About Me
I grew up in a family
flower business. At the urging of my parents, I tried-out being a
florist myself. For these nine months, I was a fourth generation
florist. During this time I decided that I want to work with things of
more permanence.
I had an admiration of the architecture of old, though, I grew up in a not-so-old house of the 1950's which was constructed simply, yet very well. I was also urged to go on to art and even engineering, but by the path of circumstance I ended-up following the way leading to residential building repair and improvement.
Today, I live on Chicago's northwest side in Portage Park with my wife and two children. I operate my business from home and try to keep overhead expenses low. Simplicity has it's virtues.
I always enjoyed studying and understanding the way things work. Buildings are a lot of parts that, though stationary, are constantly working together. They also work with the forces of nature and people. They may not be moving, but they are always working. No matter how small, these parts may eventually give out and fail under the duress of the work they perform. Sometimes they might even fail from an ill-conceived design or poor execution of design.
I have the knack to see
the dynamic of what makes house parts give-way. Then I target a
solution that gracefully stands-up against the forces that caused the
failure in the first place -and then some.
Even when building something new, it is my passion to bond function and form tightly, yet gracefully together.
Through the twenty five years that I have been doing this work, I have changed light bulbs and installed window air conditioners. I have done complete and very custom remodels, and worked on new construction. I have worked with mentors, worked alone and with crews and even along side home owners. I know what half-hearted work looks like, I know what good work looks like, and I know what superb work looks like -and I admire it!
I believe that a house is like a recording device. If it is built with a good heart, the parts and materials of the house record and "remember" that. Over time, the house keeps speaking the spirit in which it was made. That may be why homes where there is craftsmanship feel so special. It is not just a visual effect, but a spiritual one also. That is why it is important that the work that is performed on your home is done with a good heart. Work done with a good heart does not mean work done slowly but with with the best intention and highest regard for the owner, building and materials.
Lately, I have been tossing around several different specialties such as exterior insulation and EIFS to prevent thermal loss and water infiltration, economical repair of failed thermopane windows, and inexpensive rooftop gardens. These specialties may come in good time, but for now, my favorite work is handyman work. It is like the flower business in that while the good cheer comes in smaller increments, in is more often.
