Learn the story of the Girskis family and Suburban Construction Inc., from Brian D. Girskis founding the Quad Cities home-improvement company in 1985 to the next generation of local leadership under Brian “JR” Girskis and Darin Wilson.
The History of Suburban Construction Inc.
The Girskis Family and the History of Suburban Construction
Suburban Construction Inc. has been part of the Quad Cities home-improvement industry since 1985. What began as a local business founded by Brian D. Girskis grew over the decades into an established Davenport-based exterior remodeling company serving homeowners throughout Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Today, the next generation continues that history under the leadership of Brian "JR" Girskis, President and Owner, along with Vice President and Co-Owner Darin Wilson.
Every long-standing local business has a story.
For Suburban Construction, that story begins with the Girskis family and a simple idea: build a home-improvement company that homeowners could call not just for the original project, but years later when they needed another window, new siding, a door, service, or simply an answer to a question.
More than four decades later, Suburban Construction remains locally owned and continues serving many of the same Quad Cities communities where the company first built its reputation.
It Started With Brian D. Girskis
Suburban Construction was founded in 1985 by Brian D. Girskis.
Brian had experience in the window and siding industry before starting the company and believed there was an opportunity to build a local remodeling business around quality products, professional installation, and dependable customer service.
The company began in the Quad Cities and gradually built its name one project and one homeowner at a time.
Read more about the story of Suburban Construction .
A Local Business Built Around Exterior Remodeling
From the beginning, Suburban Construction focused on products that could improve the appearance, comfort, durability, and efficiency of local homes.
Over the years, that has included:
- Replacement windows
- Vinyl siding
- Composite cladding
- Steel siding
- Entry doors
- Patio doors
- Seamless gutters
- Gutter protection
- Soffit and fascia
- Exterior trim and related improvements
While products and technology have changed considerably since 1985, the company's focus has remained centered on exterior home improvement.
Growing With the Quad Cities
The Quad Cities has changed significantly since Suburban Construction opened its doors.
Neighborhoods expanded, products improved, energy-efficiency expectations increased, architectural trends changed, and homeowners gained access to far more exterior remodeling options.
Suburban Construction grew alongside those changes while continuing to serve Davenport, Bettendorf, and surrounding Iowa and Illinois communities.
The Next Generation Grew Up Around the Business
For the Girskis family, Suburban Construction was never simply a name on a building.
Brian "JR" Girskis grew up around the company and was exposed to the realities of running a local remodeling business from an early age.
That meant seeing more than sales and finished projects.
It also meant seeing material deliveries, installation challenges, customer-service calls, scheduling, employee management, and the many details required to keep a home-improvement company operating year after year.
JR Girskis Joined the Company Full Time
After graduating from the University of Iowa, JR Girskis joined Suburban Construction full time in 2002 as General Manager.
That marked an important step in the transition from the company's founding generation to its next generation of leadership.
Rather than simply inheriting a title, JR spent years learning and managing the day-to-day operations of the business.
JR Became President in 2007
In 2007, Brian "JR" Girskis became President of Suburban Construction.
Under the next generation of leadership, the company continued building on the reputation established by founder Brian D. Girskis while adapting to changes in the remodeling industry.
Today, JR serves as President and Owner of Suburban Construction Inc.
Learn more about JR and the current leadership team on our Meet the Owners page .
Darin Wilson Joined the Ownership Team
Darin Wilson serves as Vice President and Co-Owner of Suburban Construction Inc.
His involvement has helped broaden the company's leadership while keeping ownership local and directly connected to daily operations.
Darin's responsibilities include helping guide operations, customer experience, sales, product strategy, marketing, and the long-term direction of the company.
Together, JR Girskis and Darin Wilson continue operating Suburban Construction as an independent local business rather than a national franchise.
Why Generational Continuity Matters
Family businesses face an important challenge as they grow: preserving what made the company successful while continuing to change with the market.
Products that were considered premium decades ago may be very different from what homeowners expect today.
Installation techniques, energy standards, warranties, technology, marketing, and customer expectations all continue to evolve.
Successful generational transition means respecting the company's history without assuming the business can operate exactly the way it did thirty years ago.
The Products Changed, but the Core Business Stayed Familiar
Modern homeowners have access to exterior products that would have looked very different when Suburban Construction began in 1985.
Window technology has improved. Siding options have expanded. Composite cladding and modern steel systems offer new design possibilities. Door systems have become more efficient and customizable.
Yet the basic responsibility remains the same: help the homeowner choose the right product and install it correctly.
