CANADA’S SOURCE FOR BUILDING MATERIALS, RENOVATION & DESIGN
A WINDOW OF A DIFFERENT COLOUR
THE MODERN WELL-DRESSED HOME
ANOTHER DOOR OPENS
Publications Mail Agreement #40006677
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Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. is a Canadian member-owned, Lumber, Building Materials and Hardware buying group representing over 300 member locations across Canada.
Contractor Advantage Magazine is the exclusive publication of Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. featuring quality Castle vendor brands available at Castle Building Centres locations. Visit castle.ca to find a Castle location in your area.
Editorial Director Castle Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. Jennifer Mercieca
Publisher - Espress Labs Inc. Dan Alexander
Managing Editor Teresa Christine
Art Director AŃ—cha Niazy
Contributors Melissa Campeau Lawrence Cummer Teresa Christine
Advertising Inquiries Jennifer Mercieca Director of Communications Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. 905-564-3307 jmercieca@castle.ca
MARCH / APRIL 2019 Volume 24 Issue 2
Material Contact Maryam Bashir Marketing Coordinator Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. 905-564-3307 mbashir@castle.ca Published and designed exclusively for Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. by Espress Labs Inc.
About Contractor Advantage
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Meet the
Contributors
MELISSA CAMPEAU
LAWRENCE CUMMER
Melissa Campeau is a Toronto-based journalist who regularly contributes to such publications as Yardstick, the OUR HOMES series of magazines, Mortgage Journal, Financial Post and National Post. She lives in Toronto with her husband, seven-year-old son and two-yearold puppy.
Lawrence (“Law”) Cummer has more than 20 years of experience writing for trade periodicals, businesses and communications agencies. He writes on topics ranging from contracting and construction, to general business, to information technology, personal finance and occupational safety, and has been a frequent contributor to Contractor Advantage since 2009.
JEREMY ESKENAZI
JENNIFER MERCIECA
Jeremy Eskenazi is an internationally recognized speaker, author of RecruitConsult! Leadership, and founder of Riviera Advisors, a boutique Recruitment/Talent Acquisition Management and Optimization Consulting Firm. Jeremy is not a headhunter, but a specialized training and consulting professional, helping global HR leaders transform how they attract top talent at some of the world’s most recognized companies. For more information on Jeremy Eskenazi, please visit: www.RivieraAdvisors.com.
Jennifer Mercieca is the Editorial Director for Castle & a contributor to Contractor Advantage. Her career in Communications & Content Management in the Home Improvement Industry spans over 20 years & she is currently the Director of Communications at Castle Building Centres Group Ltd.
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contents
07 News & Notes
10
Mutual Respect – Value Your Suppliers Like Partners
10 The Modern Well Dressed Home
Industry insiders reveal the top design trends in roofing and siding.
21 Building Better Business
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Four Ways to Effectively Attract a Diverse Workforce
24 A Window of a Different Colour
While new windows serve a practical goal, elements of style, design and colour continue to grow in importance for homeowners.
33 What’s Trending
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Technology helping to prevent accidents on the jobsite
36 Another Door Opens
A few emerging trends and abundant options create an opening for contractors to better serve customer needs.
43 Design Talk
Conceptualize Colour
On the Cover Photo courtesy of Gentek CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE MARCH / APRIL 2019
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NEWS & NOTES
MUTUAL RESPECT – VALUE YOUR SUPPLIERS LIKE PARTNERS Written by Ken Jenkins President, Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. In the hustle and bustle of today’s world, we are all battling for an advantage over our competition. Yet, too often we miss one of the most significant competitive opportunities for growth that’s staring us right in the face: having a strong supplier relationship. As businesses, each of us is dependent on our suppliers. Developing strong supplier relationships can be as important as your relationships with consumers or contractors. While there are instances when being forceful and direct with a supplier are necessary, taking a professional and respectful approach to your communications will yield greater long-term results. While it’s true that suppliers want your business and need you to buy their goods and services, in many ways we need
them just as much. Good and reliable suppliers can be hard to find, especially in an economy like the one we are currently experiencing. Building a strong relationship can be a lynchpin to your future success. At the heart of this relationship must be balance and fairness, and finding the “win-win.” Too often business owners look at their supply chain as a one-way street. Yet suppliers can provide you with much more than just goods and services. They are a rich source of information on the market and even on competitive products and services. Suppliers should proactively engage you and provide information that further enables your success. In a column in Entrepreneur, author Bob Reiss lists five ways suppliers can help grow your business: quality, CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE MARCH / APRIL 2019
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timeliness, competitiveness, innovation and financing. Although he relates these to bootstrapping a business, I think they apply to our current discussion. The right supplier helps you deliver better customer satisfaction by solving problems through quality products and timely service. They provide you inventory when you need it most. Great suppliers continually innovate, providing the right products, at the right price. The result: a mutually beneficial relationship that adds more profit to your bottom line. HERE ARE SOME THOUGHTS ON HOW TO BUILD STRONGER, CLOSER RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR SUPPLIER BASE ALTER YOUR PERSPECTIVE – Try to look through the lens of
your supplier from time to time and consider what mutually benefits both you and them. You are still the customer, but in order to reap more rewards, find opportunities where you both benefit.
