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TRADITIONAL TRADES
Preserving the Present
How one New England craftsman honors techniques from the past to build houses for today.
Text by Stephen T. Spewock | Photos By Eric Roth
Doug Gest started his company back in the 1970s. Today he has a staff that creates beautiful works of art in Traditional wood.
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Starting out as a general carpenter in the early 1970s, Doug Gest quickly grew despondent with production home building and its often substandard fabrication. To offset his growing level of disdain, he began holding himself to a higher standard of carpentry. "I began to approach my work from a craft perspective," remembers Doug, asking himself, "How was that piece originally made, and how do I re-create it?" He eventually befriended other folks in the general area who shared the same passion for not just antique homes but the antique tools and methods required to refurbish or even re-create such homes.
By 1975, the group offered to salvage two to three local area homes that had been abandoned and were to be torn down. Once the homes were disassembled, the group transported most of the salvaged material down to coastal home sites in southern New England, where the pieces were reassembled into newly constructed period reproduction homes. Anything that couldn't make the trip due to neglect or decay had to be re-created to exact detail. However, a situation quickly arose where the craftsmen were unable to accomplish the task with modern power tools, so Doug and his friends used antique tools from the same era to re-create some of the detailed cornice, cove, bed, and crown moldings.
It was while learning how to use these old tools that Doug gained a deep respect and admiration for the carpenters of yesteryear. "One had to have a working knowledge of a lot of tools and techniques—many of which have been lost, especially in today's business model of production homebuilding." With these tools, not only was Doug able to re-create these fantastically detailed period pieces, but also he learned how to make these unique pieces by hand. "It gave me a whole new appreciation for the difficult work of earlier carpenters, which most modern carpenters take for granted." Doug quickly discovered the same appreciation from a growing number of clientele who were willing to pay the additional costs associated with such time-consuming craftsmanship.
TAKING STOCK
In 1978, Doug Gest Restorations and The Joiners Shop—where they re-create traditional custom architectural millwork—were founded in Hartland, Vermont. Nestled just across the Connecticut River is Hanover, New Hampshire, home of Dartmouth College. Fifteen minutes north is Norwich, Vermont, and only 10 minutes northeast lies Woodstock—world famous for the Woodstock Inn. "Main Street in Woodstock is one of the most beautiful, quintessential drives of New England, certainly from an architectural perspective," says Doug. "I don't think there is a better display of traditionally restored antique homes anywhere in the world."
Along with all the beautifully appointed homes come an awful lot of restoration projects, most of it performed within 30 miles of the shop—despite being well linked by highways to Hartford, Boston, and New York. "We've been fortunate that despite the recent construction slowdown, there still is a vibrant market in high-end custom renovations, where clients continue seeking the rewards of quality woodworking. Obviously, clients won't pay anyone to 'play' with hand tools, but they will invest in authentic, hand-built craftsmanship that stands the test of time."
Typically, these clients share a mutual appreciation and sensitivity for high quality products that are handmade with exceptional details and are period appropriate—every aspect that Doug has built his company around. "The right client is the most important factor in a successful project," states Doug. "The most rewarding and satisfying projects are those where there are openness and two-way communication, in a team approach, with like-minded appreciation for the work involved."
And the work is significant. While many builders turn to well-established manufacturers for their millwork, Doug doesn't like picking from somebody else's interpretation of history. "We make all our own millwork, with most jobs averaging around 5,000–6,000 board feet of rough stock purchased from suppliers of managed resources, which we turn into period pieces in our shop and then use to finish antique reproduction or custom homes," says Doug. "By manufacturing our own millwork, we can re-create a client's desires to the exact specifications for the time period, area, style, or custom piece. Each detail of a plan comes out perfect, whether it's a Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, or custom antique reproduction."
That said, Doug realizes that it's not practical in today's market to make everything by hand, thus steadying his company's work flow to just two to three projects at one time. "As a small company, it provides the best balance for us to have work and get paid appropriately for the work that we do, maintaining a fair business model for both our clients and employees while remaining true to the craft."
With only 30 to 40 percent of the work focusing on historical preservation and antique reconstruction, the company has ventured further into more "spec-type" homebuilding, where the period reproduction work is custom-designed. Most recently, Doug has explored doing just the design and fabrication work in the shop and then partnering with a qualified contractor to do the installation at a more remote project site—as long as there is a confident fit with all parties involved. "There's always a need for the type of craftwork we do, even if we don't install it ourselves," he says.
PATH LESS TRAVELED
Today's building market is vastly different then it was 30, 15, or even 5 years ago. In an effort to capture decreasing profit margins, smaller companies not only shrink crew sizes but also attempt to streamline efficiency by using workers in multiple disciplines, thus enabling the same outfit to juggle diverse projects in an effort to cover the bottom line. "You've got framers who paint and finish guys who do roofing," says Doug. "Everyone's wearing different hats to just get the job done more quickly, which automatically results in lowered levels of craftsmanship."
At the other end of the spectrum, bigger companies attempt to stay competitive by cutting overhead, typically accomplished by subcontracting more and more work. "The problem with that is the people actually doing the work don't belong to the company putting its name on the work. This creates an atmosphere where if a problem arises, it just gets passed along to the next guy to fix, occasionally getting handed over to the client—and often without their knowledge."
"I personally made a conscious decision not to follow those divergent trends. In the type of work that we do, there is no appeal to become like everyone else. Our business model has succeeded by getting the right people in the right place to handle all aspects of period reproduction work that we take on."
For almost 30 years, Doug has maintained a consistent team of between 8–12 full-time employees. At the head of the class is the top craftsman, Ken Grace. "He is a very talented master carpenter who is capable of building anything for any project," boasts Doug. Helping with all aspects of office and design work is Marc Head, Doug's right-hand man for 20 years.
The rest of the staff is flushed out with an average of four carpenters and two painters, which surprisingly presents a challenge itself. "With today's job sites geared toward speed and efficiency, there's less priority given to the craft of woodworking. Oftentimes, there just isn't enough reward for craftsmen on a broad scale in today's marketplace."
How does Doug encourage his staff to bridge that gap? By believing in the craft, of course! "To be a good carpenter, you have to be a good craftsman, and vice versa. To be a good craftsman, you must enjoy doing something tangible with an equal passion to learn and know all the terms, tools, materials, and history of why things are made the way they are. "In the field of woodworking, there must be a desire to learn how to do it and a serious focus on how to make all the items in a house by hand," says Doug.
Except for framing, all installations are assembled in the shop and finished by hand on-site with simple hand tools. That includes all clapboards, interior and exterior trim, and other intricate details found in doors, windows, or built-ins. The premise is to take the time to make it right the first time, thus saving time and money in the future by extending the life of the house. The result is a long-standing period-authentic structure.
PRESENT TO PASS
The choice to stay small has forced Doug to turn down many lucrative opportunities over the years. Yet by staying focused on the company's niche market, he can protect the quality of the work. "Along with energy, drive, and desire for perfection, you need an artistic perspective to achieve greatness in this field. I appreciate what we've accomplished as a small outfit over the years, mostly enhancing the built environment around us.
When asked about the future of craftsman woodworking, Doug waxes philosophical, " 'New old houses' started out as a flagship term for selling reproduction antique homes yet has evolved into the last bastion for skilled craftsmanship, allowing those of us a venue to aspire to building beautifully detailed period homes. The goal is to keep that bar high for the individual aspects of period-style homes, the process by which they're re-created, and those who build them." Seems the carpenter has passed through craftsman to become artisan.
Stephen T. Spewock is a freelance writer who lives west of Boston.
Douglas Gest Restorations and The Joiners shop. 802-436-2496.
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