by Tom Moore

Once that being a builder gets in your blood I don’t believe you can ever get it out, so I don’t see retirement as an option in my future. The reasoning here isn’t really about money, it’s about loving what I do, meeting the people I meet and working with the folks that I work with. I can see slowing down at some point in the future, taking more time off and taking more trips, but the idea of never having to get up to go to work again sounds like more of a death sentence to me than a way to live.

There are few thing as exciting as firing up a project, after what is sometimes more than a year of designing, planning, estimating and so forth, the feel and smell of the dirt, getting dirty, preparing everything for building is just a rush. Then the concrete, everyone loves to play in the mud and at the end of it all you have…well…something concrete. Then the project moves into framing and it seems like the noise never stops, saws, hammers, nail guns and cowboy music, this is when things should really roll ‘n’ roll, you see the walls go up and the roof go on and excitement in the owner’s faces as they get a real feel for the space that they will possibly spend the rest of their lives.

While I get to be out in my fantasy world, co-workers, namely Margie, are in the trenches making sure that decisions are made so I can have the parts and pieces I need when I need them – kind of like Christmas.

We move into the mechanical and finishes and the homeowners are really starting to get excited at the prospect of moving in in about a month (Them, “What do you think? Will it be done in about a month?” Me, “No.”). Once the walls are all finished, counter tops, cabinets and landscaping done, and when appliances are installed, there is a true sense of joy, accomplishment and a feeling between you and the clients that if you could go through this together, you could go through anything together. I don’t think I could live without this in my life.

Thank goodness that American ingenuity hasn’t figured out how to outsource custom home building to another country yet.

I hope they don’t in my lifetime.

  by Margie Schuler

As consistent with the building industry, Semmes & Co Builders, Inc. partners with experienced Subcontractors for certain aspects of the job. The General Contractor-Subcontractor relationship is based on mutual respect and collaboration to ensure the highest quality construction project possible. At Semmes we are quite fortunate to work with some of the best Subcontractors in our area, and as the following letter confirms, our Subcontractors feel the same about us.
(Personal information has been removed to protect confidentiality.)

I have worked with many general contractors on the Central Coast over the last 34 years.

Working with Semmes has been a consistently gratifying experience for me on all occasions.

Semmes is deeply committed to all details of each project. They keep me up to date with scheduling dates, client change orders, and all technical aspects regarding my responsibilities as a subcontractor. Semmes is very fair regarding the situational changes that occur during a project. If something off-plan appears during production, we have been able to find solutions that get the job done with great efficiency. They even remind me of billing cycles, to insure that I get paid in the timeliest manner.

Subcontractors, like myself, are used to getting pushed by general contractors into tight time-frames and production requirements. Semmes has always taken my input and perspective into account, thus making jobs flow effectively. What is called for on plans drawn up in an Architect’s office doesn’t always translate into real-world practicality. Semmes and I have worked together to find solutions that were mutually beneficial for us and most importantly, for the client.

Semmes is a general contractor that allows their subcontractors to do their best work. Once the parameters are set in motion, I am encouraged to determine and work in partnership on the best way to take on each task. Checking in with Semmes during the work day allows me to ask any questions requiring answers. The Semmes team has a sharp eye, and understands what each subcontractor is accomplishing. I respect Semmes for these reasons which also make it easy to do great work for each of their clients.

I would not hesitate to recommend Semmes & Co. Builders, Inc. to build any project.