Suburban Construction Remained Independent
The home-improvement industry has seen significant consolidation over the years.
Many companies operate as franchises, regional chains, or divisions of much larger organizations.
Suburban Construction has remained an independent, locally owned business.
That allows important decisions about products, service, employees, training, operations, and customer experience to remain local.
A Permanent Davenport Home
Today, Suburban Construction operates from:
3602 North Harrison Street
Davenport, Iowa 52806
The Davenport facility gives homeowners a permanent place to visit the company, meet the team, and see exterior products before making a major investment.
Explore our Davenport showroom .
Why a Showroom Matters
Homeowners are making decisions about products they may live with for decades.
Seeing a window operate, comparing siding colors in person, looking at door finishes, and discussing installation details face to face can provide a much better understanding than choosing everything from photographs alone.
Maintaining a permanent local showroom also reflects a long-term commitment to the market.
The Business Was Built One Project at a Time
Local remodeling companies do not build forty-year histories from one advertising campaign.
They build them through thousands of individual homeowner experiences.
Every replacement window, siding project, door installation, gutter project, and service call becomes part of the company's reputation.
That reputation becomes especially important when the owners and employees live in the same communities as their customers.
Repeat Customers Became Part of the Story
Home improvement often happens in stages.
A homeowner may replace several windows one year, complete the remaining windows later, install a new entry door, and eventually replace the siding.
For a long-standing local contractor, those repeat projects become an important part of the business.
Over decades, repeat business can even extend across generations of the same families.
The Quad Cities Are Still Home
Suburban Construction continues serving homeowners throughout Davenport, Bettendorf, and the greater Quad Cities.
The company's service area also extends into surrounding Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois communities.
Communities regularly served include:
- Davenport, Iowa
- Bettendorf, Iowa
- Eldridge, Iowa
- LeClaire, Iowa
- Blue Grass, Iowa
- DeWitt, Iowa
- Moline, Illinois
- Rock Island, Illinois
- East Moline, Illinois
- Coal Valley, Illinois
- And surrounding communities
More Than Four Decades Create Perspective
A company that has operated since 1985 has seen a lot of change.
Siding profiles have changed. Window technology has changed. Color trends have changed. Building practices have changed. Marketing has changed.
The experience gained through those changes helps a company understand which trends are temporary and which improvements genuinely create value for homeowners.
History Matters Most When the Company Still Stands Behind Today's Work
A long history is worth discussing, but homeowners are ultimately hiring the company that exists today.
That means current products, current installers, current service, and current leadership matter just as much as the founding story.
The value of Suburban Construction's history is that the company has been able to preserve local ownership while continuing to evolve.
The Girskis Family Name Is Connected to the Company's Reputation
In a family business, the company name and family reputation can become closely connected.
Customers are not dealing with anonymous ownership several states away.
Leadership remains tied to the community where the company operates and where its reputation has been built over decades.
That creates a strong reason to think beyond the current project and focus on the long-term reputation of the business.
Local Accountability Has Always Been Important
Exterior remodeling can involve significant investments and long product life cycles.
Homeowners want to know who they can contact if they have a question after installation.
A permanent Davenport location and locally involved ownership give customers a clear place to start when they need assistance.
Suburban Construction's History Is Still Being Written
The company's history did not end when leadership passed from its founder to the next generation.
Suburban Construction continues investing in its showroom, products, employees, training, installation practices, technology, marketing, and customer experience.
The goal is not simply to celebrate what the business accomplished in the past.
It is to build a company that remains relevant and dependable for the next generation of Quad Cities homeowners.
How Can Homeowners Research the Company?
Homeowners should research any contractor before signing a major remodeling agreement.
Look at ownership, history, physical location, reviews, project examples, warranties, installation processes, and independent business profiles.
Suburban Construction Inc. has maintained a Better Business Bureau file since 1987.
More Than Four Decades of Local History
Suburban Construction's history is ultimately a story about continuity.
The products have changed. The industry has changed. The Quad Cities has changed.
But the company remains locally owned, based in Davenport, and focused on exterior home improvement for homeowners throughout Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois.
The Girskis family's involvement helped build the foundation of the company, and today's leadership continues developing that business for the future.
Come See the Company Behind the History
Visit Suburban Construction Inc. at 3602 North Harrison Street in Davenport, Iowa, to explore replacement windows, siding, doors, gutters, and exterior products and meet the local team behind the company.
You can also schedule a free, no-pressure estimate for your next window, siding, door, gutter, or exterior home-improvement project.
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