A Mind for Construction
While Carlos was comfortable doing whatever was needed when he started his first job with another general contractor, he quickly realized he was particularly interested in carpentry. On job sites his mind would run, and he started spending time thinking about building and how “something can come from nothing.”
“I just kept doing my work and trying to learn, listen to people… Every day you learn something new in construction,” he says.
“I love building stuff. My mind gets lost in the work.”
Staying true to his interests, he learned carpentry while also helping with everything else that needed doing on the job sites. As he absorbed how projects came together, he began to look ahead mentally as he worked, to envision how something would eventually turn out. “I have it in my mind and I can’t explain it, but I think about how it will work, what will make the client happy. I love building stuff. My mind gets lost in the work.”
In Pursuit of Quality
That early part of his training was also where his focus on going the extra mile on job sites began. If things are disorganized on site, he’ll make sure they are cleaned up, even if he has to do it himself. It’s a matter of looking at the big picture, not just the task at hand.
“Carlos always has a smile on his face… he is hardworking and always willing to help”
It’s a reality of construction that each subcontractor focuses on their part of the job and doesn’t always think ahead to the next person who will be working there. Carlos looks at it differently. “I always ask why people didn’t clean up and I say, we’re here! We can all help with the whole project.”
A fellow co-worker confirms, “Carlos always has a smile on his face… He is hardworking and always willing to help. He’s my go-to problem solver. He never refuses a task, even the unpleasant ones.”
Finding a Home Building Homes at AT6
After joining AT6 seven years ago, Carlos felt at home almost right away. He appreciates the emphasis on quality work. Feeling trusted to solve problems and do what is best for each client feeds his confidence to keep growing and learning. He says, “Jason encourages us to challenge ourselves and move to the next level.”
That good relationship with Jason is bolstered by a supportive atmosphere on site: when dealing with the inevitable challenges that come up on projects, the focus is solving the problem, not assigning blame.
He now feels like an integral part of the team and has been given the opportunity to lead his own jobs. “After a couple of years here I got asked to jump in the boat, and I did.”
“He understands that a clean job site is not just nicer to look at but safer and more productive, as well. This passion for making the job go smoothly has earned Carlos the opportunity to run his own jobs in addition to supporting our other superintendents.”
Jason says, “In the early years that Carlos worked for us as a journeyman carpenter, I could tell that, although in the background, he was paying very close attention to what was being discussed between the lead carpenter and me. The wheels in his head are always turning to figure out a better way to sequence the work. He understands that a clean job site is not just nicer to look at but safer and more productive, as well. This passion for making the job go smoothly has earned Carlos the opportunity to run his own jobs in addition to supporting our other superintendents.”
Loving Life, Family, Friends, and Horses
With a tween and teen at home, Carlos doesn’t have much free time outside work, but he loves to join friends and family at weekend parties and enjoy Mexican dancing together. He’s always ready to build something rather than buy it, keeping his construction skills sharp.
He doesn’t currently have horses but has owned and trained them in the past. That pursuit will have to wait for a future where he has more time, however. Reflecting another co-worker’s description of Carlos as “responsible, conscientious, reliable, and thoughtful,” he quietly acknowledges he couldn’t give horses the attention they need right now. “I couldn’t just do it every weekend—I need to see them more often and feel connected to them, to help train them.”
That concern for doing a job the right way is precisely what makes him such a highly valued member of our team.
