Ryan has had a lifelong love affair with renovations. For as long as he can remember he’s been working with his hands – starting by helping his Dad out around the house, fixing and building stuff both outside and in. Around age ten, Ryan started making wooden crafts and gifts, progressing to wood turnings and shelving units – which he started selling at local fairs and flea markets.

He built at the age of 16 was noticed by a local contractor. The contractor was so impressed with Ryan’s work that he offered him a job without even meeting him in person. Within a week he was working in the cabinet shop and after about 6 months he was designing, building and installing cabinets himself.

The next 6 years found Ryan working with local experts to build his skill set and keep himself busy – from siding contractors, to other full custom cabinet shops and furniture shops, roofing companies, to full residential renovations construction builders and heavy steel and concrete farm building construction – you name it, he did it.

In 1996 Ryan started his apprenticeship in cabinetmaking, but upon his instructor’s recommendation, switched to carpentry. In 2001 Ryan received his Red Seal certificate in Carpentry. Quickly following this, he started working with some of the most renowned old-school contractors in PEI – on diverse, high-end jobs – mostly complicated cement forming and placement jobs for million dollar dairy farms and structures. He gained valuable experience and built his expertise in the industry from residential to agricultural and light commercial projects.

2005 found PEI’s building industry stalled in the recession and Ryan headed West to find work. He found himself in the midst of the construction boom in Edmonton and he had three job offers his first week there. He started working with a crew as lead hand framer on multi and single family developments. Eventually he headed South to Calgary and 2006 found him settling in to the bustling cities construction industry with his own venture where Red Isle Home Renovations was Born.