HOW WE WORK
A Disciplined Process. Every Project, Every Time.
Restoration work in occupied buildings leaves no room for improvisation. We've developed a structured approach to planning, execution, and quality assurance that keeps projects on track, sites safe, and structures performing for the long term.
How Every Project Runs
The same structured process applies whether we're restoring a single parkade level or rehabilitating a bridge deck. Scope and complexity change. The discipline doesn't.
Before anything is specified, we understand what the structure is actually dealing with — not just the visible symptoms. We work alongside your structural engineer to assess existing conditions, identify root causes, and establish the full scope of what needs to be addressed.
We develop the project plan in close coordination with the engineer of record and the client. This is where occupied-site constraints, phasing requirements, and access windows get resolved — before mobilisation, not during it.
Every site is set up to the same safety standard before work begins. Hoarding, access control, dust and noise mitigation, and emergency procedures are in place before a single tool is used. The people in the building around us are not an afterthought.
Our crews execute to the engineering specification — not to approximations of it. Site supervisors manage daily progress, document conditions as they're uncovered, and flag changes through the right channels before they become problems.
All work is verified against the engineering specification and applicable standards. We don't consider a project complete until the documentation is in order and the client has a clear record of what was done, what materials were used, and what to expect from the repair over time.
Working with the Retro Specialty Contractors team has consistently proven their technical capability on demanding building envelope and restoration projects.
In scenarios where site conditions are complex or undefined, Retro stands out for their practical problem-solving. They collaborate effectively on site to deliver cost-effective solutions that strictly satisfy manufacturer specifications while balancing the practical and budgetary priorities of both the strata and the consultant.
Their execution across high-performance coatings, expansion joints, and concrete repair makes them a reliable partner in delivering durable, warranted systems.
Adam Lunn
Tremco Canada Division, RPM Canada
Built around the people responsible for the outcome
Restoration projects involve multiple stakeholders with different priorities. Our process is designed to give each of them confidence in a different way.
Engineers & consultants
Property managers & building owners
Developers & project teams
High-Performance Restoration for Structures that Can’t Afford Guesswork
Complex restoration work often involves more than one issue. Water intrusion, movement, joint failure, concrete deterioration, and structural demands can overlap quickly. Especially in parkades, institutional buildings, infrastructure and other high-demand environments.
Retro brings the specialty services and project experience needed to address those conditions with a coordinated, performance-focused approach.
Retro brings the specialty services and project experience needed to address those conditions with a coordinated, performance-focused approach.
Site-specific safety plans
Every project gets its own safety plan — written for the actual site conditions, not adapted from a generic template. Reviewed and signed off before mobilisation.
WorkSafeBC compliance
All work is executed in compliance with WorkSafeBC regulations. Our crews are trained, certified, and current — and our record reflects it.
Hazard identification and control
Pre-task hazard assessments are completed before each phase of work. Conditions that change mid-project are reassessed — not ignored because the original plan didn't account for them.
Crew training and certification
Fall arrest, confined space, traffic control, and WHMIS are maintained across the crew — not just the supervisors. We don't put uncertified workers in situations that require certification.
Occupied-site protocols
Working in active buildings requires a different level of planning. Hoarding, access control, dust and noise management, and emergency egress are established before work begins — every time.
Quality documentation
Material records, installation documentation, and inspection sign-offs are maintained throughout. At handover, the client receives a complete record of the work — not just a summary.
Trusted on Major Projects Across British Columbia
We’ve completed work on some of the region’s most complex structures, including:
OAKRIDGE CENTRE REDEVELOPMENT
Canada's Largest Expansion Project
Oakridge required Retro to deliver specialized work across parkades, podiums, retail spaces, transit interfaces, ramps, loading areas and towers, each with different structural and performance requirements.
$16.9M
In project scope
5,000 ft
Expansion joint systems
5 Years
With zero closures
Committed to Higher Industry Standards
We believe technical excellence means continually investing in our industry. Retro maintains memberships and certifications with organizations that promote higher standards for construction, restoration and workplace safety.
Recognized for award-winning specialty work
Retro Specialty Contractors received the 2025 SWA Trillium Award for its work on The Oakridge Centre Redevelopment, recognized in the New Construction category.
Presented by the Sealant and Waterproofing Association of Canada, the Trillium Award celebrates standout projects shaped by the collaboration of a contractor, manufacturer and allied professional. For Retro, the recognition speaks to the technical skill, coordination and care required to deliver complex work at scale.
Presented by the Sealant and Waterproofing Association of Canada, the Trillium Award celebrates standout projects shaped by the collaboration of a contractor, manufacturer and allied professional. For Retro, the recognition speaks to the technical skill, coordination and care required to deliver complex work at scale.
Questions We Hear Before Every Project Starts
We document conditions as they're uncovered, photograph what we find, and bring changes to the engineer and client before proceeding. No scope is extended without agreement — verbal or written. You won't find out about a change in cost after the fact.
All Retro sites are managed to WorkSafeBC standards with hoarding, signage, and access control appropriate to the building type.
The first step is a site consultation. Retro's team reviews existing documentation, assesses site conditions, and develops a clear picture of what the structure needs before any scope is recommended.