As seen in West Sound Home and Garden Magazine
Local Dave Tripp, owner of NW Millwork and Door said his friends like to call him “Doctor.” The nickname while playful, is telling of the secret behind Tripp’s success of over twenty years in the construction industry.
Tripp grew up in Bainbridge Island and has worn a number of hard hats in the construction biz locally, however, the title owner is still relatively fresh.
Four years ago he opened the Kingston custom millwork company, in which he owns and operates with his wife Julie Lohrer.
The nickname originated on a day out on the ocean with a friend.
“One day I was out shrimping with a friend and I have my own special system for keeping things organized; I like everything to have it’s own place, etc. I guess my friend was impressed by my meticulous way of doing this and said, ‘you are like a doctor’ and then I guess the name kind of stuck,” Tripp said.
This noticeable and very precise way of doing things isn’t limited to his play. In fact, one of the nicest compliments you can give Tripp is to tell him how clean his shop is.
“People are always shocked at how clean my shop is. I like an organized shop, where you can make sense of everything around you. I can’t work in chaos and I think my shop is a great reflection of how we operate as a company,” Tripp said.
In an industry where a great deal of hands can be handling one project, along with a significant amount of moving parts, a keen eye for detail is crucial and thus, a nickname like “doctor” might not be a bad nickname to have.
Vice President of Custom Residential Clark Construction, Jeff Kruger has worked with Tripp on several projects and echoed this sentiment.
“Dave is an artist, but he is more so a practitioner. He has an amazing attention to detail and a very thorough process that makes everything run smoother,” Kruger said.
This process, according to Tripp, includes nothing leaving the building without being double-checked by his own eyes and says this is why he is able to sleep at night.
“We have a motto here, that every board matters,” Tripp said. “Our grading standards, our selection standards, the things that we do, make a huge difference in the product that we put out.” Tripp said.
It’s not only the high quality of the work, according to Kruger, but also the exceptional customer service that makes him a returning client.
“I love working with him (Tripp) because he is extremely responsive with emails and calls and just overall communication,” Kruger said. “Sometimes he asks questions that I didn’t know I even wanted to ask,” Kruger said with a laugh.
The unasked questions, according to Tripp, are just part of his process. This method that creates the exceptional customer experience that is at the core of everything else Tripp does. He said those questions are there to save customers and clients time and money in the field.
“I like to ask questions that might seem redundant or even obvious, because I like to have all the discussions up front so what you are expecting you receive,” Tripp said.
Tripp said taking care of his customers is top priority.
“I’m a problem solver, I look for solutions, even if I didn’t cause the problem I will work to fix it. It’s just about seeing a job through and having the perseverance to make sure the product is done, regardless of what goes off track. You have to keep running the race until you get to the finish line, because that is what you are hired to do – to complete the job. That is what customer service is about, you do it with all your heart or don’t do it at all,” Tripp said.
NW Millwork and Door specializes in custom mouldings and millwork.
“I don’t think people understand how custom we can get. When we say custom, we mean exactly how you want it.” Tripp said.
And according to Tripp, custom doesn’t mean expensive.
“People ask why would they should do custom work, and ask isn’t that expensive? To which I say, you know what’s expensive? Installed bad moldings and bad millwork that doesn’t fit and then you have sand it and shim it and do all the weird things you have to do to make it work, it is better to do it right the first time, and doing it right is our bottom-line,” he said.
Tripp is a man of many values and tries to be as ethical as possible when it comes to business. He is of Christian faith and believes you don’t quit at anything in life, especially work.
“It’s easy to have character when things go well, real character is made when things don’t go well,” he said.”
Sentinel Construction David Godbolt began a project last year with Tripp and said he can attest to Tripp’s strong character.
“He is a man of integrity and just pleasant to be around,” Geobolt said.
Geobolt also credits Tripp’s wide variety in construction background to his success.
“He has worked all facets of this industry which gives him a unique understanding of the business, which makes an exceptional product and service,” Geobolt said.
Tripp agreed saying that his diverse background has given him the skills and language to get the job done.
“I’ve been the consumer, where I have purchased the product and it has to show up right. I’ve been the installer, where I needed to have the right measurements. I have been the General Contractor that’s trying to run my employees and received the phone calls where things didn’t show up right or venders didn’t show up on time and I’ve written the checks for the material. I’ve done my own remodel projects, I’ve done it all.”
When it comes down to it, Kruger said, “he is just a great guy that I am happy to have in my rolodex.”