All the best, The Editorial Team We will keep adding business units that enhance our offering and separate us from our competition. “ ” Editor From The Dear Reader, Welcome to the latest issue of Construction Source Canada, the magazine that highlights the best in building and building products across the country. In this edition, we’ve looked at a wide range of players from across the construction industry – though this time we have focused particularly on the new home sector, and we’ve looked at companies that are providing new homes to clients in a variety of different ways. Some have come up with innovative modular solutions, some are key players in the provision of ready-to-move new homes, and some are developing new units across the country at a rapidly-increasingly pace. It turns out there are a lot of different ways to combat the housing shortage, and the companies we’ve covered this month demonstrate that. Progressive Real Estate Group, for example, is a vertically-integrated, Winnipeg-based company that operates as a developer, general contractor, and property manager. Since forming in 2009, they have delivered progressively larger projects with higher unit counts. These days, they build phased developments comprising anywhere from 40 units to over-200 units. We spoke to founder and president Geoff Milnes about that continuous growth. We also discussed some of the landmark developments they are in the midst of delivering now. Reimer Building Movers, meanwhile, is a Manitoba-based company that has been providing high-quality professional building moving services for over 70 years. Since forming in 1953, they have been making the process of transporting homes easy and stress-free for ready-to-move builders and their clients. We talked with thirdgeneration leader Mark Reimer about the company’s legacy, their longstanding industry leadership, and about their advocacy when it comes to the re-use of existing homes. Also in this issue is the Peterborough & The Kawarthas Home Builders Association (PKHBA). They are the aforementioned home building industry association, and they have represented the industry in Peterborough and the Kawarthas region of Ontario for almost 70 years. Throughout their long history, they have worked tirelessly to achieve their vision of a progressive, diverse community where quality of life is supported through housing, and the companies providing that housing have the opportunity to operate their businesses professionally and profitably. In recent years, as youth participation in the industry has declined, their highest priority has been to reverse that trend. We caught up with board member and past president Mitch Cleary to talk about how the PKHBA is fighting that fight. For more on those stories – and a lot more stories like them, about other industry leaders spanning the construction spectrum – just keep reading.
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THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA With a readership exceeding 145,000 senior executives, The Construction Source takes immense pride in providing an enticing platform to amplify your message to the most pivotal audience – your valued customers. Whether your aim is to promote an exciting new condo development, attract crucial financial investments for upcoming projects, or establish a commanding brand presence, we’re here to assist you every step of the way. To explore opportunities for featuring your company or showcasing your latest project in The Construction Source, please reach out to our Group Publisher. Jermaine Poulsen e: info@theconstructionsource.ca The Costruction Source Canada 202 - 1200 Bay Street Toronto, Ontario M5R 2A5 E: info@theconstructionsource.ca Executive Publisher Jermaine Poulsen COO Alexandra Box Editor in Chief Zach Janes Director of Operations Cathy Ditchburn Jacqueline Van Belois Director of Business Development & Marketing Tamara Breen Business Development Managers Mary Ann Taylor Mike Turenne Scott Carter Douglas Thomson Marnie McGhie Production Manager Brennan Midghall Digital Strategist Pranim Thapa Administration Manager Belyn Quijance-Dorero
JULY 2024 PROGRESSIVE REAL ESTATE GROUP Energetic and Innovative Developments REIMER BUILDING MOVERS An exceptional moving experience PETERBOROUGH/KAWARTHA HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION Youth is the answer to a strong builders’ association PLATINUM MILLWORK Platinum-level quality FIRESIDE DESIGN BUILD Meaningful and memorable METRO GLASS PRODUCTS LTD. The only direction is up BATHROOMS 2 GO Start-to-finish solutions JOHNSTON BUILDERS LTD. Collective team work, positive results INDUSTRY INNOVATIONS INCINERATING TOILETS IN THIS ISSUEJULY 2024 REIMER BUILDING MOVERS BATHROOMS 2 GO FIRESIDE DESIGN BUILD
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA HAMILTON FINE BUILDERS Experience and attention to detail set Hamilton Homebuilders apart UNISON REALTY Eliminating Stress in a stressful industry Nexstar Lighting Limited Nexstar Lighting embraces green innovation GRAND RIVER MODULAR A disruptive force MARIE-JOSÉE DESCHÊNES Immersed in heritage DW LAND DEVELOPMENT SERVICES INC Dreams to reality CIVILITI Building the public realm ROBINS INVESTMENTS Better communities MARIE-JOSÉE DESCHÊNES CIVILITI
JULY 2024 Industry INNOVATIONS MODERN & ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY TOILET SOLUTIONS
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Water connection not required Requires little space No odour Easy installation No frost protection needed Secure for children ash to be emptied No waste handling, only and more Bunkies, For Home, Cottages, Shops, 3 - 4 visits per hour High capacity Propane&Electric models ABOUT CINDERELLA ECO GROUP Cinderella Eco Group is a family-owned company located in the north-western coastal community of Midsund in Romsdal, with deep roots in the beautiful Norwegian fjord-landscape. We have more than 20 years’ experience with the Cinderella Incineration Toilet, a water-free, ecological solution for the management of toilet waste. Cinderella, the natural first choice for those who place high demands on quality and functionality. HIGHLIGHTS OF INCINERATION TOILETS:
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Energetic and innovative development