GET PERSONAL – As I’ve said before in building customer rela-
“INSIGHTS” BLOG WITH CASTLE
President Ken Jenkins
Castle President Ken Jenkins has over twenty years in the Lumber, Building Materials and Hardware industry. His tenure has given him a unique perspective and he believes North American contractors, suppliers and independent dealers are the best in the industry. His goal is to use his passion for the industry to share his insights with budding entrepreneurs in trade and manufacturing to become more entrepreneurial in spirit, more independent and more successful. Insights will help to attract bright new minds to this industry and guest writers will occasionally contribute to this blog, bringing their own unique perspective. You don’t want to miss an issue of Insights! Subscribe to Insights online
http://insights.castle.ca
tionships, healthy business relationships come from building a more personal one. As with your brand, investing into the building of a personal bond builds trust. Building business relationships can be time-intensive and you may not see it as relevant to your success. Fight that thought!
BUILD TWO-WAY AND TIMELY COMMUNICATIONS – Suppliers can
provide a wealth of good competitive information and industry insights. As can you. Every strong relationship starts with solid communications. Build open and honest communications with your top vendors, and they’ll return the favour.
BE RESPECTFUL – Just like you have expectations of your sup-
pliers, remember they have expectations of you. Bullying to manipulate a relationship to your benefit is a short-term strategy. If you’re seeking leverage in a supplier relationship, be committed to understanding the market better than any of your competition. Knowledge, professionalism and integrity will lead to greater opportunity. Why? People like doing business with people they like. It’s what every successful retailer truly understands.
BE FAIR – Let’s be honest, you’re going to have times where situations in the supply-chain are less than ideal – shortages, price increases, sales support, quality issues. Rather than leave your valued supplier and compromise your position, consider what went wrong—from all angles. It might be them, it might not. Remember, success is not simply identifying the problem. Great synergies can evolve through solving challenges.
It’s important to hold your suppliers to their agreements, but remember, too, that we have a habit of only acknowledging when things go wrong. Which brings us to… BE GRATEFUL – If I have to harp on one thing in business, it’s this: say thank you! I’m sure your best suppliers thank you for
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News & Notes
your business all the time, as retailers should, in turn, thank their customers at every opportunity. Thank your suppliers when they go above and beyond to help you succeed. Ask yourself, how do my suppliers currently view our relationship? Am I at the top of their list of preferred clients, or somewhere in the middle? Which of my suppliers will go to bat for me if I need special consideration? Would you go to bat for them when they need your help? I believe strongly in stepping back occasionally from the day-to-day activity of working in the business to assess how you’re working on the business. Make supplier relationships a focus as you commence planning for a new year.
