Hi all,
I am starting what I hope will be a weekly blog involving my experience in construction over the past 30+ years. Before I do that I suppose I should write a little bit about my background.
First the basic stuff… I was born in 1970 but not on the Peninsula as they didn’t deliver babies here even then. I grew up on the Long Beach Peninsula, and graduated from high school here in 1988.
My father formed S.A.W. Construction Co. in 1980, and in 1992 was incorporated into S.A.W. Construction Co. Inc.
Starting the summer of 1982, I went to work full time until school started in the fall. Here is where I started to discover I have a knack for construction and problem solving. By full time, I mean I got to work at 8 a.m., took a half hour lunch at noon, and quit at 4:30 p.m. I wore and used tool bags, framed walls, drove nails, etc… just like the crew did. And here I also started calling my father by his first name. I was just one of the crew. One that first job I cut every stud, trimmer and cripple for a house out of random 2×6. I also dropped a very wet 2 x 12 on my foot and smashed my little toe! I framed walls using a Senco SNII nail gun. I used drills, table saws, and skill saws. I was the richest 10 year old I knew too! At $2.50 per hour and not much in expenses I thought I was rich! LOL.
My favorite jobs were in town, and I can remember working on the Long Beach Police Station (built in 1985). I couldn’t drive yet, but I sure enjoyed watching people as I worked. It was funny watching people take pictures on the wood carving across the street too! More than one woman lifted her shirt!
I can also worked on the Neptune Theater and remember also building the addition, working on the street side of Dennis Company, and building the Credit Union in Long Beach (about $85K if I remember right).
So the pattern was to work summers and after school until I graduated high school, then it was just summers and vacations from Oregon State University, where I studied physics.
In 1993 I met my wife Kimberly at college and then married her in 1994, then decided I would rather build homes than be a physicist. I have been building since then. I’m still not sure I chose wisely, hahaha.
I learned that honesty and hard work are the best way to do business, and I take pride in that I still live in the area I started working in. I have seen more than one “contractor” have to leave the area!
Recently I have decided to move away from being a General Contractor to selling and installing both Diamond and DeWils cabinets along with drawing up home plans is much easier on my shoulders and knees.
I have been installing Diamond cabinets for over 15 years, and I have installed a few jobs with DeWils, including my own home. DeWils cabinets are built in Vancouver Washington by the Wilson family, and Diamond Cabinets are built in Grants Pass Oregon. I like both of these companies as they are made in the Northwest. I try to keep as local as possible for buying, but I understand that some things are just not available locally.
Well, I have distracted myself from work long enough, so until next week…
Rob W
