Winning a Contractor of the Year award is not an easy task but only a few contractors can earn the award multiple times and in back-to-back years. Yet, that’s exactly what Tampa-based Jamco Unlimited Inc. did in 2014 and again in 2015 by first being awarded for “Residential Kitchen Under $40,000” and, more recently, winning awards for “Residential Exterior Element” and “Residential Interior Element $30,000 and Over.”

Established in 1995, Jamco promotes itself as remodeling magicians, serving the Tampa tri-county area. According to owner James Macholz, “Unlimited” was added to the company’s name to reflect the large array of remodeling projects the company handles in the residential and light commercial arenas. However, much of the company’s business focuses on kitchen and bathroom remodeling with projects ranging from $3,000 to $250,000 in scope.

His experience in room additions and kitchen/bath remodeling is the result of a highly diverse, non-traditional career path. After earning a degree in mechanical engineering, Macholz started his own remodeling company on Long Island, N.Y., before moving to Florida. Larger commercial projects include remodeling Countryside Mall and setting the glass and frames at Airside F Airlines at the Tampa International Airport. He spent a short period of time building several stilt homes in Point Seaside near Crystal Beach before again focusing on his passion for remodeling.

Customer Focused

Macholz credits his success with Jamco to the company’s focus on the overall customer experience. “Everything we do revolves around how it will affect the customer,” he says. “We don’t just sell products and designs. Rather, we walk customers through the entire design process. Thanks to our extensive showroom that features four fully-functional working kitchens, complete with electricity and running water, customers are able to visualize exactly what they want before they buy it. Our goal is to help customers get through this otherwise stressful time in their lives and help them start enjoying their newly renovated home.”

By showcasing a complete selection of products in its single 5,000-square-foot showroom, Macholz also believes he is saving his customers time and energy and allowing them to avoid the hassle of running around to different locations trying to compare colors and styles.

“We recognize that our customers are busy and demand a high level of quality,” says Macholz. “So we go through a detailed selection process and carefully choose the products we use and showcase to ensure they meet the highest quality standards, maximize our customers’ time and minimize any inconvenience.”

Maximize Time, Minimize Inconvenience

One product that helps Jamco maximize its time and minimize customer inconvenience is the Homax line of Pro Grade wall textures. Macholz says, “Pro Grade wall textures allow us to make invisible wall repairs on orange peel and knockdown surfaces in less time than traditional repair methods. The company’s technology combines the control of a hopper gun and the convenience of aerosol to perfectly match a wide range of surfaces. The end result is a quality, unnoticeable repair that is completed in record time so we’re able to get in and out of the job without disrupting the customer’s schedule.”

Macholz talked about an instance where termites had destroyed the front entrance of a home and he was able to make the necessary repairs without the residents inside even noticing they were spraying, thanks to the low-odor advantage of the product and the speed at which his team was able to complete the repair.

According to Macholz, setting up a hopper gun might have caused more of a commotion in the home.

“We would have had to set up the equipment, mix and apply the texture material, and clean everything up, which is time consuming and not worth the wear and tear on the equipment for smaller repair and remodeling projects,” he says.

Given the products’ high performance and versatility, Macholz has found these wall textures to be ideal for a wide variety of repairs, including punch-lists, patches and touchups, as well as larger remodeling projects involving bathrooms, kitchens, accent walls, closets and foyers. They are ideal for tight spot repair applications—as close as 6 inches—such as the area behind a toilet or around a soffit. But they also provide a quality solution and offer significant time savings for larger projects—on walls up to 125 square-feet for orange peel surfaces and up to 85 square-feet on knockdown surfaces.

The wall textures offer a number of competitive advantages to contractors. “They are self-priming, which saves us time,” said Macholz. “A pressure-adjustment toggle and pattern control dial provide precise spray control and allow us to perfectly match a desired texture or wall pattern. The advanced formula is tinted for improved visibility, and the pull trigger and ergonomic grip reduce finger fatigue to provide increased productivity. Plus, there is no setup or cleanup required and minimal drying time. With all these time saving features, we can complete the job in just two hours compared to two days with a hopper gun. That allows us to move on to other projects quickly and better meet customer demands.”

That’s important for Jamco, which often has three projects going at one time and an ongoing volume of business that requires projects to be scheduled out as much as three months in advance.

“It’s all part of creating an exceptional customer experience,” says Macholz.