About
OUR START
Selvin and Carmen Sandoval grew up in Guatemala City, the capital of Guatemala. Guatemala is one of the most prominent cities in Central America. It is also called Valle de la Ermita, a land with four mountain volcanoes, two of which have been active for decades. Rainforests populated with exotic animals like jaguars, monkeys, crocodiles and ocelots encircle Guatemala as do agricultural lands growing crops of coffee, sugar, bananas, corn and beans. The beauty of Selvin and Carmen's native land is remarkable, but its economy was riddled with instability and "over half of the citizenry live below the poverty line," says Britannica.com. This prompted their families to look northward to the land that would allow them to have the "American Dream" branded into their lives, providing they put energy and oomph into each decisive step they would take.
When teenagers, Selvin and Carmen came to the USA, some 2,600 miles north of their beloved homeland. Selvin moved to Colorado with his family and got a job working construction in Ridgway. Carmen moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in accounting. Selvin, who has loved architecture and engineering ever since he was a child, used his savings to get Sandoval Construction off the ground. His customers were happy with his work and told others. His reputation grew as did his knowledge, hands-on experience and business savvy.
As childhood sweethearts, Selvin and Carmen did not like being apart. Colorado and California were way too far apart from each other....or maybe the couple just needed each other like a fish needs water and parents need their children.
Selvin and Carmen married and decided Montrose was the best place to raise children, and build a better future for them and their business. Slowly, but surely, Sandoval Construction has grown since its inception in 2002. Importantly, the Sandoval's love what they do. "We have the best employees and partners," says Selvin. "We built lasting relationships that facilitate teamwork in all of our projects." While Carmen does accounting, administration and tends to their daughters, Selvin works with the clients from concept to completion. "We have a design center and collaborate with a couple of people in town who do our drawings. I remain the primary point of contact for our clients, that way I can keep quality control. By being on the job site every day I have good communication with employees and subs and can make sure everything is going the right way. If there is a problem with subcontractors, we'll discuss the problem and agree on a solution that ensures the job is well done," says Selvin with confidence and ease. "Our next projects usually come from testimonials of previous clients. It's not just about a job. I see customers as friends and I'm working toward their goals, not mine," explains Selvin. Carmen says, "You'll often find the office lights on early in the morning until long after dark as Selvin is persistent and hardworking". Selvin says in 10 years, He sees Sandoval Construction as having a lot of satisfied customers who are their friends, who had good experiences working with us. He says the one thing North America could mimic about Guatemala is "friendship". Friends are very important in Central America. He further states that being bilingual in the U.S.A. provides them with more opportunities to work with people of different cultures.