Progressive Real Estate Group is a verticallyintegrated, Winnipeg-based company that operates as a developer, general contractor, and property manager. Collectively, their focus is delivering high-quality multi-family apartments, commercial spaces, and mini-subdivisions. On every project, they strive to incorporate timeless design, functionality, and environmental sustainability, always in an effort to create superior value for their clients. According to Geoff Milnes, founder and president, the company is able to consistently achieve their goals largely due to their vertical integration: “Embracing our vertical integration model is the cornerstone of our commitment to optimizing every facet involved in the development and management of our multi-family and commercial assets,” Geoff explains. “Acting as the developer, general contractor, and property manager provides the flexibility needed to stay ahead in a dynamic industry.” “This coordination leads to streamlined operations, improved efficiency, and faster decision-making, ultimately contributing to timely project completion,” he continues. “This model not only bestows upon us a unique competitive advantage but, more importantly, allows us to deliver an enhanced living experience to our residents and maximize returns for our valued investors.” Geoff first founded Progressive Real Estate Group in 2009 alongside a business partner. In the early years, they focused on buying derelict single-family homes, renovating them, and then either selling them or renting them. When they started, Geoff and his partner did most of the construction work themselves but as the business grew they started developing relationships with trades. Eventually, they came across a house with some “bonus land” next door, and rather than selling the land off they decided to build their first JULY 2024
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fourplex – “which went pretty well,” Geoff recalls. In the years since, Progressive Real Estate Group has progressed into building bigger and bigger projects. From that initial fourplex, they progressed into building an eight-unit project, then a 15-unit project, then a 20-unit project, then a 40-unit project – and today they build phased developments that can be anywhere from 40 units to over-200 units. Though their capabilities have evolves, the company also still does smaller projects. In terms of size and scope, Geoff says they now “do a little bit of everything.” “Our typical project, the kind we like to build, would be a four-to-six storey wood-frame multifamily building with 40-to-60 units,” he explains. “That’s our core business, but we’re not afraid to try new things.” Currently, for example, Progressive Real Estate Group is building 11 single-family homes within one community – a “mini-subdivision”, they call it. They are also doing a 17-unit walk-up building for a third-party developer – to date, they have mostly built for themselves, but they are now branching out and doing some construction management for others. Furthermore, in the past, they have done some mixed-use developments with commercial space, usually on the main floor. Regardless of the unit mix, most of the company’s developments are infill, meaning they take place in existing communities on previously unused or underutilized land. According to Geoff, “that comes with its own host of challenges and excitements,” but Progressive Real Estate Group is experienced at navigating those challenges and delivering some “really nice apartment buildings.” JULY 2024
Again, Geoff credits the consistent quality of those buildings to the company’s vertical integration: “For the most part, we buy, we build, we own, and we manage all ourselves,” he says. “That means that from the outset, we make design decisions with the future in mind. We don’t just go with the basic options to save some money. We invest in high quality designs and high quality finishes. We spend a lot of time on the layouts to make sure they are super functional. We put a lot of effort into designing common spaces that will add to the tenant experience.” Because they intend to own and manage their buildings for a long time – and because they know the tenants are going to be their long-term clients – Geoff believes that Progressive Real Estate Group invests more in the tenant experience than a lot of other developers. “We actually give up some of the best-use real estate in our buildings for common spaces,” he says. “The top-corner unit that could get us the best rent, we’re not afraid to give that up for common space so it can be enjoyed by everyone in the building.” Kate Kennedy is the company’s director of operations, as well as their longest-tenured employee, having been there for approximately 12 years. She joined Progressive Real Estate Group right about when they built their first fourplex. She agrees with Geoff – “we really think the project through from start-to-finish, because we care about the people who are going to live there.” “We’re always asking ourselves ‘If we were going to live here, what would we want?’” she explains. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
“What would we want in the living room? What would we want in the kitchen? What would we want it to look like? How would we want it to be laid out?” “We’re very, very-specific in how we want these buildings to look and feel,” she adds. “The architect will send us a design and we’ll go over it a hundred times until it’s perfect. We’re very discerning in that sense. I think that’s what sets our buildings apart.” Progressive Real Estate Group is also very discerning when it comes to material selection. Geoff believes that also sets their buildings apart, and he cites their choice of internal doors as an example of that: “We could buy a hollow-core flimsy door, but then the first tenant that gets angry and punches it will put a hole through it, and then we have to take the door off, re-hang a new door, paint it, et cetera. That will lend up costing us more down the road in terms of maintenance and downtime. So instead we select solid-core doors. They are three-times the cost up-front, but the first tenant that gets mad and punches the door will damage their hand more than the door.” “And there are other benefits,” he adds. “Solidcore doors better quality, they look better, they’re better for sound. So that’s a very simple example of how we invest in quality and how we’re pretty picky when it comes to the things we’re putting in our units.” When selecting materials, Kate adds that they also prioritize sustainability. She points out that all of their buildings are built above basic energy JULY 2024
