Once a client does come on board, two qualities define the working relationship: transparency and responsiveness. On the transparency side, Henry makes a point of keeping clients fully informed at every stage. “Every single time someone retains us, they will always be CC’d on every email – to the engineers, the city officials, the inspectors, anyone involved,” he explains. “They’re trusting us with their project, so they should be aware of everything that’s going on.” When it comes to responsiveness, meanwhile, Henry makes himself available well beyond conventional business hours. He says that clients have his direct number and they usually don’t hesitate to use it. “They’ll call me at seven or eight in the evening with a question or a concern or an idea, and I respond personally. Sometimes it’s a five-minute call, sometimes it ends up being an hour. But we are there to support them whatever questions they have, because in real estate investment, the sooner we can get them an answer, the sooner they can close a deal or move on to the next opportunity.” Underpinning all of that client service is technical excellence – the ability to deliver permit-ready plans that actually get built. According to Henry, that ability is a big part of what sets Rojas Empire of Design apart. “Anybody can do the drawings,” he says. “The drawings are one part of the whole business. What makes us different is the communication we have with the municipalities, the city officials, the inspectors, the contractors, the engineers. It’s that key communication that ensures the project is aligned properly.” Everything gets documented in writing, and Henry prefers direct phone calls and in-person conversations over email chains when clarity matters. Getting everyone on the same page, he says, is what prevents the kind of costly miscommunications that can derail a project. That emphasis on communication extends to the relationships that Rojas Empire of Design forms with contractors. Henry acknowledges those relationships can be challenging, but he says the key is identifying the right contractors – the ones with the “right mindset.” “Some contractors understand the real estate investment mindset, and some don’t,” he explains. “A custom home builder who wants to get into the multiplex world sometimes has a hard time making that transition – they’re used to giving 200 per cent to make everything perfect. In real estate investing, the mindset is different. It doesn’t have to be 200 per cent perfect; it has to be great enough to be rentable.” Geography adds another layer of complexity, Henry adds. “Whatever works in Toronto may not work in Hamilton or St. Catharines. These are three different cities with their own interpretations of the building code. So the solution might have to be different.” “The contacts we have now understand all of this. They know how to build multiplexes, they have an investor mindset, and they have the flexibility to change their strategy to fit the city that we’re working in.” JUNE 2026
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