Ontario Home Builder - Renovation 2018

ELECTIoN UPDATE: government parties respond to ohba questions P.51 and the 2018 future homebuyers survey says... P.79

what bill 148’s amendments will mean to you P. 21

why the new #Homebeliever campaign is for renovators too P.9

ohba.ca RENO 2018 | $5.00

T H E R E N OVAT I O N I S S U E

renovision Inspired Incentive Programs | Renovation Rescues Truck Reviews | Boosting Productivity | Kitchen & Bath Trends

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F i n d a D e a l e r a t L i f t M a s t e r. c o m

Contents

34 Masters of Disaster From ill-fated DIY projects to sketchy renovators, some clients need a helping hand 44 Incentive Clause

59 Now Trending

71 It’s About Time

51 Asked and Answered

64 Road Trips

74 The Innovators

While some new programs could be a boon to renovators and builders, others have missed the mark

Ontario’s three big parties weigh in on three big questions

9 One Voice Renovators are part of the #homebeliever dream too 11 Ontario Report The #homebeliever campaign takes centre stage, Tarion award winners, sign up for OHBA’s 2018 Conference, calling all AOD entries, OHBA members on the CHBA board 19 Frame of Mind Prepare for smaller, more flexible building trends

ohba.ca

What do homeowners want in their new kitchens and bathrooms? The 2018 Design Trends Report has the answers

Time for a new set of wheels?

We’ll get you rolling with the perfect truck for your business

21 Inside Storey Evaluating Bill 148’s amendments to Ontario’s Employment Standards Act and Labour Relations Act 25 Top Shelf Hot items for builders, contractors and interior designers include prefinished hardwood flooring, a clickand-go insulation system, smart floor-heating and a new level of dishwasher cleaning

10 tricks from the experts on how to be as productive as possible, without completely losing your mind

Sometimes manufacturers launch new products.

But every now and then they break the mould

79 Building Buzz CMHC Homebuyers Report, Pioneering Oakville builder passes away, a shingling eBook and is this the best promotion ever?

87 Product Focus From easy installing flooring to quick-drying paint, interior design takes centre stage

ON THE COVER

94 Words to Build By Steve Barkhouse, President, Amsted Design-Build

2017 AoD winner for Home Reno ($250,001-$500,000) RND Construction “Stairway to Haven “ Ottawa.

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

5

The official publication of the Ontario Home Builders’ Association RENO 2018 | Vol. 34 Issue 3

Quality

editor

Reliability

Ted McIntyre ted@laureloak.ca

Va lue

associate editor

Norma Kimmins, OHBA

FIND OUT MORE

art director

Erik Mohr assistant art director

Ian Sullivan Cant PHOTOGRAPHY

Rodney Daw copy editor

Barbara Chambers contributors

Avi Friedman, Tracy Hanes, Dan O’Reilly, Joe Vaccaro advertising

Tricia Beaudoin, ext. 223 tricia@laureloak.ca Cindy Kaye, ext. 232 cindy@laureloak.ca publisher

Sheryl Humphreys, ext. 245 sheryl@laureloak.ca PRESIDENT

Wayne Narciso Published by

Laurel Oak Publishing laureloak.ca

ohba.ca Ontario Home Builder is published six times per year (Winter, Spring, Renovation, Summer, Fall, Awards).

All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without the written consent of the publisher © 2018.

For address corrections please email info@laureloak.ca or phone: (905) 333-9432.

WWW.TRISTUCCO.COM | TEL: 905-855-0173 | INFO@TRISTUCCO.COM Tristucco_02.indd 1

2016-02-25 11:12 AM

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Single copy price is $5.00. Subscription Rates: Canada $12.95 + HST per year, USA $29.95 USD.

Order online at http://ohba.ca/subscribe-or-buy-past-issues CANADIAN PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 42011539 ISSN No. 1182-1345

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One Voice

Fulfilling the Dream Renovators are #homebelievers too

By J o e Vacc a r o

welcome to our Annual Renovation issue of Ontario Home Builder magazine, where we focus on products, trends and programs of interest to professional renovators.

Spending on renovations continues to outpace new home construction by about $1 billion a year in Ontario, and its unique challenges and opportunities merit special attention.

One of those big opportunities within the renovation sector is tapping into OHBA’s #homebeliever campaign launched a couple of months ago. The purpose of our social media campaign is to engage the public, media and provincial election candidates to join in a positive conversation about the Canadian dream of homeownership and how we can help make that dream a reality for people in all walks and stages of their lives (see more on p. 11).

Nobody knows better than Ontario renovators how much people cherish ohba.ca

“Nobody knows better than Ontario renovators how much people cherish and love their homes.” and love their homes. In fact, renovators are on the front lines working with true #homebelievers day in and day out, as people who already own their homes seek to make them truly their own. In fact, more than 9.5 million of the 14.1 million households in Canada owned their home in 2016, representing a homeownership rate of 67.8%.

