Building beautiful homes is a family affair

North Shore Platinum Homes co-owner Ruby Bir comes from a family of builders.

“My parents were builders my whole life,” she says. “I was led to it very naturally because I was exposed to it growing up.”

After trying her hand at other careers, Bir landed where she felt she always belonged. North Shore Platinum Homes specializes in new home construction, renovations and laneway/coach homes in the Squamish and North Vancouver area.

“We started in 2009 and it’s something that’s really grown and something we’re really enjoying,” Bir says.

She remembers watching her mother being involved in the home industry and it inspired her to pursue a career in building. Now, she’s passing down that passion for creating beautiful homes to the next generation: her daughter Ashley de Boer, an interior design student at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

“Being around this industry my whole life, I just knew it was the right direction for me,” de Boer says. “I looked into other careers but they just didn’t seem right.”

“She has a natural talent,” says Bir.

Mother and daughter find working together an easy fit.

“When Ashley was growing up, we never seemed to butt heads,” Bir says. “We get along in a good way. We get along like we’re friends, but I’m not her best friend. I’m still the mom!”

Together, de Boer and Bir focus on the design and how the house should function.

“We both find this work really rewarding. It’s a really creative industry,” Bir says. “Together we consult, we go over what clients are after, and formulate a plan.

Bir also appreciates that as women in a male-dominated industry, they can help set their clients at ease and help them feel heard.

“Our clients find it really refreshing to work with women,” Bir says. “It’s really nice for the women because they can relate to us. When we meet, we can connect and really get a sense of what they want and make it happen.”

To find out more about North Shore Platinum Homes, visit www.platinumhomes.ca or follow them on Instagram @northshoreplatinumhomes_ and @ashleydeboerdesigns.