Decora Homes

Custom, Charismatic Charm

Inspired by a vision of bringing custom homes to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Decora Homes is redefining what it means to be a home builder. Bringing a new level of custom never before seen in the area, Decora Homes is raising the bar, exceeding expectations, and making your wildest possibilities a reality.

Built to reflect your personality and lifestyle, you wouldn’t be mistaken if you considered Decora Homes a dream maker. Led by the dynamic husband and wife team of Ricky and Rhonda Iula and Dustin Grenier since their inception in 2007, the company has grown.

“We had a vision to bring the custom homes to the marketplace, we wanted to showcase more modern, complex homes,” Ricky Iula said. “We’re creating ideas that have not been introduced to our market place. From first time home buyers to luxury style homes.”

Serving all of Saskatchewan, Decora Homes’ presence reaches a geographic radius of 250KM from Saskatoon. Armed with a bevy of diverse talent – from designers, site managers to special line flooring and exterior masons, the team of nine in-house employees and countless other subcontractors each play their own individual and unique role in the construction of a Decora Home.

A one-of-a-kind experience, the client relationship is a sacred piece of the Decora Homes building process. Described by Iula as a high referral company, Decora forges bonds and relationships from the ground up, optimizing and using every opportunity to create rapport and intimate understanding of the clients’ needs.
“Right from the very beginning, we will meet with the client and set a budget,” Iula said. “We build to peoples’ budgets and lifestyles – everyone has a different lifestyle that they cater to. Some people have executive chef kitchens to theatre rooms, so we like to give people their wish list and their need list. We work hand in hand with our in house designers, trying to put together budgets on what they need.”
Part of the process is making it as stress and worry free as possible – on both ends of the spectrum – for the client and for those building the homes.

“We also run a builder trend program,” Iula said. “Everything is online, so once we put together a spec sheet for them on everything that they want in their home, we’ll work with them hand in hand right from picking all the materials to create their dream home.”

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT: 409 GREENBRYRE LANE

Built in 2013, this two-storey style show home is an immaculate property for the most discerning buyer. Fully developed on three levels, the four bedrooms, four bathrooms offers 2,575 square feet of living space and is outfitted with modern clean lines, bright airy floor plans and 9 foot ceilings. Backing onto Greenbryre Golf and Country Club, the home is automation controlled – from in-floor heating to the lights, security and sound.
“We took different ideas that we saw from around the world,” Iula said. “Our whole purpose of the house was to design it with amazing street appeal. That lifestyle of golf course living, we were trying to give them with a move-in ready creation. There is also a tech package in that home. Giving the people the convenience to control their home from anywhere in the world on their iPhone or Android.”

Already garnering plenty of attention and praise, the show home is a hit with all who have been fortunate enough to see it firsthand.

“General response from our sales staff is that people love it,” Grenier said. “They love the area, they love the home. We keep hearing that it’s the nicest show home in the area. It drives traffic for major construction, that’s our goal there. Showing people you can mix different products and get different ideas on how to build your home.”
As growth and notoriety continues, Decora Homes strives to push the boundaries of custom home building by taking on more ambitious and opulent projects. But there is one that specifically stands out in the mind of Iula that comes with a two-year timeline.

“We actually have one of the most complex houses Saskatchewan has ever seen,” he said. “From glass elevators, spiral water slides, electric car charger ports and rock climbing walls. We’re working hand in hand with one of the top architects in the country, AODBT. This was one of the most complex homes they and the structural engineers, Rempel Engineering, have ever worked on. This is definitely something you don’t see every day.”

BUILDER PROGRAM

Building trust with your customers and pride within your staff is an all encompassing commitment to customer service at Decora Homes. A key to their success in providing exemplary customer service is offering the most up to date amenities, including technology.

“We run a Buildertrend program in our company,” Iula said. “It’s a management program. So all change orders, documents, timelines, progress pictures, gives the customer the ability to see the schedule, and do change orders from anywhere – they don’t have to run across town to come and sign something.”
A sign of the times innovation, home automation is becoming more and more commonplace within higher-end homes and among clients. Delivering quality and peace of mind, automation combines the best of both worlds – technology and peace of mind for the homeowner.

“Home automation gives you the ability to use mass technology in any home,” Iula said. “Customers can log on from anywhere in the world and basically operate their house from their cell phone – From when a customer is controlling the blinds to the sprinkler systems, overhead garage doors and their security system.”
Aside from the technological aspects, award-winning customer service comes down to the bare basics of quality relationship building with your supply chain and subcontractors. Not to be overlooked, Decora practices its due diligence during the course of action.

“We establish strong relationships with them based on the quality and service they provide,” Iula explained. “We’re meeting up with everyone that works for us or with us to guarantee that quality materials are going out to our homes and the quality of installers on all subcontracting.”

COMMUNITY ADVOCATES

Renowned for their attention to detail, customer service, craftsmanship and high standards, Decora Homes provides only the best in class, while being mindful of their audience, the conditions of their environment and doing their part to save the environment and help their clients save money in the long run.

“The standard for all of our homes is that we use the most high efficient appliances, furnace, water heaters, LED lighting – any energy saving or plumbing fixtures that we can possibly do,” Iula said. “We put the highest R-value rated insulation in all of our homes, so you’re getting the best return for your heating. For the exterior, we use the Eifis stucco system to stop all the thermal breaks through the studs. In our climate out here in Saskatchewan, we like to keep houses warm and comfortable, so definitely a big one for us.”

Taking great care of their customers and community is what drives Decora Homes. As community advocates, their involvement in various projects throughout the city allows them to give back to the place that has given them so much since the beginning.

“We try to be involved in the community as much as we can,” Iula said. “We like to support our local charities such as Synergy 8. We sponsor different organizations that do numerous objectives that make our city a better place. We’re in magazines.We do online marketing through Facebook. Charity suppers and fundraisers. We’re involved both online and in the community. Supporting our community is important to us.”

THE FUTURE AT DECORA HOMES

Eight years has come quick for Decora Homes. In that time, the company has earned a reputation for quality, custom homes that make the seemingly impossible possible. With a plethora of exciting new projects on the horizon and an autonomous workforce culture that’s empowered by upward mobility and stability, the future at Decora Homes is ambitious.

“We want to be Saskatoon’s number one choice for high-end custom homes,” Iula said. “We want people to know that if they want anything custom, we’ll be first in mind. We’d like to see us grow into different marketplaces – not just here in Saskatchewan, but other provinces as well. Grow from single family to multi-family homes and other big projects.”

Never one to single out individual plaudits, Decora Homes is more than just a home builder. For Ricky Iula, remaining humble when recollecting on success, is the company’s greatest asset.
“I wanted to talk about trust building with customers,” he said. “We have certified, red sealed, journeymen sub trades that work for us. That’s the biggest thing. We consider some parts of our homes artistry, more than just a build. We try and build anything you can imagine. We’re not just building normal houses. We’re building art pieces. If you can envision it, we can find a way to build it.“