Transcript of a Q & A we had with a Southern Colorado Fence Contractor: Red Dirt Fencing and Woodworking, LLC
We recently had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Matt Smith of Red Dirt Fencing and Woodworking, LLC (RD) in Colorado Springs. We learned about how this Southern Colorado Fence Contractor got started and where they hope to go in the years to come.
RMFP: Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, Matt! Can you tell us a little more about how Red Dirt Fencing got started?
RD: Yes, I actually used to partner with a few other people and they decided to go work on the pipeline in Texas around 2012. It was then that I decided to branch out on my own and I started Red Dirt Fencing.
RMFP: Nice, so you’ve been around since 2012 serving the Southern Colorado. What cities do you generally work in?
RD: We service all of Southern Colorado. We work in Colorado Springs, Fountain, Security/Widefield, Falcon, Peyton, Pueblo, Canon City and more.
RMFP: Are you originally from Colorado?
RD: No, actually I was born in Indiana, have lived in Connecticut and have been in Colorado for 30 years.
RMFP: So you’re basically a native then! Can you tell us more about the services that Red Dirt offers?
RD: Well, we started off doing basic privacy fence. We then branched off and learned more fence styles as we went. Now, we work in cedar privacy, split rail, ranch rail, post and dowel and vinyl fence. We don’t really work in concrete or chain link fencing.
RMFP: Are you mostly working on residential or commercial jobs?
RD: I would say that 95% of our work is done for residential customers.
RMFP: How do your clients normally find you?
RD: Most of our work comes in from word of mouth referrals. We are known for our quality of work and price, so we’ve been able to stay pretty busy with that.
RMFP: Nice, that really says something about the experience of working with you. Do you have any employees?
RD: I have one foreman, Brian, that has been working with me for 4-5 years. We run everything ourselves, and he is really more like a partner. A lot of the time, I don’t even have to be on the job site because Brian is able to run the majority of the job on his own.
RMFP: What do you like most about working in this industry?
RD: I love building custom fences and just the woodworking aspect of it. I love seeing the design of the fence come to fruition when it’s completed.
RMFP: What is your turnaround time for a project?
RD: We can usually complete a privacy fence in 2-4 days. We just did a custom job in Pueblo, that took a full week. We usually have 2-3 crews depending on time of year.
RMFP: What are your goals for the business in the years to come?
RD: We really try to concentrate on the quality of work, so we don’t need to get too big at this point. We provide warranty work and don’t want to have to go back, so we do the work right the first time. We hope the customer will come outside every day and be happy with their fence. Brian and I are going hard right now in the hopes of remaining self sustainable which will allow us the freedom to do other things.
RMFP: What are you doing when you’re not working?
RD: I am always traveling with my kids for sports. Both my son and daughter wrestle and we travel internationally for them. I would love to continue to have the freedom to travel.
RMFP: That’s great! Can you share a crazy fence installation story?
RD: Nothing too crazy about the installation itself, but I did get attacked by a goat on a job site recently!
RMFP: That is definitely not something that happens every day. What are some of the most prestigious projects you’ve worked on?
RD: The job we just did in Pueblo was pretty rewarding. It’s more of a staining project- but the posts, rails and top caps are darker than pickets. We also did a Japanese style fence in Colorado Springs (image below), where the homeowner got idea from a Japanese garden.
If you’re looking for a quality, affordable Southern Colorado fence contractor, reach out to Red Direct Fencing and Woodworking LLC. You can call them at (719) 440-9506 or follow them on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/reddirtfencing
