For over 35 years, AJM Septic & Excavating has been turning backyard dreams into realities all over Western Connecticut. This is our story…
Joe Martin Jr. was raised in the construction business.
He can’t remember a time when he wasn’t working with his dad, Joe Martin, Sr. The father-and-son team built homes from the foundation up. From framing and wiring to plumbing and roofing, Joe was taught every aspect of home construction and excavation from his dad.
After getting married, Joe continued down this path with his wife Denise, starting their own construction company building homes in and around his hometown of New Fairfield, CT. Together they built a reputation of integrity and craftsmanship that would be synonymous with the Martin name.
But in 1987, major events took place requiring a shift in direction that would be life-changing both professionally and personally.
First, the building boom took a dive, with the crash of the housing market in ’87.
Second, Denise was expecting!
Denise left the corporate world to become a stay-at-home mom which required the team’s focus to shift in a completely new direction. With a dead building market and a growing family relying on one income, the Martins had to think quickly.
Thanks to years working with his father, Joe knew how to excavate and install septic systems. Joe and Denise realized this could provide the secure future that they were looking for.
So with the profits from the last home they sold, they purchased their first excavator.
They named their new business AJM Septic & Excavating after their first-born son, Austin Joseph Martin. The master-builder became a Septic & Excavation Contractor and his wife became the head of Customer Service. With Denise’s background in customer service and Joe’s expertise in all facets of construction, they quickly built a reputation that exceeded the size of their “newborn” family business.
And, years later, Joe would even enjoy working together with his son Austin on various projects, passing down his knowledge and expertise.
But Joe and Denise would suffer another serious hit to their business in 2008.
The Martins put their house on the market just before the economy crashed in ’08. Under the financial weight of a new mortgage and a dwindling income, the Martins were forced to reinvent the family business once again. So Joe, Denise, and their kids put their heads together.
A division focused on creating beautiful backyard designs was born under a new name: AJM Earth.
Joe and Denise didn’t want this new division to be limited to just landscape design, however, so they coined the word “earthscaping” to more fully embrace the work they could provide their customers.
Joe and Denise both felt that with the launch of a backyard beautification division, an expansion of their education was needed. So, Denise began taking classes at the NY Botanical Gardens to become certified in Horticulture & Sustainable Gardening. After a year of dedicated study, she put her certification toward the new AJM Earth division. Denise became the official head of visual design with a vast knowledge of horticulture & green design to back up her skill set.
After years of successfully overcoming every obstacle together, Joe and Denise continue to turn their clients’ backyard dreams into realities. And such indomitable teamwork has resulted in some of the most beautiful properties in the state of Connecticut.
Joe and Denise believe that with dedicated teamwork, there is no challenge that cannot be overcome and they infuse that belief into their family business. As a result, they provide a superior experience to their clients unlike any other. And after 35 years, they have built their business on the foundation of reliability and integrity, with a list of satisfied clients all over Western Connecticut.
Joe and Denise invite you to become apart of the AJM Septic & Excavating family. Start your own project with AJM Septic & Excavating today and let the Martins turn your backyard dreams into a reality.
“Because this is our family-run business, I care about the work that we produce. Our policy is to develop a team that understands and performs every aspect of every project that we do.
This, in turn, creates a team effort that generates genuine concern for the client and the job we do, creating true customer satisfaction for a great job done at a reasonable price.” –Joe Martin
Visit our AJM Earth division for all your landscape design and property beautification needs.
We are state-licensed, fully insured, and are members of the Connecticut Sewage Disposal Association.
