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 highlighted a variety of companies who contribute to the construction industry across Canada, from home builders, to civil construction providers, to developers, material suppliers, mechanical contractors, and at least one manufacturer of a retractable glazing system for balconies. The businesses featured in this issue are very different, but one thing they all share in common is a passion for innovation and making their industry better. The company on our cover, Keith Construction, is a prime example – they are a longstanding family-owned home builder that has been building in Vernon, British Columbia for over 30 years, and in that time they have never stopped striving to innovative and raise industry standards. To learn more about their storied history, along with their exciting vision for the future, we caught up with Bryce Dahlen, who represents the third generation of the family business. He also talked to us about the company’s plans to diversify into multi-family building, and about how changing regulations in the province gave made that more possible than ever. Also in this issue, and also based in British Columbia, is KalWest Mechanical Systems – a Kelowna-based mechanical contracting company and an industry leader in the field of Division 15 mechanical construction. Their history in the region goes back over 35 years. Over that history, they have developed an extensive portfolio of projects including schools, hospitals, sewage and wastewater treatment plants, large office buildings, and more. For more on their story, we spoke to company owners Keith Pearce and Terry Smith, who took over the company in 2018. We talked about how Kal-West has grown and evolved under their leadership, as well as the many important ways it has stayed the same. Moving east a province, this edition also includes Dennis Dirtworx, an industry-leading excavation company serving southern Alberta. Fifteen years ago, they started with one person with a mini-hoe, and now they have over 200 employees and roughly 500 pieces of equipment. In order to understand what powered that growth, we spoke not only to founder and owner Dennis Overweg, but also to his whole leadership team. For those profiles – and many more like them, about other industry leaders across the building space – keep flipping the pages. We hope you enjoy, and that we’ll see you back here next time.
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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 Vice President of Sales and Business Development Dan Jovanovic 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 Production Manager Natasha James Digital Strategist Pranim Thapa Administration Manager Belyn Quijance-Dorero
MARCH 2024 KEITH CONSTRUCTION Generational quality KAL-WEST MECHANICAL SYSTEMS Doing it right SUNRISE KITCHENS Quality cabinetry, quality experiences RIVER TREE DEVELOPMENTS INC. A new way of living BC BRICK SUPPLIES LTD Here to help LUMON CANADA More room for life HEAD HONCHO BUILDERS & RESTORATIONS Going over and beyond CORCORAN EXCAVATING LTD Built on Strong Family Commitment and Industry Leadership CORE INDUSTRIAL SERVICES The easy button TERRAFUSE Refuse to compromise INDUSTRY INNOVATIONS INCINERATING TOILETS IN THIS ISSUEMARCH 2024 TERRAFUSE JAMES BROTHERS CONSTRCTION
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Generational quality
Keith Construction is a family-owned-and-operated company that has been building in Vernon, British Columbia, for over 30 years. Over the course of their long history, they have built and maintained a reputation in the region for providing customers with dependable service, high quality workmanship, and an “exceptional overall experience,” says Bryce Dahlen, who represents the third generation of the family business. “We’ve been building custom homes in Vernon for over 30 years,” Bryce says. “Three decades of experience has given us specific knowledge of the Vernon industry, construction and renovation contacts and building regulations – and our family-owned business has passed down skill and expertise from generation to generation.” Over the years, Keith Construction has built their reputation mainly on the satisfaction of their customers – “our strength lies in our commitment to building homes our clients can be proud of,” Bryce says, “and we’re grateful to all our past clients who have worked with us to build incredible projects and who continue to recommend us to friends and family.” While focusing on achieving their clients’ dreams, however, Keith Construction has also earned a lot of industry acclaim and attention, which has further bolstered their reputation. “We’re known for crafting award-winning homes that meet our highest standards through technical expertise, experience, dependability and integrity,” Bryce says. “This combination of skill and principles has won us over 60 awards from accredited home builder associations, including multiple Tommie and Georgie awards.” Bryce personally joined Keith Construction about six years ago. Prior to joining the family business, he obtained a Professional Engineering Degree MARCH 2024
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in Integrated Engineering (a Project Management based degree with courses in Civil, Electrical, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) from the University of British Columbia, and then spent over five years working with PCL in Vancouver on large commercial projects. In 2018, he brought that experience home to Keith Construction, where he is now responsible for the successful scheduling, execution, monitoring and quality control of new home construction and renovation work. As the general manager of Keith Construction, Bryce is proudly following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Keith Dahlen, and father, Ken Dahlen – both industry veterans. Keith, for his part, worked in the construction industry for over 50 years before fully retiring. Ken, meanwhile, has been in the building industry for over 30 years, learning from his father. Ken took over the operation of the company in 1998, and under his leadership the business has evolved significantly in terms of size and reputation. In December 2016, he completed all of the courses necessary to obtain the designation of Master Residential Builder by the Canadian Home Builders Association, making him one of only a few Master Builders in the province. Ken’s wife, Karen Dahlen, is co-owner of Keith Construction, and has been working there over 25 years. She now oversees all financial operations in the company. Colton Dahlen is also involved – like Bryce, he represents the third generation of the family business. Colton has a Civil Engineering degree from the University of Victoria, and he recently joined Keith Construction as a project THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