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code requirements, that they have implemented electric car chargers at all of their apartment complexes, and they are a recognized builder for energy efficiency by Efficiency Manitoba. “We were doing LED pot lights before they were a thing,” she elaborates. “We use tri-pane windows, double-insulated walls; we add gypcrete to every floor level. We go above and beyond the standard to ensure we’re being sustainable and that the tenant experience is so much better.” As was previously mentioned, Progressive Real Estate Group is also now branching out and doing some building for third party developers. Geoff believes those clients like working with them because of their experience as a developer themselves – and in particular, because of their specific experience and expertise in the multifamily sector. “When you’re looking to build a multi-family apartment, lot of the other options you have are general contractors who are more generalists in construction,” Geoff says. “I’m not saying those contractors are not great at what they do; I’m just saying they build everything from power plants to dams to government buildings to industrial warehouses. Whereas with us, the client is hiring a company that truly knows the ins-and-outs of multi-family building in particular. The clients who hire us are the clients who want that expertise.” In addition, Progressive Real Estate Group has built relationships with some of the very best designers, engineers, subcontractors, and material suppliers in Winnipeg – which means the quality of their buildings is always very high. That sets them apart as a builder for other developers and as a developer themselves. “We work with some of the best professionals in our industry,” Geoff says. “We have great relationships with our suppliers and our trades. We ask a lot of them and they deliver.” Most of the company’s trade relationships, Geoff explains, are repeat and longstanding. Projectover-project, he estimates they use “north of 80 per cent” of the same subcontractors. “We get to know how they operate, they get to know our systems, and they get to know each other,” he says. “They develop a good camaraderie and synergy; they do a good job together, so we like to work with them over and over. We’ll try some new people on occasion, and that’s how we develop new relationships, but for the most part I would say we have a core group that we like to stick with.” JULY 2024
A lot coming up Recently, Progressive Real Estate Group completed delivery of one of their landmark projects to date, which is called The Edison. That was a 227unit luxury apartment complex situated on a five-plus-acre site within a neighbourhood in North Kildonan, and was delivered over five phases spanning several years. According to Geoff, it was actually the company’s “first big build,” and they are very proud and excited to have completed all five phases. They see it as a great demonstration of how far the company has come and what they are capable of moving forward. In addition, the company also recently completed their own “forever office space” in Crescent Wood. That space is part of a 5,000-square-foot mixed use facility, with commercial space on the main floor, office space on the next two floors, and residential units above. They collaborated on that with their architect, who also shares THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
some of the office space. Kate describes the finished result as “stunning” and Geoff calls it “awesome.” More recently, the company also Group completed the second phase of their Parkview Terrace apartment complex, which will be their largest project to date with an ultimate unit count of over 400. Phases three and four of that project are underway right now. Beyond that, Progressive Real Estate Group has a lot of land holdings and thus “a lot of stuff coming up.” “When I look at my development board, I see that we have over 600 units that we’re projected to build in the next four-to-five years,” Geoff says. “Our future looks very bright. We have a lot of stuff in the pipeline. A lot of it is our own and some of it is for others.” In order to deliver all those units, Kate says Progressive Real Estate Group will grow, but in a careful and considered way. She says they have so far been “really cautious” about growing the company to date in order to avoid burning out their staff and potentially compromising quality, but they are now looking to expand their team. “I think staying somewhere between 20-to-30 people is a nice spot,” she says. “At that size, everyone still knows everyone. You can maintain a family atmosphere. That’s what we want to do.” Lastly, Geoff says that no matter how big the company grows, they want to continue innovating. He believes that’s been a major driver of their success and he wants to see that continue: JULY 2024
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“We’re always looking for better ways to do things,” he says. “We’re not satisfied with the status quo. We’re looking for new opportunities all the time. For example, we were probably one of the first companies to adopt a resident portal, where the resident could log in and book everything from an elevator to a multi-purpose room to a repair call. We did that in order to improve our tenant experience. We were also one of the first energy-smart builders in the province. We did that to reduce our carbon footprint and environmental impact.” “We want to continue being the first at things, and we want to continue delivering really high quality results for our clients,” he concludes. “We’re a young, energetic, innovative group and we want to do work that shows that.” COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL DESIGN BUILD TECHNICAL 1433 Erin St, Winnipeg, MB R3E2S9 204-896-3446 office@powertec.ca powertec.ca JULY 2024
For more on Progressive Real Estate Group, their values, their capabilities, and their past and present developments – and to get in touch with their expert team, including Geoff and Kate – visit https://www.progressiverealestate.ca/ THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
An exceptional moving experience