In the beginning of this article, I spoke about a win-win solution. Our business model has flourished as we have proactively engaged our supplier network in the spirit of creating greater mutual success. While not always successful, it is an integral part to our core business philosophy. Business is not a zero-sum game. It’s about lifting all boats in a rising tide. Think about it. The more you help your supplier succeed, the more likely the favour will be returned. The rewards may surprise you! —
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THE MODERN WELL-DRESSED HOME 10
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Industry insiders reveal the top design trends in roofing and siding Written by Melissa Campeau
Photo courtesy of Gentek
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Feature Story: The Modern Well-Dressed Home
Like icing on a cake, a home’s good-looking exterior makes an impression and hints at great things on the inside, too. Of course, roofing and siding products’ primary role is to protect, but well-designed options can also go a long way toward ensuring a home looks polished, cared-for and up to date. Contractor Advantage reached out to some of the country’s top roofing and siding providers to find out what’s new, what’s trending, and how homeowners get the performance and curb appeal they’re looking for. BIG AREA, BIG IMPACT
“Curb appeal has always been important to homeowners—it’s a source of pride and it increases resale value,” says Rob Davidson, Vice President, residential sales in Canada for IKO. In recent years, Davidson points out, curb appeal projects have gone beyond investing in good lighting and manicured landscaping. “We’re seeing an even greater priority placed on the roof’s value in curb appeal, because the roof accounts for up to 40 percent of a home’s visual exterior,” says Davidson. ADDING INTEREST AND INDIVIDUALITY
It might be the proliferation of design shows, social media sites or just the ease of internet research, but homeowners tend to be more informed than ever about options and possibilities. They’re looking for high-impact design, as well as
performance, and they have a good sense of what’s out there. “Customers are demanding a more high-end product and manufacturers are responding by developing high definition blends, using multiple contrasting hues within one shingle,” says Davidson. IKO, for example, offers a shingle that replicates the shadow band of wood shake shingles, so homeowners have the look of a wood shingle but with the price and performance of an asphalt shingle. Often, home owners are looking to add individuality to their home. “One design trend that seems to be catching on in shingle roofing is tridimensional hip and ridge,” says MarieHélène Roussel from Building Products of Canada. “It allows homeowners to add a touch of personality to their house for a very marginal cost,” she explains. “Traditionally, hips and ridges have been done using a single layer of shingles,” says Roussel. But that design feature is beginning to evolve. “In recent years, we’ve started to see more and more roofs with multiple layers of shingles for hip and ridge,” says Roussel. “As a response to that trend, you can now find preformed and precut hip and ridge shingles on the market.” NOT YOUR PARENTS’ STEEL ROOF OPTIONS
Another steadily growing trend is steel roofing, and they’re a far cry from options on the market back in the 1980s. “Not only do you have the option to have the exposed and
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Feature Story: The Modern Well-Dressed Home
Photo courtesy of Ideal Roofing
hidden fastener standing seam profiles, but metal roofing is also available as shingle. And they’re all beautifully made from metal,” says Steve Brooks, Residential Development Manager for Vicwest. For a more traditional look, Vicwest also offers a stone-coated steel shingle. “It gives the look and feel of shingles but with the security of steel roofing,” says Brooks, adding that it’s an ideal solution for customers living in a high-density area who’d like their roof to blend with their neighbours’. MIXING HIGH-END AND ECONOMICAL PRODUCTS
Brooks points out that the most popular colours (including graphite and espresso) are available across his company’s product lines— something that’s proven popular with homeowners and builders trying to manage costs. “When you’re investing in a property you can put a higher-end product on your main
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building then look at going to a more economical product for something like a shed or outbuilding,” says Brooks. DESIGN CHOICES BUILT TO LAST
Many consumer choices today are driven by long-term thinking. “These days you’re seeing homeowners look for quality, longevity and the sense of doing it once and never having to worry about doing it again,” says Brooks. That’s likely why classic but still modern shades such as espresso, dark greys and even black are so popular; they’re meant to last a lifetime. Metal roofing products support that long-term thinking, as well. “Metal roofing lasts much longer than asphalt and other roofing materials,” says Patric Saint-Denis, General Sales Manager, Ideal Roofing Company. “It retains its beauty, and doesn’t curl, crack, rot, break, chip, peel, streak or perforate under normal use.”
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Feature Story: The Modern Well-Dressed Home
“Our shingles are manufactured with a stucco-embossed finish,” says Saint-Denis, creating a finish that’s both attractive and strong. Technology advances have allowed the company to colour-match in-demand residential cladding materials, something that’s helped boost the product’s popularity, as well.
thetically pleasing experience. Once seen as accent colours, greys and blues are moving to the forefront.” Those colours, she adds, tend to complement a natural landscape and evoke a more contemporary look. Chris Ladner, Product Manager, Aluminum, Shake & Stone, Ply Gem Building Products Canada / Mitten Siding & Accessories has seen a few different “A neutral colour THE SIDE SHADE become popular in the past few years. palette is still popular, hues As for siding, shifting colour preferences are “It’s a combination of dark and lighter colours but the shade range that we’re seeing trending the most right now one important trend. “A neutral colour palette is still popular, but the shade range has when it comes to vinyl siding,” says Ladner. has changed” changed,” says Diana Sousa, Marketing Man“Rich bold colours like gunmetal grey and ager with Kaycan. She explains, “Today’s neutrals are far from sapphire blue are among our top sellers but the lighter earth subdued. Instead, they’re about creating an emotional and aestones of Brownstone and Stratus are also very popular, as well.”
