Bruce Construction Company Profile

Too many contractors don't get involved in the day-to-day work at their construction company—absent owners who don't know their staff and aren't in tune with the project at hand. This can result in shoddy work, unskilled or slow workers and a lackluster finished product that often exceeds the time and money homeowners have budgeted for their remodel.

We found a company in San Mateo County that has a combination of highly skilled workers and a personal approach to business where the owner works hands-on with every project. 

Full Service, Full Satisfaction
Bruce Construction in San Bruno CA is owned and run by former police captain Rick Bruce.  Rick is on the job site every day, and it shows in the quality work and superior customer service you can expect from his company. "Contact with clients is my forte," he says. "When I'm on the job eight hours a day, there are more eyes on the drawings and the plans, I can guide the project development. This approach gives better results for our clients."

The customer-friendly business model at Bruce Construction means you get more attention and better service.  "Every question is addressed immediately," says Rick Bruce. "Our client satisfaction has gone through the roof." In fact, independent customer satisfaction surveys found 100 percent of customers polled would hire Bruce Construction again.

The carpenters at Bruce Construction are union workers at the top of their field. Rick's lead carpenter has worked in the trade for thirty years and helps mentor an apprentice who will earn his journeyman title in 2009.

But what is the benefit to having union carpenters working on your project? "Union carpenters provide greater value because of their training," says Rick Bruce. "They're more reliable because their skills have to stay at a certain level for them to remain union members. They are loyal and stay with one company."

Rick Bruce sees his role differently than contractors who underpay workers to increase their own personal income. "Some contractors pay their staff as little as they can get away with," he says."Fairly compensated employees are better employees," he says. "I pay living wages and full benefits to all my employees because they come to work every day and work hard."

Customers say Rick Bruce and his staff are hardworking and honest.  Peggy, a customer, echoed those same sentiments during a research phone call to randomly selected customers. "I liked everything about them," she said. "They cleaned up after themselves every night, and they did what they said they would do on time."

Beyond the Norm
Some unscrupulous contractors run their business like a pyramid scheme. They trap homeowners by demanding down payments, and then move on to another job to cash in on yet another large deposit. According to law, contractors cannot ask for more than 10 percent of the contract price or $1,000, whichever is less, as a down payment. But dishonest contractors will use illegal prepayments to cover previous jobs and might never return, stranding their customers. Even if these shady contractors do come back to finish the work, you could be stuck with poor quality and a job with an unreliable timeline.

Rick Bruce never asks clients for those illegal deposits. "I take my job personally. My name is on the company," says Rick. "Every time I walk into a house, my reputation and my standing in the community are on the line."

At the start of every project, Rick Bruce and the homeowner set a work schedule and a fair payment agreement. There are no surprises, and the contract binds Bruce Construction to their schedule. Because they don't jump between projects, the projects get done on time.

Rick's attention to providing clients with added assurance is also reflected in the insurance he carries. Most contractors buy only the minimum amount insurance required by law. For Rick Bruce, that isn't going far enough. "Most customers don't realize a company can be bonded for about a hundred bucks," says Rick. "That gives you some protection, but it won't cover a major disaster or injury. All legitimate contractors—including Bruce Construction—will carry good liability insurance."

In fact, Bruce Construction goes far beyond the minimum, carrying a two million dollar insurance policy. "That really puts our customers' minds at ease," says Rick.

Constant communication from Rick Bruce also assures his customers. Although he is there to answer every question on the job site, customers sometimes have questions during off hours. Rick is always available by cell phone, and his customers appreciate his quick replies. During a research phone call, a customer named Mary said, "He was very accessible. I always got a call back from him immediately."

Close Ties
Even as a youngster, Rick Bruce loved construction and tools. In the 1970s, he renovated a Victorian home, learning as he went. He purchased books on carpentry and remodeling and visited construction sites to talk with carpenters. After selling the Victorian, he and his wife bought and fixed up the home they still live in. Rick Bruce was hooked on construction and has spent three decades buying, renovating and building homes.

For 30 years, Rick served in the San Francisco Police Department where he rose to Police Captain, so naturally, clients of Bruce Construction feel especially safe hiring Rick and Bruce Construction to do the remodeling in their home. 

How does his officer training play out in his construction company? "Security is paramount in my mind," he says. "So my employees have proven to be trustworthy, and I am always on site when my subcontractors are working and they're ones I've used for years.  We've never had a single security problem on any job."

When he's not swinging a hammer alongside his employees, Rick Bruce enjoys researching his genealogy. "I've been able to trace our lineage back to the early 1600s in America," he says. "My family lived here before the Revolutionary War. One of my relatives was a contemporary of George Washington."

Rick Bruce and his wife have lived in the same San Bruno home since 1980. They have raised three sons and found their place in the community in the process. "My wife and I are active in community," he says. "I coached all of our three sons' sports teams, from soccer to baseball to football—a total of about 40 teams over the years."

Kids weren't the only ones Rick Bruce impacted through his service. "Through those sports contacts, we got to know hundreds of parents. We feel a close tie to the community and the people we've gotten to know." He also serves as president of the San Francisco Police Activities League and spends time supporting their programming and fundraising.

Homeowners fortunate enough to hire Rick Bruce and Bruce Construction get the extra value of an owner who is on-site for every project to provide better quality control than absentee owners, and the benefit of a dedicated and skilled crew of union carpenters rather than simply laborers. Plus they get the bonus of peace of mind about the security of their home and family during the remodel knowing that Rick Bruce is a respected former San Francisco Police Captain as well as a skilled builder and contractor.

—Lauren Bongard Schwarz
Associate Editor
The Prime Buyer's Report