About Us
Specializing in home additions and major home renovations in old Toronto neighbourhoods.
MENATWORK provides integrated design and professional construction services to help solve home space problems.
Since 1989, we have been involved in over a thousand renovation and addition projects on Toronto homes of every imaginable description, style, and budget.
Our team has received numerous local, provincial and international awards and acknowledgements for outstanding design and workmanship, and for delivering exceptional customer satisfaction. With in-house design professionals, Ontario Building Code trained project managers, carpenters, and technicians with specific experience and training in renovating old houses, we are uniquely qualified to help you through the complex process of a major home renovation project from start to finish.
About MENATWORK
A connected team of designers, organizers and builders.
Meet the teamHalton
The name started out as a joke about oxymorons and the dread of having to actually go out and get a job. But over 3+ decades, it’s grown to have special meaning for us.
We truly love our work. We love helping find the perfect solutions to our customers’ home space challenges, then turning them into reality with our hands.
As a team, we are proud of each other and what we’ve accomplished together, and above all we love the feeling of the bond that forms with each and every client.
Although it doesn’t really feel like work at all, the name just stuck.
What makes us different?
We've made way more mistakes than our competitors. Guaranteed! Because we've been doing this so much longer, and at greater scale, we've learned from those mistakes. In a word, EXPERIENCE. In a few more words here are six differentiators:
A team of real experts
From our veteran renovation consultants, bringing decades of industry experience to help you with big-picture planning, to our design staff—all specialists in residential design—to our project managers, carpenters and carefully vetted subcontractor professionals, you'll find that all of them are knowledgeable, courteous, responsive, and work well together as a team. A group of passionate, caring people, fanatical about producing high quality work and exceeding your expectations.
Systemized Processes
With over 30 years experience we have developed time-tested methods and processes to streamline the delivery of highly customized work to suit the needs of each of our unique customers, but in a highly organized, methodical and efficient manner.
Tech-enabled
We have a sophisticated cloud-based project management system that you can access 24/7. Project scheduling details, documents, drawings, files, photos, product information, and a detailed and organized To-Do list is always up-to-date and available to you at all times.
We provide you with highly detailed monthly cost reports so that you always know your project finances. We don't like surprises either!
Guaranteed completion date
As long as you meet the deadlines for decisions that we set out for you at the beginning, we guarantee we’ll complete your project on time or we’ll pay a penalty for every day we are late. It's written right into our contract. We want you enjoying your new space as quickly as possible.
Insurance & Warranty
With all required insurance coverage, including $5 million general liability, auto, professional liability, and WSIB, we're fully protected for your peace of mind. We comply fully with all government requirements and industry best practices for health and safety, DEI, and we are proud members of the leading industry associations and education programs. We are qualified!
We provide an exceptional four-year, no-nonsense warranty on everything we do. In business for over 30 years, you can trust that we'll be here to take care of any problems that might arise down the road.
Word-of-mouth
Most of our business comes from our past clients and referrals. We’ve learned over and over again, from over three decades in business, that truly satisfying our customers is the best possible marketing strategy to sustain and grow our company. If you entrust us with your project, you can be sure we will do whatever it takes to earn your valued repeat and referral business as well.
Accreditations & Professional Associations
It’s important that we do things right. That’s why we invest so heavily in these marks; to ensure we’re hitting the highest standards.
How hard can it be?
According to R.S. Means—one of the largest international publishers, and authorities on the construction industry—more than 70 per cent of construction companies fail within their first 7 years in business.
Here’s a timeline of our journey since we started in 1989.
1984
A Creative Couple
Creative couple—musician Paul Gallop and artist Sherret Nosanchuk—decide to move in together and build a peach coffee table. How hard can it be? They buy a drill and a saw. Now they design a pedestal dining table. It’s beautiful. But careful, lean on it and it might fall over.
In 1988 they decide to get married.
1988
A New Hobby
Dear friend and serial business-starter, Malcolm Krebs, inspires Paul to join him on his self-study, DIY home renovation journey. They read books (there is no internet yet) and learn about drywall, tiling, plumbing and general carpentry. How hard can it be? Paul discovers how much he likes hitting things with a sledge hammer.
1989
You Quit Your Job?
Paul & Sherret buy an 1880’s Victorian row house on Annette Street in the Toronto Junction. Needs work. How hard can it be to do it ourselves?
