All Painters are not Alike

A wise painter, Wayne Mayo once told me, ” My job, as a painter, is to make YOUR work look great!”  This “Mayo Credo” is so true that I can’t emphasize it enough. Any painter that thinks otherwise is in the wrong business. I refuse to let a homeowner give me anything but praise for the fantastic paint job.

A homeowner recently told me that if that was the quality of workmanship he received…he  would have rather painted it himself. That painter no longer works for me. I just had to rip out and replace perfectly good trim work because of a poor paint job. That painter no longer works for me. Seven scratched windows. That painter doesn’t work for me. What the hell else can go wrong?

There are so many variables that go into painting that I just don’t do it in house any longer. We use the top of the line paint from whichever vendor we use, always specify top of the line primer as well, then two coats of finish color.

Should we spray? Or roll? Or both? This is part of the painter’s domain. I expect them to know this stuff. I don’t want to get involved with how the sausage is made! I want great results for a fair price in a timely fashion. Safety and cleanliness are also part of the painter’s purview.  A messy painter is like a sloppy surgeon: useless to me, sadly they do exist.

In my opinion, there are two types of painters, those that love to paint, are continuously learning and practicing their art. Conversely, there are those that paint because they can’t do anything else.

The goofy thing is that until you get experience with both of them and see what they produce, you can’t tell the difference. This is because they all boast about how hard they work, how great they are, bla… bla… bla. Unfortunately, trial and error is the only method I know of that works.

The hand holding factor drives me crazy. Can I get an advance on my paint? I don’t have credit at the paint store, can I use your account? I’m done, can I come by and get my check? Can you write it now?  My wife needs… my truck needs a … I have to go to the dentist… ENOUGH.

The painting industry has flipped on its ear since the RRP rule went into effect. The lead paint rules have split the industry into three distinct groups.

1. Those that work on older homes ( pre – 1978)
2. Those that can’t legally. ( Not RRP certified or certified firm)
3. Those that aren’t allowed to but still do. ( They pretend the RRP rule isn’t for them).

I Love My Painter

Levco takes the RRP rule seriously. That being said, the painting parts make sense and we understand that there are parts that are onerous as well as painful to follow. It doesn’t matter,  we expect everyone to follow the rules. The sad part is that I have found that leaded work is done at a premium. The sky is the limit, as far as I can tell. The fear of being caught has caused some certified RRP firms to go crazy and balloon prices.

Frustration and aggravation were driving me to desperate measures until I got a great referral.

To my amazement, I just located the perfect fit. I say that because I now have the right guy for the job. He gets the “Mayo Credo” He understands that his job is to make my work look great! You win my admiration and everlasting praise. Mess with it, and you are going down.

WA-HOO! Finally a painter that does “Levco quality” work. You would think that I had ridiculously high expectations. well perhaps I do, why shouldn’t I? The value of a great paint job is hard to put a price tag on. It is a huge component of a lasting impression. Let the other contractors use the other guys, I love my painter.

Your comments are welcome. To ask questions or get more information about remodeling, email me directly or visit our contact page.

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove and replace them at once.

Happy in Sign

At a recent client visit, I was sharing a glass of wine and rehashing the project when I was asked a direct question that had my clients wondering: why I do like to remodel? The implication was that it is extremely difficult and challenging. They figured that there were plenty of other things a talented guy like me could be doing with my life.

The question was born out of the not so faded memories of the hardships and the tumultuous journey in remodeling their home.

I was sitting in the kitchen that we had just finished and was beaming with pride. Their home had turned out just how they had envisioned it.

We stuck it out and finished the project. We dealt with challenges, adversity, surprises and delays. We communicated pretty darn well, but there is always room for improvement.

We made some mistakes and had to fix them, we had our share of unexpectedly bad subcontractor behavior, yet in spite of it all, we completed a complicated  project with my dignity intact and a fabulously finished space.

The Art of Remodeling

Remodeling to me is an opportunity to improve someone’s living space together.

Remodeling takes many shapes, and a wide variety of sizes. The concept is all the same, it is a basic human trait that emanates from the need to improve what is around us.

1. I realized long ago that I had a special talent to extract from others what they want their home to be like, and then to create what we envisioned through communicating with the client and the trades people that do the work.
2. I discovered that people find this talent valuable and eagerly invite me and my team into their homes and trust me implicitly, which I treasure.
3. I derive tremendous pride and have a passion to do it right. I liken it to a writer that finishes a manuscript. What once was blank paper and an idea, comes to life in a story for all to read, and gets fabulous reviews for years to come.

The Wild Yeast

I feel my life is being lived in a rich and fulfilling way. I am able to make a living doing both of the things that I love in life. I surround myself with others that enjoy doing the same thing and, before you know it, work becomes fun. Problems, rather than becoming obstacles, turn into opportunities to teach us and learn from.

The Batards are Ready

I expect that every project I do will lead to referrals.

• Each new project is like a request to bring out my well cared for sourdough starter.
• What started as wild yeast flour and water when used properly, gives a little to each loaf and takes something to be used in the next.
• Each project we complete is like creating a new loaf with the overtones of the last: chock full of the richness and earthy crust, a moist crumb, healthy tough tear, and a fragrance that takes me back to my childhood.

With persistence, I expect it will keep me busy being creative for years to come.

Your comments are welcome. To ask questions or get more information about remodeling, email me directly or visit our contact page.

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove and replace them at once.

Favorite Plum Tree

During a brief few hours the other day, I could have  sworn it was spring. There was a real sense of warmth and I could feel the heat radiating on my face. I even caught a whiff of a floral scent from the favorite fruit bearing plum tree that I parked next to.

I was able to admire a few daffodils and the forsythia was a brilliant yellow too.

It got me thinking about living in a place that experiences all four seasons. Honestly, it seems like winters and summers dominate our part of the country, but growing up in the bay area, I had to develop an appreciation.

Naturally, I began catching up on some home improvement projects of my own including raking up the yard and replacing a faulty bathroom faucet that was beyond a washer repair.

Forsythia

Here are a few of the springtime projects that are worth looking at.

• Cleaning out gutters ( a necessary evil when trees are around)
• Verifying sprinkler system status (broken heads can do lots of damage)
• Changing out HVAC air filters.  (A clogged system is wasteful)
• Opening up foundation vents ( let your crawl space breath)
• Repairing leaks and running toilets (Water adds up quickly)
• Hoses and supply lines (If you have to ask, the answer is yes)
• Inline water filters (not all places have them)
• Look at the roof (we now have a 2 roof maximum till tear off)

I get the feeling that, like me, many of us are getting up the nerve to make that call to a contractor to see about improving our living spaces.

Look it over and make a plan

Look at your kitchen. Look at your bathrooms. Do a physical inventory of your home and spaces. Look inside and out, on top and underneath. Keep a watchful eye.

Hint, (think like water)

Unlike a fine wine that gets better with age, our homes, toys, and systems deteriorate with the passing of each season.

Plan, prioritize, and budget for the repairs. What is on your list? Whether you fix it yourself or have others do it, please don’t wait until it is an emergency. Trust me, nothing good comes from procrastinating until a failure occurs.

Your comments are welcome. To ask questions or get more information about remodeling, email me directly or visit our contact page.

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove and replace them at once.

