COMPLIMENTARY
March/April 2012
CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE
ALSO:
Fencing + Accounting + Tool Tips +
CA N A DA’ S M AG A Z I N E F O R P R O F E S S I O N A L C O N T R AC T O R S
LANDSCAPING
PLUS:
COUNTERTOP OPTIONS DECK TRENDS 2012 ®
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The Hardest Working Team in the Building Industry ®
™ Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow
™ © 2008, VANOC.
Contents
40 Features
Dollars and Sense / 22
Expert accounting advice and attention to a few details can mean the difference between profit and loss.
Countertop options / 28
28
45
Numerous manufacturers are pulling out all the stops on countertop innovation.
Quality Over Opulence / 35 Expensive materials and touches are not the only way to deck out a deck.
The Natural Look / 40 It is a landscaping trend that has become more and more popular over the last few years.
Fencing Factoids / 45
Inside
NEWS WATCH / 5 Helmets to Hardhats NEW PRODUCTS / 9 New and improved products BUSINESS STRATEGIES / 12 Delivering the remodeling goods SMART MONEY / 14 Joint venture vs. partnership ECONOMICS 101 / 16 Testimonials for business growth ONLINE MARKETING / 19 Getting started in social media LEARNING CURVE / 21 Building better, building green March/April 2012 Vol. 18 No. 2
Editorial Director Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. Jennifer Mercieca Managing Editor Paul Barker Art Director Mark Ryan
Castle Building Centres Group Ltd., with building supply outlets in every province, is Canada’s leading supplier of lumber and building materials to professional contractors, builders and renovators. Publications Mail Agreement #40006677 Return undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: 100 Milverton Drive, Suite 400 Mississauga, Ont. L5R 4H1
Contributors Nestor E. Arellano Lawrence Cummer Victoria Downing Stefan Dubowski Josh Kerbel Pam Lontos David Chilton Saggers John G. Smith
Good communication skills are as important as the hot-dipped galvanized nails used on the job.
Pro Picks / 48 You can definitely spot the difference between professional tools and their do-it-yourself counterparts.
Tips and Bits / 52 There are several factors to consider when selecting the perfect accessory for any job. Advertising Enquiries Vendors whose products are carried in Castle Building Centres stores have the opportunity to advertise in
Contractor Advantage
For more information or to reserve space in the next issue, contact: Jennifer Mercieca Director of Communications Phone: 905-564-3307 Fax: 905-564-6592 E-mail: jmercieca@castle.ca
Published and designed exclusively for Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. by Business Information Group Material Contact: Jessica Jubb 416-510-5194 Copyright 2012
CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE
MARCH/APRIL 2012
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News Watch
Helmets to Hardhats initiative for vets gathers both momentum and funding
PHOTOS: COURESTY OF OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER
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new program designed to help transition Canadian veterans and reservists over from the military to careers in construction is beginning to taking to shape. In January, the Helmets to Hardhats Canada, a partnership between unions, and the public and private sector, received some urgently needed financial support from the federal government, province of Alberta and TransCanada Corporation. Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced a commitment of $150,000 through Veteran Affairs Canada’s Community Engagement Partnership Fund to the program, which seeks to apply skills learned in the armed forces and connect veterans with employers in the construction sector who will train and develop their civilian careers. Meanwhile, oil and gas giant TransCanada announced $1 million commitment over five years. “When people serve in our Armed Forces, among other things they become equipment operators,” said Harper. “If you can drive a tank, why not drive a bulldozer? “Forklifts work the same everywhere and so do backhoes so in terms of transitions, Helmets to Hardhats will be a natural fit for many military veterans, allowing them to take advantage of a new set of civilian opportunities that build on the skills they acquired while in uniform. Our next task going forward is to get as many partners as possible involved in this new program.” The federal support takes the program to a new level of involvement, suggests Robert Blakely, director of Canadian affairs for the Canadian Building Trades, an organization that has been spearheading the initiative. “While it would be possible for the unions to work on it, without some sanction it would just be yet another idea from well-meaning do-gooders and may not get the uptake needed to do what we want to do. “Having the federal government recognize
Prime Minister Stephen Harper greets representatives from the military and construction trades prior to announcing federal funding for Helmets to Hardhats.
this as worthwhile and worth investing in really puts us in a position to have an impact.” Blakely says the program, modeled after a nine-year-old U.S. program of the same name, is in its initial development stages and that a board of directors is being assembled and an operation plan being developed. Organizers are currently also seeking an executive director with business and military experience. According to Blakely there is room for contractors and owners who have an adequate focus on training and employee ben-
efits to become involved. “We will be looking to qualify people into the program.” Contributions will be used to assist in program start-up costs, including the development of a website that will allow employers to post openings and veterans to conduct job searches. Veterans will be able to register for free when it goes lives this spring and apply for jobs posted by upwards of 100,000 Canadian construction contractors and 14 relevant trade unions. Helmets to Hardhats opportunities will not be limited to on-site construction jobs or apprenticeships, but include positions in administration, engineering, human resources and other skills. Efforts will be placed on helping speed along apprenticeship programs by leveraging veterans’ existing skills sets, Blakely says. “When you train a soldier, they get basic training and certain skills; we want to give them the basic construction skills.”
CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE
MARCH/APRIL 2012
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HOME RENOVATIONS
CHANGE
Interior Doors by JELD-WEN One of the first things to know about JELD-WEN Moulded interior ®
doors is that they offer you the best of two worlds: style and substance. Not only can you choose the architectural style that works best with your home, but you can also choose between the classic look of wood in either a wood grain or smooth finish. Second, you can be assured you’ll get the durable performance of
IS
a JELD-WEN door. Because Moulded doors are such an excellent solution, they are the most popular type of interior door available today. What’s more, JELD-WEN offers you the very best selection, and backs it with an industry-leading five-year limited warranty. To learn more about JELD-WEN products see your local Castle dealer or visit
www.jeld-wen.ca.
Arlington / Bostonian
Atherton / Stanford
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Camden / Princeton
Cambridge
Continental
Craftsman III
Provincial
Rockport
Santa Fe
News Watch
An attempt to build Canada’s greenest home is underway by a group of sustainable construction students in Peterborough, Ont.
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ndeavour Centre, a not-for-profit organization that teaches sustainable building and design has announced the “Canada’s Greenest Home project,” a residential build where, over five months, students will build a home that is safe, comfortable, durable and green. Students are part of Endeavour’s Sustainable New Construction certificate program. The home will be using standards set by the Living Building Challenge, created by the International Living Future Institute as its benchmark, and will be extensively documented to prove it meets rigorous standards. Certification will be awarded only after a year of occupancy. The building will challenge students and the public to think carefully about what goes into building a sustainable home, says Endea-
vour. It is based on the study of other net zero energy homes that lowered energy consumption by as much as 90%, used locally sourced, healthy materials, collected their own water and treated their own waste, and provided accessibility. “What we didn’t find was a home that attempted to do all of these things. A home that does of this, we figured, really would be Canada’s greenest home,” said Chris Magwood, executive director at Endeavour Centre, in his blog. Magwood says the intention is for this project to be the first of many “Greenest
photo: Canada’s greenest home
CertainTeed publishes Life Cycle Assessment CertainTeed Corp. has become the first fibre cement siding manufacturer to publish an independent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of its products. The LCA provides an analysis of the environmental and economic impacts of the company’s WeatherBoards fibre cement siding. It was conducted by Sustainable Solutions Corp. and published by the Building for Environmental and Economic Sustainability (BEES) to provide transparency into the siding from acquisition of raw material, through manufacturing, transportation, distribution, installation use, maintenance, recycling and disposal. “With the completion of the WeatherBoards analysis, all CertainTeed siding products, which include fibre cement, vinyl, polymer and insulated siding, are backed by a publicly available LCA,” says Xavier LeBlanc, director of product marketing for CertainTeed’s Siding Products Group. “Our approach to understanding and evaluating the environmental impact of our products solidifies our commitment to offer complete freedom of choice to the building industry; providing everything needed to make informed environmental design decisions.” Environmental performance in the BEES program, is based on 13 categories, including human health, global warming potential, air pollution and smog. LeBlanc says the publishing of its LCA is part of “CertainTeed’s commitment to quantify and reduce energy, water use and waste.” As well as streamlining its manufacturing operations, the company says its WeatherBoards contain more than 30% recycled content.
Homes” built by the construction industry across Canada. The design and construction will be detailed for the public to follow on the Web at Magwood’s blog at www.endeavourcentre.org.
CMHC releases December housing starts
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ecember 2011 housing starts were up from November rates, according to the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) January Monthly Housing Statistics report. The seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts in December was 200,200 units, up from 185,600 units a month earlier, mainly due to multiple urban starts in Ontario and Atlantic Canada, according to Mathieu Laberge, deputy chief economist at CMHC’s Market Analysis Centre. The seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts grew by 10.1% to 181,900 units in December, with urban single starts up 3.8% to 70,600 units and multiple urban starts up 14.5% to 111,300 units. In Atlantic Canada, the seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts increased by 52.9%, while Ontario saw a 35.3% increase and Quebec was up 9%. Urban starts in B.C. and the Prairies decreased 19.8% and 11%, respectively. Rural starts in December were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 18,300 units.
CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE
MARCH/APRIL 2012
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New Products
Building Blocks
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Innovative Products for Today’s Renovators MITER SAW/PLANER STAND DESIGNED FOR JOBSITE CONVENIENCE
The DWX726 Rolling Miter Saw/Planer Stand from DeWalt contains easy mobility thanks to wide rubber wheels and a fold-up design. Designed for a wide variety of contractors who use a miter saw or portable thickness planer on the jobsite, the stand is built with a durable tubular steel construction that allows for 300 lbs. of weight. Three-position, pneumatically-assisted raising and lowering makes the DWX726 easy to assemble, reducing downtime on the worksite, while mounting rails make it easily adjustable and able to adapt to nearly any miter saw or portable thickness planer. Adjustable infeed and outfeed roller work supports provide the stand with up to eight feet of material support. Weighing only 67 lbs. and standing 98” long and 32.5” wide when unfolded, the stand saves space by folding vertically into a compact 59.5” by 17”. The Rolling Miter Saw/Planer Stand sells for approximately $249 and comes with a three-year limited warranty, one-year free service contract and 90-day money-back guarantee. For more information visit www.dewalt.com.
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DELTA FAUCETS ENDORSED BY FAMILY TESTING ORGANIZATION
Delta Faucet Canada’s hands-free Touch2O.xt technology has earned the Parent Tested, Parent Approved (PTPA) Winner’s Seal of Approval. The technology allows families to turn the flow of water on and off in bathrooms by approaching a sensing field in the faucet, or by tapping it anywhere on the spout or handle. An advantage in households where small children might find it difficult to reach the faucet, the Touch2O.xt technology offers a convenient hands-free option. As well as staying clean by avoiding messy hands, the faucets promote water conservation by making it easier to turn water off, while brushing teeth or shaving. In order to earn the PTPA Seal of Approval, the faucets were tested by unbiased volunteer families in their homes. For more information on Delta faucets visit www.deltafaucet.ca, or to learn more about PTPA visit www.ptpamedia.com.
CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE
MARCH/APRIL 2012
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New Products
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PVC FENCE OPTIONS BETTER EMULATE LOOK OF NATURAL WOOD Three new colour options from CertainTeed for its Bufftech Chesterfield vinyl privacy fence combine woodgrain texture and variegated, plant-like, colour in order to create a more realistic wood-like appearance. Featuring CertainTeed’s exclusive ColorLast fade protection, the new fencing is available in Brazilian Blend, rich reddish brown; Frontier Blend, a neutral light brown shade; and Honey Blend, a natural stained wood look. Colour palettes from all Bufftech fence products can be combined for a seamless, streamlined design, CertainTeed says. The new colours bring the Bufftech line up to four available solid colours and seven multi-chromatic blends and feature the company’s CertaGrain texture. Chesterfield with CertaGrain privacy fence features a tongue-and-groove picket design and is available in 4’, 5’ and 6’ heights. Manufactured from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), the fence products provide resistance to rot, warping, splitting or splintering. A steel-reinforced bottom rail helps ensure a stronger, more rigid fence that resists sagging and bowing. In addition, the fence is available in CertainTeed’s WindZone design for exceptional performance in high-wind conditions. Chesterfield with CertaGrain is backed by a lifetime limited warranty for parts and labor protection and has a newly added transferability feature. For more information, visit www.certainteed.com.
It’s Obvious From The Start All Weather Windows, the leading manufacturer of ENERGY STAR® rated windows and doors, has received the prestigious ENERGY STAR® Manufacturer of the Year Award in 2010 and 2011. As Canada’s preferred window and door manufacturer, we are committed to delivering expert advice and outstanding service for new build or renovation projects from coast to coast.
For more information, give us a call at 1-800-638-5709 or visit us at allweatherwindows.com Van c o u v e r
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Kelowna
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Edmonton
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Red
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Calgar y
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Lethbridge
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Saskatoon
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Regina
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W innipeg
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CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE
To r o n t o
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Halifax
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Business Strategies
Delivering The Remodeling Goods Organized planning up front and a smooth transition between sales and production can save money before the job has even begun. BY VICTORIA DOWNING
Remodeling jobs involve so many people, products and details you have to be very organized in order to produce these intricate projects on time and budget. Smart remodelers create production procedures that every employee can follow to insure a consistent level of quality with all projects.
The goals of most production procedures are to: • Debug the job before it starts. • Move the job smoothly out of sales and into production. • Increase profitability and customer satisfaction.
Organize production well and you will: • Save time. Five minutes spent to solve a problem before a job starts could save hours if it arises during the job. • Save money. Problems found early can be efficiently handled without causing construction delays. • Increase customer satisfaction. Mistakes on the job mean redoing work which can add days to the schedule, making the client unhappy. A smooth, problem-free project will keep your clients happy with the process and confident in your abilities. • Increase referrals. Happy clients deliver so much future business that it is important to do what it takes to leave them delighted. If you know that using simple production procedures can increase client satisfaction by even 10%, is it not worth it?
• Help employees do their jobs better. Systems provide a structure in which employees can flourish. By documenting step-by-step procedures, everyone is working with the same rules and getting similar results. • Bring new employees up to speed faster. Because your systems are written down, a new employee can follow the step-by-step instructions and not have to wait for in-depth personal training. • Reveal any situations in which there are gaps in responsibility or overlapping duties. Successful remodelers generally agree on the steps that must be incorporated into effective production procedures. These include:
Pre-construction: • Completion of job folder by sales. • Establish job files. • Hold a site walk-through. • Develop a job schedule. • Contract with subs. • Order special or custom materials. • Hold a pre-construction conference with the customer.
During construction: • Hold a weekly production staff meeting. • Issue and control change orders. • Collect draws on time. • Check quality control at close-in. • Inspect the job before punch list. • Complete the final walk-through with the customer.
After construction: • Handle warranty callbacks.
Victoria Downing is president of Remodelers Advantage Inc. and is a leading authority in the remodeling industry. She has authored and co-authored several industry books, including The Remodeler’s Marketing PowerPak. She can be reached at victoria@remodelersadvantage.com address or by phone at 301-490-5620 ext. 105. 12 |
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If your company is small and you are the salesperson, production manager and carpenter, you have a much more simplified list of procedures because you keep so much in your head; however, if you are delegating some of this responsibility to a production manager, project managers or lead carpenters, write it down. Note that over half of these steps happen before construction begins. That is because we all know that the profits are really made in the planning stages. So the time spent to review the job up front can save tons of time and money by avoiding problems that could show up later, destroying profits and morale of your team. This handoff from sales to production is one of the trickiest and most trouble-plagued areas in production. In small companies, there is usually only one handoff: from owner/salesperson to lead carpenter. In large companies, there is likely to be two handoffs, one from sales to the production manager, and another from the production manager to the lead carpenter. While one of the most important goals of the first few steps in these procedures is to free salespeople to go back to selling, they must package the job properly and participate in the full communication of vital information to help assure production success. In most remodeling companies, the salesperson is responsible for delivering the following items in the file turned over to production: • Two copies of the signed contract. • Two sets of signed plans. • Any detailed specification sheets. • The check for the signing draw. or a receipt for it. • Financing papers. • The estimate with a clear and concise summary on a cover sheet including the subcontractor bids, materials lists with prices, and the source of the prices. • Clear copies of all orders for materials. (For example: for a kitchen job, the company
Business Strategies
may require the salesperson to order cabinets and include a copy of the completed order in this contract package.) • A copy of the building permit if the salesperson is responsible for obtaining it. • A key to the building in which the job is to be done. Some companies have a checklist to make this transfer easy. Usually it spells out who is to do what in the handoff process. The contract package received from sales is copied and distributed among the various individuals who need the information. Here are some of the files that may be needed in your company:
The Legal File: Be sure to safely store a copy of the signed contract, a set of the plans, and specifications in a separate file so it will not get lost. The Working Office File: Usually the production manager is responsible for this file. It contains the contact, plans, specifications, all orders, confirmations, contracts with subcontractors, the production schedule, customer records, change orders and notes. The Field File: This file is created for the lead carpenter’s use. It includes plans, specifications, details from the contract, copies of change orders, production schedule, and telephone numbers of subcontractors and suppliers. The Bookkeeper’s File: Often the bookkeeper receives a copy of the contract or a list of contract draws, the total contract amount, notices of contracts with subcontractors and the amounts, change orders, purchase orders, a detailed estimate of labor and materials by task for use in producing job cost reports and any other financial commitments related to the jobs.
Holding a Site Walk-through: If your company is large enough that the salesperson and the production manager are two different people, they should arrange a site walk-through. The lead carpenter who will be working on the job should also be a participant. Try to meet without the client so that questions and answers can be frank and open. Before meeting, all parties should study the job plans and specifications and write down their questions. During this walk-through, the salesperson
can educate the production manager on the job specifications at the site. It is a chance for the production manager and lead carpenter to discuss unanticipated problems. An effective walk-through of moderate-sized job is likely to take 60 to 90 minutes. The discussion should include the strategic approach to the job, as well as the actual construction details. Some of the strategic questions to be answered include: • How will the surrounding household areas be protected? • Where will materials be stored? • Will a bathroom and phone in the building be designated for field use? If not, will a phone be installed, and if so, where? Where will a portable toilet be placed?
The Pre-construction Conference The client joins the salesperson, production manager and lead carpenter for the Preconstruction Conference, so it can be handy to schedule this meeting on the same day as the Site Walk-Through. This conference has four objectives: • To introduce the customer to the production manager and the lead carpenter who will be handling their job from this point forward. • To make clear to the customer that the production department is taking charge of the job and that the salesperson is stepping aside. In fact, the production manager should lead this meeting. • Preview exactly what is going to be constructed and what is not included. This means going over the contract and specifications in detail. By taking the time to reiterate these details, any discrepancies can be caught before the job begins. • To let the customer know how to work with production and what will be expected of each party. During this meeting, the production manager reviews the plans and contract specifications in great detail with the customer. If selections are open or change orders pending, they are discussed at this conference and decisions made, or the customer is given a deadline for making final decisions. Many potential problems surface at these pre-construction conferences. The production department can take care of them before construction begins, causing the least disruption in
the job. Often customers have discussed many options during the design and bidding process, and they may think that some items are included that really are not. It is better to find them out at this stage, when change can still be made, than to have an angry, disappointed customer later.
Scheduling Job Progress The production manager, lead carpenter, and the salesperson now return to the office to schedule the job they have explored in detail during the site walk-through and the pre-construction conference.
Subcontracting Once the production manager is familiar with the new job, it is time to contract with the subcontractors who will be used. To prevent problems, the production manager uses written subcontractor contracts that include as much detail as possible. These contracts should include details that match the details drawn on the plans and included in the specifications. It should also include the total dollar amount as well as the payment schedule. Contracts should clearly specify who is supplying the materials that will be installed by the subcontractors. Promised material delivery dates should be noted on a calendar. Also jot down a reminder to call and check on upcoming deliveries one week before the delivery date. A delay in the delivery of special orders can seriously harm a job schedule. The production manager or the lead carpenter makes careful lists of all the materials that will be needed during the first few weeks of the job. These are ordered for delivery to the site as well. Many remodeling companies handle ordering of the major lumber loads from the office while day-to-day lumber needs are called in from the job. As is evident in the long list of procedures the production manager oversees, the company will be more efficient and productive if you aggressively pursue a clean transfer between sales and production and a clear agreement with the customer as to what will be constructed. By developing an organized approach to the production of the job that emphasizes careful groundwork, you are already saving money and time and the job is only about to begin.
CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE
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Smart Money
Joint Venture Vs. Partnership The Canada Revenue Agency recently released details surrounding joint venture income rules. BY PAUL RHODES
In this space in a recent issue of Contractor Advantage, I provided an introduction to the new tax rules that apply to corporate partners and how they recognize taxable income from partnerships. At that time the Canada Revenue Agency (“CRA”) had announced that the rules for recognizing income from joint ventures were also subject to change. Since that edition of CA magazine, the CRA has announced the details surrounding the joint venture income rules. While there are similarities between the partnership and joint venture rules, there are some considerable differences between them that will be to the disadvantage of companies that conduct their operations using joint ventures. This article will review the joint venture rules and highlight the differences with the partnership rules previously described. A joint venture is fundamentally different from a partnership, in that a joint venture is not a separate entity but a jointly controlled asset or project. Back in 1989 the CRA announced an administrative policy that allowed a joint venture to establish a fiscal period end that differs from the year ends of the participants in the joint venture. This meant that a corporation with an interest in a joint venture could bring into the corporation’s taxable income the income from the joint venture for its year end that ends within the corporations year end. Suppose a corporation with a Nov. 30 year end that has an interest in a joint venture with a Dec. 31 year end. The corporation would include in its taxable income for the Nov. 30, 2010 year end the income from the joint ven-
ture’s Dec. 31, 2009 year end. Taxation of the income for the period January 1 to Nov. 30, 2010 is deferred for 11 months.
The significant details in the new rules follow: •A corporation with an interest in a joint venture will be required to bring in the actual income of the joint venture for the stub period (Jan. 1 to Nov. 30 for our corporate example above). This will therefore require that financial information be prepared for each month end that coincides
Paul Rhodes is a partner at Soberman LLP. His professional experience includes construction, manufacturing and real estate and internal audit engagements. Paul is a member of the Toronto Construction Association.
