Chris Hampton is owner of CDH Construction, a Diamond Certified company. He can be reached at (707) 207-6954 or by email.
Chris Hampton: A Simple Motivation
By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter
ROHNERT PARK — Chris Hampton’s involvement in the construction trade began with a simple motivation. “I wanted to work outside,” he explains. “At the time, I had been working in warehouses and kitchens since I was 13, and I just knew it wasn’t for me. I started getting into outdoor work like landscaping and concrete, and I gradually gravitated toward fine carpentry like cabinets and trim work. In 2010, I started my own construction and home repair business, and I’m still running it today.”
Today, as owner of CDH Construction, Chris says his favorite part of his job is simply doing the work. “Honestly, I could do without a lot of the administrative aspects of running a business—I just enjoy doing the work that needs to be done. In particular, I like doing high-end, detail-oriented work that requires a lot of skill.”
A resident of Sonoma County, Chris spends his free time on a variety of activities. “I enjoy outdoor sports like hiking and cycling,” he details. “I also do a lot of wood work. I hold onto scrap wood left over from projects and make various things out of it. For instance, I recently made a couple of cutting boards. It feels good to take something that would’ve just been thrown out and make something useful out of it.”
In his life and career, Chris espouses the importance of honest work. “I was raised to believe that whatever job you’re doing, you should do it to the best of your ability,” he says. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re sweeping floors or installing a new set of cabinets—you have a responsibility to do it well. You don’t say, ‘Oh, well, I’m only getting paid this much’—that’s not the issue. That fact is, you made an agreement to do a certain job for a certain amount, so you’re obligated to give your customer an honest day’s work.”
When asked the first thing he’d do if he were to retire tomorrow, Chris says he’d head to the hills. “I’d move out of California and probably go live somewhere in the mountains. It’d be nice living closer to the outdoors. I would probably spend my days hiking and tinkering with wood.”
Ask Me Anything!
Q: Are you an early bird or a night owl?
A: An early bird.
Q: What’s your favorite snack?
A: Granola bars.
Q: Music or talk radio?
A: Music.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: Papua New Guinea. They have some of the world’s largest, most beautiful butterflies, and I’d like to see them in person.
Q: Do you collect anything?
A: Antique tools.