Carpentry

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. Building custom cabinets
Installing kitchens
Building custom mantles and fireplace treatments
Installing crown molding
Trimming houses and additions
Framing in basements (2x4 walls)

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Ask to see images of their work and call a couple references. I honestly could refer you to anyone I've worked for in the past and they would give me a thumbs up.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. I wish that customers would realize that when a carpenter builds you something and materials are in the quoted price, I am quoting you the list price of materials (what the customer would pay if they bought it) and though I make a profit on the materials it is less than 10%. I have to drive to stores for materials and spend time selecting the materials needed and transport them to your house (all that for 10%)

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. Have an idea of what it is you want done and be realistic about the cost. If you have big plans that can mean big expenses. Also, get started lining workers up well before you need them. I can quote you months ahead of your start date.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. My work stands out from others because I have an eye for details so things end up being level and square and all my fittings are precise. Also having gone to college, (Wayne State) studying art, I have a strong sense of proper design and layout so that I can give the customer sensible suggestions if they are not sure about which way to proceed on their project.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. What I like most about my job is seeing the reaction of the customer to something I have built for them. Many people have had bad experiences with tradesmen in the past. They are at times nervous when they hire you (especially if the project is complicated and costly). My customers are always quite happy when I finish their job and have an easier time of paying me because of their satisfaction. My motto is "You pay me once but you live with the result forever"

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. Where did you learn how to do this? (Usually asked of me when I build custom cabinets.) To which I answer, "I learned the basics from my father (also a carpenter) but the cabinet making I taught myself. Cabinet making is one of the best ways of involving my artistic abilities.

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. Well, I like the time I built a library for a wealthy customer and he was so happy that he asked me to take a couple of bottles of red wine from his wine rack.
I pulled out 2 bottles (both of them Camus wines worth $100 per bottle) I realized their value and I declined taking them, but he insisted. You know what they say, "The customer is always right!"

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. I wish they knew that doing what I do, takes years to learn and perfect, and that the lowest price is not always the best choice.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. My father was a career carpenter (who specialized in custom stairways) He had a crew of carpenters of which I was one. Though I did not initially care for carpentry, as I got better at it, I started to enjoy the results of my labor. Also having studied art at Wayne State, I found that I could channel my artistic abilities into custom cabinet making (such as home theaters or libraries).

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. I worked on 3 separate stages of renovations on the Walnut Creek Country Club in South Lyon, Michigan.
I did oak panel effects in the 2 restaurants (in the bar area) and in the entry I did a 4 sided treatment to the fireplace (all in oak) and covered brick columns with Oak panel effect

Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?

A. I check on the internet for discussions on specialized carpentry work that I do.

Q. If you have a complicated pricing system for your service, please give all the details here.

A. quotes are free and all jobs are for a set price
If your job is a quick one (a few days) and I supply only labor, you pay me when I'm done.
If your job lasts several weeks you pay me in stages
If I supply materials I get money up front to purchase the materials

Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?

A. Today is a tough time to be a carpenter, with no new houses being built. The only way you can kind of make it is to know how to do many things (like I do). And that takes a long time.

Q. Write your own question and answer it.

A. Why should I use you to do my job?
Because I have a ton of experience, and have done many projects for both demanding clients and interior designers who want things done to a certain (high) standard. So many people (in this economy) say they are carpenters when they are (in actuality) a couple of months removed from a non construction type job. I have been doing fine carpentry all my life so that I have worked out the bugs (long ago) from my work process.