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OCEAN CITY - Although the phrase "all decked out" could mean getting
dressed up for a night on the town, one local company has turned a
variation of the phrase into a career.
Businessman Keith Schaffer opened All Decked Out in the resort area
almost two years ago and specializes in making aging outdoor decks look
like new. Schaffer can repair, replace or refinish a weathered deck as
well as a host of other services for residential and commercial needs.
The company started small with just Schaffer and his wife handling the
workload at the beach and surrounding area. The company continued to grow
as satisfied customers led to new ones.
"We will finish a job in a neighborhood and usually end up with several
neighbors calling," he said.
Schaffer originally set out to tend to the needs of customers with
outdoor wood decks that have been battered by the harsh beach environment.
"People don't realize what a toll the weather and time take on wooden
decks, until it's too late," he said. "Maintenance is the only way to
preserve wood and avoid costly replacement."
Schaffer's business has evolved into, a variety of specialized services
and with experience in many trades, Schaffer can offer interior and
exterior painting service, driveway sealing service and now, even new
construction.
Originally from a small town just outside York, Pa., Schaffer has been in the resort town for the past 12 years and gained much of his experience on
the job with two other companies at the beach where he learned how to
waterproof and maintain high-rises on the ocean front.
He learned the strokes of the painting trade as a teen-ager alongside his
uncle and gained a sense of discipline after serving in the Army for five
years.
With more services and a growing number of customers, Schaffer now has
enough qualified workers to form two crews and works with them everyday on
almost every job reinforcing the notion of teamwork. "We have several
people who work with us, not necessarily for us," he said.
With few companies offering the specialized deck service set off by the
ability to enhance a home in many other ways, Schaffer said some resort
customers are pleased that All Decked Out shows up when they say they
will.
"Sometimes, people are just thankful we showed up for the estimate," he
said. "We get a lot of work from people who say the `other guy' never
showed up."
Well aware of the non-resident population, Schaffer said he often works
with condominium associations and is working to help protect the
investments in the community.
"We are small, but we hope to get bigger," he said. "It is amazing what
we can do to an old deck. We can make it look brand new."
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