T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R C O N S T R U C T I O N E X E C U T I V E S

Summer 2009 www.canadianexecutivejournal.com

THOMAS DESIGN BUILDERS LTDExperts in Design and Construction

Thomas Design Builders Ltd

Though the name may betray the craft of Thomas Design Builders LTD, there is more than meets the eye when it comes to the success of this Winnipeg-based company.

Like many leading businesses, Thomas Design Builders began as a small business and gradually grew into the successful and well-known company it is today, working throughout the western part of Canada.

Headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Thomas Design Builders was incorporated in 1980 and operates as a design build contractor for the industrial and commercial sectors. With its 15 employees headed by Jeffrey Miller, C.E.T., Trevor Miller, B.Comm (Hons.) and Ron Miller, C.E.T. and annual revenue of $20 million, Thomas Design Builders has the capacity to work on a wide spectrum of building types including steel, wood, concrete, masonry, and pre-engineered buildings. The company’s employees have the innate ability to identify the unique needs of each client and closely match these requirements with the expertise that Thomas Design Builders provides.

Services and Operations

As a design build company, each project completed includes both the design and construction phases. The Thomas Design Builders team offers experts in design, engineering, drafting, and on-site supervision. The project management team offers customers hands-on involvement throughout the process

Experts in Design and ConstructionProduced by Cathleen Sachs & Written by Shelley Seyler

2 | Canadian ExECutivE Journal Summer edition 2009

allowing for flexibility in design and budget decisions.

Most important for its customer service, Thomas Design Builders ensures that projects are expedited for the specific needs of a customer. Once the Scope of Work has been determined and the project costs are agreed upon, Thomas Design Builders has the ability to utilize a “Fast Track” approach to design so construction can commence while final working drawings are being completed, an approach which saves time and money.

Thomas Design Builders is also equipped to provide competitive bids on projects that have been prepared by others. Thanks to its experienced personnel and reputation in the industry, Thomas Design Builders is able to work with top-notch subcontractors that allow for some of the best pricing in the industry.

When it comes to the planning stages of a project, the company can do it all. Offering site plan drawings, Thomas Design Builders can help with the site selection process to make sure the best option is chosen. They have the capabilities to transform two-dimensional drawings into 3D perspectives so that owners can visualize how their new facility will appear when completed. The company also completes comprehensive budget estimates for projects, allowing clients the ability to determine the feasibility of the project.

Thomas Design Builders recognizes the importance of excellent working relations with project sub-trades to deliver the best project results available. “They need to have an understanding of the design build process. We also look to performance, pricing and the manpower necessary to complete the job,” says President Jeff Miller.

Thomas Design Builders is an authorized builder for both Robertson and Behlen Building Systems. These buildings have various components, which allow for different designs, thermal systems, cost efficiencies and rapid construction durations for many projects.

Key Personnel

Jeff Miller, C.E.T. President - holds a diploma from Red River

Thomas Design Builders Ltd

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College in Design & Construction Technology and many years of estimating and project management experience.

Ron Miller, C.E.T. General Manager - has held various positions within the construction industry and came to Thomas Design Builders with 35 years of experience in design building and real estate development

Trevor Miller, B.Comm (Hons.), Treasurer - earned an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Manitoba and is responsible for project management and new business development utilizing his previous experiences within the construction industry.

When looking for new staff, Thomas Design Builders relies on word-of-mouth recommendations but also has a recruitment

program with local Post Secondary Institutions in Winnipeg, Manitoba to be able to recruit the top employees.

Safety and Projects

Thomas Design Builders is a COR certified (Certificate of Recognition) company and elevates the importance of safety as one of the most important tenets of the business. COR is becoming a standard throughout Canada; some owners in Manitoba and other areas of the western part of the country even going so far as to make it mandatory. COR has set standards that need to be maintained in order for Thomas Design Builders to keep its certification. The company undergoes internal audits every year to keep up to date on all safety issues.

Quality Mechanical ServiceS ltd.Tel: (204)632-8811 l Fax: (204)489-5388

Fax: (204)489-5388 l Air ConditioningRefrigeration l Electrical l 24hr. Service

PREvEnTATivE MAinTEnAnCE & QuAliTy SERviCE GuARAnTEEd

“Thank you for your business, present and future. Our team will keep servicing you at the highest

level of quality and satisfaction.”

106 - D Scurfirld Blvd., Winnipeg, MB R3Y 1G4

Supplying electrical and mechanical services to Thomas Design on several projects. Design build and engineered.

992 Dugald Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2J 0G9

(204) 233-3716Fax: (204) 235-1814

Built-Up Roo�ng Re-Roo�ng Roo�ng Maintenance E P D M Roo�ng Modi�ed Bitumen Pre-�nished Metal Wall Siding & Cladding

Insulated Metal Panel Metal Roof Decking Applicators of Metal Roo�ng Asphalt Shingles

Providing Customer Satisfaction Since 1959

Roo�ng (2000) Ltd.

tranr@shaw.cawww.transconaroo�ng.com

Roo�ng Specialists

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Box 13, East Selkirk, MB R0E 0M0204.482.3669

Batt Insulation Vapour BarrierSteel Stud Drywall Taping Acoustic Ceilings

Batt Insulation Vapout BarrierSteel Stud Drywall TapingAcoustic Ceilings

FAWCETT CONSTRUCTION LTD.

Established : 1980Employees : 15

Annual Revenue : $20 Million

www.thomasdesignbuilders.ca

COMPANY AT A GLANCE Fawcett Construction Ltd is proud of the association with �omas Design Builders Ltd suppling and installing Steel Studs, Drywall, Acoustical Ceilings for their projects. As well as the challanges of Design Built and Pre-Engineered Buildings from the planning stage to �nal completion.

FAWCETT CONSTRUCTION LTD.

Current Projects

Thomas Design Builders most recently completed a state-of-the-art facility for Granny’s Poultry that included geo-thermal systems, the expansion to Friesens’ Corporation and Printing Facility and Login Canada Global Textbook Distributor Centre.

Thomas Design Builders has also begun a renovation project for the largest Smitty’s in Canada. The company is also in the planning stages for a Fairfield Marriott project that will be a six-storey 120-room hotel.

Facing the Challenges

“We are very well positioned,” says Ron Miller, expecting to experience one to two percent growth in the next year. That said, Thomas Design Builders is faced with the challenge of recruiting the new generation into the industry. With many of its long-term employees set to retire relatively soon, the company is foraging for the “young, bright minds” that can further move the company forward.

In the face of today’s economic crisis and the ever-increasing pressure to go green, Thomas Design Builders is determined to be a competitive factor in the construction industry for many years to come with the decisions that are made today.

Summer 2009 www.canadianexecutivejournal.com

Thomas Design Builders Ltd430-D Dovercourt Drive

Winnipeg, Manitoba R3Y 1N4Canada