Tuesday, September 1, 2009

These Are the Guys That Build a House

I've learned a lot of new things this summer. I've learned about foundations and framing and finishes and flooring and fire risers... and the list goes on. For those of you that have been following along, hopefully you've been learning, too.

Since I was hanging around the house all summer, and since they were working around the house all summer, I've also learned a thing or two about construction workers. They are undeniably their own... special... breed. Sometimes a bit rough around the edges, they are also friendly, posses good senses of humor, and know a lot about the work they do and why they do it. They don't get too worked up about the unexpected and tend to take surprises silently in stride. They can be a bit territorial about their workspaces and are prone to exaggerating about how soon things will be done. They get great satisfaction out of standing back and surveying the final result of their work. They like being left alone to do their jobs (i.e. don't like to be bothered by house moms with questions!), will focus solely on the task at hand until it's finished, and really like to eat.

But the most interesting thing I've learned about construction workers is that they really don't like having their pictures taken. I've always wanted to do this blog post because so many hours of these guys' hard work went into building the house. What a tragedy it would be to document the process, but not hands that did the work! I mean, the house didn't build itself, and as everyone knows, the most important asset to an organization is the people that make it up.

Let me tell you, dear readers, these pictures were hard won. It was a battle to get them, because construction workers can be surprisingly shy. I swear that the minute I appeared with my trusty camera, the guys scattered like dust in the wind. It was almost comical to watch even the biggest, burliest, bawdiest man turn red-faced, silent, and shy the minute I asked "Can I take your picture for the blog?" Ha! I never saw it coming. So even though they are few, here are the pictures I managed to snag of the guys that built DG.


The drywallers from Berline Construction doing what they do best - taking a break. (Ha! Just kidding... we like to give each other a hard time.)



Tony, our superintendent from Meyer Najem. You've read about him on this blog. He's the one who patiently explains everything to me and the guy who makes sure the work gets done... correctly.


Jeremy, Meyer Najem Project Manager, does what it takes to get the job done... even if it means mopping floors. Thanks, Jeremy!


Bill, from Meyer Najem Interiors, looking mean and incredibly irritated about the camera. But really he's super nice.


Chris on the right is from White River Mechanical, Inc. (plumbing).
You already know Tony (in his usual "Blackberry checking" stance).


Warren from Fredericks Contractors. He installs cabinets, trim, and shelving.



Austin from Maxwell Electrical, striking his best "construction worker" pose (clearly not one of the shy ones).

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