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A move to aluminum
Purinton isn't afraid to make changes in his company in order to achieve efficiency and deliver a better product. He was one of the first contractors in Connecticut to have boom trucks. Approximately seven years ago, Purinton saw an opportunity to set his business apart from other foundation contractors in the area again by buying a set of 9-ft. aluminum forms

He says the first year after the transition from wood was a little rough - they didn't lose any money, but they didn't expand their market either. Once the public saw the 9-ft. walls he was turning out, however, they started to demand them. "We were instrumental in creating the 9-ft.-high basement market in the area," he says.

Purinton finds the aluminum forms easier to maintain with a stronger resale value, and although he still uses the same number of employees on the jobsite with the aluminum forms, he says the speed and quality of the work is increased. Purinton now owns four sets of aluminum forms from Western Forms.

Gadgets galore
Purinton specializes in complex foundation work, often taking on high-end residential home projects that demand complex site work and intricate foundations. On average, his foundation pours, including the footings, total about 175 yds. After attending a CFA seminar on footing layout, Purinton was introduced to a technology to help him better perform the complicated foundations he frequently takes on and in 2003 purchased a Trimble Robotic Total Station.

"The system allows us to do layout work with one less person," he says. "It gives us accuracy, speed and sets us one step ahead of our competition." Purinton says it took only 18 months for him to start seeing returns on this $35,000 investment.