Most of us, simply by being a homeowner, are, in effect, confirming that we are a #homebeliever.

Renovators know that a #homebeliever can be the millennial who saves up to put a down payment for a fixer-upper and finishes off the basement for an income-generating rental to help with the mortgage payments.

A #homebeliever may be the family who hires a renovation firm to design and build an addition to make their home more functional as their oncelittle children become bigger teenagers. Or perhaps they need a new space or retrofits to welcome an aging parent into their family’s care.

A #homebeliever is the baby boomer who wants to downsize to a smaller maintenance-free home and wants all the bells and whistles they have dreamed of in an updated new space.

A #homebeliever is the long-time homeowner who decides to spruce up their home and make some energyefficient updates to make it more marketable for sale as they prepare to move into a rental. #Homebelievers are as individual and varied as are the homes they live in.

But whether we live in a big city, small town or out in the country; whether our home is low-rise, highrise or mid-rise; whether we are an aspiring or current homeowner—we love our homes, and we love rediscovering our homes. And professional renovators help us to turn our visions for our homes into a reality.

As part of the campaign we’ve been asking people to sign a pledge confirming that they are a #homebeliever and the response has been phenomenal. Whether at OHBA events, through the media or online, everyday people, media and even politicians are signing the pledge.

I urge you to join the campaign and visit homebeliever.ca to learn more about it. OHB

joe vaccaro is the CEO of the ontario home builders’ association

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

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Ontario Report

Are You a #homebeliever?

OHBA’s Campaign Gains Traction

By A m y L a z a r

OHBA 1st V.P Rick Martins, MPP and Speaker Dave Levac, Brantford HBA President Steve Szasz and Executive Officer Fred DeCator during OHBA’s Queen’s Park Advocacy Day. Veteran news personality Tom Clark served as keynote speaker at the OHBA Industry Leaders’ dinner.

Niagara HBA Executive Officer Dean Iorfida, President Jon Whyte and V.P. Tony Alfieri advocated for the cause at Queen’s Park.

Ten OHBA Past Presidents enthusiastically show their support of the #homebeliever campaign at the Industry Leaders’ Dinner.

Photos: Rodney Daw

L

aunched in mid-March, OHBA’s #homebeliever social media campaign is buzzing. It’s engaging people while letting government know how strongly they believe in the dream of homeownership. #Homebelievers want to find homes in communities where they live, work and play, but the dream is slipping through their fingers.

Through OHBA’s social media feeds and with the support of local HBAs, we have been creating momentum around the #homebeliever movement and driving

ohba.ca

Indira Naidoo-Harris (Minister of Education and Minister of Early Years and Child Care) and MPP Brad Duguid sign the #homebeliever pledge at OHBA’s Queen’s Park Advocacy Day.

people to homebeliever.ca. In the first month, we had more than 2,000 visits to the website (homebeliever.ca), while our twitter posts alone were seen by more than 118,000 people.

The campaign enjoyed a big boost at OHBA’s Advocacy Day at Queen’s Park in early April, when members asked MPPs to sign the #homebeliever pledge and then shared photos and videos of them on our Twitter and Facebook feeds all day long. MPPs from all three parties signed the pledge, including Premier Kathleen Wynne, Speaker

Dave Levac, Housing Minister Peter Milczyn, PC Housing Critic MPP Ernie Hardeman and NDP Housing Critic MPP Percy Hatfield.

On Advocacy Day alone, we had 109 new visitors to the #homebeliever website, and in the following days another 276 viewed it. By the end of our Advocacy Day we gathered more than 250 signed pledges and had hundreds of people watch and share our videos to reach 1,300 views within a week.

At OHBA’s Industry Leaders’ Dinner on April 16, we collected ontario home builder Renovation 2018

11

Ontario Report Clockwise from top left: #Homebelievers Habitat for Humanity CEO Ene Underwood, Ann Cochrane, Empire Communities Co-Founder and Executive V.P. Paul Golini and EnerQuality President Corey McBurney; Ontario Minister of Municipal Affairs Bill Mauro; OHBA 1st V.P.Rick Martins, OHBA President Pierre Dufresne, PC Housing Critic Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Housing Peter Milczyn, NDP Housing Critic Percy Hatfield, OHBA Executive Secretary Jackie Caille and OHBA 2nd V.P. Bob Schickedanz sign on; OHBA 2016 Member of the Year and current PC candidate Chuck McShane and OHBA President Pierre Dufresne give the thumbs-up as Mr. McShane becomes the first election candidate to sign the pledge!

THE EARLY BIRD GETS A DEAL! The 2018 OHBA Awards of Distinction opened for entry on May 1 and if you enter before May 31 you will enjoy big savings with an early-bird reduced entry fee. We have added some new categories this year, so be sure to check out the website to see you where you can enter— and do it soon to pay less!

The online submission final deadline is Friday, June 15.

