Houses in Progress

We're rocking and rolling, firing on all cylinders, pedal to the metal, letting the goose loose. About 6 weeks ago I bought 44 acres, and with the help of the recession, we have been jamming on all the building fronts. I mention 'with the help of the recession' because it is solely due to the fact that great subcontractors are looking for work, looking to please. As opposed to 2004-2007 when I was building the foundation of my business, when the best I could do was field a team of bad news bears, getting cheated over and over again by subs/employees who completely had me over a barrel - we built a good house since the inception of the business, but the amount of work and management it took to get it done with team I could afford was really beyond description. Presently - Cottage 17, building lot is cleared, foundation is in, slab is poured, and the house is framed.

It's a 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 1300 sq ft cottage on just about 9 acres outside of Barryville. This house not spoken for yet.

And the same thing over at Cottage 19 - a mini-house with just under 1000 sq ft on 5 very pretty acres.

It's going to be a very sharp house, with particular attention paid to the details.

And then we got Courtney and Bronson's house going up. 5+ acres, little stream running through, and a real nice piece of land that rises and falls. Also some nice stone walls.

And here is Richard and Nancy, who are planning to buy the Barryville Cottage, and they promise I can use their house in the rainforest mountains of Ecuadar.

And my main man Juan, one of the consistent bright lights over the last 7 years - Juan has worked for me since the beginning, leaving for just a few months in 2005, - he's returning to his family in Guatemala in October, after have been away for 9 years. He has two children he hasn't seen, he's earned enough money to build a small apartment complex, and return to his home with a financial cushion and a very good handle of english, which is an advantage anywhere.

Anytime I hire someone new, I always make them work with Juan for a few days and that tells us a few things about the new person - do they know how to work hard? and do they know what they are doing?

Just like a bad egg that takes long lunches and sneaks a joint when no one is looking can move a business in one direction, a hardworking ethos among the crew can make it very uncomfortable very quickly for those who don't desire to contribute evenly or honestly.

A butterfly I found.

And the Barryville Cottage.

And the old lonely road that leads to the houses we are building.

And Peter's gothic cabin -

And my addition at my house on Crawford Rd, Eldred.

It's late, I'm tired, and the baby, wife and Cat are upstairs. Played volleyball at Jill Wiener's farm tonight, outside of Callicoon Center. Joe and Viv from Global Home in Jeffersonville were there, Darren Wisemen from McKean Real estate, and a few other notables were present

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