Capps Home Building Center has spent more than 45 years building a reputation people are proud to wear.
Based in central Virginia, the family-owned company was founded in 1978 by Dave Cappellari as Moneta Building Supply. Capps rebranded in 1997, moved to its main Smith Mountain Lake location in 1998, and has continued growing since then.
Today, Capps serves customers through three locations and offers a wide range of products, including windows, doors, decking, railing, lumber, flooring, siding, paint, stone, and more. The company also provides estimating and installation services, along with local contractor recommendations for DIY customers.
President Bruce Shelton said the company’s growth has come from both business investment and people.
“When you look back at the growth, not only of the brick and mortar portion of it, but the people that we’ve been able to add to the Capps family, we’ve been blessed,” Shelton said.
For Shelton, one of the company’s biggest priorities has been maintaining the culture built over more than four decades. That culture starts with taking care of employees first.
“One thing that makes us unique is we take care of our employees first and our customers second,” Shelton said.
Capps believes that when employees are supported, they are more likely to take care of customers, vendors, and the community. That focus on employee experience has helped the company grow while keeping its values strong.
In 2023, Capps opened its newest location in Troutville, Virginia. Chief Operating Officer Ryan Cappellari said the location has already exceeded expectations. Between the outside sales division and the installed sales division, the company continues to grow in some of its fastest-moving areas.
The Troutville location also showed the strength of the Capps name. According to Cappellari, the company was well received by customers, vendors, and the surrounding community because of the reputation Capps had built over 45 years.
Capps is also active in the community. According to Marketing Specialist Allison Szuba, the company supports the Roanoke Regional and New Valley River home builders associations, works with nonprofits including St. Jude and Habitat for Humanity, and helps students through an apprenticeship program.
The company also gives employees paid time off to volunteer for causes they care about. Shelton said Capps offers each employee an eight-hour community service day each year.
Capps also invests in employee growth. The company offers team members support for education, training, certifications, and development that can help them grow in their careers. That may include help with a CDL, electrical certification, public speaking, or other professional skills.
That investment is part of what helps Capps keep good people. Even in a tight labor market, Shelton said benefits have helped the company retain employees.
As Capps looks ahead, growth is still on the table. But Shelton said the company will not grow at the expense of its people or culture.
“We want to continue to staff ourselves with individuals that really get jazzed up to go help others with their project, whether that’s in the retail or professional side of our business,” Shelton said.
For Capps Home Building Center, reputation is not a slogan. It is built through people, service, community, and the daily decision to take care of the team first so the team can take care of everyone else.
Source: Adapted from LBM Journal’s November/December 2024 profile, “Capps Builds on Reputation.”
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