manager. Over their three-plus decades in business, Keith Construction has grown and evolved at a consistent pace, and since Bryce and Colton joined that evolution has accelerated. In particular, the company has evolved significantly in terms of technology over the past few years – and Bryce has personally been a key driver of that: “Coming from the commercial construction world, I was exposed to a lot of different systems and technologies,” he says. “PCL is a very large organization and the commercial construction world is pretty dialled in, pretty professional. Some of the most useful technology and processes I used there have now been integrated into Keith Construction.” “It’s not that we didn’t have it before,” he clarifies – despite being a longstanding organization, he says Keith Construction has never been entrenched in their ways, the company has always been open to new ideas – but “we’ve really bolstered and improved our technology over the past six years.” “We’ve continuously looked at new software and how we can utilize it to improve our quality control, our planning with our trades, and our communication with our customers. There’s a lot of different ways technology can help and we’ve made some great gains in recent years.” These days, Keith Construction employs roughly 25 team members between the office and the field, including a full-time in house draftsperson as well as four project managers. That team typically takes on about 25 projects per year – that’s not including the smaller service jobs they do, mostly on behalf of past clients. Of their 25 major projects, between five and 10 are custom MARCH 2024
homes in the $1-to-$3 million range, while the rest are major renovations and additions, with values varying anywhere from $60,000 to $1 million-plus. According to Bryce, clients across that price spectrum tend to choose Keith Construction for the same reasons – with the biggest reason being the company’s sterling reputation and service. As Bryce previously mentioned, they have a lot of clients who recommend Keith Construction to their friends and family. Bryce says that’s actually how the company generates a good portion of their leads, and he credits that customer loyalty to the company’s long history of “genuine care.” “My grandfather, my parents, my brother and I – over the last three decades, we’ve built up a very strong reputation in our community,” he reiterates. “We’ve become known as a company that cares. We don’t cut corners, we show up, we do what we say, we focus on quality, and we give our clients a product that lasts.” “Our goal is to create strong relationships that last long into the future,” he adds. “Our service and our quality reflect that goal. We’re very fortunate to have a reputation that goes back decades. Our family has worked hard to build that reputation, and my brother and I take that very seriously.” “All our staff takes it seriously,” he continues. “Everyone here understands the amount of time and effort we have put into building our reputation, and they understand the amount of effort it takes to maintain that reputation. That goes for all the people we hire, all the trades we hire, all the suppliers we use. They know how much we care, and they know they must care too THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
if they want to work with us.” Before hiring a new subcontractor, Keith Construction vets them thoroughly, and then starts them off on smaller projects, Bryce explains: “We look at how they conduct themselves on site, we look at if they’re organized, if they have good references and good community standing,” he explains. “Vernon is a smaller community, so word gets around very quickly. I spoke earlier about how much we care about our reputation. We want to work with companies who care about theirs.” That process has proved very effective, Bryce says, and Keith Construction has found some subcontractors and suppliers who care as much as them. Their relationships with those partners tend to be very longstanding: “We have a fair amount of suppliers who still know Keith, and he retired a couple decades ago,” he says. “Once we create a strong relationship, we tend to work together for a long time. We treat them well, they treat us well, and that results in a quality experience and product for our clients.” When Bryce says they treat subcontractors well, of course he means they pay them well and on time – but also he means they are organized and make efficient use of their time: “I’ve heard from several trades that there aren’t that many residential builders who will properly organize their schedule, who will give notice, communicate quickly, get sign-offs from clients promptly if a change needs to be made,” Bryce explains. “We’re one of those builders. We’ve done our best to make sure our construction management system is set up to help them. We want the entire project team to succeed, and that’s why they like working with us.” MARCH 2024
Family feeling In the spring of 2023, Keith Construction delivered a new infill home overlooking Okanagan Lake, which was notable because it achieved Step 4 in the BC Energy Step Code – which they hope to make their “baseline” in the near future. “We have methods for specific wall assemblies in order to achieve that,” he explains. “We’ve gotten good at creating very airtight homes with good mechanical systems. We can provide solar or geothermal and all sorts of other options for customers that are looking to be leading edge. We’d like to get into passive homes – we haven’t done any certified passive homes recently, but we have the ability to get there and we’d love to do more.” In the case of that recent home overlooking the lake, Keith Construction was responsible for both the design and the construction. They were excited about it from the start THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
