By Dorothea Helms
Special to The Toronto Sun

The door is definitely open between the left and right halves of Paul Mior's brain.

At 39 years old, he is president of the award-winning renovation firm, Abbotsford Group Inc. -- Design/Build, having come to this prestigious position from a background in both design and construction.

"We strive for the ultimate" says Paul Mior.

When Mior studied architecture at Ryerson University, he identified a gap between its artistic components and the actual building of structures.

"I felt there was a void between the architect and the contractor," he says. "The architect always wants the ultimate, and the contractor deals with the economics of the project rather than the architecture and its environment.

I knew early on that I wanted to be involved in a design/build career." Abbotsford Group is a company that offers commercial and residential design and general contracting.

The company was honoured this year with two awards from the Greater Toronto Home Builders' Association (GTHBA): Renovator of the Year and Best Renovation between $50,000 and $150,000. The company has also won awards for excellence at the provincial and national home builders' association levels.

"We narrow the gap between designing and building," Mior says. "We strive for the ultimate within whatever budget is set out."

After attending Ryerson, Mior worked for various development companies and property management firms -- something he feels helped round out his management skills and knowledge base.

"At Abbotsford, I'm president, but I'm also a project manager, an estimator and I'm involved in sales."

The family-run business started with his father, Joe, as a carpentry company over 30 years ago, and became Abbotsford Group in 1988. His brothers, Steve and Mark, are site supervisors with the firm.

"We operate from a true teamwork environment," Mior explains. "We believe in synergy. We're one-stop shopping for clients needing renovations, because we handle the design aspects and the contracting elements of the project under one corporate umbrella in the true sense of the term design/build."

Paul encourages anyone thinking of entering the renovation field: "It's highly creative, and I encourage young people to go to school, whether it's architecture or any one of the trades. We prefer hiring people with some schooling behind them."

He stresses getting some experience working with contractors. "Being a renovator is a lot more than just wearing a tool belt. You need an understanding of everything that happens onsite. I was exposed to a wide spectrum of building industry skills."

Paul also points out that, "You have to be a people person. Our clientele are more educated nowadays, so communication is a key element in a successful renovation. Observing others communicate in a professional environment helps develop people skills."

Mior also encourages the artistic aspect of the work. "I was exposed to good classical architecture during my education. When you walk into a room, you need to understand why it feels good -- its proportions and features."

Paul sits as an executive on the GTHBA's Renovation Council. "Anyone becoming a builder or renovator should know that being part of a professional association helps improve the image of the industry and helps ensure the quality of workmanship is topnotch.

"You need a good work ethic, too," he continues. "I get up early every morning to organize the day, and to be in the office as early as the trades are onsite to discuss any issues that arise from projects.

Today's customers expect creativity in design and quality construction. We enjoy bringing a unique flavour and alternative approaches to every renovation."

Passionate about what he does, Mior adds, "There's no better satisfaction than seeing a project completed and a contented client."

(Dorothea Helms is an internationally published writer and business trainer who co-owns Write Stuff Writing Services, and can be reached at writer@wsws.ca.)



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