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with a corporate participant’s fiscal year end. This adds an administrative burden to the management of joint ventures. This did not arise for corporations with partnership interests, because the income to be included is based on a simple formula. • To avoid the negative cash flow effect to corporate participants of bringing into income up to 23 months of partnership income in one year, a company can claim a tax reserve (that is, a deduction from income) under transitional rules. The reserve allowed will be equal to 100% of income qualifying for the reserve in the first year. The transitional relief will generally result in no additional taxes being payable for that first corporate taxation year. In the subsequent five years the reductions in the reserve will give rise to income inclusions of 15% in the first year, 20% in each of the second, third and fourth years
Smart Money
and 25% in the fifth year. This is the same for corporate partners. • These proposed measures will apply to taxation years of a corporation that end after March 22, 2011. Therefore some corporations will already have filed returns for years to which the new rules apply. If you are in this position you should discuss with your professional advisor how to address the issue to ensure the company can still claim the benefit of the reserve described above. • The rules that apply to corporate participants in a joint venture are applicable regardless of the size of the interest. The joint venture will therefore be required to generate actual financial results up to the year end of a participant with a 0.01% interest, even if that year end is shared by no other corporate participant. Under the partnership rules there is a minimum, such that the rules do not apply if a corporate partner, together with its affiliat-
ed and related parties, is entitled to less than 10% of the partnership’s income (or assets in the case of wind-up) at the end of the last fiscal period of the partnership that ended in the taxation year. • In some cases, joint venture interests are held by partnerships which have corporate partners. The rules only allow a corporation to claim the transitional reserve described above; a partnership itself cannot claim a reserve for income it picks up from a joint venture. Therefore, all the income from the joint venture for the stub period will be taxable in the corporation’s first year in which the rules are applied. This one year catch up may have significant cash flow effects when that tax is payable by the corporation. These rules have given rise to lobbying of CRA by industry and the professions due to the additional compliance costs that business will incur. To the date of writing there
has been no indication from CRA that any changes will be considered. Joint venture structures are prevalent in certain industries, such as real estate. Any corporate participant or manager of a joint venture should review their application with their professional adviser and assess whether the administrative and cash flow implications can be improved. That discussion should include a review of the year end of each joint venture and of the corporate participants to consider whether changing certain year ends may be beneficial. For example, changing the year end assigned to the joint venture itself or changing year ends of corporate participants. This article has been prepared for general information. Specific professional advice should be obtained prior to the implementation of any suggestion contained in this article.
We’ve kicked it up a notch! New formulations and new bold packaging make it easy to find exactly the right Elmer’s for the job. CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE
MARCH/APRIL 2012
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Economics 101
Testimonials For Business Growth Customer testimonials are easier to get than you think and they can transform your marketing and increase sales. BY PAM LONTOS
Which are you more likely to believe: a company representative telling you how great their product or service is, or a recommendation from another person about how it worked for them? If you are like most people, the words from a fellow consumer pull more weight than even the best written ad copy. That is why no matter what product or service you are selling, you need to use testimonials from satisfied customers in every ad and marketing piece you create. One of the main reasons why people do not buy something is that they are fearful of making the wrong decision. So when they see that a product or service is endorsed by someone else, someone in their same situation, that fear is minimized. Therefore, testimonials are a great way of influencing others to feel comfortable about buying your products or services. Unfortunately, few business professionals actively seek out testimonials from their customers and clients. They mistakenly wait for people to give them testimonials, and when they do get them, they do not know how to use them effectively. In reality, get-
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One of the main reasons why people do not buy something is that they are fearful of making the wrong decision.
ting and using a list of strong testimonials is easier than you think. The following tips will help you get testimonials to increase your profits.
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Pam Lontos, president of Pam Lontos Consulting, consults with businesses and experts in the areas of sales, marketing and publicity. She can be reached at PamLontos@gmail.com or via her Web site at www.PamLontos.com.
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How to Get Them • Choose satisfied customers who represent your target demographic. The best testimonials are written by people who are similar to your ideal customer. Therefore, be specific about who you solicit a testimonial from. Look over your customer files and choose the people who exemplify the best case scenario for your product or service. Say to them, “I would love for you to share your experience with Product A. Would you please write a short testimonial?” Most people will cheerfully say, “yes.” Since you want more happy customers just like these, let their words sell for you. • Offer to write the testimonial for them. Often, if someone declines your request to write a testimonial, it is because they are too busy or feel they do not have adequate writing skills. In that case, offer to write the testimonial for them. Simply say, “I would be glad to write the testimonial
Economics 101
for you. Just tell me what you would like to say about the product. You can review what I write and we can use it as is or you can change it.” Most people will leave the testimonial as is, happy they did not have to take the time to write it. Look through your past notes and correspondence. Chances are you are sitting on a pile of testimonials and do not even know it. Go back through your past emails and correspondence from customers and clients. Are there a few nice sentences in some of those messages? If so, ask the person if you can use their words in your marketing materials. They will often agree.
Specific testimonials take away the fear of making the wrong decision and help people feel safe about making the purchase.
How to Write Them
• Show results. Whether you write the testimonial or your customer does, it needs to specifically show what results the person experienced from the product or service. A testimonial that simply says what a wonderful company you have or how nice you are is not saying anything meaningful for the reader. A specific testimonial will speak of results, for example: “Dr. Smith’s treatment ended my 20-year battle with migraines.” “Joe’s Contracting remodeled my kitchen for $2,000 less than other bidders.” “Jones and Johnson CPA Firm reduced my tax liability by 30%.” The more specific a testimonial is, the stronger it sells for you. Specific testimonials take away the fear of making the wrong decision and help people feel safe about making the purchase. • Keep it short. Each word of the testimonial should have value. Therefore, if someone writes you a page-long testimonial, edit out any words that do not directly address the end result he or she received from your service or product. This does not mean you change the meaning of what someone writes; you simply edit out the parts that do not contribute to the meaning. For example, if someone writes a page about everything your company did to help them save 30% on their heating and cooling bills, you can condense it to one sentence, as in “As a result of ABC Company’s inspection of our home, we saved 30% on our monthly utility bill.” Often, the more words you take out, the
stronger the testimonial becomes. Also, it is easier to read and will stand out more. • Include a name and title when possible. Rather than attribute your testimonial to “John S., Nebraska,” use the person’s real name, company name, title, and location whenever possible, as in “John Sanders, salesperson at Acme Company,” or “John Sanders, Omaha, Nebraska.” This makes your testimonial more believable. Most people will be happy to include their full name and other information, because the strongest human desire is to feel appreciated and recognized. Getting their name in print somewhere fulfills that need and is often perceived as fun.
How to Use Them
• Include a testimonial or two in your ads and marketing pieces. Whether you are doing a print, online, radio, or TV ad, be sure to include some testimonials. For print, it is best to have testimonials stand alone from the text rather than try to weave them into the ad copy. For radio and TV, either the announcer or an actor can recite the testimonial, or if your customer is agreeable, have him or her appear in your radio or TV spot to give the testimonial personally. Other marketing pieces that should feature your testimonials include your web site, brochures, direct mail pieces, postcards, billboards, newsletters, and even social media updates.
• Create a book of testimonials. Each time you receive a kind letter from a customer or client, highlight the key parts (the parts that state benefits to the customer), put the letter in a clear plastic sleeve, and compile it in a big binder. Keep this book or binder of testimonials in your store or office for customers to browse through while they are waiting. Or, if your business is online, create a page where you feature all your testimonials. There is no limit to how many testimonials you can include in your book or on your page. • Frame your best testimonials. If you have a store or office, frame some of your best testimonial letters and post them on your walls. Again, highlight the best parts so your customers can easily see the benefits. If you do not get foot traffic (or if you go to your customers), put the best testimonial letters in your “leave behind” kit, the package of information you leave behind for the prospect. The next time you are writing copy for an advertisement or marketing piece (and struggling with what information to include) simply go to your past testimonials. It is always better when someone else sings your praises, so let your customer sell for you. The sooner you start using testimonials in every marketing message you create, the sooner you will realize that testimonials really are the ultimate sales tool.
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Online Marketing
Getting Started in Social Media When building a social media marketing campaign it is important to set goals, but only after determining your audience. BY JOSH KERBEL
When setting social marketing goals; first things, first: social media requires strategic planning to become successful, regardless of whether the goal of any given campaign is brand awareness, website traffic building or conversion. It is important to begin with clear goals and measurable business objectives. Many marketers run Facebook, YouTube and Twitter campaigns because they think they “should.” Secondly, it is essential to understand the audience you are trying to reach. A target audience of drywall installers would probably not respond well to a social media campaign that involves uploading video clips to YouTube. On the other hand, a target audience of first time home buyers may well be power users of online video. The next step is to determine your execution approach, including logistics, semantics and activation. How will social media fit into your wider search strategy? Clearly defined, measurable goals allow you to analyze the results and determine ROI. Set both hard and soft key performance indicators to evaluate every stage of your social marketing, which in turn will help you to test, adjust and learn.
Increasing Brand Influence: Not all Facebook fans and Twitter followers are created equal and what matters more than how many people are talking about a brand is who is talking about the brand. One person’s tweet may impact ten people, while a celebrity’s tweet could influence one million potential customers. This is why sponsored tweets and social media posts
have brought in great amounts of traffic, and expanded brand awareness and influence for some marketers. Even though the majority of consumers do not know any celebrities, due to the public nature of their lives many people feel like they know them personally. This is truer than ever since networks like Twitter and Facebook have created so many opportunities for consumers to connect with celebrities and what is happening in their everyday lives. For business marketers, interacting with the professionals who use Twitter to report industry news is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to get noticed by industry media.
Expanding Brand Reach: One of the most valuable aspects of social media is the vast network of friends and family that can be reached through any given user. A recent Harvard research study found that information and influence travel up to three degrees across a social network. The information communicated to friends, family and colleagues is often passed on beyond one person’s network to possibly thousands of people. Similarly, the information one person receives each day may have travelled two or three degrees before it reaches them. This ability to expand a brand’s reach (that is, to extend its influence to a larger audience) is another powerful aspect of social media marketing. Successful social marketing campaigns create enough value to influence and encourage the sharing of that information across these large social networks. Marketers must be aware of the potential amplifica-
Josh Kerbel is Managing Director of Sales Funnel, a digital marketing agency that specializes in lead generation and prospect management systems. To get a copy of the free white paper, 8 Steps to Internet Marketing Success, please send an email to report.ca@thejoshkerbelproject.com.
tion and use it to their advantage to extend brand reach wherever possible.
Generating Website Traffic: Marketers that operate their Facebook or LinkedIn pages properly see a major increase in website business and traffic. Social media provides a substantial boost to onetime traffic and engagement by putting your brand on the front page of a social media site. The bonus is that because these sites are so highly trafficked by millions of people daily and because so many social media users are high-profile individuals with blogs or ‘publications’ of their own, there is a substantial long-tail to capitalize on. The key is to keep the conversation on the page or direct consumers to your brand website and not to other websites, YouTube videos, blogs or other digital properties. All that does is push people away from your social media page to other places that do not increase your business or traffic. A second mistake often made is to make the content about the business and not the consumers. Ask questions and provide good quality content to attract consumers to the page and encourage them to interact and participate on your site.
Conversion: The most important goal for social media marketing is conversion. All the traffic in the world does not matter if the visitors do not convert into customers. Social marketing and tracking is extremely resource and time intensive. One of the biggest questions still surrounding Facebook and other social media is whether or not social media is a more efficient sales or brand awareness vehicle. In these early stages of social media marketing, marketers have found top-of-funnel activities such as extending brand reach and creating awareness with potential customers are where social media campaigns are gaining the most traction.
