Get to Know Bill: Choosing Modern Materials for Tough New England Weather

For our 40th anniversary, we want to capture 40 stories from past customers, members of Team Marshall, and industry partners. We spoke with prior customer, Bill Kneller, about his siding project. As an engineer and sailing enthusiast, Bill embraces technology and likes to run a tight ship when it comes to managing a schedule. We were lucky to sit down with Bill in his beautiful Portsmouth home to hear what he had to say about working with Marshall.

How did you discover Marshall building & remodeling?

“I heard Marshall mentioned a number of times on WPRO. More specifically, I was listening to Matt Allen one afternoon and it sunk in because I had been looking. Matt gave Marshall a very good endorsement. So as a result, I followed up with a call to Marshall to get a quote.”

What do you think makes a great contractor?

“There are a number of attributes that are needed to be a good contractor. One is you need to be reliable. Part of that reliability is communications with the customer. And that starts up front through the quoting phase, providing options. Then as the things approach the time for the actual work to be done, coordinating with the project manager to make sure the schedule and things are lined up, in preparation for what needs to be done at the house and then follow up once the job is underway. Marshall also followed up after the project to make sure we satisfied and answer any other questions or comments.”

What value or benefits have you realized since re-siding your home?

“I think the home looks better. We’ve gone through some significant storms that I might have had damage with the old wood. We no longer have that. I actually had some rot on the cedar adjacent to the roofline over the garage that has now been completely replaced and isolated so that we won’t get water behind it, and can’t cause further rot in the house. So I think that overall it’s increased the value and the curb appeal of the house. I think it looks great.”

What made Marshall stand out from other local contractors in Rhode Island?

“The thing that really made Marshall stand out in the beginning was the responsiveness for the quoting and getting almost a real time estimate. They came, they took pictures and as a result of taking the pictures, could easily assess back at the office sizes, complex angles and some of the things that needed to be done and allowed them to get a very good quote. I was very impressed both with the timeliness and the fact that I could get the contractor to return a call. That is a difficult problem for a lot of the contractors these days.”

On a scale of 1-10, how likely are you to recommend Marshall to someone interested in roofing, siding, and windows?

“I would say 11, because I was very pleased with the overall performance and process of working with Marshall. They did quality work on time and were very good with the follow through.”

Thank you for taking the time to chat with us, Bill! It was a pleasure to upgrade your siding to a beautiful modern material that can weather New England’s toughest storms.