When Construction Meets Chaos How Our Local Builder Handles Vineyard Views and Roosters

Building Dreams in Wine Country… If We Can Get Past the Local Wildlife

Let’s be honest – being a construction contractor in the Finger Lakes region comes with its own unique set of challenges that they definitely don’t teach you about in builder school (if that were actually a thing). Vine Country Builders has seen it all while constructing custom homes across Himrod, Penn Yan, and the surrounding areas.

Picture this: You’re trying to pour a foundation in Dundee, and suddenly you’re competing with a chorus of enthusiastic roosters from the neighboring farm. Our crew has learned that roosters don’t respect construction schedules, and they certainly don’t care about your perfectly timed concrete delivery.

Here’s what makes building in wine country… interesting:

• The slopes! Oh, the slopes. Building on hillsides means sometimes feeling like you’re playing Jenga with heavy machinery.
• Grape harvest season traffic that moves slower than dried concrete
• Local deer who believe your construction site is their personal obstacle course
• The constant temptation to “quality test” the neighboring wineries (after hours, of course!)

When it comes to commercial building in Watkins Glen or crafting custom homes in Montour Falls, we’ve had to embrace some uniquely regional building techniques. For instance, ensuring every house has the perfect vineyard view while also making sure it doesn’t slide down the hill during spring thaw – it’s an art form, really.

Our favorite local building quirks include:

1. Installing windows that showcase maximum grape vines but minimum morning sun glare
2. Designing porches that can handle both summer wine tastings and winter snow loads
3. Creating storage spaces that accommodate both traditional household items and impressive wine collections
4. Building foundations that stay put despite the region’s famous freeze-thaw cycles

From Starkey to Penn Yan, we’ve learned that building here requires equal parts skill and sense of humor. Sure, sometimes we have to pause construction because a tour bus of wine enthusiasts has blocked our cement truck, or wait while a family of turkeys decides to hold an important meeting right where we need to dig.

But that’s what makes building in this region special. Where else can you frame a house while watching the morning mist roll off the lakes, or install a roof while being serenaded by vineyard workers? Just don’t ask us about the time we found a raccoon family had redecorated our tool trailer – some stories are better left untold.