CONTRACTOR SUCCEEDS WITH WORK ETHIC
Growing up in Middlefield, Connecticut, John Silvestri received an early introduction to the construction business. While most of his young friends were playing video games or sports, at age 13 Silvestri began learning the trade from two brothers who were family friends. Silvestri worked all through high school and two years beyond.
“We did a variety of work from residential to municipal, and I learned a lot,” Silvestri says. “On weekends if we weren’t working on jobs, I would help out on their farm. They were very good at what they did, and they gave me many opportunities to learn every aspect of the business. They’re close friends of mine to this day, and I consider them mentors.”
In 2006, the 21-year-old Silvestri moved on and started his own business with an older Cat® Dozer and Excavator. Working mostly for homebuilders, Silvestri did site preparation and built septic systems while still working part time for the two brothers.
“If I knew of a job that was going to start or I saw a real estate sign on a vacant piece of land, I would contact the builder or homeowner and ask if they would give me an opportunity to bid on the job,” Silvestri says.
That aggressive, entrepreneurial approach has served Silvestri well. Working six and sometimes seven days a week with just one other employee, his low overhead and unflagging work ethic enables Silvestri Construction to win bids over larger competitors. He typically quotes the entire scope of work when bidding on a project.
“It’s very competitive out there,” he says. “There’s a lot of guys doing the same type of work. We try to provide great service, stay on schedule, and provide our customers with a top-quality finished product. I don’t look to cut any corners, and my other guy feels the same way. We make sure everything is done to the plan’s specifications, or better.”
Performing primarily commercial and municipal work, Silvestri’s scope consists of site preparation, grading, storm drainage, retaining walls, underground utilities, septic systems, and more.
“Normally, when you bid a site job you’re expected to include the site concrete, paving, and landscaping, which we usually sub out,” Silvestri says. “But everything else we do in-house.”
Through his previous employer, Silvestri was exposed to Cat® equipment at an early age. That experience sold him on the merits of the brand. Today, he owns five Cat machines, including a 305E2 Mini Excavator, a 316E L Hydraulic Excavator, a 259D3 Compact Track Loader, a 938M Wheel Loader, and a CS44 Compactor.
WORK TOOLS SAVE TIME
This fall, Silvestri performed the site work on a 30,000 sq. ft. addition to an existing building in Windsor, Conn. Working continuously to meet a tight schedule, the job involved moving 10,000 yards of earth between cuts and fills. It included excavating footings, digging a retention basin, and general site preparation.
“Contractors always have to be within a quarter of an inch on final grade, and most people factor in 10 percent overage,” says Tim Schofield, Silvestri’s sales representative from Cat dealer H.O. Penn. “I know they had figured on an overage for concrete on the building pad, and they didn’t need it. They were right on the money.”
