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Master Craftsmen offering excellence in new custom homes, larger remodeling projects and historically-sensitive renovations. Serving Rochester, NY since 1951 with a focus on the towns of Pittsford, Fairport, Victor, Penfield, Palmyra, Macedon, Canandaigua, Mendon and projects in Monroe, Ontario and Wayne counties. Call today: 315-597-5841
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Building and Rebuilding
Tradition
Van Scott Builders, Inc.
Van Scott’s warehouse includes a complete woodworking facility, as well as offices and materials storage areas. That’s because the company’s stock-in-trade includes, among its specialties, this remodeling and restoration of traditional and historic buildings, and the intricate, ornate millwork that is often required for this type of project. With a well-equipped shop, staffed by talented carpenters, Van Scott Builders, Inc. now constructs new homes, as well as remodeling and restoring existing structures. Looking Back
During the 1950’s, the brothers were primarily spot builders. Toward the end of the decade, as the business matured, they took in a third partner, and began some land development and tract building. Although building in tracts, all of the Van Scott homes were pre-sold and custom-built by qualified staff employees, rather than using less expensive, less consistent subcontractors. The Van Scotts had adopted a policy of spending their “advertising dollars” to assure each customer was totally satisfied, and therefore assuring themselves of a steady supply of referrals and sales leads. Early in the 1970’s, Joseph Van Scott purchased the total ownership of the company from his retiring partners, and expanded into the remodeling business to serve to changing needs of the owners of existing Van Scott-built homes. Word spread quickly through the company’s market areas of Canandaigua, Sodus Point and the historic canal town of Palmyra, Macedon and Fairport that the Van Scotts were now in the remodeling business, as well as building new homes.
Resurgence of Custom Home Building
Realizing continues expansion involves keeping an elite group of tradespeople motivated and productive, Van Scott Builders has taken several steps, such as retaining the services of a prominent motivational trainer to conduct a series of seminars to foster employee interaction. The company also offers a health insurance program, pension plan, and advancement opportunities, all designed to promote employee longevity and satisfaction. As Paul explains, “People are the key to our business, and we are willing to make a substantial investment in the best people we can find.”
When you ask Van Scott family member to
describe their business philosophy in a single word, several adjectives
come up—words like quality, consistency, dependability, professionalism,
involvement and skill. That is the way the Van Scott family want to keep
it, and why they continue to be hands-on builders. If that limit what
the company can produce, that’s all right with them. Van Scott quality
speaks for itself, and that is a 46-year tradition that will not be
compromised. |
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The
village of Palmyra, New York is steeped in more than two centuries of
history; it is the birthplace of the Mormon religion. It is known for a
church on each corner on the main intersection, and for a flagpole
patterned after the Eiffel Tower. Palmyra is also a port on the historic
Erie Canal. There is a warehouse on Canal Street, along the banks of
Clinton’s Ditch, that dates from the period when the canal was a
thriving commercial waterway. Though unrestored, this building does not
wear the ravages of time. Instead, it continues to serve as a reminder
of this canal town’s colorful past. Inside, the building’s purpose is
far different from what it was when built during the 19th century.
Today, the old warehouse serves as the headquarters for Van Scott
Builders, Inc.
Van
Scott Builders, Inc. traces its heritage to 1948, when brothers Joseph
and Charles Van Scott, both construction technology graduates of New
York University at Delhi, established a custom carpentry business.
During the post-World War II building boom, they offered their services
as contract carpenters to the busy home builders in the Irondequoit
area. In 1951, Joseph and Charles moved to Palmyra and formed Van Scott
Brothers, Inc. to build custom homes.
In
the late 1970’s Van Scott Builders, Inc. took on a new dimension when
Joseph’s youngest son, Peter, joined the staff. Peter Van Scott is a
very precise person, with a tremendous talent for cabinetmaking and
millwork fabrication. His talents enabled Van Scott Builders to recreate
missing or damaged woodwork for older homes. This launched the company
into the restoration of many of the older historic homes in the Finger
Lakes area. 
Today,
the remodeling and restoration business continues to grow along with a
resurgence of true custom-built new homes. The company now employs 10
people, and an equal number of specialized subcontractors. Supplementing
the actual construction, the Van Scotts employ the services of a
designer and several architects to take a client’s ideas from inception
to planning and though completion. Paul explains that staff people
handle all project management, carpentry, and finish work.
Subcontractors and suppliers, many of whom have been associated with the
form for several decades, are specialists contracted primarily for their
expertise in their respective fields. 
In
addition to residential projects, their endeavors include a large
plaster renovation for a Manchester, New York church ceiling that had
recently suffered a substantial amount of water damage. Several area
churches regularly employ the Van Scotts for their structural and
cosmetic needs. The firm also works for the local historical societies
to preserve and protect the local landmarks. Museum and library curators
have found their way to the Van Scotts’ old warehouse for casework and
display fabrications. One such museum houses one of the world’s largest
collections of antique and unusual clocks, many of which are
irreplaceable. Some of these clocks had to be in sealed enclosures, but
still displayed. The Van Scott craftsmen built beautiful oak-and-glass
display cabinets for the museum to show off its collection.
In
the past decade, Van Scott Builders’ volume has increased tenfold,
placing the firm solidly in the top two percent of the nation’s modeling
contractors. Joe Van Scott attributes the company’s success to their
hands-on approach to every job. The company’ next step may be a showroom
to display its millwork capabilities and cabinetry wares, but, as Van
Scott points out, the company is compromised of skilled craftspeople,
rather than marketers, noting that these are the first authorized
photographs of company projects!
Master
Craftsmen Since 1951