Reimer Building Movers is a longstanding Manitoba-based company that has been providing high-quality professional building moving services for over 70 years. Since forming in 1953, they have been making the process of transporting homes easy and stress-free for ready-to-move builders and their clients. According to third-generation leader Mark Reimer, the core values upon which the company was founded on seven decades ago – values including honesty, courtesy, and professionalism – are still the values that power the company to this day. “We’ve always understood that we are not just transporting any building; we’re transporting a home,” Mark says. “That is why we make every effort to handle every home with care and safety. With more than 70 years of experience, and the best technology and best equipment in the industry, we give clients and their home an exceptional moving experience.” Originally, Reimer Building Movers was founded by two brothers, Peter and Abe Reimer, and was based out of Steinbach, Manitoba. Several years later, Abe moved his family and the business to Arborg, where the company remains based today. Abe, with the help of his eight sons, established their family business as one of the best building moving companies in Manitoba. Today, two of his sons, Harold and Bruce, and two of their sons continue to lead the company. Under their leadership Reimer Building Movers continues to be an industry leader. Mark, for his part, officially joined the family business in 2012 – though in actuality, he grew up around the company and has been involved in the building moving industry almost all his life. Since committing to Reimer Building Movers full time, he’s observed some big changes in the industry, as the number of operators has decreased while the amount of work has increased. As a result, JULY 2024
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the companies that have persisted have had to get larger and take on more work, and Reimer Building Movers has not been the exception: “That’s where we find ourselves right now,” he says. “Our company is strong and carrying on and finding new ways to take on the amount of work that’s out there.” These days, Reimer Building Movers performs between 200 and 300 structure moves per year. The majority of those structures are newly built ready-to-move homes. From their home base in Arborg, Manitoba, they can deliver all over Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta and they can even go as far south as Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana in the United States. And though they can’t deliver new houses from Manitoba to Ontario, due to government regulations on structure moves, they will travel to northwest Ontario and do some work there. Regardless of the state or province, it is not uncommon for them to move a house 500-to-1000 kilometers , and the longest distance they have ever hauled a house is over 2,000 kilometers . Client-wise, Reimer Building Movers works with both homebuilders and homebuyers. Some ready-to-move homebuilders like to offer a turnkey service that includes both the construction and the delivery of a home, and they rely on Reimer Building Movers for the delivery part of the equation. And in cases where the homebuyer arranges their own delivery, Reimer Building Movers is very often the company they reach out to. “If an individual client is looking for a company to move their home, they usually reach out to us,” Mark says. “We do the most volume in our area.” JULY 2024
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On the homebuilder side, one example of a longstanding partner is Olympic Homes, which is a Winnipeg-based leader in the construction of ready-to-move homes and cottages. They build their homes to industry leading standards, with stand-out features including: 35-year shingles; fibreglass entry doors; vaulted ceilings; Kohler plumbing packages, high quality flooring packages, eavestroughs and downspouts; maple cabinetry; and square drywall corners. To transport their carefully-constructed and high-quality homes, they rely on Reimer Building Movers, and Reimer Building Movers highly values their trust and loyalty. According to Mark, Reimer Building Movers has been able to build long-term relationships with builders of that calibre primarily due to their founding values. In particular, he credits their founding value of professionalism: “We put a lot of emphasis into our customer service,” he explains. “We endeavour to give clients the attention they require to make sure they are comfortable with what’s going on, and to make sure we’re on the same page when it comes to scheduling and special requirements.” “We’re in a small niche industry so it’s vital for us to hold to our core values and differentiate ourselves in that way,” he adds. “We get a lot of appreciation from our clients for our professionalism and our track record of doing what we say we’re going to do.” That exemplary track record is also what attracts homebuyers to Reimer Building Movers, Mark believes: “Our reputation is second-to-none,” he says. “Even when our schedule is full, people often have a willingness to wait for us based on our JULY 2024
reputation, based on what they have heard about us from word of mouth.” In addition to being attentive and professional, Reimer Building Movers is also known for transporting structures safely and with care. The company’s history of quality is also a powerful motivator for their clients. Mark credits that quality partly to the close personal involvement of the ownership team – “when you have ownership that’s got an eye on the day-to-day, that’s just going to bring with it an inherent level of quality control,” he says – but mostly he credits the talent and dedication of their employees. “We hire good people and we try to treat them well,” he explains. “We’re a family-run business and we try to maintain that environment. We look out for each other on the job like you do in the family. That translates to safety and pride of ownership in your work. I would say that’s the underlying foundation of how we maintain a high level of quality and performance.” Many of Reimer Building Movers’ employees are longstanding. At the company’s last yearend banquet, for example, they recognized one employee for 30 years of service. Mark says they have several employees who have been there almost as long and several more who have been there over 10 years. He believes that longevity is a good sign the company is doing something right. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