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because of the prime location – it was one of the last lots in that subdivision – and also because it was infill project “tucked between” two existing homes, which presented some challenges, and their team actually likes a challenge. “It turned out beautiful,” Bryce says. “It hit Step Code Level 4, so it’s 40 per cent more energy efficient than the baseline. The client’s experience was great – they were moving across the country, so they couldn’t be on site, but we communicated with them closely throughout and they were super happy.” Personally, Bryce also appreciates the economy of space in that home. He says it’s “not overly large,” but the design makes optimal use of all the space available, and the limited size makes it easier to operate in an energy-efficient way. Moving forward, Bryce reiterates that his goal is to deliver more high performing homes like that one. In general, energy efficiency is a high priority for the company and industry – they want to build homes that are “responsible as well as beautiful.” Additionally, Bryce says Keith Construction is interested in doing some multi-unit projects, as provincial regulations are changing to allow for more of them on single family properties. “Previously, there were a lot of sticky municipalities that restricted multiple units on one property,” he explains. “That’s all going out the window, so there’s likely going to be more duplexes happening; we’re going to be able to add carriage homes, grandmother suites, things like that. I feel like that’s going to help affordability in our area and we’re happy to be involved. We have all the skills to do those projects and we want to use them.” THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
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On the topic of diversification, Bryce also says that the company is “open” to doing some light commercial and retail, if the fit is right: “My brother and I have a lot of experience in that world,” he says, “so that’s something that could be in our future. It just depends on what’s happening in the construction landscape. We’re pretty confident with how we’re set up and the work we’re doing now, but we understand things can change pretty quickly, and we want to be able to adapt as things change. As opportunities arise, we want to be able to take them on.” Lastly, Bryce says that he wants to keep growing the company. Since he started, he says the company has experienced steady growth and he expects to continue on that trajectory – although “we don’t expect to take over the world,” he says. “Most importantly, we want to provide quality and we want to provide good service,” Bryce concludes. “We never want clients to feel like they are just a number. We’re a family company and we want it to feel that way. We feel like we have a lot of room to grow, we feel like we could do a lot more than we currently are, but we never want to outgrow that family feeling.” MARCH 2024
For more on Keith Construction, their capabilities, their process, and their past projects – and to get in touch with their expert team, including Bryce – visit https://www.keithconstruction.ca/ THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
Doing it right
Kal-West Mechanical Systems is a Kelowna-based mechanical contracting company and an industry leader in the field of Division 15 mechanical construction. Since forming over 35 years ago, they have provided plumbing, heating, and mechanical services to businesses, organizations, and institutions throughout British Columbia. Their extensive portfolio includes projects with schools, hospitals, high rise commercial, high rise residential, sewage and wastewater treatment plants, and more. Over the course of delivering those projects, they have built longlasting relationships with clients, suppliers, and employees, along with a reputation for delivering a level of quality that sets them apart from competitors. “Our mission is to provide construction expertise and mechanical installations that consistently exceed client expectations,” says Keith Pearce, partner and general manager. “In order to achieve that mission, we treat everyone – from our clients, to our employees, to our suppliers – with mutual respect and fairness.” “Our greatest asset is our people,” adds Terry Smith, partner and superintendent. “Every member of our team has an important role in our group’s success. Our team is highly skilled, knowledgeable, and everyone approaches their position with honesty and integrity.” “And our team is not just our employees,” Terry reiterates. “We constantly strive to build and preserve client and supplier relationships. With more than 35 years of longevity in the mechanical construction business, we work collaboratively and efficiently with our suppliers based on a long history of success. This allows us to source the very best equipment for every requirement of a project.” MARCH 2024
