the things we make, make us

halifax builders

what we do

We are located in Nova Scotia, in North End Halifax and specialize in new construction and renovations. Our service philosophy embodies the highest standards of craftsmanship, construction innovation and project management. Our design philosophy blends modern urban design with extensive knowledge of traditional methods.

We work with some of Halifax’s leading architects and developers, and over the years have become an established firm. Our dedicated team and trusted subtrades ensure that we offer the highest standards.

It’s your project and we would like for you to be involved from start to finish. It’s important that we understand your requirements and your wishes while providing you the opportunity to decide if we are right fit for you. We can visit a current job site to show you our high standard of craftsmanship, as well as introduce you to our team. Building or renovating your home is a big deal and we want YOU to LOVE it!

Our story begins with a long family history in carpentry. Company frontman Mike Burns learned the craft of carpentry from his grandfather. He honed his skills under the mentorship of a master craftsman in Halifax’s North End. Years later MRB Contracting was born, a company comprised of dedicated individuals who are passionate about their craft. From framing to finish work, and from concrete to cabinetry, the team has a catalogue of skills to rival any project.

We love modern architecture. Its simplicity and clean lines are difficult to pull off with nothing to hide behind. We like the challenge of perfecting the raw and genuine feel that minimalist design can offer. Most of what we do is architecturally designed – one off projects that require us to do custom fabrication. Our work in renovating old homes in Halifax has given us the experience of the more traditional design elements and period architecture found in the area.

Innovative technologies and energy efficiency are a priority for us.

• Utilize highly efficient Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) construction
• Superinsulation to dramatically reduce heat loss
• Passive home heating
• Source local materials as much as possible
• Use of reclaimed materials when appropriate
• Certified in green roof construction and design

We do everything from site development and planning to finish work. We can incorporate unique elements to any project including custom cabinets, counter tops, flooring, and furniture.


About

2458 James Street | Halifax

Our space is located in the North End of Halifax. Built nearly 120 years ago in the Halifax Row House style -it’s defined by flat profiles on all sides. Our friend and colleague Architect Omar Gandhi designed our new look. The interior of our home office was completely renovated and includes concrete floors, modern minimalist Baltic Birch cabinets with exposed edge grain, concrete countertops, and sleek office desk. The cabinetry and furniture were crafted in-house by MRB Woodshop. Stainless steel, aluminum and raw steel accent the woodwork to complete the modern design elements.

The exterior was also given a facelift. We retained the beauty of traditional cedar shingles and modernized the exterior using various elements like steel and aluminum accents. Large windows were added to brighten the open concept spaces. Our office is an excellent space to host client meetings and showcase our work. The end product is a place we are proud to call ours.

 


