Peddie Roofing 20 Years - April 2014

20 Years

of Tip-top Quality and Service

By Julia Marshall

Photo courtesy of Unimark Creative

W

hen David Peddie and his family moved to Calgary from the Toronto area in 1978, they only intended to stay for five years. At the time, David was an estimator for a roofing company that wanted to establish a presence in Western Canada. David agreed to relocate to Calgary to set up the new branch of the business, but shortly after, the parent company pulled out.

Sensing the opportunities in the heart of the new West, David decided to stay and take over the fledgling Calgary operations. He founded his own business in 1979 and

incorporated in 1981. Fifteen years later, David renamed the company after his family name, and Peddie Roofing & Waterproofing Ltd. was established.

Today, the company is a leading commercial roofing contractor with clients such as Shaw Communications, Sears Canada, Real Canadian Superstore, Bell Canada, Home Depot, Walmart and Foothills Hospital. The company, based in Calgary with an office in Edmonton, completes projects throughout Western Canada, including Regina, Saskatoon, Lloydminster, Fort McMurray and Grande Prairie.

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The team at Peddie Roofing. Photo by Melissa Arthur.

All in the family

The company is a true family-owned-and-operated business. David Peddie acts as president and his wife, Heather, takes care of HR, marketing, promotions and event planning. Their son, Ashley, is the company’s general manager, and their other son, Colin, oversees the maintenance department of the business. “Both my sons do a great job; they’re very compatible,” says David. “They communicate well and support one other.”

Even employees without the Peddie name are considered part of the family. Several staff members and entire crews have been with the company since the mid-1980s. “We are very family-oriented,” says David. “We hold four gatherings a year, at Christmas, Thanksgiving, Stampede and Easter, where we have a meal together and express our appreciation for our employees.”

The longevity of the company’s staff allows Peddie Roofing to offer reliable, consistent service. “We’ve retained our core employee base over the years by treating each employee as an individual with their own unique gifts,” says David.

“We want them to know they are a valuable part of the business, and in turn, they take pride in what they offer our customers.”

Long-standing relationships within the business extend to the company’s client interactions. Several high-profile customers have retained the company as their exclusive contractor for 10 or 20 years. Because Peddie Roofing specializes in inspecting and maintaining roofs in addition to building them, clients save money by avoiding

costly repairs often caused by neglect. If something does go wrong, the company offers comprehensive repair and 24-hour leak service.

Built to last

Like any established business, the company has faced and overcome challenges over the years. During the recessions in the early 1980s and late 2000s, many commercial businesses scaled back their building plans. “What sustained us through tough economic times was our service,” says David.

“Like vehicles, roofs require checkups and maintenance, and we’ve always been able to offer that expertise to our customers.” He adds, “If we can make a roof last, then the owner doesn’t have to replace it. Our customers appreciate that we partner with them to properly understand and meet their needs.”

During Calgary’s boom times, the company experienced exponential growth along with the city. Originally headquartered in a small building on Horton Road, Peddie Roofing is currently located in the Foothills Industrial Park with more than 14,000 square feet of warehouse and office space. In 2010, the company added a new addition to the facility and hired more staff.

While roofing is the company’s main business, they also offer waterproofing for parkades, tunnels, bridge decks and other structures. In addition, Peddie Roofing’s tradespeople complete projects involving ceiling and caulking components.

A substantial portion of Peddie Roofing’s work is installing new single-ply and two-ply roofing systems, as well as

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Photos, this page, courtesy of Unimark Creative

maintaining metal roofs using material made from the company’s own sheet metals department. The company does some conventional asphalt and gravel roofing but prefers to use the latest materials and technology in order to offer clients the very best. “We attend conventions across North America and bring back the newest trends and standards,” says David. “It’s a rapidly changing industry, so there is rarely a month that goes by where we don’t learn and implement something new.”

Safety and education are two other core tenants of the business that keep Peddie Roofing on top. The company employs a full-time safety officer who visits sites on a regular basis and ensures standards in occupational health and safety are consistently met. “Our WCB rates are some of the lowest in the industry due to our excellent safety program and the cooperation of our employees,” says David. “Our safety meets the standards for the Alberta Construction Safety Association’s Certificate of Recognition program.”

In terms of education, Peddie Roofing often sends its employees to complete the roofing apprenticeship program, which the company has input into. “We feel it’s very important for the development and education of roofers to support their learning,” says David. “The new generations are very eager to make careers for themselves and succeed, and highquality education is a big piece of that.”

Top-notch reputation

The excellent rapport Peddie Roofing has with clients is evident by the company’s long-term relationships. Client

letters of recommendation frequently refer to Peddie Roofing’s professionalism, safety, responsiveness, service and adherence to specifications as reasons to hire the company.

In addition, the company holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and is a member in good standing with the Alberta Roofing Contractors Association (ARCA), the Calgary Residential Rental Association (CRRA), the Alberta Allied Roofing Association (AARA), the Calgary Construction Association (CCA), the Building Operators Association (BOA) and the Building Operator and Managers Association (BOMA). Peddie Roofing also provides Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified services.

Leaders in giving back

Leadership in philanthropy is also very important to the company. “It’s vital that we make a contribution to the communities in which we live and derive our business from,” says David. “We’re involved with the Calgary Residential Rental Association to help make accommodation more affordable, we do exclusive roofing work for the Mustard Seed, and we’ve worked with Habitat for Humanity to build homes for the less fortunate.”

David and his wife, Heather, also travel internationally with Samaritan’s Purse to distribute shoeboxes full of special items to impoverished children, most recently in South America. Pictures depicting their experience visiting remote villages are displayed in the lobby of Peddie Roofing’s headquarters. “Next, we’d like to give our staff

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the opportunity to participate in such an experience,” says David. “It would be a reward for our staff to show our appreciation for them, as well as a chance for our employees to give back.”

Next steps

The Peddies went from anticipating a five-year stay in Calgary to building a successful local business with decades of excellence in the industry. Today, David and Heather have

a succession plan in place to transition the company to their son, Ashley. “We don’t have a set date for the transition, and we plan to remain involved in the business and its charitable efforts,” says David. “But we’re definitely looking forward to spending more time with our grandchildren – we have five with another one on the way.”

With several family members and an established business based in Calgary, the Peddies will evidently call the city home for generations to come. •

For more information, please visit www.peddieroofing.ca or call 1-877-851-7700

4910 Builders Road SE, Calgary

403.262.1008 Congratulations to Peddie Roofing!

Wishing you many more years of success.

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