After years as a tradesperson, Robert Legault was ready to try his hand at something new. Together with wife Lorie, he set out to establish a company of his own, combining her skills and experience on the office administration side with his vast field experience in construction to create Jertyne Interior Services.
“One day we decided that we could provide a better quality and service to the industry and decided to start Jertyne in 1994,” says Robert Legault, owner and president of Jertyne Interior Services.
Jertyne, which gets its name from a portmanteau of the Legault’s two eldest children Jeramie and Krystyna, quickly introduced a higher standard to the construction industry’s drywall and insulation practices. Although the company began small, it had large aspirations. Over the past 25 years, Jertyne Interior grew from three employees (including the two founders) to more than 54 staff in its heyday in the mid-2000s. It has evolved from a custom residential company to one with a broader clientele including the first-home buyer, multi-family and custom builds. Jertyne Interior has ridden the economic roller-coaster through several recessions since it started and has continued to excel despite today’s tough market conditions.
“By continually adding performance targets, we’ve been able to complete the same volume of work with reduced overhead and more efficient processes to meet client expectations,” he says.
Legault has risen to the challenge of running a business in a depressed economy and has established a lean, formidable team of 14 (including the original single employee) to guide the company into its next quarter-century. Most of the staff has been with Jertyne for more than 10 years, which gives clients a sense of stability, consistency and confidence in what they can expect. And what they expect is nothing short of the best.
From the very beginning, the goal was simple: to provide a full range of residential services in insulation, spray foam and drywall to Calgary’s best homebuilders, and to achieve that on schedule and on budget. Jertyne has exceeded that goal. The company is known as much for delivering a high-quality product as it is for the unparalleled customer service the team provides both during the job and after completion. Jertyne draws upon a large network of highly-qualified trusted trade partners that share the founders’ high expectations and standards along with their customer-first commitment.
“The trade base that we have surrounding our customers have the same philosophies as Jertyne,” he says. “There is a real pride in workmanship there and it shows in the quality of the product.”
Jertyne Interior stands behind its work and strives for perfection on every site. On the odd occasion when a problem arises, Jertyne makes it right to ensure complete customer satisfaction. Over the years, the company has also worked hard to make its processes more efficient while offering clients extra services that are included in the base price for the job.
The extras are in the details, and Jertyne pays close attention to every detail on a job to ensure a superior end product. It offers clients a checklist that outlines what Jertyne provides compared to the competition, and with the high service and quality standards along with the value-added services, there really is no comparison. Seemingly simple inclusions like power vacuuming and thoroughly cleaning the floors after sanding make an enormous difference.
The same attention to detail was implemented when Jertyne introduced a priming division almost 10 years ago to better control the product being applied and to enhance its end result. Rather than just rolling primer close to corners and calling it a day, Jertyne crews cut into the corners and around every angle to achieve full coverage. This properly protects the compound and guarantees a great, uniform finished look after painting. The addition of priming made Jertyne a one-stop shop for wall preparation, and clients appreciate the convenience and peace of mind knowing the job will be done right and done well by proven crews.
Jertyne’s product meets and exceeds industry and building standards in everything from vapour barrier to spray foam to caulking requirements, and this makes it an easy choice for clients. The QC checklist and value-add services is all the proof that homebuilders and renovators require to choose Jertyne for their residential interior needs.
“We take things a step further to be the best,” he says. “For our checklist, we list competitor one, two and three for clients and every one of our boxes is checked. It’s all inclusive here. Challenge the competition and see how many boxes are checked there.”
This superior service and product is a result of 25 years of hard work and commitment to making the industry better and establishing the company as a leader in all areas. Safety is a number one priority and not only is Jertyne COR certified, it also has a full-time in-house safety officer to ensure that procedures are in place and followed to keep crews safe on site.
“We’re leaders in the industry with respect to safety. We want every crew going home to see their families. Last I saw, we were well into the 1,200s for days without an injury. We’re pretty proud of that.”
Jertyne is proud of its reputation as honest, quality contractors and is constantly evolving in order to streamline its processes while creating the best possible product for clients. It uses the highest-quality gypsum boards and wet products, and it chooses green materials whenever possible. The company continues to improve by introducing new products, systems and techniques along with innovative ideas from the teams in the office as well as in the field.
“There is always something new to learn – a different technique, a more efficient way. That’s what keeps it interesting,” says Legault. “Even after 25 years, it’s rewarding to me to deliver quality services and products to Calgary and the surrounding area, and that keeps us in the game.”
As the local economy slowly gets back on its feet, Jertyne is poised to help the industry and community rebuild and grow. With a move to a smaller office in June, the company is incorporating more efficiencies and is excited to pass savings on to customers. This customer focus is what has sustained Jertyne Interior Services since it opened its doors in 1994 and it is what will help it continue to thrive into the future.
“We are delivering a fantastic quality at a competitive price and that’s the goal to achieve for the customers who have remained loyal for so many years,” Robert Legault says. “We’re very proud of what we’ve done and accomplished, and we look forward to the next challenges as they unfold.”
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