Good foundations are helpful when you migrate, if you are hoping to remodel and renovate yourself in the new country, and the man in my spotlight today – John Wood – knows these metaphors well, both adorned by a toolbelt for 25 years in his native US, and here with passport in hand, looking for a “calmer and more connected” life.
Now my new resident construction expert on the Good Morning Portugal! show, John was drawn to Portugal, with the aim of he and family coming to “slow down, to live differently, and to rediscover the value of time and community”. All laudable and entirely understandable aspirations, but life has a funny way, as most find out – just like most construction projects – of not going according to plan. His personal plot twist seems to be Central Portugal’s gain, as this broadly experienced builder is sharpening his tools once more, having experienced a charmed landing.
Not doing things by halves, and now trading as LDA ValWood Construção e Remodelação, John is, of course, leaning against an open door here, and wisely working with a Portuguese co-founder. Together, they hope to address the stress-inducing lack of skilled and reliable craftspeople, where the best are already tied up for months or years ahead, or alternatively left the country years ago in search of higher-paid gigs and contracts abroad.
This is a well-known and very challenging scenario for anyone who’s tried to go about a construction or renovation project in Portugal, with great gusto and enthusiasm, but has ended up as great material for a TV production company – “back after the break, over-budget and with a head of less and greyer hair”.
On a more personal note, John didn’t actually move to Portugal to start a business, but in short order has now launched his remodelling and construction company serving Central Portugal with “a focus on craftsmanship, transparency, and communication, bridging international expectations with local know-how”.
“Portugal became home faster than I expected. The rhythm here is slower but more grounded,” he told me, on the upside. “Morning coffees turn into long conversations and familiar faces start to fill your day – the baker, the tile shop owner, neighbours who wave as you walk by. That everyday warmth is what makes this place special.”
On the more challenging sides of life, he added that “learning patience was the first lesson. Life here doesn’t move on your schedule, but once I accepted that, things got easier.”
“On the business side, bureaucracy was the test. It took nearly six months from paperwork to our first construction license. Luís, my partner, knew the local system and helped bridge those cultural gaps,” he explained, revealing the secret sauce, the trans-Atlantic combo, that keeps the new firm steady in unfamiliar waters.
“Before the business even began, I remember watching my daughter become fluent in Portuguese and fit right into school life,” John told me proudly. “Seeing her translate for me or laugh with her friends made me realise we’d built more than a plan, we’d built a home. When my son said he didn’t want to move back to the US because life here ‘feels normal’, I knew we’d found what we were looking for.
“Portugal slowed me down in the best way. Back in the US, everything was about deadlines, always go-go-go, never a break it seemed. Here it’s about presence. There’s time to talk to people, to walk instead of rush, to appreciate the simple things. It’s changed how I see success. Less about growth, more about balance. Sometimes it’s just being there for dinner with my kids. Portugal keeps reminding me what matters,” I was delighted to hear.
“Portugal is changing fast, however,” said the man who is part of that change, in what appears to be a very positive way with his company’s focus on more sustainable building. “For us, the goal is steady growth in affordable, energy-efficient construction that benefits both locals and newcomers,” he added. “We’re just getting started, but every new project is approached with intention and care, building something lasting from our base in Leiria.”
To others thinking of following in his footsteps, John advises: “Embrace the slow rhythm.”
“When we arrived, I tried to fix everything at once. The house, the language, the plan. But Portugal teaches patience in small ways. Waiting for a café chat to end before ordering, or realising a friendly neighbour solves more than paperwork ever could. Take your time. When you find yourself greeting people in Portuguese without thinking, you’ll know you’ve truly arrived.”
As well as offering a wide range of building renovation and maintenance services that you’d expect from any professional contractor, I was truly heartened to hear about this adventurous American’s longer-term plans to create affordable modular, energy-efficient homes that combine the latest methods with the traditional standards and attention to detail that he’s brought with him from Texas.
All he needs is a willing local authority in Portugal, who might offer some land and support, where prototype dwellings can be innovated, and offer a viable solution for arguably one of Portugal’s biggest social problems.
Isn’t it funny what can happen when you come to Portugal for a quieter life?
