Despite its name, The Little Building Company is a big supporter of sustainability and the local economy.
As a full-service general contractor, The Little Building Company services residential, cottage, and commercial properties across Peterborough County and beyond through the design and build of additions, standalone structures including backyard offices and studios, and renovations.
Based in the Township of Douro-Dummer, one of the eight townships in Peterborough County, The Little Building Company is now fully owned by Dave Conroy, who co-founded the company in 2015 through connections made in the sustainable building and design course at Fleming College.
The Little Building Company not only builds as sustainably as possible, but also sources its materials from as close to home as possible.
All of the lumber for its builds comes from local yards Lakefield Kingdon Timber Mart in Selwyn Township and, for specialty products, Monaghan Lumber in the Township of Cavan Monaghan. For outdoor projects, the company also uses Douro-Dummer’s Harrison Cedar Products, which exclusively processes local cedar logs. All steel roofing and some siding comes from Havelock Metal in Peterborough.
The Little Building Company also uses local subtrades for their projects — including Berardi Brothers for plumbing, Shawn Drew-Brook for electrical, and Kawartha Eco Climate Control for HVAC systems — and relies on Larry Electric as its exclusive tool provider and tool repair outfit.
As outdoor enthusiasts located in The Kawarthas, Conroy and his employees have a passion for designing and building outdoor spaces that allow family and friends to come together, including bunkies, decks, docks, gazebos, and pergolas. Along with custom saunas, the company also offers prefabricated saunas manufactured by Ontario-based Dundalk Leisurecraft that come in a range of designs, sizes, and wood types.
“We really enjoy outdoor projects and dreaming up how we can help people realize the full potential of their property,” says Conroy.
The company will do on-site work for properties within an hour’s drive of Lakefield and, for properties farther away, will construct prefabricated builds at the shop and deliver them to the client upon completion.
VIDEO: Modern Studio: Bunkie, Backyard Office, Studio – The Little Building Company
The Little Building Company recently partnered with Toronto’s Mace Electric to expand its services into the Greater Toronto Area. The partnership allows the company to have a physical customer service representative close to clients, which Conroy notes was an important factor in the decision to take on projects farther away.
Along with projects for residential and commercial clients, The Little Building Company also supports local non-profit organizations.
The company built the naturalized playscape at GreenUP’s Ecology Park in Peterborough and also rebuilt the lath house used for native plant propagation. They constructed the intricate radio station set at the Market Hall in Peterborough for New Stages Theatre’s hit 2023 holiday production of “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,” and subsequently became a 2024-25 season partner with New Stages. Currently, the company is working with Sadleir House in Peterborough on two bathroom upgrades.
Regardless of what The Little Building Company is building or where, the company’s focus is on sustainability and exceptional craftsmanship while supporting the local economy.
“We like to do quality work,” Conroy says. “We’re just trying to do good work for good people and take care of our people while we’re at it.”
For more information, contact The Little Building Company by emailing info@littlebuildingcompany.ca, calling 705-874-1040, or visiting littlebuildingcompany.ca.
The Local Advantage in Peterborough County is a branded editorial feature series about locally owned independent businesses in Peterborough County, created in partnership with Peterborough County’s Economic Development & Tourism Division.
As part of its response to the impact of U.S. tariffs, Peterborough County is showcasing the many unique businesses located in the county, both by sharing their stories of success and how they support both residents and other businesses in their communities.
Whether by shopping at local businesses, dining at local restaurants, staying at local accommodation, or enjoying local experiences, residents and visitors can enhance the economic resilience of Peterborough County during these challenging times and help establish a sustainable foundation for the future.
For more information about economic development and tourism in Peterborough County, visit www.ptbocounty.ca/ecdev and The Kawarthas Tourism at thekawarthas.ca.
