Hear From Our Clients
Here’s what some of our clients have to say about us. We are pleased and honoured to work with many people from all walks of life every year, and hold them dearly well beyond the construction of their new home. We have a tendency to make friends along the way!
That said, we also try to respect their privacy and as such we do not publish full names, addresses or contact information out of respect for them.
While we are proud of our testimonials, it is important that you ensure that our services will work for you. Click here for some straight talk about what is involved in building a home, and whether our service portfolio will work for you.
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La nuit, la lune et les étoiles dansent au‐dessus de
notre lit !Le jour, c’est de partout que le ciel et la
forêt entrent chez nous !
Magnifique, notre maison !
Notre rêve est une réalité !
Bravo et merci à Paragon !
Vive la campagne !
Nous quittons notre loft industriel de Montréal et nous nous exilons encampagne. Nous désirons une maison rustique, à aires ouvertes chaleureuse, ensoleillée, loin du smog et du bruit. Nous dénichons un magnifique terrain boisé dans les Basses Laurentides.
Une découverte qui change notre vie !
Août 2008, nous découvrons Paragon par nos recherches Internet en ciblant des maisons à aires ouvertes avec « poutres et poteaux apparents ». Paragon nous tombe littéralement dans l’oeil ! La premièrerencontre avec Frank Murry, directeur fondateur de Paragon, est des plus chaleureuses et nous laisse croire que notre maison hybride est possible.
La philosophie de Paragon nous séduit. Nous modifions un plan existant; Frank appuie nos idées à 100 % ! On fait tomber des murs, on élabore le design de notre magnifique fenestration, bref, on aura la maison qu’on a toujours rêvé d’avoir.
L’autoconstruction : une aventure prenante mais combien excitante !
On s’embarque dans un bien beau et grand bateau quand on choisit l’autoconstruction. Notre aventure nous a procuré des moments de joie intenses, non seulement le jour où nous avons pris possession de notre maison, mais tout au long du projet. Voir grandir notre maison selon nos goûts et nos exigences fut une expérience extraordinaire ! Si c’était à refaire, nous prendrions le même chemin !
Chez Paragon, sky is NOT the limit !
Construire une maison Paragon dans la rigueur de l’hiver québécois est chose possible, mais il faut savoir que les coûts supplémentaires en gaz propane grimpent rapidement la facture. Le petit « cochon » de propane en a soufflé un coup pour tenir les gars au chaud et pour sécher les matériaux (pin traité, gypse, peinture, etc.) Notre poêle bois est arrivé plus vite que prévu pour donner un coup de main au petit « cochon » !
Des matériaux de qualité et respectueux de l’environnement
Grâce aux matériaux verts de Paragon, nous sommes fiers de donner un coup de main à la nature ! Une maison bien orientée avec le soleil, un système de traitement des eaux grises (Brac system), des produits definition de planchers et de revêtement extérieur écolos, une fenestration abondante et de haut rendement énergétique (Energy Star), bref, nous sommes de connivence avec la nature !
L’heureux mariage des signatures
L’architecture de notre maison hybride, avec ses poutres et poteaux de pin, est absolument impressionnante. Nous sommes vraiment fiers de son caractère unique ! Notre maison Paragon a aussi notre signature !
Daniel Bergeron : un as !
Nous sommes si heureux de connaître celui qui a su coordonner d’une main de maître tous les corps de métiers, dans les délais et les budgets prévus : Daniel Bergeron. Avec son oeil de lynx, ses mains habiles et surtout sa grande passion du travail, du travail bien fait, nous pouvons dire aujourd’hui, que sans lui, notre si belle maison n’aurait pas la même âme ! Dan, tu es irremplaçable ! Merci pour ton dynamise, ton ingéniosité, ta patience sans bornes, tes multiples talents, ton sens de l’humain, ton humour, ton travail hors paire. Merci pour toutes les heures que tu as mises dans notre si belle maison avec toujours le même enthousiasme. Merci pour ta disponibilité, ton dévouement et ton implication constante dans notre projet. On te l’a dit si souvent : « Dan, c’est toi le meilleur ! »
Bravo et encore merci à toute l’équipe Paragon !
Dans notre belle maison, la nuit comme le jour, si on lève juste un peu les yeux, on comprend ce que signifie Sky is not the limit !
