Matt Parenteau literally started at the bottom of the home-building business. At 10 years old, he began digging ditches for his father, a builder in the Delmar area. As he grew, he worked with subcontractors in every phase of home building. That hands-on training helped him develop an intuitive sense of how a house comes together, preparing him for the career he would choose as an adult. Now in his 16th year as a full-time builder of custom homes, Matt still takes a hands-on approach to each home he builds. Matt builds only five to eight houses per year, so that he has the time to stay personally involved in each project and maintain a tight control over quality.