81-Year-Old Oregon Homebuilder Continues Framing Houses

At 81 years old, Jim Franck remains a dedicated homebuilder in Oregon, refusing to retire despite having ample financial resources. Franck has spent over 50 years in the construction industry, starting in the US Virgin Islands before moving to Sun River, Oregon. His financial situation changed drastically about three to four years ago when home prices doubled, allowing him to sell several rental properties he had built. He reported making around $700,000 in profit from two homes alone.

Although he no longer works out of financial necessity, Franck continues to build out of passion. He has shifted his responsibilities to avoid the heaviest physical labor but remains deeply involved in the construction process. He currently manages designers, excavators, and concrete workers while operating machinery like a backhoe. Franck is currently finishing a house to keep as a vacation rental and has plans to build a three-story home with an elevator, a new challenge for the veteran builder.

Jim Franck's journey to becoming a master builder began far from Oregon. Born in London in 1944, he joined the British Merchant Navy in his late teens, working as an assistant cook on boats and freighters. His travels took him around the world, with frequent stops in the Caribbean. After leaving the Navy, he returned to London to work with his brother, remodeling large houses and converting them into apartments with investors.

Eventually, Franck followed a friend to the Caribbean to work as a cook on a charter boat. While stopping in the US Virgin Islands, he decided to stay on St. Thomas, where he began helping locals build houses. It was there he met his first wife and obtained a green card, which allowed him to work professionally in the United States. As a contractor in St. Thomas, he built numerous concrete houses from the foundation to the roof, selling them upon completion.

Franck and his wife moved to Oregon around 1980 to explore the area, but the timing was difficult, and he struggled to find work. He returned to St. Thomas while his wife remained in Oregon, leading to the end of that marriage. He later met his second wife in St. Thomas. Following a hurricane that devastated the Virgin Islands, they decided to rent out two of Franck's surviving homes, as insurance companies were paying high rents for displaced residents.

The couple eventually bought land in Sun River during a ski trip and moved there permanently. Franck began building in Oregon in 1990 and started a real estate company. He briefly considered retiring in 2008 but found himself restless. In 2015, he took out a loan to buy land and resumed building, eventually constructing two to three houses a year. After the housing market surge, he sold his properties and reinvested in ocean-view lots.

Current projects include:

• Finishing a house to be used as a vacation rental.
• Buying a new lot to construct a three-story house.
• Installing an elevator, a first for his construction career.

Despite his age, Jim Franck maintains excellent health. He takes only a small blood pressure pill and notes that his respiratory system is in great condition. He is capable of walking miles a day and operates a backhoe without issue, though he admits his back hurts occasionally. To manage soreness, he simply takes a bath and feels grateful for the ability to work. He has given up the most intensive lifting tasks, focusing instead on supervision and design.

Franck's sons are surprised that he continues to work, and he has become a local legend for framing houses in his 80s. He builds homes as if he were going to live in them, often catering to older buyers. He has no intention of stopping, stating that he would keep building even if he needed the money. Comparing his work to art, Franck said, "It's like art to me; an artist keeps painting until they drop dead."

Franck remains cautious about the economy, avoiding the risk of building multiple homes simultaneously that might become difficult to sell. However, his passion for construction overrides his desire for a quiet retirement. He currently owns a rental house that provides income and has enough money to live on for the rest of his life, yet he continues to seek out new projects.

His current goal is to build a three-story house with an elevator, expanding his repertoire of construction skills. He continues to work with a team of designers and tradespeople to bring his visions to life. For Franck, the act of building is not just a job but a lifelong passion that he intends to pursue indefinitely.