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first off i must appologize to everyone on the board. i missed the bbq and i am bummed!!! i heard that everyone had a great time. i ended up getting stuck at work a little later then i expected. after i got home, i found out a friend lost his car key in the ocean while snorkeling, and his spare was IN the car. so i had to go help him break into his own car. after that, i got some scary news about the closing on our house that we're buying, so i had to kick some stuff into high gear to try and smooth out all the wrinkles. then i went to bed to wake up and sign papers on our NEW (well, old...) house.
so we are now the newest home owners on st croix (well, on the board). after living here for 4 years, it was time to buy. i love the island and wouldn't trade it for anything. good luck to the rest of you in your ventures. again, if you need help, i'll try to assist. but my hard work begins now. gotta remodel the entire house we bought. it's the perfect diamond in the rough. and right near where you all held the bbq! i love it. have a great weekend everyone.
-adam
Posted : August 25, 2005 10:06 pm
Congrats Adam!! Keep us posted on the progress of remodeling your new place.
--Islander
Posted : August 25, 2005 10:22 pm
Hi Adam.
Congradulations on your home owner status on the Island.A speedy completetion on your remodel.I am a handyman remodel contractor on the mainland and my question to you is this.
Is there any more jewels in the rough on the Island? I am thinking of moving there to live permanently and of course continue to work in construction. Lived on St.John in 1999 while working on remodels.To expensive to buy property there for me.Never been to St.Croix,but seen it has golf courses I think I would settle in just fine.Is there much remodel work on the Island Adam?
Anyway Adam, again congrats on your purchase and make it to the next bbq.
Tommy.
Posted : August 30, 2005 5:31 pm
Topic starter
tommy-
i believe there are plenty more jewels in the rough. it's just a matter of what price range you're looking to spend. to be honest, my wife and i got one heck of a deal!
as for the remodeling part... look into shipping a lot of supplies down from the states. it will save you money in the long run. as of right now, i'm looking at buying some appliances and sheetrock to send down from florida.
an update... we've only had the house for just over a week. we've already got all of the walls inside of the house torn out except for the bathrooms. we've completed a lot of outside cleanup. i stopped on the outside cleanup because i ran into a wasp nest that i need to dispose of. after i do that, i'll finish cleaning up the outside and begin my landscaping.
right now my wife and i are in the states, so it's hard to get anything acomplished. i'm ready to be back on island to continue our hard work at making our dream house a reality. with time, it will happen. just keep your fingers crossed for us that we don't run into too many issues with our remodel. thanks.
-adam
Posted : September 1, 2005 7:10 am
Gaston, you mentioned having sheetrock shipped down from Florida, aren't there problems with using sheetrock in the islands? Moisture problems, mold, mildew, etc? Or are you using the new kind that is supposed to be moisture resistant? I haven't done any remodeling for a while, and I know there are a lot of new products on the market, but just was curious. Thanks.
Posted : September 1, 2005 2:43 pm
My landlord said that its cheaper to buy a container in Florida, fill it with your stuff and ship it down. Cheaper than putting your stuff in say a Crowley container and shipping it down. Almost 1/2 the cost from what he was saying.
He built his house here with most everything out of florida.
Posted : September 2, 2005 12:23 am
Tommy,
There are many "fixer" homes on the market on St. Croix. The better deals come on the market and disappear in a hurry as there are quite a few buyers lurking and waiting to find the right property. There is also a good market for someone who wants to work as a sub-contractor doing remodeling work for others. Quality of work and reliability (you show up when you say you will and do the work you promise in the timeframe you promise for the price you promise) will get you many referrals and keep you as booked up as you want to be.
There isn't much sheet rock used here as most construction is concrete, but in some houses you find it used in interior walls. Tile workers and masons and people good with stucco are in demand. There is a lot of roofing and painting work to be found, too. The salt environment means that maintenance must be done more frequently and this creates business for handymen.
Good plumbers and electricians are valued. If you or anyone you know has these skills and wants work in the islands, send me names and contact info. I pass it on to clients I work with who need such services.
Posted : September 13, 2005 7:46 pm
