The Back Story

September 10, 2005: I look in on Craigslist - I'm not looking for more work, I'm overloaded with work already, I just like to check in every now & then to see what the market's like for fix-it dudes like me. I see this post:

"I am looking for a skilled, creative, contractor willing to spend the fall, winter, and spring, living and working on Fire Island. I would like to renovate an ocean house and need help. Free room, board, and generous pay to the right person. Recommendations and referrals necessary. Need to be able to install windows, doors, replace decking, do tile work, install kitchens and baths. Would consider a small crew."

...and though I'm not looking for work right now, it catches my eye. It sounds perfect! So I answer the post.

I explain that I won't be available untill mid-november (at the time, I thought Chris' kitchen project would be done by then, with enough spare time in between to re-do Margaret's bathroom) but that I'm very interested... Jon e-mails me back, we hit it off immediately. (it didn't hurt that Margaret gave me glowing reviews. Thanks again, Marg! Sorry it meant I won't get to your bathroom for a while...)

September 18-24, 2005: I went by his apartment in the city, met with him, Tim, and Sean (his partners). Saw some pictures of the house, made plans to go see it a few weeks later. In the meantime, the start date for Chris' kitchen gets pushed back another time, Elizabeth calls me about helping her finish up the Philadelphia job, Margaret wants me to come re-do her bathroom... so things are pretty hectic. It's the 24th by the time I go see it.

The Beach House: cute little place, huh? the bottom 1/3 is hidden by the dune in this shot, but you get the idea. About 600 square feet: Livingroom, kitchen, and tiny bedroom on top floor; two tiny bedrooms below. Full bath on each floor. Lots of weird & wasteful uses of space, so I'd be moving some walls, and a breezeway (left bottom on the picture) that we want to close off with sliding doors to create another bedroom. This would bring the house to about 8 or 9 hundred square feet.

The deal is, these guys bought the house last year, knowing it was too small for their needs, with plans of tearing it down & building something much bigger on the same lot. But the Pines is part of the Fire Island National Seashore - the rules prohibit new devellopment or expansion beyond the existing "footprint" of the house. You can fix it up, but not expand. So they decide to sell it, get a bigger place... but it's not selling. The layout is awkward, and the interior's kinda beat-up... this is where I come into it.

But Wait! Nothing is so simple in Francois' world... (more, later)