QUALIFICATIONS
I have been doing carpentry since I was a boy. My father was a carpenter, his father was a carpenter, my grandfather's uncle was said to be carpenter and contractor. My uncle was taught carpentry by my father and it became his profession. He taught his son who became a professional carpenter. I learned carpentry from being around my dad growing up, and by helping my uncle on several projects . I was torn between landscape work and carpentry as a teenager. I loved doing physical work, and still do. I like being outdoors, even in the dead of winter, when I have built many things outside.
I have been a contractor since the early 1980s, obtaining my builder's license in 1985. I turned to the home inspection business in 1985 to broaden my education and experience in the building and home industry. I performed over 2000 inspections from roof to basement. I always climbed on the roof on my inspections, unless snow, ice or steep pitch prevented it. There were few roofs I didn't climb on. After inspecting homes for six years I wrote my first book, House & Home Almanac, that addressed housing construction, housing transactions, inspections, historic houses, energy saving.
After buying my current home in 1986, the Sibley-Hoyt House, I started down a road of learning and educating myself about historic structures. That has been complemented by the scores of projects I have completed on historic, and older homes.
In 1994 I re-dedicated myself to carpentry and contracting, not liking what the home inspection industry had become. But, an outgrowth of my experience as a home inspector was learning and finding out all I could around the subject of basement seepage problems. So, I wrote a book on that in 2005: 5 Steps to a Dry Basement or Crawl Space, Welkin House.
I have been working on houses for almost forty years now, going back to my teens. A lot of my early work was planting trees and building retaining walls. I also got a lot of my early home maintenance and carpentry experience by taking care of things on our family home. My mother endured countless learning experiences on my part with projects on her home. But, I think she has come out ahead in the long run. I was a live-in caretaker for a sizable estate for a year, in my late teens.
REFERENCES
I have scores of references from years of work. I am happy to provide a list upon request. I'll probably provide names from the most recent jobs unless specified. I may also respond with references that are similar in nature. Feel free to request references based on your own requirements.
MY LIBRARY
I have an extensive library on house and home subjects including historic preservation and renovation; eco-friendly and healthy building methods and products; energy saving; general construction; environmental issues, especially allergy related.
SAFETY
Last but not least, a word about job safety. I have had a few minor accidents over the last thirty-five years. I have been fortunate, all in all. As a very seasoned building professional I always have safety at the front of my mind, for me and anyone on my job site, including my customers. I take the time to explain to a co-worker, or helper, how to be safe when it's apparent they haven't the benefit of my experience. Safety involves many things: tool use, environmental precautions, ladder use, trip hazards, electrical bewares, lifting and moving. There has never been anyone injured on my job sites except me. The last, and only serious accident, was in 1996 when I broke my foot. Otherwise, a few bumps and bruises here and there.
