This is what I do for a living

AndyG

AndyG

Because some other guys are perverts
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I started setting tile and installing wood floors about 23 years ago , fell in love with tile , began doing a lot of showers , and saw a need for a full scale bath remodeling company in my area, then got into kitchens , full house remodels additions, and started my own private cabinet shop so I wouldn't have to wait on cabinets. It's been a fun ride, had a few scares (a roofer once removed a roof for us ...but he went to the wrong house ) , have learned a lot, and I'm still learning. I am surrounded with loyal people , and have been very fortunate in what I do.
 
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How in the ********* do you fall in love with tile?!?!:ROFLMAO: I once tiled a 1300 sqft indoor/outdoor patio area in a house we had in FL, NEVER AGAIN. It took me a few days, and you could see in the evolution of the room where I started each day and where I ended. When I started I was like Snow White blowing in with the little birds holding up her dress, I used my little tile level and got everything just right... By the end of the day I was slapping them down like a contestant hitting the no whammy button on Press Your Luck.. The end product sure did look good, but there were some serious toe kickers out there! Had to be careful scooting your chair back from the table or you might just tip over!

Kudos to you dude, that's some good lookin work.
 
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qslim said:
How in the ********* do you fall in love with tile?!?!:ROFLMAO: I once tiled a 1300 sqft indoor/outdoor patio area in a house we had in FL, NEVER AGAIN. It took me a few days, and you could see in the evolution of the room where I started each day and where I ended. When I started I was like Snow White blowing in with the little birds holding up her dress, I used my little tile level and got everything just right... By the end of the day I was slapping them down like a contestant hitting the no whammy button on Press Your Luck.. The end product sure did look good, but there were some serious toe kickers out there! Had to be careful scooting your chair back from the table or you might just tip over!

Kudos to you dude, that's some good lookin work.
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Well, fair question.

I fell in love with the creative side. Wood was too repetitive.

In my early 30's , it didn't bother me physically. ...but keeping a lot of tile straight and flat intimidated me at first . Later , I started to feel it ...by my mid forties I knew I needed to think about running the company rather than being on my knees for longevity.

That picture is my personal bathroom and I did not set the first piece of tile in it.
 
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AndyG said:
Well, fair question.

I fell in love with the creative side. Wood was to repetitive.

In my early 30's , it didn't bother me physically. ...but keeping a lot of tile straight and flat intimidated me at first . Later , I started to feel it ...by my mid forties I knew I needed to think about running the company rather than being on my knees for longevity.

That picture is my personal bathroom and I did not set the first piece of tile in it.
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I would recommend a career path that doesn't involve being on one's knees...😉

All jokes aside, I'm in the remodeling industry as well. But on the exterior. That is fantastic looking work.
 
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AndyG said:
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I started setting tile and installing wood floors about 23 years ago , fell in love with tile , began doing a lot of showers , and saw a need for a full scale bath remodeling company in my area, then got into kitchens , full house remodels additions, and started my own private cabinet shop so I wouldn't have to wait on cabinets. It's been a fun ride, had a few scares (a roofer once removed a roof for us ...but he went to the wrong house ) , have learned a lot, and I'm still learning. I am surrounded with loyal people , and have been very fortunate in what I do.
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Well done sir! You’re obviously very good at what you do.
 
Tscott said:
Wow Andy, really cool to see people who find their passion early in life.
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I bounced around a little before .. but all that wander are not lost.

I grew up in a family where you built your own home, and my father and uncles were tradespeople.. and my mother was pretty gifted artistically... Once I figured out that I didn't want to wear a suit and tie for a living... And really gave the trades 100%... I knew that I had found what I was put here to do.

America has a great need for tradespeople.. we've been so busy filling the corner office we forgot to teach people to build it.
 
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Daryl said:
Well done sir! You’re obviously very good at what you do.
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We really have some phenomenally talented people in Huntsville... And being around that sort of thing gives the opportunity to pick up better ways of doing things. Everything I know I learned from someone else.
 
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That's a great looking bathroom. I've done many glass shower doors/stalls and have to say that there are great tile guys out there and some that would be better off loading a garbage truck...if they're lucky. I'm sure you know examples of the bad and avoid having them around.
 
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Like I told you via email, if you were local, I'd be hiring you to do my remodeling! Outstanding work.
 
