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ABOUT ROBIN DAVIS CONSTRUCTION AND THE OWNER: ROBIN DAVISI have been building houses full time for five years. The first house that I built was in 1987. I actually hired a Licensed General Contractor, Charlie Hale from Greenbriar, TN, to pull the permit and act as a consultant to my first big project. I obtained bids on all aspects of the job, met with the sub-contactors, purchased the materials and wrote the checks. I was able to manage this project and continue working my regular full time job where I worked out of my home. Working out of my home since 1979 has taught me the best work habits from great organizational skills that are a wonderful and much needed asset in the construction business. I could see where building a house could be a full time job. There were so many facets of the building process I had never imagined. There were also many mistakes that could have been made by not having the experience of a seasoned Contractor mentoring me. This made a big difference and probably saved me a lot of money. I learned a lot in the food service industry previous to contractor work that has helped my business in construction such as getting numerous bids on all jobs, asking a lot of questions, etc. In 1997 I left my employer of thirteen years to begin learning about the construction business and in December 1999, became licensed and incorporated as Robin Davis Contractor, Inc. I began working full time as a builder. In the years I have been in this business, I have been asked some of these same questions over and again: "What made me want to be a General Contractor?" "Why would a woman builder be a better choice than a male builder? What goals do I want to accomplish to set my business apart from other builders? What do I actually do as a General Contractor? And My Educational Background and Honors "What made me want to be a General Contractor?" I grew up in the south, the second of six children. My dad was an Electric Engineer, mostly in Mississippi, but spent five of my middle school years in Ardmore, TN when my dad worked at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL. We lived on a 34 acre farm in Ardmore. The farm house had two bedrooms and one very small bathroom. This house was typical of other farm houses we had lived in. Imagine eight people in line for the one bathroom. We grew all our own fruits and vegetables, and raised pigs, cows, chickens and occasionally, rabbits, turkeys, and ducks. We learned the true meaning of working hard. Even though the attic was eventually converted into a large bedroom for four, it was an experience I never felt my kids have really "missed", but one I have never forgotten. In 1969, we moved back to Mississippi near my grandparents and set out to build a new house. A house with five bedrooms and three full and two half bathrooms. It was one of the most exciting events ever to happen to us. My dad worked as the general contractor and subcontractor for all the construction after the framing, roofing and brick work were done. He did the wiring, plumbing, HVAC system, ceiling tiles, wall paneling, even cabinets and flooring. I couldn't wait to see what the next day brought. I learned a lot watching the whole process. The construction on the home began in the summer of 1969. The in-ground basement had been dug. The concrete block walls and concrete floor were in place. Once the waterproofing had been applied, a farmer, who owned a bull dozier, was hired to back fill the trenches at the basement walls. Since the house had not been framed yet, the walls were too vulnerable to withstand the pressure from the bull dozier and one wall fell completely over. Hurricane Camille came through a week later with flooding rains, so a muddy landslide nearly filled in the whole basement area. The rest of the multiple year project was filled with a lot of hits and misses, which taught me a lot of what to do and what not to do. Ever since then, I had wanted to build my own house and enjoyed the experience with the house I built in 1987 so much, I knew I had to go into it full time when I could afford to do so. However, even with my first house, I learned that so many things can happen that are beyond ones control. We were trying to dig to set the footings when we realized that my lot had apparently been used as a dumping site years earlier. After eleven truck loads of "stuff", i.e. linoleum, metal, other debris were removed, and nine truck loads of gravel brought in to fill, we were finally ready to begin with the footers. And, notably, over budget before the project ever really began. "Why would a woman builder be a better choice than a male builder? Well, first I have to say, women builders don't necessarily make better builders than men. They aren't necessarily worse either. My career choice for being a contractor has really nothing to do with the fact that I am a woman but, rather, with the fact that I simply love building homes. What I think many women bring to this business that are the core attributes are three things: 1. Great organizational skills 2. Multi-tasking skills 3. And the ability to "ask directions". In that, I mean, there are so many new things being brought to this industry every day. They are exciting, innovative, and maybe new to the Tennessee market. My job as a General Contractor is to try to stay informed. If a client asks about something unfamiliar to this area, I will research it and try to bring it to the client. Sometimes, that may mean meeting with the County Building Codes Department to learn what is required from a codes standpoint. My educational background, Master of Science degree, taught me how to research and simply find the information if it is out there, anywhere!! Also, keeping the best subcontractors, the ones who offer the best talent for the most competitive pricing, is an ongoing job that takes a lot of time, but time well spent. All these skills are essential to any building project, to see it from beginning to end, with the least stress on the client that is possible; to move the project forward and keep it on schedule is important for both the Client and Contractor. What goals do I want to accomplish to set my business apart from other builders? I would like to give the client the best possible product for the best price. Every client I have worked with is on a budget. It doesn't matter if the building project is $300,000 or $1,000,000. Everyone wants to get the most "bang for the buck". I believe my ability to be creative and to think each room through before all the 2 x 4's are in place has been the most helpful. To make a home look expensive without the matching price tag is a challenge but also can be very rewarding. From trimming ideas to the painting, everyone can get the results they are hoping for. What do I actually do as a General Contractor? As a General Contractor, I organize the entire building process, from pulling the building permits, digging the footers, foundation, framing, mechanicals, all the way to the final grade and landscaping and final inspection for the Certificate of Occupancy. I hire all the subcontractors and oversee their work and schedules. I obtain bids from both the subcontractors and suppliers and keep the client informed at all times of special rebates and deals. I work with the Client closely and am available seven days a week during the working process and even after the project is finished. What I have found over the years is that, if the client enjoys the process of building a home, he/she will almost always want to build again. A good General Contractor is imperative in making that experience happen. My Educational Background and Honors 1973 Graduated Florence High School, Florence, Mississippi Professional Organizations HBAMT - Homebuilders Association of Middle Tennessee
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