There is a saying that a house is somewhere you live, but a home is where you love. For Bebe Hopkinson, a new resident of Chatham-Kent, her house was built to accommodate her needs, and it was also built with an extra touch of love thanks to the dedication and hard work of Jim and Jeff Bultje and their business Multi Construction.
“I was born with Thalidomide birth defects which affect both arms, mostly on my right, which is challenging for my day-to-day activities in life,” said Hopkinson. “We were looking to buy a home in Chatham to retire and I had concerns regarding my disability. I was introduced to a real estate agent who showed us a few homes and she told me that she knew a builder who was building and she took us to see the location.”
“We met with the builder and he seemed to be confident, optimistic, an engaged listener, simple, and relaxed, and he made us very comfortable, leaving us with a lasting impression. The builder assured me that he would try his best to facilitate my special needs. He showed so much compassion it warmed my heart as I have not experienced kindness like that before.”
Building homes to meet people’s needs is not new to Multi Construction. Partners Jim and Jeff Bultje currently run this third-generation business, which was started in 1972 by John Bultje.
“I think what helps to set us apart from many other developers is that we are building homes not for us, but for our clients. This approach is important in a community like Chatham-Kent because it helps us stay more connected,” said Jim Bultje. “We are complete builders who employ year-round staff who work as a team on every home Multi Construction builds and that gives us the flexibility to design and engineer a home with special details that homeowners are looking for.”
Thanks to the outstanding customer service provided by the team, Hopkinson made the commitment to move forward with construction in February of 2020.
“Jim sat down with me and we put a list of things together that I need, for example, a kitchen with right and left-handed drawers and cupboards, a higher sink, and a patio door to open from the left. Every time we had an appointment with providers, Jim would take time from his busy schedule and come by to talk and listen to my concerns,” said Hopkinson. “Both Jim and Jeff have touched my life in a remarkable way, with their kindness. They helped me with my disability to build a special and comfortable home to live in.”
To recognize Multi Construction and the owners for their efforts, Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff presented them with a certificate for Outstanding Customer Care and Service.
“When Bebe reached out to my office to share her story, I knew right away this kind of good news had to be recognized,” said Chatham-Kent Mayor Darrin Canniff. “In my view, the entire team at Multi Construction exemplifies the type of customer service the people and businesses in Chatham-Kent show on a daily basis. It’s a glowing example of the kind of warm welcome new residents to our community can expect to receive.”
With the completion of the home build, the Hopkinson have recently finished moving to Chatham-Kent and are enjoying their custom home.
“Our move has gone well and we have already started to make good neighbours, good friends, and meet many of the good Samaritans across our community,” said Hopkinson. “I know we will enjoy our new home for many years to come.”
Additional Information
- Multi Construction website: http://multiconstruction.ca/ and contact information:
10750 Longwoods Road, Chatham, Ontario - 519-354-8928
- According to a post on the company's Facebook page on May 21, 2021, John Bultje passed away. https://www.facebook.com/multiconstruction/posts/290033326090953
“Early this morning John Bultje, founder of Multi Construction passed away peacefully into his Saviour's arms in his 88th year. He moved to Canada in 1951, worked any job he could find, including tobacco, sugar beets and ended up in the construction industry. John married Anna Vandergaag in 1957 and they had six children: Phil, George, Elsa, Richard, Jeff and Jim. He started Multi Construction Ltd. with Jeff Vanderlinden in 1972 and retired in 1992. He was considered a maverick in the building industry in the '70s and '80s (quote from Chatham Daily News). He and Jeff Vanderlinden built hundreds of homes in Chatham-Kent, including Birdland, Campus Estates, Oxley Drive, the Maples, Country Gate Estates, Sugar Plantation, Merritt Ave., etc. He was one of the founding members of the Chatham Homebuilder's Association. John and his wife Anna enjoyed their retirement with extensive travelling, enjoying family time, and community and church involvement. We will truly miss his continued interest in our company, as, until recently, many of our customers could see him riding his bike through the subdivisions checking up on the construction activity.”
Media Contact
Eric Labadie
Marketing and Communications Officer
Economic Development Services, Community Development
Municipality of Chatham-Kent
124 Thames Street, Chatham, ON N7M 5K8
Email: EricL@chatham-kent.ca
Phone: 519-784-0307