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Kal-West Mechanical Systems was first founded in October 1987 by John Davina. In November 2018, John was ready to retire, and Kal-West transitioned to a new employee ownership group consisting of John DeFehr, Terry Smith and Keith Pearce. Terry joined the company in 2010 as a journeyman plumber and quickly moved to position of Foreman. John Defehr took a similar path, also starting in 2010 working his way to a Foreman position. Keith, on the other hand, worked as a sales representative for one of their suppliers. For six years, Kal-West was one of his largest clients, and from the outside he had always admired the company for their quality of their work and their ethical way of doing business. “Out of all the clients I worked with, I always thought Kal-West stood apart,” Keith remembers. “The company always had a special reputation and that was always something I wanted to be a part of.” When they first took over, Keith, Terry and John all had their sights set on getting bigger, and they all had ideas for how to achieve that: “When we first took over, we knew we had the opportunity to grow,” Keith recalls. “The company took a pretty old school approach to project tracking and data storage, and we saw an opportunity to modernize and streamline some processes.” “But our vision was not to make drastic changes,” he clarifies. “The company had been successful for a really long time and there’s a reason for that. It was important to maintain the quality and the culture that built the company. For example, we have exceptional leadership in our field staff, and our company has always given them the autonomy to make decisions. We didn’t want to mess with that.” ENGINEERING CONFIDENCE INTO EVERY BUILD Proud project partner to Kal-West Mechanical Systems, delivering mechanical pipe joining solutions and services. Visit Victaulic.com for more information. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
Since the transition to the new ownership, KalWest Mechanical Systems has essentially “tripled in size,” according to Keith – so, clearly, they have found the right balance between making improvements while maintaining what works. Currently, Kal-West employs a team of around 70 people. Their current project types include low-rise commercial, high-rise commercial, midrise residential, high-rise residential, hospitality projects such as restaurants and hotels, and institutional projects such as schools and universities – “pretty much anything but singlefamily or row house dwellings,” Keith sums up. Many of Kal-West Mechanical’s clients in these sectors are longstanding ones, and Kal-West has grown alongside them. According to Keith, their group has serviced several local clients for 20plus years. He credits that customer loyalty to the sterling reputation the company has developed in that time: “I think a lot of it comes down to trust,” he says. “I think our clients have a lot of faith in what we do. They know we’re going to be fair. They know we are going to leverage our supplier and vendor relationships to keep costs down. If we think there’s a more economical way of doing something, we’ll share that with the client and then we’ll pass along the savings. We’re going to be open, upfront and honest with the client.” “At the same time, clients also have faith in our team in the field,” he adds. “Our guys don’t mince words. They say what they are going to do, then they go out and execute. I think clients really appreciate that. I don’t think clients ever worry that we’re feeding them a line, like maybe they do MARCH 2024
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with some other contractors. We’re pretty brutally honest, and most of our clients like that. If we say we can do something, we do it. And if it can’t be done, most of our clients respect our position – and then we work together to figure out what we can do.” Of course, Kal-West also earns loyalty by delivering to the highest standard – and Keith credits that to the calibre and passion of their team: “Our guys take a lot of pride in what they do,” he says. “We approach each project like it’s our own.” That passion, Terry chimes in, has been a part of the company’s make-up right from the very beginning: “That stems right from old Kal-West with John Davina,” he says. “He had the same values. He cared deeply about quality and he passed those values on.” “There are a lot of long-term guys here that apprenticed their first day with this company and now they are foremen,” he explains. “When they do a job, they do it right, they don’t cut corners, and if little problems arise, they go in and they fix it. That is what we have always done at Kal-West. We’ve created a culture where everyone does the job right the first time and everyone stands behind their work.” In addition to training their people the right way, Terry adds that they also make a concerted effort to hire the right people in the first place: “We try to hire the best people we can,” he says. “They have to have the right attitude. We won’t tolerate a bad atmosphere. Everyone has to buy in. Everyone has to come to work ready to do their best work and treat people the right way.” MARCH 2024
Terry admits it can be challenging to find the right people. Fortunately, he says that Kal-West has such a good reputation that those people tend to find them: “Kelowna is getting bigger, but it’s still a very small city and word travels fast,” he explains. “The way you treat people matters here. I think we’re known for treating our people very well. When a plumber is looking for work, I think they hear about us pretty quickly, and I think they hear good things. Quite often, that’s how we find good people for our team.” “And we’re always hiring,” Keith adds. “We’re always looking for quality tradespeople to add to the mix.” Once again, Keith emphasizes that when they find the right person, they tend to be very successful at retaining them. Just like the company have longstanding relationships with clients, they also have longstanding relationships with employees. The same also goes for their relationships with suppliers and vendors – Keith describes those as “very strong.” “We take the same approach with suppliers as we do with clients,” he adds. “We’re honest, we’re upfront and we’re fair. Having a background in the manufacturing sector, I have a good understanding of the supply side which helps with negotiations and problem solving. When we find a good partner, we stick with them and we grow together. And we pride ourselves on early payment to our vendors.” THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
