Axcell Construction finds middle ground in CL

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Terry Axcell of Axcell builds ground up construction, room additions and complete remodels. His goal is to work full time in Canyon Lake and the surrounding areas, so that he doesn’t have to commute and can be readily available to his clients. PhotoS provided by Terry Axcell

Meet Canyon Lake residents Terry and Laura Axcell. The Axcells moved from Hemet to Canyon Lake in January 2013.

Terry was born in Downy but has lived in the Orange County beach cities for 35 years. Laura was born in Arrowhead. Her family moved to San Diego when she was in 2nd grade. She moved to Hemet in 1999, two years after she accepted a job with the Hemet Fire Department.

Terry and Laura married in a Big Bear wedding on January 25, 2015. They have four children between them. Terry’s 20-year-old daughter attends college in San Diego. Laura has two sons, ages 10 and 19, and a 23-year-old daughter who also attends college in San Diego.

The Axcells met in February 2012 at Billy’s on the Beach, a restaurant in Newport Beach. Laura was living in Hemet at the time, Terry in Newport Beach. Terry says, “She was really attractive and funny and we hit it off, so we planned for me to visit her in Hemet.”

On their first date, Terry asked Laura what she did for a living. “She  told me she answered the phones for the Hemet Fire Department,” he says. It was not until their second visit that Terry learned that Laura was actually the captain of the Fire Department, not the receptionist.

He explains, “In every other city, her job title would be battalion chief; in Hemet they call it administrative captain.”

In 1994, Laura was living in Moreno Valley when she began her career as a firefighter with Cal Fire in San Diego County. Her stepfather is a retired fireman and her uncle is a fire marshal for the federal government. In 1997, Laura’s mother and stepfather were retired and living in Hemet when her mother told her about a job opportunity at the Hemet Fire Department. Laura applied for the position and was accepted. She moved to Hemet two years later.

The Axcells love to travel and, in September 2015, hiked 30 miles on the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, Peru.

Terry, a general contractor and owner of Axcell Construction, has been serving the Orange County area for 30 years. He builds ground-up construction, room additions and complete remodels. The move to Hemet was not easy for him because of the commute. Eventually, the commute began to take a toll on him. So in January 2013 the couple decided to move to Canyon Lake to help make his commute to Orange County shorter.

The couple chose Canyon Lake because of the sense of community and the lake. “I grew up at the beach so I’m used to being around water; we enjoy water sports,” says Terry. “We love living here. Every other place I lived I felt like I lived in a community, but in Canyon Lake I feel like I live in a neighborhood.”

Terry’s goal is to work full time in Canyon Lake and the surrounding areas, so that he doesn’t have to  commute and can be readily available to his clients. His current local projects include building a custom 7,000 sq. ft. home in Canyon Lake and building an event center in Murrieta.

When not working, Terry and Laura enjoy traveling. “Laura considers herself a world traveler. She loves to travel. If you asked her what she does for a hobby, she’d say traveling,” says Terry. The Axcells take a vacation at least once a year. Their recent travels included a trip to Cancun, Mexico and a seven-day cruise to the  Bahamas.

Laura Axcell and Terry ride horses on the beach.

In September 2015, the Axcells traveled to Peru, a destination that was on Laura’s bucket list. There the couple hiked 30 miles on the Inca trail to Machu Picchu.

“We started the hike in the Sacred Valley with a seven-man crew. We eventually reached an altitude of over 14,200 feet. We had to wear masks to help us breath. We ended the hike going through the Sun Gate into the ancient city of Machu Picchu,” says Laura.

In addition to traveling, the Axcells enjoy playing with their sand toys in Glamis, and snow skiing. In the summer they enjoy golfing and wake-boarding in Canyon Lake. Terry says, “We enjoy our time on the lake. We spend about five days a week on it the summer.”

To inquire about Axcell Construction, call 888-386-9818 or visit www.axcellconstruction.com.