Signature Construction and Design

Who is SC&D? Signature Construction & Design was founded in 1999 by Eric Holloway as an offshoot of Signature Furniture Services LLC, a full service commercial furniture installation, storage and moving company. Mark Benzel joined the firm in 2000 as the General Manager in charge of operations and Dan Holloway joined as a principal in 2001 in charge of sales and marketing.

What is the Specialization of SC&D? Signature Construction & Design specializes in renovations and additions that add value to unique homes. We rarely complete the same project in two different houses. While we typically specialize in higher end homes, we are more concerned with unique projects that add value to the houses. The size of the project is not as much of a concern as the value imparted and thus we can just as easily add a closet as perform a whole house renovation.

In what geographic area do you work? Signature Construction & Design works primarily in New Castle County Delaware and Chester County, Pennsylvania. Our primary area of concentration is along the Route 52 Corridor from Wawaset Park through Westover Hills, Greenville, Centreville and into Kennett & Chadds Ford.

In what geographic area do you work? No, while we obviously like to concentrate on larger projects, we are always in need of small fill in projects to complete during down times on other projects and do not mind installing a new door or window when called upon.

How many projects can you run at one time? We typically have anywhere from 3 to 5 midsized ($50,000 to $200,000) projects under construction at one time and when we have a larger project $500,000 + we might only undertake 2 to 3 of the mid-sized projects during that time. We do not believe in juggling multiple projects with limited resources. Once we start a project, we do not leave it until it is complete and no punch list exists.

How do you differentiate yourselves from your competition? We believe we offer the sophistication of a larger company based upon our experience both in business and construction with the personal service of a small company. We have the capital to undertake large projects without creating undue stress to our organization and yet the owners of the company visit every project several times weekly and make a point of staying involved with every project. We are bonded with New Castle County and maintain all the necessary worker’s compensation insurances as required by law.

What is the nature of your staff? We employ 12 carpenters/craftsmen on staff who are trained in various facets of construction from rough to finish carpentry, masonry, drywall, painting, tile work, and hardscapes. In addition, we have long term relationships with a sub-contractor network of electricians, plumbers, roofers, HVAC technicians.

What tasks do you perform yourself versus using a subcontractor? Depending on the size of a project, we will typically perform all facets from demolition to final painting not including the specialized tasks of plumbing, electrical, HVAC, roofing and flooring.

How do you address safety issues? We have been a member of the Delaware Safety Council since our inception in 1999. We routinely send our staff for safety training from defensive driving to first aid classes. In addition, biweekly, our supervisors hold a tailgate safety meeting to discuss maintaining a safe working environment concentrating on such topics as power tool safety, lifting techniques, personal safety protection in the form of gloves, eyewear, hearing protection… We qualify every year for the Delaware Workplace Safety Credit which is a program offered by the State of Delaware to lower worker’s compensation rates significantly if standards of safety are followed. Both job sites and our internal shop are toured and graded yearly as part of this program.

Do you build new houses? Yes, while we have built new houses and enjoy the satisfaction of going from moving the soil to the final coat of paint, we do not consider ourselves developers per say and thus our concentration is not looking to build multiple houses or building on spec. We prefer to work for a client we know and who we can perform the process from start to finish?

Do you have a process? Absolutely, the typical steps we perform once we receive a call concerning a project are:

1. Dan Holloway & Mark Benzel meet with a client in person and determine the nature of the project and try to understand the needs of the customer.
2. Based upon the information gathered at that meeting an architect might be invited to the process to help with the design or if a design is already in place, we will perform a preliminary budget analysis. The purpose of this step is for all parties to get a good idea of an approximate budget within 10-15%.
3. Dan & Mark will meet with the client to review the preliminary budget numbers, assuming design is completed. At this point a decision is made to move forward or to cease the process.

4. Should the determination be made to move forward, we will refine the preliminary budget into a final proposal including selection details and a detailed scope of work along with a contract based upon AIA guidelines. 5. The project is then added to the schedule and when the necessary manpower and product is available, the project commences.

Do you mind giving me another bid?It has been our experience that all parties are best served when a homeowner interviews multiple builders/contractors. When compatibility has been found, reference calls and construction site visits are in order to confirm the decision. Then the development of a plan can begin. The homeowner will benefit greatly by having a builder/contractor involved in the process from the very start of the design versus bidding on an already designed project.

Who are the principals of the company? Signature Construction & Design was founded by Eric Holloway in 1999 as an adjunct to Signature Furniture Services, a full service office furniture installation company specializing in the installation, reconfiguration, storage and moving of office furniture. Prior to owning Signature Furniture Services, Eric was the third generation owner of Holloway Bros Tools Inc, a wholesale distributor of supplies to construction and industry concentrating on the Mid-Atlantic States. That business was sold to MSC, NYSE MSM, in 1998. Eric attended Hamilton College in New York majoring in Economics and Texas A&M University in Texas majoring in Industrial Distribution. He lives in Westover Hills with his wife Monique and two children. He lives in an old house and enjoys the challenges that come with multiple renovation projects on his own house.

Dan Holloway joined Signature Construction & Design as a partner in 2001 to focus on the sales and marketing aspects of the business. Dan had over 23 years of sales and marketing experience in the medical supplies field before retiring. Dan is married to Cynthia Hewitt and resides in Yorklyn, Delaware. Having undergone many construction projects including the custom building of his own home, Dan understands the frustrations a homeowner can experience during the construction process and considers himself the customer advocate throughout any construction project.We employ a graduate from the Savannah College of Art & Design who has a degree in interior design. With this ability we will sometimes do simple and straightforward layouts for internal design such as a bathroom or kitchen that does not require any engineering. When we are working with load bearing walls and more complex design, we work with outside architects with whom we have ongoing relationship. We frequently will call structural engineers into our projects to help us design technical aspects of a project. It is our belief that we should employ the greatest level of expertise in every aspect of a construction project and therefore are not hesitant to look outside our firm for design and engineering professionals to partner with.