From the Rugby Field to Remodels: How Elite Got Its Start
Where it all began—on the rugby field, learning teamwork, grit, and how to take a hit.
It’s not every day that a home remodeling company starts with a rugby tackle—but that’s exactly how Elite began.
Back in the early 2000s, long before custom cabinetry and kitchen tile were daily conversations, Eric and Craig met the way all great partnerships do: getting knocked around on a muddy rugby field in San Jose.
Eric had recently moved to Pleasanton with his future wife and joined an adult league rugby team to meet people and blow off some steam. Craig—originally from New Zealand, where rugby is practically a second religion—was already playing and quickly noticed the new guy who seemed to be equal parts engineer and masochist.
It turns out they had more in common than bruises and post-game beers.
At the time, Craig had just wrapped up a grueling four-year building apprenticeship in New Zealand, where construction standards are notoriously tough and attention to detail is borderline obsessive. He was working as a solo contractor in the Bay Area, building a reputation for meticulous craftsmanship and straightforward honesty.
Eric, meanwhile, was knee-deep in the high-tech world—an electrical engineer working for a French automation company, with an electrician’s license in his back pocket and a growing interest in building something a little more tangible than software.
The early days in Larkin Valley—our first build and our first Golden project manager, Molly.
A House, a Hammer, and a Whole New Path
The real turning point? A piece of land in Larkin Valley.
Eric had bought the property with the dream of building a home from the ground up. Naturally, he called Craig—“the guy who actually knew what he was doing”—to help guide him through the process. What started as a collaboration quickly turned into a crash course in construction for Eric and a trial run of working together for both of them.
Around this same time, something else funny happened: Eric and Craig both got married…in the same month. Then their wives got pregnant…also the same month. Their kids were born just weeks apart. It was the kind of parallel life path that hinted this partnership might just be destined.
Married the same month. Kids born weeks apart. The partnership started long before the business did.
From Solo to Squad
Eventually, Craig and his family relocated back to New Zealand for a few years, and he sold his business to Eric. Eric kept things rolling stateside—managing projects, working closely with clients, and applying his systems-thinking to construction.
When Craig returned to Santa Cruz County to be closer to extended family, the two reconnected with a shared vision: to create a remodeling company that fused technical expertise with true craftsmanship—minus the stress, confusion, and runaround that too often plagues the remodeling industry.
Eric brings business systems, transparency, and full-scale project management. Craig brings hands-on mastery, design sensibility, and a passion for getting the little things just right.
Together, they launched what is now known as Elite Construction Services—offering high-end residential kitchen remodels, bathroom renovations, ADUs, and home additions across Santa Cruz County.
Two Decades, Dozens of Remodels, and a Rock-Solid Partnership
Eric and Craig after a team paintball match—bruised but still laughing. Teamwork looks a little different off the rugby field.
Today, Elite is one of the most respected remodeling companies in the area. And yes—Eric and Craig are still great friends (though thankfully no longer tackling each other on weekends).
They remain selective about the projects they take on and committed to delivering exceptional craftsmanship and a streamlined, transparent remodeling process. Their complementary skills—Eric’s operational expertise and Craig’s detail-obsessed craftsmanship—continue to define the company’s high standards.
What began as a friendship on a rugby field has become a long-standing partnership built on trust, mutual respect, and a shared dedication to doing the job right.
Interested in working with Elite?
Eric and Craig may not be on the rugby field anymore, but they’re still a strong team—bringing experience, precision, and clear communication to every project. Reach out to schedule a consultation and start building something great.
