The Family · CEO & Co-Founder
Cathy Canales.
The face of the company, and the standard behind every conversation, contract, and finish.
Her Story
Cathy didn't set out to run an ADU company. For decades her husband Eric built, renovated, and finished homes as a cabinet maker and carpenter, and Cathy helped alongside while building a career of her own in real estate and property management. She saw, from both sides, what it looks like when a home is built by people who genuinely care about it.
By 2021, she was tired of watching California families get squeezed by housing costs: kids who couldn't afford to live near their parents, aging parents with nowhere to land. And the existing options were failing everyone, from slow and expensive site builds to modular companies with no transparency to contractors who vanished mid-project.
The family moved into prefab around 2018 through their previous company, when Cathy and Eric were joined by Austin, then working independently in construction, and Joshua, then building his own career in sales. One ADU project showed them how much a single small home could change a family's life. In January 2021, Cathy, Austin, and Joshua founded Framework First as equal partners, from scratch: no client list, nothing inherited but their own skills and Eric's 40+ years of building experience behind them. As co-founder and Craftsman Trainer, he's set the craftsmanship standard alongside them ever since. Austin runs operations and the factory. Joshua handles the marketing. Cathy leads sales and sets the tone for every conversation, every contract, every finish. Her name shows up often in our Google reviews, because when you walk into the factory in Salinas, you'll often meet her in person.
When you call, Annie, our virtual receptionist, answers and gets you to the right person: for most homeowners that's an Account Manager who can talk you through whether an ADU makes sense, even when the honest answer is "not yet." Then, when you book the factory tour, you'll often meet Cathy herself.
Cathy Canales CEO · Co-Founder
Her Story, In Order
From a family of builders to a company of their own.
Two careers, one standard.
Eric built, renovated, and finished homes for decades as a cabinet maker and carpenter. Cathy helped alongside while building her own career in real estate and property management.
The team came together.
Cathy and Eric brought decades of residential building into prefab through their previous company, joined by Austin from his own construction career and Joshua from his career in sales. One ADU project showed them how much a single small home could change a family's life.
Watched families get squeezed out.
Kids who couldn't afford to live near their parents. Aging parents with nowhere to land. Every existing option, slow site builds, opaque modular companies, vanishing contractors, was failing families like hers.
Founded Framework First as equal partners.
Cathy, Austin, and Joshua started the company from scratch: no clients, nothing inherited but their own skills, backed by 40+ years of building experience, with Eric alongside setting the craftsmanship standard.
Leads sales, sets the tone.
Every conversation, every contract, every finish. Her name shows up often in our Google reviews, and you'll often meet her in person at the factory tour.
What Clients Say
Real reviews. Real families.
“Everything we would have picked out was already in there.”
“I could tell that it was made very well. Everything looks top of the line: the fixtures, the windows, the kitchen… it’s awesome.”
“We are so excited. We cannot believe it’s already here!”
The Family
Cathy doesn't build alone.
Craftsman Trainer Eric Canales Decades of framing, finishing, and training builders across the Salinas Valley. Every Framework First crew learned the trade from him. → 
COO · Operations Austin Canales Runs operations and the Salinas factory floor. Every home that leaves the building has Austin’s signature on the QC checklist. → 
CMO · Marketing Joshua Canales Runs marketing, advertising, and the technology behind the company. → Prefer to Speak With Someone?
Call us. We'll point you the right way.
Weekdays 8am to 5pm Pacific. Annie, our virtual receptionist, answers and gets you to the right person: most homeowners are scheduled with an Account Manager for a real conversation about their property. You'll often meet Cathy herself when you tour the factory in Salinas.
Or, Start Online
Tell us about your property below.
A member of our team will follow up, and you'll often meet Cathy herself when you tour the factory in Salinas.
- A shortlist of which models actually fit your lot
- Honest flags on anything property-specific, like slope or septic
- A clear next step, whether that is a factory tour or a feasibility study
- No pressure, and no obligation
Once you submit, a real person on our team reviews your property and follows up within 1 to 2 business days to book your free 30-minute call. No call center, no drip campaign, just a conversation.
After we review your property, we'll invite you out to the factory, or send a member of our team to you, whichever fits your schedule better.
Building more than one? If you're a real estate developer or investor planning multiple units, let us know in the form. We offer better pricing at volume.
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