Parade of Homes

MANNINGTON CUSTOM HOMES Making Dreams Come True … one custom home at a time It's often said that less is more. You won't get any argument on that count from Trevor Markevich, president of Mannington Custom Homes. Markevich and his wife and business partner Kathy founded the Winnipeg- based company nearly 30 years ago. While many companies build homes by the dozen, Mannington concentrates its efforts on as few as 10 new projects in any given year. That way, Markevich and his staff can be fully invested in every project and create a truly custom-built home that reflects the unique tastes and lifestyle of each client. "It doesn't matter whether we're doing a $350,000 home or a multi-million-dollar home, we do a small number of projects so we can be involved in every aspect of each and every project," he explains. "Some builders who build a larger number of homes each year will set it up more in line with a production line. We have by design kept things small so we can work on a very personal basis with each and every client, right from the design to handing them the key at completion. I'm personally involved in every project." Something else that sets Mannington apart is the company's attention to detail. All of its suppliers are hand-picked and are regarded by industry experts as the best in the business, whether it's a window manufacturer or a lumber dealer. "I want everything to be perfect or as close to perfect as possible," Markevich says. "I'm very particular when it comes to quality and detail and having things done at a very high level, whether we're building a modest home or a very expensive home. When I start a relationship with a particular supplier I make sure they know what I expect and that keeps our level of quality very, very high." The company has built some impressively upscale homes over the years. If you have ever been inside one of them, you're not likely to forget it. But there's also a good chance you have walked through a more modest Mannington Custom Home. Whatever the scale, every Mannington project stands out, thanks to high-quality materials and custom designs that meet the particular tastes of each buyer. Markevich was involved in the building trade as a journeyman carpenter for several years and learned from some of the best people in the business before he and Kathy decided to start their own company in 1991. That hands-on experience has had a profound influence on the way he and his company operate, and on his close relationships with suppliers and tradespeople. "If we do have any kind of challenging things that come up, it makes it much more helpful for the trades to deal with an owner of a company who is familiar with those things and can say, 'Hey, I want it done this way,' or 'I think we can do it this way and it would be more efficient.' " As important as professional relationships are, building close relationships with customers is the top priority, and that means fostering a collaborative approach with every client. "That's mostly why our clients come to us. They want hands-on experience and they want that relationship. They're not buying an off-the-shelf product," Markevich says. "That's why we don't do 40 or 50 houses a year. I couldn't keep that relationship with every individual client if we did. It simply wouldn't work." IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER WE'RE DOING A $350,000 HOME OR A MULTI-MILLION- DOLLAR HOME, WE DO A SMALL NUMBER OF PROJECTS SO WE CAN BE INVOLVED IN EVERY ASPECT OF EACH AND EVERY PROJECT. " " POH Parade of Homes Fall 2020 105

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