There will be absolutely no extensions!

dozens of signed pledges, including one from Tom Clark, veteran television broadcaster and now Chair, Public Affairs and Communications at Global Public Affairs, who signed a pledge on stage after his keynote address. Following suit was OHBA member Chuck McShane, who is running in the election as the PC candidate for Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Fort Erie.

Our #homebeliever campaign is moving ahead full-steam and we urge you to get on 12

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

board. Follow us on Twitter at @OntarioHBA and retweet, like and comment on our posts.

And find us on Facebook to interact as well.

OHBA also has a YouTube channel, so search for Ontario Home Builders’ Association and share our videos with your network and be sure to connect with OHBA on LinkedIn, where we are posting important #homebeliever content that you can share too. Help us keep the momentum going as we build this #homebeliever movement.

The 41-category awards program honours the vision, innovation and expertise of some of Ontario’s most creative and talented builders, renovators, designers and marketers.

Visit the website at ohbaaod.ca for full categories and entry details.

ohba.ca

Photos: Rodney Daw

Finalists will be announced in early August and the program will culminate in the Awards of Distinction Gala on September 25 in conjunction with OHBA’s Annual Conference in Ottawa, our nation’s capital.

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Ontario Report TARION CELEBRATES

ONTARIO’S TOP-RATED BUILDERS On May 1, Tarion announced the 2018 Homeowners’ Choice Awards, recognizing the builders who received the highest ratings from homebuyers across the province.

These are the only awards that focus solely on customer service and are based on homeowner feedback.

“A new home is one of life’s biggest investments and that’s why it’s important to have it built by someone you can trust who understands your needs,” said

Tarion President and CEO Howard Bogach. “The builders recognized by these awards have demonstrated exemplary customer service to their homeowners, and by doing so, set an example for others to follow. I’m pleased to congratulate all the recipients for helping to raise the bar for the new home building industry.”

The Homeowners’ Choice Awards are presented annually based on the results of surveys completed by new homebuyers

from across the province. In 2017, Tarion polled more than 56,900 new-home purchasers, asking them about their builder’s performance before, during and after they moved into their new home.

More than 11,500 homeowners responded, choosing recipients for outstanding customer service in the four categories.

Also honoured this year was BILD Member Tridel, who received the Ernest Assaly Award, presented to an Ontario

builder who demonstrates a commitment to building quality and innovation, customer service and community involvement.

Akin to a lifetime achievement award, a builder can only receive this recognition once.

“Chosen by Tarion’s Board of Directors and based on strict criteria, it acknowledges a builder’s ongoing commitment to their workmanship, customers, employees, community and innovation,” said Bogach.

TARION WINNERS AND FINALISTS 2018 Small Volume Category 5-20 possessions per year

Medium Volume Category 21-100 possessions per year

Large Volume Category More than 100 possessions per year

High-Rise Category More than 100 high-rise possessions per year

Winner:

Winner:

Winner:

Winner:

Kolody Homes Belle River

Talos Custom Homes Ltd. Richmond

Hayhoe Homes St. Thomas

Plazacorp Investments Toronto

Finalists: C. Kelos Homes, Thunder Bay Gordon Tobey Developments, Brighton Lockwood Brothers Construction, Oxford Station Stinson Builders Ltd., Belleville Terry Waito Homes Inc., Petawawa

Finalists: Arista Homes Ltd., Vaughan

Finalists: Heisler Homes, Kitchener

Finalists: Edilcan, Concord

Klemencic Homes, Trenton

Devonleigh Homes Inc., Orangeville

OPUS Homes, Vaughan

Mountainview Homes, Thorold

Sal-Dan Developments Ltd., Sault Ste. Marie

Sorbara Group of Companies, Vaughan

The Daniels Corporation, Toronto

Triple T Holdings Limited, Peterborough

Tartan Homes Corporation, Ottawa

Tridel, Toronto

Menkes Developments Ltd., Toronto

Ernest Assaly Award

Winner:

Tridel Toronto Finalists: Armour Heights Developments Inc., Vaughan Swank Construction Ltd., Iroquois Terry Waito Homes Inc., Petawawa

The Tricar Group, London

OTTAWA HOSTS

OHBA’S 2018 CONFERENCE Registration is now open for the 2018 OHBA conference, with early-bird rates in effect until September 1.

Hosted by the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association, the annual conference will be held in our nation’s capital from September 23 -25. Expect exciting, educational seminars along with ample networking opportunities, a president’s and awards gala and lots of entertainment and fun.

Join your colleagues from across the province and take advantage of early registration rates. Visit conference.ohba.ca.

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Ontario Report

Ontario Winners

at CHBA Nationals Congratulations to the many Ontario firms who snapped up first-place honours at the 2018 Canadian Home Builders’ Association National Awards for Housing Excellence. Winners in the 40-category awards program were announced at CHBA’s 75th National Conference held in Victoria, B.C. in March.

“As a homebuilder, I appreciate what incredible effort it took to bring these projects to completion,” said CHBA outgoing president Eric DenOuden. “Our 2018 award finalists and winners are leaders in our industry.

