Meet Tom Pritchard of Arbor Design + Build in Eagle Rock

Today we’d like to introduce you to Tom Pritchard.

Tom, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I was born in Los Angeles (Inglewood) to native Angelino parents. We moved shortly after to a weird and wonderful place called “Rainbow” in the North San Diego county mountains. Growing up my father played in the band “the Surfaris” and the band would make the trek from LA to come practice and hang/get out of the city. We would go to the shows and he’d play with bands like “Jan and Dean” and “the ventures” who were classic surf bands. But the king of the surf song, the surfari’s “wipeout” always got the biggest draw for my Dad and his mates.

My brother and I were enrolled in school on the Pala Indian reservation at the old Pala mission. It was still being used for the purpose it was built. Nuns taught classes to the local tribe kids in old adobe buildings in a big valley on the reservation. It was a pretty unique experience. My Dad, also being a carpenter, helped rebuild the old chapel at the mission. I think these experiences led me to my current self…

I’ve always had two lives – one foot in music and one foot in the building. While I was in college, I worked for my Dad doing custom woodwork in places like La Jolla and Rancho Sante Fe alongside amazing tradesmen. What was great was that they took the time to show me the techniques and mindset needed to make something the right way. The work was very detailed and the clients were uppity and picky as it gets. It was a good education.

At the time, I was also writing music and playing in my band in and around San Diego County and eventually around the country. We put in 6 years of hard work and eventually got to our goal of being signed to a major label. Throughout the process, I was fortunate to work with great songwriters and producers and met many creative people who I still draw from.

In 2011 I decided to move up to LA. I was beginning a new record and had a little money saved. I had no work and blew through my money quicker then I thought. I started placing ads on craigslist and taking the odd job here and there. It was tough and it was shitty work for a while there. I kept at it. I found a guy, Martin, who had a cabinet shop in South Central LA (Huntington park) and let me split the cheap rent with him. It was me the white guy and the Latinos who had been there for many years. They were great to me and helped me whenever they could. I saw how good their work was and we began to do projects together.

Eventually, I got my own shop and would focus on designing so as to bring all of the tradesmen I’d met with me to new clients. I called my company Arbor Design + Build.

Since then, the business has been great here in Los Angeles. I’ve gone on to build a few restaurants like “Le petite Marche” and “the parker room” as well as work with many great designers around town. I enjoy working alongside my clients trying to fuse their vision with mine while trying to keep the experience reasonable in this era of overpricing and flaky contractors.

Recently I bought my first house in Eagle Rock. The house was a complete disaster, yet there were 40 other offers on it before me. It has good bones – I would say Im at 60% of where I want to be. The best part is that there’s a room overlooking the Verdugo hills that’s perfect for my studio and has a great vibe for working on my next record.

Has it been a smooth road?
It is very difficult here in LA to build and be a builder. Shop space is expensive, traffic and distances make for crazy logistics. But for me, people in LA have good style and want to build cool things so it makes up for it.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Arbor Design + Build – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I specialize in design to build projects that include custom cabinets, furniture, metalwork, stonework, upholstery – whatever the project needs. I would like to think Im known for doing quality work with a good take on what’s current. I think what sets me apart from others is my take on the building process. I like to work alongside my clients to try and keep the bottom line reasonable while getting the most for their money and efforts.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I like the passion for home esthetics in LA. People have a good taste here. The traffic is a major vibe killer – I feel for all of the Wonderfull people of LA.