PUBLISHER’S PICK: BUILDER COLE HOMES
Aside from elegant floorplans and superior craftsmanship, Bruce Cole (below with wife Kathy) an offers an approach that has been cultivated through the decades by doing. “I am hands-on. I am in the field. I meet with the clients,” Cole says, adding that he emphasizes client involvement.
BRUCE COLE IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF A BUILDER WHO LEARNED BY DOING
B
eing a builder is like being a cowboy riding a wild bull, sometimes holding on for dear life. But Bruce Cole, who loves the business — he’s been at it since he was a teenager — says he wouldn’t have changed a thing. He started in construction at age 13, working in the evenings for an electrical contractor who was dating his mother. That was mostly on remodeling projects when the family lived in rural New York state. A few years later, after a move to South Florida, Cole made a decision about pursuing building as a career: “I enjoy this. This is something I can do — and I happen to be pretty good at it.” Cole worked his way from punchout guy to carpenter and, ultimately, to manager, superintendent, head of purchasing, general manager and division manager. He worked for such major companies as Silliman Homes, Maronda Homes, Park Square Homes and K. Hovnanian Homes, among others. He recalls: “I was wiring houses at 13 and14; I hung drywall at 15. I made cabinets. I was a trim carpenter. I’ve done most, if not all.” Cole has held a State Certified General Contractor license since 1987. He also holds a State Certified Home Inspectors license.
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