By Barb Brouwer
Contributor
Fifty years ago, Frank Camille Ambler and his wife, Mary, used their savings and construction savvy to build a family business that continues to thrive.
In 1972, the couple partnered with Frank’s brother Robert and his wife Marlene and bought Countryside Mobile Home Park near the Salmon Arm Golf Club.
The mobile homes they originally installed there were purchased from a manufacturing company in Lake Country and Frank Sr. and his son Frank. Jr. prepped the sites.
“Dad was a member of the Operators and Engineers Union and was pretty good at construction,” said Frank Jr. “He could operate heavy equipment, but back in those days, just about everyone could run farm equipment, it was just a fact of life.”
Frank said there were some 150 mobile home sites in the park, which took 10 years to fill.
“It was a great way for people to start with home ownership and gain equity,” he said. “It was also good for retirees, who could sell their homes and end up with enough cash in their jeans to live happily.”
After Frank Sr. passed away in 2005, Frank started Countryside Manufactured Homes, a dealership he located on the current site on Hwy. 97 B in 2007.
The mobiles of the 1970’s were affordable at less than $10,000 and were fully furnished. But, he says the quality of manufactured homes has improved immensely since his dad went into the business.
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“There weren’t even building codes for homes back then,” he said, noting that those codes became more complex in 1992, requiring 2X6 studs, better insulation in roofs, walls and floors, and energy efficient windows. “Anything built in 1992 and newer has great resale value, but anything older, we tear it apart and recycle, which costs us money.”
Frank said the homes that are still built in Lake Country are perfectly accurate, square, level and without imperfections.
The Countryside Manufactured Homes dealership has four show homes, featuring two double-wides and two single-wides, with sales advisors and home specialists on hand to help customers build the homes of their dreams.
There is a wide selection of flooring, tiles and cabinets and an in-house warranty program. While several set floor plans are available, Frank said few people choose them.
“Everybody pretty much designs their own, it really is custom design,” he said, pointing out customers tell staff their needs. “We have a lot of options and we offer a fixed selling price so when you leave, you’ll know how much your house is going to cost.”
Ambler said Countryside Manufactured homes can be placed pretty much anywhere now – on city lots, in rural areas, on basements or on crawl spaces. The company uses a lot of local parts in building the homes, which supports industry in the community and all trades are local.
“You need to treat people the way you want to be treated,” he said, noting he is most proud that his company is consistently number-one in customer service in B.C. “Facilitation of all warranties has to go through somebody and it happens to come through us. Customers need to know they are being looked after.”
Frank is in charge of sales and service and his brother, Dwayne, looks after lot preparation, subdivision development and construction.
Daughters Britney and Brooke work for him and will take over the business someday, he hopes.
In the meantime, Countryside will host a 50th anniversary open house on Friday, July 22.
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