Passionate precision By Tess Wittler n a society where using pre-fabricated materials is commonplace, one Pennsylvania builder still enjoys creating custom molding and detailed trim work the old-fashioned way – one piece at a time. Joe Yonchik, owner of Creative Construction Designs, has his hands on each of his masterpieces. Yonchik learned his trade by working alongside his father. After his dad retired, Yonchik went to work at brother Phil Yonchik’s construction company. Joe Yonchik credits his brother with showing him the importance of not cutting corners. “My brother was stern in his belief that if you aren’t going to do it the right way, you might as well not do it at all,” he said. “If it wasn’t for my brother, I don’t think I’d have this passion for the precision in the craft like I do.” In 1989, Phil Yonchik directed his business more toward commercial building, but Joe Yonchik preferred the intricate detailing that can be weaved into a home’s design. Therefore, he took his entrepreneurial leap and began his own company, Creative Construction Designs in Wyoming, Luzerne County.
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At first, he worked as a trim carpenter for other builders but soon realized that his vision for the complex detail work had a niche of its own. What makes his craft unique is the care he takes on every job he does. Yonchik handcrafts all of his trim, molding and casework at the job site with a portable set of power tools. “It would be easier to purchase pre-fabricated products, but I am creating something distinctive for each of my clients,” he said. Many of his projects begin with his clients giving him a rough sketch of what their home should be and telling him: “Use your imagination to make this work.” That’s precisely what Yonchik does. One such project was a lower-level room design. For this particular job, he tried to sketch on paper the ideas he had in his mind, but his vision just wasn’t coming together. As a result, he drew the multifaceted molding and bold archways that lead from one room to the next right on the dry wall. “Once the sketch was complete, I took the measurements and started building it right there – at the client’s home,” Yonchik said.
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Other features of this room included a vibrantly textured hardwood staircase leading into the lower level’s two sides. Built-in cabinets and bookshelves lined the walls and a bar with recessed lighting was another feature Yonchik masterfully included. The wood detailing in all of his projects is stained, not painted. “There’s a saying from an old carpenter I knew years ago that I believe, ‘Putty and paint are what a carpenter ain’t.’ ” Yonchik said that if a client wants to paint the trim work, that’s their choice, but he’ll use composite material instead. “Why bury the beauty of wood?” Yonchik said that what he enjoys the most about being an old-world craftsman is the rewards of building something with his hands.
“People today think that if you can’t buy it at one of the big chain home improvement stores, that it isn’t possible. That’s simply not true,” he said. “There are still fine craftspeople out there who can build something from scratch.” Yonchik is also candid about the possibilities available in the trades, especially for the youth. “There are many aspects in the building industry today that are just phenomenal, and if someone has the desire to learn a trade, the sky’s the limit in this business! Find your niche and get involved.” “It’s a very rewarding business. Not just financially, but personally, too,” Yonchik said. “The reward comes from that good feeling you get when you drive down the road and pass homes that you’ve had a hand in creating.” s November/December 2008 • Keystone Builder
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