In March 1979, a young man by the name of Geoff, fresh out of Ryerson University, got started in a little summer venture he called The Fence Centre. His older brother Steve, while working full time elsewhere and caring for his firstborn (a baby boy named Adam), helped out on a very limited part time basis (he probably watched more than anything).
That first year, knowing virtually nothing about building fences, and working out of their parents driveway (to the everlasting dismay of their neighbours), the fledgling business still managed to turn a fair dollar, enough to pay for Geoff’s car and a few other luxuries such as his future wife.
Emboldened by modest success, the following spring the brothers went into it full time, and off they flew. Working out of a rented 12′ x 12′ storage shed in a tiny lumber yard in Richmond Hill, they quadrupled their business (although not the profit). They stuck with building fences, because, honestly, that’s all they knew how to do, until July of 1980, when a customer who had just purchased a wood fence from Steve asked if he could build them a deck. Reluctantly talked into it (well, it was almost $2500.00, which in 1980 was a LOT of money), Steve took the job, and Geoff hunted for someone who knew how to do it. Eventually, he found a friend of a friend who’s cousin’s uncle was a carpenter from “the old country”. He took on the job, showed the boys what materials were needed and how to build it, and suddenly they were in the deck business. From there, the brothers made it their business to learn how to build decks. In fact, the company still owns the “Sunset Publishing” handbook on deck design that Steve picked up in a flea market in 1980, for $2.00. (we still have that book!)
Eventually, the deck side of the business became so important that the company was renamed “The Fence & Deck Centre”. That’s been our name ever since.
Today’s company can proudly look back on 41 seasons of design and innovation and more than 12,000 installations (you read that correctly). It was the very first deck company in Toronto, and is still one of the most respected. Its designs pioneered Toronto’s style, and virtually everybody in the GTA has felt this influence. In fact, more than a dozen current companies, large and small, are owned by installers originally trained at The Fence & Deck Centre. However, some of our workers never left. One of our carpenters started in 1983, and now works with his son as a deck builder for us. We have other crews now in their 15th year with us.
The company prides itself on building gorgeous, one of a kind decks, porches, gazebos and cabanas in a variety of materials, that will be enjoyed for decades to come.