Photo courtesy of Kaycan CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE MARCH / APRIL 2019
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Feature Story: The Modern Well-Dressed Home
Photo courtesy of Royal Building Solutions
Classics, of course, never go out of style. “Black continues to be a big colour in the market. It’s mostly seen in accent pieces, but Mitten also offers a black vinyl soffit option that really stands out on a home,” says Ladner. At Gentek, Marketing Manager Christine van Egmond has seen darker colours gain a lot of popularity. “Dark grays, browns and blues are hot right now,” says van Egmond, adding “Gentek’s new Marine Dusk, Hudson Slate and Rockport Brown are expected to be our hottest colours this year, and our Iron Ore has been our most popular colour for the past two years.” “Dark and bold colors certainly continue to drive upgraded sales, particularly in the grey and blue tones, although browns remain equally popular,” says Steve Booz, VP of Marketing and Product with Royal Building Solutions. “Royal recently intro-
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duced Rockslide and Urban Bronze which are a medium bluegrey and rich brown colors. Along with these solid colors, we are also seeing an explosion in wood-tone or variegated colours,” says Booz. GOOD LOOKS, MINUS THE MAINTENANCE
Steel products with faux wood finishes are increasingly in demand, too, says van Egmond. consumers are drawn to the product’s longevity and manufacturers have created attractive and authentic-looking woodgrain designs. Vicwest, for example offers a new steel siding that comes with five different mattes in each box, to more effectively create the look of real wood siding. Wood isn’t the only natural material being imitated.
Feature Story: The Modern Well-Dressed Home
“Another trend we see right now is faux stone,” says van Egmond. “Homeowners often pair the stone-look product with darker accent colours like black.” It’s a look that’s polished and modern, but still very easy to maintain. PROFILES IN PERSONALITY
When it comes to siding profiles, van Egmond says homeowners are increasingly choosing a wider option. “Single 8" or single 7" profiles are popular,” says van Egmond. She adds, “Board and batten vertical siding is also an in-demand look as an accent on a home; the wider the better.” Mixing multiple types of cladding on a home is a growing trend, too, notes van Egmond, “reflecting both the availability of new products and homeowners’ changing design preferences.” Booz agrees, adding, “We’re seeing builders and homeowners choose to mix profiles to create a new look, like adding board and batton or even a shake panel in the gable.” He adds, “It breaks up the look of traditional siding and is a great way to make a project unique.”
Down the road, Sousa predicts homeowners will push the design envelope even further. “Darker, bolder shades will definitely be a top trend as well as incorporating contrasting materials to add depth and dimension to their home’s exterior,” says Sousa. “Think of the cool, sleek look of aluminum paired with a pop of warmth offered by engineered wood.” EXTERIORS: DESIGN THINKING HAS ARRIVED
Changing up a home’s roofing or siding is an effective and relatively simple way to completely transform a look. “Whether it involves shades of the same material or mixing different types of material, creating that visual interest is key,” says Sousa. More and more, homeowners want to showcase their individuality and have a home that reflects their style. “The design process used to be limited to a home’s interior,” says Sousa, “but now it’s definitely moved on to include the exterior, as well.” —
Photo courtesy of IKO CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE MARCH / APRIL 2019
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BUILDING BETTER BUSINESS
FOUR WAYS TO EFFECTIVELY ATTRACT A DIVERSE WORKFORCE Having a Variety of Diversity at Your Company Can Have a Big Impact on Your Success Written by Jeremy Eskenazi Is your team diverse? Do you invest to ensure your team reflects the needs and attitudes of your customers and clients? They need to reflect the communities your employees live, work in, and provide services to. When a lot of people think about diversity, they focus on gender, ethnicity, and age. These are important to keep focus on, for sure, but there is another kind of diversity that is often overlooked. This is diversity of thoughts, background, and experiences. If elements of the latter are missing in your organization, it’s likely that everyone thinks the same way; and new ideas, new ways to problem solve, and innovation may be stunted. When you have employees who
only follow the boss, the only ideas you have are from that one boss. While there is no “one size fits all” playbook for attracting diversity, you will want to make your organization attractive for diverse talent. In order to effectively attract diverse candidates, here are four success practices that have been effective: 1. REFERRAL PROGRAMS.
If you have great talent on your team who are highly engaged and doing a great job, they likely have similar friends. Consider offering incentives with shorter payout times and getting immediate impact to ensure your team is helping to attract people who are a good fit. You can also have them act as ambassadors in alumni
groups, associations or clubs they are a part of. 2. EARLY CAREERS.
Attracting talent right out of school is often a strategy for helping shape the career of generally younger people, but is also a great place to find diversity. A strong college or university recruiting strategy is a terrific way to help create a diverse team because you can more easily target diversity on a university campus through student clubs and organizations. Setting up early career development programs and considering those in majors that are not what you’d traditionally look for are also good for your employer brand, and ensures your talent can develop with your business.