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Learning Curve
Building Better, Building Green Two recent releases provide insight into how best to construct more sustainable, environmentally sound structures.
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GREEN BUILDING: A PROFESSIONAL’S GUIDE TO CONCEPTS, CODES AND INNOVATION Cengage Learning
As part of its Green Destination series, Delmar, part of Cengage Learning, has released Green Building: A Professional’s Guide to Concepts Codes and Innovation, which the publisher says covers all aspects of green building construction. “The new, cutting-edge technologies for today’s green building projects are rapidly becoming standard practice for tomorrow,” said Greg Clayton, vice president of Delmar. “In order for industry professionals to keep up with this trend, they will need to have a solid grasp on green building and the technologies, market forces and government policies that drive it.” Designed as a go-to source for professionals in construc-
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tion, this manual gives contractors a greater understanding of current design and building performance issues. It is endorsed by the International Code Council (ICC) and covers International Green Construction Code (IgCC) provisions, in order to help builders be both green and code compliant. The book aims to show contractors where the building industry is headed in the future, but also how to keep their own practices compliant with today’s practices, codes and regulations. Content includes explanations of how buildings and ecosystems can work together, the sustainability concerns prompting current regulations, and relevant codes and standards. Green Building: A Professional’s Guide to Concept, Codes and Innovations is available both in print and as an ebook for the Amazon Kindle or Barnes & Noble Nook eReading devices.
SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS AND INFRASTRUCTURE: PATHS TO THE FUTURE ROUTLEDGE Taylor & Francis Group
As one of the biggest industries in the world, the construction sector has among the largest potential to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. That is the basis of Sustainable Buildings and Infrastructure released in February by Routledge. In this comprehensive book the authors cover the concept of embedding sustainability across all construction activities. Designed for students of construction management professionals, the book sets out the practical requirements for making the transition to a sustainable construction industry by 2020, with chapters on: sustainability policies and practices; green ratings systems; project delivery and pre-design sustainability; post-occupancy best practices; and future trends in sustainable design and construction. Issues of sustainable architecture, building and construction
and green construction are illustrated through public and private sector case studies from around the world. Case studies include the Olympic Venue in London, U.N. Offices in Nairobi, Freedom Park in Naples, Fla. Co-author Annie Pearce is associate professor in the Department of Building Construction at Virginia Tech, specializing in sustainable facilities and infrastructure systems, with a history in measuring sustainability, green building materials, cost modeling and facilities technologies. Co-author Yong Han Ahn is assistant professor in the Department of Construction Management at East Carolina University. As leader of the Sustainable Design and Construction Management (SCDM) research group, he focuses on motivating students, construction professionals and the wider industry into incorporating sustainability into their practice. Both books are currently available from www.amazon.ca and www.chapters.indigo.ca.
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DOLLARS
SENSE
EXPERT ACCOUNTING ADVICE AND ATTENTION TO A FEW DETAILS CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROFIT AND LOSS. BY JOHN G. SMITH
A
nyone who ever cut a piece of lumber knows the importance of measuring twice and cutting once. This mantra of the professional carpenter helps to save building materials and time alike. Unfortunately, bookkeeping practices often lack the same attention to detail. Many accountants continue to tell stories of contractors who show up at tax time with a box filled with receipts and little else, even in an age when user-friendly accounting software is relatively easy to find. That approach limits the opportunity to maximize profits or spot potential problems before they get out of hand. 22 |
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Contractors are prone to tax audits at the best of times, notes Alex Ghani, CGA, a tax manager with Toronto CA Solutions. “The smaller ones tend to do a lot of cash transactions, which the Canada Revenue Agency does not like very much.” Those who take the time to find an accountant who knows the business of contracting, and keep a closer eye on related numbers, can enjoy the healthier businesses that emerge. Indeed, anyone looking for an accountant should pay close attention to the firm’s past experience with similar contractors. “It is a very specialized industry,” Ghani explains, noting how these accountants will be
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very familiar with the reports destined for bonding and financing companies. Jeff O’Rourke, a Calgary CGA, suggests that a personal connection with the accountant can be just as important, and lists a number of key questions to ask: “Can I communicate with this person? Do I get a good feeling? I know that may sound like a bit of touchy feely type stuff, but it’s very true. You need to work together.” The nature of the work ahead will certainly make a difference. Some clients want accountants who simply prepare tax returns, while others need full financial statements and assurance services. Yet another group has a closer
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connection, with accountants serving as business advisors who can help the business grow, or even secure better deals on financing. The most productive relationships will always involve more than a single meeting during tax season. Those contractors who meet with their accountants a few times a year can enjoy monthly operating reports that keep a close eye on gross margins, and spot exactly when a business might begin to lose money. O’Rourke likes to see clients every three months to ensure that sales taxes are filed on time. That meeting alone will eliminate the costs of penalties and interest. “I like to work with my clients to try and get them into that
routine. It is like everything else. Yes, I understand you are out there making the money, doing what you are best at, but you need to communicate, you need to get the information to me in somewhat of an organized fashion so that we can sift through it and make sure that everything’s caught up,” he says. Those who wait until tax time to study their books will lose track of their business health. “They think they have a gross margin of 30%, but then at the end of the year, I sit down and give them their financial statements and, ‘My God. My gross margin is 50%. What happened?’” O’Rourke says. To compound matters, those who wait until tax time for their
meetings may not discover the problems until three or five months into the New Year. A regular report that shows the revenue, collections, expenses, receivables and payables offers a quick snapshot of a business’ cash position and gross margin, as well as general trends. Applied against a budget, it becomes a powerful business tool, O’Rourke says. Of course, budgets are a foreign concept to many small businesses that are working from job to job. “They need to sit down and develop some sort of budget and budget their overhead costs,” O’Rourke says, referring to the need to project expenses as diverse as office cleaners and rent. “Then you will come up with some sort of administration fee to tack onto your quotes so that you are covering your overhead.” Indeed, the cost of accounting services and any other bookkeeping support should be included as an administration cost on any invoice. The administration costs even reach beyond that. Complex contracts might involve monitoring multiple deliveries to a job site, and inspecting the bill of lading every time a truck arrives. These hours need to be billed as surely as the time spent framing a home or plumbing a bathroom. The ongoing discussions can even identify other forms of financial support. A newly hired apprentice may lead to an Apprentice Tax Training Credit. Ghani even suggests that the federal Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Incentive Program (SR&ED), which is normally seen as support for manufacturers, could be used by contractors. The support is available for anyone who advances a technology, overcomes an obstacle or uncertainty, and records the related lessons. “The credit itself is earned for developing a solution rather than rolling it out to the project,” he explains. “Land developers, for example, have at times had to address environmental and remediation issues when developing land. If in the process they have had to develop an alternative approach or follow a very non-standard approach, then some of the effort would be viewed as eligible.” As important as the selected accountant will be, contractors also need to remain committed to meeting filing deadlines if they want to avoid penalties. That seems to be a challenge for some people. “As accoun-
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Many accountants continue to tell stories of contractors who show up at tax time with a box filled with receipts and little else, even in an age when user-friendly accounting software is relatively easy to find.
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tants, we can do a lot when we work with our clients ahead of deadlines, because we can be proactive in planning,” O’Rourke says. “Once deadlines go by, you are restricted in what you can do now because there are penalties and interest.” There is no secret that every dollar of revenue certainly needs to be recorded, and the amounts paid over $500 need to be reported with a T5018 slip that is due within six months of the end of the reporting period, Ghani adds. Little facts can also make a big difference at tax time. For example, those who fail to collect GST or HST numbers from their sub trades will likely lose the chance to claim related input tax credits. Expenses also need to be allocated to the right jobs. “If the industry is very job-costing based, so CRA can argue that you did not allocate the correct cost,” he says. Then there is the matter of travel expenses. A trip to Florida or Arizona will likely raise flags on a tax return from a Canadian contractor, but trips like these can have a legitimate business purpose, such as the search for a potential property to renovate. O’Rourke simply stresses the need to claim only the specific amount of the trip used for business purposes. It may also be a good idea to find an accountant who knows how to structure a foreign real estate deal in a case like this. “You are dealing with two tax regimes,” Ghani notes. “You are dealing with the IRS (U.S. Internal Revenue Service). You are dealing with CRA.” A business owner who tries to claim 100% of the mileage on their car would raise a red flag as well. “How many vehicles do you own? One? Well, how did you get groceries? How do you go to the movies?” O’Rourke asks. It is also an industry in which business owners need to carefully separate employees and contracted sub trades. “I am dealing with an audit on that right now,” Ghani says. If the contracted person does not pass the definition of an independent contractor, employers could find themselves paying Canada Pension Plan or Employment Insurance deductions and penalties for missed payments. “The first thing they look at is more the intention of the party when they were entering into the contract in the first place,” he explains. “Was it an employer-employee relationship, or was it a business relationship?”
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The focus on detailed reports does not end there. Every contractor should place a particular focus on when every project is completed. This can be determined by a document signed by an architect or engineer who oversaw the project, or the date when someone began to occupy a new structure, even if some minor adjustments remain. No matter what deductions are made, meanwhile, all of the related tax records will need to be filed for six years. The volume of paperwork can be reduced by scanning files like invoices and receipts, but these files must still meet standards identified by the Canadian General Standards Board. Above all, O’Rourke stresses the need to put the search for available tax deductions into perspective. In Alberta, for example, an incorporated company had a tax rate of 14% in 2011. Every $1,000 in expenses would save $140 in taxes. The three hours spent in the search for the savings could cost more than that. Ask one question before beginning any search, he says. “Is it really worth it?”
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Every contractor should place a particular focus on when every project is completed. This can be determined by a document signed by an architect or engineer who oversaw the project, or the date when someone began to occupy a new structure, even if some minor adjustments remain.
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Green Friendly:
Building Rating Systems educational and online assessment tools; independent data audits; and a four-level performance certification program.
BOMA Go Green Plus
An online assessment tool that measures the environmental performance of commercial buildings. Go Green Plus delivers scoring reports on how a building is performing, as well as providing very specific questions that enable the building manager to look at the components needed to achieve the benchmarks.
Green Globes Design
An online auditing tool to help integrate environmental performance in project delivery and to evaluate new building design against best practices and standards.
Green building rating systems are an important tool in measur- SBTool ing and evaluating the environmental performance of a build- Formerly known as GBTool, SBTool is a geframework for rating the sustainable ing. These rating systems cover a broad range of environmen- neric performance of buildings and projects. It may tal considerations from the building site selection, design, and also be thought of as a toolkit that assists local organizations to develop rating systems. construction, to building operations and workspace quality. The system handles large projects or LEED® (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design)
Provides a framework for developing and evaluating high performance green buildings. LEED Canada is administered by the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC). LEED is administered by the U.S. Green Building Council in the U.S.
BuiltGreen
Owned and managed by the Built Green Society of Canada, BuiltGreen BC offers certification for new single family homes and row homes. Membership in Built Green is open to all members of participating Home Builders’ Associations (HBA’s) including
builders, renovators, product suppliers or manufacturers, service providers, community developers and municipalities.
