El Niño is officially here whether you like it or not, and according to weather scientists, we’re supposed to get lots of rain. This is good, because California needs water, and bad, because it could be potentially devastating. Despite the outcome, it’s good to be prepared, or at least know the options.
Enter Chuck Winkle. Winkle is the owner of New Life Kitchen and Bath, which includes two other businesses: New Life Painting and New Life Restoration. Even though they technically fall under the same ownership, share the same checkbook, and are located in the same building, each has its own respective employees and management.
Originally from Orange County, Winkle has lived in Santa Maria for the past 36 years and started the family-run business in 1979. Winkle said all three businesses go hand in hand, and the main focus is on customer service. He hires people based on his values—respect, honor, collaboration and communication, and treating others the way you want to be treated.
The painting business employs 15 painters and is run by his son. They do residential and commercial painting.
New Life Kitchen and Bath focuses on remodeling. Winkle has a designer and six carpenters on staff, and they do everything in house. This makes the remodel go a lot smoother, Winkle said, because they’re not waiting on subcontractors.
“We can control the quality, which is big,” Winkle told the Sun.
New Life Restoration is the newest business. Before Winkle acquired it, the company was called New Restoration and was previously owned by Halsell Builders out of Santa Maria. Winkle said the previous owners approached him in June asking him if he wanted to buy the business.
The restoration part of the company does exactly what it says. In particular, the crew restores houses damaged by water, mold, and smoke. This can be a touchy situation because in California, laws dictate that building materials must be tested for hazardous substances such as lead or asbestos.
There was a ban on lead in building materials in 1978, therefore all structures built prior to 1979 must be tested for lead, according to Neil Brosig, who is a certified site surveillance technician in the Los Angeles area.
It’s a different story for asbestos, however, which is known to be a part of some drywall materials.
“All buildings and building materials in the state of California are required to be tested before disturbance no matter the year of construction,” Brosig told the Sun.
Testing must occur before any construction can go forward, Winkle said, because hazardous substances can cause health problems and must be disposed of properly. Upon discovery, they often put a damper on the construction process.
“It shuts any job down,” Winkle said. “When you work with insurance companies, you have to do things by the book.”
Removing dangerous materials such as mold requires special equipment. In addition to replacing the damaged material, you still have to clean the air. One of the most effective methods is to run air scrubbers as opposed to fans, according to Winkle.
For New Life Restoration, Winkle brought in a whole new staff, general manager, and restoration team who are on call 24/7. He launched a new website, newliferestoration.net, on Jan. 15.
“We pretty much answer the phone all night,” Winkle said. “They keep their phones on all night.”
New Life Kitchen and Bath recently opened a showroom in Santa Maria located at 2225 Skyway Drive. The company offers a guide to preparing your home for the big winter storm titled, 6 Tips to Help You Prepare Your Home for El Niño, and can be viewed at newlifepainting.com/blog/6-tips-to-prepare-for-el-nino.
Staff Writer David Minsky wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, email, or mail.
This article appears in Jan 28 – Feb 4, 2016.