One Saturday afternoon, Sherret is relaxing on the couch reading a book, and can’t understand why she’s having a hard time seeing the page properly. It’s a fine mist of concrete dust permeating the air. Paul is sledgehammering the basement floor, “I’ve decided to lower the basement.” It can't be that hard to do it ourselves.
A few weeks later, Sherret’s at work (she’s working as a professional make-up artist). Paul walks in. “I quit my great job at the CBC to become a professional renovator.” he announced, "How hard can it be to start our own business?”
Men At Work General Contractors is born.
1993
Things are getting serious…
Men At Work has been developing a reputation in Bloor West Village as the neighbourhood renovator doing kitchens, bathrooms, and basements. Paul enlists local architect, Roy Brown, to work together with customers for home additions in the neighbourhood. Maxwell Gallop is born.
1994
Joining BILD
Maturing as a professional renovation company Men At Work joins the Greater Toronto Home Builders Association (formally known as BILD) and becomes active on the Renovator’s Council.
Paul and Sherret explore the use of concrete as a finishing material, crafting custom fireplaces and countertops themselves and then working with local specialists to fashion high-grade custom bathroom basins and kitchen counters for ever more sophisticated, bespoke projects they're involved in.
1996
Developing Design Build
Men At Work develops an informal partnership that would continue for eight years with local architect Chris Montgomery, to focus more on home additions and major structural renovation projects. Chris provides Paul with an invaluable education in all aspects of home architecture, the Ontario Building Code and the City of Toronto zoning by-law and permit approval processes.
1997
Partnering With Enbridge
Local natural gas distributor, Enbridge, creates a program to market decks, kitchens, basements, and bathroom renovation projects to its customers, offering ‘Authorized Enbridge Contractors’ and the opportunity to finance projects through the gas company.
They recruit Men At Work as one of their vetted, trusted contractors to serve a portion of the Toronto area. Another company recruited into the program, Brayview Construction, operated by partners Jorge Rodrigues and Tyrone Nickel, merge their operation with Men At Work as limited partners, and Men At Work becomes the largest authorized contractor in the Enbridge program. Suddenly processing incoming project inquiries at the rate of more than five thousand leads per year, the company must scale quickly and a large force of estimators, project managers, and administrative staff are hired.
1998
HGTV
HGTV Canada is launching around this time, and local production company REO has developed several programs including Let’s Build, Kitchens & Bathrooms, and Pools, Patios & Decks for the network. Paul and his partners are invited to feature their projects on these programs and become regular guest TV personalities. More than 50 Men At Work projects are featured on the programs, giving wider recognition to the Men At Work name.
The company is involved in a variety of interesting projects, including construction of the largest deck in Canada on top of the Globe and Mail building in downtown Toronto.
Robyn Gallop is born.
1999
A Boutique Renovator
The Enbridge renovation program suffers various problems and begins to wind down.
The past two years have been a fantastic, whirlwind experience, broadening the Men At Work name, completing hundreds of projects, and developing a huge network of contacts and associates. But favouring the pursuit of quality over volume, Paul and Sherret decide to buy out their partners and return to having full control of Men At Work as a smaller, service-focused operation.
2000
Studies In Architecture
Men At Work continues to define itself as a boutique, premium design-build renovator, specializing in older Toronto neighbourhood homes. Sherret begins to take a more active role in the company supporting customers with interior decorating consultations.
Recognized now as a longstanding, trustworthy, experienced member of the Toronto home renovation community, the company is being invited to participate in more exotic projects with numerous prominent Toronto architects and designers, including Donald Schmitt, Ian MacDonald, Neil Ironside, Mark Sterling, Catherine Friis, Connie Braemer, Daniel Leonard, Linda Boorman, Andrea Kantelberg, Brian Williams, Jay Hodgins, and many others.
The opportunities to work with, and learn from, these creative professionals gives Paul and Sherret the inspiration to further their study and exploration of residential design and architecture, locally and through extensive international travel.
2001
Founding Renomark
BILD creates the Renomark program to help consumers to distinguish professional renovators in the Greater Toronto Area. Men At Work is one of the founding Renomark contractors.
2004
In-house Architectural Designer
Keith O’Brien joins the Men At Work team and the company takes another step towards integrated, in-house design build services.
