"Who is this DIY Answer Guy?" you ask.
My name is Larry. I’m the guy that’s been in the building trades for over 34 years. I've already made the mistakes you don’t want to make and have learned the tips and tricks you want to know. I know the things you will likely miss when planning a DIY project and I can provide help and advise whether you should do it yourself or call in a professional.
All the things you need to “succeed with speed”.
I started in the construction trades, as a laborer, working for a small construction company, that built energy efficient panel homes. I installed concrete forms, poured concrete, moved materials and most of all, I paid attention. Later I moved on to learning layout and framing.
Soon I went to work as a framer on a new subdivision. I learned more about framing, sheathing, stacking (roof building) and doing drops (drop ceilings). I finished my tract home experience doing pickup (inspecting the homes and repairing the mistakes).
I then moved on to the custom housing market as a framer. I picked up knowledge of plumbing, electrical and HVAC from the pros on the job. After building many custom homes I started working on commercial buildings and learned more about their engineering, plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems.
Next I designed, engineered, permitted and built my first home. It was a modest 1800 sq ft two story home in the mountains of Colorado. Two of my best friends and I built the house, with some assistance from a plumber, electrician and a drywall/painter. We built the house -- start to move in -- in 90 days and $1.17 under budget. "Great job", the bank said.
My next endeavor was to build a log home. I designed and built the log home, once again, with the help of my two friends. This time it took a bit longer due to the log construction learning curve. We erected the house in only 103 days and were only over budget by $3500 on a $110,000 project.
Later, while designing kitchen, baths and garages for one of the nation's largest home centers, I was responsible for the most sales by any designer the first year.
From there I worked for a “house flipping” company where we would renovate old and worn down homes and then resell them for a profit. This included everything from kitchen and bath upgrades, painting, layout redesign, remodeling and of course bringing the houses up to current health and safety standards. Tough job and lots of travel.
My last position, outside my current business, was with a large home building company as a facilities manager. I was responsible for close to a million sq. ft. of office, commercial, multi-family and merchant properties. My duties were to keep all facilities running in a safe and efficient manner including, but not limited to;
- Scheduling all regular maintenance and safety checks for the building systems
- Writing/spec maintenance contracts
- Supervising contractors
- Recommending cost saving equipment upgrades
- Reviewing designs for new buildings
- Developing new commercial building standards and writing the company emergency plan
Within the first month, I was able to save the company hundreds of dollars a month by simply adjusting the outside lighting schedule on the buildings. A simple solution with a substantial benefit.
I've always been able to keep my own handyman business, on the side. I found out early there were an unlimited number of people that just needed a little help with their DIY home projects.
While some needed answers to their specific project questions, others were stuck in the middle of a project and needed answers to get their DIY projects back on tract. Others wanted me to design and build their projects start to finish. So my business has been quite successful over the last 10 years.
Over these past 34 years, I have acquired a wealth of knowledge and a uncanny knack for knowing what problems to look for before starting a project -- and the tips and tricks to solve problems in the mist of a project.
So join me by sharing your problems, questions and accomplishments. I am here to help you succeed with speed.
Thanks again.
Larry
Your DIY Answer Guy
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