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Westchester Contractor Says Homeowners Should Plan To Fix Winter's Wrath

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. – Mark Franzoso says smart homeowners will act now to assess and repair the damage homes incurred from a rough winter. After 34 years in the home improvement business, the president of Franzoso Contracting knows what homeowners are going through.

Mark Franzoso, president of Franzoso Contracting, frequently attends events in a 1950 pickup truck. The business serves homeowners throughout Westchester County, Putnam County and Fairfield County.

Mark Franzoso, president of Franzoso Contracting, frequently attends events in a 1950 pickup truck. The business serves homeowners throughout Westchester County, Putnam County and Fairfield County.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Franzoso Contracting
Mark Franzoso says homeowners will begin now to assess and repair damage caused by a harsh winter.

Mark Franzoso says homeowners will begin now to assess and repair damage caused by a harsh winter.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Franzoso Contracting

“A smart homeowner will think ahead and call early about getting things done,’’ said Franzoso, whose business started in 1980 and serves homeowners in Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties as well as Fairfield County in Connecticut. “It’s important that they don’t wait and say we’ll do it in the fall. We get a surge in window replacement requests in October and November.

"Roofing, on the other hand, is always better in the warmer weather. You can be scrambling to meet a deadline when you wait too long. Get the project planned and done rather than wait until the last minute.”

Franzoso says he expects homeowners will need to invest in roof repair from the long hard winter. Not only did ice and snow damage shingles and flashing, but many people hired workers to clear snow and ice from their roofs.

“There were some natural causes in that the ice and snow caused problems by lifting shingles, loosening gutters and loosening the flashing,’’ Franzoso said. “The other thing was the problems caused by others. There were reports of contractors using hammers, chisels and hatchets to remove snow and ice. They wreaked havoc on a lot of roofs.”

The experience of Franzoso and his employees will resonate with many homeowners. So, too, will be his business’ professionalism and commitment to quality. He said the business has a 74 percent referral and repeat business, while the industry standard averages around 40 percent.

“We go the extra mile,’’ Franzoso said. “When we contract with a homeowner, we’re married to one another. Basically, we give unlimited customer service. We will always repair our work if need be. I read somewhere along the line that if you don’t take care of the customer, someone else will. That’s our philosophy. Business is all about relationships. We live by that code here. It’s a group effort. It’s as strong as it is because of the people that work here.”

Franzoso admits it has been a long time since he wore his work apron, but he’s still involved in sales, management and maintaining customer satisfaction.

“I still interact with customers and try to communicate with each and every one of them,’’ he said.  “I still look forward to it every day.”

One of Franzoso’s favorite roles is visiting events in a beautifully restored 1950 fire engine red pickup truck.

“I don’t mind taking a Saturday or Sunday with the truck and meeting people at a street fair or other event," he said. "Having customers come up to me and say what a great job we’ve done, It just gives me a great sense of accomplishment. I don’t take it for granted. It’s taken a lot of hard work to achieve what we have.”

Franzoso’s business has been able to keep up with emerging trends and new technologies. He and his workers are frequently visiting seminars and taking training courses to improve their skills and expertise. He has seen a lot of competitors try to match the expertise provided by his workers, but says many homeowners come away disappointed by cut-rate work.

Homeowners can visit Franzoso at the showroom at 33 Croton Point Avenue in Croton-on-Hudson, browse the business website at Franzoso.com or visit their Facebook page for information. People can also visit them at the Home Show on March 15-16 at the Westchester County Center in White Plains. A free admission flier can be printed off of the Franzoso Contracting Facebook page.

“We’ve been doing that show since it started,’’ Franzoso said. “I think I’m the only original company there. We’ll display some exclusives that no one else can get, like siding and gutters, because we deal with higher end manufacturers. There will be five or 10 guys vying for the same job. In the end, the homeowner is going to have to shop with confidence that they’re getting a fair deal from a reliable and proven contractor.”

 

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