RCM Construction Associates, Inc.
Strong Client Relationships Ensure Success
By Kay Wilthew
Home building is a Rembac family tradition. As a young man, Ross Rembac fondly recalls spending his Saturdays tagging along with his father, who was a general contractor. Today, Ross Rembac owns his own company, RCM Construction Associates, Inc., a residential construction firm based in the Bay Area.
"That's how I got the bug - from being a little guy visiting my dad's office," says Rembac. "My dad was a great influence." After college, Rembac landed a job with a company in San Francisco that remodeled projects in the multimillion-dollar range. "It was great experience because I'd only worked on new construction to that point. I liked the challenges remodeling presented, and it was great to learn that side of the industry."
Three years ago, Rembac partnered with the owner of a commercial construction company to launch RCM. "We had a couple of projects right at the beginning, which fortunately gave us a very good start." RCM specializes in large-scale residential new construction and remodeling. Its dedication to sustainable practices is a source of pride for RCM. "We're currently involved in a new construction pilot project for LEED for Homes Certification in Lafayette. I couldn't be more thrilled with this project. It's the first of its kind in the Diablo Valley." All processes, vendors and specifications are established with sustainable materials and design methods. "We are also currently achieving GreenPoint certification on two projects in San Francisco. Going forward, most all projects will either be LEED or GreenPoint certified."
Historically operating in the Greater Bay Area - encompassing San Francisco, Marin, the East Bay and the Wine Country (e.g., Napa and Sonoma valleys) - RCM is now expanding its scope to Hawaii, where it is pursuing licensure. Supporting such a wide territory presents lo- gistical challenges, but Rembac explains that a key aspect of RCM's success lies in the geographical emphasis placed on crew staffing. Subcontractor services are obtained from a loyal pool of local talent. "We structure our workforce so we don't ask subcontractors to travel. We have our own labor force of carpenters and laborers, and they [do] travel to the projects because they're our own crew."
Retaining a cohesive labor force enables RCM to manage quality and maintain quality control over projects. As a result, Rembac has developed strong relationships with staff and subcontractors and, over the years, has assembled dependable resources with a comprehensive understanding of RCM's business methods. "They can be narrowly focused on the job, whatever the project," says Rembac. Their wide range of project types exemplifies the depth of RCM's team. "Their skills are so diverse, they're suited to the kind of projects that we do, whatever the demand."
Rembac's team is drawn to projects unique in character. "We typically like larger projects, but if a small project has an exciting value, whether aesthetically challenging or uniquely complex, we'll take those on." A case in point was the request to remodel a 150- foot luxury yacht anchored in the San Francisco Bay Area. Within seven days, RCM's team deconstructed and remodeled the master suite and constructed additional sleeping berths. Projects of this complexity highlight the efficient processes RCM has developed to manage quality and fulfill customer expectations.
"We often talk about similarities in the way we manage our company compared to larger commercial firms," notes Rembac, "in terms of our processes, how we communicate and how the flow of information moves from place to place. That's the way we want it; that is our core structure and model."
Partnering with like-minded clients is important to a project's success. "Those clients who respond to our style and level of management structure are the ones we want. When we meet the client, they may be interviewing us, but we interview them as well." To Rembac, the emphasis placed on earning their clients' trust sets RCM apart.
Much of the credit for the company's success Rembac attributes directly to his team. "I'm proud of the dedication of my employees and the team we've put together to make this relatively young company thrive. We've accomplished a great deal in such a short period, and without the support and dedication of our team of employees, subcontractors and vendors, it would not be possible."
RCM Construction Associates, Inc. is located at 155 Filbert Street, Ste. 240A, in Oakland, CA 94607. RCM can be reached at (510) 268-0159 or visit rcmco.com for more information.
February 2008 Builder Architect Edition Issue