we of northern new england, born and raised, probably don’t think too much about how many of our buildings seem just right for the topography, or why a remarkable number are still fit for use 100+ years after construction. however, to those of us who work in the skilled trades, it’s a testament to art and craft evolving into identifiably vernacular architecture, then becoming integral to american history and new england culture.

my family has been in the skilled trades for three generations. my maternal grandfather, orlando “bud” stevens, was a builder in franklin, new hampshire, around webster lake. and when my mother married my dad, michael, grandpa bud taught him the craft. and by the time i finished school, i had learned from my dad the skills which i’d then honed and tweaked along the way. more importantly, both grandpa bud and my dad instilled a certain pride in my craft, integrity in my work, and added value to everything i did.

the photographs on this site track the work i’ve done from when i was knee-high to a grasshopper through my work today. projects include single- and multiple-family housing, municipal buildings, retail renovations, kitchen / bath remodeling, roofing repair / replacement, siding repair  / replacement, interior / exterior painting, power washing outside surfaces, interfacing with clients’ architects or designers, and whatever else it takes to actualize client wants and satisfy client needs.

construction is strenuous. disrupted supply chains reliably signal price hikes. and more and more of the next generation are opting for work outside the skilled trades. notwithstanding these challenges and other bumps in the road, the responsible contractor keeps soldiering on and, likely, will continue constructing or adapting buildings for both today and decades to come, whether the economy booms or appears on the ropes.