When asked what he’s been up to lately, Richard Marks answered, “The same old thing.” But for Marks, who specializes in historic restoration, “old” refers to the splendid 17th- and 18th-century buildings of the Carolina Lowcountry. “Same” describes his company’s standard of quality, which equals that of the craftsmen who produced these antique masterworks. Charleston, S.C., has provided Marks with a career’s worth of opportunities to “extend the lives of these old buildings,” he says, and to “make sure they’re around for another couple hundred years.”
Over the past 25 years, Marks has assembled a staff with expertise in fine reproduction woodwork, masonry restoration, decorative plaster, and a full complement of other Old World trades—and most workers are skilled in more than one, he adds. But the heart of the matter is finish carpentry that rises to the level of fine furniture. “The buildings we work on are nothing more than hundreds or thousands of pieces of furniture all put together,” explains Marks, whose finish carpenters also repair antiques and build reproduction pieces. “When things slow down in the field, I can take guys into the shop and make things.”
That flexibility is an asset in a market that has contracted sharply from its peak of two years ago. “While Charleston is still a destination city for people of means,” Marks notes, “people are very price-conscious.” Marks now shops for discounts, but only where it won’t affect quality. “We still look for the best material to do like-kind repair or restoration,” he says. Fortunately, most clients share his devotion to old houses and will cut back their appliance budget or reduce a project’s scope before compromising authenticity. “People hire us because they know we’re going to do right by these old buildings.”
Last year’s volume was down almost $2 million from 2008, but Marks welcomes the slower pace. “Our volume is just about where it was in the mid-1990s,” he says, “which was pretty comfortable.” And his priorities remain where they have always been. “I’m more worried about messing up one of these old buildings than I am of not making enough money.”
Richard Marks Restorations, Charleston, S.C.
Type of business: Historic restoration
Years in business: 25
Employees: 30
2009 volume: $7 million
2009 starts: 6