BOMA BESt (Building Environmental Standards)
BOMA BESt is the leading environmental certification program for commercial buildings. This national program was launched in 2005 by BOMA Canada to address an industry need for realistic standards for energy and environmental performance of existing buildings based on accurate, independently verified information. Today, BOMA BESt has evolved from simply identifying key best practices to providing common standards; an array of
single buildings, residential or commercial, new and existing construction, or a mix of the two. Download SBTool from the International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment site.
Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM)
A voluntary rating system, BREEAM Buildings can be used to assess any type of building (new or existing) against a set criteria and provides an overall score which will fall within a band providing either a; PASS, GOOD, VERY GOOD or EXCELLENT rating. Source: Metro Vancouver (www.metrovancouver.org)
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COUNTERTOP
PHOTO: BELANGER LAMINATES, RICHLITE, GLASSLAB
OPTIONS
NUMEROUS MANUFACTURERS ARE PULLING OUT ALL THE STOPS ON COUNTERTOP INNOVATION BY STEFAN DUBOWSKI
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G
ranite may well be the most attractive countertop option for many homeowners, but it is also one of the more controversial choices on the market. Alternative materi als are less expensive, easier to install, and they do not cause the health concerns that granite does. The question is, does any of that detract from granite’s desirability? It seems the stone still has many fans. Featured in high-end kitchens, granite is easily the most sought-after countertop material. It is twice as expensive as even premium laminate options, however, placing it beyond the budget of many homeowners. In addition, reports indicate that granite produces radioactive gas, which has more than a few people worried that it is something of a health hazard. A few years ago, news reports started to appear pointing out that granite contains uranium, which releases radon gas as it decays over time. The New York Times reported that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had been receiving calls from radon inspectors who had found that granite countertops were emitting much more radiation than normal. The issue transformed this desirable product into a potential pariah, but subsequent reports have suggested that granite does not present a serious health risk. According to Health Canada, granite naturally emits radon and contains a certain amount of uranium, but even in cases where the amount of uranium is higher than average, “in the vast majority of cases, these levels are not expected to be significant,” the federal department says. Health Canada points out that it conducted a study in 2010, considering 33 types of granite commonly purchased in Canada. “None were found to have significant levels of radon.” If radioactive gas is not an issue, budget concerns certainly can be a stumbling block for the use of granite in kitchen projects. It is among the more expensive options on the market. (See “Countertop materials and cost.” page 33) Thankfully, countertop manufacturers and suppliers have developed products that do not make as big a dent in the pocketbook.
Formica 180fx One of those alternatives mimics granite so well, in fact, that some say it is practically indistinguishable from the real stone. Formica Corp.’s 180fx laminate was created to present the look and feel of granite, without the expense. The manufacturer says 180fx is the first large-scale laminate offering exotic patterns that do not repeat across the material’s five-foot width. Formica uses a four-colour printing process that reproduces the sophisticated multi-coloured layers and realism of the original exotic stone. An enhanced finish provides an added dimension that highlights each pattern’s unique characteristics.
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PHOTO: THINKSTOCK IMAGES
“It is very difficult to distinguish it from granite, with some beautiful colours in it,” says Jim Corrigan, president of Post Form Products Ltd., a countertop supplier specializing in laminates, located in Peterborough, Ont. “The big advantage is cost, and durability, although it is still a laminate. You cannot run a knife across it. But you care for it with soap and water. You do not have to put any special treatment on it.” “Formica has done a remarkable job,” says Harvey Short, president of Horizon Laminates Ltd. in Mount Pearl, Nfld. He explains that the manufacturer begins with a photo of an actual slab of granite and uses that to create the laminate. Formica’s fx180 certainly is not the only option. Numerous manufacturers are pulling out all the stops on countertop innovation. Glass Recycled, a company in Plano, Tex., turns broken glass bottles and porcelain fixtures into countertops. The company mixes crushed glass with epoxy resin to create more than 400 terrazzo designs, and offers custom colours according to client requirements. Its GlassSLAB countertops are available in a variety of sizes, and they are easy to
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install for an experienced countertop fabricator (someone with granite, marble or engineered stone experience), Glass Recycled says. GlassSLAB countertops can be cleaned with neutral cleaners and polished with professional grade marble-granite polish. Prices range from $60 to $90 per square foot. Richlite Co. creates countertop finishes out of paper. The material starts out as pulp, and it is transformed into a dense, durable material that can be tooled like wood. The paper is made either with 50% recycled cardboard or from materials certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which oversees forest sustainability. Richlite’s EcoBind NAUF Resin Formula contains no urea-formaldehyde. This phenolic resin helps minimize the company’s energy consumption and emits very little volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are believed to be carcinogenic. The company’s wasteto-energy system captures energy from the manufacturing process and recycles it into the heating system, reducing natural gas consumption by more than 80%. IceStone LLC offers a countertop material made from recycled glass, Portland ce-
Granite Ridge
VicElite
UltraVic
PHOTO: BELANGER LAMINATES, RICHLITE, GLASSLAB
Prestige
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THE BEAUTY IS IN THE DETAILS.
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COUNTERTOP MATERIALS AND COST
PHOTO: GLASSLAB
Ceramic: $10-$30 per square foot Concrete: $100 per square foot Granite: $50-$100 per square foot Laminate: $25-$50 per square foot Limestone: $50-$100 per square foot. Marble: $50-$100 per square foot Quartz: $50-$100 per square foot Slate: $50-$100 per square foot Solid Surface: $90-$150 per square foot Stainless Steel: $100-$200 per square foot Wood: $50-$100 per square foot
ment, and pigment, making a safe, sustainable, and durable surface. It is manufactured without petrochemicals or resins. Although dense, the surface is porous, so it needs to be sealed to prevent staining and waxed to prevent etching. IceStone is the first durable surface to achieve McDonough Braungart’s Cradle to Cradle Gold level certification, measuring the manufacturing process by analyzing the environmental attributes (e.g., using non-toxic materials), material re-use, resource efficiency (water recycling and energy efficiency), and social responsibility efforts. IceStone is also certified by NSF International for NSF/ANSI 51, which means the material is suitable for use in splash-zone applications such as salad bars, cashier stations, and tray counter areas. Prices vary according to size and finish. Water-based glue Countertops are substantially more environmentally friendly today than they were in the past. Corrigan from Post Form points out that his company works with manufacturer Belanger Laminés Inc., which has switched from contact cement to water-based glue in its substrates; water-based glue is better for the environment. Short from Horizon says his company has switched to water-based glue as well.
“We used to have to wear respirators in the adhesive area. Now that is not even thought of any more. There is no more venting to the outside required. I certainly slept better at night knowing that all we were really producing in terms of waste was sawdust.” Is all of the above argument enough to convince everyone to forget about granite? Not in the least. In fact, the market for highend countertop materials is so hot that Horizon recently expanded its operation and has begun fabricating granite and quartz in addition to laminate counters. The organization added 7,000 square feet, a crane, and an electronic template system. “With the way the economy is in this end of the world, we thought now was a better time than we have ever seen before to make this leap,” Short says, explaining that times are good on the east coast. “Newfoundland has been leading the country in growth in the last four to five years... We have seen the market for a product that will be 10 to 20 times the cost of the laminate grow tremendously. Instead of doing a job or two a week we are finding that the market is calling for us to do four to five a week, and we have been pleasantly surprised to find sometimes it is even more than that.”
Granite prices have been coming down, Short says, so the material is not as out of reach for homeowners as it used to be. At the same time, granite can be more challenging for contractors to work with. “They require certified installation. Not everyone can do that.” Granite countertops are extremely heavy, and they are fragile in places. It usually takes four to six people to manoeuvre granite countertops into place. While Short notes that many contractors are likely capable of the work, it would be best to outsource the task to someone specializing in stone countertop installations. “Hire a professional. It is not as easy to work with all of the factors as it looks. We have seen a lot of people ruin their dream of a kitchen and pay someone to come in and fix it.” Laminates may be less expensive, but they can just as easily be ruined, says Corrigan. “You need to tell the customer be cautious with care. Avoid spilling water all over the mitre joint without wiping it up. Do not use harsh cleaners, just warm water.” Otherwise the pattern can fade. On the installation front, properly scribe the counter, “so you do not leave large gobs of caulking along the edge,” he says.
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Feature
Quality
Feature
Opulence over
EXPENSIVE MATERIALS AND TOUCHES ARE NOT THE ONLY WAY TO DECK OUT A DECK.
A
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK IMAGES
BY NESTOR E. ARELLANO
pprehensions about the economy may have put a damper on overall consumer spending last year, but contractors can take advantage of the situation by catering to the growing focus on quality. Take decks for instance. While many homeowners may be avoiding exotic woods and high-end accessories, surveys indicate that decks remain a growing market, with more homeowners turning to their backyards and gardens as weekend escapes instead of booking vacation travel. There is still a demand for upscale decks fitted with custom counters, high-end barbecues, or fireplaces; however, a growing emphasis is being placed on lower maintenance, longer lasting materials and economy, according to Principia Conferences, a construction industry strategy and consultancy firm. “On one end of the decking market, consumers are fighting money and budget issues and are scaling back on deck projects,” according to Principia’s October 2011 consumer report. Although the high-end market is shrinking, the impact of this group on premium decking and railing products is still significant, the Principia report says. Demand for cellular vinyl decking has been increasing at a double digit rate “due to the popularity of ultra-low maintenance decks among homeowners.” As is often the case, the challenge for the contractor remains the same: create an upscale look on a low-end budget. Here are a few tips on how to do just that.
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Aiming for top deck opportunities The key to bagging a job contract is flexibility and being able to correctly read the client’s demands, says Roger Gainer, owner of Docks and Decks Unlimited Inc., based in Sudbury, Ont. Most homeowners might not have the money to build their dream deck now, but many will appreciate a cheaper alternative that lasts long enough for a remodeling job later on when financial situations improve, Gainer says. Doing a great job earlier would make you a shoe-in for the bigger job later on. As a contractor you need to be attuned to your clients’ needs. “Listen to what they say carefully. Do not be afraid to ask clients what they need and want and even their future plans for the structure,” Gainer says. Putting building plans, schedules and costing in writing and getting it signed off by the client serves to protect both parties, but is also a useful guide for keeping the project on track, he adds. Contractors also need to be familiar with handling a wide variety of decking materials and accessories. For example, while the majority of Docks and Decks’ customers specify pressure-treated lumber, a growing number of them are asking for composite decking materials and some clients demand exotic woods. “Familiarize yourself with the properties and handling of various decking materials. Look up new trends such as the use of stone, non-wood railings or tempered glass,” Gainer says. In some projects a contractor might be asked to use a combination of these materials. Occasionally there will be jobs that call for bells and whistles. If you are not capable of installing electrical wiring or plumbing for luxuries such as outdoor saunas, hot tubs, or fireplaces, consider developing business connections with people who can. This could mean the difference between winning and losing the job. “At Docks and Decks we are used to doing the designing and building, but we are prepared to work with other subcontractors, landscape designers or architects should the project call for it,” Gainer says.
