WHEN ITS TIME TO BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME

As I see it, having a vision can give you inspiration, drive and the necessary ambitions to see things happen.  The kicker comes when problems crop up and you may get in trouble. I had a distinct advantage when it was decided "to build." I knew what I wanted and went for the gold! My advantage came in having a father who crafted some 25 houses in the Brookfield area. from 1946 to about 1966 along with Uncle Al Potvin.  When it became my turn my Ex wife and I were ready.

Low land is cheaper than hill-top locations. We owned low land on George Allen Road, WB, and opted for a 4 acre parcel atop Birch Hill Road. From the get-go we served as general contractors. I oversaw everything and it paid off to perfection! Every step

 

 

 of the way I was inspired by my dad's memory and my serving in Vietnam. Someday I dreamed of owning a New England farm and I did with this OSV Reproduction on acreage.

Richard Kemp, General Contractor, and brother Robert built me the house of my dreams in white pine,  spruce, hemlock, cherry, maple, poplar, mahogany, white cedar and a couple of more woods. The house was quite a creation as it was a take on being an Old Sturbridge home.. the Solomon Richardson Parsonage! Ray Paquette Mason, Jimmy and Jason built us 3 Rumford fireplaces in this center chimney colonial. My Army Buddy, the Late Jack Swedis os Spencer was my Master  Electrician through and through. Jack also wired two other houses in West Brookfield. I learned all about drawing wires, Old Work Boxes and 200 Ampere services

 

 

We worked great as a team. The Late Steve Howe's sagely advice paid off "Don't move in the house until it's is completely finished, Bob." It will never get finishes, otherwise! Steve trusted me for $18,000 worth of Marvin windows, individual divided panes. Later I washed 1,000 windows before moving in.

As a weather enthusiast I delighted in hearing the howling winds from here, there and everywhere. My anemometer clocked a gust to near 80 in the Storm of the Century March of 1993. The new home was properly insulated R-19.

There wasn't any compromise in building the house.. just pleasure as 'we were willing to give what it took!" This house will be around for a couple of centuries.

 

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1989

The irony is Son Josh and wife Heidi live two houses away in their Dream Home. Son Ben and wife Allison have their new castle in Belmont, NC!

Dream, lofty dreams. We did.