One Year Later and All Around
Reflection on 2024
It’s quite astounding to sit here and think about what we’ve done and where we’ve come as a small business. And as we march towards our 5th anniversary this year, we are proud to say that HIRS continues to grow in the number of customers, the size of projects, the team, and impact on the community. We continued to market solely by word-of-mouth, and are the busiest we’ve been to date. In 2024, 65% of customers were repeat from 2023, continuing to show dedication to our quality of work and customer satisfaction. Our new clients this year found us directly from referrals, were neighbors of current customers, or found us through Google. The majority of projects were focused on bedroom remodels and bathroom upgrades. Throughout the year, we also hired and trained four, part-time laborers - 2 of which were women.
In addition to home projects, early in the year we attended a tiny home-building workshop and the local residential remodeling conference in Rhode Island. We also met several times with Founder and Program Director Elaine Hamel of Girls at Work, a non-profit based in Manchester, New Hampshire whose mission is to empower girls with power tools. HIRS also met several times over zoom and in-person with the Founder and CEO Tatu Gatere of Buildher, a technical training facility for women in construction in Nairobi, Kenya. We also networked and connected with the Alvirne High School Building Program and International Institute of New England as a possible options for recruitment and collaboration.
HIRS looks to expand these conversations into partnerships in 2025 with the goal of increasing collaboration with women-owned organizations that are educating, training, and encouraging women in construction.
Bathroom Renovation: Start to Finish
In the Moment
HIRS has mostly scheduled out the first half of 2025 with bedroom and bathroom remodels, among other small projects. We are excited to see where the year takes us, what challenges we can overcome, and the relationships and community we form and create.
This past fall, HIRS was invited to participate in the UNH Entrepreneur Internship Program. Gabe Rock joined us part-time to learn the ins and outs of running a small residential remodeling company. He focused most of the semester on improving operational process and creating a marketing plan from scratch that we’re already starting to implement. Gabe was hired on to continue working part-time, and will spearhead a social media buildout, as well as diving into the operations of estimating, invoices, and bookkeeping.
To strive towards our mission and goals, we have currently hired one part-time woman who is training and improving her skills daily. She continues to help our field team be more efficient, timely, and kick-ass. In 2025 we’ll be continuing to search, hire, and train women and individuals looking to learn and grow in the remodeling space.
Van Upgrade
We (finally!) upgraded from the previous 2003 Ford cargo van to a 2016 Ram Pro. When we embarked on this journey 4 years ago, we purchased the Ford van with the intention that it might last one year - it was in poor shape to begin, with rust falling off in chunks each time the doors closed. It wasn’t meant to last 4 years, but proved to be a solidly built vehicle that just kept running (…with a new starter and some engine coolant). The final straw was leaking gas while filling it up at the gas station. It was time.
With the closure of Chunky’s in Pelham, HIRS was able to purchase the Ram Pro they were selling. Thank you to Jean-Guys Annex on Bridge Street for making it happen. And it’s an upgrade! …..with automatic windows and locks, Bluetooth, a back-up camera, a smooth, quiet and reliable ride, and most importantly — a high roof for standing and organizing tools. It’s taken a minute to clean, prep, and migrate the shelves and tools (especially over winter time when it’s freezing) but it was a worthy and much needed investment.
Onward and Upward into 2025
In 2025 HIRS is on a mission to continue building our team, both in the field and administratively. We are looking to collaborate with partners in the industry to achieve this goal, and also create opportunities not only locally, but globally. The future of HIRS provides opportunities, assists homeowners and communities, and works towards common solutions for industry challenges.
We have a full vision, not only in residential remodeling, but one that hires and trains women, networks across the industry, and focuses on expanding scope into other areas of construction. Small and tiny home building and development is something we continue to research, while Girls at Work, Wild Abundance, and Buildher are examples of companies we look up to, want to emulate, and eventually collaborate and partner.
HIRS looks forward to a robust year ahead of execution, planning, development, and growth. May the same apply to you, your family, and your goals. Stay tuned for the next newsletter and follow the story on Facebook or Instagram.
A few of our renovations below from 2024:
THE ORIGINS
Home Improvement and Renovation Services (HIRS) is a woman-owned, family-operated business specializing in residential remodeling and repairs across southern New Hampshire. Founded in 2020, HIRS has grown organically through word-of-mouth referrals, offering a wide range of services, focusing on including interior renovations such as kitchen, bedroom, and bath remodels, flooring, doors and windows, painting, finish work, and custom carpentry.
With over 65 years of combined expertise, the team delivers superior knowledge, professional service, and a commitment to quality. HIRS focuses on communication, attention to detail, and integrity - fostering strong relationships with both new and repeat customers.
Thank you for being a part of our journey – we’re fascinated to see where it goes and will continue to share our story and mission with the HIRS community. We’re going to aim to publish monthly updates throughout 2025!
