Heart of the Entrepreneur | Blueprint For Success

Photos by JOHN BURNS

If you’ve ever asked for a recommendation for home remodeling in Topeka, you’ve probably heard the name PDQ Construction Inc.

PDQ has remodeled thousands of Topeka homes for more than 20 years. They’ve grown from a tiny, locally owned company to a 30-person crew with a combined total of 70 years of experience. Their success is driven not only by word of mouth marketing and satisfied customer referrals, but also by owner Mike Pressgrove’s simple life philosophy.

“Do a good job, do what you say you’re going to do, and surround yourself with good people,” Pressgrove said. “That’s what I’ve done. I’ve made trustworthy partners in the business world, and I’ve hired good people who work hard, and treated them well.”

He credited his father’s values for honing his strong work ethic as a child.

“Dad was a carpenter and I’d go out with him in the summer,” Pressgrove said. “He was tough as nails. He survived the Great Depression, and built bombers and fighter planes during World War II. He did all of his carpentry with hand tools, but anything we needed, he built. We lived on 160 acres with a huge garden, and he was mostly self-sufficient. He had an amazing work ethic.”

Pressgrove worked hard on his family home throughout his youth, learning many carpentry and construction skills, but decided after high school that he wanted to do something different. Looking back, he laughs at that decision.

“I thought being a carpenter like my dad was way too much work,” Pressgrove said, “so I joined the Air Force and became a crew chief. Basically, I was a glorified mechanic.”

After his service in the Air Force, Pressgrove returned to Topeka to look for work. When he saw that the former base housing in Montara was undergoing remodeling and renovation, he decided to return to his roots in construction. Pressgrove found that he enjoyed fixing up homes to make them comfortable for families again, and quickly became a skilled remodeler under the guidance of excellent mentors.

After eight years of remodeling work, he decided to go into business for himself. In 1994, Pressgrove teamed up with his friend Rodger Doherty to form Pressgrove and Doherty Quality Construction, the very first iteration of PDQ Construction.

“Doherty was an incredible carpenter,” Pressgrove said, “and he came up with our name and tagline.”That tagline says everything about PDQ’s standard for workmanship and service: “The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the cheap price is forgotten.”

BUILDING BUSINESS SKILLS

Pressgrove remembers a turning point in his profession when he attended the 2006 National Remodeler’s Show, hosted by the National Association of Homebuilders. It was an opportunity to see new products and further one’s education.

Pressgrove had a lot of hands-on skills but no formal business training. When he took a four-hour test at the conference to see how close he could get to scoring as a Certified Remodeler, he found that he had more to learn than he expected.

“I kind of expected to blast the thing out of the water,” Pressgrove said, “but it was pretty humbling, because I really had a lot to learn on the business side. The National Association of Homebuilders offers amazing classes, and every one of them taught me something valuable. The program didn’t teach me to be a remodeler, it taught me to run a remodeling business.”

Pressgrove earned a Certified Graduate Remodeler certification and upgraded to Master Remodeler after several years in practice. At the time, he was one of only two Master Remodelers in the state of Kansas. He has since earned certifications as a Certified Green Professional and a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist.

His other mission has been to build a strong network of professional remodelers in Topeka, helping each other find support and camaraderie. Pressgrove joined the Remodeler’s Council of the Topeka Chapter of the National Association of Homebuilders in 2006. At the time, the meetings were mostly social. Pressgrove expressed interest in tackling some useful topics and skills at the meetings, and eventually took on a role as chairman of the Topeka Professional Remodelers Council. The number of participants tripled within a few months.

“It can be hard to share ideas in the same marketplace, but here, we are not in competition,” Pressgrove said. “We support each other so that we can all grow, and there is plenty of work for everyone.”

Pressgrove went on to become the chairman of the board for the Topeka Homebuilders’ Association, the first remodeler to hold the post. He has also represented Topeka as a delegate to the National Homebuilders’ Association for the last 10 years.

In February of 2024, he was sworn in as the chairman of the board of trustees for the National Association of Homebuilders’ Remodelers Council – the second Kansan ever to hold the role. As part of his duties, he will travel to visit councils around the country and attend a Remodeling Futures conference at Harvard University. He will then deliver a report on the state of remodeling to the chairman of the United States Federal Reserve.

“Remodeling used to be kind of the small potatoes in the homebuilding industry,” Pressgrove said. “We didn’t have as much professional representation, and remodeling issues and topics weren’t being discussed as widely. Today, nearly 45% of the business of revenue tracked through the National Homebuilder’s Association is related to remodeling. Our industry has seen tremendous growth, and it’s not slowing down.”

INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF BUILDERS

PDQ Construction was, at one point, co-owned by a group of five friends that included Pressgrove’s brother. The original group has dwindled over the years as folks moved on or retired. A year and a half ago, founding member Rick Hudkins retired, leaving Mike Pressgrove as the last man standing.

“Rick is an amazing craftsman and has been here with support and ideas since the beginning,” Pressgrove said. “Now it’s just me.”

Pressgrove knows that the workforce driving the remodeling industry is aging, and young people are needed to carry it forward. One of his personal missions is to make sure that young people know that skilled trades, like construction, are a great option for those who want to make good money doing hands-on work.

“I speak to classes in high schools and at Washburn Tech and let them know that it really is possible to make a very good living in skilled trades, and without building up student debt,” Pressgrove said. “Two years ago the average age of construction workers in the U.S. was 60, so there is a need for young people to step into those roles, and plenty of work available.”

In 2023, the Topeka Area Builders Association hosted an all-day event called Build My Future, under the leadership of Katy Nelson. About 45 businesses pooled resources and invited juniors and seniors from every Kansas school to learn about trades. Over 500 students attended to shoot nail guns, play with drywall mud, lay flooring, operate machinery, and even compete in belt sander races. The event gave students a deeper look into what it’s like to work a trade, as well as an opportunity to meet and network with skilled tradespersons.

“It’s hands on and high energy, and the students had a great time,” Pressgrove said. “We’re aiming for 800 students this year.”

Pressgrove and Nelson also founded a student chapter of the Homebuilders’ Association in Topeka to support youth education in the trades. One of the first students to join the group, Sierra, went on to become an intern for PDQ during high school. Pressgrove was so impressed with her work that he offered her a job after she graduated, and she’s been with PDQ ever since. Sierra has trained with the current office manager as an assistant and will take over running the office when the current manager retires.

“Work in skilled trades is not a backup plan or a second choice,” Pressgrove said. “It’s a plan A.”