THE CONSTRUCTION SOURCE CANADA As a result of that comprehensive in-house capability, Rimkus has been able to build trust with a variety of clients – and once established, that trust tends to endure. Some of the school districts in Rimkus’ portfolio have been clients since before Ana joined the company in 2011. Many participate in the required three-year RFP cycle that governs public procurement, but Ana notes that many clients continue to retain Rimkus through successive procurement cycles because of their long-standing relationships and proven performance. “They just keep coming back to us,” she says. “That just shows the reputation we have and the level of care we provide.” IRC/Rimkus has also been recognized as the No. 1 Design Authority by the Roofing Contractors Association of BC (RCABC) for 15 consecutive years – an achievement Ana attributes to the team’s customer service, technical expertise, and accountability. “Our goal is to deliver technically sound solutions while providing excellent client service so they don’t feel the need to look elsewhere,” she says. “Everyone on our team here shares that philosophy.” That team has also grown a lot over the years, and in recent years especially. Ana recalls joining IRC in 2011 as the first professional engineer in an office that was otherwise staffed almost entirely by roofing consultants, at a time when roughly 80 per cent of the firm’s work was roofing and 20 per cent was building envelope. Today, the BC office alone counts 23 building consultants, and the broader IRC network across Canada employs approximately 163 building sciences professionals. That growth, Ana reiterates, has largely been driven by the depth of Rimkus’ service offering and the trust they have earned from their clients, who have kept asking them to do more. A roof replacement engagement might surface HVAC complications, electrical utilities concerns, or rot and corrosion beneath the membrane – and clients, already comfortable with the team, simply ask whether Rimkus can handle those issues too. As much as possible, they have strived to always answer ‘yes,’ which has naturally resulted in expansion.
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