Experience From Every Angle
Dimensional Inc. has the tools to create reality from dreams
Rob Moskowitz grew up with tools. His parents, Caryn and Lou, were long-time veterans of the construction industry. At age 16, Rob knew construction was the right path for him and began working for the same general contracting firm as his father. This led to a full-time job after high school, when he also pursued and earned a certificate in estimating from the American Society of Professional Estimators.
In the meantime, Caryn worked in office administration for another general contractor. She describes the relationships that were formed during the many years on job sites together. “Rob and Lou worked with the same group of guys on projects over the years, and formed many friendships. Colm Delaney was a longtime friend who owned a drywall company, and they often talked about starting their own business.”
It was a task for which they were well-suited. With their combined experience in administration, estimating and in the field, they were confident in their ability to run their own construction business. Caryn says, “Every person involved has an extensive background in the industry. We had experience needed on all sides of the business to take off and do things on our own. We felt that experience outweighed any risk.”
With all bringing decades of experience, in 2016, Dimensional Inc. was launched. Based in White Plains, New York, the company predominantly serves retail clients in the five boroughs of New York—the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island. However, the firm’s projects extend up to Albany, in addition to parts of New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and even Florida. It is certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).
Experience is Key
Rob explains that in addition to experience, the reputation his family earned over decades in the construction business made them well-positioned to start their own business. He says, “We’re different from most competitors because of our track record with both subcontractors and clients. We have never received negative feedback from subs and have never been fired from or not finished a job.”
Caryn adds, “The difference is how we run our jobs, with the mindset that the client is the client, and we build what the client wants. We want to meet every specification of every project. That’s our goal.”
In addition to Rob, Caryn, Lou and Colm, Dimensional’s staff consists of three project managers, two estimators, two bookkeepers and seven superintendents, all of whom have been with the company since day one. Caryn oversees daily office operations, Lou and Colm handle client relations and site visits, and Rob serves as Vice President, overseeing construction. One of the company’s superintendents lives in Florida and manages all projects in that state. Rob adds that all of his superintendents travel routinely for work, however, based on the varied locations of ongoing jobs.
Rob and Caryn attribute much of the company’s success to the employees’ experience and commitment. Caryn says, “We have very dedicated employees. When challenges arise, they have the knowledge and capability to handle them and move on.”
Rob’s strategy when hiring the company’s office employees was to bring in people he knew and trusted from field work, citing that hands-on experience is often more beneficial in construction over formal education. “Because of their experience on job sites, they often know how to read plans best,” he says. “Experience in the field is key.”
Getting on the Map
While Dimensional specializes in interiors, such as fit-outs and open-store renovations, it also performs exterior renovations and ground-up construction. The company’s work spans a variety of retail and commercial spaces, ranging from fitness centers, physical therapy offices and other health care centers to strip mall spaces including Apple Farm grocery store exteriors, CVS Pharmacy and Dollar Tree stores.
A CVS Pharmacy in Yonkers was the company’s first project in 2016. Rob says, “I’m most proud of that one because it put us on the map, leading to other opportunities.” He explains that, through this project, he was able to build a strong relationship with the Yonkers Department of Housing and Buildings, which has opened doors and helped facilitate other projects.
Dimensional performs all drywall and other finishing work in-house, operating separate crews for new construction and remodel jobs for maximum efficiency. “This gives us an advantage over many of our competitors,” Rob says. “We’re more efficient, can make scheduling adjustments easily, and we turn over remodel jobs like clockwork because we don’t have to sub out any of the work.”
For instance, one job involved the build-out of an entire floor in a Manhattan high-rise, for which a set of plans was approved and then later changed with substantial design alterations. Rob says, “A four-month job could have easily become a 12-month job. But because we can perform all finishing work in-house, we were able to accommodate the changes quickly.”
Like a Family
Dimensional’s company culture is rooted in the notion of family. Rob says, “We treat clients and subs like family. We know them personally; we’re friends and have long-standing relationships.”
He underscores that strong relationships with subs are extremely important and help earn their commitment and dedication to a job. Everyone concurs that communication is essential to providing the highest quality of construction services. Caryn says, “We have a good rapport with our clients, and good communication is a priority for us. Construction involves a lot of different people, and positive communication is what it’s about.”
This philosophy also extends to the Dimensional staff. Caryn says, “We are very fortunate to have such a loyal and dedicated team. The bond we have benefits everyone.”
The office environment is easygoing, which goes a long way toward building staff morale. “I never tell them no,” Rob says. “I trust everyone 100 percent. If someone needs something, we never ask why, we just get it. That’s an indication of how close we are.”
Positioned for Growth
Rob explains that the Dimensional team puts a lot of pride and work into every project, with the goal of providing the highest-level quality construction services. As a result, 90 percent of the company’s business comes from repeat clients or word-of-mouth recommendations.
He says, “We give our clients high-quality commercial construction services through our commitment to getting the job done right, on budget and on time. It’s the fundamental character of our firm and our people.”
Looking to the future, Dimensional’s goal is to become one of the bigger retail general contractors in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Based on its success from the first five years, the company anticipates doubling the amount of work it can accept in the next five, with plans to hire an additional project manager, estimator and two superintendents by the end of 2021.
Caryn says, “We do quality work. Our clients keep coming back because they trust us. We build buildings for our clients, and value the trust we have built in the process.”