Rodgers Design

I am Jeff Rodgers, the founder of Rodgers Design.

I was born in a small town in Virginia, USA. I have lived in Bulgaria for 6 years with my Bulgarian wife. I have been involved in construction, renovation, and carpentry for 42 years. It all started when I was 12 years old. On the first day of summer vacation, my grandfather came into my room, kicked my bed, and said to me, "Get up! We are going to work!"

My grandfather and his brother (my uncle) taught me construction basics, starting with manual labor until I learned enough to become a foreman (lead carpenter) on my work crew. It took many years, but I succeeded.

During those years, I realized that I wanted to gain more than just a summer job in the family business. I enrolled in a trade school that my high school offered, a 4-year program that provided hands-on training in carpentry, from the basics to the creation of intricate furniture. This practical approach to learning a trade was the perfect fit for me.

Year 1 was Basic Carpentry 1, where I learned about the basic tools used in carpentry and the proper technical aspects of building.

Year 2 Carpentry was focused strictly on building, following all safety standards and laws (codes) for building.

Year 3 Cabinet Making was focused on the big stationary tools and safety standards for creating custom-made cabinets.

Year 4 Advanced Cabinet Making mostly involved building projects that an actual client wanted to build and learning how to estimate construction costs, materials, and labor costs.