Exploring opportunities Over their long history, Reimer Building Movers has consistently played an active role within the building moving industry at large. For example, they are a long-term member of the International Association of Structural Movers (IASM), having joined in the 1980s and attended many conventions over the years. Mark personally just concluded a two-year term as president of that association, and earlier this year the company won an award at the 2024 annual IASM conference for ‘Longest Distance Moved on Land.’ Reimer Building Movers is also a member of the Manitoba Building Movers Association and the Saskatchewan Building Movers Association. Moving forward, Mark believes it’s important to continue that industry participation. They want to continue engaging with their peers in the industry, and in collaboration with those JULY 2024
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peers they want to continue advocating for change in the industry. One particular change they want to see relates to the re-use of existing homes. In consideration of the nationwide housing shortage, Reimer Building Movers believes there are a lot of existing homes that could be moved and re-used rather than torn down, but out-dated government regulations make that kind of re-use a lot more difficult to accomplish than it should be. “There are plenty of homes out there that people may want to move on from and build a new home because they’re at a new stage in their life, but their old home is perfectly fine,” Mark explains. “Those homes could be picked up and moved somewhere else instead of going into a landfill. With the current housing climate in our country, I see a great opportunity there that’s not being taken advantage of.” “The hurdle there is that the government – federal, provincial, and municipal – is behind on that,” he adds. “They talk about wanting to be green and sustainable and they talk about wanting more affordable housing, but then make it really hard on people who want to buy an existing home and move it to a new lot and set it up. The amount of money and effort they require a homeowner to put in is really burdensome, and often it turns out that for just a bit more money they could get a brand new home. I think that’s a shame.” “There’s a great opportunity for re-using homes, and government policy doesn’t make it very easy at the moment,” he reiterates. In the future, Mark hopes that government policy will be amended to make home re-use more feasible – and he intends to do his part to advocate for those amendments. If those changes happen, he would like to see Reimer Building Movers be a major player in the home re-use sector. JULY 2024
For more on Reimer Building Movers, their story, examples of their past projects, and to hear from their past clients – and to get in touch with Mark and his team today – visit https://reimermovers.com/ THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
Youth is the answer to a strong builders’ association
The Peterborough & the Kawarthas Home Builders Association (PKHBA) has represented the professional home building industry in Peterborough and the Kawarthas region of Ontario for almost 70 years. Throughout their long history, they have worked tirelessly to achieve their vision of a progressive, diverse community where quality of life is supported through housing, and the companies providing that housing have the opportunity to operate their businesses professionally and profitably. In recent years, as youth participation in the industry has declined, their highest priority has been to reverse that trend. Currently, they are working hard to encourage youth to pursue skilled trades, and working hard to encourage young professionals to join the PKHBA and reap the many benefits. Mitch Cleary, a board member and past president, has a deep family connection to the PKHBA. “My grandfather was involved at the association’s inception in the 1950s,” he says. His father was past president and his stepmother was the first female president. “I joined the board in 2021. I’m the fourth one in my family to step up and do this.” “The PKHBA started in 1956 when some suppliers and builders got together to lobby against the high prices of building with a larger voice,” Mitch recalls. Back then, the association was a small grassroots organization, but they have since grown to over 100 members. Three of the founding members are still active in the association over 65 years later: Kingdon Timber Mart, Doughty Masonry Center and Doughty Aggregates. Over the years, the PKHBA has formed key partnerships with other industry associations, locally, provincially, and nationally. For example, PKHBA members are also members JULY 2024
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of the Canadian and Ontario Home Builders Associations. The association also works closely with local Chambers of Commerce, as well as the local realtors association, the Central Lakes Association of Realtors. The PKHBA represents builders and residential construction industries, providing networking and education to their members. They have two staff members – Rebecca Schillemat, Executive Officer, and Vanessa Stark, Events, Marketing & Communications Coordinator – who work to provide the information and resources that their members need to be the best in their fields. “In person events each month are vital to provide networking opportunities to our members,” says Rebecca. “We’ve been doing a lot of marketing the past two years, regaining ground we lost during COVID when we had to cease the in-person events.” Their marketing efforts resulted in a recent award from the Lindsay and District Chamber of Commerce for best marketing campaign. They also have a new website with more focus on social media and weekly YouTube videos. “We’re building our digital presence,” says Rebecca. “We’re doing member videos now, and next year we are launching another part of our website to show what we do and what the value is.” The association’s outreach on the value of membership is geared toward new, younger people entering the trades, and to women in the trades, says Rebecca. “We’re working with local schools to promote skilled trades and provide more opportunities for our youth to get experience THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