About

Mike and his team were amazing! Even before the project was started, Mike was very approachable and easy to communicate with. He and his team were all very professional, reliable, conscientious and extremely detailed in their work. They arrived when they said the would, left the site tidy and we felt perfectly comfortable with them around. We loved watching each step of the renovation process and would recommend them to anyone looking for a quality contractor.
Joanne & Brian Titus,
"From the first meeting to the last coat of paint, I have nothing but positive comments for Mike and his team. Mike has replaced a bunch of windows, replaced a large patio and front door, and completely rebuilt my master bedroom en suite and walk in closet. If you could see the job he did on the en suite, you wouldn't need to read a word I've written! I have not one complaint about his business acumen nor the quality of his work. So much so, that when I go to reno my basement and kitchen, I won't even bother with quotes from other companies; either MRB Contracting does the job, or the reno waits until they're free. Mike has a keen eye for design, a breath-taking work ethic, and exceptional attention to detail. There is not enough space here for me to detail just how good he is."
Rob Green, Home owner and big fan!
Mike, owner/operator, truly is fantastic -- experienced beyond his years (you’d be making a big mistake to judge him based on his age), conscientious, honest and straight-up. Mike discussed everything with me…as little or as much as I wanted to know. I was updated every step of the way and there was a discussion each time there was a variation from what we agreed on. I always knew and understood all my options and felt very comfortable taking his advice and making decisions.
Suzanne Hickey, Owner | Rouge
Mike Burns came referred to me by a good friend. He was described as a young guy with an incredible work ethic and a passion for craft. Trained by the best in the province, he not only learned about building but received the required education to provide detailed costing and project management skills. The first project that we worked on together was the Moore Studio which was an absolute success. Together we have received notoriety for the project due to its high level of craftsmanship, attention to detail and originality. Everything from the floor to the cabinetry and the custom lights were designed and built by our two teams. We are slated to produce half a dozen more projects in the coming year. On the final build day at the Moore Studio the entire team brought their own cameras – because it wasn’t just another job. Mike, his foreman Adam Smith and his entire team understand modern architecture as well as old world craftsmanship and are collectively as excited about the final product as I am. I use MRB Contracting because they care immensely about the client and they make me look good.
Omar Gandhi, Architect
Mike is a dedicated, energized and driven contractor who works hands-on with his crew and sub-trades. His warm and professional personality has developed strong professional relationships with them, ensuring that they care as much as he does about consistent quality and a smooth process. Mike is committed to being available to his clients and stands behind his projects with a natural and well deserved pride. I recommend him with confidence.
James White, Owner / Broker | Canoe Realty
Mike Burns was instrumental to the success of our project when we added onto and renovated our home, while he was under the employment of David Watts Construction Services. Being an architect, we obviously invested a lot of time and care designing the project. We were extremely appreciative of Mike and his crew to spend the same level of effort and care reviewing all the small but important details with us, to make sure that things worked out perfectly. In fact Mike’s efforts are a big reason our house landed on the cover of East Coast Living Magazine. His crews are talented, dependable, resourceful, fair and reasonable with money, and above all a treat to deal with. Mike is wise beyond his years and I highly recommend him for any residential project large or small.
Mark Atwood, Architect
Having had the experience of working with many contractors in the past, on projects both large and small, I can say that Mike is by far the most conscientious and creative I have come across. Practically, his quotes are always realistic and he sticks to them, and aesthetically he has an excellent eye to style and function. Not only does he get the job done, and beautifully, he's the kind of guy I'm happy to sit and have a coffee with; I can think of no greater recommendation than that.
Daniel MacIvor,
This was the first time we had employed MRB Contracting, and it won't be the last. Mike Burns' crew of highly talented, organized , professional contractors exceeded our expectations. Not only did they put together a complex project with an astute architect , they completed the fantastic job on time, within estimate, and with care and pride in their work. Being involved in Health Care, site safety is one of my main concerns, and they exceeded the norms. For a crew of relatively younger carpenters in the highly competitive field of construction, they worked with expertise and ability of seasoned pros; with a progressive, modern and refreshing feel and look at residential construction. My family and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for quality work, done on time, within budget, and a kind of "worry-free" work-site environment that is generated by their professionalism, safety consciousness and ability to deliver solid project construction.
Ian Hamilton,
Mike and the crew at MRB Contracting clearly take pride in their craftsmanship. In a world where many contractors take shortcuts, the crew at MRB simply won’t stand for it. They are devoted to their craft and creating beautiful structures. Working with them and seeing my project take shape has been a pleasure. By choosing MRB you are ensuring that the vision you had for your project in the beginning, will be exactly what you had hoped for in the end.
Jess Tasker, Owner & Designer
We entrusted MRB with a major renovation of our 20-year old custom designed house. Mike Burns and his team did an excellent job at understanding our design requirements, adapted to the existing engineering constraints, and delivered an outstanding result – a complete second story addition! The team promptly arrived each morning, put care/pride into their craftsmanship, and cleaned up each & every day. Mike coordinated all activities with the building inspectors, suppliers, and trades to ensure that the schedule was maintained. The end result was fantastic – and most importantly, was delivered on time/on budget! A great job, by a great team!
John & Tina Rogers,
From June 2009 through to May 2010 Mike Burns acted as general contractor for two major renovations for us: our house and a basement flat.  The renovations including gutting most of both spaces (to the studs) and removing or moving bearing walls.  The improvements included insulation, electrical upgrades and rewiring, moving and replacing all plumbing fixtures, tiling three bathrooms, replacing two kitchens including tile back-splashes, replacement of drywall, installing new windows, adding a new front porch, replacing the roof, soffits and fascia. We highly recommend Mike for the following reasons: * his attention to high quality craftsmanship and detail; * his ascetic for design in all aspects of renovation; * the professional and genial tradesmen that work with him; * the high quality tradesmen that he sub-contracts (electrical, drywall, plumbing and roofing); * his consideration for the client in keeping mess to a minimum; * his willingness to tackle any aspect of a renovation; * his willingness to do research on products or approaches he has not encountered before (for us this included in-floor heated concrete in the basement flat, sourcing low-odour finishes and energy conservation devices); As with all renovations, unforeseen issues occur.  Mike was quick to let us know about issues and advise us of options.  He was always good-natured even when things were not going as planned.
Murray and Katherine Doehler,
I recently had a whole kitchen renovation completed by MRB, and we can’t begin to explain how thrilled we were with both the process and the outcome. We had a very strict timeline which we needed to adhere to, and the boys at MRB not only met, but greatly exceeded our high expectations. MRB was able to take the vision we had for our new kitchen, and by listening to our ideas, and filling in the gaps we had not anticipated, turn it into reality. Their attention to detail is second to none, and shows not only in the clean lines and minor details they put into all of their work, but also in the project as a whole, ensuring everything was finished to the highest standard Their crew was punctual, friendly, and above all respected our home; never leaving the site without ensuring everything was complete and things were cleaner than when they arrived. They were able to answer all of our questions, and provide us with multiple options for every eventuality that arose through the course of construction. For a seemingly young contractor, you quickly realize Mike Burns has been doing this for years, and does it well. His head carpenter Adam Smith is extremely knowledgeable, and hardworking, and this gives you the assurance that your project is in good hands at all times. Their cabinet makers work speaks for itself, as does that of the rest of the crew, and we are happy to have it in our home. We would recommend MRB to anyone who is looking for professional, quality, and original work, and can’t wait to use them on our next project.
Jill Beaton,
MRB Contracting, Halifax Nova Scotia, Mike Burns

