Shawn Dodman- President/Owner
Shawn comes from a large family of carpenters, electricians, plumbers and all-around handy men/women. He grew up in Ontario learning how to build and fix things from a young age. As a young teenager he worked on his grandfather’s small farm. Like most farms, when there is a building that needs repair the family builds or fixes it. His other grandfather worked for the school board in the maintenance department and had vast knowledge in a wide variety of areas that he passed on to Shawn. In his teen years, Shawn worked for his Dad and Uncle building new homes any time he wasn’t in school. As a young adult, Shawn began doing renovations with his father on weekends and evenings. The jobs became bigger and more involved. By 2005, the business had grown to the point of constructing two new homes, creating the company that Shawn and his family would operate for the next 12 years. Business was good and they were building 3-5 new homes a year as well as continuing with renovations, including office improvements and retail build outs.
After making the decision to leave the family business, Shawn worked for a developer from Alberta as their Saskatchewan Project Manager but always had the dream to move on to new opportunities and challenges. His goal was to one day own and run a development/construction company. When his contract with the Alberta company was complete, he decided it was time for him to make his dream come true. Shawn learned lot from the family business and from the Alberta company and with the support of his wife (Lara), he set out to build his dream. As Shawn says, “Over the years I have seen some good contractors and some bad ones and this motivated me to build a company that provides a pleasant and happy experience for everyone involved. I do not want clients to be faced with unplanned expenses and would like them to feel comfortable with the work and the price they are getting. I would like to build not only a company but a great experience.”
Over the years Shawn has gained tremendous depth of experience working with many different trades and suppliers and has developed great relationships with them. This benefits every client involved with SLD Developments. Learning the “old school” ways of building from the ground up means there is not a lot that he hasn’t seen or dealt with. What is unique about Shawn is the impressive array of experience that he brings to every project. He has worked on many different types of job sites in a wide variety of roles providing the experience to guide every client through the entire construction process. SLD is a company created by a hands-on owner with experience in every area of construction giving him the knowledge to ensure the job is done to the highest standards. Shawn has over 35 years' experience in construction. He continues to maintain contact with some of the apprentices that he has trained, keeping himself available for help and advice. They share ideas, experiences, as well as information on the latest trends in design and construction. Shawn stays current on new products and new procedures to ensure that each client benefits from all available technology.
Shawn feels fortunate to have the support of his wife, an engineer that specializes in building code. With her as his secret weapon, he has learned and continues to learn all aspects of construction. This is a great benefit to SLD Developments and its clients, providing them with the professional advice needed to avoid costly mistakes. It is rare for a developer to partner with a consulting engineer; however, this is another area that makes SLD a special company.
Over the years Shawn has worked on projects ranging from modest renovations to multi-million-dollar construction projects. Some take hours, some take days, months and even years. Shawn's knowledge in every area such as concrete footings, framing, insulating, mechanical (electrical, plumbing, HVAC), drywall, siding, roofing, finish carpentry and landscaping ensures that nothing will escape his trained eye. With so many years of experience Shawn has the ability to understand all of those areas but also to know when to bring in a trade and to be able to understand and work with that trade. The experience has also taught him to recognize quality. If trades are needed on the site, you can be assured you are getting the best quality for your budget. I can work within a budget and communicate with everyone involved to get the best possible result.
In creating SLD Developments, Shawn is striving to form a strong, trusting bond with every client and make the experience of building or renovating as stress-free as possible. His belief in quality first is what sets him apart from many others.