Our Logo

As I get more completed projects under my belt, there are still powerful lessons to be learned. Some are expensive, some are painful. As I say in my Selecting a Remodeler Booklet, it is wise to select a seasoned remodeler. The problem is,

“if you always do what you always did; then you’ll always get what you always got.”

This is why I love working on the business as much, or more than working in the business.

This post is about how I was able to make a systemic solution to what I discovered was a recurring nagging problem.

Working together

Remodeling is difficult enough without having to redo things. This is why there are so many “one horse show” remodelers out there. No one can do it better than the remodeler him or herself. That is all well and good but my idea of remodeling necessitates me getting results through others.

I have always been a cooperative sort of guy. Great partnerships exist in EMS (Emergency Medical Services) where on a hot call, we rarely need to talk because we know what needs to be done. We work together in harmony to save a life. Like my dad Ed Levitch used to say, in reference to working hard together… “when I come back, all I want to see is asses and elbows”.

In my mind, the entire concept of remodeling  rests on bringing a crew of very talented people working hard together to create a project. I now believe that subcontractors and specialty contractors in general get an undeserved bad reputation. I couldn’t understand why a highly recommended subcontractor could screw up a project so easily. This became painfully obvious when we did a root cause analysis of a series of situational problems. When placed side by side, to my horror, they turned out to be a pattern of identical recurring problems. There was obviously a systemic flaw, yet I had no idea where or how to fix it. I now believe that it is the contractor not the subcontractor that holds the key to making the project go smoothly.

Subcontractor Agreement

Levco has always used a simple form to describe what we expect from our subcontractors. I figured it was worth publishing because we all need to be on the same page. I hold everyone who works for us in a subcontractor role to these standards. In the event that there are issues we go right back to the agreement. When something comes up that hasn’t been addressed, this is where it will go. I broke it up into two parts

1, Things I love

2, Things I won’t tolerate

Many companies do not even have this type of form. It was born out of frustration with the process. For years I thought this was the magic bullet to ensure my process would work. All of my subcontractors had agreed to work within the parameters, but something was still missing.

As it turned out, having this form in place was not enough. There was still a nagging problem that haunted me. The more I looked at it, the more I got stuck. Knowing full well that some of my best ideas come from being frustrated, I was not too worried. This time however, I was hopelessly paralyzed and extremely frustrated for a few weeks when I finally found a way out.

My Mentor

I was reading a self help book on business in general, when a brief paragraph recommended I seek out a mentor. It suggested that there are lots of smart people that are willing to help if you just ask. As it turns out, that was the tiny spark I needed. It reminded me that I had already developed relationships with wise, successful remodelers throughout the country, so I reached out to them. Amazingly, it was the one in my own back yard that was able to pinpoint the problem and, in a loving way, gave me a nudge in the right direction.

The problem, it turns out was deeply rooted in a flawed Description of Work document.  A pattern of small problems had turned into big problems. We were having to redo work that had already been done. In some cases work that was required had not been included in the bid. Thankfully, it appears that we have solved our problems, as I like to say, “FFN” (forever for now). Our new improved Description of Work spells out the project in a surface by surface way that explains what the finished project will look like to everyone. Perhaps this is what one previous employee was trying to tell me when she said “communication” when asked her opinion of our companies number one problem. Although I couldn’t see it then, I believe I’ve got it fixed now.

As we ring in the new year I give thanks to my mentors, my employees, my clients, and all of my subcontractors. I look forward to a year filled with clear expectations and fantastic results.

Your comments are welcome. To ask questions or get more information about remodeling, email me directly or visit our contact page.

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove and replace them at once.

My Enthusiasm

During a recent visit with a potential client they were clearly interviewing me when they asked this excellent question. They appreciated my attitude and eagerness to get the work.

“How do you pass your enthusiasm on to your staff?”

Wow, I had to stop and think.

“Well, I said, I meet with my employees regularly, I have lunch with them occasionally. I celebrate our success stories and share my BLOG.” That was my off the cuff answer. Realizing that I had just been given a pearl of wisdom, I later took the opportunity to explore the question further.

The Emperor has no Clothes

The way I took the question, my perspective clients were wondering if the emperor had any clothes.  A keen observer of business often finds a charismatic leader without an enthusiastic or knowledgeable crew. This common mismatch is an accident looking for a place to happen.

That is when I realized that I had a bunch of additional ways of ensuring that I am being a good example to my people. For one thing, I seem to attract positive people to surround myself with. The Eeyore type folks just don’t fit. So, like Good to Great, I hire the right people and put them in the right places on the bus.

In many cases the companies leaders are so far removed from the front line that the culture is set by edict, decree, and a heavy handed top down way.  I also have had the misfortune of working for companies that practiced this behavior, Thankfully, I had the means to move on.

My Style of Culture

All this thinking got me to explore the root of my enthusiasm.

As Eckhart Tolle says in his book “A new earth” my enthusiasm is deeply rooted in who I am and how I approach my life. I am alert and conscious about what I do. I find myself full of creative juices and in an effortless way, find abundant energy to do what I enjoy. I like to think I am a bit contagious in that way.

A story I like to relay is about three workers each doing the same mind numbing job of moving bricks. An observer asks each one separately “What are you doing?” The first who is struggling says “I am moving bricks” the second who is distracted and exhausted says “I am working until lunch” the third is happily working away and jovial says “I am helping to build a cathedral” I am that guy.

In the case of my company, Levco Builders all we do is remodel. It may seem menial and routine to some, but I can’t get enough of the stuff. I believe that my corporate culture is set by example. In my vision of a just culture everyone pulls together to create a product or service that is the result of cooperation and everyone’s best effort and talents.

For starters, I interview my staff and only chose the ones that I feel get it.

I realize that what makes an employee great for Levco is not something that can be taught.

What I want comes from the heart. The level of attention to detail, the way we show that we care, the way that we speak respectfully and treat others with kindness, the love for how we transform confused spaces into functional dwellings is amazing.

The fact that we work as a volunteer occasionally to remember how much helping others fills you up.

The willingness to grow and learn about new materials and techniques.

The fact that they realize that there are hundreds of ways to do the same thing. The Levco way is what we do, because until a better best practice shows up, is the standard that everyone is held accountable for.

1. 

   Levco

   That being wasteful hurts everyone.

2. That successes are celebrated no matter what the scale.
3. That communicating clearly is not something to be taken for granted.
4. That an ounce of planning ahead can prevent a gallon of confusion and wasted time.
5. That sharp tools makes for easier work.
6. That everyone brings a unique perspective to the table.
7. Staying organized saves time and aggravation.
8. That a simple apology goes a long way to earning trust.
9. That trust in others is something that I start with.
10. We look out for each other and our clients, knowing full well that what is good for our clients is good for us.
11. They understand that the better idea always wins no matter who it comes from.
12. The fact that honesty and being up front is the how we roll.
13. That it is in no one’s best interest to allow substandard work or bad behavior.

Your comments are welcome. To ask questions or get more information about remodeling, email me directly or visit our contact page.

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove and replace them at once.

Ah, there you are

As promised in an earlier BLOG about building a cathedral, I am sharing another insight into who I am, and what I am all about.

As a glass is half full kind of guy, I often blurt, “There has got to be a pony in here somewhere” Here I lose people, because this fable is less well known than I thought. Here it is.

