Homebuyers’ needs and lifestyle lead innovation by Logel Homes, Multi-family Builder of the Year-Large Volume.
For Tim Logel, chairman and CEO of Calgary-based Logel Homes, life is good. For the sixth consecutive year, the company has taken home a Grand Award at the Building Industry and Land Development Calgary Region Awards, claiming the top prize for Multi-Family Builder of the Year-Large Volume. Not bad for a company that began in May of 2017.
“We are just so honoured to have won. It really means a lot to us,” says Tim, who has more than 40 years of experience in the homebuilding industry, 25 of that in the multi-family sphere.
But for Tim, who co-founded Cardel Lifestyles 25 years ago and then rebranded it as a hands-on family business under the header of Logel Homes nine years ago, it’s not just about the win. In fact, it is about so much more than that. It’s about creativity, innovation, customer service and having the privilege of working alongside his two sons, Brayden, who recently took over the helm as company president, and Kevin, who has taken on the role of construction manager.
“It just brings so much joy. Brayden and Kevin are just as passionate about homebuilding as I am. It’s very rewarding to work with them. It was always my dream to have a family business,” says Tim.
The family-driven culture has translated into measurable loyalty from buyers. Over the past several years, 25 per cent of Logel Homes’ annual sales have come from referrals from past customers. The company has also won the Best Customer Experience Award for the past 10 consecutive years.
“One of the reasons that buyers choose Logel Homes is that continued focus on excellence in all aspects,” says Brayden Logel. “We have a lot of scale, so we are able to deliver on all of these things at a very affordable price.”
The company currently has a team of 90 employees working in house with another 600 on contract in the trades.
“We’re more than double the size that we were five years ago,” says Tim. Last year, the company delivered on more than 500 possessions and sold 330 homes. “It was a real milestone for us. It was our biggest and best year.”
The prestigious annual BILDCR Awards celebrate exceptional talent and best-in-class innovation in the residential home building industry within Calgary and the surrounding region.
For Tim, Brayden and Kevin, the recognition carries deep meaning.
“It feels really good to see our team recognized for the execution of the vision that we had for being a multi-family builder,” says Tim. He says that what matters is “quality in everything that we do, affordability, excellence in design and a continuous improvement philosophy — with each new building and each new development, our entire team, suppliers, trades and consultants are all focused on getting better. And it’s our customers’ feedback that allows us to do that.”
Consistently recognized for its design excellence, Logel Homes approaches its floor plans with a philosophy of continuous evolution.
“We are always focused on fostering a collaborative and creative environment, especially when it comes to design,” says Brayden. “In order to achieve this level of success, you have to be really innovative and aware of emerging trends.”
The team travels, studies new ideas and regularly updates its plans based on direct customer feedback. Wider than typical floor plans, large windows and smart use of space are hallmarks of the Logel design approach, as is an industry-leading sound attenuation system in the floors.
“Key for us is that we are completely open to any and all feedback to improve,” says Tim. “Our creativity is very organic and it evolves. Each time we open new show homes we get even more positive comments.”
No wonder the company swept the Best Apartment Style categories at the BILDCR Awards, taking top honours with its Carr 2, Findlay 2, Richler 2, Jackson 2, Cohen 4XL and Atwood 3ES floor plans, claiming first and second place in multiple price categories. The Richler 2 also earned recognition for Best New Multi-Family Home Design up to 700 sq. ft., while The Soleil, The Atwood 3ES and The Jackson 2 pocketed first, third and fourth place for Best Interior Decorating – Multi-Family.
Also celebrated at this year’s awards was Waterside at Mahogany, taking third place in the Best Multi-Family Community Concept category. A collection of 640 apartment-style condominiums, many with lake views, Waterside sits adjacent to Lake Mahogany, offers plenty of choice with 14 floor plans and is within easy walking distance of groceries, coffee shops, restaurants and everyday amenities.
“Picking the right community to build in is very important to us. We want our customers to feel connected to the area that they live in. Walkability is so critical; having amenities within walking distance makes living in a Logel Homes’ development that much better. Each one of our developments offers unique amenities within the master-planned communities that we build in,” says Kevin Logel, noting that the company’s focus is on people who want to live in the home. “Forty to 50 percent are right-sizers, 30 per cent are first-time buyers. We didn’t focus on out-of-province investors. That wasn’t a good fit for our vision and our mission. We really want to create a sense of home and a connected community for our buyers.”
In addition to Waterside at Mahogany, Logel Homes currently has another six active projects including Sage Walk Bridges, Livingston Central, Seton West and an affordable housing partnership with Onward Homes at Currie Barracks.
“Seton Meridian will be our largest development in the last 25 years,” says Tim. It’s an 800-unit, 10-building community on 10 acres situated on a storm pond, steps from Seton’s Urban Village and retail district and the South Calgary Health Campus. Sales have recently launched out of the Seton West show homes.
The company also has a special connection to Canmore (it’s where Tim built his first townhome project 25 years ago). And now it’s time for the second act; Logel Homes recently launched Altitude at Three Sisters Mountain Resort, a community of 215 apartment-style condominiums and 24 townhomes on seven acres, connected to pathways along the Bow River and steps from a new 23,000-sq.-ft. IGA.
“There was a tremendous amount of thought that went into this and we’re really excited about the project,” says Tim. Four new show homes have just been unveiled and sales are strong. As for what lies ahead, Brayden says that the fundamentals point to continued strength in the market.
“Calgary’s continued job growth, strong in-migration, young population and diversifying economy create an environment that is exceptional for homebuilding and we are still very affordable here,” he says. ” Right now is an incredible time to buy. Interest rates are likely going to go up, and I would say the same about costs.” The company is currently selling below $410 per square foot and reports strong spring market activity.
For a team that has spent 25 years perfecting the craft of building multi-family homes and communities, winning a sixth straight Grand Award is both a milestone and a motivation.
“We want to exceed our customers’ expectations,” says Tim. “And when we do, it gives us all the opportunity and excitement to go forward and get better at this business of homebuilding.”
