Brian Alexander (Catalyst Supply Co)

Brian Alexander is the owner of Catalyst Supply Co, a building materials supplier in Coon Rapids. 

For many roofing and siding contractors, installing decks and windows can seem exhausting. 

That’s because even though many contractors can seamlessly organize roof and siding builds, understanding the installation process of decks and windows is a challenge. 

Consequently, these contractors pass on even offering these services to homeowners, in turn forgoing huge potential revenue opportunities. 

This is where Alexander and Catalyst Supply Co aim to be different and assist contractors in building out another arm of their company. 

Unlike other suppliers, Catalyst offers in-house crews and project managers that make installing a deck or window turnkey. 

In other words, when a contractor sells a new deck or living room windows to a homeowner, orchestrating and executing on that agreement can be completely outsourced to Alexander and his team at Catalyst. 

“A lot of contractors, particularly roofers, can put a great roof on your home,” Alexander, a Buffalo resident, says. 

“But when it comes to decks and windows, many don’t know the first thing about them, so they completely disregard doing them.”

On the surface, there is nothing inherently wrong with roofing contractors forgoing offering extra services to their clientele.

In some ways, niching down and specializing in certain aspects of home building is effective and efficient, but since decks and windows are also high-ticket items, Alexander believes Twin Cities contractors would be remiss to not even explore the idea of expanding their offerings to homeowners. 

“When contractors partner with Catalyst, we’re not asking them to become experts in decks and windows,” Alexander says. 

“The focus is more on establishing trust and building a relationship so that contractors feel confident selling decks and windows to their customers because they know they will be taken care of on the back end.”

Plus, when contractors work with Catalyst, they’re not just passing jobs off to a subcontractor and hoping everything goes smoothly. 

As mentioned earlier, Catalyst has in-house teams who specialize in developing profitable estimates, ordering materials, and then managing the build from start to finish. 

“And we are always available; just a text or phone call away,” Alexander emphasizes. 

“Sometimes with subs, they don’t always answer their phones, and as a contractor, that can put you in an unenviable position of having to explain to your client why their job isn’t getting done. At Catalyst, we remove all those potential pain points, which makes us a full-service partner that you simply can’t find at other suppliers.”

Since Catalyst’s inception in 2020, Alexander has methodically attracted local contractors who want to offer decks and windows, but just don’t know how to deliver on that offering. 

“We lead with education when we work with contractors,” Alexander says. 

“I have no problem bringing my team out to your office to sit down and show you step-by-step how we can generate more revenue for your business.”

There are some contractors who bristle at Catalyst’s services, claiming they can buy materials at a big-box store or find labor for cheaper.

Alexander readily acknowledges that.

“I don’t hide from the fact that we are slightly more expensive on the supply side and then on the labor side as well,” he notes. 

“But as a contractor, you always get what you pay for, meaning yes, you can usually find labor that is cheaper, but are they in-house crews who are trained and insured? Can they get the job done correctly? Will they answer their phone if you have a problem now or in the next couple years?”

Adds Alexander:

“And it’s also worth asking if your homeowner wants the lowest-priced labor that’s on the market, or are they willing to pay a little more knowing that their project is backed up by a reputable retailer, and not just Chuck in a truck who will be on to the next job and not care what kind of work he did?”

Alexander’s response highlights the importance of quality craftsmanship, because while it certainly pays to be fast, it can be even more costly to be bad or have headaches arise in the future.

“We’re in the relationship business,” Alexander makes clear. 

“I’m not one of those guys who is going to pound my chest and tell contractors I’m the best this or that because what we do is not about that. It’s about servicing the homeowner and making sure their investment in you as a contractor was a wise decision. That’s why I have structured my business in a way where contractors can partner with us on windows and decks and know that we are going to do our part to give them and their customers an awesome experience.” QS

To learn more about how Catalyst Supply Co helps contractors with windows and decks, call 612-494-0078 to set up a call or a no-obligation meeting where Brian and his team will visit your company to further explain the advantages of partnering with Catalyst.

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