Hi my name is Brian Girvan i live in Scotland iam seeking to relocate to Connecticut .
I have been subscribing to Fine Homebuilding for 8 years, I have extensive knowledge in residential construction and management.
I have spent all my working life in the Construction business, owning and running a very successful residential house building business in Scotland, U.K, working from the ground up to the successful sale of my houses.
I am activally seeking a new challenge and wish to re-locate, along with my family, to Connecticut, U.S.A, and offering my extensive knowledge, ability and skills to the residential construction business. I am seeking a post within Project/Construction Management, but will be willing to consider other offers in the Residential Construction Business, within an established and sound U.S company.
My full resume is available and I would be happy to e-mail it to any interested employers, I can be contacted on; [email protected].
If any of you guys have any leads/contacts I would be very appreciative. Look forward to hearing from you soon, and sharing our construction experiences together.
Best Regards from Brian Girvan (Scotland) U.K.
Replies
why connectticut, there a whole nuther nation on the other side of conn.
Amen!Insert initially amusing but ultimately annoying catch phrase here.
As a resident of Connecticut I can rightfully ask: Why Connecticut?
Just because Taunton Publications may have its corporate headquarters located here doesn't mean this is a thriving area that's teaming with new construction or countless rehabs.
In fact, we're losing population and what's left is aging. We lost a Congressional seat (in the lower House; seats are based on population) as a result of the last census in 2000. Probably lose another one by 2020. Much the same all over New England.
Best advice: Relocate to one of the Southern states. Population is growing in numbers and is young and vibrant. Business, generally, is good.
Besides, as an added benefit: less cold, more warmth. Coming from Scotland, that's something you've got to appreciate.
Hi Griff,
many thanks for taking the time to respond to my posting with regards to relocation to Conneticuit. I have had some interesting responses so far, some positive, some not so. Do you work in the construction business in Conneticuit? Griff, I am not looking to re-locate because Taunton Press have their HQ there, I am looking for a new challenge in somewhere where I apply my extensive skills and settle with my family. With what I have looked into, it appears that Conneticuit offers jobs/good housing/good schooling, cold winters are not a problem, some people say bad summers, what is this? Bad Why?
If you have any other pointers, I would very much appreciate it.
Thanks, Brian
I think the bad summers are in reference to the soutern part of the US, not Conneticut. I live just west of Atlanta, GA and the summers are terribly hot and humid. I would imagine summers in Conn. are wonderful, I know I love the summers in Mass and NH.
Welcome to wherever you decide to relocate.Tom
Douglasville, GA
Hey Brian
Yeah, I worked as a carpenter for a number of years. Full time after I got out of the service, then part time for a cabinet/furnituremaker as I worked my way through college and then law school. Both jobs were in CT. Since then, no professional work in the trade but, of course, that didn't stop my wife and relatives from asking for help - as if I didn't have enough to do. Have also worked in a great many construction law related matters since admitted to practice.
But, over the past 45 years I've seen a vast decline in the quantity of construction jobs throughout the state. Costs associated with construction have, of course, increased dramatically - but that's not just true of CT.
Sure, there's work here and if you're good enough, enough work to keep you busy. If you're really good, you can still make a fine living - exceptionally talented people always succeed. But, I don't believe that the earning power of the average carpenter has kept up with the inflated cost of living that has taken place in CT (as others have commented on already, CT has one of the most expensive cost of living lifestyles in the nation, especially in Fairfield County in southern CT) - that's really my biggest complaint about work in CT. Fewer people, older people on average equals less $ for construction projects, which translates into less $ earnings potential for craftsmen.
CT and all of New England is scenic. Nice to look at but that doesn't feed your family. And we have cooler summers than some areas of the South. Still can get up to 100 degrees F. but it usually only lasts for a few days at a time - not like the 100 consecutive days over 100 that occurred in Texas this summer. And we do regularly have humid summers (being near the Long Island Sound it's unavoidable) - it's the humidity that makes it so unbearable. You know that bone chilling cold that you probably experience in Scotland - the kind that doesn't go away even with heat? Well, we get some of that too along the shoreline during the winter and then the reverse of that in the summer's heat. That's what I presume others meant when they referred to our "bad" climate - and they were correct. Cold damp winters followed by hot, mostly humid summers. Spring is usually short and inconsistent and rainy. Autumn is usually great. And the firing, the change in color of the leaves on the trees, is spectacular. But, then comes winter...with snow and ice.
To be sure, the South's worse in the summer but, I think, more things are air conditioned down there. Doesn't help much if you're working outside, but if you're doing finish work or installing built-ins or making furniture in your own shop there's a chance you might be in a comfortable environment. Might happen up here too. Maybe.
So, I hope this prolonged response answers your concerns. Pace of life will be a tad different from what you might be used to, but nothing you can't handle with time. However, unfortunately, we don't employ the Metric system over here. That might not stop you from taking measurements in a Metric scale if you're used to doing that, but you'll have to convert the measurements to the Imperial system before you purchase anything. And, we use 110 volts as the electrical supply for most hand tools although some stationary power tools do operate on 220 volts - so if you plan on bringing a collection of power hand tools with you, you might want to investigate that further before you do. And, lastly, but not to be overlooked, you'll have to learn how to drive on the correct side of the road!
Best wishes to you laddie and I hope you meet with success if you finally decide to settle here. Or, anywhere in the states. I suspect that, generally, you'll enjoy living here. Family will be an issue of course, but airfares are still fairly inexpensive. And, you'll certainly find a wealth of information on these bulletin boards to help ease your way. Good luck Brian.Griff
brian... sounds like you're getting the cold shoulder in Connecticut
c'mon up to Rhode island..
and forget about the southern states..
you would NOT like the summers
you would NOT like the summers
Amen to that. As a mass native living near Atlanta I have to say that the summers are awful here. I spend all my vacation time in NH in the summer. The winters here aren't all that much better either. Not much snow but it still gets pretty damn cold if you work outside. Tom
Douglasville, GA
Hi Mike,
thanks for taking the time to respond to my posting.
