Good morning out there, internet land!!!
last week, while doing some job measures, it occurred to me when someone actually asked, and no it's not the first time I have been asked, but
DO YOU GUYS DO THE WORK OR IS SOMEONE ELSE COMING??
well, lets start out with this.... I (amber cowan) have worked construction since i was 18 years old, and even before that, helping my dad with various things around the house and for friends. I used a skill saw for the first time when I was 11 years old. my dad was at work, and my mom knew I was always doing things with him out in the shop. so when she HEARD IT RUNNING, she asked,
are you allowed to use that saw? I LIED and said, oh yeah, dad lets me ALL THE TIME!!! well, I knew I better get EVERYTHING CUT THAT I NEED CUT cuz I"M done for, when dad gets home!! I was building a tree fort, with my friends. and yes, i was indeed grounded when dad got home! I think he was secretly impressed, I still had all my fingers.
Anyway, I attended Tongue point job corps in april of 2000, I graduated in august of 2001 (and I guess it's worth mentioning, I met my husband, there, too. he drives log truck, though! we don't work together)
I started out in the portland carpenter's union, in august of 2001. worked various jobs in astoria and portland, until I just didn't like it anymore. Living in a hotel room during the week, ETC. The guys I worked with were less than welcoming sometimes, especially because I got my own room. some were great guys, too though. a few of them would've taken a bullet for me, and I for them.
In 2005 I worked for DK windows, about 4 years, Kiwi Glass about one year, Kirk Faucett,(general contractor) about two years , performed all the maintenance and clean outs for ten years at my grandparents' 8 unit apartments in seaside, Brother's door and trim in seaside, bergeson contruction in there somewhere, too. MANY bosses told me I should get my contractor's license. I first tried in 2015, but studying while watching pancreatic cancer steal my grandma was too hard.
In December of 2018 I decided to get serious, and I took my test. I only missed four questions!!
so I started my company in January of 2019. well it wasn't too long before I realized I was going to NEED HELP, and FAST... and I KNEW good help was incredibly hard to find. (understatement)
I live in alder manor mobile home park. This is not my long term plan, but I don't just want a HUGE MORTGAGE we can't afford, either. My plan is to buy a buildable lot, and build some storage units, and a duplex. maybe some short term RV spaces? who knows. we need 30-50% CASH DOWN to buy a lot. they are 150K or so, for what would work. so here we are saving money! I KNOW we would be cash positive within the first year, maybe even 6 months.
Back on the subject......
my neighbor across the street, LaNae, well we were already VERY good friends. We took our kids to the park together, and other holiday functions. when you live 20 feet from somebody, you get to know them!!!
I knew she did in home care for an elderly gentleman, so AT FIRST she was going to just help "part time" She also had a son when she was 17, and struggled just as much as I have, just a different struggle. my point is, SHE KNEW HOW TO WORK, and I could TEACH HER THE REST!!! I can't teach someone to give a shit, I can't teach someone to WANT TO DO A GOOD JOB... I can't teach someone to be motivated by money! but I can teach anyone how to read prints, a tape measure, how to build a deck, ETC.
a couple weeks pass by with her part time help, and things were going well. her client she cared for daily, unexpectedly passed away! well this was maybe good timing, maybe EVERYTHING Happens for a reason??
she was all of a sudden FULL TIME, and we were in the thick of it!! It was a daily battle. I had NO PROBLEM paying her a little more than she was making previously, PLUS A PROFIT PERCENTAGE, because I wanted her to FEEL EMPOWERED, wanted her to KNOW that she was in charge of her own destiny, TOO!! if she could help "sell " jobs, and help come in under budget, I had NO PROBLEM sharing the "wealth" (or lack of, for that mattter) I knew we could do it. Look at all these idiots that don't even do a GOOD JOB!! I knew we could do a good job for people, I knew we could make good money, and EVENTUALLY GET OUT OF ALDER MANOR!!!!
we learned a LOT OF LESSONS THAT FIRST YEAR!!!!! Especially that first winter. I didn't know if we were going to make it. I even broke a bone in my left foot and limped on it a good 6 or 8 months before I finally caved and got an xray. sure enough, it was broken. good thing I had such GOOD HELP!! I would have never made it on my own. I'm incredibly lucky to have such good help, and we will continue to CONQUER our goals!! I just know it!!
WE DID IT WE MADE IT!!!! and now it's been almost THREE YEARS....
but we still have a lot of people, ask,,,,
when do the workers get here??
WE ARE THE WORKERS!!!!
I wanted to explain all of that, just in case you were wondering. LaNae and I work well together, as I'm sure the reviews and pictures tell their own story. Stay tuned for all our progress!!! I will continue to be transparent with our success and struggles. We are REAL. We do our jobs to the very best of our ability, we don't leave until you are in LOVE with your project. We are not the cheapest in town, but we are by far not the most expensive, either.
YES WOMEN POWER!!!!!
Thanks for all your support!!! thanks for supporting LIVING WAGES!!!! and our dreams!!!!
If you'd like an estimate, please shoot me a text or email and I'll gladly send references AND a ballpark estimate!!!
503-791-7473
acowan1216@gmail.com
we are now licensed in WASHINGTON STATE!!!!