Brigitte et Jean
Mars 2009
brigittemarier@gmail.com
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We used the project management services of Paragon Homes of Chelsea Quebec in the construction of our home near Low, Quebec during 2005 and were satisfied with the work accomplished by the company.
This project management did not replace our responsibility to be actively engaged in overseeing the construction and related fiscal and administrative matters. However, this service assisted us in ensuring that the project started as planned in the early summer, and proceeded to completion with only a limited delay in the late fall.
For anyone who cannot fulfil this function personally, the service offered by Paragon Homes is well worth considering.
The Rt. Hon. Joe Clark, P.C., C.C.
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We appreciate the work you did for us, especially in the planning stages. Without he planning process, we could not have succeeded in organizing all the trades and getting the results we wanted. Overall, it is spectacular, and there were just a few trades that caused major pain. Also a big thanks to Paragon for helping us to put together a project plan that secured the necessary financing.
Of course, a very, very big thanks goes to Dan who worked his butt off to pull things together that were going off track. We are sure that the project would have been completely different if he had been there from the beginning.
Andy and Celine
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We used the services of Paragon Homes for designing, planning and building our country home on Lac St. Pierre. Having now gone through the experience, I realize we could not have done it without them. I heard many horror stories from people when I told them we were planning on building our own place. We experienced some problems, as any project as complicated as building a home would, but they were all handled in a professional manner to our satisfaction. The following are a few of the things the experience of Paragon brought to the project:
*We worked with them to design our house. They made many suggestions that we incorporated and we’re glad we did.
*At the start, we didn’t know what we didn’t know. We were very naïve about building a house, especially in a rural area. We didn’t always like what we were being told by Paragon but they opened our eyes to reality.
*Planning was a key. Paragon took the time to make sure it was done thoroughly, preventing any big schedule and financial surprises once the project was underway.
*The key to a project of this nature is getting good trades people. Paragon knows the industry and were able to connect us with good trades people and subcontractors. We didn’t always select the low cost supplier but worked with reliable trades.
*With a full-time job, there is no way I could afford the time required to manage the building of a country home an hour from our house – nor did I have the expertise.
Paragon provided this service making sure the subcontractors did what they were contracted to do.
This was a big project for us. Paragon was the reason it was a successful and enjoyable experience.
Bob and Helene
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To the Paragon Team,
We wish to thank Frank, Dan and the whole Paragon Team who helped us build our beautiful family cottage on Lac Sinclair in the glorious Gatineau Hills. This project was our 25th Wedding Anniversary gift to ourselves and we look forward to celebrating our special day in our new county home this summer.
After researching various building options and plans including Viceroy, Bonneville, Guildcrest and a private contractor, we comfortably decided upon working with Paragon Homes. Frank’s enthusiasm, expertise and guidance in the early planning stages helped us to create the customized design we were looking for. We especially appreciated Paragon’s project management style which allowed us the control and flexibility to be hands-on throughout all phases of the project. We felt that our needs were respected and met consistently from the beginning to the end of our project. Our Project Manager Dan Bergeron’s knowledge, guidance, and good nature throughout the entire building process kept us at ease, especially through usual bumps along the way. Dan’s expertise in scheduling and knowledge of the trades ensured quality workmanship during all phases of the building process and kept the project going forward throughout the very difficult winter months. Dan helped us co-ordinate tasks performed by tradesmen while we enjoyed working on some phases of the project we chose to do ourselves. We are very pleased with the final outcome and we gladly recommend both the Paragon Kit and their Project Management approach to anyone considering building a home or cottage.
Mr. Brown
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Dear Frank,
Fiona and I are writing this letter to express our gratitude for managing our lake house project this year. Your Paragon team as well as all of the trades’ people that were involved from beginning to end worked really hard to make the result a remarkable success. Such a project does not go without its frustrations but in the end, we have a sense of achievement and a beautiful home in an inspiring location for family and friends to enjoy.
Your project management framework made it easy from the beginning to go from concept to design to planning. Your help was crucial at this early stage to help translate our light industrial” concept into practical solutions. We really enjoy the look and feel of our home and the Paragon hybrid kit which we purchased as part of our project served us well in that regard. We had the opportunity to meet many of the potential sub contractors before beginning the construction. Your guidance and negotiating skills made it possible to obtain what we feel was the best value for money. While there were many challenges with our site and concept, most of the trades accomplished their job professionally, even if this was not necessarily done in the timeliest manner in all cases. In this context, our on-site manager Dan Bergeron stands above all in terms of his dedication, capacity to solve issues and unbounded commitment to the success of the project. His support and reliability was simply amazing despite his managing several Paragon projects at once. Dan was constantly in communication with us and always available to hear our observations and requests.
