Jim Braunscheidel is in the business of architectural salvage. Unless you’re in the home building or resto industry, or a fan of HGTV shows like Fixer Upper or Salvage Dawgs, you might not be familiar with what architectural salvage is or the process it involves.
When a building or home is scheduled to be demolished, Jim goes in and dismantles it, painstakingly removing items of value or intrigue, decorative or functional, including wooden floors, barn doors, crown molding – anything that displays fine craftsmanship or reflects historical significance – and he finds new uses for them. This could mean repurposing these items into original designs of his making, or working with clients to find another home for them in a new construction or renovation project. It’s an arduous process of recycling, reducing and reusing very old and important architectural details that might otherwise be discarded and lost forever.
“I started off as a carpenter by trade. I was a homebuilder for 20 years until I had an injury. My leg was crushed in an elevator. I lost everything. I had to redefine myself,” Jim says. “I had been collecting architectural salvage when a friend told me people want to buy this stuff. So, I took it to a show and sold it all.”
This is how he got his start, working with clients who were restoring their homes and in need of authentic architectural elements.
“When the housing market crashed, I had to redefine myself again,” Jim says. “I took what I learned from my days as a carpenter and started to build things from the salvage. I was discovered by high-end retailers who loved my products, and I started building custom pieces for their brick and mortar stores.”
But when the retail industry declined, and brick and mortar stores started to shutter, Jim found himself rebuilding again.
“I took what I learned from my days as a carpenter and started to build things from the salvage. I was discovered by high-end retailers who loved my products, and I started building custom pieces for their brick and mortar stores”
“I met Paul Michael, and he invited me to Market Hill. This is another turn in my career where I am taking everything I have learned, and I am refining it again,” he says. “Market Hill is amazing. I feel part of the family. I am accepted, and it encourages me to grow and expand.”
An important part of his business is connecting the right people with the right products.
“I am new to Texas. I am looking for the right customers to find me. Getting these pieces and parts into the hands of the right people is a priority. It’s why I do what I do.”
Meet Jim at Market Hill to hear more about his passion, learn more about his process, and to find the missing piece to complete your project and preserve a bit of history.