A man has two sons, one a hopeless pessimist and the other an unrealistic optimist. Determined to change their mindset to a less extreme position, the man buys a room full of toys for the pessimist and a room full of horse manure for the optimist. When he returns later, the pessimist is crying because his toys are already broken, or soon will be. In contrast, the optimist is happily shoveling through his gift, explaining, “With all that manure, there must be a pony in there somewhere.”

Pile of Manure

Here is what the story means to me.

If in fact you are dealing with what appears to be a steaming pile of dung, take a moment to think about this.

1. First of all, recognize it for what it is.
2. Then with the perspective of the unrealistic optimist, look for the pony! Will you find it right away? Unlikely, but it doesn’t hurt or cost anything to look.

The pony, I find, is often revealed to me in silent reflection after cleaning up, or while lying in bed awaiting slumber. Occasionally it comes years later when you are mentoring a son or daughter.

Let’s face it, life is not always fair. It is occasionally cruel and unkind. Like a friend getting diagnosed with a nasty form of cancer, or a long time coworker who dies suddenly. I struggle with making sense of it all. Rather than being crushed by the weight, though I choose to go looking for the pony.

Then I get a call out of the blue from the father of a child I cared for 6 years ago, she was nearly paralyzed from a serious auto accident I responded to. He thought I should know about a milestone in their lives. He told me that although she is only a 9th grader,  she was the only one selected from her class to the High School soft ball team.

The point is that if you behave as if a pony exists out there, then by golly, you will eventually learn something either about life or yourself. With luck, your discovery will add meaning, purpose, peace, and direction.

May you all find your ponies, my friends.

Your comments are welcome. To ask questions or get more information about remodeling, email me directly or visit our contact page.

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove and replace them at once.

Drain Cleaner

I was doing a free plumbing repair for a friend who happened to be a Tennis Pro. I had always been impressed with his athletic prowess and chiseled body. Not having grown up in a competitive sport, I was never coached or had to develop a killer instinct to always win. I had little understanding or respect for what he did for a living.

He had a clogged sink in a small bathroom of his 100 year old house. I had removed the P Trap made some progress with the drain cleaning tool when it got stopped by a T fitting deep within the wall. I had tried every trick I could think of. I was sweating and frustrated. I was cramped and uncomfortable and I decided that I wasn’t going to be successful. In fact I had other things to do.

I began to clean up and pack out when I told him that I had given it my best shot and that he was just going to have to call a plumbing company that specializes in this sort of thing.

What Motivates You?

He immediately told me “Thanks, I see that you have given it your all, no problem” He kept heaping on the praise and thanks.  He repeatedly assured me that he would take care of it. I was so relieved he let me off the hook for fixing his clog. Then he said something that I will never forget.

He slipped in a word that stopped me in my tracks and motivated me like nothing external had ever motivated me in my life.

He was helping me pack out my tools and said thanks one more time. Joe, he said, have a great afternoon “looser”. I was shocked! He had slipped in that word barely audible that instantly boiled my blood. How dare you I thought, It really pissed me off. “what did you say” I barked? He calmly said, no big deal man, we will get it taken care of Monday, you gave it your all. That Asshole! How dare he, I heard what he said and it got my goat…..” I thought you had game,” he said as he shrugged.

I promptly turned around and unpacked my stuff. I fixed the problem by using my head and approaching the clogged drain from the other direction (toilet side) going backwards up the pipe. I felt damn good doing it. I was fiercely determined and ultra focused. When I finally got it, I felt fantastic and proud that I had won. All the while he had this Cheshire Cat air about him. What a prick I thought. Then it hit me.

Holy cow, Pete Peterson had just gotten under my skin and had gotten results out of me that I didn’t think I could accomplish. He had just coached me.

My Coach Pete

A coach and a motivator of people all his life. He had figured out the magic word and deftly delivered it at the perfect moment to get me to accomplish a task he knew I could accomplish despite the fact that I had nearly given up. He used it to get what he wanted out of me. It took less than a second to say, he muttered softly and never repeated it. The power of that word said at that moment in time was all it took.

Who knows if it would ever work again, (I keep the experience with me in my mental toolbox should I ever need it again). It was a special moment that I will never forget. I thanked him and have a new respect for coaches and leaders who have the ability to motivate others throughout the world.

I often reflect upon that incident. I wonder if we all have a word and a moment that would get us to accomplish something amazing that we had within us but didn’t believe we could do.

What is your word? Can you find the word that works for others?

 Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove and replace them at once.

Al Davis

Although winning isn’t everything, it feels pretty good when you do.

I recall vividly as Al Davis, former owner of the Oakland Raiders said “Just Win Baby” It got me thinking about what Levco and the remodeling industry in general has in common with the game of football.

I also got caught up in the frenzy of college football this year and celebrate another fantastic BSU football season.

From my armchair, “Remodeling is much like a football game, except when it is done correctly, there are only winners, no losers”.

• Both teams develop a game plan based upon reviewing tapes and having faced similar challenges. Although we don’t use tapes we review previous projects to learn from them.
• We have owners that agree to play each other. In our case the opponent is in the form of a remodeling project.
• We both use lots of illustrations to plan out what we will do.
• Football uses a coach and we use a Project Manager who calls the plays.
• We both take a break at milestones to review the plan for the next phase.
• We both believe that we are the best despite there being other teams out there that do the same thing just a little differently.
• 

  Kellen Moore

  There is a set of rules that we are all supposed to play by, some teams do a better job of it.

• Occasionally we both drop the ball. We always pick it up and keep playing.
• When we take a break, we rehydrate for the next set of downs.
• Football has players that specialize in all areas of the game from running and passing, to kicking. We have employees with overall knowledge of the game and employ specialty subcontractors for those complicated tasks.
• We both plan ahead and use the best resources and are always on the lookout for the best talent available.
• A fumble isn’t always a bad thing.
• We make progress and have setbacks on a regular basis.
• We both keep track of statistics.
• Occasionally we punt.
• Extra points are scored on clever plays.
• We both celebrate small victories and have occasional setbacks.
• In the end we all celebrate the game and in our case the completion of the project.

After looking at the similarities between football and remodeling, I was left at the threshold of trying to describe what winning means to me.  I borrowed a phrase frequently that was created at Flying Pie Pizza,  “We Always Win”.  As I see it, the only way to have our interests aligned is to let everyone know how we measure our success. As I open the door here is what I see.

Winning for Levco is:

Our Team

1. Creating a team approach to each project and developing relationships that are solid.
2. Knowing that we did a great job and created what the client wanted.
3. Keeping in control of the schedule and the scope of work.
4. Having Change Orders signed before additional work is started.
5. Coming in on budget.
6. Tinkering with our systems to improve our process.
7. Showing that we care.
8. Finding a better idea no matter the source.
9. Listening very carefully to each other and allowing every voice be heard.
10. Adapting to existing conditions.
11. Finding clever solutions to complicated problems.
12. Anticipating problems and special needs before they arise and handling them in stride.
13. Keeping everyone and everything up to date.
14. Getting everyone paid on time.
15. Dealing with problems swiftly and decisively in an honest upfront way.
16. Celebrating our successes.
17. Learning from setbacks.
18. Creating a fabulous remodeling project that looks like it was always there.

