Answering the right want ad—twice—has made Ron Dickerson's career. Late in 1986, Ron was part of a crew building the last miles of I-95 in Florida. When Ron's boss warned him that the work was ending, Ron spotted a want ad placed by Bronco Construction. "Bronco had already hired the people it needed," says Ron, 'but I called Bob back in the spring and got a job."
Ron started building houses as Bob himself had, digging footers, framing, doing whatever was needed. "Gradually, Bob started giving me more and more responsibility. Now, my work is all supervision—keeping things organized and flowing, handling materials, scheduling. From my hands-on years, I understand those aspects of homebuilding," Ron says, 'and now I have a much greater appreciation of construction management than I did back then. There's a lot more to it than I would have thought."
Ron appreciates the opportunity to consistently work for clients who seek and can afford outstanding craftsmanship applied to distinctive designs and materials. For example, he cites the Lake Toxaway house he is currently involved with, which features extensive interior stonework, hand-hewn timbers, reclaimed chestnut and oak, and in the master study, a curved, coffered ceiling of burled walnut with a backlit, stained-glass centerpiece.
He equally appreciates the pleasure of creating such homes with a team of colleagues who genuinely like, enjoy, and respect one another. All things being equal, Ron believes, "people who like one another are going to build a better home. When you'e not preoccupied with other issues, you can focus on doing the best possible work. That' our standard, and it makes for homes that people truly love."