House Update - We have lost a friend

Last week presented an emotional roller coaster we could not have imagined. We made a lot of progress on the interior... The painters have the first coat of paint on all walls and the trim is about 50% complete. It was very exciting to see the house start to take on a finished look. Typical progress update, right?

Unfortunately on Thursday the news turned bad. We learned that our builder, Herman Williamson, had passed away due to complications with a back surgery he had during the previous week.

Overnight, we lost a leader, a role model, and most of all a friend. There is not a corner of the house that we look at and NOT think of his guidance on our decision making. Or, how he would always play games with the girls even if we were stressing progress updates. We knew we weren't alone when we ran into numerous homeowners at his funeral with a similar experience. One home owner summed it up best... "By the end of most custom construction projects you can't wait to get the builder out of your life. In this case we feel that we have lost a family member".

We never expected to move into this house with such an emotional connection. Yet, we now realize that this wonderful home represents the final chapter in a man's lifelong dedication to the craft of custom home building and how lucky we are to have worked with Herman. He was friends with Laura's grandfather, built Laura's childhood home, and now ours. Thank you Herman, and may you forever rest in peace.

Craig