Quality comes first Moving forward, the vision for Kal-West Mechanical Systems is to continue growing – though they don’t want to grow for growth’s sake. The plan is to grow alongside their clients, as they have over the past fiveplus years. At the same time, Terry says they will never allow their growth to outpace their capabilities. He emphatically states that the company’s reputation for quality will always come first: “Nobody likes to turn down jobs, and we don’t either,” he says. “But if we know we can’t deliver to the standard of quality that we have in the past, then we definitely will turn down work, as hard as it is.” With that said, Terry does believe the company has the capacity to do more than they are currently doing – and as Kelowna grows and more major projects come online, he believes the opportunity to grow will be there. “I see the growth continuing,” he MARCH 2024
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Proudly partnered with Kal-West Mechanical HeatLink is a multi-system supplier of potable water and radiant hydronic heating/cooling/snowmelt systems. www.heatlink.com Residential • Multi-Family • High Rise PureLink PEX-a Tubing •Available in 1/2” to 2” sizes HPP (High Performance Polymer) Fittings •Available in 1/2” to 2” sizes No Lead (ECO)Brass Fittings •Threaded and sweat adapters available in ½” to 2” sizes Press and Expansion Fitting Systems •F1807 and F1960 standards says. “Likely we won’t grow as fast as we have been recently, but there’s definitely room to get bigger.” “It all depends on the availability of field resources,” Keith concludes. “We have built a very strong office team and have capacity for project management, but adding to the field is more challenging. As an ownership group we have an appetite to grow – personally I’d be open to doubling in size over the next five years – but to grow you need to find quality people, because you need quality people to do quality work. And quality is always going to come first.” MARCH 2024
For more on Kal-West Mechanical Systems, their mission, their capabilities, and their past projects – and to contact Keith, Terry, John and their team – visit https://www.kalwest.com/” THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
Quality cabinetry, quality experiences
Sunrise Kitchens is a family business that has been manufacturing kitchen cabinets in Surrey, British Columbia, for more than 40 years. Since starting as a one-man garage operation, they have grown into a team of 150-plus members working out of an 80,000-square-foot facility and 4,500-square-foot showroom. According to Paul Bhogal, the company’s president and CEO, that success is the result of “respect, hard work, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to growth.” He says that Sunrise Kitchens was founded on those values, and those values still power the company to this day: “Our vision is to be the esteemed and preferred partner for both our customers and our team, setting the standard for excellence in the cabinet industry through inclusive practices and diverse perspectives,” Paul says. “We believe the key to achieving that vision is by our values.” Paul’s father, Sohan Singh Bhogal, first started Sunrise Kitchens in 1983. At first, he only did cabinetmaking on the side – “basically as a hobby,” Paul recalls – but he quickly built a reputation in the local industry, and Sunrise Kitchens grew rapidly almost purely off word-of-mouth and referrals. Paul ended up joining the company in the early 1990s, and when his father stepped back in the early 2000s he took over running the show. He was joined by his spouse, Harjinder Bhogal, fulfilling the position of payroll manager. Under Paul’s leadership, Sunrise Kitchens has continued to grow at a fast pace. In particular, the size and scope of their work has grown significantly. In the early days, the company focused mainly on single family homes, but Paul really embraced the multi-family sector, where he found demand was very high. Since September of 2021, due to the extensiveness of that MARCH 2024
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demand, Sunrise Kitchens has specialized exclusively in the multi-family kitchen cabinet market. Relatedly, in 2021, Sunrise Kitchens also completed a $12 million expansion of the shop they had moved into about a decade earlier. That expansion added 35,000 square feet to the company’s existing manufacturing facility and allowed for a 50 per cent increase in production capacity. Around that time, Sunrise Kitchens also implemented ‘Kaizen’ lean thinking and methods. Kaizen, or rapid improvement processes, often is considered to be the “building block” of all lean production methods. Kaizen focuses on eliminating waste, improving productivity, and achieving sustained continual improvement in targeted activities and processes of an organization. More recently, in April of last year, Sunrise Kitchens took another significant step forward by acquiring Hertco Kitchens, a distinguished manufacturing company based in Ferndale, Washington. This strategic move expands Sunrise Kitchens’ expertise into the Western United States market and establishes a strong presence through a network of dealers targeting large-scale projects. “The addition of Hertco aligns with our growth objectives and allows us to broaden our reach to serve a wider customer base,” Paul said in a statement announcing that acquisition. “As a family-owned and operated business for over 40 years, Hertco Kitchens has become a leader in the US market with a robust dealer network and a focus THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
on producing quality kitchen cabinets. Their 60,000-squarefoot manufacturing facility is a testament to their commitment to excellence and growth.” According to Paul, Sunrise Kitchens’ business development team had been actively working to create a dealer network and expand their business in the United States, with a specific focus on the Western United States. Those efforts continue, with the acquisition of Hertco representing “a significant milestone in this initiative,” and creating “a strong foundation for future growth.” “Sunrise Kitchens and Hertco Kitchens share the same passion for the industry,” Paul says. “We both strongly believe in creating beautiful kitchens. Our companies are honoured to continue the journey and success built by both families and we are excited for the future opportunities this acquisition will bring.” Today, backed by that partnership – and equipped with their 80,000-square-foot state-of-the-art manufacturing facility – Sunrise Kitchens is one of the largest and most well-regarded providers of high quality cabinetry in British Columbia. The best testament to Sunrise’s current reputation is their high rate of repeat and the longevity of their client relationships. According to Paul, repeat business is by far their number one source of leads, and he says they have been working with many of the same builders and developers for over 20 years now. He credits that loyalty to Sunrise Kitchen’s consistency – not just their quality consistency, but also their consistency when it comes to meeting timelines MARCH 2024