They truly represent housing excellence.”

NEW HOME AWARDS DETACHED HOMES – Production | One-storey Bungalow Minto Communities Inc., Ottawa: “The Butternut”

DETACHED HOMES – Custom | 2,500 to 3,500 sq. ft.

Gordon Weima Design Builder, Nepean: “Modern Farmhouse” with Ardington + Associates Design Inc.

MARKETING AWARDS Brochure/Kit Mizrahi Developments, Ottawa: “1451 Wellington”

Website Camrost Felcorp Inc., Toronto and Gladstone Media Inc., Toronto: “Foxbar Collection Website”

RENOVATION AWARDS Bathroom ARTium Design Build, Ottawa: “Designers Heaven”

Basement Just Basements, Ottawa: “Classy is the new cool!”

Whole House – under $150,000 Sales Office – Low-Rise Losani Homes Ltd., Stoney Creek: “Central Park” with McOuat Partnership

Sales Office – Mid- to High-Rise Mizrahi Developments, Ottawa: “1451 Wellington”

Design/Decor Centre Great Gulf Homes, Toronto: “Design Studio”

Amsted Design-Build, Ottawa: “Colour and Light”

Whole House – $150,000 to $250,000 Revelstoke Developments Corp., Ottawa: “The Wingate”

Whole House – $250,000 to $500,000 Gordon Weima Design Builder, Nepean: “It’s all about the view”

Ontario Members

on CHBA’s Board Congratulations to OHBA members who will serve in various capacities at the national level on the CHBA Board of Directors in 2018/2019 under the leadership of CHBA President Nathan Stone from CHBAFraser Valley.

16

Stefanie Coleman-Dias

1st Vice-President

St.Thomas-Elgin

John Meinen

2nd Vice-President

Stratford and Area

Eric DenOuden

Immediate Past President

Quinte

Bob Finnigan

Presidential Appointee

Durham Region

Pierre Dufresne

Provincial HBA Board Rep

Greater Ottawa

Darren Steedman

Local HBA Rep (Large HBAs)

BILD

Brandon Campbell

Local HBA Rep (Medium HBAs)

Hamilton-Halton

Garnet Northey

Local HBA Rep (Small HBAs)

Peterborough & The Kawarthas

Jamie Adam

Chair, Canadian Renovators’ Council

Waterloo Region

Suzanne Mammel

Chair, Executive Officers’ Council

Hamilton-Halton

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

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Frame of Mind

Identifying trends Prepare for smaller, more flexible housing needs the outset of the 21st century has launched a wealth of societal challenges and opportunities that stand to shape the design as well as technical and environmental aspects of home building.

In the coming decades, a rapidly changing demographic make-up and the emergence of new lifestyle trends will create demand for homes and apartments that are smaller and more flexible. Paramount among those changes is the rise of the nontraditional household. The number of singles, childless couples and singleheaded families has increased severalfold and given rise to prototypes like micro-units and places with demountable partitions—or no partitions at all. In addition, the number of people aged 65 and over will double and create a market demand for aging in place, as well as accessible, adaptable and multi-generational dwelling forms in response to seniors’ needs.

Economic fluctuations are expected ohba.ca

to continue to affect world markets and the lives of citizens. Secure employment and steady incomes are becoming less common, which will continue to make it difficult for firsttime homebuyers to purchase a dwelling. Consequently, the demand for smaller, affordable, energy-efficient homes is going to rise sharply.

In a society increasingly aware of the human toll on the environment, common urban planning practices are now being re-examined to lessen our impact.

As a result, high-density homes and apartment buildings are now regarded as a solution to some of the environmental consequences of sprawl, coupled with their ability to offer affordable solutions. As a result, new neighbourhoods will be more compact and contain a mix of low- and mid-rise dwellings as well as commerce.

The need to rethink construction practices and align them with new environmental objectives will take

centre stage in the coming years.

Governments have established standards that go beyond the national building codes, setting stricter criteria in terms of energy efficiency and choice of materials. So expect to see more dwellings that conserve natural resources during construction and energy after occupancy.

With mounting heating and cooling costs an unavoidable outcome of climate change, there will also be an inevitable hike in the number of NetZero dwellings, solar-powered homes, innovative HVAC technologies, green roofs, products made of recycled materials and water-efficient systems.

The need for cost reduction and shorter construction time, meanwhile, will lead to an increase in the prefabrication of both the overall structure and its interior sub-components, such as stairs, partitions and built-ins. Computers will play a key role in marrying the manufacturing process with the spatial needs of a particular homeowner through advanced mass customization.

The relationship between a home and its outdoor surroundings is an indispensable part of residential design.

And it’s about to become more indispensible, as local and global environmental pressures mount. The need to consider natural features, such as orientation, topography and flora and fauna when siting a dwelling, while benefiting from the site’s potential, will be a principal strategy. In addition, landscaping will not be about aesthetics as much as the location where the inhabitants will grow their food. Also, xeriscaping practices using local plant material will reduce water consumption and the use of chemicals. Sod, in fact, might just be a thing of the past!