In closing, winning for us does not come at anyone’s expense. The beauty of remodeling in Boise, Idaho is that I have created a working model for our continued success and prosperity. The fruits of our labor go way beyond a paycheck which is why we do what we do so darn well.

Rest in peace Al, you won a lot.

Love Joe

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove and replace them at once.

Made in America

I saw a video of a home that was built in Montana that had a gimmick associated with it. They essentially looked at every aspect of the home, even down to the foundation bolts, and made sure the components were made in America. There had to be a catch.

I was initially impressed and somewhat amazed to discover that it could be done.

In my little world here in Boise Idaho, nothing is made in America any more as far as I can tell.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe I am as patriotic as the next guy, but it isn’t easy buying a commodity that hasn’t come from, have a component, or ingredient from, or been assembled on a different continent.

Made in the world is a better description of how things really are. Companies have gobbled each other up and learned how to be more efficient and profitable.

My friend who moved from Oregon bought some frozen blue berries that reminded him of home. When he inspected the package, he was shocked to learn it had come from Serbia. They have an abundance of fruit in Oregon. How is it cheaper to get it from Serbia?

Honda

I just bought a GE microwave. I figured it was an American made product. Nope, although GE is what we think of as an American company, my microwave was assembled in Malaysia, according to the sticker.

I showed up to a potential client’s home in a Honda CRV. He glared at me because it was a foreign car.(he drives a Dodge truck). My car was assembled here, with foreign company ownership that employs local people to sell and service the darn thing. Odds are it was manufactured in their East Liberty Ohio plant.

Back Pack Vac

I used to love a company that had local roots a vacuum company that got very big with a hit back-pack vacuum. I would bring mine back to the factory whenever a part broke. I felt like I was participating in making them a great company because they would not only fix the part, but also file a report with ideas to make the darn thing better. I just found out that the company was sold to a larger manufacturing company. They gave their local sales staff a made in America top of the line vacuum as a parting gift when they moved their operations to Texas and their assembly plant in Mexico. Did the vacuum made in America work better? Hell if I know. Did the company move to cut cost and increase profit? You bet. That is Capitalism at its best. Is there less corporate income tax out of the country? Sure, it is every country’s best interest to have their work force fully employed.

Is buying local the answer? You would think that local producers could compete because transportation costs are going up. But bean counters all over the world have done the math. Having cheap labor trumps transportation cost. Trust me, the moment that that is not true, everything will go back to the way it was.

Flags of the World

One local producer of vegetables couldn’t keep up with demand, so although he was growing while in season, he would import during cold months to avoid heating costs without telling his clients. The cost stayed the same year round, go figure. That is what capitalism is.

Does locally grown produce taste better? I don’t think so. I wish it did. Does it make you feel better that it is grown locally? Sure it does. But is the buying public willing to pay twice or three times as much for it?

Industry has found ways to preserve veggies to the point that we can’t tell the difference, so we make decisions with our pocket books 99% of the time and that is why this stuff happens. Jet Fresh on the vine ripened tomatoes, sounds local, looks like a text book tomato, product of New Zealand. Alaskan salmon filets are shipped to China to be processed, then brought back here, and still cost less than you can get them processed in America.

We would have to change our lifestyles and go back to eating things that were in season and avoiding them during the other times of the year. Weird, I remember doing that. This generation has no idea about that. You can now buy any perishable fruit or vegetable year round if you want some.

Rosie Can

Remember when “Made in America” meant something? I do. Take tools, for instance. Now, most of the great tools are foreign made or owned by a foreign company. Remember Craftsman tools? Is it more important to have great tools or have them made in America?

There are still examples of a hand full of really made in America places, but they are rare. I can’t even begin to imagine where all of the components of this American made computer really came from.

Sam Walton got it. He set up an American company that went global to bring consumers what they wanted. Low price stuff.

In the mean time, a large percentage of our workforce sits idle. Henry Ford figured out that he had to pay his employees enough to buy his products. What if we lost our ability to pay for their stuff? Cash and credit are tight, perhaps we have more leverage than we think?

There are foreign companies that have figured out how to make a profit by manufacturing on our soil, why can’t our companies bring manufacturing back to our soil?

• Is our capitalistic system firing on all cylinders?
• Has greed made the wheels fall off the cart?
• What caused our companies to move away?
• Was it pure greed?
• Are all of the American manufacturing companies in survival mode?

Money

The goal for every manufacturing company is to make money. No one said how much is fair, or how to achieve this goal, other than to play by the rules. Last check there was no rule about where things must be made. Every company I know has a propensity to figure out ways to decrease cost and improve the bottom line. The big corporations are just taking it to the next level. If those global companies that have moved out can give the illusion of made in America to the purchasing public, then all the better for them.

I can see how paying someone $2.00/day (and they like it) is attractive.

What is it Going to Take

Competition and anti monopoly rules used to keep prices in check and worked when we were essentially landlocked. Now that technology allows for instant communication, the world has essentially shrunk. Not to mention computer automation, We just don’t need people doing what a robot can do better, faster and for less.

What is it going to take, a carrot, a stick, or both? to bring back some of the jobs that have been lost?

My prediction is that the moment one company tries moving back and it works… the rush will be on. Essentially, they have to figure it out on their own.

One promising thing I have seen lately is a advertising campaign that basically says “High School is not enough” referring to Higher Education as what it is going to be required to make it in this country.

Let’s hope we find a way to make “Made In America” mean something again, and that it happens sooner rather than later.

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove them at once.

Hey, You missed a spot!

I have had clients who love to watch the progress of a project. That pleases me. This is usually a good thing if you have the confidence of the client. Once lost it can ruin your will to press on.

Every new client is an opportunity to succeed in knocking their socks off but it is a precious thing that should never be taken lightly or for granted. Once lost it is a painful experience. No job has ever gone so smoothly to not have encountered a situation, so I anticipate it and deal with it as it happens.

The down side is, it can turn into a test of wills, who can outlast who. never mind that the project turns out great, the client may dwell on the negative experience and demoralize everyone with the negative aspects of the process.

Putting the hammer down

Every profession has it’s “You missed a spot” story and remodeling is no exception. My dad tells a story of a client that is being picky during the project so the contractor takes her over to a beautifully painted window stool and says how does this look to you. Surely the woman says that is just beautiful and proceeds to complement the contractor on how smooth and white the surface is. The contractor abruptly pulls a hammer from hits tool belt and hits the stool causing a perfectly round divot to appear. Aghast, the woman shouts out with alarm… why did you do that. The contractors calmly says “Mam when that is fixed and smooth again that is when you will know we are done”

OK, that is pretty harsh, but it is like judging anything before it is done. Remember the best cake in the world if judged before it is done is just a glob of goo. We welcome constructive criticism. There have been multiple times that clients have thankfully pointed out things in time for us to fix. We are not perfect and need everyone to pay attention, Like I always say, “Remodeling is complicated, pay attention”.

This quote, if studied can be taken both ways which is why I love it.

There is no rule more invariable than that we are paid for our suspicions by finding what we suspect. Henry Thoreau 1817-1862

In other words, those that are spring loaded one way or the other… will be most satisfied when their expectations are met.

Our job is simple. We just take a bunch of ideas and turn it into a cool living space using lots of talented labor, great materials and subcontractors. The challenge is to orchestrate everyone and everything to get the job done on time, on budget, and have the process as well as the end result exceed expectations. No problem.