and budgets: “Our clients know if we take a job, we will finish the job as per the agreement, on time and on budget,” Paul explains. “That’s very important to us. We make sure we’re always on time, we’re always on budget, and we complete the job to the client’s design and specifications.” Sunrise Kitchens is able to achieve that across-the-board consistency, Paul says, because of the calibre of their team. Their team knows how to valueengineer in order to achieve cost savings, and they know how – and more importantly, when – to source materials in order to make sure they are available on time. “We have the right people in the right places,” Paul says. “That’s the most important part of any business, I think, and I think we’ve got it right. We’re very proud of the team we have. Some people have been here for 15-to-20 years. Some people have been here longer. They know what they are doing and they care about what they are doing. They know how to bring value to the customer.” Paul also credits the consistency to the technology their team has access to. Over the past few years, Sunrise Kitchens has introduced a lot of automated technology to their shop in order to increase production times. For example, they now have an automated paint process, automated CNC machining of all parts, and an automated cabinet and parts wrapping system. They also have a corporate fleet of over 40 vehicles, which means they have the resources necessary to deliver cabinets quickly and securely, and to respond efficiently whenever there are any issues. “Our corporate fleet and the latest automated production equipment enable us to deliver a really high quality product at a really effective price,” Paul explains. “That’s really important in the multi-family sector, where price is often the biggest factor.” Of course, Paul adds that the THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
quality has to be there too, or they would never get repeat business. He partly credits the company’s consistency in that arena to their Kaizen manufacturing principles, but mostly he says it again comes back to the team: “We have a really strong culture,” he says. “People here enjoy their work. They like being part of the company. Our goal is to maintain an engaged and empowered workforce and I think we’ve been very successful over the years.” Again, Paul says many employees of Sunrise Kitchens have been with the company for well over a decade. He also says they have built similarly longstanding relationships with their extended team, including their roster of installation subcontractors (who they supervise on site), as well as their material suppliers: “We have really good, really strong relationships with our suppliers,” Paul says. “They are a major part of our business and we treat them as part of the team. That means they have to fit with our culture. They have to have the same ethics. And when we find a supplier we like, we usually work with them for a long time.” For example, Sunrise Kitchens has been a long-time partner of the GRASS group – which is a worldwide leader in furniture movement systems backed by over 80 years’ experience in manufacturing movement system hardware in Germany and Austria. GRASS Canada, the group’s Canadian division has been supplying Sunrise Kitchens’ drawer systems and hinges for four years. According to Paul, Sunrise has remained so loyal to GRASS’ drawer systems because of their unparalleled quality. He says GRASS is a known leader in the industry, with a brand that stands for quality, technical precision, progressive design and exemplary protection of the environment. For as long as he’s been in the industry, Paul says he has known GRASS to be one of the world’s leading developers and manufacturers of movement systems. GRASS’ hardware features patented synchronization for a floating smooth quality of drawer movement, low pull-out forces for maximum comfort and ergonomics, high dynamic load ratings to meet and exceed current residential design requirements for large drawers. Their hardware was created to allow for design freedom, and is the hardware of choice for top kitchen manufacturers world-wide, including Sunrise Kitchens. In addition to the quality of their product, GRASS Canada also takes pride in their customer service, and the close partnerships they form with their manufacturing partners, whom they strive to grow alongside. That commitment is another reason Sunrise Kitchens has remained so loyal. According to Ilona Stigrad, Western Regional Sales Manager of GRASS Canada, GRASS seeks to work closely with partners like Sunrise in order to help them meet their goals: “Whether their goals are lean manufacturing, customer focused design, or synching delivery timelines, we work closely with our manufacturing partners to make it happen,” Ilona says. “We strive for seamless alignment with decision makers by being nimble and communicating. As a result, we grow together.” MARCH 2024
