We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ian Krueger a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ian, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the best advice you ever gave to a client? How did they benefit / what was the result?

My best advice I ever gave a client I think was when they previously got taken advantage of by other contractors due to lack of research and trust. Over the years, I have head may discussions with customers who were taken advantage of , or did not receive quality work or craftsmanship. I believe they were able to benefit from me giving them some helpful resources and just a little advice on what to look for and what some red flags may be when choosing or hiring a company to do repairs at their home. The biggest, most common one we hear of is, ” The contractor never came back to finish”. Or even better, ” I gave them a deposit and they never showed back up”? We recommend that anytime a person wants to hire a company or person to do work, here are some “Must Haves” before pulling the trigger or even handing over a deposit check. You should never have to pay for a “Free Estimate”. Thats common sense. Next I would say , an in person estimate or consultation is key so the home owner can get a feel for the contractor who might be doing the work. Even if it is a bathroom remodel , or kitchen remodel, they should be able to recommend some design ideas, or even suggest how to properly execute utilizing the space. A good remodeler should and will have the knowledge on these keys thing due to prior job experience. Everyone is different, and may have their own ideas and designs which is helpful. Even pointing the customer in the right direction is important. Guiding the home owner throught the build process is key. Now the most important thing I would say out of the entire build process is the ” Working Scheudle”. A customer should know up front before any work starts, is what can they expect on a daily basis? “How long will my kitchen take to remodel”? Questions like that a common. The number one think I have learned in being self employed, and carring out jobs like this is HAVING STRONG COMMUNICATION skills. A customer shouldnt be left in the dark, or wondering what to expect next on the project. Now it is common to run into some problems that might be unavoidable , but even those need to be communicates asap. Next, get everything is writing and get signatures form both parties. In the event a major problem should arise, you’ll both have documentation that will hold up in the court of law. Trust me, thats the last thing anyone wants. Also, proff of business insurance, licensing, and some referals. All of this goes hand and hand for the home owner to ensure the process goes smooth.

Ian, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

So I actually went to art school and after I was done, I was unable to find a decent paying job in that field. During my highschool years, and college years, I have always found summer jobs working for my neighbor who had a company that did interior and exterior repairs for a property management company, so we did anything and everything which taught me so much. I have always been a hands on guy. Growing up, my father was an a electritian, and it always scared me to mess with electric so I steered clear of that. Growing up in an old farmhouse my father had a wood shop and many tools in our barn. I always loved when he would ask me to lend him a hand , either sanding or cutting wood for a cabinet of shelve he was making. I has a deep appreication even at a young age for how he was able to create something so unique out a an old piece of wood. It really was so neat and I built a huge respect for his craft. I never antisipated being able to do what he did much later in life and how useful it would become. As I got older, I bounced around in the trades and after wanting to move out and be on my own and able to afford things, I went to trade school for HVAC. It was an 18 month program and I adapted and finished top of my class and received job placement. I was off finally in the trades community and it was frightening. My first job was with a very respectful and large local company. I was put in the service department and for the first 6 month I rode daily with the senior guys to learn how to do things. This was very intimidating because it was much different than a classroom setting. I overcame my fears, and was put into a positon where I had to become forward facing with customers. It took a while to get used to, but after that, it literly became second nature and I had this thing where I was able to communicate and talk to the customer very easily. I always got great feedback from my service manager and people would actually call in for a repair and request me. I made a name for myself. After a few years of being in the field, learing the dos and donts of the trade, I was approched by a company who worked for a large publicy traded construction company. This company I was hired and was put into a management postion. I was also provided additional school where I was able to get my plumbing journeyman card/license. I did this for a couple of years and then after working many hours and overtime, a friend of mine and I decided to start our own business. I strongly felt as if I had built the skills and had knowledge to go out on my own. The business we started was different than the mechanical trades. We started a company that did pressure cleaning and deck and patio cleaning and restoration. It was great and in the beginning it was tough but we made it. Again, I had the communication skills and drive to do so. I also learned many things from this first company. We thought being your own boss is going to be the greatest. Well little did we know it bacame a 24 hour a day thing. Owning any business is a constant responsibilty and is not for everyone. This first business lasted a few years and my old partner and I had a falling out. I am glad it happened actually because had it not, I wouldnt be where I am today. I call these the trials and tribulations of my growth and experiances. Later on, I went on to start my business which still to this day is know as In Demand Home Improvements & General Contracting. In the beginning of this company again it took a long time to go and to grow a client portfolio. We mainly did kitchen and bathroom remodeling and everything in between. What set us apart from the competition was our quality of work and our customer service. We made a great name for ourselves and continue to do so. We as of two years ago relocated to the state of Florida. Since that move, I have really downsized the business and now I am soley focusing on more home improvements related things , not any larger build projects. We have always used top quality products during our builds as well. I particully am most proud of the work we can produce paired with gaining customers trucst and business for life. Repeat work and referal work is the best !! Support small businesses

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think having top communication skills, and follow through with things. People dont like to be left hanging.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Again, strong follow up , and communication, and meeting peoples deadlines.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: @indemandhome