Construction Management
for Home Owners
Back to Home Page

Brief resume of Author Joe Holmes

At the age of sixteen I was a journeyman brick mason for residential construction working with my father who was a residential masonry contractor in Boise, Idaho.

After returning home from three years in the Army I was a partner for a short time in a home remodeling business, then as a carpenter and brick mason as jobs became available. I ran a residential masonry crew while attending college. I then started my own masonry contracting business.

I worked for a year in real estate sales including appraisals and drafting construction plans for residential projects.

Starting in 1977 for three years I was employed with the State of Idaho as a building inspector where I obtained certifications from ICBO code group as a building inspector and a plans examiner. While as the main plans examiner for the Idaho department of Labor, Building Inspection Bureau I reviewed residential as well as large commercial projects including the Boise State Universities' Pavilion and other multi story State buildings.

1980-83 I was employed as the assistant manager of Ogden City's Inspection department where I handled hundreds of consumer complaints with contractors including several times in court as an expert witness. While with Ogden City I taught evening classes at Weber State University on Building and Zoning Codes and Materials of Construction.

1984 I was employed as a construction superintendent on large commercial construction projects throughout the Wasatch front from Salt Lake City to Logan, Utah. I built what in 1986 was the most modern milk processing plant in Utah. I have built or project managed numerous commercial and industrial buildings. I managed a satellite office for a Logan Construction Company as a design builder of industrial buildings. This involved everything from the sale, design to the completion of each building, including contract writing and negotiations with the owners and the sub contractors.

In 1990 I obtained a General Contractors license in Utah and started Western Design as a construction company. I employed up to twelve employees including three framing crews. I also contracted large commercial projects and drafted house plans.

In 1995 due to health limitations I changed my company to Western Design and Consulting LLC. performing part time construction consulting services. I also preformed part time drafting for a structural engineer on commercial buildings and wrote a book titled "Construction Problems - Solutions for Home Owners", and "Bid Form." You can see them on my web site at http://constructionproblems.com

My building inspection, construction background, real estate and professional management give me a diversified background that benefits my clients.