in the residential construction industry.” “Labour and supply are the biggest challenges across the industry,” says Rebecca. “We launched a lunch and learn education series for current members to help with labour, workplace culture and soft skills to help address this.” Mitch agrees that the labour shortage and attracting younger professionals are the biggest challenges facing the industry right now, and the PKHBA’s main goal is to get younger builders, renovators, contractors and tradespeople involved at the membership and board level. “We’re trying to get younger builders involved in the association to maintain the united front of advocacy,” he says. “Young builders have historically been less likely to get involved. We want them to understand that our membership provides a focused, single voice of advocacy for the industry.” Mitch believes direct, personal outreach is the best way to build membership. “We know who the players are and we’re trying to help them see value in putting their time towards the association,” he says. “Members will get education at events, including updates on code, municipal bylaws, network with local people and work through issues together. Members feel they are part of a community.” The PKBHA is dedicated to shining a spotlight on skilled trades in the local media, and entering partnerships with local high schools and colleges. “We work closely with Fleming College in planning their construction and trades wing,” says Rebecca. “We are represented on Fleming’s advisory committee on curriculum to keep students JULY 2024
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advised on what’s needed in the field.” “We want to educate people young before they enter the workforce to plan their pathway,” says Mitch. “Our primary objective is to get young people to look positively into the trades.” They are also looking into how they can work with new Canadians and the trades as well. Supporting women in trades is an important initiative for Rebecca, specifically. To achieve greater women participation, she explains that they are promoting the industry as a different environment than it was even 10 years ago. On that topic, Rebecca is particularly pleased with the PKHBA’s new Women in Trades committee. “Its purpose is to raise the profile of women in trades and provide support to thrive,” she says. “The power of women connecting and supporting each other is unmatched. We want to foster relationships in the construction industry and the trades to younger generations.” To this end, the PKHBA has a mentorship program for members to talk to other female members in the trades, and also have mentors go to the schools and talk to the youth interested in the trades. “We’re all here to work together,” says Rebecca. The PKBHA’s commitment to education includes education-on-demand online training, and they share HBA-approved training from various partners such as BuildAbility (https://www. trainingbuilders.ca/course-listing), EnerQuality (https://www.enerquality.ca/education/), and the CHBA (https://www.chba.ca/net-zero-training/). “We have webinars coming in 2024 on where to find and how to recruit new hires – training, retention, recruitment,” says Rebecca. “We hope that coupled with education; labor will become less of an issue for our members over time.” “We are also partnering with the federal association to also do some energy efficiency and net zero training for our members to help meet larger climate goals,” she adds. “We did net zero training for renovations in the spring of 2023 with the Durham home builders association, and there are several other training programs upcoming.” The PKBHA is also keeping up on changes to the building code in the area of energy efficiency. That’s important, Rebecca says, because “you have to design a whole house as a system.” “Everything has to work together. Builders have to take in the big picture in the early design stages. It is better for the environment and more efficient for the homeowner.” Furthermore, green initiatives will be a large part of education in the trades now and into the future. “We will share new opportunities, innovation and techniques to keep our members at the forefront of the industry,” Rebecca concludes. JULY 2024
To learn more about the PKHBA and everything they have to offer members – and to get in touch with Rebecca and other members of the association’s expert team – visit https://www.pkhba.com/ THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
Platinum-level quality
Platinum Millwork is an industry-leading manufacturer and installer of custom millwork pieces for discerning clients across British Columbia and beyond. At their home base in Port Coquitlam, where they operate a 14,000-squarefoot state-of-the-art shop, they have everything they need to produce gorgeous millwork that suits even the most sophisticated tastes – as well as everything they need to produce that millwork in a timely manner, within their client’s budget, and without compromise to quality. “Providing products and services that meet the highest standards is our top priority,” says Victor De Fazio, founder and owner of the company.” “We work closely with architects and designers, together with our clients, to ensure we create their vision of product within their schedules are maintained while providing outstanding quality and attention to detail,” he adds. “We are continually educating ourselves on the newest products and technologies available, so that we may meet our goal of providing our clients with an unparalleled transformation experience.” Victor originally founded Platinum Millwork in 2001 alongside his mentor and business partner, Mimmo Zaurrini. They started in a small shop in New Westminster and at first focused primarily on high-end residential work with the odd commercial project every once a while. In just a few years, they became quite well known in their region and demand for their services grew rapidly in both sectors. Victor cites the year 2008 as a key turning point, as that’s when the company became trained and certified to supply and install AVONITE™ and Corian® solid surfaces. After that, they started taking on more commercial jobs in the run-up to the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, when McDonald’s decided to upgrade all of their downtown restaurants and convert them into JULY 2024
