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Captain Ric’s Safe Harber a ‘project manager’

December 21, 2018   ·   0 Comments

By Constance Scrafield

Ship’s Captain and Marine Consultant, Ric Harber arrived to the day a few years ago when he realized, as he joked, that floating a ship down Broadway was never going to work out. His 40 years on the high seas was done and it was time to find a new path. 

A history of work on the oceans and his feet now planted firmly on the earth, he assessed and decided he had several good talents for his new business plans: a sociable sort of person, he knew people in all types of trades; he has good organizational skills and he can deal with any kind of situation. 

It made sense for him to set himself up as a Project Manager for any sort of project, large or small.

Life at sea is a little like life on another planet: there are many differences, even total contrasts, between living and working on the ocean and on land. The rules are different and the necessity to keep a cool head and be truly practical on water is essential. The only place to fall could require a long swim. This constant demand for levelheadedness and the ability to deal with surprises gives a person steady command of any situation and a keen ability to observe what is happening to stop things from going wrong before they do.

So, Captain Ric, as everyone calls him, as he is entitled to his rank, is ready to help out with all sorts of dilemmas. The business name, Safe Harber “It’s a bit of a word game with my name.”

“I’m not limiting myself to any one field,” he stated clearly. “the diversity of requests I’ve dealt with has been, to say the least, interesting.”

A couple of Country and Western bands, a Medium, a private investigator …

The bigger projects have been to do with renovations and new construction. 

“It began really,” he explained, “as I realized that when anyone would ask if I knew someone who could do something, I did. So, I thought I would offer all those connections as a service.”

He is not always looking for the cheapest service. “Many times, you get what you pay for,” he said. “A person doesn’t need a license or proof of insurance to cut down a tree but I’ve seen big branches being crashed into the house windows because they hired someone who didn’t know what he was doing but he was cheaper than the rest.

“When I hire a contractor to do a job, I know he has insurance and I am aware of how good his work was for other clients. Generally, I know the contractor personally.

“A lot of people are coming here from Toronto, using their place here as a second home. When they come up, they don’t want to work, cleaning the pool, gardening – painting a wall. So, I organize those services for them as a project manager, not a property manager. It works very well.”

One time, a bank that was foreclosing on a property, engaged Captain Ric to oversee all the contents of the house being packed up and shipped out for rubbish or sale. He checked each packed box, listed the contents and labelled the box – some for re-sale, some not. Meticulous and thorough, Captain Ric insists on getting the details right.

When he first started without a real model on which to build his own business, he learned that potential clients would waste a lot of his time. They wanted a certain project done; he would spent lots of time, establishing quotes and terms, only to be told, “We’ll think about it.” Others would find a contractor once they understood from him what was needed.

“I’ve started to charge a engagement fee for three to five hours of work to research and prepare information for clients,” he told the Citizen. “People become aware of my credentials and see that I can save them time and money and worry. They are not having to come here to check on the progress of the job because I report to them every day and keep the project moving.”

For this business, Captain Ric is finding that word of mouth is his best reference.

“I don’t find that advertising does me much good,” was his comment. “For me, the trust element is a gut feeling; for a potential client, word of mouth from someone they know is the best. I put sign at the end of the driveway while I’m working there.”

His plan is to connect with real estate agents where he could be of help to both ends of the deals. For the seller, a few things to tidy, perhaps a dangerous tree to bring down; for the buyer, changing that kitchen after all or seeing the things that do need repair.

“It takes a little time for people to get to know me. I have my long cards around in lots of places for people to pick up – restaurants, boards, those racks some places have.

“A friend of mine said she had dream that I told people – Don’t just take any port in a storm – take a Safe Harber.   That’s what I tell people.”

Captain Ric Harber’s website is www.safeharber.ca; email: ric@safeharber .ca and Facebook.

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