Mayer and Company Company Profile

hen a contractor presents himself as a remediation specialist, I become very interested. As a property manager for many years, I dealt with the unfortunate results of cheap projects that we always had to go back and fix. So I knew exactly the sort of questions to ask Ken Mayer of Mayer and Company in Fairfax CA. I also knew the attitudes to watch out for.

I've noticed that discount contractors usually list simplicity and ease as important qualities in any job they do. Not so for Ken Mayer; he's known for enthusiastically taking on jobs that have completely undone other contractors, and he's completed numerous successful remediations on houses and projects that had seemed to be hopelessly flawed. When Ken said that he loved jobs that require a whole lot of head-scratching, he had my attention.

A Systematic Mind
Ken Mayer's talent for fixing the seemingly unfixable may be a function of his lifelong love of learning, or of the early influence and mentoring of his engineer father, but it's a central feature of Ken's approach, "I see things as systems, as layers. I always have. Because of that, I can problem-solve on many levels and in many layers, so we're good with jobs that are complicated and complex."

Layers are a thematic rallying point for Ken Mayer. He sees each project as a compilation of layers, each one complementing and reinforcing the next. And he's found in his remediation work that overlooking the quality of each and every layer is often the downfall projects that appear to be top-notch. I have to agree with Ken—I can't tell you the number of flooring and paint jobs I saw in my property management days that failed because they were laid over the wrong, or cheap, or badly prepared surfaces.

Ken explains, "Construction is layers—layers upon layers—earth, foundation, subfloor, floor, framing, sheetrock, wood, tile, paneling, paint, wallpaper, countertops .... And you have to know that the foundation is right before you apply the next layer. You can't just cover it with something expensive and make it better than it is. The layers have to be right. The building blocks need to be addressed, and then you've got it made. Then, your project will last forever."

This layering approach also extends to the crew of Mayer and Company. Though Ken is a hands-on foreman on every job, he surrounds himself with intelligent people so that each person in the company can offer excellent service and craftsmanship. Ken and his crew are also focused on green building, but not because it's fashionable, "We were green before it was cool, I think. We've always recycled everything we could, and we often take extra time and energy to remove building materials like counters, windows, doors, and cabinets gently, so they can be recycled at places like Urban Ore. We'll also do anything possible to help our clients go as green as they can. And it's also important to point out that the care in building means our projects will last. They won't have to be replaced and landfilled because they wore out. They last."

Continuing Education as a Business Philosophy
Education is also very important to Ken, not just for himself, but for his crews. Because Mayer and Company specializes in remediation, Ken and his crew spend a lot of time on continuing education, "We look at materials and structures that fail, and we ask why they fail. We really want to know. For instance, water is a house's worst enemy, and we get called out on a lot of water damage cases. We look at every remediation project as a learning opportunity, and we take our ‘layering' approach every time. The leak could be due to a combination of flaws in multiple elements of the structure, or it could be something small like the caulking, or an improperly prepared surface. Everything we learn, especially about the failures we're called in to fix, makes us stronger. And with all the new products coming on the market, it's important that our knowledge base is continually updated. It's hard to believe, but something simple like the wrong caulk can actually ruin a project." Do you see now why Ken got my attention? This is not just a guy with a tool belt; Ken knows his stuff!

Ken is also involved in educating the next generation of builders through the Construction Technology Class that he helps teach through the Marin Regional Occupational Program (ROP). Ken has degrees in Economics and Agriculture, but he also has a Secondary Teaching Credential. His non-profit work with the teens and community members at the ROP fit right into his skill set, and are his answer to the question, "Where will the construction workforce come from in the future, and how will young people learn about the craft and science of architecture, contracting, and engineering?"

Looking to the Future
Besides the head-scratching projects, I ask Ken if seeing his completed projects makes him happy. He thinks first, because the word "complete" doesn't take Ken's layering approach into consideration, "The satisfaction continues. It's ongoing, and it keeps coming back from different levels and yes, different layers. We provide beautifully designed projects at fair prices, but my happiness doesn't end when the project does. I can revisit it and watch as the clients utilize the space over the years, and I can take continuing satisfaction in a job well done. We're in this for the long run." Indeed.

---Karla Rutherford
Staff Writer
The Prime Buyer's Report