Turnstone Corporation

In 2002 the father and daughter team of William and Stacy Clark founded Turnstone Corporation (Turnstone) in Milford, N.H. “I was working in Boston as a public accountant,” says Stacy, president of Turnstone. “My dad [vice president of Turnstone] had been in the business for 45 years. At the time, he owned a masonry company, and previously, a general contracting business. We decided to join forces.”

With her father’s expertise and Stacy’s drive, the duo dove in head first. “I came back to New Hampshire and we started the business together,” Stacy continues. “I wasn’t a stranger to the business. My grandfather was a carpenter, and I was always on the jobsites with my dad throughout my young life.”

According to Stacy, Turnstone’s niche is with more complex projects. “My dad’s experience over time has really shaped the business,” she continues. “Architects, engineers and other professionals in the industry will still reach out to my father when they are looking for solutions for the more complicated construction problems. We specialize in all types of projects. We have done a wide variety over the last 11 years. Turnstone has worked on constructing new buildings and renovating older ones, as well as taking on the challenge of complex historic renovations.”

Stacy is proud to note that what really sets Turnstone apart from other contractors in the region is the team’s attention to detail and integrity. “From the newest laborer on the team up to management, we instill dedication to performance,” she continues. “We own what’s on the plans and we do the work as it is shown on the drawings. Cutting corners is not what we do, even if it’s at an expense to us.”

A Unique Portfolio

Turnstone has worked on a number of complex and unusual projects over the years. The company works with clients in both the public and private sector, including health care, government agencies, schools and more.

“We have worked on unique projects like the New Hampshire veterans homes, where we put new windows in patient rooms,” Stacy explains. “We didn’t have to move them out; we just moved beds and found something for the vets to do for the day. We installed the windows while working around the residents’ living space. Our guys put a lot of personal care and attention in the work they do. We believe that everyone makes mistakes, but you don’t hide it. While we were there, one of our guys accidentally broke a picture frame. The owner was grateful we had brought it to their attention and were honest about it.”

The Turnstone team has also worked at Milford High School, performing a construction management project in 2008. “We worked in the school while students were in attendance,” Stacy elaborates. “The project unfolded in phases, divided into certain sections. There was a lot of crossover with workers and students, but we had no complaints. Our team is respectful of owners, operators, occupants and all the stakeholders on each project.”

Stacy goes on to note that Turnstone has also completed numerous projects for the state, which are publically bid. “A lot of end-users call us and ask us to bid work,” she details. “There are a number of people who reach out again to have us do work for them.”

A Growing Base of Loyal Customers

The team operates primarily in New Hampshire, although Stacy notes the crew will travel outside of its home state for the right project. As a general contractor, the team of 13 performs a management role, often depending on subcontractors. “We have very strong relationships with a number of contractors in the state who we look to for specialty projects,” Stacy notes. “We also work in the open public market, so we frequently work with newer subs. On specialty, high-level projects, we reach out to very qualified subcontractors.”

Of course, Stacy notes that many factors are taken into consideration to deliver a successful project. “We look at the big picture,” she elaborates. “The team that is working on the project is one of the most important components of a project. When you have the right owner, the right architect and the right contractor, it is easy to work together to solve problems and be proactive. We also track our progress, asking questions such as: ‘are we, in this time frame, going to meet the schedule? How are our subcontractors performing? Is the owner, the architect, the engineer satisfied?’ These are the issues we evaluate on a weekly or monthly basis.”

Turnstone has a number of unique projects underway at present, and will continue to work closely with clients and strategic partners to offer experience and expertise across the region. “Right now we are working on the Amherst Town Hall for attic and structural repairs,” says Stacy. “It’s a pretty unique project. The building is over 200 years old, with an all-timber frame and wood truss structure above. Many years ago we did a project at the same building. There was a rubble foundation, and while building a basement under a portion of the building, an elevator and emergency stairwell was added.” As the current work unfolds, Stacy and the team at Turnstone Corporation are looking ahead to new challenges and clients.