After returning home from serving in the Navy during World War II, Walter F. Smith saw great things for Philadelphia and wanted to help make them happen.  Using his training from the Navy, and his father’s construction industry experience, they started W.F. Smith in 1946.  Walt worked hard to forge relationships with the outfits that were building out the city – primarily in the Northeast.  Soon, a handshake was all that was needed for the builders to know that Walt would take care of the heating systems in their new homes.  His reputation for quality work at a fair price spread through the local construction industry.

In the beginning, the business was run out of Walt’s home in Elkins Park, but he soon purchased a building on State Road in Philadelphia, just north of Cottman Avenue, for shop space.  The shop later expanded into an adjacent building and included new office space, a new larger yard for the expanding fleet of trucks, and more storage space for equipment and supplies.  The company is still headquartered here today. 

Walt’s four brothers, Dick, Bob, Chubby, and Eddie, joined the company over time and the brothers formed a strong partnership.  Over the years, the second generation of Smiths, started working with the business.  Walter’s sons, Skip and Rich, took over the company after the untimely passing of their father.  Their leadership, foresight, and hard work saw the company through some tough times in the local construction industry.  As we fast forward to today, Rich and cousin Steve run the business which now has four distinct areas of work:  new residential construction, light commercial work, residential replacement/add-on and service. 

Our first of many "stake body" trucks (May 1953).