to Jacque Brossard, composite product specialist of Goodfellow Inc., a wholesaler and distributor of wood products. “Exotic woods such as Ipe and composite deck materials may cost around 20 to 30% higher than local woods like cedar, but they are stronger and last longer,” Brossard says. For example, a 16’ x 20’ deck made with cedar could cost around $1,700, but a similar dimensioned deck made with composite material would probably cost about $3,200. The composite deck, however, will not require any application of sealants every two years. Below is a brief rundown of some of the popular decking material in the market today. Pressure treated wood, generally made of fir or pine treated with anti-rot and in-
secticide agents, is a low-budget staple, says Brian Brett, communication specialist at GemThane Wood Siding, a division of Madison Chemical Industries that specializes in waterproofed wood products. On average, pressure treated wood costs about $2.40/sf. The appearance of this product is often enhanced and protected with stain, varnish or paint. This product can last for decades, but requires refinishing with a sealer or stain every other year. Advances in chemical treatment have made this product more durable. For example, GemThane’s Dex-N-Dox line of decking material use furniture-grade eastern white pine that is pre-coated in the factory with marine grade polymers for greater protec-
PHOTO: DECK AND DOCKS UNLIMITED
Woods and other wonders Not long ago, apart from pressure treated softwood, redwood and cedar were just about the only options for decking materials. In recent years, composite and PVC decking, tropical hardwoods such as ipe, tigerwood and mahogany have crept into the scene. The new entrants may be pricier, but have a lower annual maintenance cost, according
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to work with. Avoid the cream coloured sapwood which tends to deteriorate rapidly. The darker coloured heartwood is naturally rot-resistant. Redwood’s beauty and 15 to 20year lifespan does not come cheap. Expect to spend around $8.00/sf. PVC or vinyl decking product, which is constructed purely of synthetic materials, is a relatively new kid on the block. For around $6/sf you get a product that resists molds, mildew and unsightly stains from hazards such as ketchup, wine and coffee. Some complaints about vinyl decking include bending and shrinkage when exposed to extreme temperatures. Some vinyl products also tend to get dull after several years. Brossard says their Fiberon Outdoor Flooring line of products come in a variety of colours and finishes that simulate real wood and
Exotic imports Tigerwood, ipe, jatoba, cumaru and Philippine mahogany are some of the tropical hardwoods which have become very popular in North American home construction in recent years. These are rich-grained woods that are extremely hard, very durable and naturally resistant to insects and rot, according to Gainer. “These exotic imports are dense, heavy and difficult to cut but they are also very popular because of their rich dark colour and unique grains,” he says. “Because they are very expensive, these species are often used in high-end projects.” The popular South American hardwood, Ipe for instance, can easily cost as much as 50% more than cedar. Tigerwood, which comes in shades of light golden brown to
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CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE
PHOTO: DECK AND DOCKS UNLIMITED
tion. Furniture-grade pine already has 10% less moisture than other pine decking to start with, explains Brett. “Dex-N-Dox’s coating was developed here in Canada so it is well suited for our freeze-and-thaw cycles and the harsh environment that damage ordinary paints and stains,” says Brett. “It is the perfect alternative to composite and PVC decking.” Cedar is another favourite natural wood choice for decks because it is relatively inexpensive and beautiful, according to Gainer. When purchasing cedar for decking, it is advisable to specify heartwood common as opposed to the cheaper construction common. Hardwood common resists rot better. With annual refinishing, cedar can last anywhere from 15 to 20 years. Cedar costs about $3.75/sf. Redwood is lightweight, strong and easy
is covered by a 20-year stain and fade warranty. Wood fibres and recycled polyethylene make composite decking a good-looking durable material. This low-maintenance product comes with a wide range of colours and textures that emulate various species of real wood. Priced at around $7.00/sf they are slightly more expensive than treated wood, cedar and PVC and slightly cheaper redwood. “Composite decking provides a combination of real wood look and feel and durability,” Brossard says. Many premium brands come with up to 25-year warranties. Although they have highresistance to rot, the wood content of composite products can develop mold. Make sure the deck is washed every three to four years. They are not a popular choice, but aluminum decking is probably among the most durable non-wood material around. Aluminum will not rot, rust, splinter or crack in extreme weather. They are also resistant to wood-boring bugs. Compared to wood, composite and PVC decking, aluminum is three times stronger and four times lighter. Appearance, however, is a love it or leave it affair. This material definitely does not look and feel like wood. At best, aluminum can be painted or powder-coated to look like beautifully finished aluminum. Aluminum decking also generates that metallic “pinging” sound and can be hot to the touch when exposed to heat or sunlight. Look for aluminum decking that is treated with a coating that eliminates the pinging sound and make them cooler to the touch. This material does not come cheap either, prepare for prices around $9.00/sf.
reddish brown, can cost as much as $9.00/sf. Apart from the price, another drawback is that hardwoods are typically hard to stain. Contractors also often need to bore pilot holes onto these woods because it is very hard to drive nails or screw into them. Hidden fasteners that clip or screw into the edge of the boards are often used to secure the material.
An extension of the indoors There are decks that appear as though the structure was an extension of the home’s interior, Gainer says. “It is almost like designing a kitchen. Plumbing may be required for an outdoor sink, granite or tiles needed for a counter, and gas or electrical wiring laid out for a fireplace or barbecue.” These complex projects require careful planning and inquiry into the appropriate municipal codes and permits, advises Michele Gagnon, representative of the National Research Council of Canada. Although the NRC publishes national building codes, she says, municipalities are free to create their own specific regulations. Contractors also need to be mindful of safety and the load bearing capacity of materials, says Gainer. “If you are going to put in a heavy granite counter, or install a Jacuzzi make sure your deck structure can support the weight.” Many of these upscale touches can be very expensive for the typical homeowner, but contractors can help them achieve a high-end look even on a small budget. “Exotic wood need not be used throughout the deck. The expensive varieties can be used in strategic focal points to create a luxurious look while the contractor can use composite or treated wood in hidden areas,” says Brossard. Aluminum, stainless steel or iron or even tempered glass can be used as railings to create interest and break the monotony. Rather than using costly granite for countertops, contractors can suggest sealed cement. This material is cheaper, can be formed into a wide variety of shapes and is better suited for the outdoors as sun and the elements will not damage its surface. Deck stoves, refrigerators and outdoor fireplaces, aside from being costly may not be appropriate for the country’s extreme winter weather. Contractors can suggest a much smaller fire pit, standing propane-powered patio heaters, or deck coolers. These substitutes will not require running gas or electrical fittings so the homeowner can save on labour and materials. The gadgets can also be stored away when winter comes.
In many high-end deck projects, drama is created by varying shapes and creating multi-level decks. This is a very effective technique but also a very expensive one. Gainer suggests generating interest by varying textures and colours instead.
“There is no need to go overboard,” says Gainer. “When budget is tight, a contractor can help a client save thousands of dollars with the creative choice of different woods or simply applying varying shades of stain.”
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The
Natural Look Contractors are increasingly using “hard” landscaping employing stone patios, rock or stone paths, water features and decks of various styles and designs. BY DAVID CHILTON SAGGERS
C
reating the look of a random landscape takes work. Nevertheless, it is a trend that has become more and more popular in the last few years. Its central features are natural materials, or materials that are synthetic which appear, for all
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intents and purposes, as if they were hewed straight from the earth or forest. Jennifer Hall, marketing and communications specialist for Shaw Brick in Lanz, N.S., says the natural look, which is part of the overall trend towards a more random-
CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE
seeming landscape, emphasizes slate and clay colourings in her home province. Examples of the seemingly random are Shaw’s Euro slate patio stones introduced last year. They all measure 16” x 24” but are scored to give the impression that they have been cut and laid at random. This more natural look for landscapes comes at the expense of the weathered look, a trend that is falling away, Hall says. Another trend that is on the way out is the use of utility concrete slabs, either 18” x 18” or 24” x 24”. They are, says Hall, the kind of product that these days goes
PHOTO: SHAW BRICK
Feature
under a pool pump or somewhere similar where function must dictate. As Hall’s observations demonstrate, contractors are increasingly using “hard” landscaping employing stone patios, rock or stone paths, water features and decks of various styles and designs. This spring Shaw will have available the new Rivenwall, which can be installed as a patio or low garden wall and has a natural stone look. Another new product from Shaw is a retaining wall called The Colonial, an extension of the ABFieldstone line. Each block in the multi-piece installation comes with a fac-
ing unit and an anchoring unit that can be either short or long. These anchoring units are natural gray, with facing units that are bronze, red brick or blue-gray. Behind these stylistic trends, there are sound environmental reasons why contractors have turned away from such landscaping staples as sweeping lawns: many cities have banned or restricted the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers, and there are concerns about the availability of water even in provinces such as Ontario where piping in more and more water has never been a problem until recently.
One other hard landscaping trend to emerge over the last while is the extension of the living room to the outside of a home. Such extensions come with an outdoor fireplace and an outdoor brick grill. The movement towards making the patio a “roofless room” of the house is not yet widespread across the country. Hall says such developments are far more likely in the more heavily populated parts of the country. In Atlantic Canada, she says, the trend is just beginning. Even if most of the country can use their outdoor living rooms from late spring to early fall, there will come a time when, even at the height of the summer, the lights must be turned on. Landscape lights have arrived as a trend thanks to more advanced light emitting diodes (LED). They are better and brighter than ever, but save energy because they need smaller amounts of wattage to produce the same amount of light, and they last much longer than halogen or incandescent bulbs, a good choice for out-of-the-way places. Still, even with LEDs there is a caution. One that can last 50,000 hours, or about 20 years, will only work for such an astounding period if it is in an appropriate LED fixture since LEDs are highly heat sensitive and a proper design is essential if the heat is to be dissipated. There are other matters the contractor should be aware of with landscape lighting. Let us call them artistic techniques, which are already known by generations of painters. Installing lights for depth will add visual interest far and near; installing for perspective will make viewing interesting from all points of the compass, as it were; focal points allow the viewer to rest his gaze on a “destination” feature; symmetry and balance ensure nothing is over or underdone; light and shadow will create different moods and experiences. During the day, or at dusk when the lights come on, no one will want to look at a bare landscape, however well laid-out the skeleton of the design may be. As with humans, skeletons need flesh and that flesh, in the landscaping sense, are plants and trees. In Canada, with its short growing and blooming season, although climate change is altering matters perceptibly, there are tech-
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Feature
niques that the contractor can use to ensure a landscape is not barren for half the year. One way to do that is to plant native wildflowers and bushes, some of which will provide blueberries, saskatoon berries and other such edibles. A further benefit of using native plants is their native defences against pests that have been built up over many thousands or even millions of years. One more landscaping trick is container gardening, a boon for any-
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one who does not have the time, or patience, for a fully fledged garden. Plants can be grown in terra cotta pots and placed on decorative pavers for a splash of colour. However, when the first frost shows its unwelcome face the plants can be moved south or east, if they are not there already, to catch as much of the declining sun as they can. They can also be moved directly to a greenhouse, thus extending the growing season, perhaps year ’round.
CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE
One design approach that is gathering speed, and is a sort of partner to the hard landscaping of stone and brick and, yes, even concrete, is the low-maintenance installation. One type of low-maintenance landscaping is the xeriscape (from the Greek for dry). Xeriscaping is, of course, best suited to areas of the country where water conservation is important. Xeriscape usually have a small lawn but the rest of the garden will be planted with drought-tolerant plants or laid with stone to extend a patio beyond its usual dimensions. For the labour intensive, four-season garden, serious consideration must be given to Canada’s geography. Plants that thrive in the mild climate of, say, Victoria, may freeze and quickly die on the Saskatchewan prairie, so adhering to the proper zone hardiness and using plants that were developed in Canada for a Canadian climate is essential and makes recommending this flower or that herb or ground cover precarious. Still, black-eyed susans, peonies and forget-me-nots for spring and summer blooming and Russian sage that blooms in the fall are worth consideration. Trees and many shrubs are different. They provide great architecture in a landscape and once rooted properly will grow regardless of weather. White or paper birch, with their elegant, slender build and well-known bark peeling habit, are Canadian classics. Among the shrubs dogwood, especially the variety that has red bark, provides a lively counterpoint to the white of winter.
legislation, applicable codes, regulations and guidelines … can be met during the construction and maintenance phases and upon completion of the work.” Further, the provincial group sets out other requirements, such as the potential for retaining existing site elements and that the landscape plan should contain such information as existing natural features, the height and materials of all fences, screen walls, retaining walls, and similar; the composition of all hard-surfaced areas, and
proposed grades and existing grades along property lines. The planting plan should show the location and types of proposed plant material, their common and botanical names, height, width and condition, including whether they are container grown or balled and burlapped. That is a tall order, but with landscaping no longer an afterthought, the smart contractor recognizes esthetics are no mere frill anymore.
PHOTOS: SHAW BRICK
Other features that work all year long do not need soil or rain. A birdbath will always have customers, and a wall, fence or similar structure will provide a focal point in the better weather and place for the snow to blow against in winter. Encouraging attractive landscapes are the purpose of the many community curb appeal programs run by municipalities and their partners in Canada. The Front Yards in Bloom initiative in Edmonton began in 1999 and is run by the Edmonton Horticultural Society, Canada Post and the City of Edmonton. It celebrates attractive front yards that are nominated by the public, local gardeners and postal workers. Winners are recognized at the Edmonton in Bloom Awards. Lee Rozon, executive director of Communities in Bloom Ontario in Milton, west of Toronto, says almost half of the province’s 444 communities have taken part in the beautifying program, with the small town of Goderich winning provincial, national and international recognition. “They see it as a chance to create the prettiest town in Ontario,” says Rozon. The City of London has also been a consistent winner in the 50,000 population plus category, she says. As for permits and building code regulation as they pertain to landscaping, the situation is as varied as the landscapes themselves. However, as an example, Landscape Ontario says in its landscaping guidelines that “the planning, design and documentation of landscape work shall be such that all bylaws,
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HOME RENOVATIONS
CHANGE IS
Building
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Feature
FENCING
FACTOIDS
“ Good communication skills are as important as the hot-dipped galvanized nails used on the job.” BY LAWRENCE CUMMER
N
looking for different designs, alternatives and upgrades. There are abundance of new interesting products and materials out there.” An example is New Trend Fencing’s “fencerts,” which Coleman describes as a method of helping homeowners reflect their personal character. These 14-guage steel panels have various designs and patterns laser cut out of them. A variety of pre-cut patterns include such standards as maple leafs, birds or tropical fish, while custom designs can be cut for the homeowner with even more individual inter-
PHOTO: THINKSTOCK IMAGES PHOTO: PLASTIVAL INC
ew material advances and changing design options are equipping contractors with the tools they need to develop, grow and maintain a successful fencing business. While many homeowners continue to be satisfied with the good old-fashioned privacy fence; still others today are looking to take advantage of these breakthroughs to create a unique fashion statement for their homes. “The trend is away from simple functionality,” says Gary Coleman, national accounts manager of CanWel/Broadleaf “People are
ests. The panels are secured between standard 4”x4” or 6”x6” posts. As well as fence and deck panels, fencers are sized for gates and to replace lattice atop fencing. “The customer could do their whole fence in these panels, or use it just as an accent panel in a corner, say behind a pond or water fountain,” Coleman says. Homeowners were, for a time, reluctant to use metal panels, he adds, but have since come around as materials have improved and coating technology has evolved: “The old problem of putting a steel panel outside and watching it start to rust really is a thing of the past.” New Trend fencerts, for example, are ecoated with material similar to that applied to the underside of automobiles and then coated with finish from DuPont. Coleman says the same is true of wrought iron fencing and steel fence sections available today.
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Feature The rise of PVC:
Interest in wrought iron fencing and elements such as fence toppers has increased over the years, says Alex Vakulin of Art Metal Workshop, a Toronto-based family-owned contracting business that specializes in iron fencing and railings. The firm, which consists of Vakulin, his father and his brother, is seeing interest in wrought iron grow both for external and internal jobs. In addition, iron is being combined with other materials for dramatic effect. For internal applications such as railings, wrought iron is being combined with glass and wood; in external jobs, like fencing, Vakulin says glass and wrought iron are more common. For contractors working with iron outdoors, there are a few important working tips to remember. First, Vakulin recommends galvanizing the material to better stand up to weather. “It is a bit more work, and it costs a little bit more, but we recommend it to all our clients,” he says. In addition, doing the proper touch ups after installation is important with wrought iron. Also, if there is stonework in the yard, special care must be taken during installation. The wrong drill will cause costly cracks in stone and leave unhappy customers. When working with mixed installs of wood and iron, Art Metal turns to other trusted contractors with carpentry experience, just as Vakulin recommends contractors bring in iron experts when they do not have those skills.
A fencing material on the rise in recent years has been vinyl, in part because of its low-maintenance needs, but also as a result of the emergence of greater options around colour and texture. For those looking for it, PVC panels exist designed to imitate the texture of wood or even masonry. Gone are the days of simple white or offwhite PVC fence panels. Black PVC can be made to look like wrought iron for those who cannot afford the metal fence or want to avoid maintenance. Even on Canada’s wood-loving west coast, homeowners are embracing the options of grey and beige. Ultimately, though, the popularity of PVC comes down to maintenance and cost. “More people are looking for materials that are maintenance free,” says Christian Lepage, national sales director at Plastival Inc. “Also, PVC has become a more inexpensive option and is, in some cases, less expensive than wood.” While still generally slightly more expensive than pressure treated wood, PVC today comes in at around the same price as western red cedar. “Now, everyone can afford PVC and that is why we are coming out with more high-end options.” Plastival this year is launching more elegant and ornamental fencing PVC fencing options, including a Firenze gate and fence top, which has proven a popular de-
Wood works: Although recent years has seen a few species, such as bamboo find their way into the market, pressure treated wood and western red cedar remain the primary choices for fencing, due to their environmental resilience and fungal resistance. The new generation
PHOTO: PLASTIVAL INC, ART METAL WORKSHOP
The Iron Age:
sign in high-end wood fences. While these designs will be premium priced, Lepage says they will remain competitive with similar wood options. He predicts a growing segment for PVC fencing will be to meet building code requirements for pool fencing, noting that in Quebec he has seen more requests for it. Fencing around pools is the only aspect of fencing that is covered by national and provincial building codes.
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CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE
Feature of pressure treated woods, using alternatives to the traditional chromated copper arsenate (CCA), alleviates concerns homeowners had around the use of arsenic in PT wood. Today, wood is treated with copperbased preservatives, using an alkaline formulation. The most popular are amine copper quat (ACQ) and copper azole (CA). Despite changes in the formulation, pressure treated wood should be handled appropriately. In the case of building fences, the most important thing to remember is that today’s PT woods are less forgiving on the fasteners, meaning using the right nails or screws is essential. As a minimum, nails or screws for ACQor CA-treated wood must be hot-dipped galvanized in accordance with ASTM A153 set down by ASTM International (formerly the
American Society for Testing and Materials), and connectors in accordance with ASTM A653, G185 designation, or hot dipped galvanized after manufacture in accordance with ASTM A123. It is important to remember, and remind homeowners, that pressure treated does not mean no-maintenance. “One misconception with pressure treated is that it needs no maintenance,” says Wayne Carroll, owner of Abacus Landscaping Ltd. of Calgary. “Contractors should put a nice clear coat of waterproofing, and do both sides themselves. Do not rely on someone else who might not be as motivated.” According to Coleman, an increasing trend is the heavier fence, which uses 6”x 6” posts and 2”x 6” top and bottom rail and “beefier” fence board. “From the consumer’s point of view, if you are looking at staying in your house for an extended period of time, the couple of hundred extra dollars in material is going to pay huge dividends down the road as the fence ages.” A good fencing contractor must also possess sound landscaping expertise. “The way I approach it is to ask people what they intend to do from a landscaping perspective,” says Carroll. “For example, if it involves the planting of larger trees get that done first,” he says, noting that clearance between two homes can sometimes be limited. Similar problems can crop up when it comes to concrete, masonry and/
or topsoil. Access always needs to be maintained and that means working closely with landscaper schedules and paying close attention to homeowner’s needs. Despite the fact that fencing is not outlined in 2012 provincial building codes, municipalities and regions all have their own bylaws around fencing that can define height restrictions and where a fence can or cannot be built. Contractors need to be familiar with the architectural controls these bylaws put into place, since they can be quite “totalitarian,” Carroll says. Once the job is done, advise the homeowner how best to keep a fence looking like new. In that sense, good communication skills are as important as the hot-dipped galvanized nails used on the job. Vakulin agrees, adding that he hears stories about other contractors who simply vanish once the installation is finished. Informing and educating customers what to expect from their fence is critical. “Different houses require different fences,” he says. “Some are more ornate, some more simple; something modern, something old school. Every house has a different look, so we like to educate our customers on the design options, because there are plenty, and we always try to work with them and pick something unique that fits their personal house.”
WORKING WITH PRESSURE TREATED WOOD Precautions should be taken when working with PT wood and, in many cases, lumber in general. Contractors working with pressure-treated wood should: • Wear safety gloves to protect against splinters. • Wear a respirator mask when machining to reduce inhalation of wood dusts. Machining should be performed outdoors whenever possible to avoid accumulation of airborne sawdust. • Wear goggles to reduce the potential for eye injury. • Clean up sawdust. • Take a shower after working, and not a bath. Wash exposed areas thoroughly with mild soap and water after working with treated wood. • Wash clothing separately from other household clothing; you may want to use an inexpensive jumpsuit. • Never burn PT wood, because toxic chemicals may be produced as part of the smoke and ashes. CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE
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PRO
PICKS
YOU CAN DEFINITELY SPOT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROFESSIONAL TOOLS AND THEIR DO-IT-YOURSELF COUNTERPARTS. BY JOHN G. SMITH
C
ontractors should demand a lot from the tools they buy. Rugged designs can prevent unexpected breakdowns and downtime, ergonomic features will reduce muscle fatigue, and the right options deliver everything from faster turns to cleaner cuts. Indeed, these are more than tools of the trade. They are business investments. The search for any tool should begin with some careful thinking about the job ahead. “Think through the application,” says Russ Buckerfield, the owner of Rapid Nail Cana-
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da. “Make sure the tools you are purchasing are going to be effective for the job.” On the surface, that seems simple enough. Any experienced contractor will be able to identify the tool designed for a specific job. The bigger challenge involves looking a little deeper into the choices, and finding the tools that can meet every professional demand. One of the key differences between a professional-grade power tool and its entrylevel counterpart will be the available power. Cordless tools, for example, tend to fall into one of three families: a 10/12-volt design, a
CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE
compact 18-volt offering, and a heavy-duty design with 18 volts or more. Higher voltages will be important when turning something like a 4” lag bolt. It is the available amp hours; however, that will determine how long the battery will work before needing to be recharged. “I would equate it to the size of a gas tank,” says Venkatesh Rao, Makita Canada’s regional sales and service manager for Ontario. A tool expected to perform steady, ongoing use will likely need to offer 3 amp hours. Compact designs tend to offer half of that.
