Champions in the Industry THE KEREC FAMILY
In 1996, Ludvig (Lud) Kerec and his son, Andrew, started Renaissance Homes: a residential building company with the purpose of delivering high-quality homes for Canberra residents. For the father and son team, building was in their DNA, Andrew explained, ‘My grandfather (also Ludvig Kerec) immigrated to Australia in the late 1940’s as a stone mason with my grandma and very infant dad. They had to stay in the Cowra Camps while my grandfather worked to pay his government debt (the fare over).’ There was a special connection for Andrew and his father from the start of their business, Andrew said, ‘Renaissance Homes’ first ever contract and project win in 1996 was for an extension to a beautiful rural property out on Mountain Creek Road. It had a wing completed in natural stone walls. About halfway through the build, the clients showed me a photo of the stone mason building that section of the home – it was my grandfather. Unbelievable and a very emotional start to my building career.’
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MASTER BUILDERS ASSOCIATION NEWS EDITION 1 2023
In early 2010, Lud was in a terrible accident during which he was knocked off his bike by another cyclist. The resulting damage to his spinal cord rendered Lud a complete C5 quadriplegic. Andrew explains, ‘My great mate, business partner and Dad was hit by another cyclist travelling at speed around a blind corner on the wrong side of a Canberra bike path - with both of them coming off their bikes. There were no apparent physical injuries to either of them apart from a few scratches. The other cyclist got up. Dad didn’t.’ Lud’s helmet strap caught on something in the collision and caused a dislocation of his spine around the C5/C6 vertebrae. Andrews says of that difficult time, ‘With magnificent and cherished staff, the company got through the very tough years that followed, with dad being transferred to Sydney for surgery, treatment and rehabilitation.’ Before the accident Lud was an athletic 61-year-old who had recently completed the Canberra Half Ironman (1.9km swim, 90km bike ride, 21.1km run) and was training for the full Ironman until his accident occurred a week prior to the event. But Andrew explains that his father hasn’t let the accident get in the way of his athletic pursuits. Living with a quadriplegic has become my family’s new “normal”. Dad has been fishing in the Northern Territory multiple times. Boating, cycling, camping, four-wheel driving.’