Growing together These days, Sunrise Kitchens’ projects can vary greatly in size and scope – they are all multifamily projects, but those can range anywhere from 20 units to 500 units. Late last year, for example, they finished a couple high rise projects in the Lower Mainland, each with unit counts between 350 and 400. Moving forward, Paul says those are the kind of projects they expect to focus on. Also moving forward, Paul expects the company to continue expanding. For the next five years, he says their goal and plan is to grow 12 to 15 per cent annually. Again, he expects the Hertco Kitchens acquisition to be very helpful, as it will allow them to broaden their reach and serve a wider customer base. Furthermore, as Sunrise Kitchens grows, Paul stresses that they will hard work to maintain their culture. He stresses how important the whole team is to the success of THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
the business: “Our company is successful because of our team,” he concludes. “It’s not just me. It’s our team. That’s everyone from our sales team to our finance team to our designengineering team, our production team, our completion team – everybody together is involved in providing a good end-result. Without our team, we couldn’t deliver the quality that we’re known for.” Finally, Paul emphasizes that Sunrise Kitchens is a family business, highlighting the exciting involvement of the third generation. His daughter, Amrita, holds the executive role of leading the People and Culture department, playing a pivotal role in shaping the company’s culture. Meanwhile, his son, Navjot, oversees operations in the United States and is spearheading further international development. Together, they represent the future leadership of the company, embodying its values and commitment to excellence. MARCH 2024
For more on Sunrise Kitchens, their vast capabilities, their past projects, and their many, many points of difference – and to get in touch with their team and/or make an appointment at their showroom – visit https://sunrisekitchens.com THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
Misty Jean Photography
A new way of living
River Tree Developments is a Nova Scotia company dedicated to developing and building healthy and functional homes with low energy costs. Their founding mission, as established by founder and CEO Marlaina Myra, is to create communities and homes using greener building materials with a focus on accessibility and functionality, and in so doing free their clients from rising utility costs while lessening the environmental impact they are making on the earth. They also strive to create communities where people are connected – not just to their natural environment, but also to each other. “Our world needs to think greener, to build a strong community support system and to think of the future,” Marlaina says. “We need living environments that are socially, economically, and environmentally sustainability. At River Tree, our goal is to create those environments.” Marlaina has been passionate about both environmental sustainability and health and wellness for a long time. Building is also in her blood – she personally discovered her passion for design at a young age, thanks to her father’s occupation as a millwright. “Growing up, I had access to various tools and learned many trades from him,” she recalls. “I would often rearrange my room and even build furniture as a child.” As she got older, Marlaina’s interests shifted towards the field of health and wellness. She pursued a career as a massage therapist and eventually obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Dalhousie University – though that experience also got her thinking about building again. “During my time in nursing school, I learned about the MARCH 2024
THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Misty Jean Photography
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determinants of health, and one concept that resonated with me was the significant impact our living environments have on our well-being,” she says. “After completing my education, I gained experience working in emergency medicine, long-term care, and community medicine. These experiences led me to establish a company with a primary focus on creating functional and healthy environments.” In 2016, Marlaina began studying building science, net-zero building, passive home designs, and permaculture. Through these studies, she says she realized that those concepts represented “the future of home design and development.” “I learned to work with the land and design according to its principles, minimizing environmental risks and utilizing the land to our advantage.” “With my background in wellness and newfound knowledge in design, I transformed a music studio into a wellness clinic and a home accessory store into a yoga studio in Wolfville, Nova Scotia,” she continues. “This reignited my passion for design, particularly in creating spaces that prioritize wellness.” In 2017, Marlaina founded River Tree Developments Inc. She commenced the company by purchasing a large parcel of land in Mount Uniacke, Nova Scotia, and then developing it. Their first project was a custom passive solar home, where they worked closely with the client from the land sale to the home’s design and construction. That project received positive feedback and testimonials. THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Misty Jean Photography
From there, however, the onset of the pandemic prompted the company to shift focus to designing and building their first net-zero home. River Tree Developments then became a member of the Canadian Home Builders Association and one of the first registered net-zero homebuilders in Nova Scotia. Their first net-zero build received the Certificate of Excellence award in 2022 for its well-built passive solar and netzero design. That home was not only energy-efficient but also designed to accommodate aging in place, with the ability to divide the home into two separate units. “Functionality and practicality are essential aspects we strive for in all our designs,” Marlaina says – and that first net-zero home was a strong example of those values in action. Recently, River Tree partnered with Chris Robinson, a heritage carpenter and owner of Verus Construction. This collaboration allows them to offer clients a full-service from design to construction, and allows them to take on various project types, including land development, new builds, and renovations. Together, they can also take on commercial projects – in recent years, they have taken on projects such as yoga studios, ice cream parlours, and multi-unit affordable housing projects. “Home builds are our specialty,” Marlaina clarifies, “but we’re flexible. We do a variety of things and we can provide a variety of services.” These days, no matter the project scope or typology, she says River Tree is set apart by their “green energy mindset.” The clients that choose them, MARCH 2024
