Valdal Projects is an innovative and award-winning construction company based in Toowoomba, specialising in custom homes, renovations and extensions in both the residential and commercial sectors. From concept-to-completion, the hard-working and motivated team offers a fresh approach to building, and pride themselves on developing friendly relationships with satisfied clients. “We’re honest and upfront, and we don’t believe in taking shortcuts,” says Stuart Valdal, Director. “We know what it takes to achieve fine quality and longevity.” Stuart Valdal, the builder and director of Valdal Projects, has been a part of the local building industry since 2007, when he began his carpentry apprenticeship. After completing his builders’ license in 2013, he immediately began his own company with himself and a first-year apprentice. They started small, but soon won a commercial office job in Toowoomba. From there, Valdal Projects has gone from strength to strength, purely through word of mouth. Today, the company employs five full-time subcontracted carpenters, three full-time apprentices, one school based apprentice, and one full-time and one-part time administrative staff. Focusing primarily on renovating and extending houses and small commercial buildings. Valdal Projects also does the occasional new home, which are always custom designed to meet the client’s specific needs, likes, and lifestyle. According to Stuart, Valdal Projects stands out in that niche market due to our honesty and transparency. “At the beginning of every project, we give clients a detailed description of what we’ll be providing and how much it will cost. That way everybody is on the same page and there are no surprises down the track.” Another point of difference for Valdal Projects is the personal attention Stuart offers every single client and project. “I’m on site every day, and I keep clients up-to-date,” he says. “We put a lot of effort into our relationship with our clients. And if they have little changes along the way, we can accommodate them.” As a result of this personal approach, Valdal Projects has built a strong reputation in Toowoomba for their quality and reliability. Most of the company’s clients now reach out to Stuart right from the beginning of the process, allowing him to participate in the idea stage, and often times even come up with a rough draft at no cost. “A lot of times, people will get a plan done by an architect or engineer, and when they bring it to a builder the quote is over their budget,” Stuart explains. “Then they have to pay money to get it re-engineered and re-designed to something more suitable. With us, clients know exactly what they need to pay from the start.” Industry Recognition Though Valdal Projects has only officially existed since 2013, the company has already built a strong local reputation, and racked up a number of industry accolades and client testimonials. Stuart partly credits that success to his personal supervision and straightforwardness. The rest of the credit, he says, belongs to the company’s team. That team includes their roster of full-time carpenters and apprentices. Stuart says every member of that team understands the high standard of quality he expects. At the 2016 Master Builders Awards for the Downs and Western region, Valdal Projects’ outstanding craftsmanship was recognised with a long list of accolades in a variety of categories for a variety of projects. “Those awards are great, because they are something that all the carpenters and I can look back on,” Stuart explains. “Sometimes we do a job and then it’s straight on to the next, with no time for reflection – so those awards are a great reminder and reward for our hard work.” “It’s great to know that the quality our workmanship is being recognised,” he adds. “The judges are our peers in the industry, and they can pick up on any minor detail or defect. But when they walk through our homes and can’t pick out much if anything at all, it’s a great indicator of the quality we achieve.” Four out of the five major jobs that Valdal Projects completed last year won awards. Stuart was also award Rising Star and Valdal Projects’ female apprentice Ellie won the Women in Building Award. Head to our Awards Section to view further information. What’s Next? Valdal Projects want to be able to make the whole process as streamlined and worry free for clients as possible. To achieve this, Valdal Projects is currently working towards opening a drafting arm of the business where Stuart can work closely with the draftsman, guide them on the design to suit clients’ requirements and budget, as well as a product that looks awesome. Stuart is very involved throughout the whole process including choosing fit outs with clients, so to be able to take as much of the stress out of the equation as possible and make the process really enjoyable is a big win for us, as well as the clients.