While they will change in size and functionality, our dwellings will still remain the backdrops of our lives. It will be up to future generations to build their own childhood memories into the next place they call home. OHB Dr. Avi Friedman is an architect, professor and social observer. He can be reached at avi.friedman@mcgill.ca.

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

19

YOUR HOME 2018 HOMEOWNERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Owners of new homes in Ontario have spoken. They’ve chosen the best builders

who have built the best homes while offering the best customer experience.

THE RECIPIENTS CHOSEN BY ONTARIO’S NEW HOME OWNERS. Small Volume Category Kolody Homes

Medium Volume Category

Large Volume Category

Talos Custom Homes Ltd.

Hayhoe Homes

The recipient of the 2018 Ernest Assaly Award Tridel

Learn more at www.tarion.com/HCA2018 or visit us on social media.

Finalists were determined based on the results of a comprehensive survey sent to more than 56,929 Ontario homeowners who took possession of a new home between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. More than 11,558 completed survey responses were returned, representing a response rate of 20 per cent. The results were tabulated by Forum Research Inc.

High-Rise Category

Plazacorp Investments

Inside Storey minimum wage increased 20.7% from $11.60 to $14, with an additional 7.1% increase to $15 scheduled for January 1, 2019. Most construction employers in the GTA, and urban areas, already pay employees in excess of these amounts.

However, this may not be the case in more rural areas.

Bill 148 Bill 148 Bill 148

legislation overhaul Evaluating Bill 148’s amendments to Ontario’s Employment Standards Act and Labour Relations Act

By Ted McIntyre with Patrick Ganley, Sherrard Kuzz LLP

ontario’s economy has changed.

Work is different and, for many, increasingly less secure. The evolution of the job market has seen many workers struggle to support their families on part-time, contract or minimum-wage work, with many having no access to time off due to illness.

As a response to the issue, the Province officially passed the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act on November 22, 2017. While much of the attention has since focused on significant minimum wage hikes, the new legislation also makes a number of changes to the Employment Standards Act, the Labour Relations Act and the Occupational Health and Safety Act. And many of those changes have the potential to impact Ontario’s construction industry in a significant way.

Patrick Ganley is a lawyer with Sherrard Kuzz LLP, one of Canada’s leading employment and labour law ohba.ca

firms, representing management. His firm has had the opportunity to speak before several construction groups across the province, including local associations in Durham Region and Peterborough-Kawarthas, explaining the Bill and its impact. They also held a recent morning seminar attended by 400 employers—many from the construction industry—and have run 14 small group workshops where they drilled down into Bill 148, including real-life scenarios and best practices.

OHB: With respect to Bill 148, most have focused on the minimum wage hike. Is it fair to say this may not have a big impact on the construction industry? patrick ganley: This depends on where the construction employer carries on business. On January 1, 2018,

We’ve heard a lot about changes to vacation entitlements and public holiday pay in the Bill.

As of January 1, an employee with five years of service or more with the same employer will be entitled to 6% vacation pay and three weeks’ of vacation time. There is also a significant change to how public holiday pay is calculated, which can greatly increase costs for employers. It’s calculated by taking the total amount of regular wages earned by the employee in the pay period immediately preceding the public holiday and dividing it by the number of days worked by the employee in that period. This results in a significant public holiday pay windfall for a parttime or casual employee.

However, in December of 2017, regulations were passed that allow an employer to satisfy its public holiday pay obligations to a construction employee by instead providing an “addon” percentage for vacation and public holiday pay of at least 7.7% of hourly wages for an employee with fewer than five years of service, and at least 9.7% of hourly wages for an employee who has been with the same employer for five years or more. what about the new rules regarding shift cancellations?

Changes to the scheduling rules are some of the more significant amendments to come out of Bill 148.

Fortunately, these amendments do not come into force until January 1, 2019, so employers have time to plan and prepare. As of then, where an employee is scheduled to work more than three hours and is available to work more than three hours, but works fewer, he or ontario home builder Renovation 2018

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ontario home builder Renovation 2018

she will be entitled to three hours of pay at his or her regular rate.

Bill 148 also provides that if an employee’s entire scheduled day of work, or “on call” shift, is cancelled within 48 hours of its intended start, or if an employee is “on call” and not called into work, he or she will be entitled to three hours of pay at his or her regular rate.

However, there are exemptions to these new requirements that can be of assistance to construction employers.

For instance, if the shift or on-call period is cancelled due to “extraordinary circumstances” beyond the control of the employer (such as power failure), or if the employer cannot provide work for weather-related reasons, there will be no obligation to provide three hours of pay.

Other important scheduling rules that come into effect on January 1, 2019, include the ability of an employee to refuse a shift or on-call period if fewer than 96 hours’ notice is provided, and the right of an employee to request a change in work location or work schedule after three months of employment.