I know that Paragon has learned a great deal in tackling our project (as we have!), particularly in relation to building and managing work in such a difficult site. There were challenges right up-front and throughout the project because of slope, access, etc. and our wish is that this would have been better anticipated, particularly from a budget stand point. There were a few other budget surprises which we had to manage in other phases of the house construction and our only recommendation here is that you be more comprehensive in the budgeting process with future clients. We can say, however, that when issues arose in the construction process or in relation to the materials purchased through the Hybrid kit, communications were open and frank, always leading to a fair resolution for both parties.
Working with Paragon in a project management approach requires a true partnership because of the huge amount of decisions required throughout the life of the project. We have felt very much supported in this partnership and as such, we have invested considerable time in participating in the different phases of the construction. Time, patience, and the love of building something special are the real investments needed to make this kind of project a success.
Sincere thanks again to Paragon for a job well done!
Charles Brassard & Fiona Stott
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In the beginning of 2008, I made the decision to seek out the services of Paragon Homes which had captured my interest via its’ internet site. An initial meeting was set up with the owner, Frank Murray, who took the time to explain his product and the concept of a client-driven partnership using a project manager. Frank met with me on numerous occasions to address any questions or concerns I had as a novice potential homebuilder.
When my partnership with Paragon Homes began, I continued to receive the direction and support I needed to build the home of my dreams. Paragon Homes solicited individual contractors in my area and promoted positive working agreements for all concerned. The end result of our efforts speaks for itself.
I have a beautiful home, which will be enjoyed by many generations to come. Thank you to the Paragon Homes Team.
Donna Roberts
The Laurentians Qc.
droberts1955@hotmail.com
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Hi Frank,
Regarding the Paragon Kit Home package, Monika and I are extremely happy with the products supplied to date, just as you are proud of providing them. The wood, windows, doors, shingles and aluminum included in the Paragon Kit have all been of the highest quality without a doubt. In my eyes it is the little things such as the triple levers on the windows that stand out and define the products in the Paragon Kit as a very high quality product.
As much as we can say good things about the Paragon Kit we can say just as much about our project manager Dan Bergeron. Dan is truly a stand-up guy who handles every situation in an extremely honest and professional manner. From scheduling and inspection to the occasional conflict resolution with the trades, Dan has provided a service greater then our original expectations of a project manager.
Sincerely,
Kevin & Monika
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In late 2008, my husband and I decided to go ahead and built the house of our dreams.
We brought our napkin drawing to Paragon Homes and told Frank to take the project by the reins. Frank managed to put together a plan to bring our dreams into reality. Frank’s planing and ideas have allowed us to build a home that has enhanced both our lives and our lifestyle.
Ben’s designs and artistic flare put a picture to our dream home. He was flexible and approachable and and came through with last minute changes at our request.
We also appreciated Nicole’s work behind the scenes for signing of contracts and keeping the paper trail in order.
Then, there’s Dan Bergeron, our Project Manager. Where do we start?
Dan is very professional, knowledgeable and made sure that the clients needs were #1. During the construction process, unforeseen challenges and obstacles are inevitable. Dan always managed to find a solution for each situation that presented itself. Dan managed all the trades seamlessly and kept them happy and most importantly kept us happy.
Many parts of the construction process were so stressful but Dan always came to work with a smile on his face and kept things light-hearted when he needed to.
We can never repay him more for the work that he’s done as he has put in more than just his time and effort. At the end of the day, Dan will do whatever it takes to make his client happy! Dan has become a good friend of ours. He is a very genuine person with the biggest heart. He is very helpful, likable and fun to be around. We can’t say enough about Dan!
Thanks to the Paragon Team, we love our house!
Julie & Steve Mann
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Wow!!!!!!! Thanks for sending the pictures – I cant believe just how amazing the house is looking. Were so excited about moving in that we can hardly sleep. Everyone has been putting in an effort that is above and beyond the call of duty to make this happen for us. Were so thankful.
Id better get back to work as I have to go and finish packing!
Talk to you soon!
