He enjoys custom work best. “Custom work is always so interesting. Each job is different. And it’s good for the customer, too. They can come in at any time to change the location of a wall if we haven’t built it. The customer is the boss, too. I aim to please the customer.”

He loved the design of the Williams home. “They had collected artifacts from all over the world. We built that house around those prized possessions. For example. They had found a 3-foot by 5-foot stained glass window for their study. We built all the other windows to that same size.”

Joe enjoyed the Victorian-style house he built for Dale Abrahamse at 387 Rocky Hollow Road, a stately home with beige siding, wrap-around porches, gables, balcony, tower, and widow’s walk. He and Dale’s brother Bruce Abrahamse (now deceased, Bruce was a former math professor at UVA and later a master carpenter with the company) built the house. “Bruce loved to count. I remember him saying that Dale’s house had 5760 pieces of cut lumber in it.”

The Smith house was another interesting project, with its many unique angles and
Roof features. There, Joe and his crew took a cottage and doubled its size.

Joe loves his work at Abrahamse and Company. He smiles, “You can’t find a better group of people to work with. Problems get resolved in a hurry. You can always talk to someone. I feel free to express my opinions.”

Joe’s been a lead carpenter or a supervisor for over 30 years. He says he gets the job done right the first time. No job is too small or large for him. ‘Any project I do is a major project. But I’ll tell you this….I can build you a house and do whatever you want me to, but you have to make it a home.”

After work, Joe plays golf and goes fishing when he can. He’s very involved with his grandchildren and enjoys taking the two of them who play basketball to their practice and games.