Local Home Builder Helps Area Residents Turn Their Visions Into Realities

This Q&A feature helps readers learn more about Mount Vernon area residents working in our business community.

This week’s Q&A profiles Rick Dobson, Owner and President, Dobson Building and Remodeling. Rick has been helping families in Mount Vernon, South Alexandria and surrounding communities build, remodel and expand their homes since 1987.

Rick is originally from Albany, NY. He studied biochemistry at Binghamton University (SUNY), where he met his wife, Joan. Rick and Joan live in Mount Vernon with their three children, ages 13, 11 and 9. Their oldest son attends Walt Whitman Middle School, and their middle son and daughter attend Washington Mill Elementary School.

How did you become interested in your job?

I originally became interested in home building when I was working in Arlington building townhomes in the mid-1980s. I have always been very intrigued with how things are put together and constructed. And I always wanted to have a business of my own. It sort of just took off from there.

Talk about your daily job responsibilities.

Typically, my daily responsibilities include estimating the work, as well as coming up with creative ideas about how to fill people’s needs. I also take care of the administrative side of the business. We have a total of eight employees. This includes the builders and tradesmen, who do the work. We also have a project manager who interacts on a daily basis with our clients.

What do you enjoy most about your line of work?

I mostly enjoy seeing our projects come together. And I like to see that people are happy living in the homes that we remodel for them. We have had many terrific customers over the years, and we place a lot of pride in our work.

Where is your favorite place to go in the area?

I really enjoy going fishing with my sons. We fish at the stone bridge off of the George Washington Memorial Parkway and down in Old Town. Of course it’s catch and release, but they’re happy to catch anything.

Favorite area restaurant.

We really like Primo Family Restaurant [in the Belle View Shopping Center].

What’s on your Kindle?

I’ve read some really good books lately: Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen; The Good Daughter: A Memoir or Mother’s Hidden Life by Jasmin Darznik; The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly; and, The Paris Wife: A Novel by Paula McLain.

Do you have any hidden talents, or stories to share?

A lot of people may not know that I grew up working on several farms ... I actually know quite a bit about dairy farms and orchards.

If you weren’t in this business, what would you be doing?

If I were to have chosen a different kind of career, it might have been in forestry or farming. I love the outdoors, and I appreciate the hard work and the independent spirit of those people who provide our raw supplies and food.