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McCafés. “We transformed many McDonalds,” Victor recalls. “Their request was shutting down the restaurant at 11 p.m to start installing and having it ready to open for breakfast at 6 a.m. That was their main goal, and we achieved that goal consistently. We were doing the millwork and the solid surfaces all in one night. As a result of our success, many clients observed what we were capable of. Platinum Millwork’s success on those projects led to the company doing full McDonald’s restaurants – at first in Vancouver, but they ended up travelling beyond Vancouver, all the way to Saskatchewan. From 2009 to 2013, Victor estimates they worked on over 70 McDonald’s locations. Again, he says that experienced earned them the attention of a lot of big general contractors, who started awarding them larger commercial projects. As their projects grew in size, so did the size of the company’s team and the size of their facilities. When Platinum Millwork started, they were just two people working out of that initial 1200-squarefoot shop in New Westminster. Today, they are 22 people working out of a 14,000-square-foot facility in Port Coquitlam, which comprises 2,000 feet of office space and 12,000 feet of shop floor. The shop includes one three-axis CNC machine, one five-axis CNC machine, an automated sander, a digital edge-bander, and two spray booths for deluxe finishes. Platinum Millwork has also expanded in terms of their capabilities. Presently, they have the resources to incorporate various materials into their millwork projects, including solid surfaces, metal, and glass, to name a few – “which results in a seamless service and install for our general contractors and our clients,” Victor says. JULY 2024
Throughout their history, Platinum Millwork has consistently worked in both commercial and residential sectors, with their balance between commercial and residential shifting along with “the demands of the market.” In recent years, there’s been a higher demand in the commercial sector. Victor estimates that roughly 75 to 80 per cent of the company’s work is now commercial, with residential taking care of the balance. In both sectors, he says the majority of the company’s business comes from referrals and repeat clients. Victor credits that loyalty primarily to the company’s undeniable performance. Over the years, he says Platinum Millwork has consistently proven themselves to their clients – at first on smaller projects in the early years, and then on progressively larger projects as the years went by. “We’ve gone from completing $80,000 projects, which were big at the time, to completing commercial projects worth between $1.5 to $2.5 million-plus. Our successful project sizes have exploded over the years, and that is a result of us earning our clients trust and confidence.” One of the key ways they have earned their client’s trust and confidence, Victor believes, is by demonstrating their ability to clear “project hurdles” when they occur. When there’s an issue on site, he says they are quick to tap into their experience and expertise and resolve the issue with solutions. Another key, Victor says, has been delivering product that lasts – and he credits that to multiple factors, to everything from their material selection to their engineering and their installation. “Let’s be honest, you can build stuff that will get the job done at a cheaper cost, but at the end of 30 Years of Experience Quality Craftsmanship Supply & Installation Commercial Steel Doors & Hardware Architectural Wood Doors & Frames Door Finishing altadoor.ca | info@altadoor.ca THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
the day it won’t perform the same. It will need to be replaced or fixed in a few years. That’s not what we like to do. We like to put a lot of thought into the beginning stages of a project, even before the millwork is getting produced on the shop floor. That way we ensure everything is getting produced properly.” And when a product doesn’t last, whatever the reason, Victor says Platinum Millwork makes it right. He believes that’s maybe the biggest key to earning client loyalty: “We always stand behind our work, and if there’s an issue, we fix it. Sometimes, the issue isn’t even directly related to what we’ve produced – we still get involved and try and provide solutions. When customers experience that it gives them a lot of confidence and they are more likely to refer us to others which become repeat clients.” As a result of that approach, Platinum Millwork has been able to build extremely long-lasting relationships with clients. According to Victor, many of their clients go all the way “back to the beginning.” Some go back even further: “Some of the companies we work with, my business partner has been working since even before I was involved with him,” Victor says. Platinum Millwork’s other relationships are also longstanding. Some of their employees, for example, have been with the business for over a decade. And they have relationships with vendors, subcontractors, and other industry partners that go back even longer. “Our relationships with our suppliers and partners are very important to us,” Victor says. “They are a key to our success, and I feel like they’re also a part of the Platinum team. Without our suppliers and other partners and the commitment they bring to the table, we wouldn’t be able to keep our schedules. We wouldn’t be able to keep our products rolling through the door on time. Our suppliers play an integral role in the success of Platinum Millwork.” An example of a close partner would be Malco Architectural Millwork, a company that integrates millwork, glass, and metal fabrication under one roof. Their mission is to create exceptional architectural products that enrich the lives of the individuals who use them and contribute to sustainable, functional, aesthetically pleasing spaces. Like Platinum Millwork, they are based in Port Coquitlam, and work on both commercial and residential projects, tailoring their services to the unique requirements of each client. Also like Platinum Millwork, they take great pride in their work and stand behind the quality and craftsmanship of every project they undertake. JULY 2024
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Getting better In recent years, Platinum Millwork has completed a number of outstanding projects for some prestigious commercial brands, including Holt Renfrew, Saje Natural Wellness, SIMONSDJAB Street Wear, Electronic Arts, and Coast Capital Savings. They also worked with Turner Construction on the Trulioo head office in the M2 Building on East 4th Avenue. (At the 2023 Vancouver Regional Construction Association Awards of Excellence, that project won Turner the Gold Award for ‘General Contractors – Tenant Improvement – Up to $10 Million.’ Platinum Millwork was also nominated for an Architectural Woodwork Manufacturers Association of Canada award.) Those are just a few recent examples of the quality the company is capable of. Moving forward, Victor’s vision is to continue delivering projects of high-end scale and calibre, particularly in the commercial sector. Those are the jobs that inspire and excite the team at Platinum Millwork, as “there’s a lot of custom millwork that goes into these projects and creatively-designed millwork from interior designers and JULY 2024