Many OHBA members are asking about the new entitlement to Personal Emergency Leave (Pel).

As of January 1, 2018, every employee in Ontario is entitled to 10 PEL days per calendar year, the first two of which are to be paid. However, similar to vacation and public holiday pay, a construction employee can be provided an “add on” percentage of 0.8% of hourly wages instead of providing two paid days. If this is provided, though, a construction employee will still be entitled to 10 unpaid PEL days.

What about “Equal Pay for Equal Work” provisions?

These amendments, which just came into force on April 1, provide that an individual employed in a part-time, contract, seasonal or casual basis must be provided the same rate of pay as a full-time employee performing “substantially the same kind of work” in the same establishment. These provisions also apply to a temporary help agency employee, who is to be paid the same rate of pay as a client-employee ohba.ca

performing “substantially the same kind of work” in the same establishment.

However, a difference in pay can be justified on the basis of: (a) a seniority system (including hours-based), (b) a merit system, (c) quantity or quality of production or (d) other objective factor.

The equal pay provisions also provide that an employee who believes his or her rate of pay does not comply with these provisions can request a review of their rate of pay. If such a review is requested, the employer will either have to adjust the employee’s rate of pay accordingly, or provide a written response setting out the reasons it disagrees with the employee’s belief.

Are there any other aspects of the bill that should concern employers?

How much time do we have? Two amendments that are already in force include increased penalties for an employer that misclassifies an employee as an independent contractor, and increased record-keeping obligations to correspond with scheduling and other new obligations. The Ministry of Labour has indicated it will hire 175 additional enforcement officers with a goal of auditing one in 10 Ontario workplaces in a given year. If an employer is unsure whether it is compliant, the time to proactively confirm that is now.

I should also highlight a significant amendment to the Labour Relations Act (“LRA”) regarding what is known as “remedial certification.” While there are several amendments that will impact construction employers, this one needs to be on the radar. As of January 1, 2018, where it is established that an employer has breached the LRA during a union organizing drive, such that the union was unable to obtain the necessary support for its application, the Labour Board must order that the employer be certified. There are many nuances to this amendment that should be discussed with legal counsel.

However, the important take-home is that an employer must take steps to ensure its communications during an organizing drive do not breach the LRA. The stakes are much higher than they were before. OHB ohba.ca

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

23

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Appliance Canada is Ontario’s preferred source for major appliances, representing leading North American and European manufacturers. For over 30 years, Appliance Canada specializes in serving Designers, Architects, Builders, Developers and Property Managers. We are a significant Canadian supplier, intent on bringing unsurpassed service to you, and your clients.

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TORONTO600 Wharncliffe LONDON VAUGHAN MISSISSAUGA 519-457-0404 289-652-1935 905-660-2424 www.appliancecanada.com 416-785-7083 1380 Castlefield 600 Wharncliffe Rd. S 8701 Jane St. Unit 1 3050 Vega Blvd.613-731-7474 Unit 8A 416.785.7083 519.457.0404 905.660.2424 289.652.1935

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Writing on the Wall With a beautiful chiselled natural stone-like finish, Permacon’s Lamina Tandem Next Wall works in harmony with the company’s Lamina masonry. The Z-shaped invisible joints, trio of sizes and four colour offerings combine to provide a timeless, earthy aesthetic.

Featuring all the advantages of dry concrete means that colours will stay rich over time while the wall maintains its perfect dimensional stability. Permacon.ca ohba.ca

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

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Top Shelf Clearing the Way Napoleon’s CLEARion from Stylish Fireplaces is the first-ever truly see-through electric fireplace.

The model can be plugged in or hardwired directly into an electrical system, creating a relaxing environment in two rooms, at two different temperatures. It can also be customized with either a modern sparkling crystal media ember bed (with colour-changing LED) or traditional, hand-painted South Beach logs with topaz glass embers; both sets are included. Offering up to 9,000 BTUs. Stylishfireplaces.ca

Keeping Your Toes Warm Via Wifi Schluter Systems has added smart-home technology to its Ditra-Heat electric floor-warming system. The new Ditra-Heat-E-WiFi thermostat makes programming the system quick and easy, whether the user is at home or on the road. The intuitive and interactive colour-display touchscreen is used to input up to six programming periods per day, with the thermostat accessible via an app or the website. Schluter.ca

OK, It’s Time to Come Clean Built to an ultra-high standard and backed with a rarely-seen, full fiveyear warranty, the Cove features adjustable racks and tines and a myriad of cleaning and drying options to adapt to your dishwashing needs, promising everything from sparkling stemware and sanitized bottles to scrubbed-like-new pots and pans.

Featuring internet connectivity, it’s installed flush to surrounding cabinetry with hidden controls, enabling this sleek model to also adapt to any kitchen. Available this fall.

Rock the House Looking for a more contemporary look, but with the traditional strength and appeal of stone?

