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As the owner of a construction company in Las Vegas, Ryan Calhoun had done a variety of projects. He built new developments of modern houses with all the amenities, open floor plans, large master suites and plenty of closet space. Called by some perhaps derisively ‘cookie-cutters’, the new houses were in high demand from the buyers for the comfort offered and their contemporary look.
Occasionally, Ryan bought older homes and restored them to their original charm, placing them on the market for buyers preferring ‘character’ to modern comfort. He had also worked on some commercial projects, including his last one, a lucrative remodeling of a casino.
Familiar with older homes in various stages of distress, he expected to find about the same in the Tudor house, small rooms, narrow hallways, a galley kitchen and little, if any, storage space.
He found all that, and more. The living room was indeed small and the existing couch looked like it had been used by a squirrel to hide its winter food supply. But the fireplace had been left in the original condition. No one attempted to paint over the brick or to cover it with plaster and the intricately carved mantel had been left untouched. Also, the built-in shelves on either side of the fireplace and the stained glass windows were original.
On the mantel and the table nearby were some pictures of the owners, Ryan assumed. A young nice-looking couple from fifty years ago, then the same couple older, but no pictures of children. From a gilded frame, a blond woman was looking at the photographer from under her long eyelashes. She resembled Marilyn Monroe or was a good imitation of the famous actress, with the same curly short blond hair and come-hither look. In the right corner of the picture someone had written in bold letters: Helen.
A room nearby, empty of furniture, was meant to be used as a dining room, judging by the crystal chandelier hanging in the middle, beautiful, but too big for the size of the room, dwarfing the space. It had to be reused somewhere else.
The kitchen was tiny and while still usable, it needed to be entirely gutted if a complete restoration of the house was to be done.
With the eye of an experienced builder who’d done this before, Ryan assessed the possibilities. The whole space needed to be opened up, some walls to be taken down, even if they were load-bearing, and in such case an expensive support beam would have to be placed instead. It could be done and the house would look more spacious and adequate to the present needs for comfort.
The back yard was surprisingly large. The whole property was from an age when houses were build small and the land, especially here out west, was cheap and there was plenty of it. The yard, once a beautiful garden with some mature trees, was now abandoned. A tiny grey bird stopped to check the long since empty bird feeder and then flew away disappointed.
Ryan had seen enough to make a decision. After a thorough cleaning and some repairs, the house was livable as it was. In the long run, it needed a lot of changes to bring it up to the requirements of modern life. It was a challenge and for the right price, Ryan felt he’d like to do it. Add to this that the location in the Historic District was unbeatable and he made up his mind.
He returned to TJ Lomax to ask details. The private investigator informed him that if he wanted to rent it, then he could move in right away. The owner, Widow Taylor had no time and no interest in the property and Lomax named a selling price that was way below even what Ryan had hoped for. Without thinking twice, he committed to buy it and Lomax assured him he’d take care of the paperwork.
Pleased with what he’d achieved thus far, Ryan drove to the lumber yard to visit his new friend Jeff. He found him in his office talking on the phone.
“...after he left. Have a second look at it.” Jeff was not happy with the news he heard from the other end of the line. He nodded at Ryan and pointed at an empty chair behind a desk nearby, inviting him to seat. “Yes. Call me as soon as you find out.” He finished the conversation without saying Good-bye and placed his cell phone on his desk.
“Sorry if I came at a bad moment,” Ryan told him.
Jeff shrugged. “Bad moments come and go all the time. This is life. I’m glad to see a friendly face.” He rose and poured freshly brewed coffee in two mugs and offered one to Ryan. “You said you worked in construction. What kind of work?”
“I did a bit of everything from carpentry to roofing. Why? Do you have a job that needs done or finished? I can help you.”
Jeff sat back in his chair cradling the mug in his hands, inhaling the hot coffee. He pondered what to answer. “Have you ever worked as a general contractor?”
“Of course. I was a general contractor and a builder in Nevada. I pitched in whenever we had to finish a job faster, and I can do any work,” Ryan answered wondering what kind of building issue Jeff was struggling with. “As I said, I can help and incidentally, I have time now. I’m buying a house in need of a lot of work, but it can wait.”
“I told you I live with my Uncle Marvin. He signed over to me all his properties and this business. He had a parcel of land close to town. It was too small for ranching and no one wanted to buy it. My uncle used to lease it to a neighbor for grazing his cattle. Now the town has expanded and people want larger new houses. New developments are built all the time.” He sighed and ruffled his blond hair. “A year ago, I decided to build on the land. It was right on the outskirts of town and new houses were in high demand.”
