In Partnership With J&J Coatings
I Didn’t Know What Parging Was Until I Needed It: Meet J&J Coatings
I’ll admit it. I didn’t really know what “parging” was until I needed it.
Like a lot of homeowners, it wasn’t something I had ever really thought about. Then suddenly I was looking at my own house, trying to figure out what needed to be fixed, what parging actually does and, most importantly, who in Edmonton I could trust to do it properly.
That’s what led me to J&J Coatings.
And once I started learning more about them, I realized there was a much bigger story here than simply fixing the outside of a foundation.
J&J Coatings has been specializing in parging in Edmonton and the surrounding area since 2007, completing more than 10,000 projects along the way.
But the part that really caught my attention?
The story behind the company.
It started with two friends, Jeff and Josh, two young families and a decision to build something that would allow them to stay closer to home.
Nearly 20 years later, their families are now part of what J&J has become.
It Started With Two Friends
Before they were business partners, Jeff and Josh were friends first.
They eventually found themselves working together in industrial fireproofing. As they both started young families, their priorities began to change.
They wanted to stay in Edmonton. They wanted to be closer to their families. And they wanted to build something of their own.
So, in 2007, Jeff and Josh decided to take a chance and start a business together.
And that’s how J&J Coatings began.
What started with two friends looking for a way to build careers closer to their families has grown into an Edmonton family business with more than 10,000 completed projects.
J&J was started because family mattered.
Today, family is a huge part of what J&J is.
A True Edmonton Family Business
This might be my favourite part of the J&J story.
Over the years, wives, brothers, parents, sons and lifelong friends have all become part of the team.
Melissa, Jeff’s wife, has been with J&J since 2014 and is the company’s office manager.
Darren, Jeff’s brother, joined J&J in 2018. After years of leading crews in the field, he’s now transitioning into the operations manager role.
Darren’s wife, Ashley, has also been part of J&J since 2018 and works in the field on Darren’s crews.
And now their son, Riley, is a second-year trainee.
The next generation is officially learning the trade.
Jeff’s son, Alex, also started with J&J this year and is working alongside the field crews.
Then there’s Herbert.
Jeff and Herbert have known each other since elementary school. Herbert has been with J&J for more than 10 years and is now one of the company’s team leads.
This year, Herbert’s son, Herbie, started training with J&J too. He grew up alongside Jeff’s kids, who have always considered him a cousin.
Even Josh’s dad, Ralph, has been part of the J&J story. Before retiring, Ralph worked with J&J for several years and brought more than 40 years of experience in the plastering trade to the company.
That’s a whole lot of family, friendship and experience behind those hard hats.
But What Exactly Is Parging?
Don’t worry. I had to learn this too!
Parging is the protective and decorative coating applied to the visible exterior portion of a home’s foundation.
It’s something most of us probably don’t spend much time thinking about until we notice cracks, deterioration or areas that just don’t look right.
And living in Edmonton, our homes have to deal with some pretty serious seasonal changes.
One of the biggest things I’ve learned already is that there’s a lot more to properly parging a home than making the foundation look nice.
The finished texture is what we see.
What happens underneath it is incredibly important.
What Makes J&J Coatings Different?
This is where experience really comes into play.
Parging isn’t just one of many services J&J offers. It’s what they specialize in.
Jeff, Josh and the J&J team have been doing this since 2007 and have completed more than 10,000 projects for Edmonton-area homeowners, builders and property managers.
That’s a lot of foundations.
And with that experience comes the ability to recognize what they’re dealing with before simply putting another coat over it.
J&J puts a lot of emphasis on proper preparation, using the right materials and doing the job correctly from the beginning.
Because while the finished texture might be the part homeowners notice, much of what determines how a parging job performs happens before that final coat ever goes on.
They’re not looking to simply cover something up, make it look good and move on.
They want to understand what’s happening, prepare it properly and complete work they’re comfortable putting the J&J name behind.
They’re also willing to tell a homeowner when something isn’t the right solution, even if that means they don’t get the job.
As a homeowner, I appreciate that.
More Than 10,000 Edmonton-Area Projects
Since 2007, J&J Coatings has built long-term relationships with Edmonton homeowners, builders and property managers.
Their goal is for homeowners to feel confident about who they’ve hired from the first estimate right through to the final cleanup.
Straightforward, professional and respectful.
Most importantly, they want customers to know they’ll still be there after the job is finished.
J&J backs its workmanship with a 30-year transferable warranty.
That’s an important piece of the story when you’re choosing someone to work on your home.
Nearly 20 Years Later, It Still Comes Back to Family
There are some impressive numbers behind J&J Coatings.
Founded in 2007.
More than 10,000 completed projects.
Nearly two decades serving Edmonton-area homeowners.
But I think the best part of their story is harder to put into a number.
Two friends started a business because they wanted to stay closer to their young families.
Now those families are part of the business they built.
Ralph brought more than 40 years of experience in the trade.
Darren and Herbert became long-standing members and leaders within the company.
Melissa and Ashley became part of the team.
And now Riley, Alex and Herbie are learning the trade themselves.
There’s something pretty special about that.
Edmonton Mama Is Going Behind the Hard Hats
And this is only the beginning!
Over the next little while, Edmonton Mama is going Behind the Hard Hats with J&J Coatings.
We’re going to introduce you to some of the people behind the company, including Darren, Herbert, Riley and Herbie.
We’ll take a closer look at the work J&J does around Edmonton and, selfishly, I’m going to learn a whole lot more about parging too.
We’ll be talking about what parging actually does, signs Edmonton homeowners should watch for, why preparation matters, common parging problems and what you should know before hiring someone to work on your home’s foundation.
Because if you’re anything like me, you might not know what parging is…
until you need it.
And that’s exactly how I found J&J.