PHOTO: MAKITA, PASLODE, CRISP-AIR
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Few contractors would be able to settle for an impact driver with a compact battery, Buckerfield agrees. Yet there are times when tools with less power will still meet a professional need. Many electricians and plumbers still reach for 12-volt drills to turn the occasional fastener, partly because the smaller tools will fit into tighter spaces. “As a professional, you need to consider how often you are going to use that tool, and how long at a time you are going to use it,” explains Jocelyn Stephen, brand manager at Black and Decker. “If it is something that you
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will only use once or twice a week and maybe for 20 minutes, you might want to consider one level of tool. If it is something you are going to use every day and consistently throughout the day, you would obviously want to look for something with high quality and durability. Make sure the weight and ergonomics are appropriate for whatever application you are looking at.” Those looking for a small package with a lot of power will likely focus on the latest LithiumIon (Li-Ion) batteries rather than their Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cad) or Nickel Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) counterparts. The advantages do not end there. The power of a Li-Ion battery will not fade with use, and charging times tend to be much quicker. A 3 amp hour Li-Ion battery, for example, can be charged in as little as 22 minutes, depending on the charger. The technology has also eliminated the threat of a “memory effect,” which will limit the amount of energy a poorly drained battery can deliver after being recharged. Ni-Cad batteries still have their own professional role to play, particularly in the extreme cold, Stephen adds: “Anything that is a highdraw application, the Ni-Cad will probably outperform the Lithium-Ion.” Users may also keep Ni-Cad drills for making the biggest holes, but opt for Li-Ion if their work involves turning screws for hours on end.
Setting the power aside, the battery choices even play a role in a tool’s ergonomics, and general weights and balance will be important when choosing any tool. “With the new technology, the batteries are all extremely light,” Buckerfield says, referring to Li-Ion. “You would think you just had the cell of the casing.” The tool bodies themselves have become smaller than ever, especially as post-style battery designs have made way for models that slide in place, making smaller handles and grips possible. Some of the biggest differences between do-it-yourself equipment and professional options will be hidden from view, but they play a key role in the tool’s lifespan. A professional design will tend to use ball bearings instead of bushings, Rao says as an example. “All the components which go into making the contractor tool are built that much stronger.” A few additional features will also support ongoing maintenance efforts. Clyde Arceneaux, Black and Decker category manager for fastening products, notes how grinders will last longer if their motors include popoff brushes that can be replaced in the field.
Air tools Professional air tools present some differences of their own. Buckerfield, for example, points to the added durability and
lighter weights of models with aluminum or magnesium bodies. “They can take a drop. They can take a bang,” he says. Some of the biggest differences of all will come in the form of individual features. A nail gun with a “sequential fire” trigger may be fine for a do-it-yourselfer who is willing to re-squeeze the trigger every time they apply a fastener, but a contractor will want the speed of a “bump fire” design that works with a simple bang of the tool, says Marc Krofchick, vice-president of Crispo Canada. Other important features include an adjustable exhaust that will blow air away from a user’s face; a quick-release nose on the magazine, making it possible to clear a jammed tool without reaching for the Allen keys; and, a hardened drive blade. A built-in hook will be a welcome addition for those who want to attach the tools to their belts, and a simple integrated air blower can offer a blast of air with the simple push of a button, which will certainly be handy when clearing sawdust from a piece of lumber. “When you are talking about an 18-gauge brad nailer, a really nice feature most people would not know about is called a double pusher spring,” he adds. “The double pusher spring is on each side of the magazine. That keeps the driver or the pusher level. So when you are clos-
PHOTO: DEWALT
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ing the magazine, it is pushing from both sides.” In contrast, a single pusher spring will only push up from a single point, and that can allow brads to shift from side to side, potentially jamming the tool. A “low-nail lockout” feature will help to make sure that a nail is added with every strike of the tool, rather than simply leaving unwanted marks in a cabinet or overlay. Meanwhile, nailers with “no mar” tips will help to protect softer building materials like pine. “Line of sight is really important in a brad nailer because, most of the time, the unit is doing finishing work,” Arceneaux adds, referring to another important feature. For framers, a bigger issue will likely involve durability. A consumer-grade nailer might last 250,000 shots, but a tool created for contractors might last one million shots. Models designed with lower profiles will also fit more easily between the studs. In fact, those who work with a lot of metal framing may turn to a metal connector nailer, which will easily fit in the space between joists. “The nose is a little small, so you can see where you are placing that nailer,” Buckerfield explains, noting how some tools designed to fill multiple roles will come with a metal framing nose. As handy as different tool designs may appear, it is also important to consider whether
the style of fasteners are readily available. Plastic-collated nails that are common south of the border, for example, are harder to find in Canada, where the market tends to lean on paper-collated offerings. The regional differences do not end there. Western contractors have embraced 21° framing nailers, while their Ontario counterparts will tend to use 33° or 31° designs. “Whatever is being used in the industry in a particular region is what the apprentices are being trained on,” Rao says, explaining how differences like these take hold. Like their battery-powered counterparts, there can be differences in the internal workings of an air tool, affecting how long it will last. A professional-grade Makita tool, for example, includes as many as three O-rings on a die cast aluminum piston, while an entry-level model might have a single O-ring and a plastic piston. Neoprene rubber rings also last longer than their plastic counterparts. The differences even extend to the hoses connecting the tools and compressors. A doit-yourself option tends to be heavy, flimsy and more prone to leaks, Rao says. The contractor grade of material will be lighter, and withstand a wider range of temperatures before turning brittle. For its part, the compressor should be
sized large enough to keep up with the tools at the end of the hose. “You are shortening the life of that compressor if the engine is running a lot more,” Krofchick adds. A framer will typically want 100 to 120 psi of delivered air at the end of their tool, Buckerfield says. “A lot of people will buy a compressor because they think the price is right as opposed to looking at what the delivered air is. As their needs start to grow, they find out very quickly that the compressor cannot meet their needs.” A compressor’s weight can also be as important as the capacity. A 100 lbs., eight-gallon, gas-powered compressor pushed around like a wheelbarrow may be the tool of choice for a framing crew, but a carpenter may opt for a portable electric design when installing little more than baseboards and trim. Of course, the deciding factors are not limited to size. Any electric compressor should be CSA approved, Krofchick says, noting how some offshore designs may be built with lesser gauges of wiring, or have thinner tanks that are more prone to rusting through. The simple addition of a reset switch will also keep other breakers from tripping, which will be particularly important to those who have limited access to electrical panels. It is all a matter of finding the right tool for the right job.
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Feature
Bits
There are several factors to consider when selecting the perfect accessory for any job. BY JOHN G. SMITH
Sure, a tool may offer enough power for the job at hand, but the accessory mounted at the end of a spinning shaft is actually responsible for putting that power to work. This is why there are several factors to consider when selecting the perfect accessory for any job. 52 |
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Drill bits Every search for a drill bit should begin with a focus on the material being drilled and the desired result. “More than buying drill bits, you are actually buying a hole,” explains Peter Ulmer, national field sales manager for Task Tools. “Wood is the most simple to work with,” he adds, noting how the choice of a specific bit will be dictated by the size of the hole, how fast it will be created, and how clean the edges need to be. Indeed, every job will present unique demands. Electricians or plumbers charging an hourly rate will be focused on speed, while furniture carpenters will obviously be focused on finding the cleanest-possible hole. The physical design of the drill bit will certainly make a difference. An economical spade bit will cover basic holes from 1/4” to 1-1/2”, but versions with an added pilot screw on the tip will
PHOTO: TASK TOOLS
Tips &
Consider these three product families:
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enjoy a longer life. Meanwhile, an auger bit with a similar pilot screw will work quicker and last even longer. This is because the entire shaft will drag its way through the wood, cutting as it goes. Steel drill bits or dowling bits will be the options of choice for those who need to create 1/8” to 1/2” holes in furniture, and the open jaws of a Forstner bit will create a clean hole in kitchen cabinets. “The Forstner bit gives you a very clean edge in the hole and you do not get a lot of chipping on the edges when it pushes through the other end or even at the beginning. Plus it has a flat-bottoming effect,” Ulmer says. When installing a European hinge, this will obviously be a better choice than using a spade with a pilot screw that could break through the other side of a cabinet door. The material used to make the bit itself will play a role of its own, particularly when working with metals that can range from a soft copper or aluminum to stainless or spring steel. The best choices will always be harder than the metal being drilled. Differences in the hardness of materials also need to be considered when choosing something to spin through concrete. A brick or block is much softer than poured concrete like a foundation, and certainly
when compared to glass and ceramic tile. “Even drywall and plaster are part of that concrete family,” he adds. As soft as it appears, the fine powder is abrasive and can quickly shorten the life of the wrong bit. Carbide tips will offer the best options when working on material like this, but there are various types of the metal to consider for specific jobs. A tungsten carbide tip might last longer in most applications, for example, but will be too brittle for a hammer drill. When it comes to ceramics, the best option is a spear-type diamond drill bit. “If you are doing a lot of bathroom renovations, that is the bit to use,” Ulmer says. An extra attachment that drips water onto the end of the drill bit every few seconds will help to further extend the tool’s life.
Blades Diamonds can also make a difference in the blades used to slice through concrete or tile, and will certainly last longer than the abrasive blades made with ground carbide, but the design of the blade can play a role in performance as well. A continuous rim blade will work for ceramic tile, al-
though a segmented blade with heat expansion slots will be more aggressive. A hybrid known as a “turbo” can be the accessory of choice when cutting patio stones and brick. Generally, the number of teeth on any saw’s blade will play the biggest role in the quality of a cut. “The more the number of teeth, the finer the cut,” Ulmer adds, noting that a 7-1/4” blade can include anywhere from 16 to 60 teeth per inch. Still, users also need to consider exactly how fast any circular saw blade will spin. “Most people do not adhere to that. They go as fast as they can,” Ulmer says. “With a circular saw blade, it starts to heat up, it warps, and as soon as it starts to warp then you are not going to get a clean cut anymore.” Reciprocating saw blades, meanwhile, have evolved from black carbon steel designs to the bi-metal
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Feature designs which have a hi-speed steel welded on the edge of the carbon blade, equipping them to slice through any nails hiding in a piece of lumber.
Screwdrivers
cessories of any sort are 2” long, although 3” options are becoming more popular, he adds. Anything between 6” and 12” will likely be used to offer an extended reach, which can be valuable when working underneath a deck. There are also more upgrades to come,
including accessories made with everything from powdered metallurgy to liquid steel. “It is no longer a piece of metal that was cut and formed,” he adds. Who knows what shape the next options will take?
A colour-coded Robertson screwdriver will make it easier to identify the appropriate size of the accessories used to tighten these uniquely Canadian fasteners. There is even a difference between a “square recess” bit from the U.S. and its true Robertson counterpart. The strongest versions include a tip with a harder bit, which is then embedded in the body of the driver. Bits made of softer, single-piece material are more likely to chatter and round off the recess in the screw’s head. Still, there are limits to what different models can handle. A harder tip will not withstand the hammering action of an impact driver. In a tool like this, an option will need to be “impact-rated” or “impact-ready”. The most common screw-driving ac-
In the next issue of
Contractor Advantage • Exterior Doors & Hardware • Exterior Paints & Stains • PT Lumber • Dock Design • Roofing & Shingles
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