“They still are,” Ryan observed while sipping his coffee. It was strong and hot just the way he liked it.
Jeff grimaced. “The buyers are very interested. Unfortunately, my project had to stop before finishing even one house. My plan was to have one house ready, stage it and use it as a model home to attract buyers. With the contracts and firm commitments to buy I was going to get construction loans from the bank to finish other homes.”
“Good plan. This is how it’s usually done. No builder has money upfront to finish an entire development. Why did you stop work at the model home?”
”I had no choice. A month ago, the man who pushed me into this whole business and who acted as my general contractor announced me that he’s moving to Florida and no amount of convincing made him change his mind.”
Ryan wrinkled his nose. “Yes, that’s bad, especially if it was unexpected. Why didn’t you hire another one?”
“It’s not so easy to find a man to trust. I run this lumber yard smoothly and I can do a flooring project fast and well done. But I’m not a contractor. I don’t have time to do it and I don’t know much about any other work involved. I have to admit I bit more than I could chew,” Jeff said frowning, studying the bottom of his empty coffee mug.
“I see your problem.” Ryan knew he could help Jeff if this is what his new friend wanted. “Do you need my help? I could do it. I’m free for the moment and I can postpone the remodeling of the house I bought.”
“I appreciate the offer, but it’s not so simple,” Jeff confessed in a small voice. “The future street is paved and the one and only house standing is framed and semi-finished on the outside. Inside, it’s another matter. My contractor said it’s almost done – his words. When I went to see it, I was horrified that almost no work was done. The paperwork showed we paid for everything, but the interior was missing walls, not to mention cabinets or appliances, sinks, and such.”
“He stole everything,” Ryan guessed.
“He stole the money and never ordered anything. The address in Florida he gave me didn’t exist. In other words, I was conned.”
“It looks like it.”
“So you see why I hesitate to go on with this project. Maybe it was not meant to be.”
“You have to finish what you started or the house that is already built will deteriorate and your loss will be bigger.”
“Will you be able to help? Have you ever done a project of this size?”
“Yes and yes. But I have to see the place first, in order to make a plan how to continue and what resources we need, money and qualified workers.”
The blooming hope was wiped from Jeff’s face. “Money is the magic word. I don’t have much and I don’t know if the banks will be willing to lend me more. You have to know that when I started the building project I swore never to use the lumber yard as collateral, never to endanger it financially.”
“Good decision. Let’s go see the construction place first. Then I’ll tell you what I think.”
The location was great, Ryan thought. Right at the edge of town, it had access to a main road and the street intended by Jeff for his future development was paved. The land was close to town and had gas lines, water and electricity available.
And the view was spectacular, the vast prairie and far in the distance the Snowy Range to the west and Elk Mountain to the north. Of course, once the development was ready the view was going to be partly hidden by the constructions.
The one and only house standing was looking well from the outside, almost finished. It was a modern construction, solid ranch-style without frills. They could add some stone siding at least at the base and of course landscaping to be more eye-pleasing to the buyers.
“It looks well done,” he told Jeff, satisfied.
“Wait till you see the inside,” Jeff answered opening the front door.
Ryan stepped in and his enthusiasm diminished as soon as he looked around. Inside, the house was only bare bones. No interior walls, only some studs to bear the roof. A skeleton, nothing else.
“I thought it was finished,” Jeff said barely containing his anger. “I paid for everything. The contractor told me the bathroom fixtures were installed and the kitchen cabinets had arrived. I said I was coming next day to see it. That’s when he announced me he was leaving for Florida. ‘Sorry to leave you in the lurch’ – he said. And the next day he vanished.” Jeff exhaled loudly to vent his frustration. “Now the money is gone and I don’t have a model house to present to the prospective buyers. What am I going to do?”
Ryan had seen enough to make a decision. Maybe he was too rash, but often in business one had to be fast when the opportunity knocked. “I can do it. I can take over and finish the whole project. I have the money to start and the experience how to do it, including pacing the building with the financing as not to exceed the budget by spending too much.”
“You have money to lend me for this?” Jeff asked hopeful.
Ryan shook his head. “No. I’m thinking to have a partnership. You come in with the value of the land and what has been done until now. I come in with money to make the improvements, including finishing this house, my work and expertise. It will all be addressed in a legal contract written by a professional. How does it sound to you?”
Jeff blinked. “Frankly, you took me by surprise. But I think you’re the answer to my prayers. How can I not agree?”
They shook hands to seal the deal.
And so, Ryan had a new partner and friend in Laramie and was eager to start working on the new project.