Peninsula Ledgestone, the newest member of the Fusion Stone family, is designed to fit the bill. It’s characterized by tightly stacked, variable-length runs of moderate-width stone, with each run somewhat offset from the next both vertically and horizontally. Available in two modern colour choices. Fusionstone.ca 26

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Top Shelf Click and Go Isolofoam’s patent-pending Isorad insulation panel for radiant floor heating features a multidirectional tube-retaining design and the IsoClick Align clipping system, making it a snap to align panels and keep them together. You can save 70% on tubing installation (and 20% on project costs), says Isolofoam, as you walk the tubing in without the need to bend over and tie it to a wire mesh. Available in two thicknesses. Isolofoam.com

Turning siding into a statement Celect Cellular Composite siding by Royal Building Products has the neighbourhooddefining curb appeal of gorgeous wood looks and the peace of mind of near zero maintenance. Patented interlocking joints create a virtually seamless lock that eliminates gaps and buckling. Plus, Celect comes in an array of styles and colours that match any home style. CelectTheBest.com

Damage Resistant Silver-grey in colour, Plasti-Fab’s DuroSpan GPS is a rigid, closed-cell EPS insulation with laminated films on the top and bottom surfaces, making it more durable and less susceptible to handling damage. Meeting or exceeding requirements as per CAN/ULC-S701.11, Type 1, the product’s graphiteenhanced EPS within its cellular structure reduces radiation heat transfer, resulting in improved thermal resistance compared to standard white EPS insulation. Plastifab.com

You Now Have the Floor The laser-measured FloorLiner from WeatherTech is guaranteed for life and sets the standard in truck protection. Every FloorLiner is custom fit for the application and provides three-dimensional coverage of the vehicle’s floor, allowing spills to stay contained while preventing debris from touching the carpet. Designed, engineered and manufactured in the U.S., they’re are available in black, tan, cocoa or grey. WeatherTech.ca 28

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Top Shelf

Ivy League Garage Door To complement the traditional and carriage house designs of many houses these days, Garaga adds the Princeton to its Townships Collection of residential steel garage doors. Measuring 2 3/8” thick (including the decorative PVC overlays), the door is distinguished by a 30”-high top glass section. Featuring an R-16 insulation factor, it’s available in nine colours and up to 12 different decorative window options. Garaga.com

This is My Floor Known for producing some of the highest-grade hardwood in the industry, Toronto-based Vintage Prefinished Hardwood Flooring introduces its Wire-brushed Herringbone line. Wide-planked with a wire-brushed texture (for extra wear and tear), its attractive twotoned herringbone pattern evokes a European feel infused with a modern twist. Vintageflooring.com 30

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

Not Your Usual Garden Variety Speaker System Distributed in Ontario through Product Solutions Group, Niles from Nortek Security and Control has launched its new 8ohm/70Volt/100Volt Landscape Audio Series. The line includes weatherproof landscape satellite speakers and two subwoofers that deliver an indoor quality listening experience in outdoor spaces.

The speakers feature fibreglassreinforced ABS enclosures that are rugged enough to handle any outdoor weather conditions, as well as wear and tear from garden equipment.

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Jack (and Master) of All Trades A must-have for any contractor, the new Bosch GOP12V-28 12V Max Starlock Oscillating MultiTool offers increased power versus its previous 12V incarnation, despite its light weight (1.75 lbs) and compact size (11.2” long). Featuring the next-generation Starlock 3D interface, its accessory connection boasts a customizable orientation and is shaped like a bottle cap to provide more contact surface area for rock-solid blade grip and maximum torque transfer. Bosch.ca ohba.ca

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ontario home builder Renovation 2018

31

Habitat Habitat for for Humanity Humanity Halton-Mississauga’s Halton-Mississauga’s

Build Factory

Changing Changing the the game game for for affordable affordable housing housing Habitat Habitat for for Humanity Humanity Halton-Mississauga Halton-Mississauga isis about about to to take take one one giant giant step step closer closer to to making making sustainable sustainable affordable affordable housing housing aa reality reality across across Ontario Ontario with with their their groundbreaking groundbreaking new new facility facility set set to to open open before before the the end end of of 2018.

2018.

The The Build Build Factory, Factory, Habitat Habitat Halton-Mississauga’s Halton-Mississauga’s newest newest initiative, initiative, isis aa full-service full-service workshop workshop facility facility in in Burlington, Burlington, Ontario.

Ontario. Thanks Thanks to to an an unprecedented unprecedented $5.8 $5.8 million million investment investment by by the the Province Province of of Ontario Ontario over over the the next next three three years, years, the the new new facility facility will will help help to to make make non-profit non-profit home home construction construction faster, faster, more more cost-effective, cost-effective, and and safer safer than than ever ever before. before.

