Soban Taj grew up surrounded by the ins and outs of the construction industry. His father, Muzaffar Taj, came to Canada in 1991 and started a home construction and kitchen cabinetry business with his brother Tanveer Taj in 1997. By the time Soban was 13, he was helping out in the family business with everything from site demolitions and clean-up to cabinetry and roofing, all the while learning at his father’s side what it took to be successful. At 18 years old, he used what he had learned throughout his teens as his foundation and expanded his construction experience to start his own business.
“We were always buying lots from somebody else so I said: ‘let’s figure out what they are doing and how we can improve it and integrate with buyers’,” says Soban Taj, planner and partner in Planet Earth Communities. “My partner, Amir Sohail, and I started a new company in 2015 with the help of my mentor, Rod Potrie, whom I ended up working closely with and learning a lot from. And now here we are.”
Where they are is right in the heart of the booming Alberta construction industry. Planet Earth Communities has established itself as a full-service land development company with a strong presence in Calgary and its bedroom communities while also serving clients across Western Canada and beyond. Taj and his team of 10 staff along with a roster of talented contractors bring with them experience covering the spectrum of the construction industry, growing the corporation from new home and commercial construction into site planning and land development. They are in the process of amalgamating all services into one all-encompassing development office that they recently rebranded as Planet Earth Communities.
With a government focus on stimulating construction to combat the housing crisis across the country, the Planet Earth team is positioned to assist clients with everything from redeveloping a single city lot to subdividing a large plot of land. The diverse experience of the staff means Planet Earth can do it all, working in partnership with prominent builders on new home development projects as well as delivering industrial and commercial projects.
“No client is too small or no client is too big,” says Rod Potrie, planner at Planet Earth Communities. “Right now we are doing a one-parcel subdivision for a farmer and in the same breath we are doing an 800-unit development near West Edmonton Mall. We probably have 25 projects of varying sizes underway.”
No matter the size, the team brings the same high service levels and quality outcomes to every project. Clients come to Planet Earth with land, whether that’s raw farm land or partially developed parcels, and the team consults with clients to find the best possible solutions to attain their goals. The dedicated Planet Earth team is ready to help change the zoning so the land will accommodate more units or better utilize the area, and Taj, Sohail and their team guide clients through the complicated process of zoning, structure planning and development permits. This one-stop shop provides planning, engineering and project management all under one roof allowing them to prepare everything from detailed reports to sophisticated drawings to help clients conceptualize and visualize what the project will ultimately look like. As project managers, Planet Earth has proven invaluable, bringing out the best in the large multidisciplinary team of professionals that come together to take a project from finding and purchasing the asset to construction and hand over. The company has earned a solid reputation in the industry and they strive to protect it. The team is dedicated to facilitating its clients’ success and does all it can to ensure a win-win result. One way they do that is by conducting feasibility studies on proposals before they agree to engage in a project.
“Feasibility studies analyze the project in a broad scope perspective, what the project would accomplish not just physically but financially and otherwise,” says Potrie. “If the outcome of the study doesn’t support it, we tell the client to park their money elsewhere. If they choose to move forward with the project, we won’t be their consultants.”
While some competitors in the business will take on virtually any job and are motivated by the prospect of a paycheck, Planet Earth instead focuses on building relationships through its amazing service and quality counsel to ensure the projects they engage in are successful and profitable for both parties. The team scrutinizes all aspects of the project and if that research supports the plan, they not only take on the project, but they also deliver the incredible results they promise. This partnership is highly valued by the company’s long-time clients and it is what has kept them coming back year after year.
“We go for 100 per cent satisfaction for our clients from day one. I think that’s why we never advertise. We have so many clients by word of mouth because all of our clients are so happy with our services,” says Amir Sohail, partner in Planet Earth Communities.
The company services its clients well and its advantage is right in the name – it is a planet-conscious operation that focuses on green solutions and initiatives to minimize waste and maximize efficiencies, from incorporating bioswales and water recycling to exploring communities that are built on solar power. For nearly a decade, the team of talented professionals at Planet Earth Communities has been working with its diverse group of clients to help them make their dreams a reality with efficiency, transparency and integrity. It’s a small local company that is delivering huge results, and with a foundation built on loyal clients, skilled contractors and a green business plan, Soban Taj, Muzaffar Taj and their amazing team are just getting started.
