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Worthy Convos: Shawn Cowdin on Construction Trends, Industry Standards, and Brotherhood
We started Worthy Convos to highlight people doing good and interesting things in our community. The work of a general contractor isn’t glamorous, but it’s necessary, and longtime supporter of Tanglewood Moms, Shawn Cowdin of Shawn M. Cowdin Construction, LLC, knows what he’s doing. Whether it’s a bathroom remodel or new construction, Shawn and his team draw on their experience and expertise to create something the client can be proud to call home.
Tanglewood Moms: Can you tell us a little bit about how you got into the construction business?
Shawn Cowdin: I was in high school, and I needed a summer job. The brother of a family friend was a framing contractor, and, despite all good reasoning not to, his company hired me. Nobody believed I would last, and my grandmother tried to bribe me with the same amount of pay to go to college instead.
Photo courtesy of Shawn M. Cowdin Construction, LLC
TWM: Why did you decide to start Shawn M. Cowdin Construction?
SC: I framed houses for about 20 years and realized it was taking a toll on my body. I knew I needed a change, but I wasn’t sure what that change looked like. So, I went to work for a friend who owned a metal stamp shop that sold nail plates to supply houses. I liked that the job was construction adjacent/related, but ultimately it wasn’t fulfilling enough. I needed my work to be transformative, quite literally. I needed to take something existing and change it into something different, collaboratively, with people who are invested in the vision. That’s when I decided to start Shawn M Cowdin Construction, LLC in 2006. It was just me for three years, and often, I still put my nail bags on to complete major portions of a project. Starting my own business was the exact right move for me.
TWM: Your website states that although “… we happily build new homes, our true passion is renovation.” Why is that? What makes renovation different/more interesting than new builds?
SC: What I find interesting is that when I was a framing contractor, I absolutely loved framing additions. I was good at it; I had a knack for making the tie-ins to the existing structure look seamless and like they belonged rather than just stuck on because someone looked for the easiest solution. Another part of our framing business involved structural renovations to dilapidated light-commercial structures in the Near Southside. They were enormous challenges that required strategic planning and preparation to provide new structural members and large beams to support deteriorated portions and accommodate the new floor plan design. This was during the very earliest stages of redevelopment in that area.
I find remodel work more challenging because of the concealed conditions we deal with every day. Demolition always reveals an unexpected challenge to overcome. The remodeling path has the added challenge of working within a client’s home, undoing existing elements they have become accustomed to, and then bringing the new vision for the space back to life. New builds have many challenges of their own, but they don’t have that routine discovery of hidden issues that need to be resolved on the fly, which can be exciting.
Photo courtesy of Shawn M. Cowdin Construction, LLC
TWM: You’ve been in construction for most of your adult life. What changes have you seen in the industry?
SC: The biggest trend I’ve seen is tools converting from corded/air hoses to cordless/airless with battery chargers everywhere on site. On the first framing crew I worked on, there were probably 10 of us, and we used one nail gun sparingly. We drove every nail in the house by hand. Office-wise, it’s definitely the implementation of technology to manage workflow. The ability to disseminate real-time information quickly to your team is a fabulous improvement over the days of pagers with “911” messages. I love both of these changes and improvements in our industry.
TWM: You work with your brother, Justin Cowdin, who is your senior project manager. Let’s face it, sibling relationships can be, um, interesting. How do you work with your brother without letting the personal interfere with the professional?
SC: Yes, brothers working together! It actually works really well because our minds work the same way, and I trained him! We definitely have had our moments, but it’s impossible for there not to be crossover between the personal and the professional. We have worked together in some capacity for at least 35 years, so we’ve had a lot of time to work out a system and solutions that work for us.
At some point early on in our working relationship, maybe we consciously made the decision, or maybe we had a ‘moment’ and intuitively realized we still had family gatherings that weren’t going to stop happening, so we learned to set aside differences and limit business conversations at family events and focus on the reasons we’re all together. We don’t approach everything in exactly the same way, but I trust him, so I know he has a reason for any differences in approach. We really do get along, and we are an outstanding team! Time taught us to be more thoughtful, and when family loss happened, we turned operations over to our team, and we rallied for each other, and ultimately, we were able to be present for our entire family.
Photo courtesy of Shawn M. Cowdin Construction, LLC
TWM: A general contractor is a leader. How would you describe your leadership style?
SC: High expectations, collaborative approach over dictatorial, and let your people work and do what they do best.
TWM: Are there any current trends in construction/remodeling that you see becoming industry standards in the future?
SC: That’s a tough one. I’ve been doing this a long time, and on the construction management side, I’ve seen technology change a ton over that period. Still, the basics of building are pretty stable: a strong foundation, good materials, details that work together, and meeting client expectations. So, when something new comes along, like “smart” products or new project management software, we love learning the ins and outs, but I am relentless about making sure that whatever we adopt makes sense for the big picture.
On the design/finishes side, I tend to think of “standards” in terms of timeless versus trendy: for example, a furniture-style island or open shelving versus an all-white kitchen, or using consistent metal finishes on fixtures and appliances versus mixing them. Don’t get me wrong, I think trendy can be fun, but we counsel our clients to incorporate trends in ways that are easy and relatively inexpensive to update if a particular trend falls out of favor.
A few things I’d like to see become industry standards – lowering the height of wall switches, raising the height of wall plugs, and installing wide doors in bathrooms and closets – all of which make spaces more accessible.
TWM: Do you incorporate energy-efficient/environmentally conscious/green methods and materials into your projects?
SC: Green methods/energy efficiency is not an area we specialize in, but we do discuss with our clients, on the appropriate project(s), the options and ways to upgrade the efficiency within their remodel, and often, we can make those upgrades in the rest of the home to provide a client with a more efficient and comfortable home. Our default regarding the environmentally conscious aspect of building is not to rip out all the areas adjacent to our work just because it might be easier. We want to maintain as much of the original material as possible. There is a balance between the project’s needs, the owner’s desires and aesthetics, and the ability to produce the finished product within the client’s time frame. We take a conscientious approach to achieve the best result for the client’s needs.
Photo courtesy of Shawn M. Cowdin Construction, LLC
TWM: What do you think the next generation of contractors and construction professionals should learn from your experience?
SC: Learn how to problem solve, find a mentor, continually improve your processes, and share your knowledge.
TWM: Is there one project that really exemplifies who you are as a builder and as a business owner?
SC: We recently completed a really challenging work and guest space addition to a detached garage. The client provided an architect-produced set of drawings that required an immediate redesign of the roof structure due to an error in the drawings, and we executed floor plan revisions because the architect hadn’t quite captured the client’s vision. Our framing background was critical to catching those issues. Once we completed the work, the natural pine siding we installed began failing, and a second batch failed, even under scrutiny and the watchful eyes of the owner and suppliers during preparation, installation, and final paint. As old carpenters, it shook us. We’ve personally installed miles of this product, and it’s still a mystery why two batches failed, but we were committed to solving the issue. Even though it was a tough project, it is a prime example of the challenges of remodeling, of working with natural products, and of our commitment to standing by our work. Ultimately, the result is a great project with so much functionality for the clients.
Photo courtesy of Shawn M. Cowdin Construction, LLC
TWM: And finally, if our readers can only understand ONE thing about your business, what would it be?
SC: We’re committed.
