By Irene Jones
By Irene Jones
A century ago, in 1906, a stonemason from Scotland named John Anderson, stepped off the boat at Ellis Island to begin his American Dream -- working in construction, a trade that has been handed down in the Anderson family for five generations. Today, on the other side of the continent, his great-grandson, Brad Anderson, and his son, Ian, are maintaining the family tradition under the name Brad Anderson Construction, Inc., based in Arroyo Grande.
Brad's main focus has been commercial construction but he recently "crossed-over" into residential development and even built his own 10,000 sq. ft. home in Arroyo Grande. His "sphere of influence," as he calls it, reaches from the Bay area in San Francisco, to Los Angeles and 90 percent of his work is now negotiated on a cost-plus basis.
"We are a mid-sized company," he explains. "We run very lean and mean. Our goal is to do the best job possible in the least amount of time for the least amount of money. We focus on quality service with a personal touch. I personally oversee all our projects, in conjunction with my supervisors. I never want become so big that I lose that control." His volume ranges between $3.5 million and $7 million annually. Brad credits his success to his subcontractors and their commitment to a job well done.
"Our subcontractors are our business," he maintains. "We treat them like our extended family and we always will because that is the only way contractors can continue to be successful. During the slow economic times, we took care of our subcontractors, because their success is our success. We run our business as a family business, and that means that not only my staff and crews and carpenters and laborers are considered family, but also our subs." He also credits his success to his superintendent, Bill Ludwig, and his chief estimator, Mark Hughes.
Brad has worked in construction since he was a teenager in the Bay area, and even though his father was in the business, he wanted to experience other companies . He obtained a job in Los Angeles until he was offered a position in San Luis Obispo County. All along the way he acquired knowledge that would lead him to his own business. Five years later, in 1987, he obtained his own general contractor's license and has been building his own excellent reputation ever since. He also holds a general engineering license, but mainly focuses on general business construction, and recently, residential development which will include single-family homes in a standard track development.
"That makes ten good years of working my own business," he reminisces. Some of these memories include the fast-track jobs he completed recently. His company completed a interior/exterior renovation job in four days for a melodrama/restaurant firm, The Great American Melodrama, in Oceano. This included 24-hour a day work, starting with gutting the entire interior, including the foundation slab (except for the stage area), and even redoing the exterior with new ramps, sidewalks, parking lot and landscaping. In four long/short days -- between shows -- they were able to complete the project with new electrical, plumbing, cement , drywall and finish work, and the show went on, so to speak, on time. This fast track reputation continued with the 10,000 sq. ft. renovation of a clothing store in nine days, and at the Santa Barbara Hotel when he was required to gut the entire building and have it ready for business as a four-diamond hotel in six months. The project experienced a delay for six weeks while in progress because of local permit problems and he still was able to bring the project in within two weeks of the original schedule.
Even with his own home, a 10,000 sq. foot $1.5 million Spanish styled mansion nestled in the hills of Arroyo Grande, Brad was able to complete the project and his family moved in within 6_ months. The home includes a 2100 sq. ft. indoor swimming pool room, a 1500 sq. ft. recreation room with barbecue fireplace and bar, and an oversized 3-car garage. Tile throughout the interior gives the softer designer's touch, as does the indirect lighting. The Anderson's home has been the setting for many local parties, banquets, meetings, and conventions. They've even had a wedding there for one of their superintendents. It boasts many unusual, unique aspects, including the 21-foot bar made from a bowling lane, and 250 yards of concrete in the foundation. He jokes about the home building process and his 23-year marriage. "They say if you can build a house and stay married, then you've got a good marriage. We did both so now we have a good house and as well as a good marriage." His wife, Marlene, supported his decision to start his own company and worked in the office until 1996, but now enjoys being a homemaker for their two children, Bonnie and Ian, and doing volunteer work in the community.
Brad is no stranger to volunteer work, either. He serves on the board of directors for the Santa Maria Contractors' Association, is past president of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Pismo Beach, is on the facilities advisory committee for the San Luis Obispo YMCA, and is a member of the Arroyo Grande Police Policy Committee. He is active with the Shrine Children's Hospital out of Los Angeles, and his company is donating time and efforts to upgrade the South County Boys and Girls Club in Oceano.
Brad expects his company to grow but he is going to keep it at a steady, slow growth, he says. Now that the California economy has turned around, he sees a bright future in the construction industry. He is working for managed growth along the South/Central Coast over the next 10 to 20 years. He hopes to have his son, Ian, take over the business sometime in the future.
"Construction has been in the family for the past 100 years," he muses. "I suspect, with Ian now getting into the business and enjoying it so, that it could easily be in the family for another 100 years. And that would be good." If the family industry follows the pattern of integrity and maintains the solid reputation exhibited by Brad Anderson & Associates over the past decade, the South/Central Coast has a lot to look forward to through the next century.
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