welcome!

Welcome to our new blog.

I’m Mark, aka: “The Carpenter”. Now wouldn't you have been surprised if I said I was the "Artist"?! We will post here on a regular basis to help answer questions you may have on anything related to your home, concerning design, remodeling, etc.

As a first introduction, I have to tell you that The "Artist" truly lives color! Growing up with fine art all around her, to being officially trained as a Graphic Designer, Andrea has an inborn ability to coordinate many aspects of any design challenge. Is she a trained Interior Designer with letters and degrees after her name?... no, but it is of my opinion with her natural abilities; she can stand up with the best of them. 


Since I was very young, I've had a desire to build. I don't know what grade I was in exactly, I think it was the 5th or 6th, my Dad had a small brick repair job to do on our house. I remember being so excited to help; I could hardly stand going off to school that day. I remember running home after school as fast I could so I would be able to help. When I got there, the project was almost complete, but I was able to offer some last minute assistance. 

That was the beginning I guess. Since the 7^th grade, I said I was
going to be a carpenter and everything I did from that time on was aimed at that goal. I took all the wood classes I could in Jr and Sr High School and eventually ended up at St Paul Technical Vocational Institute, now known as St. Paul Technical College. I completed their 2 year carpentry program. 

Now picture this. The first “big” side job I ever had was to finish a laundry room for someone. I was 19, driving a green Mercury Comet (Mercury’s version of the Ford Maverick) with sheetrock tied on top of my ski racks and 2 x 4’s sticking out the side window. Quite a sight!

This was back when there was not any state licensing requirements and not much was asked of a 19 year old kid about builder's insurance. I had no idea as to what I was doing, but told myself I could figure it out. Well luckily for me I did. The laundry room was finished, the people were happy, and I was off doing side jobs.(The deck I built when I was 18…we won't talk about that now) That was 34 years and many many projects ago. A lot has changed. I have changed. I have now been self employed full time since 1983. Hard to believe!

I invite you to come back here, call us, and instead of having me tell you what we can do, have us show you what we can do.

I have adopted a slogan for myself a couple of years ago that describes me well. I want to be that unusual person in all I do in a very usual world.

Let us help you love where you live!

We look forward to meeting you.

~ the Carpenter