I wanted to tell you a bit about how I got my first taste of construction in summer jobs during my high school and college years and of the values these jobs helped instill in me.  This was in Virginia; in Richmond during my high school years and Charlottesville during and after my college years. I learned building from older no-nonsense framer/builders – men who at that time were in their 50’s and 60’s.  These guys built houses with their hands, from the ground up – and they did it all – from pouring footings to laying roof shingles. Their favorite method of instruction was to assign me a task and walk away, leaving me to my own devices. They evidently enjoyed watching me struggle to figure out how to do the job properly. The unavoidable demonstration of my incompetence at the task at hand was both grand entertainment for them and, I later learned, a sort of rite of passage. If you were willing to be their entertainment and suffer their abuse good-naturedly during your apprenticeship, they would eventually teach you some things.  Looking back on it, it came to appreciate its purpose – to separate those who really wanted to learn from the ones after a paycheck. Their skills and knowledge were hard won and developed over many years.

In time, they would teach you their tried and true methods, their skills and labor saving techniques that came from years of experience, but only if they thought you might appreciate what they had to share.  I learned a lot from those guys, about carpentry and building and about doing a job right because “why wouldn’t you, if you knew how to do it right?”. They knew that how well they did their job mattered, though they never talked about it. It  mattered to the trades that followed them; people they knew and respected, and mattered to the durability of the building.  They were self motivated even though they worked for a larger company. They cared about the quality of their work. It would have their name on it in their community of skilled tradesmen.

Building on the Outer Banks today is a lot like it was back in Charlottesville, Virginia in those days, which is why I like building and living here so much. The people that live and work here that will build your home know each other. The see each other at school functions, community events, fundraisers and civic club meetings. They like to do things right because it matters and because it will have their name on it in our community. These are the people I trust and work with to build quality homes to our exacting standards.

I like building a few homes a year – generally 4-6 homes. This way I can visit each job every day maintain tight quality control. Depending on the phase of construction, I spend more or less time on a given job on a given day. Most days I’m at each job for an hour or two, but it’s not unusual for me to spend four or five hours on a job when it’s necessary. I phone or email clients several times a week.  I keep you updated as to our progress with emails, phone calls and photos.

I enjoy building and get a lot of satisfaction from completing a home and hopefully exceeding my client’s expectations. I hope I get the chance to work with you to build your home.