Walsh Restorations
About Walsh Restorations
With over 50 years of combined experience. Walsh restoration is your team for all restoration needs big or small:
Mike Walsh: Owner in construction since 1979
Rodger Ryan: IICRC Restoration Technician
Walsh Restorations was launched in 2002 after a major renovation of the Delta Whistler Resort. At the time, Mike Walsh was providing construction management services to a large construction company. Renovations at the Delta Whistler Resort included the installation of fire suppression sprinklers in north tower, which was subcontracted out to a sprinkler contractor.
During the first full pressure test of the sprinkler system, the system failed on the second floor.This resulted in a flood of the hotel restaurant below. During this eight-floor retrofit, the sprinkler system failed four more times.
The first two mitigations were contracted out to ServiceMaster. As project coordinator, Mike Walsh was responsible to ensure the mitigation of the water damage was complete. From watching the technicians and asking questions, Mike realized the simplicity of water mitigation when compared to hotel renovations. The remaining water mitigations were done in house.
A fire broke out in a storage room on the seventh floor the night it was being turned over the hotel. A division of Preferred Restorations had been subcontracted to complete the wall papering in the hotel, and since they were on scene, they were called in to repair the fire damage.
During the first renovation, Mike Walsh continued to oversee the project, and persistently asked questions about methodology used in fire restorations. With 22 years of knowledge and experience in new construction and hotel renovations, Mike realized that fire renovations were another aspect of restoration work that was much simpler than new construction and renovations.
When the renovations at the Delta were complete, Preferred Restorations offered Mike Walsh a position as branch manager in a newly opened Whistler office. At the same time, two other large construction companies were offering similar positions as branch managers for Whistler offices they wished to open.
Their confidence in Mike’s ability to manage a major restoration/construction office inspired him to open his own company.
The newly launched Walsh Restorations focused entirely on insurance property damage restoration for two main reasons:
- As a journeyman carpenter, project manager and site superintendent working in new construction and renovations for 22 years, Mike was looking for a new challenge.
- Having been through the recessions of 1982 and 1992 in new construction, Mike had first-hand experience with not being paid when the industry went through corrections. Insurance companies may take longer to pay, but they always pay. With a family to support, that security was paramount.
Mike Walsh approached all major hotels and the three largest property management companies in Whistler, offering repair services while training in water and fire mitigation. Mike made arrangements with local rental store to have 24-hour access to their fans and dehumidifiers while Walsh Restorations slowly acquired flood mitigation equipment.
2003 was the start-up period for Walsh Restorations. In order to finance his burgeoning business, Mike Walsh built and sold four spec houses, in Pemberton. Each house netted $125,000 for a total of $500,000, which subsidized Walsh Restorations’ early days.
In 2003, Walsh Construction did every strata insurance repair for Whistler Resort Management and Gateway Properties at cost. After 6 months of service, Mike approached the property managers with regards to the insurance restorations contracts. Mike’s approach was to ask them if they had received good service, and if so, would they be willing to trust him with the emergency mitigation services. The only stipulation from property managers was that flood technicians be housed in Whistler. At that time, the competition housed their workers in Squamish.
Within 24 hours, Walsh Restorations rented a house for floor technicians, and within seven days, Walsh Restorations had hired two floor technicians from Vancouver.
2004 was a major turning point in Walsh Restoration history. The company was awarded a 72 unit fire sprinkler replacement job with $1.3million. Walsh Restorations then hired its first project manager. The contract stipulated that after completing the sprinkler retro-fit project, Walsh Restorations would then open a Vancouver division.
The Vancouver division works with The Co-Operators Insurance Company, Henderson Development, Coho Property Management, Colyvan Property Management, Jardine Lloyd Thompson and Westland Insurance.
Walsh Construction Ltd continued to subsidize Walsh Restorations until 2006. In 2007, Walsh Restorations was no longer reliant on subsidies and Mike Walsh was able to draw a full salary from the business.