A house becomes a home when it reflects the character and facilitates the lifestyles of those who reside there. Making your home feel like you is in fact the motivating force behind so many renovations and new construction projects alike. Behind these transformations are firms like Archadeck of Nova Scotia and CASE Design/Remodeling Halifax, where a team of experts comes together to make dream homes a reality.
Through elevated design, process, craftsmanship, and service, Archadeck of Nova Scotia and CASE Design/Remodeling Halifax have firmly rooted themselves in the Nova Scotia market and beyond, building on a strong reputation. Now, under new leadership with the same commitment to exceptional builds and relationships rooted in trust, both companies continue to forge a path forward as construction partners of choice within their respective specialties, simultaneously growing the size and the positive impact they have for customers, employees, and vendors.
Elevating spaces
During the pandemic, stay-at-home orders had people questioning if their homes made the most sense for their new lifestyles. With this consideration came an uptick in business, catalyzing strong growth for both Archadeck of Nova Scotia and CASE Design/Remodeling, who rode the rapid inflow of leads to create functional and aesthetically pleasing places and spaces that homeowners could be proud of.
As that wave of demand levelled off, the firms have remained steadily at it, undertaking everything from traditional to complex projects with elaborate structures that require structural work. From the largest, most complicated build to the smaller, simpler ones, all are met with the same commitment to excellence.
Owner Santiago Pinzon acknowledges the two companies’ maturity, the confidence they bring to jobsites, and the value they bring to homeowners who are making a very significant investment: “Not everyone is comfortable opening the side of someone’s house and making sure that you build something that’s structurally sound and meets code,” he says. “It really encompasses a big investment for a successful project that can be enjoyed for 20-plus years.”
Archadeck of Nova Scotia has operated since 2002, while CASE Design/Remodeling entered the market five years later in 2007. Since then, the two firms continue to prove their capacity and value to homeowners in the province, which is why they caught the attention of Pinzon and his team when looking for a construction company to acquire.
Further to the craftsmanship and established relationships the companies enjoyed, service delivery continues to be optimized through investments in technology, ensuring that CASE and Archadeck remain on the leading edge of innovation, communication, and efficiency.
“With our process and software, when you sign up for a project, you get a whole team behind you,” Pinzon explains of the various components of a project. “You’re getting the perspective from every single party that makes a project happen before actually being on site. We can mitigate the risks to the homeowner and internally, we can make sure that we plan things properly so the project can be the most efficient it can be.”
The experienced team of designers, project managers, and carpenters are enabled by technology to provide the greatest possible value for the homeowners who “don’t have to be consulting three or four different parties and getting them to agree. They’re coming to a single place that’s going to take care of them,” says Pinzon.
Technology empowers the homeowners through efficient communication and information sharing amongst all project stakeholders, and this is all available through their mobile devices. The approach imparts confidence that the homeowner’s investment is in good hands, but it also optimizes workflow and outcomes. This is especially true of the design-build projects the firms undertake.
Minimizing risk
For Pinzon, “When it comes to design-build versus traditional construction methods, design-build is really meant to lower the risk for both parties, the contractor and the homeowner. So, when it comes to working with us, you’re not signing on a large project without knowing everything that’s going to be involved, without knowing what it’s going to look like, and without really going through all the paces. You see it in front of you before you’re signing.”
Technology not only brings visions to life through renderings, but it also supports due diligence and accountability by tracking performance, which Pinzon says leaves homeowners free to enjoy “the fun part of the work. They get to make the choices and be excited about the project while we’re taking care of the more technical side.”
The technical side that he is referring to relates to the entirety of the scope of the project, from initial consultations through design, material selections, and construction. The pace moves in accordance with the customer’s comfort level, and everything is optimized from a design, delivery, and cost perspective.
“Having a fixed price for a construction project is of utmost essence to a homeowner,” notes Pinzon. “We do fixed-price contracts because we do the due diligence upfront and then we’ll actually credit all the money that you’ve invested into design into the construction project, so you’re really getting the value back from our team.”
Value-based design
There is a reason why Archadeck of Nova Scotia and CASE Design/Remodeling Halifax are multi-award-winning firms: the approach to people, partners, and projects is consistent and rooted in trust. This is all the validation that Pinzon needs.
From the front office administrator to the various trades on site, he acknowledges that, “it takes a whole team to make a successful project happen and we always want to celebrate the wins—whether they’re big or small, whether it’s an award or a simple ‘thank you’ from the client.”
To be sure, culture is a critical part of the companies’ success, and it was an important part of the acquisition of the company by Santiago’s team. Such a winning culture came about in large part thanks to the foundation laid by Maurice Meagher, who established and grew the companies. “From the first call between me and Maurice when we were looking at purchasing the businesses, there was clear alignment on approach,” says Pinzon, which was pivotal for both sides of the agreement.
For Meagher, who has worked to establish a strong culture characterized by clear communication and strong feedback loops whereby action can be taken to further optimize and improve performance, it is imperative to understand people’s motivations; this is true not only of getting the most out of employees, but of relationships in general.
“We’re both very aligned and if there is one thing that matters, it’s that people care; if we care for them, they’re going to care for their project and everyone is going to care for each other, and that’s what a good culture really is. It goes well beyond the numbers: you take care of people, they’ll take care of you, and then everyone wins together,” says Pinzon.
A new era of trust
With Pinzon at the helm of Archadeck of Nova Scotia and CASE Design/Remodeling Halifax, the motivation goes far beyond simply growing for growth’s sake. “We really want to elevate what residential construction looks like for homeowners,” says Pinzon, adding, “I don’t even want to say that we’re setting the bar high. I think it should be the bare minimum for homeowners.”
In a market that could use stronger consumer protections, he believes that within the processes at Archadeck of Nova Scotia and CASE Design/Remodeling Halifax can help set the tone. “There are protections that need to exist for clients. Following the right model and process, making sure that the minimum standard that we’re setting is what it should be across all of Canada, is why we’re doing this.”
Looking ahead, despite the countless uncertainties in the market, one thing remains stable and that is the fact that Archadeck of Nova Scotia and CASE Design/Remodeling Halifax are true construction partners who seek to add value to projects and relationships through their work.
“We focus on doing consistent delivery of quality projects, providing a good experience for clients, and then also a good experience for our team and our employees to grow,” says Meagher. He knows the companies and their legacy are in good hands and will continue to grow thanks to the exceptional processes and standards they espouse.
