A refreshed emphasis on carpentry services might surprise some, but in expanding its carpentry division, H.J. Holtz & Son is simply building on its history.
Business founder Herman J. Holtz, grandfather of current Owner and President Rick Holtz, had a lifelong love of woodworking. Herman created his business in 1936 with a focus on paperhanging. But when he sold the business to his son, Richard Holtz, Sr., the elder returned to his first interest – carpentry – and opened Herman Holtz Woodworking, which he continued until his retirement.
Holtz & Son’s carpentry division, which had served for years primarily to support painting and paper jobs, is now coming to the fore with its own free-standing projects in which the craftsmanship of a well-experienced team is front and center. The three-person group, lead carpenter Jeffrey Nonnemacker, Dennis (Chip) Potridge and Ricky Reid, have more than 40 years of combined experience.
Together, the group is able to repair and prepare surfaces that will receive fresh paint or paper as well as create new architectural elements for clients, such as outdoor trellises and gates, decorative radiator covers, and built-in shelving.
“Last summer, we rebuilt a collapsing front porch,” Nonnemacker says. “It was a full beam replacement. I knew I was probably in a good place for my skills.”
Nonnemacker says that most clients will come to the company with an idea of what they want done, and then are pleasantly surprised that Holtz & Son can handle the full scope of the project.
“They’re shocked when they find we can do this,” he says.
Projects for older homes can be the most challenging and, thus, the most fun, Nonnemacker says, noting that creating detail moulding for a certain time period requires a specific level of craftsmanship. Sometimes, homeowners want to modernize their older home, and that opens the door to fresh approaches.
“A lot of it is bringing New Age ideas to older homes,” he says. “It’s their house now; they get to have what they want and what they need.”
Rick Holtz says he regards the expansion of the carpentry services division as an investment into customer service. Plus, the team’s collective expertise is significant.
“These are experienced people who know what they’re doing,” he says. “We are happy to offer not only fine finish work but also built-ins – really, whatever a customer wants.”