Edri Construction

Avi Edri: In His Father’s Footsteps

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

WALNUT CREEK — When asked how he got into the construction industry, Avi Edri credits the instruction and inspiration he received from his father. “My dad is a contractor, so I learned pretty everything I know from him,” he affirms. “He’s not only extremely professional, he’s an artist in his trade, so I was lucky to have him as a teacher. I started learned the trade from him when I was 14. It was difficult, but I loved it, and I knew early on that this would be my lifelong career.”

After accumulating several years of experience, Avi started a contracting firm with his business partner, David Tejeda. Today, as owner of Edri Construction, Avi says his favorite part of his work is the satisfaction of a job well done. “I love to see the client happy at the end of the job. For me, there’s no better feeling than that.”

A resident of Walnut Creek, Avi spends his time outside of work on a variety of pastimes. “My girlfriend, Elvira, and I have two dogs, Josan and Maximus, and we like to travel with them. Also, we both have big families, so we enjoy visiting our relatives and hosting them at our home.”

When asked about a professional philosophy, Avi espouses the importance of doing right by others. “I believe that if you do good, good things will come back to you,” he explains. “That’s why I’m always straightforward with our clients and follow through with my promises. Some contractors take a ‘hit and run’ approach, where they take advantage of their customers. Not only is that wrong, it also doesn’t bring any good. You can’t get another referral or opportunity from doing people wrong—it’s a dead end. It’s much better to do right by people, because you can sleep well at night and get more opportunities.”

When asked what he would do if he were to retire tomorrow, Avi says he would relax and enjoy his free time. “I would move to Hawaii and just enjoy life. I’m actually planning to retire young if I can. I don’t have any children yet, but if I do, I’d like to retire when they’re between six and 10 years old. That way, I would be able to give them extra attention.”

Ask Me Anything!

Q: Coffee or tea?
A: Coffee.

Q: What was your first pet?
A: A black German Shepherd named Sandy.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
A: Watch movies and hang out with my puppies.

Q: What kinds of movies do you like?
A: I like action movies and crime thrillers. My favorite actor is Denzel Washington, and a couple of my favorite movies are “Man on Fire” and “American Gangster.”

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: Africa.