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architects, so they’ve become interesting,” Victor says. “We still really enjoy working on higher-end residential, because there’s interesting and detailed work that creates intricate craftsmanship that the client is expecting but the commercial sector right now is extremely interesting – and challenging, which we like,” he explains. “The challenge keeps our days exciting and rewarding.” As for growing the company, Victor believes Platinum Millwork is the right size now, so his goal isn’t necessarily to get any bigger – instead, it’s to get better. “I’d like to keep improving and getting more efficient,” he explains. “I think it’s always a good idea to revisit and refine your processes. We’re going to keep doing that. We’re going to keep making sure we’re providing the best possible product and service to our clients.” JULY 2024
For more on Platinum Millwork, their service offering, and their past projects and clients – and to get ni touch with Victor and his team today – visit https://platinummillwork.com/ THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
Meaningful and memorable
Fireside Design Build is a comprehensive designand-build studio based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, specializing in home renovation, new home projects, and immersive hospitality spaces. They provide clients with a complete start-tofinish service offering, starting with design and costing and continuing seamlessly all the way through to construction and delivery. Along the way, they strive to design and realize spaces that are “meaningful, memorable, and timeless” – according to partners Adam Bumbolo and Jaclyn Wiebe, “these are concepts that are vital to our brand and to our story.” “We believe good design extends beyond the physical elements of a space,” Jaclyn says. “Good design has the power to influence our behaviours, relationships, and quality of life. This inspiration led us to prioritize creating inviting personal spaces no matter the scale or scope of the project, extending from family homes to restaurants and bars.” “And no matter the challenge, we perpetually ground ourselves on the foundation of bringing the basics of quality and craftsmanship to all,” Adam adds. “We’re resolved that quality should be a right and not a privilege; we endeavour to do our part to augment the quality of life on all scales in any way we can.” Adam personally brings decades of experience in design and construction to his role. His commitment to the holistic model of design-build is informed by his experience as a carpenter, an artist, a filmmaker, and a writer. Jaclyn, meanwhile, has been designing professionally since 2005, when she graduated with her bachelor’s degree from the faculty of Architecture at University of Manitoba. Along with design, she has extensive experience in JULY 2024
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project management, budgeting and job costing, construction scheduling, and quality control. Adam and Jaclyn met in 2012, just a couple months before they decided to team up and form Fireside together. At the time, Adam was working as an independent renovator on a complicated project. He admits that “I got in a little over my head,” so he reached out to get some design support. That’s when he first spoke to Jaclyn, and he found that they had a lot of the same ideas and values when it came to design and construction and how they should intersect. She came on board to assist with that project, their collaboration ended up being very fruitful, and later that year they started Fireside Design Build. In the years since, the company has remained very consistent in terms of their values, but they have evolved considerably in terms of project size and scale. They have also evolved in in terms of internal protocols and procedures. According to Adam, that drive to change and grow has always been a part of the company’s DNA: “I think that one of the things that Jacqueline and I agreed on early days was that we were never content to just tow the status quo,” he says. “So we’re always pushing ourselves out of our comfort zones. We push ourselves with design, with construction, and we push ourselves to learn and try new things. So over the years, our portfolio has grown in complexity and in layering and diversity.” These days, Fireside’s work is comprised of roughly 50 per cent new homes and home renovations and 50 per cent bars and restaurants. In Jaclyn’s JULY 2024
view, those project types are similar in that they revolve around kitchens, which they consider the “hearth” of a home or a building. “All our projects are really about connection,” she explains. “We like to create spaces where people come together – and usually people come together around food. That’s why we do a lot of bars and restaurants and why we don’t really do any boardrooms or medical facilities. And that’s why when we’re doing a home, whether it’s a brand new house or a full-gut renovation, the kitchen is always a key part of it.” In terms of value, Fireside’s projects typically start as $200,000 – with the post-pandemic cost of labour and materials, they can’t really do much for less – and can range all the way into the multimillions. Adam believes that clients with those higher-end projects tend to choose Fireside for two main reasons. The first reason is their “very strong visual portfolio.” “The calibre of our design work, especially in our market, is exceptionally high. We tend to make a more traditional, more eclectic, more colourful, more layered design approach. And that’s not directed by us. That’s often directed by the people that come to us. We’re very client driven.” “We look at our designs experientially,” he elaborates. “We spend a lot of time getting to know a homeowner or a client to really understand the narrative that they’re going for. What’s the story they’re trying to tell? What is the outcome of the experiences that you’re trying to craft? We get a lot of information on that regard. Instead of just asking about materials and colors and surface THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
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