Newsletter April 2015
Deb’s Retirement
Wow! For more then 25 years Deb Mumper has been the predominate voice people hear and talk to when they reach out to GL Perry Construction. Deb will step away on July 31st of this year for a long planned family wedding and to test the waters of retirement. With any luck she will still consult with us down the road and hopefully keep in touch, but GL Perry has some big shoes to fill.
Sue Geiser, who has only been with us a paltry 20 years will remain working but she works only 3 days a week due to grandma duty and life.
GL Perry needs help, starting any time to find a replacement for Deb. We're hoping you might just know someone. Although it is probably a full time job, we can also work with someone who is looking for a part time job. Back in 1991 my wife helped us find and hire Deb and she started out working around her kid's schedules. As her kids grew so did the company and as she had more time we needed more help. Our thinking is if we cannot find someone as a full time replacement we can as a group divvy up some of Deb's responsibilities, finding the right person is more important so being flexible about hours is something we can do.
You know us. We want someone as soon as possible. So you are where our search begins.
623 Stockton Sold
In about 7 months GL Perry Construction we will be moving from 623 Stockton Ave. Right now the new destination is unknown and we may need your help. The area around us has been developing like crazy and they plan to build a 54 unit hotel next to our existing location. The developers approached us and made a very fair offer which we accepted. We have until at least November before we need to move. If the development is not ready we probably could extend the stay. However our goal is to thin down our stockpile of building materials and supplies and getting rid of the unused stuff. This will make moving much easier when the time comes.
GL Perry is as strong as it's ever been. We have great looks at many projects due to our former clients and a few very trusting designers and architects who provide us with opportunities. Our processes and supervisors have been delivering great results for our clients, especially when you consider how crazy this market has become again.
We look forward to the move and it gives us an opportunity to clean up our shop so to speak. We have many items that will become sold, recycled, donated, and as a last resort end up in a land fill. I literally built some furniture from the misc. lumber we had laying around. We used old moldings cut into small units and glue that kids used them to build whatever their imagination let them at an event in Willow Glen. A few years back we gave away and even set up raised gardens with our TGI's and some felt. Mine at my home are just now starting to deteriorate after 5 plus years. It's possible we have some materials you could use. If you have an interest, at least check it out by calling the office and arranging a visit to see if there's something you could use.
I got a Code (Jerry's rambling blog)
I went to school at Univ. of Oregon and we were loaded with environmentalists. But I am sick of the new bureaucracy and I haven't even had time to get over the last batch of changes.
A couple examples of the old changes
Welcome to Green Building and bring your checkbook.
It is basically a game of tradeoffs that owners need to make. Better insulation or a more efficient heat system. Even using fly ash in the concrete can be factored in as long as you pay the calc fees and get it approved by your engineer.
I looked around the office the other day and we had 7 of us on computers. It used to be 1 in the office and 6 swinging hammers. It's getting to the point we're logging trees for paper instead of lumber.
Now back to mold, asbestos and lead. It used to be you spray a product like "Mold be Gone" and wipe it up. The key to dealing with asbestos is to minimize any disturbance. Then just double bag it and take it to the landfill. After all, there is natural asbestos in the soil. Lead is a more current issue and if your house is built before 1978. It will need to be inspected. Lead is a danger, especially to children, and for better info go to www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadinfo.htm. If kids eat paint chips or inhale dust, they are more vulnerable to lung damage than adults.
So as an employer, we have to be selective on what type of abatement we can handle in-house. In some cases we have lost a job to a competitor who is willing to bypass the lead laws. So my message is to be careful, educated and aware.
Handyman Work/Referrals
A couple of opinions and a couple of facts
Any work that is done and exceeds $500 in value by law needs to be done by a contractor. The fines for the worker are pretty severe. (That being said how much can you get done in Silicon Valley for $500 these days)
The important part of the message is being aware of the law. As a general contractor if we do more than carpentry as a prime contractor we are required to involve at least 2 other trades. That means if you have a roof repair or a plumbing issue we would recommend a subcontractor to our clients. If the roof and structure are both in bad shape, besides carpentry, it probably involves roofing, sheet metal, and even paint. Plumbing leaks besides carpentry and plumbing, often involve flooring, cabinetry, tile, painting etc.
If your project or repair involves only one trade we try to refer people we have used in the past. The problem is that recommending someone, while it's a service to our clients, can be a no win situation for us. It's very similar to giving people a rough budget. We are not always perfect but our guess is probably close. Our friends are looking for reassurance. Now Next Door is another source but be careful here, because I often see people recommending trades people who are not licensed. I'm not a stickler on the law but I do care about you, so please tread carefully, be aware of the laws and be even more diligent about checking references.
We often are asked to refer architects, designers, and/or engineers. We generally don't hire, budget or monitor them but we do see their finished products. It's often all risk with little reward. That is why we really appreciate it when we have clients who recommend us. If the job goes as expected that's great, but everyone’s job will have some problems and it's how the contactor deals with problems that I feel really separates us from others.
For example, I was talking to my niece yesterday and they started a restaurant in Washington DC. They are connected to a company that delivers restaurant food similar to Uber Eats or Door Dash. If the delivery goes badly it reflects on the restaurant, even though it was out of their control and they have no way to correct it except possibly finding another delivery company.
In spite of that risk, we will reciprocate with our client base and continue to take chances helping you with referrals for small jobs or subcontract-only work because we are here to serve you. Your feedback is valuable regarding our referrals so we don't make the same mistake twice.
