Canadian Design and Construction Report special feature
Vancouver Island’s Mid Island Cabinets recently had three of its projects nominated in the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of BC’s annual Georgie Awards. The company’s work was recognized when builder Windley Contractors won for its Songbird Place project in Nanaimo.
Mid Island Cabinets is a family owned business with locations in Parksville (manufacturing and showroom) and Nanaimo (showroom). Owner Kathy Hatcher says her parents began the business in 1992. While her father is still involved, she and her brother have taken on more active roles in running the company.
She says to see her builders recognized through these awards gives the company a great sense of pride. “It is due to the efforts of every person on our staff that we have been able to grow, be part of projects like this, and to help our builders succeed.”
Mid Island fabricates a wide variety of custom cabinetry ranging from built-ins to wall beds and bars. “Unlike some other custom cabinet builders, we do all of our own work in-house from crafting the pieces right through to finishing.”
Hatcher says this not only allows the company to control its own timelines and to ensure quality for the enduser; it also ensures local people are employed.
All of the company’s wood comes from Canadian sources as well, and much of it from B.C., which ensures Canadians on a larger scale are engaged.
For the Georgie Award projects, Mid Island worked with builders, looking at plans and suggesting ideas. “Though some builders we have worked with before will just contact us and ask us to proceed with the selection of materials and styles, others, and homeowners, will come into one of our showrooms to look around, feel and touch samples and hear about the options we can provide.”
Homeowners in particular she says, often require detailed information and sometimes education in what will work and what won’t and what design or material would be best for the project they are considering.
Hatcher says her skilled team of designers and installers handle the work from the first measure, to the installation. This way, she says measurements are guaranteed, other workers are not pulled away from their work to do the install, and her team can ensure the units are put into place properly and efficiently.
Later this year Mid Island Cabinets will be relocating its Parksville showroom and factory to a new 30,000 sq. ft. facility just minutes from its current location. Hatcher says the move will allow the company to streamline its efforts and to serve a larger area.
For more information about Mid Island Cabinets, visit http://www.midislandcabinets.com.
