Bower Builders: A blueprint for success

How Juliana and Eric Bower navigate life, work, and homebuilding in Fernie.

— Photo courtesy Bower Builders

For Juliana and Eric Bower, homebuilding is a family story. What started as small renovation projects during a major life transition has since grown into Bower Builders, a company known for craftsmanship, sustainability, and a deep commitment to quality. Based in Fernie, B.C., the Bowers have built more than homes; they’ve built lasting relationships and a reputation for doing things the right way, even when it’s not the easiest way.

From navigating the challenges of a transient workforce to balancing work, family, and the demands of a growing business, this couple has been through it all. Juliana sat down to share the journey of Bower Builders with us, including the rewards and realities of custom homebuilding, the importance of pre-construction planning, and why building for longevity is more critical than ever.

- Photo courtesy Bower Builders

What inspired you to start Bower Builders?

We just kind of ‘fell’ into homebuilding. It was during a big life shift for us, we had just welcomed our first child, and Eric was on paternity leave. Prior to Bower, he had worked as a foreman for another local builder. As paternity leave wound down, he decided the flexibility of being self-employed might be a good option, and started taking on some small renovation work. A few years into this, some past clients reached out as they had purchased land and were looking to build their forever home. This was the push Eric needed to take the necessary steps to become a Licensed Builder, and Bower Builders was born.

How did your experience in the trades prepare you for running your own company?

Nothing ever truly prepares you for running your own company! The responsibility of having many other families’ livelihoods resting on your ability to make payroll every two weeks, pay your suppliers and trade partners on time, and the constant feeling that people are trusting you to bring their dreams to life – it can certainly lead to sleepless nights, and it’s not for everyone. That said, many years in the industry has given us the opportunity to forge lasting relationships – and as anyone in the business knows, it’s a relationship game! 

- Photo courtesy Bower Builders

What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned since launching Bower Builders?

Document everything! There are a million tiny details that go into building a custom home. You simply cannot hold onto that in your head, so get it down on paper, and have systems in place to simplify the flow of that information.

How do you ensure the homes you build are high-quality and long-lasting?

In a world where everything is just a click away, and ‘faster, cheaper’ seems to be a constant underlying tone, we are striving for durability and longevity. It’s all well and good to get a structure up as quickly as possible, but the environmental impact of a poorly built home will be felt for decades. During its lifespan, a home that is constructed with lesser quality materials / little architectural foresight will typically use more energy to heat / cool, require upgrades far sooner, and likely be knocked down and replaced much faster. In a 100 year cycle, replacing exterior cladding, windows, roofing material etc 4 or 5 times compared with once or twice is huge – both cost and effort wise, and creates a huge amount of additional waste.

What challenges have you faced as business owners in the construction industry?

Staffing is a huge one. We have noticed fewer young people want to be in the trades, and the ones that do are often just doing it until they figure out what else they might want to do. Coupled with that is the fact that we operate in a region with a transient workforce. People are predominantly coming to Fernie for the same reasons we first came here - to ski / bike / fish etc. Working is a means to an end, so fewer people view it as a career. We are fortunate to have a solid crew who truly care about craftsmanship and the homes we create, but it certainly feels like there are less and less of these unicorns around. We are always hiring for the right candidates who share our values! 

- Photo courtesy Bower Builders

How do you balance work and family life while running a growing business?

Someone once joked to us that the great thing about being self-employed is you have the flexibility to choose ‘which 80 hrs of the week you work’. And while this may not always be true, there are certainly some challenges that come with being self-employed and raising a family. Our kids make a great deal of pocket money in the summer picking up nails and sweeping up around site. We don’t have any family close, so we do a lot of trading off, where one parent takes care of morning routine while the other works, and vice versa in the afternoons. The great thing about Fernie is that even after a long workday, all the best activities are only a stone’s throw away, so we always try and squeeze in some outdoor fun with the kids.

What's it like working together as a husband-and-wife team?

It’s pretty great. We certainly have our disagreements from time to time, but overall, we have the same vision for the company, and the same beliefs in doing the job right. And we genuinely like spending time together – so that helps! 

- Photo courtesy Bower Builders

What are some of the most memorable homes or projects you’ve built?

Our first project as Bower – Ghostrider Views – will always hold a special place in our hearts. Fantastic clients (who we now call good friends) with great design taste, and an architecturally stunning home!

How do you stay up to date with industry trends, building codes, and sustainable practices?

Continuing education, lots of product research, talking to suppliers and manufacturers, and one of the benefits of social media – the ability to connect effortlessly with like minded builders from all over the world.

What advice would you give to clients who are planning to build their dream home?

There is so much value in the pre-construction phase, and it is constantly overlooked or rushed. Don’t rush the process. Do your research. Spend the time with your builder and designer to make sure the budget aligns with the home you want to build, the schedule adds up, and that you have a contingency! Even with the best laid plans, there will always be something that doesn’t pan out / you want to change along the way. Having funds set aside for this will alleviate the stress!

How do you incorporate sustainability and energy efficiency into your builds?

We have a lot of conversations with the Architect and client early on, expounding the value of building for longevity and durability. We have recently started to engage with an HVAC designer as well as our Step Code Energy Advisor. They help us determine the most efficiently sized systems for our homes, coupled with the best use of insulation, building wraps, tapes and sealing methods, as well as window coatings, shading and more.

What do you want people to know about the experience of working with Bower Builders?

We don’t pretend to offer a seamless, glossy experience that will be 100% stress free – you are building a custom home that has been designed specifically for you and your family. It’s not a one size fits all model, it’s a prototype. There will be ups and downs, challenges and unforeseen bumps in the road. We do  guarantee we will advocate for you and your interests from day one, treat our employees and trade partners fairly and respectfully, and give it 110%.