Des-Carr Doors: On Track for Elegance

By Sue Graf

Situated in a circa 1735 grist mill that was rebuilt in 1840 and remodeled in 1910, Des Carr Doors, a residential and commercial garage door business, fuses old world charm into a modern day business within historic Doylestown, Bucks County.

Joe Muredda, a native of Bucks County, started out in the roofing business then moved on to garage doors, which allowed him to meet Des-Carr’s former owner Tom Carroll in 1987. Muredda described Carroll as a father figure who took him under his wing, a pairing that turned into a mutual learning experience. In 1998, wanting to be his own boss and not a competitor of Carroll’s, an agreement to buy the business from Carroll was struck. “It’s a lot more work than I thought,” said Muredda, “but the rewards of being your own boss … since I bought it, I have tripled the business. It makes you feel good. When you get things going in the right direction there’s a lot to say for that.”

In the past, Muredda would have scoffed if someone had suggested he would be the eventual owner of a door business. He would have said, “I see myself doing something in the Florida Keys, somewhere where it’s sunny and warm, feel like Sammy Hagar and own a tequila company in CaboWabo or something like that.” Now he enjoys the benefits of being an entrepreneur, despite the hard work, and relaxes in the satisfaction of providing quality, timely products and services.

After taking over, Muredda determined it was good for business to keep the Des-Carr name because of its established reputation within the community and he believes in the power of referrals generated from that reputation. He admits that he is not a hard-driving salesman but it is his honesty that wins business. He is even willing to talk someone out of a sale if he thinks he can offer a better, more economical solution. Who wouldn’t want to refer someone who puts the customer needs above his bottom line? Furthermore, he won’t accept upfront deposits—believing it is more important to make sure that the customer is 100 percent satisfied before they pay for the work.

“I want you to be at ease, I want you to know that you’re buying a good company,” said Muredda. “You can buy a door anywhere, you can go to Home Depot, Lowes, anywhere. When you’re buying a door from us you’re buying my company. You’re buying that we’ve been here since 1985, you’re buying expert service, you’re buying the knowledge of knowing if something happens to the door you know exactly where we’re at and we’ll come repair it for you.”

Surprisingly, winter is Muredda’s and his four employee’s busiest season for repairs and service. The colder months lead to broken springs, broken cables or openers, especially in the emergency response and automotive world where bay doors are raised and lowered more frequently to keep the garage from getting too cold. On freezing cold days, Muredda wishes for that business in the Keys instead of dealing with cold hands and feet in Pennsylvania. On the flip side, summer is more popular for new installations.

While a raised panel door may be functional, the most popular and appealing door of late has been the carriage style door; adding drama and character through western red cedar, mahogany, douglas fir or clear heart redwood, and can range from $3,500 to $5,000. One customer was willing to spend $72,000 on mahogany doors and finish work, even in this economy. “Now a garage is a lot more than it used to be, it used to be just a storage area only to shove it in there,” said Muredda. “Now you have cabinets, all kind of track systems, lighting systems, garage floor systems, carpeting or tile. It’s another room of your house.” But more checkbook friendly options, ranging from $750 to $1,000 for a traditional raised panel and $1,200 to $1,600 for steel carriage doors are also available.

Garage door technology and safety features have also come a long way. Now they can help you park your car through laser guidance, they are more safety oriented for kids, pinch proof and have rolling codes to keep the unsavory from entering your home. Muredda can see the technology moving towards cell phone controls or even opening as you approach without even hitting a button.

One of the more unusual projects Muredda has been involved with was at the Franklin Mint, providing maintenance on the one-foot thick steel doors and counterbalances needed to work the doors. Or the seven car garages with swing out mahogany doors or better yet getting to drive the Lamborghini of a satisfied customer.

After several years of crazy hours, Muredda realized he was missing too much at home and determined a change had to be made. He is a man who firmly believes that family comes first and in the importance of being home to be a dad to his three kids. Now he starts his day at 7 A.M. and ends it at 5 P.M. just so he can be home to hangout and play with his kids, help with baths, story time, and put them to bed. He is adamant about helping his kid channel their energy toward good things. He is also a football coach for his son and basketball coach for his daughter.

Looking towards the future, Muredda is working on branching out into the Main Line area with a business that is all his own but hasn’t settle on a name as yet. He’s taking his time and seeking free advice from a group of local retired businessmen on the best ways to finance and which avenues to pursue to help advertise and establish himself in the Main Line.

“I think the best thing you can possibly offer people is not only a fair price for a fair days labor but if you have a problem I’m there,” summarized Muredda.

If you are looking to add curb appeal that invokes a “Wow” response or just need repairs on your existing door, Joe Muredda and Des-Carr Doors are here to help. Des-Carr Doors is a member of Bucks County Chamber of Commerce and The Better Business Bureau. Des-Carr is located at 2000 Turk Road in Doylestown, online at www.descarrdoors.com, or by phone at (215) 340-0344.

Sue Graf is a recent graduate of Delaware Valley College and resident of Chalfont.