When I took off my gun-belt in early 2000, I became just another retired cop with some administrative skill and a fair measure of street smarts. I have always felt that everyone should have a marketable skill, and the realization that my skill set was limited was troubling to me. I settled on carpentry as my next adventure and hired out at a ridiculous wage to a local contractor with the understanding he was to teach me to build a house from the footings to the finish. It must have worked, as I converted those lessons into a large home on Truman Lake, both as the general contractor as well as hammer man when I could. It was a nice home that we sold at a tidy profit, overbuilt by today’s standards. I determined a couple of things along the way. I left the electrical, plumbing, roofing, and concrete work to the professionals. My framing crew was a sight, held together by their boss, a short man who was referred to as the Field Marshall, a result of his quick temper and German heritage. Remember my lessons? Concrete work was as demanding as any aspect in construction, capable of breaking the strongest man down quickly. Fast forward to our latest experience.
I am old(er). We are tired of exterior wood maintenance and decided to replace an aging wooden deck with a concrete patio. The demolition was taxing. Sorry, it was a real bitch, as we endeavored to save the wood for re-purposing rather than a burn pile. We accepted a couple of bids on the concrete and settled on TJ Rose, a local concrete contractor. His demeanor in the bid process influenced our decision. He and his Hispanic crew were tremendous to work with, with an emphasis on work. TJ is a contractor with his cell phone in his pocket and a tool in his hand. He and his guys hit the ground running and kept moving until the day was done. He is what I describe as a “working contractor” as opposed to a guy who sits in his air- conditioned truck observing from a distance. We got our money’s worth and could not be more pleased with the finished project. I am going to let the pictures do the talking.
In summary, this task was accomplished with efficiency, expertise and the preservation of my yard and fence.Working people are my favorite folks in this world, and these folks work. Around Springfield? Need concrete? Give TJ Rose a call. Next up, an all-aluminum pergola, on order.
Have a great week!
SR
srj641 