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Building Better Business
3. CULTURAL AWARENESS TRAINING FOR HIRING MANAGERS.
We know that this group often needs help to build relationships. While it’s unwise to force training on managers (and often backfires), integrating training that helps them identify unconscious bias is an area of learning and development that has taken off in recent years and has been effective in many organizations. 4. WORKPLACE PREPAREDNESS.
It is one thing to say you want diversity—setting up your physical space and your benefits program to accommodate it is another. There are many ways to set up and accommodate for diversity that can help attract top talent and show that you will welcome everyone as equal employees without singling them out or making them feel that they won’t find a sense of belonging at your company. In addition to finding the right candidates, diversity brings several important things to your organization.
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Imagine if the people who applied for your job postings came in for an interview and didn’t see anyone who looked like them, or if all the people who interviewed them asked the same questions in the same way. They would likely not be very interested in continuing the discussion. Your employer brand is only as good as what employees and candidates will say about you when you’re not in the room. Taking the opportunity to show you are a progressive company that is investing visibly in many areas of diversity will be obvious from their first encounter with you. While it is generally true that almost everyone values diversity, you may have noticed that many in younger generations are very vocal about their values. Moreover, many of them expect diversity and can be very outspoken about how much it matters to them in a workplace. By bringing in a diverse group of people to your organization, you will have access to broader networks which will spur further diversity opportunities
and all the benefits it brings. Think of how much more likely it is that diverse people who enjoy working at your company will introduce you and advocate for you in their circles. Most importantly, your organization should invest in diversity because it’s not only the right thing to do, but you will get much better business results! Don’t let regulations drive your diversity efforts. The best way to improve diversity is to be truthful. No matter how many smiling, ethnically diverse models you may hire to represent your brand, or false testimonials you may really want to post—it is so easy to spot a workplace that does not value diversity. The truth always comes out. Give your organization the best competitive advantage you can by welcoming diversity into your team, and celebrating it in real ways. All types of diversity bring something new to the table, and who doesn’t need fresh ideas? —
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A WINDOW OF A DIFFERENT COLOUR While new windows serve a practical goal, elements of style, design and colour continue to grow in importance for homeowners. Written by Lawrence Cummer Design and elements of style continue to be on the uptick in the windows market, as homeowners balance between form and function, style and utility.
Now windows are more part of the design of the home, people are incorporating their windows with the design of the house, they aren’t just there for functionality
says Christine van Egmond, Marketing Manager at Gentek Building Products. Colour, size and shape are of a greater consideration to today’s more product savvy homeowner, armed with information from various TV programs and the Internet. Social media is, in particular, driving many homeowners to take interest in emerging home design trends, according to Matt Taylor, Product Manager at All Weather Windows. “Social media is allowing homeowners and designers to explore different design styles and to see a wider range of design examples,” he says. “Social media influencers are playing a bigger role in the direction of design trends.”
Photo courtesy of All Weather Windows
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Feature Story: A Window of a Different Colour
PAINT IT BLACK
The trend towards painted windows is expected to continue to grow in 2019, and while black will continue to hold the lion’s share of interest, several colour contenders are emerging to capture homeowners’ imaginations. Homeowners are inclined towards black and darker tones, van Egmond says, in a desire to tie together various elements of their home’s façade. “The colours that people are cladding their houses in tend to be darker,” she says. “Black is used a lot as an accent colour and trim colours and people want their windows to match that.” In fact, this trend to darker colours may have started with trim and cladding. For example, van Egmond notes black was already popular for her company’s eavestrough products,
which led to homeowners adopting it for their windows. Faux wood, another popular siding choice, when coupled with black or darker colours it creates a modern look, she adds. “We noticed—at least at our company—the darker accents and trim and cladding came first and then the darker windows become more popular.” She estimates that growth in coloured windows has been in the ballpark of at least 50 percent year over year. Coloured vinyl has trended upwards to 34% of JELDWEN’s total volume of windows sold, according to Paul Commisso, Director of Marketing and Product Management at JELD-WEN of Canada. In addition to black, van Egmond says her company’s
Photo courtesy of Gentek
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Feature Story: A Window of a Different Colour
Photo courtesy of JELD-WEN
dark iron ore gray is “hot right now.” John Arsenault, Director of Sales for Atlantic Canada at Kohltech Windows and Entrance Systems says that black has been joined by bronze, brown and sable, which combines grey and brown tones, as popular options. Commisso says the top four window colours in Canada for his company are, in order of popularity, chestnut bronze, black, desert sand and commercial brown. While typically colour is limited to the exterior, Arsenault says his company has seen some increased request for black on interior windows. “In fact, we just got an order with black inside, white outside.” INNOVATE OR FADE AWAY
Technology innovation has also played a major role in the move away from traditional white windows, van Egmond says. “Technology has reached a point where you can paint a darker (vinyl) window and fading will not be an issue.” Again, she attributes this to the advances made earlier on to produce darker siding options. “With siding we had developed the technology available to overcome any heat absorption or fading, and that’s where windows have gone as well.” As the colours are not extruded all the way through windows, while heat absorption is less of an
issue than with siding, it is still an element of colour fastness. Nadiger adds that in addition to making window’s colours last longer, new technologies have also made modern windows harder to damage. On window interiors, Paul Commisso, Director of Marketing and product management at JELD-WEN of Canada notes there has been a move away from painted vinyl to coloured laminate as it is more durable and defends against fading caused by years of exposure to UV light. GROWING PANES
With taller ceilings in new homes and the demand for more sunlight, taller (and wider) windows are indeed in vogue, Arsenault says. Still, such size does create challenges, he adds. Larger windows are naturally heavier, requiring more steel reinforcement that can impact the energy performance. As well, the window size can create logistical challenges and functional limitations based around what can fit on trucks or into the manufacturers’ welders. With all that in mind, Arsenault says the frequency of homeowners and builders wanting oversized windows continues to increase. He adds that grilles continue to decline.