Mike Burns: President|Estimator

MRB Contracting, Halifax Nova Scotia, Adam Smith

Adam Smith: Project Foreman

Scott Billard: Project Foreman

MRB Contracting, Halifax Nova Scotia, Lindsay

Lindsay Langille: Operations Manager

MRB Contracting, Halifax Nova Scotia, team, craftsmanship

Steevo Moore: Project Foreman

MRB Contracting, Halifax Nova Scotia, home builders, project management

Simon Clements: Project Manager


About

Ricardo is a carpenter with MRB Contracting.

MRB Contracting, halifax nova scotia, contractor, builder,

Ironstone update

It’s been a while since our last Ironstone update. Lot’s of work has happened inside, primarily insulation, electric and plumbing. Among the new changes out back are a new concrete drive shared
Read More →
MRB Contracting, Kingsburg Nova Scotia

Materials: Plywood Vs. OSB

At MRB we strictly use plywood over OSB (oriented strand board) for all wall, roof and floor sheathing applications. As part of a new “materials” series on our blog we’ll be discussing building materials a
Read More →
MRB Contracting, custom homes, Kingsburg, modern

Kingsburg 1 finished interior

Kingsburg 1 is complete now and we are very pleased with the results. We showed you some photos of the interior finishes as they were being developed. Today we have photos of the finished interior. This is
Read More →
MRB Contractiong, Halifax NS, contractor, renovations

West End reno photos gallore

Work in the West End is progressing well. We’ve collected a ton of photos this week. Enjoy!
Read More →

Building or renovating your dream home is an exciting experience. There are a lot of important decisions you will need to make from the time you approve initial drawings, to moving in. We appreciate the importance of every decision you must make and the ability to see changes through.
To provide you with superior project management we offer a web-based tool that allows you to:

  • view updated photos of the project
  • view the build schedule
  • view and approve change orders
  • have access to important documents
  • online messaging
  • warranty claims process

 


About

Ricardo is a carpenter with MRB Contracting.

Our office is open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, drop in and say hi!


2458 James St.  Halifax, NS  B3K 3W7
 
p. 902.455.3202 | f. 902.455.3209 | e. info@mrbcontracting.com

About