Dalai Lama, what a sweet man

I had the honor and privilege to see and hear the Dalai Lama in Sun Valley several years ago and to be honest, he moved me. I embraced his message of compassion and incorporated it into my life. Although I can always improve here are some of the tips I use and teach to my employees that make sense to me. How we at Levco deal with adversity is what makes us compassionate remodelers.

• 1, We understand that it hurts but refuse to take it personally.
• 2, We constantly reevaluate where we are and what we are doing, all the while realizing that through dealing with the process of making it better, we will learn something very valuable.
• 3, We make every effort to listen very carefully to learn what is behind the message because the majority of folks that are critical have a valid beef. They often have difficulty expressing it in a constructive way. It is up to us to translate the message into something positive.
• 4,We adapt and overcome. We always win. Even our harshest critics usually complement us at the end because we always show that we care. Through the worst of times we are resilient, If we can’t make improvements to our systems or processes we are done. I have turned every bad thing that has ever happened into a learning experience.
• 5, There are folks out there that can’t be pleased. No matter what you try or do. Unfortunately, we don’t always know who they are before we start a project, we look for the warning signs but, like shit… it happens.
• 6, I believe that the highest level of customer service and appreciation can only come from something bad happening. So I never approach bad news or adversity with apprehension. OK, I’ll admit it, “I’ve got that, I’m just looking for the pony” mentality. (That’s a story for another post)

In closing, remodeling is not easy…It is a complicated and difficult way to make a living. Those that do it well deserve accommodation and have my sincere admiration. At Levco we bring a boat load of remodeling and life experience to the table, we are up for the challenges of the industry and are not embarrassed to brag about it.

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove them at once.

Prioritizing

It is that time of year again, the time when many of us internalize, categorize, and prioritize what we hope to accomplish in the coming year.

2012 may be the year to remodel your home! Levco Builders LLC is preparing for a great year by sharpening our processes, taking our continuing education, and inviting folks to join us in figuring out what could be done to their homes to make living in them more enjoyable. One thing is for sure…if you do not decide to remodel, nothing will get done.

Demo in Full Swing

Remodeling your home is not something that is done often. Rarely does a client have firsthand knowledge of the process, and they are full of trepidation and angst about trusting their home to a stranger. This is why the referral process is so important.

Be sure to ask for my Selecting a Remodeler booklet when you fill out the Contact Us page on the site

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF

• Are you tired of having a home that has a design flaw?
• Have you lived there for a while and know what needs to be done to get the place tuned up, so that the kitchen makes sense?
• If you could open up the kitchen, wouldn’t the flow of the area improve?
• How long do you see yourself living in this home?
• What could we do to increase the functionality?
• What could we do to increase the level of enjoyment of your home?
• What can we do to anticipate the future needs of your family?
• If we could only update one thing what would it be?

Often we find folks that would rather just start over in a new home because it seems too daunting of a task to itemize the flaws in the one they own now.  Our busy lifestyles do not lend themselves to regular upkeep and maintenance.

I’ve been asking …what tipped you over into deciding to remodel?

• One client knew what they wanted for years and had a three phase approach.
• One client knew what they wanted and was looking for a remodeling firm that fit their style.
• One client had the idea that they hated what they had, and just knew there had to be a better plan.
• Several were pregnant and there was no way they were going to be able to live in the home as it was.

Nowadays, folks would rather stay in their homes, usually because of a neighborhood or proximity to places they work, ridiculously low resale value, you name it.

2 day New Tile Flooring

IDEAS FOR HOW TO GET IT DONE.

Pacing yourself and finishing one thing at a time is a viable option to many folks.

We have consistently completed multiple projects at several homes. One project a year is all they can afford both financially and emotionally.

No matter the size or scope of the idea you have in mind, We would like to visit and evaluate.

Call today for a complementary in home evaluation of your remodeling ideas. 208-947-7261

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove them at once.

The year in review leaves me breathless. Here are a few of Levco’s more noteworthy 2011 accomplishments.

1. We completed a staggering number of challenging projects.
2. We lost a long time employee in Diane Ferguson, and added Ron Ireland, Nate Steiner, and Josh Mitchell.
3. We made lots of homeowners happy with their homes again.
4. We attracted some tremendous subcontractors to our team.
5. We strengthened relationships with vendors and our support staff of secretary, bookkeeper, and CPA
6. We battled with the Boise City Historic District, and the fight goes on.
7. We got help with our processes from a local famous source.
8. Our website moved to WordPress, and was recognized by Mike Jefferies as being “in the top 10% of remodeler’s web sites in the country”
9. I learned to BLOG and have published over 2 per week for the year.
10. We added a client portal to our website. It has set the bar for clear communication between our clients, subcontractors, and vendors in our region.
11. We downsized our overhead to become more competitive.

On a more personal note,

I delivered my daughter to college where she is thriving.

My son learned to drive, and won first place in his regional gymnastics competition.

My wife and I celebrated our 24th wedding anniversary.

All in all it has been a challenging and wonderful year as I glance back in the rear view mirror of life.

It is in my blood

Here is where it all begins, when I was 4 years old. Does it  get any better? Sunday mornings on the carpet in the front room, building tall, tall buildings was all that I needed to make me happy. I was taking the available materials and using my imagination. My brothers and I would keep busy for hours. Another fond memory: is using building scraps to build an enormous airplane / fort in the back yard with all of my brothers and cousins. There were tree houses and all sorts of small projects. There was something about this type of thing that provided pleasure.

There was everything from collecting and straightening  bent nails on my father’s job sites with Grandpa Ben to being the expediter on my summer vacations, driving trucks and working on the projects. I remember not wanting to clean up before coming home so my mom would know that I had been working hard. I have wandered and done all sorts of things in my life. I keep coming back to being creative with my hands and head.

What makes me tick- Some say I am driven to follow in my father’s footsteps, and I believe this is true. I want to do better than him in business. It is what every father wants for his children. I believe I have many of his same characteristics about style, quality, and customer service, which are all positive attributes. I also dream big and have powerful aspirations and a ferocious work ethic. However, I am also finding that I have inherited some of the same problems he was cursed with – many of which revolve around being more artistic than focused upon the financial realities that business is difficult. Remodeling is far more expensive than I thought it would be.

My reward has been positive feedback from others, the internal knowledge that a good job has been done, and that I have followed the golden rule.

I am blessed with having him as a mentor and having many others that constantly support me through my learning curves. I have this undying belief that business success will come from being conscientious, awake, and alert, as well as being an everlasting learner.

Me Now

I believe it is up to me, not the economy, to seek out a living and fulfill my dreams. I use my time wisely by reading and writing, and clearing my head of the “garbage,” as one friend likes to say, that is somehow holding me back from being all that I can be. Some of my harshest critics say that I am remodeling as “a hobby” I like to think of it as a way to find happiness and great satisfaction in being who I am. In essence, like trying to maneuver a helicopter, I am trying to figure out a very big, complicated problem with lots of moving pieces.

