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JUNE 2019
JUNE 2019
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PARKSVILLE VI Camelot Homes Celebrates 40th Anniversary
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NANAIMO Alair Homes Celebrates First Female to Win Project Manager of the Year
Grant Illuminated Signs Looks to Bright Future Under New Ownership Shaun Laughy Takes Over One of Vancouver Island’s Largest Full-Service Sign Companies
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AMPBELL RIVER - After ne a rly 50 ye a rs i n business, Grant Illuminated Signs Ltd. is under new ownership. On May 5, Shaun Laughy and his wife, Clare, officially took over the business, and they have big plans for the future. Grant Illuminated Signs is one of the Island’s largest full-service sign companies. With a staff of 15 employees, the company does manufacturing, electrical service, cleaning, painting, installation, and maintenance. “Right now, we see the opportunity to further expand our activity in the Nanaimo market,” says Laughy. “We have recently taken on more work in Nanaimo, and have manufactured and installed new signage for HUB International. We are actively looking to grow in the area, as we see a need for the services
that we offer.” Founded in 1972 by Allan B. Grant a nd h is w i fe, Marilyn Grant, the company started by making hand-painted signs in the North Island. In 1978, Allan founded a second company to build illuminated cabinets, taking on major jobs in the North Island. Just eight years ago, Allan fully retired, letting management handle the day-to-day operations. In 2016, Allan passed away, leaving sole ownership of the company to his wife, who consolidated the two businesses under Grant Illuminated Signs. “Clare and I moved to the North Island in 2017,” says Laughy. “We had always wanted to own our own business, so when we got here, we spent some time looking at some options in the area. One SEE GRANT ILLUMINATED SIGNS | PAGE 11
Marilyn Grant handing the “key” to Grant Illuminated Signs to new owners, Shaun and Clare Laughy
Zsiros Project Proves Affordability of Sustainable Building North Island’s FirstNet Zero Home Completed, Stays Under $390,000 Budget
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OMOX - J. Zsiros Contracting Ltd. has demonstrated the affordability of Net Zero, completing the North Island’s first home of this kind under its $390,000 budget. “The province would like to have all new builds Net Zero ready by 2032,” says Jim Zsiros, the company’s owner. “The big issue with these types of initiatives is always affordable housing. We need to ask: ‘how is this
going to impact first time buyers or younger couples trying to get into the housing market?’” According to Zsiros, since pilot homes began last year, Net Zero projects have stayed in the million dollar range and beyond. “These clients came to me last year, wanting to do something energy efficient,” he says. “I asked them about considering a Net Zero build. We started putting some plans together,
and came up with a budget of $390,000.” Initially, the project encountered some hiccups in order to meet labelling requirements through the Canadian Home Builders Association (CHBA). However, the project was completed i n due t i me, stay i ng under budget at approximately $386,000. “They wanted a smaller footprint, which helped with the
budget,” said Zsiros. “They are very practical people and weren’t wanting a huge house with a huge kitchen. When we came up with a design for the home, it was so simple that it would be easy to change it. We could have it as big as 2,000 feet, and it would still be around the $430,000 range.” The home included a metal roof line, which was hooked up to a SEE J. ZSIROS CONTRACTING | PAGE 14