The trades school programs were great for everyone involved
Not everyone is meant for college and this gives them a leg up right out of the chute
I do miss seeing these young people become valuable to the workplace
I do not regret moving my business here
I do miss the work
The homes we built up north were special
The client up there had a different mindset
Here most of the homes go on the rental market or are spec's so people want them cheap, quick, and they just want to check boxes (# of bedrooms, # of baths, pool, rental income, etc), up north the homes were family legacies
The owners wanted the house to be built so it could be passed down for generations
The thought of renting them out was extremely rare
Another major difference was how realtors were viewed, down here they have a lot more power and sway then up north
Architects up north were treated with a lot more respect and the plans up there were very thorough
Usually each builder up north built 2 homes per year, some did more, some only did one. One year our client only let us build his home and was willing to pay for 100% of our attention. In my company we had between 25-35 skilled guys at all times and then another 8-10 in the shop (doing millwork)
I do not miss the payroll of all that skilled help
If I had to do it again I would have brought more guys down with me
One thing that drives me crazy about this area is the lack of planning and infrastructure. This area is still trying to figure itself out. The islands we worked up north were old and established and this area is so new and still growing. The traffic and the golf carts drive me crazy.
I should have moved here years before I did. I don't miss shoveling snow before work
