Nick Scroggs, right, and Blu Ramakis, project supervisor. Photo by Colby Rabon
By Lauren Stepp
Twenty years ago, Swannanoa native Nick Scroggs found himself removing insulation from a dirty, 100-degree basement. The teenager had spent plenty of days like this—helping his dad, Matt Scroggs, a local firefighter who took on remodeling jobs whenever he was off the clock.
As Nick wrestled with the itchy fiberglass, he imagined a much different future for himself—one far away from the construction industry. “I did a lot of grunt work growing up, and if you do enough of that, you don’t really want to do it anymore,” Nick says with a laugh. “So, I thought, ‘I’m going to move to Chicago, get a degree in finance and work in a high-rise.’”
After graduating from Charles D. Owen High School, Nick followed through on his plan, studying business at Roosevelt University in Chicago and earning an MBA from Dominican University.
Nick Scroggs. Photo by Colby Rabon
Nick was moving into the corporate world and excited about that future when his dad called. Matt’s remodeling venture was growing, and he needed a business-savvy partner. “It wasn’t really my path to make it back into construction,” Nick admits. “But as a kid, I don’t think I realized how many different opportunities exist in this industry. It took growing up and getting my MBA to see how much room there is for growth.”
In 2016, Nick and Matt co-founded Scroggs Construction Services. Today, Scroggs Construction is a full-service design-build firm offering everything from kitchen and bathroom remodels to large-scale additions and new home builds. Their business model brings planning, design and construction under one roof, delivering faster results with fewer surprises along the way.
But what truly sets Scroggs Construction apart is the company’s local roots. With strong ties to the community, the Scroggs team can consistently produce high-quality work, even in a market where skilled labor is often in short supply. “You need to have connections within this community to get things done,” Nick says.
Nick is all about getting things done. Since its founding, Scroggs Construction has consistently experienced 30 percent growth year-over-year. The company is also growing its new home business, with homes under construction in Buncombe, McDowell and Henderson counties.
“It is evident with the Scroggs team that they take great pride in their professional conduct and quality workmanship,” says Katie Nery, a North Asheville resident who hired Scroggs Construction to remodel a bathroom after a failed restoration by an insurance-appointed contractor. “Nick and his team saved the day.”
They saved the day after Hurricane Helene, too. In the weeks after the storm, Nick and crew members turned the company office into a supply hub, driving vital resources to hard-hit areas.
Meanwhile, the company brought on more than a dozen new employees as it launched a restoration division dedicated to hurricane recovery. So far, they have taken on more than 40 hurricane-related rebuilds and are working to help families build back stronger than before. “Restoration is a completely different process from remodeling. It involves coordinating with both the client and their insurance adjuster, who often have very different priorities,” Nicks says. “Understanding how to navigate those relationships requires skilled and specialized people.”
And as he leads the day-to-day operations of a fast-growing company, Nick also serves as this year’s president of the Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains. In this role, he champions issues like creating more housing options for the community, and encouraging people to go into the construction industry for quality, well-paying jobs.
Matt says it has been an honor to watch Nick grow into the leader he is today. “Nick will carry my legacy on while building his own extraordinary legacy,” he says. “I’m sure of that.”
Scroggs Construction Services is accepting new clients in the greater Asheville area. For more information, visit ScroggsConstruction.com or call 828.552.3222.
