WellDone Inc. is an Ontario-based general contractor specializing in high rise building envelope restoration. This includes the replacement or repairing of windows, glass, caulking, balconies, concrete, brick masonry, cladding, or as company owner Alexander puts it, “basically anything that needs to be done on the exterior of existing high-rise buildings.”
Alexander started his career on the frontline of the construction industry as a window installer. This proved to be a deeply formative time and he gained a wealth of industry experience and identified opportunities for growth and development. By adding to his personal skill-set, he was equipped to create a successful business. “I hired two people who were new to the industry, and we were successful in winning small projects, providing window installation services for window manufacturers,” he tells me from the company’s HQ in Toronto. “I trained the employees and, by having a high level of skill on staff, and we started growing. Eventually we were hiring and teaching more and more people and we reached a point where we had three or four window installation crews.”
Today WellDone Inc. is sixty employees strong with seven project managers, two of which are the original employees that Alexander first hired and trained twelve years ago.
While skill and hard work are important facets of a successful business, strategic decision-making at just the right moment can be pivotal. At the request of a client the company branched out from window installation into the many different specialties it now offers to the market. “A client was happy with our work and asked if we could also do balcony railings installation. We started doing that and after some time they said they had some balcony concrete they needed to repair, and asked if we could do that too.” As Alexander puts it, much of the work his company currently completes stems from those initial requests. “The decision to develop new skills, incorporate new services, and move into new areas has proven to be an integral part of why we have reached the position we are now in.” It’s that traditional way of doing business that stands the test of time – do an exceptional job, build a long-term relationship based on trust, and the rest is history. Since the beginning and guided always by a commitment to a job well done, WellDone Inc. has been on a consistent path of steady growth, much of which came during the turbulent year that was 2020. This in itself is a testament to the company’s ability to deliver the highest quality of service, even in the most testing of industry conditions.
“The job is not done until it’s well done.”
Window installation is at the root of the company and the craft from which all others grew. Within this market sector, WellDone Inc. Inc specializes in the replacement of aluminum punched windows and window walls, in-swing and out-swing balcony doors, storefront windows, and doors, building entrances, and sliding and revolving doors. “We do window replacement, wall frames, weather stripping, gaskets – all types of maintenance to the existing windows,” Alexander says. “We have completed some large projects with many different Engineering Consultancy firms and clients.” By way of example, Alexander points to WellDone Inc. providing a full entrance replacement on the Scotiabank building in Scarborough, Ontario. “A large, and very successful, project” he says, and one in which the company’s precision of craft can be seen in the finished product. “In terms of building restoration, we do balcony and concrete work including waterproofing, metal flashing, cladding, siding, masonry, and stucco which is exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS). Replace or repair,” Alexander says, “that’s our specialty.”
Much of WellDone Inc.’s work can be seen on its website through impressive drone footage that captures the scale and complexity of the projects it has come to specialize in. The company is fully bonded with full liability insurance which means it is set up to work on big, high-rise jobs. “We just finished a project where we did full building envelope rehabilitation including balconies, windows – everything you see from the outside is all new. It was a ten-story building and we had to do all types of different work – a huge transformation. We also did sloped glazing on a building that had more than thirty stories. On top, there were five floors of sloped glazing and we had to provide all the access.”
WellDone Inc.has the expertise to assess a building’s envelope and provide preventative maintenance to avoid hidden damage, and this is what makes it niche in its ability to solve otherwise undetected problems. “We have a lot of consultants using us now to investigate potential projects – leakage investigations, water penetration investigations. They hire us to assist with all kinds of building investigations when they are preparing the scope of work and the tender for potential projects. We have a bosun chair crew so we can provide some services on a bosun chair and not just on the swing stage. Sometimes it is very difficult to set up a swing stage on the roof for many different reasons, so we can save the client money by providing investigation assistance or even small repairs on a bosun chair. We also do concrete repairs for underground parking garages and decks including waterproofing, coating, painting.”
WellDone Inc. carries out building restoration from inception to completion, always ensuring there is minimal disruption, timely execution of work, quality results, and above all else, a safe working environment. Alongside its people and its level of quality, it is WellDone Inc’s commitment to safety that truly sets it apart from the rest. This next-level commitment can be understood through its recent COR Certification which solidifies its 12 years of experience delivering quality projects safely.
COR Certification recognizes employers that implement occupational health and safety protocols that exceed current legal requirements and is rewarded after a strict assessment manual is followed and certification audit passed. “Our certificate number is 744, which means that at the time of certification there were only that number of companies certified across, not only construction, but all industries. It was a big achievement for us. It demonstrated that by developing a strategy, prioritizing safety, and working hard to improve safety standards, we could strengthen the already solid relationships we have built across the industry. We were going through the process for almost three years.”
COR Certification has changed the approach and mentality of WellDone Inc. as it is now led by the highest level of safety recognition that exists in the field. The company now has a full-time Safety Coordinator, something which is not the norm among general contractors. “In addition to that we work with a safety consultant,” says Alexander. “We work on a retainer basis, but if needed, they can work with us full time.” The practices put in place as part of COR certification are cognizant of WellDone Inc.’s commitment to safety that goes above and beyond tick-box exercises and legal requirements.
In the same way that WellDone Inc’s growth came from word of mouth, so too does most of its project pipeline today. The market-wide hum of satisfied customers across the GTA is what has established WellDone Inc. as a company that champions reliability, quality, and safety. “We like the approach where clients are referring us through word of mouth and saying these guys know what they’re doing.” Because the construction industry is competitive, it can often be tempting for companies to set themselves apart by simply providing the lowest price. However, this ultimately comes with some level of sacrificing, whether that be on service, product, or efficiency. Alexander says that by being the best deal for the client, his company may not necessarily be the cheapest.
Under Alexander’s leadership WellDone Inc. has built a workforce who share the same vision, putting it on a collective path towards growth and longevity. “I am committed to my clients and my employees. A lot of our staff are working with us a long time, and like I said earlier the two workers I hired first are still here today. I have a responsibility and a commitment to keep moving forward because everyone here wants to grow,” he says. This company-wide growth mindset is what propels WellDone Inc. forward into a bright future in high-rise building restoration, but above all else, the goal is to grow smart. “My goal is to grow without jeopardizing the quality, approach, and safety standards of the company we have right now. From the outset my goal has been to build and develop and dedicated and highly skilled workforce. For me, this will ensure that we grow in a smart way. Risk is part of operating a successful business, but it needs to be a controlled, smart risk. My goal for the company is that we achieve growth through developing a reputation for quality. The feedback we receive is evidence that we are doing this which only motivates the team and I even further.”
“When I chose ‘WellDone Inc.’ as the name for our company, I was making a promise – a guarantee of excellence in every job we undertake. The name in itself carries a weight of expectation, and we fully embrace it. It’s a constant reminder that we need to go beyond just getting the job done; we strive to get it done really well. This isn’t just a clever branding strategy – it’s a reflection of everything we stand for as a company. We’re committed to delivering work that doesn’t just meet, but exceeds, the standards implied by our name. A project is only completed when it’s ‘well done’ to the truest sense of the word.”
CONTACT INFORMATION
Alexander Ivanov
President, WellDone Inc.
welldoneinc.ca
