Sundt has hired Tyler Norris as a field engineer based out of our Sacramento office. Tyler recently graduated from California State University (CSU) Sacramento with a Bachelor of Science degree in construction management. He has more than a decade of experience in the industry and has worked as a certified steel welder and journeyman plumber. We recently asked Tyler a few questions to find out more about his interests and aspirations.
How did you get started in the construction industry?
I come from a family of homebuilders and plumbers. My grandfather started a plumbing and heating company after World War II in the bay area. My father started bringing me to jobsites as a little kid. I’ve been plumbing custom homes since I was in high school.
What led you to Sundt?
About five years ago when the housing bubble burst, my father’s plumbing company slowed down considerably. During that downtime I went back to school for a degree in construction management at CSU Sacramento. The head of my department told me that Sundt was recruiting and I had heard great things about the company so I jumped on the opportunity to apply.
What’s the most challenging project you’ve ever worked on? Why?
I plumbed a five-story Victorian home renovation project in the Pacific Heights area of San Francisco. The owner is an architect and was very particular about the quality of work put in place. It had very high end finishes. The general contractor and owner decided to renovate the home from the top down instead of the bottom up. It created a very challenging atmosphere to coordinate and deliver. The logistics of working in San Francisco were a nightmare as well.
What are your favorite kinds of projects?
Projects that are on time, on budget, and that meet the owner’s expectations! I particularly like private custom projects with high-end finishes.
If you weren’t working in construction, what would you be doing?
I’m not sure what I would do as I’ve always worked in construction! I’d probably spend a few years backpacking the entire John Muir trail, or you could find me on the Rubicon with my jeep. I’d most likely be working in the vineyard management business, as my uncle is a wine maker.
What’s your favorite book, TV show or movie?
I’ve recently read the “Hunger Game” series and “A Game of Thrones.” I like shows on discovery channel such as “Gold Rush” and “Man vs. Wild.” I’m a huge bay area sports fan. My favorite movie in the past few years was “There Will Be Blood.”
Where would you most like to travel?
I’d really like to take a train ride through the Swiss Alps and see Germany, Switzerland and Italy. I’ve always wanted to travel to South America as well. It’s hard to beat the Sierra Nevada mountain range, however.
What’s the strangest/most interesting/most remote location you’ve ever had to go to for work?
My father and I plumbed an ‘off the grid’ rustic cabin in the coastal mountains of Sonoma County that required some serious four-wheel-drive to get to. The cabin ran off of propane, solar, and utilized a rain water collector and storage. We camped on site during our portion of the work. The owner was an old time carpenter who used an ancient portable sawmill to mill redwood logs he had saved from ‘many moons ago.’
Is there a historical construction project that you would have liked to be a part of? Why?
I would have like to have seen how the Egyptian pyramids were built so we can finally put all the conspiracy theories to rest. In modern times, the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge would have been fascinating to see.