What my job is- My job is to assemble a team of very talented people to make the description of work and bids I produce come alive and turn into great finished projects for my clients. Another is to bring all of my team’s talents together and deliver my A-game to the table.  I need to keep alert for a better idea, because they come from everywhere. To be flexible, and adapt to existing conditions and the needs of my clients, and make recommendations that work. It is also to sell the vision of what the project will become when we are done, and lastly, to be a good example for my peers.

What stresses me out-

1. Being disorganized.
2. Procrastinating.
3. Being indecisive.
4. Forgetting things.
5. Not doing it right the first time
6. Poor communications, no matter the reason

What Fills Me with Joy

Roots

1. Having fun.
2. Being a creative problem solver.
3. Fixing things with my tools and my brain.
4. Being relaxed.
5. Being very focused.
6. Getting great results through others.
7. Getting positive feedback.
8. Having the project’s process exceed expectations.
9. Hitting the projected cost of goods sold (COGS) on the head.

This thing called business can’t be done alone or in a  vacuum. I understand that it takes a dedicated and very talented group being lead by a passionate and equally talented and dedicated person to succeed.

Why I should be your Remodeler-

• I am the one you want because I listen and work with you to create a great plan that will meet your needs. I then help select the right components to create a great space through exceptional talent and experience.
• I am a professional remodeler with a tremendous amount of experience, and one who understands the risks and pitfalls and will avoid them to your benefit.
• I do not let any setback define me, only success.
• I will not settle for anything less than my best effort and the expertise of my team.
• I add value to homes through a collaboration of good communications of ideas and materials and techniques that, when put together, bring your dreams to life.

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove them at once.

See What I Mean

For years now, my friend, Brandon Larosa and I have called each other out of the blue. We could not wait to report sightings of a funny bumper sticker, humorous sign, or mispronounced medical term. As a sign of the times, texting has become the more popular mode of communication. In reality, this is how I learned  how to text. Brandon learned long before I did, so I was forced to learn in order to respond to his messages.

Although many have been forgotten, here are some recent ones that may get a chuckle out of you.

I expect this list, like my building translator and other lists I have assembled, will grow over time. I encourage your to please help add to our list with suitable additions.

Here are some that we have alerted each other about:

Here's a Good One

Bumper Stickers

You don’t pray in our schools, and I won’t think in your churches.

I was born OK the first time.

Science is not a liberal conspiracy.

Visualize whirled peas

I will surrender my gun when you pry it from my cold dead hands

Medical Mispronunciations

Medical Conditions

Medical Terminology 101

• Hiatus Hertia
• Ankilitis Spondilipsia
• Sick as hell anemia
• Spinal mighty Jesus
• Heel Sperms
• Romantic Fever
• Skapshured Fracula
• Ingrownial Hernia
• Burcystis
• Pending Adema
• Osteocirrhosis
• Arial Fablation
• Epoxic Brain Injury

Medical Procedures

• Un-Biblical Surgery
• Co-Lawn-A-Scopey
• An acquaintance just got “Fixed last Friday”

Anatomy

Anatomical Parts

• Tibula & Fibia
• Esocafus
• Anta-Cubicle Fossa
• Rotary Cuff
• Lymph Noids

Medications

• Di-oxygen pills
• Peanut butter balls
• Oxymoron,” That shit is bad! I had a friend that got hooked and he lost everything.”
• Tie-n-all
• Neospermun

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove and replace them at once.

Old Friends

For the past few years, rather than asking, “How you doing?”  remodelers and others are asking, ” Are you busy?”  The assumption is that if you are busy then you are doing OK.

I recall pondering this same thing many years ago at Flying Pie. We wanted to know that we were making money before we advertised how great we are. Remodeling is a lot like making pizzas, but we are doing it on a larger scale with more variables.  Busy can be the last thing you are right before you close the doors, if you are not profitable too. I was actually worried that we were busy, sort of counter intuitive, don’t you think?

I also recall admiring the Albertson’s stores , who at the time had fewer stores than their rivals. They not only had the most profitable stores, they had the more overall profit than their larger competitors. In other words, bigger isn’t always better, and being busy and being profitable are not mutually exclusive.

The answer is yes, we have been busy. The question is are we busy being profitable?  The bummer is that being profitable is not a for sure thing. I am constantly checking in with myself… Am I doing the most important thing to advance the profitability and reputation of my company?

A hilarious Scene in Planes, Trains, & Automobiles

I recall Howard Olivier explaining that we make and lose money every minute that we are open. The thing to get into everyone’s  head is that “we don’t pay for effort“  If your effort is misplaced or without guidance, it could actually be  counterproductive. (an unfortunate reality on two projects recently). We reward great results, not great effort. In other words, do what I want… not what you want.

Estimating

Estimating properly is quintessential to being profitable. It is nearly impossible to nail the bid for me. The larger the job, the greater the risk. There will always be things that are not taken into consideration that pop up. They sometimes go over budget, and occasionally cost less. Michael Stone, an industry leader and very wise man says in his book Markup and Profit that everything over $300 needs to be bid. Michael Gerber, of the E Myth group of books, describes the essential components of creating a sustainable business. He has my full attention when he describes working on my business rather that working in it.

My Achilles Heel is always the labor. Why I can’t estimate how long it takes others to accomplish a task is an on going mystery. The lessons are everywhere if you learn from your results.

What I do is sell the concept of an improved living space. Then, if all goes as planned, I make good on my promise by achieving the real space improvements and having it all work as advertised.

Making money is the goal. Being good at what we do allows us to make money. In my world, making money is the byproduct of doing a good job. Here is how I do it.

1. I add value to a home by combining good materials with good craftsmanship in a way that was agreed upon
2. I provide legendary customer service
3. I manage expectations with schedules and regular and clear communication.
4. I deal with issues as they arise with my “we always win” attitude
5. I employ the most talented staff and subcontractors I can find to make things go as planned.

Ferries & Elves

The fairies and elves that do the work are the unsung heroes. As a contractor it is an ongoing challenge to fulfill the dreams of the clients and deliver the goods. How we make the sausage is not always pretty. Everything we do is out in the open. We frequently have to make quite a mess to create something beautiful. Essentially, we are on stage all the time.

Therein lies a valuable lesson for me and all remodelers.

1. Get busy
2. Be profitable now
3. Earn a well-deserved reputation for being busy.

A mentor Phil Rae a contractor and weekly motivational speaker ends his monologues with “Now git out there and sell something,” which is exactly what I am going to do.

Disclaimer: Some of these images came from the WEB. If they are yours, and you object to them being used, please claim them and I will gladly remove them at once.

Yes it is the holiday season again, and I am definitely thankful for so many things that the list goes on and on. Sadly when one of my heroes, Andy Rooney, passed away recently, I got swept away contemplating my pet peeves.  Andy was the keeper of all peeves, pet and otherwise. Being a half full kind of guy, it wasn’t as easy as I thought to start the list but here is my best first effort.

Andy Rooney

Andy Rooney is and was an American icon and a reason to watch something other than football on Sunday night.

I have taken it upon myself to carry the torch in his absence, thus becoming the curmudgeonly old fart for awhile.

A pet peeve in my mind is something that is annoying and essentially drives me crazy. I have  categorize them to make reading them easier.

The list like many others in this BLOG will grow over time but the basic ground work has been laid.

RESTAURANTS

• Having a waitress ask… Soup-er-salid? my response “yes”. then there is usually an awkward pause …”well which one”? then I say “I’ll have the super salad you just offered.”