2006
Love It or List It Connection
Approached by other production companies interested in Paul’s expertise and experience in earlier HGTV productions, he declines the opportunities in favour of continuing to focus on developing the business. He introduces an outstanding pair of carpenters actively involved in many Men At Work projects to the production company seeking on-air personalities for new programs. Eddie Richardson and Fergus McLaren go on to become the on-air carpenters for the hit show Love It Or List It. Many other Men At Work team members participate regularly in the show as well.
2010
Project Management Website
Men At Work adopts a cloud-based project management system allowing customers to login 24/7 for access to all information about their projects, substantially improving the customer communication experience.
2011
Joining Remodelers Advantage
Men At Work becomes a member of Maryland-based Remodelers Advantage roundtables to join North America’s elite home renovation contractor business training organization. With now more than 20 years of direct experience in the Toronto home renovation market, Paul and Sherret decide to leverage their experience and brand goodwill into a next-generation, long-term vision for the company. Adopting best practices in all aspects of the operation, with a major emphasis on training, Men At Work begins investing heavily in recruiting and coaching a team of exceptional, passionate, educated younger construction professionals, including customer-focused project managers to help deliver the kind of personalized, attentive service that Paul has been known for personally, to a wider base of customers.
2012
Renovator of the Year!
BILD Renomark recognizes Men At Work with prestigious Renovator of The Year award for outstanding customer service and for significant contributions to the industry.
Max Gallop, now a university business major with strong analytical and technology skills, starts to take an active role in researching and implementing business and technology systems to streamline operations for the company.
2013
In-house Designer
Men At Work commits to bringing a full-time designer on board, to work with Keith O’Brien and provide more comprehensive design services for our customers. Talented young designer, Natalie Venalainen, joins the team.
2016
Expanding Design
In just a three year period the company claims more than a dozen local, provincial and international design awards and nominations and is also nominated again two years in a row for the BILD Renovator of the year award. Customer satisfaction ratings are higher than ever. Volume has increased more than 200 per cent and the team continues to learn and grow. The design team is joined by a full-time professional engineer, to help improve capacity, expedite the permit approval process and aid the project managers with prompt support for site issues and inspections.
The long overdue step is finally taken to officially change the name of the corporation from Men At Work General Contractors to MENATWORK Design Build.
2018
Max is Back
Now a CPA, CA, and experienced with professional consulting and assurance for construction, manufacturing, retail, pharmaceuticals, mining and NFPO, Max jumps back into the day-to-day to help with managing and streamlining the rapidly growing operation. With an expanded team of dozens of in-house renovation consultants, BCIN designers, interior designers, engineers, project managers and carpenters, the company has reached a scale requiring next level systems and more sophisticated business management.
2019
30 Years Transforming homes
A major milestone! Celebrating 30 years of continuous service renovating old Toronto homes. A proud, second generation family business.
With an ongoing focus on technology and enriching the client experience, MENATWORK adopts enterprise-grade, state-of-the-art BIM software, Revit. Enabling greater collaboration, modelling possibilities and comprehensive detail for greater procurement and construction accuracy.
2020
The Best & Worst of Times
With great excitement MENATWORK plants roots in a former CIBC bank building at 1174 Weston Road and Eglinton, launching a major renovation to create a comfortable, professional studio for the team to collaborate and host clients.
BUT, maybe the timing could have been better....
The whole world is profoundly impacted by the covid pandemic, but nobody foresees the impact it will have on the Toronto renovation scene. At first a near total suspension of the industry, and then suddenly an explosion in demand like the city has never seen, while supply chains seize up, and layer upon layer of confusing, changing regulations make it harder than ever to plan and execute projects successfully. Lumber, copper, glass, concrete, and labour prices go through the roof. But with property values escalating rapidly at the same time, and financing available at record low interest rates, the pressure on the industry is unprecedented. Truly creating the best and worst of times to be the leading renovator in Toronto.
2023
Evolving Leadership
Do good, Well.
At the heart of this company what Paul and Sherry have built over more than three decades is a simple ambition that they've embodied long before it was a catchphrase.
I am proud of my parents, and proud to be building on their legacy. With my amazing partner Shannon, and our team of talented, committed professionals, I am committed and excited to be continuing their journey. To serve our clients, our team and our community well, and to be able to write future chapters in this timeline that will make us all proud.
Maxwell Gallop
Managing Director