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Feature Story: A Window of a Different Colour
“We’re seeing people wanting commercial-looking windows,” he says. “Large walls of glass with minimal design, so we’re having to bring some of that commercial technology in, as well as designing new products.” LET THE SUNSHINE IN
using low-emissivity (low-E) coatings, argon gas and double and triple-panes, homeowners can—within reason—get the size they want with less compromise in energy performance. The trend towards larger windows and energy performance improvements are inherently linked, suggests Commisso. “Improving energy performance of the “We’re seeing people want- window and door products has increased the consumer appetite for larger windows ing commercial-looking for their homes,” he says.
Of course, the real reason for windows is to let in light—and possibly air. With the move to larger, more open spaces, that windows” functionality is as important as ever. “People want more light coming into the home, more visibil- SUNSHINE ON THEIR SHOULDERS ity throughout the house. In that way, the windows are even The drive to larger vertical windows is often a cry out for more more part of the design of the home than strict functionality,” balance of light, says Mark Taylor, National Sales Manager at van Egmond says. VELUX Canada Inc. He notes that studies show three-quarThis desire for more light continues to drive the demand for ters of Canadians are unhappy with the amount of natural larger and larger windows. In addition, a desire for increased light in their homes. glass space and smaller frames, similar to the trends seen in “We’re a bit of a daylight starved country,” he says. the TV industry. Again, technology plays a role in this move- “Not everybody understands how daylight affects them exactly, ment. Thanks to the addition of high-performance windows but they get the feeling of it all the time.”
Photo courtesy of Kohltech
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Feature Story: A Window of a Different Colour
Photo courtesy of Velux
He says communities are building closer and tighter and that is impacting the amount of light coming into homes. “The first reaction is, ‘I need bigger windows’,” he says. “That doesn’t draw more light further into the room.” The answer, he suggests, is skylights to bring more light into the core of the room and create a balance. Here too, bigger is being seen by many consumers as better. “People are asking for larger skylights on a regular basis, and we do have them, but you’re often working with trusses that the skylight must fit between,” he says. He notes that VELUX system specially accommodates trusses allowing them to create a larger space for skylight windows without affecting the existing architecture, affording homeowners with the greater natural light they crave. The company’s solution for flat roofs breaks the common misconception that skylights cannot be used on that grade.
As a design element, skylights are being used to break up the ceiling to create interest. Natural light itself has a rarely considered effect on style, says Taylor of VELUX. “You have to remember that natural light has the fullest spectrum of colour. I’m reminded of that every time I go to paint my house. I take the paint chip outside so I can see what it’s going to look like in natural light.” The good news is many industry experts say homeowners are increasingly willing to pay for premium windows and the work that goes into them. It gives the contractors serving them more opportunities, but also more to consider, points out All Weather Windows’ Matt Taylor. “Contractors, or designers really need to think more about how windows impact the design style of a home. Think about not only how color can impact the finished look but grilles, SDL’s, operating type and window shape.” —
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WHAT’S TRENDING
TECHNOLOGY HELPING TO PREVENT ACCIDENTS ON THE JOBSITE Article Courtesy of Brigade Electronics
One of the biggest issues the construction industry faces continues to be jobsite safety. Construction jobsite deaths and injuries continue to rise in North America, despite awareness, education and better protocols. Research shows that workers in the construction industry are at risk in a number of areas. THESE INCLUDE:
· Collisions due to rear, front and side blind spots. · Collisions due to poor visibility, such as dust, fog, and working at night. · Site workers being struck by vehicles and mobile machines. · Ear defenders reducing site workers’ ability to hear clearly approaching vehicles. · Tonal back-up alarms being ignored by site workers.
