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The cleaning and water extraction expertise of Coit Services provided the basis for RestorAid, which was established in 1997 by the Desserich family. But the family did not want its new enterprise to be limited to a clean-up company. They hired carpenters and made sure that their employees and subcontractors could replace a building from the ground up. Several rooms in RestorAid's center are devoted to training. For instance, the company's employees learn how to extract water from every conceivable type of carpet. On a scale-model structure called the "dog house," they practice inserting heavy plastic in and around shingles to shore up damaged roofs and protect homes from further weather incursions. They pride themselves on getting artwork restored, replacing discontinued items and matching new building materials to old. So much for the right equipment and knowledge. Those two elements are essential, Keith said, but attention to the customers is the company's sine qua non. "The biggest thing you learn in business is you listen to your customers," he said. "If you don't listen, then get out of the business." The company is always sensitive to the fact that its customers are in crisis. It's RestorAid's job to minimize stress, to instill confidence, to make things as easy as possible. So continuity is important. "We keep the same project manager and lead carpenter on the job if at all possible," Keith said. 'We want to maintain consistency with the customer. Our customers also want employees with RestorAid uniforms, not subcontractors. So we use our own people on the job site whenever possible, keeping subcontractors to a minimum." Employees insist that rebuilding their customers' lives is just as important as rebuilding their homes. "We see this as more of a people business," Dennis said. 'We provide support and understanding."