If there’s one thing the last year taught us, it’s that home is a good place to be, which is why home renovations of all sorts have been on the rise.
Helping homeowners improve their living environments and creating new places for families to have fun is the primary focus for Jones Home Improvements. The Cottleville-based business has been busy the last year adding style, function and value to homes across the area, with an expertise in building gorgeous custom decks.
“We had a record year of growth, particularly for clients who wanted to update their decks or add additional spaces for entertaining and summer fun,” says Kelly Jones, company owner.
Jones Home Improvement specializes in a range of home remodeling projects, and while the business itself is relatively new, Kelly is no stranger to innovation, creativity and business growth, particularly when it comes to deck building.
Beginning in 1998, while running a successful deck building business, he launched a company called DecKorators to market an innovative line of aluminum deck balusters, eventually curtailing his own construction company to grow that business into a multi-million-dollar brand sold in big box home improvement stores across the country.
“That was a wild ride,” Kelly recalls. “DecKorators was my first venture that allowed me to create entirely new product categories. Our timing was perfect. It was around the whole ‘Extreme Makeover,’ ‘Curb Appeal,’ HGTV craze began,” he says.
Ultimately, he sold DecKorators to a Michigan-based building products conglomerate, spent a couple of years consulting with the company, and then slipped into a comfortable semi-retirement.
“I missed working with customers and creating outdoor living spaces that provide homeowners and families with comfortable exterior entertaining areas that add value to their homes.”
As business began to boom this time around, Kelly said he began to realize that all the design focus with decks was on the “top side” of the deck, with little to no focus “below deck.”
“A light bulb turned on and I realized that we were building gorgeous decks with state-of-the-art products like composite decking, attractive railings and lighting, but no one in the industry has really focused too much on what’s going on down below,” Kelly said.
Addressing those “below deck” issues to put the proper finish on the decks the company builds has become a new focus. “I want our decks to look great from every angle, not just while you are on them,” he says.
To achieve that goal, Kelly has focused on designing another new product line that includes post wraps, decorative fascia, customizable accents and archways – all of powder coated aluminum and available in a variety of colors (black, bronze and white). The new design elements not only look great, but they also help to address problems that can plague outdoor structures that are exposed to the elements year-round.
“Where corners meet is often a problem area, and our new decorative fascia products solve that problem,” says Kelly.
Customers are loving the design options and new features, and referrals are fueling business growth. Kelly and his team are currently developing their plans for a national product launch later this year, under the new brand name Art DecKo.
With summer in full swing, and backyard fun a priority, home improvements like turning a simple deck into an attractive outdoor living area can add both style and function that families can enjoy for years to come.
