During its 42 years in business, Keystone Custom Decks has expanded its offerings beyond decks. It can now create amazing outdoor living spaces with fireplaces, kitchens, patios, water features, and more.
Founded in Pennsylvania by Amos Esh, it continues its legacy as a family-owned and operated business. “Amos passed away a few years ago, but sons Marv, the CEO, and Michael, the CFO, are running the business,” says marketing manager Marcus Stoltzfus.
The excellent service and high-quality, high-end craftsmanship that has made the company so successful since 1983 has not wavered. Last year, Keystone Custom Decks opened an office in Greenbrier.
“The nice thing is that our general manager and some of our crew members in Tennessee used to work in Pennsylvania,” he says. “So, it's the same type of craftsmanship and customer service that we’ve always provided. Our ownership team is also very involved.”
Being able to handle so many aspects of outdoor spaces means that homeowners don’t have to work with multiple contractors. “It’s all one team, so there's no conflict of communication, which can cause stress on the homeowner. We take care of everything, including all the permits, which is a huge win for the customer.” The company builds year-round and can install outdoor heating systems so people can enjoy these spaces even in the middle of winter.
Since every project is customized and tailored to the client, a salesperson will make an initial visit to take measurements and send up a drone to fly around the property. “We capture all the images and videos that are needed and they send that to our design team,” says Marcus. “Every single person that walks through our door gets a custom 3D complimentary rendering which usually culminates in a minute and a half video. No matter what you need, we'll design it and build it.”
While customized outdoor areas can be expensive to do all at once, Keystone can do it in phases, according to customers’ wants and needs. “Oftentimes, they are so happy with us that they ask us back for phase two and phase three, or if they’ve moved to a new house, they ask us to come out again.”
The company also believes it’s important to educate clients when it comes to materials. “We recently did a project in Brentwood where they tore out their old deck, and then we were able to come in and rebuild it,” he says. “In PA, composite PVC decking material is the norm, but here, they're still building wood decks. This is where the education comes in. We are creating products that are going to last for a long time, maintenance free.”
While wood will rot, he explains that composite decking is going to last forever and actually look better. There’s no need to re-stain it or do anything to it.
Another important company value is hospitality. “For example, in PA, if you sign a contract, we have a wine cellar, so you get a bottle of wine. Or, during a project, if a foreman or a salesperson finds out something about the client - let's say they’re having a birthday or unfortunately went through a funeral - we'll send flowers.”
While building outdoor kitchens, they have filled refrigerators with customers’ favorite drinks and have even given them tickets to see their favorite sports teams.
These thoughtful gestures mean a lot. “When you look at Google reviews, typically you'll see a sentence or two, but the folks that work with us leave two, three, four-paragraph reviews,” says Marcus. “It really speaks to our reputation and the kind of people who are in your backyard every day.”
To see a list of all of Keystone Custom Decks services, visit their website.
“It’s all one team, so there's no conflict of communication, which can cause stress on the homeowner. We take care of everything, including all the permits, which is a huge win for the customer.”