In the high-risk construction industry, organisations have a duty to safeguard their workers. Although many countries are required to comply with their own health and safety standards, organisations are increasingly choosing to invest in enhanced safety systems to protect their workers and keep their reputations intact. TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS
On construction sites, the need for safety is paramount, particularly as the slightest mistake can have devastating consequences. The latest innovations in technology mean many of these accidents can be prevented. A range of commercial vehicle safety systems are available to assist construction companies in keeping their staff safe. On-board camera systems can help to alert drivers to possible dangers, while reversing and warning alarms alert workers when a vehicle is maneuvering near them. Companies such as Brigade are doing a great job at
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What’s Trending
creating leading edge jobsite tech such as reversing alarms that harness high-spec broadband sound frequency, emitting a wide range of white sound frequencies. These enable workers to locate the direction of the sounds instantly. Rather than the old style ‘beep beep’ reversing alarms create a ‘sshssh’ sound, which dissipates quickly. This means the alarm can only be heard in the danger zone, so there is more chance of alarm-weary workers paying attention. The broadband frequency also gives workers wearing ear protection devices a better chance of hearing the alarm. SENSING RISK
Blind spots on large worksite vehicles and machinery are also an issue. The front, rear and nearside are problematic areas of vehicles, particularly those with elevated driver positions. Harsh construction site terrains, where thick dust and mud often decrease visibility even more, further increase the risk of accidents.
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Radar systems, that alert the operator to potential risk work by emitting a continuous-wave radar that is faster than pulsedradar products. Some detection systems can produce false alerts, which can lead to frustration for the driver, resulting in genuine alerts being disregarded. Continuous-wave radar protects against false alerts, thanks to the controlled beam pattern, which can be programmed, allowing organisations to fix a bespoke detection area specifically suited to their needs. When a moving or stationary object is detected, the driver is given an in-cab visual display plus an audible warning. Another advantage installing a radar system is that, unlike cameras, they will continue to function at optimum levels even in the harshest of conditions, such as rain, fog and snow. While it may not be possible to eliminate every element of risk when manoeuvring heavy machinery, radar obstacle detection is a step forward in protecting the lives of vehicle operators and those who work around them. —
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ANOTHER DOOR OPENS A few emerging trends and abundant options create an opening for contractors to better serve customer needs. Written by Lawrence Cummer
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Photo courtesy of JELD-WEN
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Feature Story: Another Door Opens
Even as homeowners look for a simpler, more contemporary design throughout their home’s interiors and exteriors, there is still an opportunity to make a bold statement with their entranceways. It’s also a chance for contractors to take a truly consultative role and introduce them to the options that will meet their needs both in style and substance. Energy code and material choices impact design decisions, and often it’s not a simple selection. “It’s a challenge to try to get what they need and what they want. There are certain exceptions, but generally you have the code requirement you have to meet, the door panels, the glass is affected by that,” notes Hardy Rahn, Director of Sales for Canada at Alliance Door Products. “Then there’s also the hardware, the security is affected by that. It all does create some challenges, but with all the products available, especially with doors it does make it a little bit easier.”
Paul Commisso, Director of Marketing and Product Management at JELD-WEN says homeowners are becoming more exacting as it relates to energy efficiency, in line with regulators. “Building codes are becoming more demanding,” he says. “We also see that consumers are demanding more energy efficient windows and doors, which is steadily driving the development of our high-performance products such as tri-pane windows, NASF (North American Fenestration Standard)— rated entry doors and improvements to patio door systems.” He says the drive to higher-performance fenestration products is because, “Homeowners today are better educated about energy efficiency. They are receiving real-time data and monthly reporting from their utilities providers and are driven by social norms to reduce the energy they consume and save on energy costs.”
Photo courtesy of Alliance Door Products CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE MARCH / APRIL 2019
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Feature Story: Another Door Opens
Photo courtesy of JELD-WEN
FLUSH-GLAZED DOOR LITES
ROOMS WITH A VIEW
Of course, some of those product options are in line with helping consumers create an attractive look while meeting codes. Rahn points to the growing push for flush-glazed door lites, like those with Therma-Tru Enliten flush-glazed designs. Flush-glazed doors have the glass perimeter mouldings flush with or set down from the face of the surrounding door. The result is a sleek look, that creates a simple profile and allow for larger panes of glass—up to 16 percent larger according to the company—and more natural light into the home. Therma-Tru Enliten doors have styles to meet both contemporary and classical design aesthetics.
