HOME & COTTAGE
Modern Modulars to Custom Creations By Louise Campbell Photos by St. Clair MacAulay
D arren MacKenzie’s career has changed considerably since his early days of farming in eastern Prince Edward Island. But not as much as the housing industry, in which he is fully ensconced, has evolved over the same period. For MacKenzie, what began as a means to being able to afford his own house became a multifaceted building career including carpentry, fine furniture and cabinet making, home inspections, commercial construction, and modular homes and custom-built homes. “Basically, I wanted to own a house and didn’t want to buy a fixer-upper, which was all I could afford at the time. Therefore, I decided to develop the skills to build my own house and it all started from there,” said MacKenzie. The period in his career that really opened his eyes and changed his trajectory was his years as a home inspector. Over the course of more than 2,000 inspections – pre-purchase or insurance – he saw first
hand the many problems that result from improper building techniques and lax building code application. This history is important as it provides insight into MacKenzie, his high standards, and his personal code of ethics. Determined to raise the standard of building in the province, he soon started entertaining incoming requests to build or renovate houses, ultimately laying the foundation for MacKenzie Building Services. “Right from the start, we took great pride in doing the best job possible for our customers,” said MacKenzie. “Our old school craftsmanship and impeccable service continue to pay off as the bulk of our business comes through word of mouth.” While custom-built constructions were the bread and butter in the early years, the company was often contracted for on-site installation of mini- or modular homes. Similar to what he experienced in his inspection period, MacKenzie found the homes varied greatly in workmanship and quality.
Darren MacKenzie Master Builder/Owner MacKenzie Builders Services Ltd. Legacy Homes
“Right from the start, we took great pride in doing the best job possible for our customers."
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pei-living.ca FALL 2017
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