Amish Workmen

I ran across a Amish fella that has his own construction company. They do rough in and finish work and also build complete homes, garages, barns. etc. They also put on metal roofs.

I hired them for a first project and they were really good. So, I hired them to put metal roofs on my house/attached garage (Music Room), my "geetar bar" where I used to do some heavy partying, a 1st 24'X42' barn with a finished upstairs and a 2nd 24X42 barn used for storage.

I gotta say, these guys are amazing, friendly, courteous and do just exceptional work. I trust them completely and have no problems taking off for the day while they do their work. I trust them completely. I've found they are not the cheapest or the most expensive but right around the middle price-wise which is kind of what I like, personally.

They are now finishing off the upstairs of the 1st barn and doing the walls/ceiling in a knotty pine and floor in a nice laminate wood look. That is going to become my 2nd music room where I set up my electric gear (and a few acoustic pieces + lap steel etc.) and just crank and wail. (I live pretty much in the middle of nowhere with little chance I'll be disturbing anybody) It was already pretty nicely finished but I think this is going to come out really sweet.

Anyway, don't know if any of you have used Amish workmen before or if there are any Amish communities in your area but if so and if they're all like the guys I have, I highly recommend them for any work you might be considering.

I'll get some pics posted at some point (provided Eric is willing to help me again) and share with you how it turns out.

Here on the east coast, particularly around Philly, Amish contractors are a controversial subject, particularly for "English" (i.e., non-Amish) contractors. Here's a quick read on why.

I'm considering hiring a crew for a some major work on my old house, but am genuinely concerned about "blowback" from the local contractors in my small town. In the final analysis, I probably will hire an Amish crew, but in my case I'm more interested in the superior workmanship than any possible cost savings.

Amish are moving beyond their Pennsylvania farming roots due to the extremely high cost and low availability of farm land in Lancaster County, PA - if you are not inheriting your farm it is almost impossible to buy enough acreage to put together a viable farm.

As a result, Amish work in factories, small businesses, for contractors, and operate Amish markets for meat, produce, etc. One of my regular Saturday morning errand stops is an Amish market near me for beef, poultry, pork products, cold cuts, and produce. In almost all cases it it superior to supermarket fare.

I'm most worried about quality workmanship, reliability of showing up on time, finishing the job quickly and those types of things. I've heard some of the blowback/criticism regarding the Amish but I find them to be humble and genuinely decent people and if available I will hire them every time. They have my vote for sure. There are several quite large Amish communities in my area.

You do need to contact them well in advance of a job because they are busy. My current project is inside work and because outside temps/conditions are pretty tough in NE Michigan it worked out well for both them and me. They DO without a doubt finish their work a lot faster than most other contractors in the area I've worked with.

if there are any Amish communities in your area

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I wish, but I don't think they would like living in my area.

Right, John? We don't get that Amish option in the desert locales...... LOL!! :beaten:

JohnW63 said:

I wish, but I don't think they would like living in my area.

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Wow, that's pretty harsh, even by Mojave standards!

We have an Amish community in Western NY as well. My brother paid $80 for a custom stainless steel barrel. I've got some nice braided rugs in my music room from them as well.

Al.

Well, that isn't out my back window, but if left alone, it would be mostly creosote, rabbit brush ,and tumble weeds. I can see this mountain in the distance, out my back window. I've hiked up it twice. Rocky and steep, but not a long hike.

That's beautiful, John. I have a great appreciation for the desert landscape. It's beautiful in it's own austere way. It's a different way of looking at things. Unobstructed by too much greenery and lush landscapes. I like it!! :encouragement: