Why Growing Up in a Never-Ending Renovation Was the Best Gift My Dad Ever Gave Me

The 27th of this month  would have been my dad’s 69th birthday.  In his memory, I wanted to share a little of what it was like  to grow up as his daughter.

When he and my mom first married and we girls were born, he wasn’t working as a general contractor yet. Instead, he held jobs  in electronics, household distribution and commercial glazing before finally pursuing his true passion: construction. Every day he would come home, we’d ask him how his day was, and he’d always say: “it was there.” That little phrase struck  me to my core (I can remember it so vividly), and it had a major influence on the trajectory of my future. I became determined to have more than just “there” when I grew up. Even at a young age, I could sense an  underlying fear in him about starting his  own business; perhaps from judgement he might face as the sole breadwinner striking out on his own, or from the possibility of being branded “too blue collar”. So, he quieted his inner voice and stayed on the straight and narrow for years, even though his heart was always in construction. 

Recently, my husband and I were reminiscing about our childhoods. We both have beautiful memories, but they were worlds apart. In his family, and in his own words, they would: “Buy the Home Depot floor model so they didn’t have to put it together.” In mine, I didn’t even know people hired trades for work around the house—we simply were the trades.

I often say my childhood was filled with love, laughter, and sawdust. Our home was in a state of perpetual renovation, and my dad had a particular talent for putting leftover materials to “creative” use. My favourite example? The laundry room countertop: 4x4" hunter-green tiles paired with leftover pink grout. It was, as the kids say, a vibe.

No, I wasn’t raised in perfectly designed spaces, but I was surrounded by creativity in its rawest, most unfiltered form. Over the 20+ years I lived at home—and for many years after—our family house was a living construction site. By osmosis (and getting my hands dirty), I learned more about building, fixing, and creating than most. Eventually, as I grew more confident, I started — let’s call it “collaborating” — with my dad whenever he woke up with a new project idea.

Watching him work—whether at home or on a job site—gave me a deep, lifelong respect for contractors and tradespeople. They are the quiet visionaries behind every transformation; the problem-solvers who turn lines on a drawing into something you can touch, live in, and love.

Here are three lessons that have shaped not only my life but my business as a contractor’s daughter:

1. The answer is never “no”—only how.

Maybe it was because I was his daughter (and therefore, obviously, the boss ), but my dad never dismissed an idea outright. He could see potential in anything, and that inspired me to persevere as a problem solver and creative thinker. This taught me that everything is possible, it’s just a matter of figuring out the steps and developing a plan to execute the vision.

2. They want you to love it.

Contractors are artists in steel-toed boots. They build what didn’t exist before, and they care—deeply—about the outcome. They may not always say it, but every cut, nail, and finish is a piece of their pride, and they savor the moment when a client sees their vision take shape.

"Contractors are artists in steel-toed boots."

3. Flexibility is a superpower.

One size never fits all—especially in construction. Renovation taught me to see beyond what is to what could be. For contractors, the plans we hand them are their map. They navigate budgets, timelines, and personalities, all while keeping safety and craftsmanship front and center.

What I saw growing up—and still see every day on my projects—is that the best in the business show up with two toolkits: the physical one they carry, and the mental one filled with resourcefulness, patience, and grit. No matter what the workday throws at them, they find a way forward.

It’s a gift to have grown up with that example. And it’s a privilege to work alongside people like my dad—builders of homes, and builders of dreams.

If you’re ready to bring that same dedication, creativity, and care into your own home, let’s create something extraordinary together. Because the right team doesn’t just create spaces—they craft the backdrop for your most meaningful moments.

XO,

Cynthia