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The art of home improvement

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Putting in tile, remodeling a bathroom and installing carpet are more than just work tasks for Hector Galvan — it is an art.
Galvan, a 39-year-old home improvement contractor, has been his own boss for three years. As the owner of Central Coast Installation Inc., Galvan possesses two licenses, one for installing flooring such as carpet, linoleum, hardwood, ceramic tile, granite and stone, and another for plumbing. He is also working on obtaining his third license to become a general contractor.
Galvan first entered the home improvement scene after high school.
“I started out with a local business in Orange County doing carpet cleaning,” he said.
Later, Galvan would go from cleaning carpets, to installing them as well as other types of flooring. He was also employed for eight years doing work on commercial buildings.
Galvan then moved to Bakersfield where he began installing wood flooring and tile with Stockdale Flooring and Stockdale Tile. After business started getting slow, Galvan realized a huge reason he wasn’t getting much work was because he wasn’t yet licensed for the type of work he was doing.
“I thought, ‘Man, if I don’t get my license, I am really going to be screwed, as work is really scarce,’” he said.
So Galvan began preparing for his two licenses and said it took about nine months of studying for the test he had to take in Fresno.
After getting his licenses, Galvan was free to become his own boss.
“Right now, my business is still kind of small. One of the most difficult things has been finding work, being that it is so slow,” he said.
Marco Garza has known Galvan for six years and said he was excited when Galvan talked about starting up his own business.
“I knew with the type of work he was putting out that he needed to pursue opening his own business,” Garza said. “He does the best work that I have seen anybody do in the local area. He is meticulous and takes his time to put out a good product.”
Garza said one of the great things about Galvan is his communication skills, which help him relate to customers and better explain the way he thinks will best get the job done.
“He is definitely among the premier installers in the area,” Garza said. “I can see him actually doing the jobs that other contractors won’t touch because he knows how to do them.”
Galvan said one of the best things about being his own boss has been meeting people and being recognized for the quality of his work.
“He is a very artistic and talented individual,” said Edward B. Velasquez, a former client.
Velasquez had his guest bathroom remodeled and 2,500 square feet of natural stone tile put in his home by Galvan.
“Generally, you find contractors that are dime a dozen,” Velasquez said. “They are slam, bang, the work is done, but Hector is very different.
 “He is more artistic. He shows up on a regular basis, is timely and professional. Even today, people who visit us are always commenting on how beautiful the floor looks and the custom design.”
That’s the kind of comment that makes Galvan take the time to do things right from the start.
“One of the things I practice and preach is that it’s not about quantity, it’s about quality,” he said.
Galvan has built his business by word of mouth and he says by offering customers good quality. He hopes that in a few years, he will have his general contractor’s license, which will allow him to build homes. Galvan would also like to become one of the main contractors for custom homes in Kern County.
“A lot of general contractors just have one license and sub everything out,” he said. “I will be a multi-trade contractor.”
— Hector Galvan owns Central Coast Installation Inc., 281-5102.