6-Year-Old Dubbed Honorary Foreman of Local Construction Company
(From left to right, Jordan Richardson, David Oliverson, Gibran Sabbath, and Tony Tromchida)
Westland, MI — Tony Tromchida, a 6-year-old construction enthusiast, jumped at the opportunity to help the HomeSpec Waterproofing & Foundation Repair crew repair his family’s basement. Tony’s mother, Suzanne, called for help when water intrusion began damaging the carpet in their Royal Oak, MI home. The team on scene to install waterproofing solutions welcomed Tony with open arms throughout the process.
The melting snow of a new year revealed that water was entering the basement of the household. Suzanne expressed concerns about mold developing and was unable to utilize the space due to this ongoing issue. It was no longer a child-friendly environment and was unsuitable for both organization and storage.
With plans to remain in the home for the next 15 years, Suzanne wanted to waterproof the basement sooner rather than later. She contacted HomeSpec for help. After a thorough inspection and deciding on a repair plan, it was time to move forward with the project.
HomeSpec sent a team of three to complete the work. The lead foreman, Gibran Sabbath, David Oliverson, and Jordan Richardson arrived at the home with plans to waterproof the basement as they had done many times before. They were surprised to find an extra set of eager hands ready to help. Tony joined the group seamlessly, turning the trio into a temporary squad of four.
“Looking good, Tony,” Sabbath complimented after teaching Tony how to smooth the concrete used to finalize the basement’s new internal drainage system. Tony added his personal touch with a handprint in the wet concrete.
(Tony and Sabbath covering the external discharge line)
Tony also helped with the final touches of the external discharge line. He placed sod on top of the pipe and, with Sabbath’s guidance, used a steel tamper to flatten the grass, returning the yard to its even, green aesthetic.
“Gonna have to put on his application when he’s 18, 10 years of waterproofing experience,” Sabbath said, laughing with Suzanne.
Members of HomeSpec were moved by Tony’s excitement and joy. They put together a gift bag similar to what is given to new employees; it contained a HomeSpec water bottle, baseball cap, notebook, foam ball, and shirt. However, this shirt displayed the title HONORARY FOREMAN on the back.
Suzanne coordinated a time for Sabbath, Oliverson, and Richardson to visit again. Shortly after Tony woke up one August morning, Suzanne guided him outside, where the HomeSpec team presented the gifts. He tried on the shirt and hat and tossed the ball with Sabbath. Suzanne told Tony could wear his new shirt to camp later that day.
Suzanne shared that Tony wants to be a construction worker one day and loves Home Depot, mostly because they have the best Halloween decorations. She also shared that Tony likes to fix houses. He found it incredibly important to help the HomeSpec team, “because he wanted to make sure there was no more water in the basement.”
“They were a tremendous crew, not only in the work they did, but in mentoring my son,” Suzanne said.
HomeSpec Waterproofing & Foundation Repair, founded in 1994, is a family-owned business. The company specializes in work involving basement waterproofing, foundation repair, crawl space repair, and concrete repair. They serve the greater Detroit area with pride and have over 30 years of experience. For more information, visit www.homespec.com.
