Construction and Fire Prevention Consulting

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

A. Small to medium sized commercial office space renovation and Historic Landmark Preservation.

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

A. To understand what they, the client is looking for when renovating or building out a space. What trades, architects, engineers, designers, general contractors, carpenters, etc do they really need on their project.

Cost - the actual financial obligation the will have in order to feel comfortable about their project. Determining what they want and what's really needed, can make a large impact financially for everyone involved.

Responsibility - We, the client and myself share a large burden of a project if communication is not constant, understanding and agreed upon on paper.

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

A. My trade is a continued learning process, with many opportunities to continually learn. Always have an open mind and to ability to listen to what others truly mean when they speak.

Paying attention to detail is one of the most important factors of any business or trade.

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

A. When I approach a project large or small I determine in my professional opinion what is truly necessary. And I always inform the client to get a second and even a third opinion. Paying attention to detail, moulding, trim and finish type is just a completion part of the entire project.

I do not build cheap, renovation of any property should be done with care and commitment to last the test of durability, years of use and its need for simply maintenance in the future. Asking questions to find out what the client needs is the most important part of any construction or renovation in a project.

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

A. My service offers a personal service by staying in touch with the client not by email, texting or other means of technology, but by continued conversation by telephone or in person.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. Having the ability to simplify the construction process in laymen's terms to the client. Sharing my knowledge with others and continue learning from the construction trades which continually changes.

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

A. Question 1. How fast and how cheap can this be done for?
Answer - Quality is never done fast & I don't do cheap, I can do cost effective which guarantees quality.

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

A. How determined I am in completing a job on time and within it's budget. The ability to walk into a place that I renovated 10 years prior and all it needs is a paint job and minor repair.

My friends and colleagues call me "Jack of all trades, Master of none".

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

A. At 14 years old I realized that I was good with my hands. The ability to use my hands helped me with learning in many different ways other than "academic education".

As a carpenter for the first few years seemed monotonous, as a finish carpenter working on Historic Landmark properties enabled me to "pay attention to detail" in all aspects of all trades. After starting my own business in 1996 and working as a GC, I continually learned on every project, which enabled me to expand into design, construction management and the ability to work with architects, clients and all trade personnel.

Today as a Building and Fire Inspector, I am diligent when it comes to safety, which has also encouraged me to become more "detailed oriented".

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

A. For the past 10 years I have attended many trade shows and in 2007 I received certification as a NYS Building/Fire Inspector. This requires a 24 hour annual updates and retraining program from NYS Dept of State, Division of Code Enforcement

In March of 2011 I will be speaking and teaching a class at the Journal of Light Construction Convention for Builders in Providence RI, The class will be based on the International Code Council Code books which are now used in widely in the US including the 2007, 2010 NYS Building, Fire, Fuel & Gas, Existing Building, Residential, Mechanical, Plumbing, Property Maintenance and Energy Conservation Codes.

Q. What are the latest developments in your field? Are there any exciting things coming in the next few years or decade that will change your line of business?

A. How construction will change because of the Building codes. Opportunities for builders who work according to the codes will out perform all the others who work without any knowledge. The Energy Conservation code will also effect many of us from home and building owners to builders and renovators.

Being a good contractor will provide a positive word of mouth reputation. The ability to renovate, build and out perform others will enable a construction company to survive the ups and downs of the economic moods.

Energy savings is not all about applying every new "Green" tactic, but about a contractors ability to build and save the clients investment now and in the future.

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

A. Listen, listen, listen, to your own instincts and pay attention to what the client says and put it down in writing. Mistakes will always happen be ready to accept them mentally, hopefully they do not become a financial burden and move on.

The ability to adapt in the construction of or renovation of will always change. Be ready to accept the change and continue to learn as a builder, renovator or CPM.
New products, materials and how it should be applied will play a major role in future construction of any kind and will be a test to your financial survival.

Accept change and have the ability to explain your professional opinion goes a long way. Don't settle for mediocre work, it will always haunt you.