Building repairs can feel like a daunting project to tackle on your own. Hiring a contractor is sometimes not a route people choose and instead decide to take on the task themselves.

Finding a business that sells the materials required as well as being able to offer reliable knowledge on the project at hand can sometimes be crucial to a project.

W.T. Fary Bros., located on Farys Mill Road in Gloucester, is a family-owned business with a rich history in the area that has been operating in their current location since the early 1900s. Manager Joe Fary, and a third-generation Fary in the business, estimates that they currently have a “70 percent contractor base right now,” as more homeowners are taking on projects themselves.

“Most of the crews have been here a good while, they’re pretty knowledgeable on everything that goes into building,” he said. The Fary Bros. employees are able to offer their expertise and advice, with experience to back them up. “The average person working...