A. Pennacchi and Sons specializes in waterproofing and restoring masonry and concrete structures and surfaces, but Paul Pennacchi compares some aspects of his job to being in the medical field.
“When something gets old, we’re like a plastic surgeon with masonry. I give buildings facelifts,” Pennacchi said.
Like a doctor, he is also on-call twenty-four hours a day, every day of the week.
“People call us up on a Sunday, I’m going to pick up,” Pennacchi said. “I never refuse work. They’re my clients. They rely on me. Just as a doctor would, in case they have a medical question and they’re worried about it, I’m going to do the same.”
Pennacchi said he learned this philosophy from his father, Anthony G. Pennacchi Sr., who established the business in 1947. The business was unofficially started by Paul’s grandfather, Gaetano Pennacchi, after he arrived from Italy in the 1930s.
The office for A. Pennacchi and Sons is still located at 241 Columbus Ave. in Trenton, the address where Gaetano lived, Pennacchi said.
A. Pennacchi and Sons employs a team of 6 full-time employees and also works with multiple subcontractors on some jobs. Pennacchi, who has been with the business for 25 years, is the current owner and president. He said that many of the employees are from the family, and that Anthony Pennacchi Sr. serves as a senior consultant. Paul’s nephew, Sam Risoldi III is the crew’s foreman.
A. Pennacchi and Sons works on both residential and commercial properties, Pennacchi said. The company waterproofs basements, installs interior and exterior waterproofing systems, such as French drain systems, and offers wall coatings and epoxy injections. Their masons also restore work done with brick, stone or concrete.
“We’re specialty masons that specialize in the unique restoration,” Pennacchi said. “When the job is too hard for a regular mason, they’ll call us. Instead of replacing it, we can restore it.”
Restoring masonry on something like a porch can cost half as much as replacing it, Pennacchi said.
Pennacchi stressed the importance of making sure a basement is dry before finishing it. He has seen homeowners lose money when flooding damages carpeting or electronics that people have installed.
Pennacchi also said that restoring the exterior of an older home can make it much more valuable on the real estate market. He said that a home that might sell for $700,000 could be worth an additional $50,000 after restoration. Restorative work will also help sell the home faster, Pennacchi said.
A. Pennacchi and Sons has worked on many local buildings, including St. Paul Church, St. Mary’s church, Princeton University, and the NJ State Capitol Annex building. Some historic buildings they have serviced include the Masonic Temple Lodge and the New Jersey Governor’s mansion.
They have also traveled as far as Rhode Island and Washington D.C. to work on a college and cathedral, respectively.
Pennacchi said the company’s success is rooted in its customer service.
“We’re fair, and I’m not a salesman. I’m a tradesman, and I tell the customer how it is,” Pennacchi said.
Pennacchi said that if he provides an estimate, but finishes the job more quickly than projected, he adjusts the price. A. Pennacchi and Sons also ensures that the customer is satisfied with the work provided.
“If there’s ever a masonry problem, even after we do the work, we’ll always go back and repair it right away at our cost,” Pennacchi said.
Pennacchi said he has several of the same customers his father and grandfather worked for years ago.
“We can handle any job, and we’re old fashioned,” Pennacchi said. “It doesn’t matter whether the job’s $50 or $500,000. We’ll treat everybody the same.”
For more information about A. Pennacchi and Sons, call (609) 394-7354. On the Web: apennacchi.com.
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