In 2016, Business in Edmonton magazine introduced readers to Aquarian Renovations, a renovation company helmed at the time by Marie Soprovich. Aquarian is widely known for its creative style and its focus on helping residents age in place. We caught up with the progressive company to see what’s changed as Aquarian celebrates its 30th anniversary.
Today the company is owned by Roger Cable; Marie has moved on to focus on community work and is a founding member of the Edmonton’s Women Presidents’ Organization chapter. Meanwhile, Cable is leading the company in a bold new direction and focusing on integrating technology.
“We have moved into and renovated a cool new office/warehouse space that positions us well for growth,” Cable explains. “We have continued to invest in our industry-leading design and presentation capabilities with the introduction of virtual reality walkthroughs. We continue to provide the award-winning renovation experience that our customers love to share, while investing in the skill sets and technology required to ensure that experience is like no other in our city.”
He continues, “Aquarian Renovations is ‘an experience worth sharing.’ For me that speaks not just to our customer relationships, but it is at the core of what makes Aquarian different. We hire talented people who love the industry, we embrace collaborative creativity, we invest in what it takes to lead our industry and then we package all that into a renovation experience you want to share with your friends.”
Aquarian ensures homeowners enjoy the renovation process. The designers listen attentively to the needs and wants of their clients and assist them in finding the best materials, products, and accessories, all while staying within budget. Architecturally, Aquarian is known for its ability to completely refresh a dwelling, from adding second storeys and additions to modernizing bathrooms, kitchens, basements, exteriors, closets, decks, and more. Their signature aging-in-place renovations create elegant touches that make mobility around the home easier and safer while never compromising on style and design. Aquarian’s extensive network of tradespeople and designers ensures plenty of options for all styles and price points. The addition of virtual reality means clients get a “real-time” look at the evolving designs. Technology also helps to pinpoint areas of concern faster, addressing them before the build and keeping change order costs to a minimum.
“Our investment in virtual reality has been a game changer in the industry. It was fun to take the idea from a brainstorm session through to the amazing experience our customers have when they enter our unique VR room.”
Cable values creativity, which is why he bought the company. “To be surrounded by creative people in an industry where creativity is celebrated, really lights me up.”
While creativity abounds on every project, two great examples are seen in a Westridge executive home makeover and a craftsman dream home project in Glenora.
“Westridge was a full-scale three-storey renovation with features like a custom wine room, gym, kitchen with two islands, large master suite with his/hers closets and beautiful ensuite,” says Cable. “We kept the home’s original Tudor architecture but removed several interior walls by engineering steel beams.
“Glenora was a unique project as we were designing it for the couple to age in place. It was a full home makeover of a 2,000 square foot bungalow. The clients love to entertain and moved all the bedrooms into the basement. An art room and a music room (including a climate-controlled instrument storage space) were created. We installed a hidden residential elevator so the couple would not need to worry about mobility in the future.”
Creativity to bring projects like this to light comes easily for the team, which includes entrepreneurs with unstoppable visions. Cable confirms, “Visit us and talk to Tyler about his partnership in Town Square Brewing, Jason about his successful clothing line called Filthy Casual, Jenna about her nail business, Laceann about the homes she’s built, or Kevin about his roofing business. From an owner’s perspective, I love that our staff have business interests outside of the 9-5. It just adds another layer of interest to the story we can tell about our company.”
Each team member, and the company as a whole, give back robustly to a variety of non-profit causes. Additionally, Cable serves as the board president of GRIT, an initiative that supports early childhood learning and development.
With its technology-forward, creative, entrepreneurial approach, it’s no wonder why Aquarian Renovations walks away with several Canadian Home Builders’ Association awards (including multiple renovator of the year awards) each year.
Cable, who is in his second year of ownership, notes, “I would like to acknowledge the staff for how well they’ve handled the change of ownership, the move to a drastically different style of office space and the additional responsibilities many have taken on. New ownership always brings a slightly different vision; this team has been amazingly accommodating and eagerly collaborative in helping set the foundation for Aquarian’s continued success.”
He concludes, “Aquarian is in an exciting growth phase. We are investing in virtual and video capabilities and are implementing them throughout our entire renovation process. We are seeing a lot of activity in the renovation world and we are growing our team accordingly.”
