Anthony Pennacchi & 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." Paul Pennacchi, owner and CEO of Anthony Pennacchi & Sons
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. 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." Paul Pennacchi
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 Anthony Pennacchi & Sons is still located at 241 Columbus Ave. in Trenton, the address where Gaetano lived, Pennacchi said.
Anthony Pennacchi & 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.
Anthony Pennacchi & Sons works on both residential and commercial properties, Pennacchi said. The company waterproofs foundations, 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. When the job is too hard for a regular mason, they'll call us. Instead of replacing it, we can restore it." Paul Pennacchi
Restoring masonry on something like a porch can cost substantially less than replacing it, Pennacchi said.
Pennacchi stressed the importance of making sure a foundation is dry before finishing the interior. 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 significantly increase its value on the real estate market. Restorative work will also help sell the home faster, Pennacchi said.
Anthony Pennacchi & 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 treat everybody the same. We don't care if it's a small job or a large project. We're going to give you the same service. We're going to be there on time, we're going to do the job right, and we're going to clean up after ourselves." Paul Pennacchi
Pennacchi said that the company has been able to maintain many long-term customers because of this philosophy. He said that some customers have been with the company for 20 years.
