Teamwork for Denton business owners Tyler Wood and Jim McBride is a skill they honed during the past 10 years on the rugby field — one that has earned them the 2007 Remodeler of the Year award from the Home Builders Association of Greater Dallas.

In August, Wood and McBride accepted the award for their 2-year-old business, Home Artisan Authority.

DRC/Al Key

Tyler Wood, left, and Jim McBride, co-owners of Home Artisan Authority, stand in front of a commercial project Thursday that they are working on in Woodhill Square.

The annual award is given based on a business’ integrity, professionalism, growth and customer service, in addition to recommendations from customers and suppliers, Wood said.

Wood and McBride, both 31, met when they were students at the University of North Texas and playing on the rugby team. They continued to play for the Denton Rugby Football Club after graduating from UNT.

They retired from the field in April to devote more time to their growing company and have since fine-tuned their business partnership.

“When we first started, we both shared the same duties,” Wood said. “But we decided to take on different roles according to our strengths.”

Now, Wood handles all sales and marketing duties, while McBride oversees the operations and financial side of the business.

Wood graduated with a bachelor’s degree in emergency administration development and planning. McBride earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

After college, McBride worked as a manager for a restaurant and a flooring company, and Wood worked as an insurance adjuster.

Together they began a business in insurance restoration under the name J&J General Contracting, but soon segued into general remodeling.

“It was hard to get paid [from the insurance companies],” Wood said, “And we had no control over our jobs.”

Last November, Wood and McBride reorganized their image and direction, changing the businesses name to Home Artisan Authority. They are tapping into the nationwide trend of home improvement by providing equity-building makeovers.

In 2006, its first year of business, the company earned less than $600,000. So far this year, sales are at $1.5 million.

“We hope to double again next year,” Wood said.

Remodeling businesses have traditionally not been viewed as professional, they said, but Home Artisan Authority aims to change that perception.

“We’re trying to be a high-end remodeling business,” Wood said.

They also said Texas House Bill 1038, which went into effect Sept. 1, is helping the industry. It amended the Texas Property Code by giving additional powers to the Texas Residential Construction Commission to protect homeowners from unscrupulous homebuilders and home improvement contractors.

“It’s adding legitimacy to our business,” Wood said.

“We want to be a stand-up company,” McBride said. “And we want our competitors to do the same.”

Wood and McBride said they are an all-encompassing remodeling company that services clients in Denton County and surrounding areas.

While a large portion of their projects are kitchen and bathrooms remodels, which average a 90 percent return value for the homeowner, they also construct and refinish garages for mother-in-law suites, and take on some commercial projects.

“It’s fun to take something old and plain, and turn it into something beautiful,” Wood said.

Most of their team of subcontractors have been with them since the beginning. Recently, to keep up with their growing business, Wood and McBride hired five new full-time employees to help with small jobs, painting and supervising.

Three of the new employees are from one family. Roy Jones had his own painting business for 23 years and has been working with Wood and McBride for the past year. He recently gave up his business to become a superintendent for Home Artisan Authority.

Jones’ wife, Donna, and son, Brett, are working with Home Artisan Authority as full-time painters.

“These guys are really good,” Jones said. “They are trustworthy, conscientious and they do phenomenal work.”

Sonny Moyers and his wife, Judi, both Ebby Halliday realtors in Frisco, hired Home Artisan Authority to remodel their kitchen last year. The remodel, a $55,000 job, won second place in the 2007 Kitchen of the Year category from the Home Builders Association of Dallas.

Moyers said he interviewed five different companies for bids but was impressed with Home Artisan Authority’s level of quality and the detail of their bid.

“They had an open-book approach,” Moyers said.

“Everything was listed, including their cost components.”

Not only have the Moyers referred clients to Home Artisan Authority, they said they would hire them personally again in the future.

Wood and McBride said their motto is to give and expect nothing in return.

In addition to their involvement with the Denton Chamber of Commerce, Denton’s division of the Homebuilder’s Association of Greater Dallas and the Rotary Club, Wood and McBride founded NMC networking professionals, a group of people who they coordinate their volunteer efforts.

“If you’re doing well, you have more opportunity to help others,” Wood said. “We try to live our life that way.”