Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Chatham.
Chatham Construction Company traces its roots back long before incorporation. Beginning in the late 1940’s, Rev. Marvin Chatham, Kevin’s grandfather, was a construction and real estate professional. During the summers, he would put his three sons on job sites to learn various trades. From the hands-on experience gained in the field, one of his sons, Mark Chatham, would go on to become a successful builder, remodeler and real estate professional.
In the 1980’s, Mark Chatham would carry on the family tradition by putting his son, Kevin Chatham, to work in the construction industry as well. During the summers, Kevin would sweep out houses, clean up job sites and learn about various construction trades in the field. This experience would later result in Kevin being passionate about the construction industry.
Now, three generations later, Chatham Construction Company continues the family legacy of being a leader in the construction industry. Chatham Construction Company employs professionals with a variety of backgrounds in the construction and engineering industries. Our construction teams are personal, professional and work with the client’s best interest in mind. In fact, prior to working at Chatham Construction Company, our team members have worked for large Atlanta contractors and engineering firms, leading projects with values up to $100 million.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Running a successful construction company isn’t easy. The industry is full of risks and challenges that can result in failure. One of the obstacles that has to be overcome is cash flow. Cash flow, the amount of money coming in and going out, needs to be properly managed to ensure success. Maintaining positive cash flow is crucial to our business. At Chatham Construction Company, we work hard to properly manage our projects, budgets and operating capital. In this industry, it is imperative to ensure you are not over-leveraging, tying up working capital and over-investing in fixed assets that are underutilized.
Project performance is another challenge that has to be strictly managed. Ensuring that we deliver profitable projects begins before signing contracts or commencing construction. Chatham Construction Company works diligently to perform our due diligence when estimating a project to ensure our clients do not have the necessary added costs during the work. Failure to properly manage the workforce, budget and equipment can result in low margins that can cause sustainability issues.
Our firm works hard to differentiate ourselves by the quality of our people and our relentless drive to deliver successful projects by aligning our capabilities to our clients’ objectives to create a lasting, positive impact. Failure to innovate and adapt to technological changes in the industry can also present challenges. At Chatham Construction Company, we use a number of resources to ensure we are adapting to the continued technological advances in the industry. Our founder & CEO, Kevin Chatham, is also a part-time professor at Kennesaw State University in the Construction Management department. This allows the firm to stay up-to-date with industry advances and changes as they occur. As the complexity of construction projects increases, it is important to continue innovating and incorporating these new technologies and digital tools into your construction business for continued success in the future.
Chatham Construction Company – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Chatham Construction Company is a state-licensed general contractor in Georgia. Our firm has both a residential and commercial division. Our residential division specializes in new homes, basements, additions and restoration services. Our commercial division specializes in construction management, design/build, tenant improvements/build-outs, owner improvements/build-outs and restoration services.
Our company is proud of our industry partners and subcontractors that make the work we do possible. We partner with the best subcontractors in the industry to ensure that we consistently produce quality work that is performed on-time and within budget.
We are set apart by our people, long-term industry connections and quality workmanship. In particular, our team members have worked for large general contractors, engineering firms and consulting firms. Our founder and CEO, Kevin Chatham, has a background in residential and commercial construction, engineering, real estate, property management and construction consulting. With this varied background, he has positioned the firm to be a leader in the industry with a unique set of skills that rivals other construction companies. Another aspect that sets our firm apart is our partner company, Chatham Realty Group. Not only can our firm perform your construction work, but we can also assist in property acquisitions or dispositions. With wide-ranging experience on both sides of the table, we offer clients an unrivaled perspective on the opportunities and risks involved in a given sale, purchase or construction project.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Financial results are obviously an indicator of contractor success. However, the financial success of a construction firm is also a result of many other important business factors. Although not an exhaustive list, the following are also important aspects of being successful in this industry.
1) Performance: it’s important that we monitor cash flow so our financial results exceed industry norms in terms of margins, returns and sustainable growth.
2) Industry Partners: our subcontractors, vendors and other industry partners are an invaluable part of what makes Chatham Construction Co. successful. By partnering with others that value quality workmanship while maintaining the project schedule and budget is extremely important. Our relationships are key to our continued growth and success.
3) Sustainability: since the construction industry is sensitive to market fluctuations, it is important to ensure our firm performs well in both good and bad economic times by pivoting our services and capabilities to adhere to current market conditions. Our leadership team works hard to ensure that we are performing work consistent with market trends and demands that are ever-changing.
4) Servant Leadership: we have found that the most successful companies tend to be purpose-driven. At Chatham Construction Co., we believe leadership isn’t about taking charge and dominating; it is about finding ways to make others around you more successful and employing those that adhere to a certain set of standards that ensures success for all involved in a project.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.builtbychatham.com and www.chathamrealty.net
- Phone: 678-699-8081
- Email: info@builtbychatham.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChathamConstruction/ and https://www.facebook.com/chathamrealtygroup/
Image Credit:
Connie Chatham, VP Marketing & Business Development
Kevin Chatham, Founder & CEO
Mark Chatham, Operations Manager
Older picture – Middle is Howard Chatham (Kevin’s great uncle) and far right is Marvin Chatham (Kevin’s grandfather). Both were construction and real estate professionals and have since passed away.
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