The trend towards bigger glass profiles isn’t just one for front doors. There has been an increasing shift back to glass patio doors, says John Arsenault, Director of Sales for Atlantic Canada at Kohltech Windows and Entrance Systems. “There was a time when patio doors were popular, and the market shifted to a garden door—double steel doors with a 15-lite grille,” Arsenault recalls. “What we’re seeing now is the market has moved back to patio doors, largely because the performance is better. They are a tighter seal. Also, they give you more glass area; there’s 20 to 25 percent more visible glass.” The modern twist on the old patio door is, however,
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Feature Story: Another Door Opens
that instead of the traditional 6 ft. door, there’s a move to 9 and 12 ft., three and four panel patio doors often with transom windows.
Since doors are typically painted by the homeowner, they are left to whatever their hearts desire. As option for manufacturer prefinished doors increase it becomes easier to make a bolder statement. Both Alliance and Kohler offer CAN YOU TAKE ME HIGHER? pre-finished options. There appears to have been no slow-down in the market’s “It really helps by giving the ability for homeowners to get desire for taller doors. Eight-foot options are something that is professionally prepared increasing from all the different manufac- “As people are making and finished in a shop environment where it’s turers, Rahn notes, saying the trend is still the foyer almost a focus clean and you can be confident about the pregrowing. treatment coat, the finish and also whatever room, (the entrance He attributes this to materials, and gloss is desired,” Rahn notes. Arsenault says homeowners want to the ability to provide that little bit of extra door) becomes a bigger make more of a statement with their door light. Experts also attribute it the climbdesign feature.” colours than windows and other accents. ing ceilings in many new home builds. “With doors it’s the rainbow. It’s custom colours all the time. “As people are making the foyer almost a focus room, (the Anything that can be imagined, the pinks and blues and greens entrance door) becomes a bigger design feature.” and blacks and browns…” The front door has long been seen as an important part of Rahn notes some colours are gaining popularity, including curb appeal, but Rahn suggests today its impact on the interior a patina green and muted blue, as well as continued strong is being considered almost as much. interest in earth tones. People are still doing the orange door or the red door to set themselves apart from their neighbours COLOUR ME BOLD Few things change curb appeal or catch the eye more than but greens and blues are 100 percent on the rise.” — bold colours, and front door options have those in abundance.
Photo courtesy of Kohltech CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE MARCH / APRIL 2019
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DESIGN TALK
CONCEPTUALIZE COLOUR Written by Jennifer Merceica
Which colour to use? Will it match the rest of the house? Decisions Decisions. Colour choice is likely the most difficult decision you will make during your home renovation. Well if you’re planning an exterior renovation this Spring, you can be certain to find the right colour, and its not on your Pinterest board. The next generation of Virtual Reality colour selection tools are here and they have all the inspiration you need.
Designed to inspire consumers, colour selection tools allow you to conceptualize and visualize the final product before making a colour decision. Traditionally used for paint selection, colour tools are now making their way into many other product categories. Residential roofing and exterior siding companies are on board and now offer consumers (and contractors), the ability to compare different colours and styles, on their existing home or project. Photo courtesy of Ideal Roofing
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Design Talk
Photos courtesy of Kaycan
KAYCAN COLOUR SELECTORS
IDEAL ROOFING CONCEPTEUR
Kaycan believes that colour has the power to bring a dream home to life and their colour and design tools track design trends, shifts in demographics and their impact on architecture. Home Designer 2.0 program allows you to upload your own photo and add a Kaycan siding colour to the exterior. Their Colour Selector Kit has the latest colour trends and inspiration. kaycan.com
Ideal Roofing helps you to discover the spectacular effect of a new steel roof on your home. Their design concept tool is called the Ideal Concepteur and is a fun and easy way to conceptualize your own home with this great tool. idealroofing.ca
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Design Talk
IKO ROOFVIEWER APP
GENTEK
Boost your curb appeal, and be the envy of the block with IKO Roofing’s Roof Viewer App. You will find the latest in emerging color trends and a fresh and vibrant selection of colors to choose from for your new roof. iko.com So, before you make the final colour call, take a look at these great online tools. They make it easier than ever to conceptualize and plan your exterior home project, without the regret of having to live with the wrong colour choice.
Gentek has your siding selection covered with their handy Visualizer online tool. Simply upload a photo of your home and create a new design using the simple tools to outline your home and visualize products and colors to find the perfect combination. gentek.ca —
Photos courtesy of Gentek Photo courtesy of IKO
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