Philip Raphael

Editor

The old saying that “the family ties are the ones that bind” seem to be the best way to explain the continuing success of a South Delta-based construction company.

Lentel Construction (lentelconstruction.com) was started in 1975 when Harry van Tol joined forces with another local tradesman and began a framing business together. Several years later, Harry took over the operation after his partner moved to the interior. And since then it’s been mostly a family affair which provides the operation with some unique benefits.

“It makes us a little more adaptable, you might say,” says Harry on the site of a custom-built, 7,000-square-foot home on Tsawwassen Beach Road. “We can respond to various situations a little easier because we can spread the responsibility out.”

Harry adds that his son, Greg, who has grown up in the business, is a good people person and he’s becoming a good manager.

“So, those kind of things work to our advantage because I can stay in the field and look after the construction end of things. And Greg also does a lot of managing from the office, with his BlackBerry. Building is becoming a little more sophisticated that way. I’m not as easily adaptable as he is.”

Greg van Tol remembers well the first job he had working with his dad.

“I’ve been going to work with my dad since I was in Grade 5. My mom would send me to get me out of her hair in the summer and go pick up nails, and this and that. I think I started at 25 cents an hour,” Greg says smiling. “I’ve been around building sites quite a bit.”

Greg graduated from high school in 1993, but knew he didn’t want to spend his entire career framing. After two and a half years at Kwantlen College he earned his business management diploma and started his four year carpentry apprenticeship at BCIT.

“I wanted to grow a little bit more and do more project management stuff,” Greg says. “But at the same time I wanted to get my journeyman’s ticket.”

Today, along with a pair of brothers-in-law, cousins and some long-time employees, the younger van Tol is helping update some of Lentel’s business practices.

“Just some simple things such as upgrading the accounting system we use. My sister does the bookkeeping on that end,” Greg says. “And other simple things like starting a website.”

Over the last few years the business has been branching out to work on custom homes—like the Tsawwassen Beach job—as well as some built on spec.

“My dad has allowed me to take on a lot of the projects, dealing with the customers,” Greg says. “He likes dealing with people, but you know he’s not going to be in the business that much longer, although I don’t he’ll ever really get out of it. He’s not that type. He’ll always have his nose in things.”

editor@southdeltaleader.com