Today we’d like to introduce you to Rafael Lopez.
Hi Rafael, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Havana, Cuba, and moved to Canada in 2008 when I was 18 years old, just a teenager with big dreams, no English, no money, and no knowledge of the construction industry. What I did have was a lot of drive and a responsibility to support my grandparents and my mom, who I had to leave behind in Cuba. I finished high school, completed mandatory military service, spent two months in university, and then made the biggest leap of my life by emigrating to Canada.
My first job came three days after arriving. I was working for a cleaning company inside a facility where armed guards counted and moved money. Coins would fall to the floor during transfers, and part of my job was sweeping everything without keeping a single cent. Looking back, that job was a test of character, a moment where my principles mattered even when no one was watching.
During those first months, I worked two jobs. In the evenings I cleaned the warehouse, and in the mornings I went door-to-door trying to sell lawn aeration services in the freezing cold. I barely spoke English, so I memorized a paragraph they gave me and repeated it door after door, even when my jaw was so frozen I could barely articulate the words.
I pushed myself to learn the language as fast as possible, reading newspapers on the subway even when I didn’t understand them, watching movies in English with English subtitles to learn grammar, listening to music, and talking to people without fear or shame. Six months after arriving in Canada, I was fluent.
Two months into the door-to-door job, I met someone who introduced me to a small construction company. The owner did everything, carpentry, siding, decks, porches, windows, fencing — and I absorbed everything like a sponge. I became his right hand and spent three years learning every aspect of exterior construction. The winters were brutal though. Freezing rain, snow, negative temperatures — work was inconsistent, and pay depended on weather.
Then I was offered a job at a larger interior renovation company. They specialized in kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and full interior remodels. It was an opportunity to learn all the trades — electrical, plumbing, cabinetry, flooring, tile, interior carpentry — and also the business side: quoting, contracts, scheduling subs, and building client relationships. I worked there for three years as well and again became the owner’s right hand.
When my first child was born, everything changed. I realized I had hit the ceiling at the company. I knew enough to build something of my own — and more importantly, I wanted a better life for my family. That’s when I started HomeBuild in Canada. I built a website, made business cards, created uniforms, and refused to take clients from my previous jobs. I wanted to build my own brand from scratch. Twenty days after launching, I landed my first basement contract. Then another. And another.
Within four months, I was booked six months out. Within six months, I had six employees — including my previous boss from the outdoor carpentry company, who now worked for me. Eventually we had nine employees and many subcontractors. We were growing fast, I was supporting my family in Cuba every month, and my wife was by my side, giving me strength through those long days.
Then in 2020, COVID hit. Canada shut down everything, and construction slowed to a crawl. On top of that, the Canadian system made it difficult to grow a small business — high taxes, limited support, and short construction seasons. One day, my wife looked at me and said, ‘I think our time here is done.’ She suggested Raleigh. I didn’t even know where Raleigh was until she told me North Carolina.
We made a plan: sell our home, our cars, our equipment, finish all open projects in three months, and give my employees enough time to transition. With three kids — ages 1, 3, and 5 — we rented a house in Raleigh from Canada and took a leap of faith. At 30 years old, I started again from zero, in a city I had never been to, without knowing a single person — but this time with more knowledge, more experience, and even more drive than when I left Cuba.
When we arrived in Raleigh, We bought a house and slowly converted it into a duplex for rental income. During that renovation, I met many of the subcontractors I still use today. I also met Frank, who became my partner in the U.S. and has been with me from the start. Three months after opening HomeBuild in the States, I asked him to join me, and since then we’ve built the company together.
Today, HomeBuild specializes in high-end residential construction, additions, screened porches, kitchens, bathrooms, full renovations, and we’ve been fortunate to be featured multiple times nationally, including several Houzz recognitions. We have an incredible team of employees and subs, a strong base of repeat clients, and a reputation for quality and integrity.
And now we’re launching our next chapter: Homtain, a subscription-based preventive maintenance service paired with a full homeowner app. After years in the industry, I’ve seen how much stress and uncertainty homeowners face when they don’t know the condition of their house. Homtain will give people peace of mind, documented appliances, quarterly maintenance, photos, records, reminders, and easy access to trusted help.
My journey started with nothing, but it’s been driven by family, faith, opportunity, and a desire to build something meaningful. Every sacrifice led me to where I am today, and I’m grateful for all of it.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all, nothing about my journey has been smooth. Every step came with challenges that forced me to grow, adapt, and keep pushing.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about HomeBuild?
HomeBuild is a residential construction and renovation company based in Raleigh, and we specialize in high-quality, detail-driven projects. We focus on creating spaces that elevate the way people live, from additions and screened porches to full interior remodels, kitchens, bathrooms, custom carpentry, and exterior transformations.
We are known for our craftsmanship and for treating every home as if it were our own. Many of our clients tell us they hired us because they could see the pride and passion in our work from the very first conversation. Quality and communication are the foundation of everything we do. We don’t cut corners, we are transparent with clients, and we stand behind our work with strong warranties and long-term relationships.
What sets us apart is the combination of our attention to detail, our commitment to doing things the right way, and our ability to manage complex residential projects smoothly. We’ve been blessed to be featured multiple times on Houzz, including being recognized for some of the most popular living spaces nationally. But what I’m most proud of is our repeat clients and referrals, that tells me we’re truly earning people’s trust.
Today we have a strong team of employees and subcontractors who share the same values of integrity, craftsmanship, and reliability. Many clients hire us again and again because they know we bring the same level of care to every project, no matter the size.
Beyond HomeBuild, we’re also launching Homtain, a subscription-based home-maintenance service paired with a full digital platform. Over the years, I’ve seen how overwhelming home maintenance can be for families, from tracking appliances to remembering what needs to be serviced and when. Homtain is designed to solve that. Homeowners will receive quarterly preventive maintenance visits and have access to an app that stores photos, appliance specs, system details, and all important home information in one place.
Homtain represents the future of what I believe homeownership should feel like: simple, predictable, and stress-free. It’s a way to bring the same level of care we put into our construction projects into the ongoing maintenance of a home.
What I want readers to know is that both HomeBuild and Homtain were built with the same purpose: to provide quality, honesty, and peace of mind. Whether we’re renovating a home or helping maintain it, our mission is to improve the lives of the families who trust us
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Most people don’t know that I didn’t grow up with tools in my hands, I arrived in Canada from Havana with nothing. No English. No money. No skills. Just a dream, a suitcase, and the pressure of knowing my family’s future depended on me.
What shocks people even more is that I had to start my life over twice, once at 18, in a new country, and again years later when my wife and I left everything behind in Canada during COVID and moved to Raleigh with three small kids and plan B wasn’t an option.
Everything I’ve built, every skill, every project, every company, came from grit, faith, and the refusal to stay down when life hit hard. People see the results, but they rarely see the sacrifice. That invisible part of my journey is the foundation of who I am.
Pricing:
- 300 for a detailed scope of work no free estimates
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hbuildnc.com/
- Instagram: @homebuildnc
