In addition
to being good for the environment, refinishing doors is one
instance where it is actually cheaper to recycle.
"The cost
of refinishing is better than the cost of replacing," he said. "And
my doors look better than new."
Lamb owned
his own business in Chicago before moving to the Valley nearly
10 years ago.
"I took
a vacation out here, and I knew I would move here before the
plane landed," Lamb said. "When the plan broke through the
clouds, I said I would move here within two years. I moved
out here one year and nine months later."
Saving the
environment is not what prompted Lamb to launch his business
a year ago. After years of job-hopping, primarily as a contract
painter, he grew tired of the boom-and-bust cycle of construction
work. Hoping to avoid another layoff, he decided to become
his own boss.
"The appeal
of being self-employed has always been strong," he said.
But why
doors?
"Doors are
more than just a want, they are a necessity," he explained. "When
you sell a house, the first thing a person goes through is
the door. It's the initial attraction."
Lamb discovered
he needed just a small investment to get started. He bought
a truck, which doubles as his office, to haul the needed supplies.
To find clients, he used direct marketing, a skill he learned
while working for an advertising firm during a hiatus from
painting.
He quickly
found that Arizona was the perfect place to operate a refinishing
business because the climate is especially rough on doors.
"The Arizona
heat destroys them," he said. "If it's not direct sunlight
or UV (ultra-violet) light, it's the wind that wears down the
finish. Varnish protects from heat and UV rays. Varnish is
the sacrificing agent"
The same
Arizona heat that destroys the doors is also what can make
the refinishing process unbearable.
"Many companies
want to take your door leaving you with a big hole in the front," Lamb
said. "My focus is to refinish the door at your home. I remover
the door and set up in the garage. And yes, I do go to a chiropractor."
Because
there are three steps to refinishing a door, Lamb, the sole
employee of Bill's Door Refinishing Co., will make three trips
to the client's location.
Ladies and
gentlemen, the doors, Ralph Madsen and Bill Lamb (back work
on a project. "I enjoy doing a good job," says Lamb (standing
before a finished job, above). "I enjoy working with wood,
I enjoy refinishing."
On the first
trip, Lamb removes the door from its hinges, strips it to the
bare wood and applies the first coat of varnish. On the second
and third trips, he hand-applies the second and third coats of
varnish while the doors are hanging. The process takes about
a week.
"We have to
allow plenty of drying time," Lamb said. "My Saturdays and Sundays
are filled putting on the final coat. That's when you find people
home. You've got to leave the door open to let the final coat
dry."
If time is
any indication, Lamb's business booming. He is booking appointments
three weeks in advance, although he's also taking appointments
for up to three months out because some customers choose to wait
till the hot summer is over.
Lamb averages
about five to seven doors a week and relies a lot on word of
mouth for business. "I'm building up a reference base with satisfied
clients," he said. "I had to jump-start my business through direct
marketing, then the referral could kick in. But nothing will
run you out of business quicker than a bad reference. You're
only as good as your last few doors."
And Lamb enjoys
his work.
"The doors
look so good when they're done, I get goose bumps," he said.