she explains, tend to share that mindset: “Our approach is to view projects through a sustainability framework, combining flow, functionality, and efficiency in the structure. We enjoy working on projects with clients who think the same way.” River Tree has a “unique perspective when approaching projects,” Marlaina adds, in that they are “always aiming to make spaces as accessible and functional as possible for people of all ages and abilities.” “We prioritize age-in-place design principles, ensuring that homes and commercial spaces are easily accessible and equipped with essential amenities such as kitchens, bathrooms, laundry facilities, and bedrooms on the main level. Just as we approach health from a preventative healthcare perspective, we apply the same mindset to building design. We aim to prevent costly renovations in the future and ensure that people can comfortably age in their homes.” As previously mentioned, River Tree also has a closeknit relationship with a highlyrespected local contractor – and Marlaina believes that’s another reason clients choose them: “That makes us pretty efficient in our timelines,” she explains. “We’re not making our client’s wait a long time to build their home. We’re able to get things done pretty quickly.” THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA
MARCH 2024 Misty Jean Photography
The right direction Currently, River Tree is working on a land development project that involves building 22 netzero rental homes. These homes will incorporate passive solar design concepts and include community spaces within the design. The company’s goal there is to create a selfsufficient community with multi-generational units and on-site support services such as nursing and home care if needed. “The concept is similar to cohousing communities, where private homes are clustered around shared spaces,” Marlaina explains. “This allows us to build smaller, more energy-efficient homes while fostering a sense of community and resource sharing. We believe in neighbors helping neighbors, growing our own food, and reconnecting with nature. This is the future we aim to create, where households are financially independent and lead private lives while collaborating on community THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Misty Jean Photography
activities and shared spaces.” “Our dream is to create environments that foster relationships and connections,” she elaborates. “We believe that the environment we live in and the people we surround ourselves with play a crucial role in our sense of belonging and overall health and wellness. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the negative impact of isolation on individuals, which further motivated us to create spaces that eliminate such fears.” Moving forward, Marlaina hopes to do more community developments along the lines of the one they are doing now. She also hopes that community will inspire other developers – not just developers in Nova Scotia, but developers all across Canada and even the globe. And if those developers need any advice or guidance, Marlaina is also very open to providing a consulting service. “Our ultimate goal is to use this community design project as a model for similar initiatives across the country and around the world,” she concludes. “We aim to live in harmony with one another and our environments, utilizing new technologies to enhance our lived experiences. We are on the verge of a new way of living, and by building integrated net-zero communities, we believe River Tree is taking a step in the right direction.” MARCH 2024 Misty Jean Photography Misty Jean Photography
For more on River Tree Developments, their values, their range of home designs, and their upcoming ecocommunity – and to get in touch with Marlaina and her team and schedule a consultation – visit https://rivertreedevelopments.ca/ THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA Misty Jean Photography
BC Brick Supplies is a familyowned and industry-leading supplier of landscape and masonry supplies, servicing contractors and homeowners across Greater Vancouver. For over 30 years, clients in the region have relied on them for their helpful service and wide selection of materials, sourced from all across North America, Europe, and Asia. Today, within their four-acre lot and fullystocked showroom, clients can expect to find a large variety of products – including clay bricks, natural and manufactured stone, statuary, pre-cast concrete, cultured stone, retaining walls and pavers, and a whole lot more. “Whether the client is renovating an indoor fireplace or designing a large courtyard, our team is here to make their job easier,” says Logan Miller, Sales Manager. “We have the stock and knowledge to accommodate any big idea or design concept. We’re also able to load the client’s vehicle or arrange to have it delivered. And if they need a bit of help, we’re more than happy to recommend several different companies who we’ve worked with that can help them with landscaping and masonry installation.” “It is our goal to be seen as the leader in the landscape and masonry supply industry and to make BC Brick a company that our customers are confident to recommend to friends and associates,” he continues. “We are a family-owned company and we are here to help.” The Miller family has been in the brick business since the 1960s, when Logan’s grandfather first started working for a local brick supplier. Later, he and some partners formed a company called Fraser Valley Brick & Block, which they operated into the early 90s. Logan’s father, Rick, and his uncles, Brian and Randy, worked for their dad until he retired and that is when they decided to strike MARCH 2024
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