By Jill Nagy
A relative newcomer to the business, Jean and Kevin Knobloch’s N-Hance wood refinishing franchise in Glens Falls advanced quickly.
The local franchise moved from company-wide Rookie of the Year in 2012 to Franchisee of the Year in 2013. This year, it added the Saratoga market to its franchise area, according to Kevin Knobloch.
The company has a patented approach and technique to wood refinishing that Knobloch said is environmentally friendly and quick for refinishing wood, particularly floors and kitchen cabinets. The workers use chemicals to break down the old finish and open the pores of the wood. Then they stain, seal and dry the wood using an ultra-violet curing technique, he explained.
There is no sanding and, therefore, no dust, and workers are usually in and out in one day, he said.
Knobloch claims 100 percent customer satisfaction, according to random surveys by the parent corporation.
Unless the wood suffers from “cupping,” deep depressions usually from water damage, N-Hance can probably give the wood a fine finish. They can work with cork, bamboo, or laminated surfaces, as well as solid wood.
Typically, N-Hance can do a 1,000-square-foot house or business in two days, he said. All the furniture gets moved to one side of the room (by the customer or, for an extra fee, by the refinishers) and the other half is refinished. The next day, the furniture can be moved to the finished half of the rooms and the rest of the floor can be re-finished.
Knobloch estimated that 65 percent of their work involves refinishing kitchen cabinets. The rest is floors. They have both residential and commercial customers.
Knobloch said his company provides “a great solution” for restaurants and bars because they can come in after closing, refinish the dance floor, bar or other wood surfaces, and have everything ready by the time the business is set to open the next day.
The Glens Falls franchise covers Albany, Fulton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Warren and Washington and, now, Saratoga counties.
The local franchise is one of 325 N-Hance in the United States and Canada. The company is a sister division of Chem-Dry Carpet Cleaners and is headquartered in Logan, Utah.and Nashville, Tenn.
There are eight employees at the Glens Falls shop, including Jean and Kevin Knobloch and their daughter, Jamie Smith. Jean Knobloch is CEO and Kevin is operations and sales manager. Jamie is the office receptionist and customer service representative.
Before moving up north, Knobloch spent about 30 years in construction management and as an owner’s representative in New York City and the Hamptons on Long Island. The family had a camp on Great Sacandaga Lake and got to know the area. He said they were attracted to Glens Falls by “the quality of life.”
N-Hance has its office and warehouse at 26 Logan Ave. in Glens Falls. However, Knobloch said, most of their consulting is done at customer’s homes or businesses. The telephone number is 874-0654.
Photo Courtesy N-Hance