Reico Construction

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“We consistently raise the industry bar through innovation and precision, reshaping spaces and building legacies,” Dan says. “Reico Construction is not just a name; it’s a promise of quality, one project at a time.”

“Our dedication lies in bringing our client’s unique vision to life,” he adds. “Whether the client is crafting their forever home, conceptualizing a serene vacation retreat, or enhancing their current residence, we are committed to transforming their dreams into reality.”

In recent years, that dedication and commitment has resulted not only in client satisfaction, but also recognition from industry bodies, such as the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA). At this year’s 2024 CHBA Okanagan Housing Awards, for example, Reico Construction is a finalist in two categories for their recent Sunset Boulevard home.

“I value that tremendously,” Dan says of the industry recognition. “That’s recognition not just for me, but for everyone associated with Reico Construction. It shows how hard we all work.”

Dan – a Red Seal-certified journeyman carpenter with a wealth of experience in the construction industry – first started Reico Construction in 2010. Since then, the company has progressed at “an organic rate,” with slow and steady growth driven largely by repeat business and word of mouth.

Project-wise, Reico Construction has done everything from small bathroom renovations, to kitchen remodels, flooring, fireplace design, custom made stairways designed to your exact specifications, custom sheds, foundations, full exteriors, framing, finishing, and flooring.  These days, however, their focus is mainly high-end new homes, with sizes of 5,000 square feet or more and values of $2 million and up.

According to Dan, clients within that high-end niche tend to choose Reico because of the company’s reputation. Over the last few years, especially, he says Reico has become renowned in the region for delivering projects that are “above and beyond the average.”

“How are we gaining work? Well, we’re doing homes that are special and people are recognizing that,” Dan explains. “The clients we’re working with now tend to come to us because they want something really nice and really unique, and that’s what we’re known for.”

That reputation, Dan adds, is in large part a credit to the company’s team, which includes some very experienced people. One key manager, for example, has a background building $10 million-plus homes in Fernie and used to run a crew of 25-plus guys – he moved to the Okanagan in order to simplify his life, and Dan says that Reico is “very lucky to have him.” He says the company is similarly lucky to employ the other members of their managerial team, and he says they don’t take that good fortune for granted:

“We do profit sharing with our main guys, and I think that makes them feel motivated to give their all to the customers,” Dan says. “I think that’s been one of the keys to our success. They end up caring about the company as much as I do. They take care of our customers the same way I would, as the owner. They go above and beyond because they know that the work they put in is going to come back to them financially.”

Dan also credits Reico Construction’s extended team, including their roster of subcontractors and suppliers – who he calls the “highest quality sub trades that the Okanagan has to offer.”

“We have really, really great relationships with our subcontractors,” he says. “We use the same ones over and over. Most of those relationships go back about 10 years. That creates a sort-of family atmosphere. Everybody knows each other and trusts each other.”

The company’s relationships with subcontractors are so good, in fact, that Dan says they end up receiving a lot of referrals from them. Those referrals are particularly valued, he explains, because as active participants in the local construction industry, subcontractors have informed opinions on who the best builders are – so it means a lot when they recommend Reico to their family and friends.

“We take a lot of pride in those relationships,” Dan says. “Everyone we work with has a lot of experience in their field, and we only work with subcontractors who really care about what they do, so their opinion means a lot to us.”

Pinnacle of recognition

As previously mentioned, Reico Construction’s commitment to quality has recently been recognized at the Okanagan Housing Awards, as hosted by the Central Okanagan branch of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association To be recognized by that body is pretty prestigious, as the Okanagan is home to some of the most spectacular homes currently under construction in Canada. Also – according to Daniel Winer, executive officer of the CHBA CO – this year the association received more award entries than ever.

“The Okanagan Housing Awards are the pinnacle of recognition for residential construction within the Central Okanagan,” Daniel Winer says. “Central Okanagan builders are a unique breed because of our mountains and our lakeside living. We see a lot of beautiful, beautiful homes. The winners of these awards regularly go on to win provincial awards and regularly go on to win national awards – and it all starts at the local level. It’s really impressive the work that’s being done in the Central Okanagan.”

At this year’s awards, Reico Construction is a finalist in two categories: ‘Excellence in Primary Suite (New Home or Renovation),’ and ‘Excellence in Decorating & Styling (New Home or Renovation) – over $75,000.’’

Again, Dan says that recognition means a lot to him – though he admits he didn’t always feel that way:

“We’ve done so much beautiful work over the years, but we’ve never been big on social media or even big on taking pictures,” he says. “But this year a flip switched. I realized we were doing some homes that were above and beyond what anybody else was doing and we should be entering for awards. And obviously, I’m glad we did. I believe there are over 200 entrants per category, so it means a lot that we’re a finalist in two of them.”

In both categories, Reico Construction was nominated for a project they call ‘Sunset Boulevard,’ which was designed by the company’s frequent partners at Copper + Oak Design. Initially, the home was going to be a spec home, so Dan himself was responsible for the initial brief. Not long into the planning stages, however, a client stepped in and purchased the home, but that client still allowed Dan and the team at Copper + Oak a lot of freedom.

“We wanted to do something really special, and fortunately the client had a budget that allowed for that,” Dan recalls. “They told us the kind of style they wanted, but then they trusted us to take the reins – and it just turned out incredible.”

Elements that stand out to Dan include: the plaster fireplace; the lighting; the kitchen cabinets; the butler’s pantry; and the “very custom” master ensuite, which features pencil-edged tiles that required a special tile saw to cut.

“There are so many fine details that really make that home special,” Dan says. “When you go into the master ensuite, for example, you just don’t want to leave. It’s incredible.”

The finished product was not only received well by Reico’s peers in the industry in the form of the award recognition, it was also well-received by the clients – according to Dan, they were “ecstatic.”

“They love it,” he says. “Now we’re doing the house next door for their friends. That tells you all you need to know about the state of the relationship.”

In 2013, Dan says that actually all of Reico Construction’s work was referral-based. Moving forward, they want to keep that up as much as possible. They want to keep building those kinds of loyal relationships with clients who care about quality and value the calibre of service that their company provides.

Ideally, Dan says that they would like to keep doing high-end new homes for those clients, but he says they are open to doing some smaller-scale renovations as new home building in the region slows down.

“We’re going to evolve and adapt with the market,” he says. “Sometimes that’s going to mean taking on smaller projects – but those projects are still going to be special. They’re going to feature the same kind of quality and attention to detail that we’re known for. We have a reputation and we never want to compromise on that reputation. No matter what size project we’re building, we’re going to keep going above and beyond.”

For more on Reico Construction, their capabilities, their full-service approach, and examples of past projects – and to get in touch with Dan and his expert team – visit http://reicoconstruction.com/