Most businesses that I visit for this column have a storefront or building where they are located. But this week, I interviewed a couple of entrepreneurs whose office address is a trailer on four wheels and is constantly moving.
J.B. Duhon Carpentry is owned and operated by husband and wife team, Jan and James (J.B.) Duhon. The business has been opened for ten years, and is licensed and insured. Services range from installing vinyl siding to building fences to remodeling entire homes.
“We take on the headache of a project so the client doesn’t have to,” says Mr. Duhon. “We’ll purchase all of the materials needed, and manage the work from start to finish.”
The Duhons initially started the company to supplement their family income. Although they both worked full time at other jobs, their carpentry business consistently grew. While Mr. Duhon handles the manual labor, Mrs. Duhon manages finances.
“When we first started, all J.B. had were a few tools,” says Mrs. Duhon. “But I kept saving money, and eventually we were able to buy a trailer and hire employees. We never had to borrow a dime.”
According to Mr. Duhon, running a carpentry business involves a lot of capital. But he says the hardest part is orchestrating every detail of a project and being on call 24/7.
“The best part is that we can do it together,” says Mrs. Duhon. “Also, working with people. We bond with many of our customers and they become like family. If I could, I’d do it for free.”
The Duhons’ most memorable experience was when they were renovating a married couple’s house after Hurricane Rita. The husband was dying of cancer and wanted his wife back in the home before he passed.
“We became good friends with the couple and were able to get them back in their home before he died,” says Mrs. Duhon. “I’d often sit with the husband so his wife could run errands.”
It was hot and humid (as are most days here now) when I visited the Duhons and their moving business at a home just outside of Abbeville in Rice Cove. They were renovating a bathroom from top to bottom including cabinets and fixtures.
The room’s colors were warm earth tones, and the shower had a beautiful floor made of concrete and polished multi-colored stones. I would have loved to use it to rinse the drenching sweat off of my body, but I figured it might be weird to undress during the interview.
THE FLOOR OF THE SHOWER
Mr. Duhon gave me a tour of his trailer and showed me some of the different equipment he uses. He said that the one tool every carpenter should carry around is a tape measure.
“I really enjoy being on the site and working with my hands,” said Mr. Duhon. “Helping people improve their homes and lives is what I love about this job.”
Kenneth Boggs, one of the employees of J.B. Duhon Carpentry, showed me how to cut a baseboard plank on a saw. Although cutting wood is somewhat empowering to most men, I have to say my favorite part of that experience was wearing these cool goggles that made me feel like Bono from the band U2.
It’s no wonder that J.B. Duhon Carpentry was able to grow from a few tools to a full- sized trailer packed with equipment and memorable stories. Although the couple’s initial goal was to support their family, they’ve built a life that allows them to work and grow together. Their eye for craftsmanship, dedication to service, and relationships with their customers is what keeps the four wheels on their constantly moving business.
For more information on the services offered by J.B. Duhon Carpentry, call (337) 288-4786. To learn more about the journal writing class I’m teaching, call 646-387-2558.
KENNETH BOGGS PUTTING UP TILE IN THE BATHROOM
THE BACK OF JB DUHON CARPENTRY'S MOVING BUSINESS AND TRAILER
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