• The attention span of a gnat. After ordering a sandwich, having the sandwich maker ask again, ” now what kind of cheese?” after I just told them 3 seconds ago.

Who had The?

• Having a waiter helper bring out the food and not have a clue about who gets what dish.

• Getting lukewarm coffee from a coffee shop. Coffee is what they do, it is in the name of their business. For god’s sake pay attention. Hot things get colder over time …even if left in a thermos. There are tools to check it. they are called Thermometers…use them. They even make IR ones so you don’t have to dip.

• Restaurants that stop taking orders before they close.

• Writing something important on a comment card and not getting a response.

• Having a waitress try to take away a partial beer when they arrive with another. Ain’t going to happen on my watch.

• Being pestered by a waiter that interrupts conversations to ask “Is everything OK?” This happened so frequently at Red Robin one time with my kids, I got worried that something was really wrong and we left. never to return.

• Restaurants lit so dimly you need a flashlight to read the menu.

• Having to hear ” Can I get you anything else”? after receiving my burger and fries… Hello… condiments. Oh never mind I’ll get them myself.

• Having the coffee shop gal ask “What can I get started for you?” when the line gets long, then having to tell what drink you ordered to someone else when it is time to check out. I just say it once, that’s all they get!. If they must know a second time I either have them figure it out or come up with another drink and really screw with them.

RETAILERS

• Having the business hours printed so small on the door that you need to get out of your car to read them.

Rediculous Warnings

• Naming any day a color IE: Black Friday or Cyber Monday for that matter

• Getting up sold at the bakery, “Can I get you anything else”? Oh shit!, that’s right. Can I get a wedding cake with that bagel.

• Having employees in the store see you but not opening the door even a moment before the clocks strikes the exact time designated to open.

• Christmas ads or anything Christmas themed prior to the end of Thanksgiving. Where the “H. E. double hockey sticks,” did advertisers get the idea that this was cool. Like Occupy Wall Street, we need to apply a boycott of all stores that dare to venture into this shameless practice. Home Depot, Lowe’s, Costco…I’m watching!

• A new marketing strategy that makers of food and retailers are trying now. They are packaging their products in smaller identical looking containers hoping that you are focused on the price and grab the box leaving the unsavvy shopper unaware that they essentially boosted the price dramatically by placing less in a smaller box.

Wheat Thins

• Having check out clerks ask me ” Did you find everything OK?” My usual response is… “Is that all you’ve got?”

• Getting multiple phone books throughout the year.

• Packaging that you need a knife and over 30 seconds to get into.

The Eye Chart

• Labeling on children’s medicine, it is always zero dark thirty when you need to administer them, could the dosing be any smaller or more complicated? How about including a magnifying glass with each container?

• Ridiculous warnings IE: 5 gallon buckets and drowning kids. Plastic bags and suffocation. Seriously do the manufacturers of these items really assume any liability? Perhaps it is a public service announcement.

• Shampoo bottles that have the word shampoo so small you can’t see it without really concentrating in the shower where your vision is less than perfect.

• Being forced to watch daytime TV during a haircut.

• TVs in a retail checkout line doing more shameless advertising.

• Self check out lines, I always have trouble on purpose and insist that  a person comes to help me.

• Discovering that many Craftsman Tools only have a one year warranty.

DRIVING / TRANSPORTATION

• There is a joke about 2C drivers meaning those who registers their car in Canyon County are feeble. They are not the only ones, but I must admit they have a fairly random style of driving.

• Non timed lights on commuter routes. State Street…come on ACHD

2/c Need I Say More

• People that change multiple lanes at once without establishing themselves before changing again. Thanks NASCAR.

• Blinkers left on long after the turn is complete or not being used at all.

• Smoked covers over tail lights. The whole point of tail lights is to let others know what you are doing or thinking about doing. Why make them so dim that it defeats the purpose?

• “Merge”  A foreign term meaning to match speed just outside your passenger door.

• Automobile headlight covers that develop a fog or obstructive film on the lens. Come on automakers this is dangerous. Never mind that a temporary fix is out there. I’m saying recall!

• Placing the little annual registration stickers all over the license plate.

• When parking, taking up more than the allotted lines with your fancy car to avoid others parking too close.

• Air travel in general

BUSINESS

Ding the Bell

• The belief that removing a receptionist that used to answer the phone and replacing them with an automated system is an improvement in anything.

• The belief that increasing the price means the product is worth more.

• having paid people stand out in public wearing stupid costumes dancing around and spinning signs to drum up business.

• Knowing that the union is paying people to stand out in front of businesses with a “shame on you banner” because they didn’t win the bid for some project or another.

• Having a phone on the counter in a waiting room. The note says that you are supposed to pick up the receiver to get the attendant that is watching you on a camera somewhere else in the building.

• Having to hit a stupid bell to get someone’s attention.

BUILDINGS

• Having to get wet turning on the shower

• Having more than 3 switches in a row.

Six In A Row

• Not having switches in intuitive places.

• Not having labeled electrical panels.

• Filthy air filters.

• Having one of the front double doors locked during business hours.

• Having the open sign on even though the place is closed.

• Door closers that are so strong the door hits you or slams as they are closing.

• Having to ask where the restrooms are located.

MODERN LIFE IN GENERAL

• Having folks call (out of the blue) expecting me to know who they are. Be advised, my voice recognition software is INOP. I will hang up on you.

Rest in peace Andy, I’ve got it. Love Joe

Speechless in Boise

I have been producing Blogs in the dark for over 4 weeks. Turns out my content rich pearls of wisdom, as well as my rambling content, have not been going out to my Levco faithful followers.

For this reason, and because I realize that Blogging is something I enjoy doing. I have undertaken these extreme measures.

I am notifying folks that there is more content than you might be aware of.

 Hydronic Heat September 9, 2011

Licensed and bonded Sept 16, 2011

Dictionary of Construction Terms September 17,  2011

Engineering 101 September 22,2011

Stucco Yesterday and Today September 30 2011

Will this fill up the internet and leave it running slower as a result? No! that is not going to happen. Is my Blog getting published regularly despite the problem? Yup.

This is a test of the emergency blogging repair service.

If this goes out to my peep’s, then I have a voice again and I will get that warm fuzzy feeling that all is well in my world. After all you are who I am writing for. Thanks for your support. To the unsung heroes that have invested untold amounts of time and invested oodles of brain power to get me back online where I belong blog.

I say, Thank You, & What took so long?

The Management.

Dr. King

I have the unique distinction of being born on August 28th, my grandpa Ben’s 60th birthday, and the date that the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave his I have a Dream Speech. It was in 1963 and I was only 5 years old but I vaguely recall seeing it on a black & white (how ironic) TV. The passion and conviction of the speech and that moment in time is forever locked in my memory. On the 48th anniversary of that speech and my 53rd birthday I pause to reflect.

People park riots

The turbulence of the time was a part of life. In 1969 I lived through the peoples park riots. Living a mile away form the action was tense to say the least. I recall playing at the park when surveyors were there to plan out the uprooting of the people. I also recall having some people vandalize our home, My mom called the police and multiple cars arrived moments later with 4 riot police in each one fanning out to chase the perpetrators down. I remember being bussed and forcefully integrated in the Berkeley school system. Segregation existed based upon social economic boundaries at the time. I recall being diverted around the riots and smelling the tear gas as I sat frightened on the bus ride home.