Sincerely,
Jerry
Wow! For more then 25 years Deb Mumper has been the predominate voice people hear and talk to when they reach out to GL Perry Construction. Deb will step away on July 31st of this year for a long planned family wedding and to test the waters of retirement. With any luck she will still consult with us down the road and hopefully keep in touch, but GL Perry has some big shoes to fill.
Sue Geiser, who has only been with us a paltry 20 years will remain working but she works only 3 days a week due to grandma duty and life.
GL Perry needs help, starting any time to find a replacement for Deb. We're hoping you might just know someone. Although it is probably a full time job, we can also work with someone who is looking for a part time job. Back in 1991 my wife helped us find and hire Deb and she started out working around her kid's schedules. As her kids grew so did the company and as she had more time we needed more help. Our thinking is if we cannot find someone as a full time replacement we can as a group divvy up some of Deb's responsibilities, finding the right person is more important so being flexible about hours is something we can do.
You know us. We want someone as soon as possible. So you are where our search begins.
623 Stockton Sold
In about 7 months GL Perry Construction we will be moving from 623 Stockton Ave. Right now the new destination is unknown and we may need your help. The area around us has been developing like crazy and they plan to build a 54 unit hotel next to our existing location. The developers approached us and made a very fair offer which we accepted. We have until at least November before we need to move. If the development is not ready we probably could extend the stay. However our goal is to thin down our stockpile of building materials and supplies and getting rid of the unused stuff. This will make moving much easier when the time comes.
GL Perry is as strong as it's ever been. We have great looks at many projects due to our former clients and a few very trusting designers and architects who provide us with opportunities. Our processes and supervisors have been delivering great results for our clients, especially when you consider how crazy this market has become again.
We look forward to the move and it gives us an opportunity to clean up our shop so to speak. We have many items that will become sold, recycled, donated, and as a last resort end up in a land fill. I literally built some furniture from the misc. lumber we had laying around. We used old moldings cut into small units and glue that kids used them to build whatever their imagination let them at an event in Willow Glen. A few years back we gave away and even set up raised gardens with our TGI's and some felt. Mine at my home are just now starting to deteriorate after 5 plus years. It's possible we have some materials you could use. If you have an interest, at least check it out by calling the office and arranging a visit to see if there's something you could use.
I got a Code (Jerry's rambling blog)
I went to school at Univ. of Oregon and we were loaded with environmentalists. But I am sick of the new bureaucracy and I haven't even had time to get over the last batch of changes.
A couple examples of the old changes
- New hardware connectors reinvented so the old connectors become obsolete.
- Cities making us upgrade or reinforce existing conditions when we are working on other parts of the house.
- Mold, asbestos, and lead paint.
Welcome to Green Building and bring your checkbook.
It is basically a game of tradeoffs that owners need to make. Better insulation or a more efficient heat system. Even using fly ash in the concrete can be factored in as long as you pay the calc fees and get it approved by your engineer.
I looked around the office the other day and we had 7 of us on computers. It used to be 1 in the office and 6 swinging hammers. It's getting to the point we're logging trees for paper instead of lumber.
Now back to mold, asbestos and lead. It used to be you spray a product like "Mold be Gone" and wipe it up. The key to dealing with asbestos is to minimize any disturbance. Then just double bag it and take it to the landfill. After all, there is natural asbestos in the soil. Lead is a more current issue and if your house is built before 1978. It will need to be inspected. Lead is a danger, especially to children, and for better info go to www.epa.gov/lead/pubs/leadinfo.htm. If kids eat paint chips or inhale dust, they are more vulnerable to lung damage than adults.
So as an employer, we have to be selective on what type of abatement we can handle in-house. In some cases we have lost a job to a competitor who is willing to bypass the lead laws. So my message is to be careful, educated and aware.
Handyman Work/Referrals
A couple of opinions and a couple of facts
Any work that is done and exceeds $500 in value by law needs to be done by a contractor. The fines for the worker are pretty severe. (That being said how much can you get done in Silicon Valley for $500 these days)
The important part of the message is being aware of the law. As a general contractor if we do more than carpentry as a prime contractor we are required to involve at least 2 other trades. That means if you have a roof repair or a plumbing issue we would recommend a subcontractor to our clients. If the roof and structure are both in bad shape, besides carpentry, it probably involves roofing, sheet metal, and even paint. Plumbing leaks besides carpentry and plumbing, often involve flooring, cabinetry, tile, painting etc.
If your project or repair involves only one trade we try to refer people we have used in the past. The problem is that recommending someone, while it's a service to our clients, can be a no win situation for us. It's very similar to giving people a rough budget. We are not always perfect but our guess is probably close. Our friends are looking for reassurance. Now Next Door is another source but be careful here, because I often see people recommending trades people who are not licensed. I'm not a stickler on the law but I do care about you, so please tread carefully, be aware of the laws and be even more diligent about checking references.
We often are asked to refer architects, designers, and/or engineers. We generally don't hire, budget or monitor them but we do see their finished products. It's often all risk with little reward. That is why we really appreciate it when we have clients who recommend us. If the job goes as expected that's great, but everyone’s job will have some problems and it's how the contactor deals with problems that I feel really separates us from others.
For example, I was talking to my niece yesterday and they started a restaurant in Washington DC. They are connected to a company that delivers restaurant food similar to Uber Eats or Door Dash. If the delivery goes badly it reflects on the restaurant, even though it was out of their control and they have no way to correct it except possibly finding another delivery company.
In spite of that risk, we will reciprocate with our client base and continue to take chances helping you with referrals for small jobs or subcontract-only work because we are here to serve you. Your feedback is valuable regarding our referrals so we don't make the same mistake twice.
Sincerely,
Jerry