is a dream come true for me.” willcopdx.com
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