When my wife and I first moved to Vancouver, we rented a unit that needed some basic repairs — dented walls, missing caulking on the baseboards, and a broken bathroom fan. We called the building manager, who quickly sent a contractor to fix everything. Grateful for the help, we stepped out to give him space.

What we came back to, however, was a mess! Not only was the drywall work poorly done, but the bathroom fan broke again within a week. The caulking around the baseboards was thick and uneven; a job rushed and without care. After several return visits from the contractor without real improvement, I realized something important: if I wanted it done right, I could do it myself.

Growing up, I had worked alongside my father and uncle on construction sites: building houses, pouring concrete, installing drywall. Hard work, done properly, was a value passed down to me from a young age. So, I picked up a few tools, redid all the repairs myself, and brought the unit back to the condition it deserved to be in.

The building manager was surprised and asked why I had taken it upon myself to fix everything. My wife simply said, “If he sees something wrong, he can’t leave it that way. That’s how he was raised.”

That moment sparked something. My wife, Lucia, encouraged me to turn my skills into more than just a hobby. She reminded me that true craftsmanship is valuable everywhere — especially in a new country.

Since then, whether by my own hands or those of our trusted team, I’m proud to say we have completed over 300 projects — from small repairs to more complex renovations. To me, no matter the size, we have to treat every property as if it were our own: with care, respect, and a commitment to doing things right the first time.