Now running a family-owned custom building and remodeling company that has serviced the Cape Cod community for over 40 years, Andrew Philbrook has taken on the mantle of “Honesty, Integrity, Transparency,” like his father, uncles, and grandfather before him. Philbrook’s expertise and innate knowledge of the business, as well as his respect for his employees and others within the homebuilding industry, creates an atmosphere of empathy and decorum. ~ Rachel Walman

CCH: As this is “a family business”, how did you first get involved? When did you decide it was a career path you would pursue? 

AP: My father, Varn Philbrook, started Philbrook Engineering and Construction in 1981; he was in the building business with my grandfather to begin with, upon leaving the military. My uncle, Kelley Philbrook, joined with my father in the beginning of the ‘90s as my grandfather transitioned into retirement. Through high school, I worked with them—helping with the site cleanups, dump runs, and any odd jobs onsite I could lend a hand with. I was never planning to go into our family business upon finishing college and through my 20s. As life goes, an opportunity to join them came available in the beginning of 2016, and by that point, there were two uncles and my father running the business. Over the past few years with retirements, we have transitioned, and I now work with my longtime friend, Josh Drohan, to manage the company.

CCH: How would you describe the process of home construction on the Cape, and the differences between primary homeowners and seasonal homeowners?

AP: There’s a usual cycle of big projects that start in September and run through Memorial Day. Those are mostly house renovations...