The operator of the Bobcat T770 digs the ditch for a 15-in. (38.1 cm) drainage pipe.

A childhood dream became a reality for one South Carolina contactor. Enchanted Construction was founded in the Pacific Northwest in 1983 as a custom home building company. Ryan Kaiser, owner of Enchanted Construction of Campobello, S.C., said that his father started the business and also helped him get his start when moved to South Carolina; he was only 21 years old at the time. Since then, the company has grown, on average 30 percent a year, and also has increased its staff — from four to 50 employees.

“I always wanted to move here since I was a child. My Dad started this business in 1983 in Portland, Ore., and I have been working full time in this business since I was 16,” said Kaiser.

Even through the recession, Kaiser was able to stay afloat. The company never dipped under four employees, and capitalized on opportunities to stay in business.

Today, Enchanted Construction of Campobello, S.C., builds 250 homes each year — from 1,000 to 6,000 sq. ft. — and performs all phases of residential construction, from site prep to landscaping. The company also began performing grading and earthwork due to customer demand. The size of the subdivisions the company works in varies, but are typically around 20 homes. Homes per acre vary as well.

“If we are on a sewer in a sewer neighborhood, it's about three homes per acre and those are typically mass graded lots that we don't use the heavy equipment on — we just use Bobcats only on those. When we get out in the country in rural areas and we have half acre to three quarter acre lots. Typically, those are wooded or fields and we have to move a lot of dirt so we use heavy equipment on those to start with to get the site ready,” said Kaiser.

The company works primarily in Spartanburg, and has recently branched out to Anderson and Greenville with three new subdivisions projects.

In order to perform these projects efficiently, the company relies heavily on its fleet of equipment, which includes approximately seven Bobcats.

“We will use Bobcat skid steer loaders for building the home pad, and then we'll use the excavator to dig the footings. Then we'll use the Bobcats for the backfill the plumbing pipes and then the skid steer loaders for fine grade for the slab concrete. Then, we will have to come back again and use the skid steer loaders to grade the driveway and complete landscaping,” said Kaiser.

Recently, the company completed a subdivision, Wynbrook, which included 230 homes. Kaiser said that the Bobcats performed well on the project and that his local dealer, Bobcat of Spartanburg, was always ready to help.

“Well, the biggest thing is service of the Bobcat of Spartanburg and the sales people — they are just on top of it, said Kaiser. “Everything is just right up front the first time. The service at the service department is excellent. We can bring a machine down there if we break down, and in 30 minutes we are back at the job with the other machine working where we left off.”

For more information, visit http://www.enchantedconstruction.com.

For more information about Bobcat of Spartanburg, visit www.bobcatops.com/custompage.asp CEG

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