THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 13, 1995 TAG: 9510120134
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Long : 156 lines
IN MOST households, one or both spouses leave the house each day to go out and earn a living in their respective fields.
But at least two local couples hardly ever leave the house all day. Instead, they work side by side building houses for a living.
Richard and Cindy Ray of Virginia Beach and Jack and Margaret Schoch of Chesapeake are among the 13 builders featured in the 1995 Homearama showcase under way in Lago Mar through Oct. 22.
The Rays and Schochs are unique in that being married and working together eight, 10, 12, or more hours a day affords them a degree of togetherness most couples can't imagine.
While other husbands and wives struggle to agree on where the sofa looks best in the living room or what color to paint the kitchen, the Rays and Schochs earn their paychecks deciding on a hundred different choices from the cement slab or crawl space all the way to the shingled or tiled roof.
After years of working at it, they say they wouldn't have it any other way.
``It'll either destroy your marriage or make it stronger,'' says Richard Ray, who along with Cindy makes up The Ashcroft Company. ``There were times we weren't sure which way we were going,'' he adds, chuckling, ``but it's brought us closer together.''
Cindy agrees.
``We both take business very personally,'' she says. ``We disagree frequently; sometimes we get mad at each other. That's one of the good things about the two of us; we have almost completely different viewpoints about just about everything.''
They say the key to resolving those differences is communication.
``We discuss them vigorously!,'' says Richard.
The Rays, married 22 years, have been collaborating a long time. They met while in college. Richard explains that Cindy put him through school; then he put her through.
Both have undergraduate degrees from Old Dominion University. Richard, 44, has a master's degree in business administration from the College of William and Mary, which he's happy to apply to the financial end of their venture, although he frequently joins Cindy on site. She manages the company's field operations.
``I ended up out in the field and loved it,'' adds Cindy, 43. ``We sort of switched roles. If I never see another calculator again, it'd be OK.''
Since 1986 they have built between 40 and 50 homes, but this is their first Homearama.
Dashing around the site from which was rising ``The Samuel Clemens,'' their Homearama entry, Cindy appears right at home in jeans, sweatshirt and dirt-encrusted work shoes. The home is one of their Great American Authors series. Others include ``The Emily Dickenson,'' ``Washington Irving,'' ``James Fenimore Cooper,'' ``William Cullen Bryant,'' ``Herman Melville'' and ``Walt Whitman.''
They say their mettle has been tested by the demands of Homearama.
``This isn't like just building any other house,'' says Cindy, a few days before Homearama is set to open. ``I get involved in decoration; I haven't been home by 7 p.m. in the last two weeks. I'm usually in bed by 9:30 or 10 p.m. and up by 4:30 a.m.; it's my quiet time. I use it to get organized.''
The Rays say another key to making both their marriage and jobs work is to compartmentalize their time, keeping some parts of their lives separate from work and each other. Some time is set aside for the two of them, some for the family, and some for themselves.
The Rays have two daughters - Sallie, 17, and K.C., 13. Both teens are athletes, and Cindy manages to make most games.
``Sometimes it can be all-consuming,'' explains Cindy. ``It's a real treat to go out and dine at one of our favorite restaurants and not talk business. You have to learn that you've got to have personal time. We've had the kids at the dinner table say, `We don't care about your bus-i-ness!' ''
The husband-wife team of Jack and Margaret Schoch of Chesapeake is responsible for two Homearama homes this year. Jack's company, J.F. Schoch Building Corp., is the builder; Margaret's firm, Unique Elegance, handles the interior design and decoration.
Not only have they worked together on the two homes, but they plan to move into one of them, called ``Unique Elegance.'' Their other entry, named ``Diamond Jack'' in honor of their 6-month-old son, was already sold before the show opened.
Jack, 32, describes their joint business arrangement as ``a fluke.''
He had been in the Navy, and while on active duty he got his real estate license. Margaret, 27, had been a ballroom dance instructor and manager for Christian Dior cosmetics at Leggett's in Lynnhaven Mall.
``We met through friends,'' recalls Margaret. ``He was in real estate and decided to build our home. We enjoyed doing it and decided to start building. I started doing flowers and decorated our home; I've always enjoyed decorating. It just sort of happened. He leaves the decorating up to me. We work really well together; we're best friends. It was love at first sight.''
Margaret admits, though, it's impossible not to bring work home.
``It just flows, she says. ``At home, we talk about it; I don't like keeping it inside. But I don't ever leave him mad. Sometimes I'm, like, `yell back at me!,' but he doesn't have a temper.''
Staying friends, keeping everything out in the open, and not staying angry at one another seems to work. Married three years and working together for two, the Schochs have built 11 homes; this is their second Homearama. Jack was a Homearama '94 award winner.
Their dream home, one of the crown jewels in this year's Homearama, isn't likely to be their last, Margaret says.
``We'll probably be moving again,'' she explains. ``It's like that being married to a builder; they always want to do different things.''
One thing that doesn't move frequently is the furniture. In their current home the furniture has always remained where it is.
``I know from the beginning,'' says Margaret, ``if I like it.''
She adds that both she and Jack work a lot, but tending to last-minute details for Homearama has left them with even less time for sleep than usual.
Although their homes will not be included in the judging since they are not for sale, Margaret says the landscaping and interiors will be judged.
``Two more days, two more days . . .'' chants Jack to himself as the final hours were drawing near before the opening. But his mood brightens considerably as he joins Margaret, son Jack III, and daughter Tiffany, 2, for a few shared moments in the downstairs of what will be their home.
Despite their ability to juggle the needs of family and work, the Schochs have some advice for other couples contemplating a working relationship, especially in the building trades.
``Stay out of it; get a 9-to-5 job,'' Jack quips, before yielding to Margaret.
``I think it's great if they're friends,'' she says. ``Not everyone can work together.''
The Rays share their sentiments.
``Think it over long and hard,'' says Richard, as Cindy looks on, nodding her head in agreement. ``Make sure you have a rock solid relationship.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Cover]
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
Cindy and Richard Ray check on business at the rear of the ``Samuel
Clemens,'' their Homearama entry. Richard handles the financial end
of the company; Cindy the field operations.
Staff photos, including color cover, by MORT FRYMAN
Margaret and Jack Schoch observe the progress from the second-floor
landing of their new home, ``Unique Elegance,'' at Homearama. Jack
is the builder and Margaret handles the interior design and
decorating. They will move into this home, and have a second
Homearama home, called ``Diamond Jack.''
Staff photos by MORT FRYMAN
ABOVE: ``We work a lot,'' Margaret Schoch says of she and her
husband of three years, Jack. ``We get up early and go to bed
late.''
RIGHT: Cindy Ray is right at home in jeans, sweatshirt and
dirt-encrusted shoes as she works with a subcontractor.
ON THE COVER: Preparing to move from Chesapeake to Lago Mar, the
Schoch family also features Jack III, left, and Tiffany.
HOMEARAMA '95
STAFF MAP
SOURCE: Tidewater Builders Association
by CNB