News
Remodeler Racks Up Awards For His Work
by Marilee Spanjian (June 12, 2002)
By anyone’s standards, June has been quite a month for local builder David Crane. Recently, the Williamson County resident accepted the “Big 50” award from Remodeling Magazine as one of the top remodeling companies in the nation. He also received the remodeling industry’s prestigious Chrysalis Award as the Tennessee Remodeler of the Year for 2002. And he was awarded first prize by Qualified Remodeler Magazine for a sunroom he built in Otterwood, an exclusive community just inside the Davidson County line.
As the first in an occasional series that will feature a local builder, Williamson A.M. spoke to Crane about his background, his accomplishments and his goals.
Q: How would you describe your company’s business focus?
A: “I consider myself more of a remodeler who happens to build a few houses.”
Q: Do you ever build outside the Nashville area?
A: “Our business is concentrated between the center of Nashville to the center of Franklin, the east side of Belleview to Interstate 65, with the exception of Brentwood.”
Q: What do you specialize in?
A: “Large projects, the ones that most people toss their hands in the air over. We take on a lot of things that a lot of people aren’t willing to do.”
Q: Do you ever suggest to homeowners not to do a project?
A: “Yes, if I think the changes to a house won’t fit in the neighborhood, or the project will price the house out of the neighborhood.”
Q: How did you get interested in building? Was your father a builder?
A: “No, he died when I was 13 years old. I have two brothers and two sisters and I’m the second to the youngest. My dad thought all of his boys should be handy. When I was about 4 years old, my parents bought an old house that was built in the early 1900’s. Nothing had been done to it in 30 years so there were always ongoing projects.”
Q: Did you graduate from college and what was your major?
A: “I graduated from Louisiana State University with a bachelor of science in construction. I chose that major because I liked not sitting in the office and I liked seeing what my hands could create. I loved seeing it come together and seeing someone’s vision come to fruition.”
Q: Did you start as a carpenter in the field?
A: “Every summer and during Christmas vacations while I was in college, I worked. I started as a laborer then became a carpenter’s helper and finally an assistant superintendent.”
Q: You are a native of New Orleans. Why did you move to Tennessee?
A: “To raise a family.”
Q: Do you have any advice for someone who’s considering a remodeling project?
A: “Have a good idea of what you want to accomplish and get a reasonable budget. Then, find someone who you can work with who’s honest and has an interest in your project. The more definition you can have on the front end, the less confusion and questions there will be later on.”