When I first moved to Boise after living in the Bay Area for twenty years, I remember how cut off from the world I felt. There was no racial diversity or cultural diversity for that matter. The only dab of color was transplanted youth from the BSU athletic department.

Early on during my first winter in snow, I recall planning a trip all the way out to Eagle Idaho for dinner to visit a family of one of my employees. It was in early October 1981. I was seriously warned to be careful on my way out there. I heard “Watch out for the black guys!” imagining that it was a rough place having just moved from Oakland California, I said what are they going to do? jump out and grab me? No, you misunderstand, they said, “Black Ice”. As a city boy, who knew there was such a thing? After a good hard laugh I made it without harassment. I recall a bombing at the Synagogue in Boise, and the Hayden Lake neo-nazi stuff going on up north. All the while my family back home in Berkeley was freaking out about me living here.

Human Rights Memorial

Today in Boise I sense things are chilling out. We have the Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial. We see all kinds of diversity and I celebrate it. I just spent time helping a Russian immigrant remodel a food cart in an effort to establish the entrepreneurial spirit the she has inside her. I see Somali immigrants planting vegetables at the synagogue. I chat with Bosnian immigrants working at the hospitals. Muslims have a place of worship in my neighborhood.

Is this what Dr. King had in mind, is my community less racist? Is the world getting smaller? As far as dreaming goes, I see progress, The school system is teaching tolerance, We have very few hate crimes. I see an integrated police force that does not practice brutality, I observe unbiased local reporting and an alternative weekly newspaper. Although the political climate has barely changed, I see people gathering weekly at a market in the middle of town to share and mingle. I see several dozen ethnic restaurants and special events for example, celebrating Jazz and soul food to gay pride marches.

I guess the take home message is that all of these things didn’t just happen overnight. Fortunately, the evolution of Boise has been peaceful for the most part in my 30 years here. Immigrants didn’t just show up, they were invited. The foot soldiers of change and dreamers are living amidst me. I applaud them for making my adopted hometown more vibrant, robust, and diverse.

Dream Fluff

As a kid growing up in Berkeley California, there was a place that had a profound impact upon my life. It was a simple doughnut shop on Ashby near College Avenue. It was always a special occasion to go there and I am so thankful for being exposed to great stuff as a child.

My best Friend, and Flying Pie Pizza business partner Howard Olivier always said, “If you were only ever exposed to cafeteria pizza as a child, then Pizza Hut is pretty darn good”. Besides great doughnuts, great bagels, coffee, and fantastic breakfasts, to name a few of my fond memories, I learned that great is what (it) is all about.

Dream Fluff had a special meaning because of a simple poster that was up on the wall for years. I memorized the saying but until now figured I would never see it again. Dream Fluff had changed hands and when I asked about the poster, it was long gone. Fortunately, the donuts are still great.

Speaking of which we need Pastry Perfection to bring back the French Doughnut with Egg in the batter, I guess they are labor intensive and a little more expensive to produce so they rarely make them anymore.

After stopping in at DK’s Doughnuts this morning, I decided to look for the saying on line and low & behold, I found it. Many thanks to the person that posted this.

As you Ramble...

The optimist’s creed by Adolph Levitt, helped shape my being. There are many times that I have felt this way and am thankful for so much. I recall arguing with my physician director at the time, about being a half full kind of guy to which he replied that he was half empty, how sad I said.

At Levco I set out to bring all of the cool things about growing up in the bay area working for my dad in remodeling to Boise Idaho. The level of customer service and GAS (Give A Shit) is unmatched in our region from what I can tell and I feel that it is a big part of my niche.

As part of our internal evaluation process, I ask my employees to give examples of showing that they care. So, in a way, keeping an eye upon the doughnut is what this business is all about.

I was recently reminded about a cool story which I have asked my client to write up in her own words. It was about a disaster that occurred in the east end when a tree fell on her home, but another example just popped up that I need to share.

During a recent HVAC subcontractor meeting at a home, the owner happened to be listening in. We were scratching our heads on how we were going to get enough return air to her furnace. We also realized that her furnace had been starved for air since it was installed 15 years ago. She had to leave before we had settled upon our best option. Later that day, I called her to let her know that we had figured out our best option and that she would have to loose a few inches of her kitchen to accommodate the fix.

Inside

What she told me made my day. Not only did she say “OK” to the modification but she told me that she could feel that I really cared about her home. She went on to say that it was incredibly comforting and reassuring that she wasn’t the only one.

I explained that this is who I am, and these are the subcontractors and employees that I have chosen to surround myself with. This is what my company is all about. “It is like being on stage”  I tell my folks you rarely get to know who is watching but I assure them that we are always being watched.

If you are a perspective client that is looking for someone who operates a company that cares about your home, then Levco and our remodeling team is worth looking into.

As I reflect upon what I do for a living, I often ask… is everything I do satisfying and rewarding? No not always, but most of the time. Do I look for the stuff I am grateful for and celebrate it often when I hit it out of the park? Yup I do. Is this a recipe for fun and satisfaction? Yes, by golly, It is.

the Cathedral

There is a classic fable that which simply and elegantly explains what I am doing, and why I am working so hard, or so much, depending upon your perspective.

It has to do with a man that observes others doing menial labor in the form of  moving rocks at a job site. He tries to figure out why, despite the fact that they are all doing the same thing, each one appears to be doing the job with different amounts of enthusiasm.

When asked, the first one replied with low enthusiasm,” I’m moving rocks from this pile here, to the next pile over there”. Obviously this person is focused on the task at hand. The second one when asked responded with a little more enthusiasm, “as soon as I finish moving this pile I can go fishing.”  This one was more interested in what he was going to do after work which helped him tolerate the work. The third one was full of enthusiasm when asked said ” I am helping to build a cathedral.” Although doing the same menial tasks, the third person understood that through his work that something great was being built that will last and become a place of great beauty and that he was creating something that had meaning beyond the structure.

No, I’m not judging others. I just happen to understand that I am a cathedral builder. No matter the menial task I enjoy working both with my hands and  my mind.

Often accused of being a work-a-holic, I prefer the monicker work-o-maniac. The difference I believe is in the way I approach the task at hand. Do I enjoy my work?  Am I being creative? Do people appreciate what I am doing? The simple answer is yes to all of them.

Sturdy rock wall

I get inspiration from the simplest things, I feel like I am figuring out a very difficult puzzle, or creating a sturdy rock wall. Right now my focus is upon creating a profitable well respected remodeling business one project at a time. Is there an end in sight …not that I can see from here. The metaphor however works for me.

Why remodeling in Boise Idaho you ask?  I suppose it could have been any line of work anywhere. I feel that the mirage of  owning and operating a successful, profitable, well run business has always been just past my fingertips. Not that I haven’t had my share of successes. Deep down, I also want to show my father Ed that I can do it. He still has an excitement about working on his remodeling business in Berkeley California with my brother Maurice and sharing his wisdom with us whenever he can.

The reward in remodeling for me is the thrill I get when I figure something complicated out, or discover a better way of doing something. I am especially happy when I am given the opportunity to improve living spaces. After all I get to work on one of the most basic needs required for life, shelter.