Meet the team at Exceptional 1 Services
We like keeping our team small. This means when you call, you're not getting bounced around a call center or explaining your project to a stranger for the third time. You're talking to people who know your home and your vision. Dan leads the crew, and our talented, dedicated laborers and project manager ensure the work gets done to the highest standards. You’ll see the same familiar faces from that first walkthrough all the way to the final coat of paint. There’s no revolving door and no guessing who's showing up. It’s the same people who have been with you since day one.
Dan Messer
Dan owns Exceptional 1 Services and leads the sales, estimating, and project planning side of the business. He loves helping homeowners turn ideas into real plans, and takes pride in building projects and relationships that last.
Dan's usually at the grill, smoker, or griddle, cooking up something for the family. Saturday mornings mean Big Breakfast Saturday, his favorite excuse to get the kids home. Come Sunday evening, you'll find him unwinding with sports, golf, or pickleball alongside his brother-in-law and the guys.
Scott Stevens
Scott is our Project Manager for Exceptional 1 Services, overseeing scheduling, customer communication and satisfaction, and coordinating with supplier and trade partners. His secret superpower is his eye for aesthetics and design. He ensures the project details come together beautifully.
Scott loves tending to his collection of houseplants and getting outdoors. Animals are drawn to him, and homeowner pets quickly learn he's a friend. Whether it's a dog checking on the progress, a cat supervising from across the room, or a donkey that follows you in from the farm gate, Scott’s always happy to give them attention along the way.
Heidi Messer
Heidi keeps Exceptional 1 Services running smoothly behind the scenes, bringing organization, attention to detail, and a relationship-first approach to the team.
Heidi is a homebody at heart who enjoys spending time with family, designing the bible school bulletin board at church, and occasionally surprising Dan by rearranging the furniture. One of her favorite ways to unwind is sitting on the deck and watching the birds and butterflies visit the feeders and planters.
Candy Morris
Candy is the newest member of the Exceptional 1 Services team, helping with data entry and overflow office support.
Candy is dependable and especially good at follow-up and follow-through. She makes sure nothing slips through the cracks and has become quite effective at keeping unexpected solicitors from interrupting the workday. As a former EMT and first responder, she brings a calm, capable presence to the office.
Candy loves mowing, fishing, glamping, and spending time with her granddaughter, especially when there’s a good day of thrifting involved.
Abbie McCandlish
Abbie’s worked with Dan for nearly 20 years and is both his right (and left) hand in sales, estimating, and drafting. A 2001 graduate of Ohio University with a BA in interior design, she brings creativity, experience, and an eye for detail to every project.
Abbie loves spending time with her family and nephews, enjoying life on the farm, cheering on just about every sport, and putting her creativity to work through crafting. She’s actively involved in serving her church and values the relationships and community that have been such an important part of her life.
Ninja
Ninja has been part of Exceptional 1 Services since 2016, when she adopted us shortly after we moved into our current location. She knows no stranger and is often the first to greet any visitor as they pull in.
She loves pets and cuddles and is our friendliest greeter. She’s one vocal cat, begging for attention whenever she can. You’ll hear her before you see her.
As our unofficial office and warehouse supervisor, Ninja helps keep pesky rodents away. In return, we make sure her treat jar stays well stocked.
Exceptional 1 Services, your friendly home remodeler
The ONE team you’ll rely on again and again
Exceptional 1 Services is built on relationships and built to last.
We started with a simple belief: You deserve a general contractor you trust not just with your house, but with the people you let inside it. Dan Messer founded Exceptional 1 Services in 2013, and it's grown into a home remodeling company serving homeowners across Central Ohio. The work has grown, but how we treat people hasn't changed. We listen. We communicate. We pay attention to the details. We look out for your home like it's our own.
We've learned that the projects people remember aren't just the ones that turned out beautiful; they're the ones where they felt heard the whole way through. That's what we aim for on every kitchen, bathroom, basement, and custom project we take on. We're proud that homeowners trust us enough to invite us back, again and again.
The Exceptional 1 Services team builds lasting relationships with our customers, vendors, and fellow industry professionals through honesty, consistency, and quality work. We're a small, local crew that treats your home like it's our own project, not just another job on the calendar. So come on in — let's talk about your home.
Certifications you
can count on
We're proud to be a NARI-certified general contractor across Pickerington, Reynoldsburg, Pataskala, Blacklick, New Albany, Gahanna, and the greater Columbus area. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) holds home remodelers to the industry’s own standards for quality and ethics, so you know you’re getting quality work from a trusted general contractor.
We're also an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau and a member of the Ohio Association of Radon Professionals. We hold contractor registrations for Home Improvement, General,l and Demolition contracting with the City of Columbus and in several of our surrounding municipalities. Dan earned his Certified Lead Carpenter credentials from NARI.
We chose these certifications and memberships because we wanted you to have more than just our word that we do things the right way. We’re the contractor who is small enough to listen, big enough to deliver, and we hope that you will allow us to assist you with all your current and future residential and commercial projects.
Let's build something together
Have a project in mind? Even if you're just starting to think it through, we'd love to hear about it. Reach out, and let's have a conversation. No pressure, just two people talking about your home.