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Un gros merci à Frank et toute son équipe pour nous avoir guidé et accompagné dans ce projet ambitieux. La construction de notre chalet est maintenant complétée et nous en profitons pleinement. L’approche flexible de Paragon nous a permis de confier à son équipe la supervision des volets choisis tout en conservant le choix d’accomplir nous même aussi peu ou autant de tâches que nous désirions.
Un remerciement particulier à Benoit Gauthier qui a su mettre sur papier notre vision personnelle après de nombreuses révisions d’un concept de base de Paragon, révisions qui se sont poursuivies au long du projet pour faire face aux incontourables imprévus.
On ne peut évidemment pas ne pas mentionner l’immense contribution de Daniel Bergeron au succès de notre projet. Son dynamisme, son énergie et son dévouement ont su faire face à tous les défis rencontrés.
Merci.
Éric & Roxanne
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Building our cottage on the Ottawa River has been a project of the heart from the onset. We knew it would be a place to relax, enjoy the peace and quiet, and a place to re-connect. Finding someone who could understand our vision and appreciate our motivation was something we really worried about. This place would need special people to build it. And we found them all.
Paragon is a lot of different people who do their jobs very well. From the beginning, we felt very comfortable and at ease with everyone. They never minded our countless questions, emails, or phone calls and we were warmly welcome all times at their offices or on the job site.
Paragon designed our cottage. Standing in it today, it is so very obvious how they honoured all the details that were so very important to us. With their considerable experience in the business, they could take our ideas, improve and embellish them, adding touches we never would have even dreamed about. They enhanced our vision. And when it needed to be done, they also helped us alter our vision to suit the reality of our building site and our budget.
We are not experts in house construction and our huge gaps in understanding sometimes made the building process stressful. Again, Paragon was there; managing the project; patiently answering our questions; anticipating our concerns; explaining the situation; and, supporting us along the way. Building our cottage would have been impossible without their expertise (and good sense of humour!)
The cottage that we envisioned is now a reality. Even before we moved in, it is full of stories of interesting people. All the contractors and the sub-trades left their mark and are part of the fabric of our cottage. They did wonderful work and we cannot be more pleased with the outcome.
If we had to do it all again, we would unquestionably run back to Paragon. They earned our trust and our respect.
Dr. Paris Vachon
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Les services [de Paragon] fut d’une valeur inestimable dans le processus de soumission et de sélection des différents corps de métier. Sans cette aide, nous n’aurions jamais démarré notre projet du bon pied et au moment voulu.”
[Paragon] services were invaluable in terms of tendering and trades selection. Without this assistance we would have never gotten our project off on the right foot, and at the right time.
Isabelle et Marc
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Dear Frank,
On behalf of our family, I am writing this letter to thank you for your services in the construction of our new log cottage. Having just moved in, we are very pleased with the results and the process over the past few months.
We purchased a Canada Log Home kit, and hired Paragon as the project manager and designer for a new cottage on our family land. We shopped around for 6 months and interviewed several builders and kit suppliers before deciding on a Canada Log Home. At the completion of the project, we are very happy we did, and would hire them again.
The Canada Log Home kit came with everything promised and delivered on time, and now that it’s built, we notice how all the components are excellent quality, and no details are forgotten.
The Project Manager process was new to us, but we are very glad we did it. It allowed us to modify and change things as we went along. Some steps in the building process came in above budget, and some below budget, but the PM process allowed us to make changes along the way, knowing exactly what each step costs. Dan Bergeron was great to work with, and handled each situation like a pro.
Thanks for everything.
Desmond White and family
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We recently moved from the Trois Rivières region to Val des Monts. Originally we intended to build our own house with the help of a local contractor but a quick look into the market convinced us we needed help in selecting the right people for the job. We were referred to Paragon homes for project management and F.Murray, the president has helped us bring our project to a stage where we could take over the completion of the building ourselves. Paragon Homes supplied us with all the necessary materials as a house kit and we were able to select our own subcontractors using the complete list of bidders recommended by the company.
It has turned out to be a good decision and Frank and his capable site manager Dan Bergeron have delivered beyond our expectations. We are pleased to recommend Paragon Homes to anybody who is thinking of building a new home.
Thank you Frank and Dan.
Daniel
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In our view, the true gem of the collaborative project-management process was the co-ordination of the trades and daily on-site management. Both behind the scenes from the Paragon office, and onsite via Dan ‘the man’ Bergeron, our project was completed within a respectable time frame.
