How I started my Business
How I started GCR Builders

Scott Barker

Timber
I have always enjoyed working with my hands, building and repairing things. In the ‘90s, I invested in a building in downtown Galveston to develop the first floor for commercial use and the upper spaces for residential lofts. Most of the work I did myself, but when I needed help, I hired contractors. Often the quality of work was not acceptable, and I had to complete the job to get the quality that I wanted. Many contractors showed up late or missed appointments.
I became frustrated. It was often hard to get a comprehensive estimate in a timely manner. I found many contractors were not very professional or ethical. Communication was lacking.
The idea came to me: What if I started a construction company with these goals:
- Operate in an ethical and professional manner
- Provide detailed and accurate estimates in a timely manner
- Offer excellent service and sound advice to each customer
- Be punctual about start times and appointments
- Communicate clearly with customers and employees
- Hire people with excellent skills and strong work ethic
- Create a healthy work environment and professional culture where employees would be motivated to strive for excellence.
I thought customers would appreciate this quality of service and would support this business philosophy. I challenged myself to make it happen.
A personal note about us: My wife and I believe in rescuing pets. Timber is our 5th adoption and a very loyal family member who appreciates having a family and especially a home with two regular meals a day. He is a mut, part hound and part German Shepherd. He loves his tennis balls, tug of war games and food treats. Timber’s only bad trait is that he hates to share his toys with us. So we must be very sneaky to get them away from him so we can enjoy them.
