Good Neighbor Podcast: Mississauga

Gray Hair Wisdom: Why Experience Matters in Home Renovation

• Alanja Simmons

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Ever wondered what separates a true builder from a contractor? In this enlightening conversation with Andrew Parker, third-generation master carpenter and owner of Partex Design Build, we uncover the essential differences that could save your next home renovation project from disaster.

Andrew shares his family's deep roots in construction, dating back to his grandfather and father before him, explaining how this generational knowledge shapes his approach to design-build projects today. With characteristic candour, he reveals why many contractors fail their clients - often due to a lack of business training, proper documentation skills, and transparency - and how  Partex Design Build  has maintained its stellar reputation since 1981 by avoiding these common pitfalls.

From second-floor additions to in-law suites for aging parents, Andrew walks us through how  Partex Design Build helps homeowners maximize their living spaces while navigating complex permit processes and neighbourhood relations. His advice is refreshingly straightforward: "Hire the guy with the gray hair. He's already made most of the mistakes with other people's money, and you get what you pay for." Beyond his professional insights, we glimpse Andrew's personal passions as a competitive pilot and sailor who balances work with adventure.

Ready to transform your home with confidence? Visit PARTEX.ca to explore Client testimonials and Andrew's educational YouTube channel that demystifies the renovation journey. 

Intro:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbour's come together. Here's your host, Alanja Simmons.

Alanja Simmons:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of a design Build contractor? One might be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your good neighbour, Andrew Parker.

Andrew Parker:

Good morning, Alanja. How are you?

Alanja Simmons:

Hi, good good morning, Andrew. How's it going?

Andrew Parker:

Very well today. Thank you for asking.

Alanja Simmons:

We're excited to learn about you and your business. Tell us about your company, Partex Design Build.

Andrew Parker:

So Partex has been around since 1981. My father was a builder and my grandfather was a builder. I'm a master carpenter and I specialize in helping people make more out of their homes and solving a few problems along the way. Perhaps it's space, or people need a second floor edition, or they need a rear edition, or they simply want to reorganize the interior and upgrade finishes, home offices, perhaps a in-law suite for ailing parents, uh what have you? There's lots of different needs out there to solve with people in a transparent and high-quality way.

Alanja Simmons:

And how did you get into business?

Andrew Parker:

How do we gain the business, you said?

Alanja Simmons:

How did you get into business?

Andrew Parker:

Well, my as I said, my grandfather was a builder, and my father was a builder, so it just came naturally to me. My father was uh he was involved in his grandfather's company from 1964 on, and that's the business that I grew up in.

Alanja Simmons:

And what are some myths or misconceptions in your industry?

Andrew Parker:

Oh there's many. Um, first, we distinguish ourselves from contractors. We're proper builders. Uh, what's the difference? A builder is somebody that you come to after the contractor has already mucked it up because they aren't necessarily very skilled or very transparent. They may not be good business people, they may not be good about documenting things. Um, there's lots of ways for those tradesmen that have grown up to be contractors to fail because they haven't had any business training. So they can um that situation can be a little bit challenging.

Alanja Simmons:

And we know marketing as the is the heart of every business. Who are your target customers and how do you attract them?

Andrew Parker:

So everyone that owns a home potentially is a is a good customer. Um, we have our ear to the ground um through committee of adjustment proceedings and whatnot, where people have applied for permissions for zoning changes so that they can put up a second floor edition or a rear edition. And we make ourselves known to those people, and some of them will come back to us and ask for some more help. Um, they need more design or they need just the construction. And plus, we have a fairly good reputation after 44 years managing to stay in business and keep uh people happy. So our referral business is quite strong.

Alanja Simmons:

And have you ever thought about doing your own podcasts?

Andrew Parker:

No.

Alanja Simmons:

Yes. Outside of work, what do you do for fun?

Andrew Parker:

I'm a competitive pilot and a competitive sailor, and uh I enjoy my little golden doodle, and my wife and I managed to um get a few things done like skiing and a fair amount of traveling.

Alanja Simmons:

Andrew, please tell our listeners one thing they should remember about Partex Design Build.

Andrew Parker:

Hire the guy with the gray hair. He's already made most of the mistakes with other people's money, and you get what you pay for.

Alanja Simmons:

How can our listeners learn more about Partex Design Build?

Andrew Parker:

They might want to go to our website, which is P A R T E X.ca, and there there's several links going to video testimonials from clients and our uh new YouTube page that has 20 uh short videos on it to help explain some of the process that homeowners are going to go through for permits and for committee of adjustment and uh the various planning and how to network with your neighbors so it's not a surprise and a shock to them what you're doing, or we don't run into problems with them during the job. Uh, there's lots of ways to fail during a renovation, and we try to advise our clients about most of them to help it be clean and easy.

Alanja Simmons:

Well, Andrew, I really appreciate you being on the show, and we wish you and your business Partex Design Build the best moving forward.

Andrew Parker:

Thank you very much, Alanja, and thanks for your time.

Alanja Simmons:

Thank you.

Ontro:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gmpmissisauga.com. That's gmpmississauga.com or call 365 363 9780.