Arūnas Šlenys: “The blood is boiling when you hear the saying ‘the builder is a liar.’

When, in 1994, one of the members of our first small team — a painter — suggested naming our new company ‘Naresta’ (a name that encapsulated the entire essence of our activities at the time: Home Renovation, Construction), it would have been hard to imagine that today we would be celebrating our 30th anniversary in such an advanced Lithuania.

At that time, Lithuanian-Americans were the most active in building, renovating, and repairing homes and apartments in the city, which became an important financial support for the country. Today we are used to the fact that in Lithuania well-known names from all over the world are willing to invest. In the early nineties, we had only the first inklings of a business: setting up small offices for companies, the first modern shops. Today we are building the largest biotechnology campus in Europe.

Lithuania, and all of us along with it, have advanced by light-years during this time. But there are still areas where we are not keeping pace with the Western world. My blood boils every time I hear someone saying that builders are liars or cheaters. But we must admit that it is also the fault of our own market.

When discussing in the community of responsible builders, we keep returning to the fact that a large part of the people who work in our market are still in shadow, do not take responsibility for the results of their work and create those negative labels that are glued to the profession of builder. We talk and seek solutions because it is time to change it: nowadays Lithuania deserves different standards.

In 30 years of operation, I do not remember a single case when we would have seriously failed a client: Building longer than promised or more expensive than agreed. If I meet each of them today, I can say hello, I do not have to run to the other side of the street. It is not a miracle or an exception from the rule but simply planning and keeping to the word. We were lucky that from the very first days the team was united by the same values: the desire to speak the truth, to respect each other, and to take pride in what we have created. Today, a good reputation and trust of our customers is our great competitive advantage, but frankly, I would rather make it a global standard in Lithuania as soon as possible.

Builders are creators. Our work lasts for decades. If we work honestly, we are able to fulfil the customer’s vision and do it qualitatively, then our profession deserves prestige and respect. Foreign construction professionals are already highly respected and appreciated for their high competence and education. In this direction, by educating, explaining, and talking, we must also move in Lithuania. I hope that this text will be the first step in such a public and open dialog.

Restoring prestige to our profession is essential for us and for encouraging young talented people to choose construction. With the rapid development of technology, our field becomes very smart and modern. However, the most talented students have been attracted by IT fields for years with fast-reaching results and financial rewards. When I was studying at university — and for 20 years after that — construction programmes would form 10 or more student groups each year; today there are only two or three.

The rational side is understandable: Good engineers or project managers both earn a lot in our company and in other companies, but their growth to an independent professional takes at least three years. In IT, the transformation is much faster.

However, decision-making is not only driven by how quickly you will earn a substantial amount. In our team, people stay for decades, and they name not only money but also the ability to take pride in their work as their main motivation. I encourage to pause, appreciate what has been accomplished, and take joy in it. I keep going over all 750 works in my mind, built over these three decades. When travelling across Lithuania, both I and my team members look at them with a ‘builder’s eye’: checking whether they hold up well and whether they will last for decades to come. his tangible, visible result is one of the main driving forces in our profession and one of the reasons for choosing it.

Construction will always be needed. This profession will not be replaced by artificial intelligence, the metaverse, or any other inventions of today’s ingenious world. It is important that those who are willing to take responsibility for the future they are creating. Therefore, we must talk about it openly and loudly.