I live in Edmonton, Alberta and I can easily say there is a plethora of builders to choose from when contemplating building a new home.
I started my search right here on HomeStars reading the reviews of others. I then migrated to google, facebook and other sites - doing my due diligence in my search for a builder that met my tough list of requirements. Long story short, I chose Royer and it was truly one of the best decisions of my life.
Royer brings the very best to the table and I could write a novel about why they stand a cut above. Royer was not my first home builder, but they will absolutely be my last. I recommend them for so many reasons and here is a short list of them:
They are not the cheapest builder, but they are not outrageous either. Their pricing is more than justified by the outstanding quality and workmanship that go into their homes.
Our house went up in a newer neighborhood and I can't even count how many neighbors came to tell us what they witnessed. Word of mouth spread about the extra stuff they saw this company doing. The neighbours talked about the care and thought put into the project.
My one neighbour said to me as he shook his head at the cracks on his driveway - "I wish my builder had thought to do that..." referring to something as simple as watering what would become my garage pad and driveway for an entire day.
Even something like the Rebar used was not missed by the many eyes of the community. Ours was much larger than what other builders were typically using.
This is another perk of using a small builder. What costs them perhaps only a few hundred dollars to upgrade the bones of the house is a standard for Royer, but when you get a mass builder - the bill of those few hundred dollars gets pretty big pretty fast and I have seen what cut corners cost in the long run.
Royer homes have amazing trades people too. You won't see a cycle of new faces running around your precious home either. They use the same trades for years and years. It's like an extended family of people who can all work harmoniously, who all know the high expectations, who all know they are accountable, and who all take pride in what they do.
I cannot begin to describe the joy I felt walking into the home and seeing one guy lovingly smoothing and eyeballing his railings, then grinning down at me from the top of the stairs with a huge smile - saying proudly: "Isn't it BEAUTIFUL!"
...Or when Dan came out and literally glowed with pride as he reviewed room by room with us.
...Or when Ken or Craig or Alan promptly took care of our questions, concerns and minor deficiencies.
...or when the painter finished his touch ups so perfectly that they I'd never had known they were there.
With Royer - they get back to you, they walk the talk and they genuinely love what they do. Denis built his company on solid principles and great business ethics and Dan continues to raise the bar. The most obvious thing I noticed was that Dan doesn't have to drag his team to perform. They do so out of their own pride and sense of accomplishment. They go to work to do a great job, not just get paid. It's in everything we witnessed and even those we didn't but the neighbors did.
Royer is composed of the best Brand Ambassadors. Every person contributing to the beautiful work they do.
Our home is our oasis and it is truly a joy to come home to.
On a final note - It was my fathers dream to see this house built. He had terminal cancer and he fought so hard to see it through. Sadly he was not there for the end, but seeing this home develop gave him so much joy! Erin was amazing. She rallied to get me progress pictures for my dad and every "OMG...oh jeeze that's beautiful!"...that passed from his mouth, was something I will never forget. She is organized and so very personable.
This is a team that listens to you, and truly wants to build the home of your dreams. Dan said it so eloquently - when he said - it's MY NAME on that house.
Another outstanding thing that did not escape attention was the business ethics even on an internal and environmental scale. While other houses went up in the vicinity, Royer was the only one to provide a port-a-potty for the workers. While I strolled along the growing neighborhood, noticing blown debris along the streets - I was pleased that Royer kept our property clean and tight. No trash strewn about in or around the work-site. I love that Royer was considerate not just to their clients, but also to their trades and even nature.
It was a pleasure building with Royer. Never did I regret that decision and if you are in the market to build an oasis of your own - choose Royer, and neither will you.