In addition, Paragon worked on our behalf with the various trades to ensure that both quotes and cost overruns were fair. Frank’s and A.J.’s advice to us from the start was “don’t pay for anything without speaking with us first.
Another plus was how well the Paragon team went back to the drawing board after we received our initial budget. A lot of items and ideas had to be re-examined and re-evaluated, and this process was well facilitated by the Paragon team.
There were some tough times, and some hard and fast decisions had to be made, but all parties involved with the project were there for each other! In sum, we are pleased with how well the project came together in time for Christmas after the ground was broken in August of 2005.
Nancy Houle and Louis MacDonald
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Paragon was there to ensure that everything went up just the way it should, and whatever problems that popped up were fixed in good time and in a professional manner. All that was in 1996, and the house is still in excellent shape.
Denis
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When looking for the best way to build our house, and after talking with several local builders, we found Paragon Homes. Their project management model suited our needs as it allowed us to participate to the extent that we wanted to, including involvement with some special and environmental features and materials that we wanted. We also liked the tender model and the fact that we could select our own sub-trades with a flat management fee to Paragon. Working full time, there was no way that we could have managed this ourselves, and the quotes from general contractors came in considerably higher for the same quality of house. Paragon served as a quality control for the trades to ensure we hired reputable companies with good reputations.
We came to Paragon with a draft plan, which they worked through with us and improved significantly both in terms of functionality and financial efficiency. We found, throughout the planning and construction process, that the team at Paragon was professional and flexible to meet our needs. The project, like any other we are sure, was not without its hitches and surprises, but each one was managed in turn by Paragon to the best of their abilities and to our satisfaction. We found that they went beyond what might be expected to rectify problems and ensure the project went well. Paragon staff work hard and are incredibly responsive. The Paragon team really gave everything they’ve got. The result is that we have a beautiful country home. Thanks Paragon.
Mr.Rodd Myers
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October 30, 2007
We are very pleased to write a reference letter for Maison Paragon Homes – for the team of Francois Murray, President, Nicole Murray, Office Manager, Daniel Bergeron, Site Manager, and Ben Gauthier, Architectural Technician. Their areas of knowledge and experience complement each other and give a depth and strength to this company. We had a major addition built onto our house that is larger than the original house. This involved the joining of two structures and thus there were a number of challenges in the building process.
Francois Murray has been in the business of house construction for over 19 years and has accumulated a vast quantity and quality of knowledge and expertise. He knows the ins and outs of the construction business and has an invaluable amount of experience with different trade’s people, with the variety and types of materials, and with the sellers of these materials. Through his years of experience Francois Murray has put together very cost efficient ways of constructing houses – with options open to vary price and quality depending on the customer’s wishes.
Francois is a well-organized and experienced manager of house construction. He works hard at keeping the price of construction within the limits of the customer and emphasizes that quality and price are generally strongly related and that it is up to the customer to decide where they want to put the emphasis on quality and price. Nicole Murray is an excellent person to work with – very efficient, wonderfully positive, and very thorough. Ben Gauthier, as Architectural Technician, is very patient, thorough, and determined that the customer realizes the options that are possible and the consequences of the different choices that can be made.
The overall construction package that we received from Paragon was of very good quality and the materials and work were delivered in a very timely fashion. Daniel Bergeron, the Site Manager, supervised the construction process excellently.
Daniel was an absolute pleasure to work with and made all the difference in the world for the success of our building experience. We found Daniel to be very experienced and very capable. In addition, Dan has personal characteristics of being extremely honest, fair, and respectful. He will complete the job to the end and will be there for you in the future if anything arises. He goes beyond the job description. Daniel is a very efficient organizer; he is always thinking ahead. He does not wait for a problem or a need to occur. He is very well thought of by the various trade’s people. Dan anticipates their needs and has the necessary supplies, small and large, on site ready for them when they start their workday. He has a strong desire to keep people happy; this includes customers, the trades, and the suppliers of materials. This is part of his respect for people and for their time. He has a very good sense of how to create a positive working situation and the importance of this. He is very perceptive and adjusts his approach in a positive way to the various people with whom he is dealing. Dan is very much appreciated by the trades.
To conclude, our experience with Paragon was a very positive experience. We definitely recommend Maison Paragon Homes. We wish you all the best in the building of your house.
Sincerely,
Bradley White, Ph.D. and Gail Crombie, Ph.D
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