What would Rhode Island have to offer me? Is there plenty of good work within Construction Management there? What about good housing and schools?
some people have mentioned that the Connecticut summers are bad, why?
Is it too busy, too cold/hot?
Mike, I am looking for a new challenge in life and have extensive knowledge in Residential House Building. I am looking to re-locate to the U.S with my family, and from what I have looked into, Connecticut looked ideal.
Mike would you have a job/position for me in Rhode Island?
Thanks, Brian
Brian, wherever you decide to settle you are welcome. Pennsylvania is a nice state. Normal people there. I hope all goes well for you and yours.
Thanks a lot Jer for taking the time to respond to me.
I have posted some other comments and hopefully will progress further.
Jer, out of interest, what has Pennsylvania got to offer? Good jobs within Construction Management, good housing, schools?
I have a lot to offer potential employers with my extensive knowledge and experience within Residential Construction.
Many thanks, Brian
Afraid I can't offer you any particular help in your job quest Brian, but if in fact you do come to CT drop me a note and let me know if I can do anything to help you acclimate. Other than the 2nd or 3rd highest overall cost of living in the US (IIRC), CT is a great place... welcome.
PaulB
Hi Paul,
many thanks for taking the time to respond to my posting, from what I have looked into, CT can not be any more expensive to live than here in Scotland U.K, and CT looked like it offered good jobs within Residential Construction Management, good housing/schools etc.
What do you think?
Many thanks, Brian
Well, I'm very fond of CT Brian, you may be right about comparable costs...don't know Scotland's. By all means feel free to keep me posted of your plans and let me know if you need some help or to mooch some shop time...
You might try:
"Common Vision" in Hamden (high end residential)
"Petra Construction" in New Haven (quite large, lots of high end commercial)
I'll try to come up with others... Good luck!
PaulB
Some posts here sound like they've never been to Ct. There's plenty of work here and it all pays good.
Never the less, what part of Ct are you moving to? And what aspect of the trade do you consider your specialty?
Is there much new construction or is it mostly remodeling?
I dont know what people mean by miserable Ct summers. I ran my AC maybe 6 days this year and the same last year.
The new construction has fallen off quite a bit in the past few months but I think its a national trend. Remodeling is steady if not faster paced.
You'll make a good buck in Ct but cost of living is higher than 95% of the country. So is the standard of living.
I grew up there. Lived there 22 yrs. You'll find plenty of good paying interesting work. It's a very expensive place to live however. Especially true in southern CT, where I'm from. Good luck and welcome.
Hi Mike,
thanks for taking the time to respond to my posting.
I am very keen to come to CT and work and settle with my family, do you know of a firm that are looking for someone like me, with extensive knowledge and experience within Residential Construction?
Many thanks, Brian
As a Canadian living in CT I just wonder if you have looked into the challenge of getting a work permit or green card. I married a Jersey girl and have my green card, but talk about a lot of hoops to jump through!
Let's not confuse the issue with facts!
Hmm, have you looked into Ohio as well? If only for the number of nearby BTers <g>
CT is a neat place. It's very different west from east, and from coast to inland. The sumers there can be a miserable as anywhere else a person can live, or as pleasant. The winters there are tougher than I'd live through by preference (which is why I live in Texas, I can "visit" all the winter I can stand).
Oh, and there's Caledonian Societies all over, too--no lack of cultural heritage to fall back upon <g>.
Many, many of the placenames are replicated in the various states, too. Almost to the point you could jsut about move from a town to the same place on a different continent.
Check the NAHB & AGC web pages, too, they might have good leads for the direction you are looking towards.
Brian i am from new jersey and now live in Oregon, I have a friend from Scotland ne talks like sean connery, The oregon coast is very mild a lot of rain but even in the winters a lot of nice days. I think you should consider Portland or Seattle, Never to hot or cold a lot of work, The east is ok but cold winters humid summers plus a lotta people.
I think you are onto something.
Historically, the folks coming here from the British isles have favored the Pacific NW states of Oregon and Washington, in the coastal regions west of the Cascades, as their newfound edens in the new world. Looks and feels like home.
And look at what is north of the line, in Canada. BRITISH Columbia!
Besides, the building climate, economically speaking, is much stronger there currently, than in CT, which right now, just plain-long sucks!
Brian, someone asked if you had checked out immigration and green card info. Perhaps you have been married to an American for at least two years, but if you aren't, immigration could take a while.
Even for a fiance visa, my husband spent seven months waiting for his visa to be approved (and you must remain outside the US while it's pending) then another couple months state-side before his green card was approved, and the waiting time period is getting longer and longer bec of the bureaucratic pile-up post-9/11. Also, the US cancelled 6-month visitor visas after 9/11, so the best way to investigate this country if you haven't been here before would be on a three-month Visa Waiver program. If you come in that way to look around first, in no way should you breathe a word of looking to stay here as you talk to the nice Border Patrol guy/gal.
In the UK, my SIL married a Philipina after a month's time. I just wanted to let you know it's a whole lot more complicated to immigrate to the US than it is to immigrate to the UK, and the fiance visa my husbnad rec'd got was a lot easier to get than a business visa. If you have questions, here is a very informative website on all sorts of visa issues. We found it much more useful than official websites.
Edited 9/14/2006 1:26 am ET by splintergroupie