Empire Drywall launches new siding division

Calgary & Edmonton, AB – To meet the needs of Alberta’s volume homebuilders, Empire Drywall recently launched a new siding installation service to solidify its evolution as a ‘one-stop-shop’ residential envelope contractor.

The new siding division aims to reduce contractor scheduling challenges at the jobsite, while enhancing the quality of construction for Empire Drywall’s customers.

“It takes the headaches away of having to deal with multiple contractors for the building envelope scope of work,” said Rob Heemskerk, Vice-President, Empire Drywall Edmonton. “By taking control of the entire building envelope, Alberta homebuilders can take comfort that we’re going to do things properly and keep the project moving efficiently.”

The siding division is the latest new venture for the 55-year-old company, joining a new roofing service that was added earlier this year. Empire Drywall now provides a full slate of residential envelope services including drywall, insulation, spray foam, texturing, and paint for the Edmonton and Calgary markets.

The siding service also aligns perfectly with Empire Drywall’s decision last year to move away from commercial construction work to concentrate solely on single-family and multi-family home construction.

“By focusing entirely on the residential side of the business, we’re seeing upwards of 20% more volume across the board, and we’re doing it in cruise control,” added Rob. “We’ve recently added roofing and paint services, and it’s taking off because our team is no longer getting pulled in other directions on commercial projects. We’re now 100% dedicated to residential construction, and crews are gravitating to us because of that as well.”

According to Doug Dalton, Business Development Manager, Empire Drywall Calgary, the company is on track to install siding on more than 500 new residential builds in 2025 in the Calgary market alone.

He says that in parallel with new home construction, siding installation is evolving, and today’s leading homebuilders expect careful attention to detail to create a higher-quality living environment.

“Part of the process involves the careful application of house wrap to the home before the siding goes up,” said Doug. “Correct installation and the right materials play an important role in keeping moisture out of the home, improving its energy efficiency and durability.”

Empire Drywall has also expanded its talent pool by bringing on an experienced siding contractor team, while leveraging its existing relationships with vendors and Qualico homebuilding partners.

To stay ahead of the competition, the company sources premium siding products and has developed sophisticated scheduling and quality control processes to give it an edge in the building envelope business.

“We believe siding as a service is going to be increasingly scrutinized in the near term,” added Doug. “We’ve recently become certified by Dupont as a preferred installer of Tyvek house wrap products, helping us get ahead of the market. This is especially important with our climate in Alberta, which can have huge swings from very cold to warm in short periods of time.”

For Empire Drywall, recent changes to its business model – including new services like siding installation – bring it closer to its goal of being recognized as Alberta’s premiere residential building envelope experts.