April 29, 2026
Welcome to the fourteenth issue of our newsletter.
April showers bring…another issue of the Louis & Sons monthly newsletter! As always, if you have a project that you would like to feature in the next issue or know someone that would be interested in receiving our monthly newsletter, let us know.
Thanks for reading,
Ravenna Gemignani
Editor in Chief
Media Consultant
Project Spotlight
This month, we worked on a home for Dakan Homes in Toms River. Originally, the lot used to be two homes, but it was demoed and combined into space for one larger home. This house is a short distance away from the beach, making it the perfect place to be in the summer or even any time of the year. There’s verandas on the second and third floor that have an incredible view of the ocean too.
Builder Spotlight
Dakan Homes is one of our most-trusted builders that we are proud to work with. Rob Shino, the owner of the company, grew up on a dairy farm in Pennsylvania. When he was 14 years old, the farm burnt down and he and his family had to rebuild everything from scratch. Building the farm again taught him valuable lessons in construction which pushed him to pursue architectural design in high school and college.
After college, he worked at Precision Homes for 24 years. In 2012, he met his wife, Julie, and moved to New Jersey. His brother Ken, stayed in Pennsylvania to run Dakan Enterprises. Rob eventually created Dakan Homes in 2014 in Ortley Beach and from day one, he started using Louis & Sons Drywall.
So far, Dakan Homes has completed over 200 homes, making sure each one is Energy Star approved for energy efficiency. Dakan Homes is a one-stop-shop that offers everything from demolition to design to elevators and pools! We are extremely grateful to work with Dakan Homes and look forward to building with them in the future.
Here are some pictures of their new office in Ortley Beach.
News
Home Builders Institute Trains Over 20,000 Students in 2025
The Home Builders Institute (HBI), a national nonprofit organization that provides skilled trades training, has enrolled and awarded pre-apprenticeship to 20,101 students in 2025. 75% of students were in the Future Builders of America program with certificates being given to 61% of them. Half of the students enrolled are in between the ages of 18 and 24 and 21% were between the ages of 25 and 34. The HBI also offers no-cost programs to veterans, their spouses, and dependents across 10 DOD SkillBridge locations. In 2025, HBI military service students worked with Habitat for Humanity affiliates on more than 35 projects across 10 states. The Home Builders Institute is a great organization that continues to build the next generation of the construction workforce.
Source: builderonline.com
News
Perth Amboy Acquires Over $1B to Transform Contaminated Sites into Housing, Parks, and Warehouses
Through private investment, Perth Amboy has obtained over $1 billion to redevelop nearly 300 acres of contaminated industrial sites and underutilized property. These areas will be transformed into housing, commercial space, and public amenities. The largest project within this grant is BridgePort II, a $228 million logistics and distribution center on State Street that will convert 73 acres of contaminated industrial property into a 1.24-million-square-foot two-building facility. Another project within this grant is Sea Gate which will contain 602 market-rate rental units and public amenities, including a tree-lined esplanade from Front Street to Washington Street, a playground, landscaped plazas, and a dog park. This development will generate $1.2 million for the city annually, compared to the $113,00 in net revenue the parcel had previously produced.
Source: nj.com
Mike’s Message
Well, we made it through the winter and spring is finally here. I want to thank everyone for working with us to get through the cold patch. I especially want to thank my guys for doing double duty plowing and shoveling snow so we could stay open.
On our front, prices have stayed pretty much the same since last year. In some cases, we’ve had some discounts. However, we are beginning to see increase notices from the insulation manufacturers. As of now, they have not taken effect, but we are watching closely. However, spray foam has already gone up. Fuel costs drive everything and the war in Iran continues to disrupt the market. Hopefully, it will resolve sooner than later. We are hoping the price increases don’t come through, but it is always better to be on guard. As they say, “Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.”
I am seeing a lot of start-ups in new construction and I am optimistic about the summer. Although it is staggering to see what home prices have risen to, it seems luxury townhomes are being built everywhere and I am concerned for the next generation of homebuyers. Will they be able to afford to stay in the areas they grew up in? Even entry level homes, town homes, and condos seem out of reach. New Jersey in general, but specifically Monmouth, Middlesex, Ocean, and Mercer Counties are increasingly becoming a desirable place to live and the home prices reflect that. Can we sustain the increase in traffic and unaffordability? Only time will tell. As builders and developers, I am wishing you the wisdom to make the right decisions. It won’t be easy.
My sincere admiration goes out to all the builders out there. My part of the job is a small cog in the wheel, and to coordinate the entire project from conception to closing deserves everyone’s respect. I’ve seen so many unqualified people who think it’s easy to GC a house flip and unscrupulous contractors who are constantly robbing Peter to pay Paul. I truly admire and appreciate all our loyal customers and builders who do things right.
The Chinese say, “May you live in interesting times.” Well, we got that covered. Anyway, at least the weather has turned and I am hoping everyone gets outside and enjoys doing what they like to do. Life is not all about work. Remember, no one ever said on their deathbed, “Gee, I wish I spent more time at work.” Have fun everybody!
Michael Gemignani
President
Cartoon
Caroline’s Corner – Words of Wisdom
Anyone who has met or talked to our Office Manager will know that she is the most positive, optimistic and wonderful person you will ever meet. She often has quotes and stories that get us through our tension-filled days. Here is a poem from Rachel Marie Martin that she would like to share:
Life.
It will be beautiful.
And brutal.
It will lift you up.
And knock the wind out of you.
It will be slow in the waiting.
And gone in a blink.
You will hold on.
You will let go.
You’ll laugh until you cry.
And cry until you heal.
It won’t always make sense.
But it will always be yours.
Your messy, magical, wildly human life.
–Rachel Marie Martin
Jokes
A man walks into a library…
Man: “Do you have that new book about Pavlov and Schrödinger?”
Librarian: “Hmm…it rings a bell but I’m not sure if it’s here or not.”
I told the doctor that I was bitten by a wolf.
“Where?” She asked.
“No, just the regular ones,” I answered.
My wife was frustrated because I owned every board game except one:
I had no Clue.
Quotes
| “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of the low price is forgotten.” ― Benjamin Franklin, Founding Father of the United States “You create your opportunities by asking for them.” ― Shakti Gawain, American writer “Winning isn’t all that. And neither is losing. It’s just something that happens. It’s an outcome. What matters is the input and the journey.” ― Alysa Liu, American figure skater |
Louis & Sons Drywall, Inc. 