Senivas may have been born in this century, but it was conceived four generations ago.
My Grandfather, Harrison Caviness, was born in North Carolina in 1904. With limited options for men of color in the south, he migrated to Teaneck, NJ looking for greater opportunities. Upon arrival, he acquired work as a construction laborer. Later, Harrison married Willa and together they had three sons, Harrison Jr., Melvin, and Ronald. Through hard work and attention to detail, my grandfather became a carpenter. After working for several companies and acquiring the necessary skills, he decided it was time to strike out on his own; and he began to contract renovation projects in the NY Metro area. Many held him in high regard because of his community service and craftsmanship. Two generations later, people still speak his name with admiration and respect.
It was my grandfather’s middle child, Melvin, my father, who took to construction like a fish to water. My grandfather’s work ethic and attention to detail made my father a highly technically-skilled renovator. However, his career was interrupted when America needed him; he was drafted into the Army during the Korean Conflict. He would often say that he was in the Army when “they were needing them not feeding them.” Fortunately, he made it home safely and continued working with his father. A short time later, he married Frances Hannah; they had two children, Melvina and Alex. My father continued in his father’s footsteps and soon thereafter, so did his son Alex.
I’m Alex Caviness, creator of Senivas. I was taught true craftsmanship by my Grandfather, and received detailed technical instruction from my father. At the age of 12 I began to spend summers and school vacations learning the trade by my father’s side. In that environment, I was also being taught by other tradesmen in their group who equally took pride in their work. I got a real education from true craftsmen early in my development. That experience made me confident enough to become a Home Improvement Contractor at the young age of 24 while in a degree program for Construction Engineering Technology. Several years later, I married Andrea Baskett and twice became a father. I settled for more regular hours with mid-sized construction companies as a project manager. I wanted to spend more quality time with my family. Simultaneously, I became a Certified Project Manager at Boston University. When my sons, Caleb and Joshua became older and needed me less, I decided to jump back into my first love, renovating houses. This time, I brought the project management skills of increased communication, time management, and organization. Like my father, and grandfather before me, I too have found the opportunity to teach others with my renovation management courses at Renoteacher.com. With generational training and modern technical skills, Senivas provides a phenomenal client experience.