JB Insulation & Drywall LLC of Oakland, N.J., has an interesting operation: it specializes in both insulation and drywall. That’s somewhat of an oddity, but it seems to have worked for the company and its owner, Jonathan Belanus.

Founded in 2015, JB Insulation & Drywall performs residential and commercial installation of fiberglass batts, blown cellulose, spray foam and firestopping, as well as drywall and finishing.

“My grandfather owned an insulation company, my father got into the business and took over my grandfather’s business, and I started working for my father when I was about 16,” Belanus says. Walls & Ceilings met Belanus at this year’s ICAA Annual Trade Show & Convention in Chicago. “Today, we do all types of work on all types of projects, but our main area of business is large, custom-built homes.”

The contractor currently has 40 full-time employees, in addition to a group of trusted subcontractors it consistently works with for drywall projects.

State of the Business

Belanus says that since the company started almost 10 years ago, it has grown every year.

“Business is good now—not quite as good as it was the past few years,” Belanus says. “I can feel it slowing down, and the market is getting much more price-sensitive than it has been the past three or four years.”

Belanus says that construction has been doing really well in the company’s market the past few years since COVID started, until about nine months ago. Then, there was more work than JB Insulation & Drywall could keep up with. Changing market conditions, increasing construction costs and higher interest rates are slowing the market.

The Company’s Future

The rest of this year will end well for the company, but Belanus is uncertain about next year. If interest rates decrease by a percentage point or two and the media and politicians stop causing division, things could improve, he laments.

Belanus says that JB Insulation & Drywall’s long-term goals are to recruit more salespeople and office and operations staff. In addition, if he is able to find the right people, the company could possibly grow its services to include acoustical ceiling tiles and steel framing.

A Unique Company

Belanus says that the company being “big enough to serve and small enough to care” is what sets it apart.

On the insulation side of things, the company occupies a valuable niche between national companies and very small businesses. National companies have some knowledgeable and dedicated staff, but they also have many that are neither. On the other hand, very small companies often fail to stand behind their work, can’t extend 30-day terms, lack proper insurance and don’t have enough staff to provide decent service, he says.

On the drywall side, JB Insulation & Drywall also finds itself between the very large and very small companies. While large companies offer cheaper rates, their finished work often lacks quality. Conversely, small companies can only handle one job at a time. JB Insulation & Drywall, however, has multiple subcontractors that it works with and can handle multiple jobs simultaneously, while maintaining good service and extended credit terms.

“Also, our clients appreciate that we handle both insulation and drywall, allowing us to seamlessly schedule and complete the work,” Belanus says.