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June 18 2009
STAYING NIMBLE from page B5
and husband, Michael Watch, who
doubled the size of their Waterford
home, sitting on Watkins Lake, to
3,500 square feet. "We loved the
lake and loved the view and decid-
ed to just add on," Keller says.
It was not just your garden vari-
ety add on. The 58-year-old house
actually was a log cabin. The couple
renovated the interior 15 years ago
when they bought the home.
"Two years ago, our goal was to
expand the house and maintain the
logs," says Keller, former executive
director of Farmington Hills-based
JARC. "You could see the contrac-
tors rolling their eyes, not under-
standing" what was wanted.
The Walches wanted the addition
to be made of logs and Gittleman
was enthusiastic about doing the
job, she says.
Ultimately, most of the logs had
to be replaced and those remaining
now comprise the couple's office.
Still a lot of wood remains in the
house and "Scott maintained a ski-
lodge feel," Keller says.
The Walches hired Gittleman
through word of mouth and ads in
the Jewish News.
"We saw some of his work ... We
really connected with him," Keller
says. "It's tough to build a house;
but to expand it is even worse. He
knew how to work with a customer."
An elderly Bloomfield Township
couple who asked that their names
not be used hired Gittleman to build
a first-floor, 400-square-foot addi-
tion office/bedroom that ultimately
will be converted into a library and
computer room. "We decided we
are going to stay here forever," the
woman said.
Gittleman also came recommend-
ed through word of mouth, including
the couple's daughter who hired his
company to build an extra bedroom.
The couple says Gittleman and
his construction crew were "very
cooperative, on time and the quality
was excellent in every respect."
Gittleman, 50, started his com-
pany in 1978 while still an archi-
tecture student at Lawrence Tech,
Southfield. In those early days, he
concentrated on millwork, custom
kitchens, built-ins and great-room
additions.
As there was little work for
an architect in the early 1980s,
Gittleman kept his company primar-
ily designing, building and remodel-
ing homes, with some commercial
business, notably medical and gen-
Joyce Keller and Michael Watch take
in the view on the upper level of their
Waterford home.
eral offices. Today, his business is
95 percent residential.
His client base these days sits on
two extremes of the age spectrum.
On one end are young families with
no children or young children who
are deciding to stay in their houses
for 20 years. They are looking at
enlarging kitchens and bathrooms
and enhancing laundry rooms and
bedroom, he says.
At the other end are Gittleman's
older clients, in their 70s and 80s,
who have decided to stay in their
homes rather than enter assisted-
living complexes. They often
request a master suite be built on
the main floor.
Gittleman does not have as
many projects in the pipeline and
is beginning to feel the impact of
the economy. He also downsized at
the right time to accommodate the
anticipated volume.
"We used to have jobs that were
six months out. Now we can begin
a project within 30 days," he says.
In the paradox that is today's
economy, he says there are more
jobs "out there now than there were
last year."
Three years ago, Gittleman was
generating $5 million a year in rev-
enue, anticipating that this year he
would be doing $10 million. He's on
track to do $3 million, and make a
profit.
"The game has changed," he
says, noting that when the exist-
ing inventory of foreclosed houses
begins to dry up, these houses will
be purchased cheaply by new own-
ers and cry out for renovation.
"They are in very bad shape."