By Tom Martin
Those who visit the two beautiful new homes on Witch Lane in Rowayton, Connecticut are all likely to conclude that each one is beautifully designed. If they are lucky enough to meet Carmine Tomas, the general contractor who designed and oversaw these two side-by-side projects, it will come as no surprise that an appreciation of family life is something that has inspired his entire career – and something that he takes very seriously. Tomas literally grew up in the construction business – watching one house after another take shape, thanks to the hard work of his father and two older brothers.
“Starting at the age of eight or nine, I was constantly visiting my father on the job sites,” Tomas said. “I was fascinated by every phase of the process – watching how they cleared the land, the way certain architectural decisions were made, and then how the finishing touches were applied.”
After obtaining the necessary permits, Tomas and his team started building the two side-by-side, 4,300-square-foot homes simultaneously in April of 2017. 37.5 Witch Lane is one of these properties and is listed with Darien / Rowayton agent, Bryan Morris. 37.5 Witch Lane is a two-story home with four bedrooms, three full bathrooms and two half-baths. Keeping the needs of today’s young families in mind, the house also features a “mud room,” perfect for children to take off shoes and put sporting equipment away after soccer games or sledding. The home also features a family room that opens onto the kitchen.
The house also features the latest in “smart home” technology, with lighting, heat, air-conditioning, security and other systems all controlled by a wall-mounted iPad – or through an iPhone app that can communicate with the system from any location. The system also alerts the homeowner to any unusual fluctuations in heat or moisture, so that adjustments can be made – or emergency help called – even while at work or traveling.
Truly a family operation, one of Tomas’s older brothers designed most of the houses built by the family construction company – and over the years he was able to see how the tastes of home buyers changed from year to year, affecting many of the decisions and features of each project.
Having immigrated to the U.S. from Italy at the age of 13, Tomas’ father recognized the value of hard work, and he instilled this worth ethic in all three of his sons. As they grew older, they each had a chance to buy a share of the family construction business – and together, they made decisions about buying property, and shared in the profit when a project went well. “During my high school years, I knew that I had to work hard, to show my father and brothers that I was worthy of becoming a partner,” Tomas said. “I would sock away any money that I earned on summers and after school, and once I graduated from high school, I was proud to be able to buy a share in the family business, and eventually became an equal partner.”
Eventually, Tomas and his brothers each established a construction firm of their own – putting into practice everything they had learned from their father, from the architectural design of a home to the important process of framing a house. Unlike many general contractors with no experience with the blueprint phase of a construction project, Tomas is able to anticipate the way the unique characteristics of the land will affect a house, and he can also make adjustments as it nears completion.
“It’s important to know how to properly frame a house because it’s one thing to put ideas on paper, and another to see how it actually works in the field,” Tomas said. “I like being there on the site every day, and my crews appreciate the fact that I can make adjustments right there, on the spot, when needed – rather than bring everything to a halt while we call in an engineer or architect.”
Being there on the site of each project every day means that it can move forward remarkably quickly, compared to the slow progress of most construction projects. Tomas explained that he prides himself on his attention to detail. “I walk around each project every day carrying a notepad in my hand,” Tomas said. “My daughters call it ‘the Bible,’ and they have seen how stressed I can be if I ever misplace it or forget to bring it with me when I visit a site.”
Over the past 25 years, Tomas has designed and overseen the construction of more than 65 new homes – primarily in Wilton, where he grew up – and he recently began focusing on projects in nearby Rowayton, the town that he and his family now call home. Although he says that neither of his two daughters has expressed a desire to sit behind the wheel of a bulldozer or engage in the more strenuous aspects of a construction project, they are clearly proud of him. “Many times, when my daughters go to visit the home of one of their classmates back in Wilton, and it turns out to be a house that I built ten or fifteen years earlier, their friends tell them how much they love where they live,” Tomas said.
Just as Tomas was able to see how his father adjusted the design of the houses he built over the years to accommodate changing tastes and shifts in the housing market, he keeps these factors in mind when he designs new houses. Many of these new ideas come from magazines or from conversations with friends who are also in the construction trade. He says that his approach to construction has evolved over the years. “When I first started out we were building very traditional homes,” Tomas said. “Around ten years ago, that began to gradually change towards a more modern and contemporary style, what I call ‘transitional.’” This new approach can be seen in numerous ways in 37.5 Witch Lane, from the interior finishes to the “smart home” technology.
Tomas says that he is excited about the houses he has begun building in Rowayton, after focusing on Wilton for so many years. Although it means establishing new relationships with building inspectors and various vendors, he says he enjoys taking a step out of his “comfort zone,” and challenging himself to rise to the occasion. Tomas sees that there is an increasing demand for new homes in Rowayton, and he believes that he is in a great position to meet that demand. Tomas said that he takes a lot of pride in the fact that he can now drive past homes that he has built right in his own neighborhood, knowing the quality that went into each project.
“I can see why so many home buyers are attracted to Rowayton,” he says. “This town has a great community, is very quiet and quaint and the private beach here is wonderful for families.”
For more information on 37.5 Witch Lane: Bryan Morris, 203.219.3751, bmorris@williampitt.com
