Our colleagues over in Sweden have been continuing their series of interviews with clients using Posi-Joist in new, ambitious builds. Bill Impola, once a cross-country skier, is now using MiTek to forge a new path.
In 2017, Bill retired from top-level competition, and decided to go into real estate. His first project was a small rental property in Torsby, not far from the Norwegian border. Renovating the property into two apartments, Bill quickly found that construction suited him.
In his own words, “I guess I’ve always undertaken physical work. Now, I’m learning every day and it’s the challenge I’m enjoying the most. Being able to help where needed, there’s real value in that. Some areas of a site go quiet sometimes and I think, OK, great, what can I do to help out there?”
So, if you’re a world-class athlete, with a fresh set of skills to explore, there’s only one question – How big of a challenge can you really take on?
After an impressive five years of honing his craft on smaller projects, Bill set out to do something incredible. A six-level apartment block featuring 26 homes, built from scratch almost entirely using wood.
Nothing quite like this has ever been attempted before in the region, and careful planning was needed. Everything was to be assembled on-site from loose timber. Logistics were just as important as choosing the right materials and components.
A meeting with Stefan Asberg from MiTek Sweden’s sales team put Posi-Joist on Bill’s radar. Not only did it fit his technical requirements for acoustics and vibration, but it was also going to be easy to work with.
Built offsite, it means two people can quickly install the joists by hand, a perfect solution for small-team projects like this. It’s quick to install, with a strong span and great technical capabilities, allowing for all of the buildings pipework to be concealed within the metal web joists.
As he puts it, “I had no experience with these kinds of products before, but Posi-Joist has turned out to be a very smooth building system. We’re looking forward to seeing how it performs when we do sound measurements, but we’ll absolutely be using it again.”
The success of this project hasn’t dampened Bill’s appetite for real estate. Several smaller-scale ideas are already forming in his head. Of course, it helps that he has the right support.
MiTek can help you realise your own construction vision, and if you’ve got ideas you’d like to bring to life in the Baltics, we can support you. Whether you’re planning another world first, or building on previous successes, let our team give you a hand.
