Biography of Howard Brickman
With 25 years of experience in the wood flooring industry, Howard Brickman has carved out a niche for himself as a pre-eminent expert on specialty installations as well as flooring and job site inspections. Homeowners, construction managers, architects, contractors and insurance companies alike know who to call when there is a problem. Savvy clients know that involving Brickman in the beginning of a project is the most cost effective way to make sure things are done right the first time.
In 1978, after serving in the Air Force for six years as a B52 Navigator Bombardier, Brickman entered the wood flooring industry as the Manager of Inspection and School Services for the National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association. His tenure with NOFMA had him inspecting mills to assist with quality and production problems. Additionally, he developed curriculum for and taught their first HardwoodFlooringInstallationSchool. The industry knowledge of milling and installation practices served as a solid foundation for the establishment (in 1984) of a full service hardwood flooring consulting and contracting company. Attention to detail and ingenuity of craftsmanship are hallmarks of his work. His partial client list includes several notable projects: Hatch Memorial Shell, Boston; Henri Bendel Store, Boston; The Country Club, Brookline; Mechanics Hall, Worcester; Federal Reserve Bank, Boston; and This Old House Program WGBH. Other credits include the NWFA 2000 "Floor of the Year" award and repeat appearances as a technical consultant for Bob Vila's "Home Again".
Brickman attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst from 1995 to 1998 and completed all of the coursework for the Wood Science & Technology, M.S. and Ph. D. program. His sense of ethics, scientific understanding of wood gained through intensive study and practical experience as a flooring contractor combine to make him an effective expert witness when disputes are brought to court. Currently, the bulk of his time is spent providing to guidance to clients regarding manufacture, storage, installation, finishing and job site conditions and has partnered with Inspector Training Services for Floor Coverings to teach other inspectors this scientific, fact-based approach to consulting.
While most consulting cases involve dealing with the aftermath of botched job conditions, Brickman finds it much more rewarding to help clients avoid expensive, drawn out legal disputes all together. The number one culprit of damage in building and renovation projects is improper moisture conditions at the time of construction. Brickman, along with business partner Ed Johnson, developed FloorWatch and SlabWatch to enable users to monitor ongoing job site conditions using remote sensing moisture meters that send information nightly to a private web page.
Brickman resides in the SouthShore suburbs of Boston, Massachusetts with his wife and two adult children, who all serve as officers in the Brickman Company.