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"America has a great need for tradespeople.. we've been so busy filling the corner office we forgot to teach people to build it."
@AndyG
That's one of the best quotes I've read on this site....and I read alot on this site. 👍👍
 
Wesrj86 said:
"America has a great need for tradespeople.. we've been so busy filling the corner office we forgot to teach people to build it."
@AndyG
That's one of the best quotes I've read on this site....and I read alot on this site. 👍👍
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Thanks sir , I wish I could claim it ...I believe Mike Rowe said that . It is so true .
 
AndyG said:
America has a great need for tradespeople.. we've been so busy filling the corner office we forgot to teach people to build it.
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Well said sir! One of the most gratifying jobs I had was in my former career as an instructor for various automotive classes. Not to paint the career field with derision of any sort, but lots of amazing techs aren't your typical college-bound book smart types. I experienced the disintegration of shop classes in my highschool career in the mid-90s and was thusly told by EVERY counselor around me that college was the only way. Well, I was making $75k a year at age 19 by humping my butt off with some ASE certifications and a mediocre set of tools. I eventually took to helping out at a local CC where I got a 2 year degree in automotive tech, and I LOVED showing people how they could make a ridiculous amount of money by just showing up, working hard, and giving a shit about their profession.

This also reminds me of a pal of mine that I served with who separated from the military after 6 or 8 years. He had enough and decided to get out and start his own business installing and maintaining sprinkler systems down in FL. Everyone thought he was crazy to leave the sweet confines of Big Government by which everything is provided, but he did his own thing and started trenching lawns and laying PVC. Fast forward a few years and this dude had a bigger boat than mine, a nice house near the beach, and was running more than a few trucks. His secret? He literally told me "show up on time and call if you're going to be late".
 
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qslim said:
Well said sir! One of the most gratifying jobs I had was in my former career as an instructor for various automotive classes. Not to paint the career field with derision of any sort, but lots of amazing techs aren't your typical college-bound book smart types. I experienced the disintegration of shop classes in my highschool career in the mid-90s and was thusly told by EVERY counselor around me that college was the only way. Well, I was making $75k a year at age 19 by humping my butt off with some ASE certifications and a mediocre set of tools. I eventually took to helping out at a local CC where I got a 2 year degree in automotive tech, and I LOVED showing people how they could make a ridiculous amount of money by just showing up, working hard, and giving a shit about their profession.

This also reminds me of a pal of mine that I served with who separated from the military after 6 or 8 years. He had enough and decided to get out and start his own business installing and maintaining sprinkler systems down in FL. Everyone thought he was crazy to leave the sweet confines of Big Government by which everything is provided, but he did his own thing and started trenching lawns and laying PVC. Fast forward a few years and this dude had a bigger boat than mine, a nice house near the beach, and was running more than a few trucks. His secret? He literally told me "show up on time and call if you're going to be late".
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It is an absolute lie that all young people need or want college , and that all a nation needs is white collar workers ...that has been touted as the path to success for so long it is ingrained in our national consciousness . “Go to college and make something of yourself “ carries the message that you are a failure if you don’t .

My mantra, Get to work , and make something of yourself . I don’t care how ...be great at it , know your stuff and put it to use for the good of others.

Education has become viewed as a solution to better employment , but unemployment stays high ...people don’t need to be led down a path to careers they can’t do , don’t want to do or hate to do.

It takes smarts to be a mechanic , a farmer, a carpenter , a bricklayer , a farmer , an HVAC tech ...to become accomplished in any trade is to have a masters degree that will pay well and employ you anywhere in this country ...our flat tires and broken windows will never be fixed in China, And our homes will never be made there.

This world belongs to the people who know how to get things done .
 
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AndyG said:
to become accomplished in any trade is to have a masters degree that will pay well and employ you anywhere in this country
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Man that hits a nerve with me. When I was fixing cars for a living decades ago I always loved the fact that I could literally work anywhere. "My toolbox has wheels" was a very common saying, and it was true; if you were an accomplished technician you could almost write your own ticket as you pleased.

I've since changed careers via a stint in the military, leveraged my G.I. bill into a couple of engineering degrees and moved on to work in the defense sector doing technical junk on fighter aircraft. Don't get me wrong, I really love what I do - but I'm pigeon holed in this weird little industry. My career options now are extremely limited, and I routinely look back to my 20-something year old self who always looked sideways at my buddies who had to move somewhere they didn't like "for their career". I didn't understand how they ever let themselves be put in that position, yet here I am! Maybe I'll start a sprinkler company...

AndyG said:
our flat tires and broken windows will never be fixed in China, And our homes will never be made there
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Did you make that up? It might be the whiskey talking, but that is fucking salient.
 
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