Like any contractor, Josh Vallario had a plan. While attending college a generation ago, Vallario started framing houses. He had an epiphany while framing homes on the beach in Belmar. "I realized that I wanted to be a home builder," Vallario said.
However, Vallario, 49, did not alter his plan to leap into construction. The pragmatic Belmar native decided to follow a certain path.
"I chose to work in technology so I could make a lot of money in the corporate world," Vallario said from his Belmar office. "It seemed like the best way of going about this."
So the Keane University alum toiled in tech for 17-years while simultaneously building his dream business on the side. "I worked with a prominent company and it was tricky to do both," Vallario said.
However, the married father of 10 and 13-year old daughters made it work. Vallario created and managed a data center portfolio for Black Rock for a dozen years. He bought homes, fixed them and flipped the properties.
"It was a lot to deal with," Vallario said. "I was leaving home in the dark and I was coming home in the dark. I saw my kids for 20 minutes each day. It just wasn't enough for me in terms of being around my children. I wanted to spend more time with them."
Vallario decided in 2016 that enough was enough. "I had to quit my job or quit my hobby," Vallario said. "My wife told me that I could leave my job and I did. I knew what I had been working on was a seven-figure business and it's blown up since then."
Estates by Vallario construct luxury living spaces. Vallario, who has created dream homes in Asbury Park, Manasquan, Rumson and Little Silver, among other locales, specializes in transforming existing properties into breathtaking works of art.
The combination of architectural excellence and an unwavering commitment to quality is the hallmark of Estates by Valerio. The properties range from creating a structure from the ground up to breathing new life into a cherished space. Vallario's team of experts combines innovation, elegance and meticulous craftsmanship.
"I love what I do," Vallario said. "I'm so passionate about what I do that I enjoy working every day so much that my worst day of the week is Friday. I'm off for two days but I can't wait to get back to work on Monday. I'm a different kind of builder/contractor. I chose to do this for a living. This isn't something that I had to do. I had a very lucrative career that I left behind because I'm compelled to build and make people's dreams a reality."
Vallario could have established his business anywhere but decided to stay close to home. "We had the ability to leave and I actually thought about moving to Aruba," Vallario said. "But it was best to raise my daughters in New Jersey. Other than the winters, I love New Jersey. There is no place like New Jersey. It's a great place to be. The people here are great and it's a great place for me to work and change people's lives."
Vallario couldn't be happier since he is enjoying his dream gig and flexibility while living at the beach. "What's great is that I can do my job and if I want to pick up my kids at school for lunch, I can do that," Vallario said. "I'm here for my family and for my clients. I'm in such a great situation but I worked hard for it and I couldn't be more thankful for everything."
"I'm a different kind of builder/contractor."