On The Level Carpentry General Building Contractor
About
We are a tight knit crew that really enjoys the work we do. There is nothing better in life than to have all the tools and materials on the job and plenty of time in front of you to get the job done.
I started framing homes when i was 15 years old and graduated up tp building apartment complexes by the time I was 18 years old. Some of the best Carpenters in Dallas were my teachers, including my father who was a lead Carpenter for 40 years.
I have worked in San Francisco for 18 years and got a lot of "West Coast" style training during my time there. I studied very seriously Fine Home building, a trade journal that has great articles and great stories about the building of homes. I treasure my collection of magazines and all they taught me.
All in all, I have been working as carpenter, day in and day out since 1978 and have learned a great deal from all the people that I have worked for or who have worked for me.
I like and prefer to work on medium to large size jobs, adding rooms, changing roof lines, converting a garaqge into a living space, adding a set of steps up to a deck and any interior trim out that may be of interst to you to get done.
I really do my best to
The work itself is why I am a carpenter. The designing aspect of a job is also a lot of fun for me because above all else, I am a problem solver that really loves a challenge. The thing that i here from my clients is wow, that is a great idea!
Seeing the job start out at ground zero, following a set of plans that I drew or an architect supplied to the site is always a thrill for me as well.
Finally, I enjoy the remarks at the end of the job from the owners who get the results of my hard work.
Highlights
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
It starts with a call that I either make to the client or the client calls me. During that call, I always take notes and repeat to them what it is that I heard them say. I do this so that client feels like they are being listened to, because they are!
I then have them give me their street address, which I repeat back to them to make sure that I correctly wrote down what they told me. I then set a date with them along with the time to be there. I then repeat to them what i think is the correct time to arrive. At this point I have the address, time and date for my arrival. I tell them the type of truck I will be arriving in and then repeat their name one more time for good measure.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have had several communcation workshops back in 1984 when I lived in San Franciso, California. I have worked in boiler rooms back in the late seventies honing my skills at selling over the phone.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your services? If so, please share the details here.
No, each job is best priced once I can actually see the work and take my notes. Once back at the office, I can do a first rate job of putting together a bid, that I understand and can effectively oommunicate to my client.
How did you get started in this business?
I learned this Carpentry business from my father, I am a second generation Carpenter. I was 15 when I started helping him frame houses.
What types of customers have you worked with?
Usually, it is people who want something different and want an experience as a client that they cannot get anywhere else. I have had 7 years of colleg, and have read extensivley all my life, so i bring to the ol' kitchen table a different flavor than what folks are used to.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I just finished door install last week, where I had to remove and replace a pair of out swinging French doors. The twist on a normal door removal and replacement, was that I had to remove the existing insulated glass panel of the "still" door and put it into the "still" door in the new set of French doors. The reason is that the glass unit I had to cut out of the old door was a doggie door that cost a lot of money and I was sweating bullets that I would break it trying to get it out. The timeless Carpentry addage, goes like this: "iron and glass don't mix". I was sweating profusely, and I had to cut length wise, in half, the vinyl trim to get the glass out, which I did. Then my asistant and I had to create the wood molding that would hold the glass in place. If I had boken that glass it would have been $1,500.00 out of my pocket!
What advice would you give a customer looking to hire a pro in your area of expertise?
Talk to the pro face to face of course, because he is about to come into your home and build and install what you want done.
if he is not passionate about the details, he could be working too hard or he may be burned out and in need of some time off. Passion makes the job go smoother and it is vital that the Carpenter has plenty of it. Passion does not necessarily have to show up as a big fireworks explosion, but when you feel it, it will be right.
What questions should customers think through before talking to pros about their needs?
A little planning goes a long ways. The customer should at least write down what he does and does not want. If they don't know what they want, then a good problem solver can step up and step in and get the details down where both of you agree as to what is being discussed and needs to be built.
A couple of paragraphs from the home owenre wil go along way in guiding the thinking of the Carpenter.
Although some people only know what they don't want, that too is a start in the right direction when you think about it.