The The space space will will be be used used to to build build and and pre-assemble pre-assemble large large portions portions of of homes homes away away from from construction construction sites sites to to help help offset offset the the costs costs of of building building affordable affordable housing housing for for their their own own sites sites and and others. others. This This includes includes pre-fabricated pre-fabricated walls, walls, floors, floors, trusses, trusses, and and eventually, eventually, modular modular homes. homes. Because Because supplies supplies can can be be purchased purchased in in bulk, bulk, Habitat Habitat Halton-Mississauga Halton-Mississauga will will also also save save cost cost and and reduce reduce waste waste by by recycling recycling and and upcycling upcycling unused unused materials materials instead instead of of throwing throwing them them away. away.

By By centralizing centralizing their their construction construction efforts efforts to to one one location, location, the the Build Build Factory Factory will will help help Habitat Habitat operate operate as as effectively effectively as as possible possible and and build build more more homes homes for for hard-working, hard-working, low-income low-income families families in in need need than than ever ever before. before. As As aa volunteer-driven volunteer-driven organization, organization, Habitat Habitat builds builds can can often often fall fall behind behind schedule schedule due due to to weather weather and and site site conditions conditions (especially (especially in in the the winter winter months) months) that that are are not not conducive conducive for for volunteers. volunteers. As As Habitat Habitat takes takes their their volunteer’s volunteer’s safety safety very very seriously, seriously, they they are are excited excited that that the the facility facility will will be be aa space space where where individuals individuals and and corporate corporate teams teams can can swing swing aa hammer hammer in in aa controlled controlled environment, environment, away away from from uncertain uncertain weather weather conditions. conditions. They They will will be be able able to to better better focus focus on on completing completing their their tasks, tasks,

eliminate eliminate their their travel travel time time and and increase increase their their production production to to help help build build homes homes faster. faster.

The The Build Build Factory Factory isis not not just just an an opportunity opportunity to to build build more more homes homes in in the the Regions Regions of of Halton Halton and and Peel, Peel, but but this this innovative innovative initiative initiative will will help help provide provide housing housing for for over over 120 120 other other Habitat Habitat builds builds across across Ontario, Ontario, Indigenous Indigenous communities communities and and other other non-profit non-profit partners. partners. The The Build Build Factory Factory will will be be aa platform platform to to create create the the affordable affordable housing housing that that our our province province truly truly needs. needs.

Habitat Habitat for for Humanity’s Humanity’s Edmonton Edmonton affiliate affiliate has has proven proven that that this this model model isis aa true true game-changer. game-changer.

The The Prefab Prefab Shop, Shop, Habitat Habitat Edmonton’s Edmonton’s build build facility facility located located in in Alberta, Alberta, builds builds nearly nearly 100 100 homes homes every every year. year. Through Through partnering partnering with with local local and and provincial provincial government government and and largely largely due due to to the the off off site site prefabrication prefabrication of of homes, homes, Habitat Habitat Edmonton Edmonton has has grown grown to to become become the the largest largest home home building building affiliate affiliate in in the the country. country. They They have have also also been been able able to to partner partner with with and and sell sell to to both both not-for-profit not-for-profit and and for-profit for-profit builders builders alike alike -- aa goal goal Habitat Habitat Halton-Mississauga Halton-Mississauga hopes hopes to to also also achieve achieve within within one one year year of of launch. launch. With With the the Build Build Factory Factory operating operating at at capacity, capacity, the the Halton-Mississauga Halton-Mississauga affiliate affiliate also also plans plans to to output output aa similar similar amount amount of of homes, homes, even even surpassing surpassing that that in in the the future. future.

“ The Build Factory is a victory, not just for our affiliate, but for housing across our entire province.”

-- John John Gerrard Gerrard Habitat Habitat for for Humanity Humanity Halton-Mississauga Halton-Mississauga CEO CEO

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With their improved output and supports, Habitat will be looking to leverage skilled tradespeople in the community. The Build Factory will be an amazing opportunity to utilize as a training centre for those in the skilled trades, local high school trades programs and for those looking to make a difference with their existing skill-set and give back as a volunteer. Habitat will also be looking for partners who are capable of mobilizing and training volunteer teams on specific tasks, in both winter and summer months.

By investing in and supporting the work of the Build Factory, local partners will be investing in a future where everyone has a safe and decent place to live. All funds generated from the Build Factory program will go into building homes that will serve families for years to come. Habitat homes stay affordable in perpetuity, offering families a chance to build their lives from a safe, secure place to call their own.

The funding for Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga’s Build Factory was announced less than a month ago, but the groundwork to make this all possible took over three years. Without the tireless efforts of local partners and supporters, specifically MPP Eleanor McMahon, this initiative would have never come so far.

As a non-profit builder, Habitat Halton-Mississauga recognizes this as a crucial time in their history.

“Never has affordable housing been in greater need across Ontario, and never has the cost of living been so high,” says Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga CEO, John Gerrard.

“Decisions made about the direction the province will take to address the critical need of safe and decent places to live will have long term effects on the well-being of the province. ”The Build Factory is a victory, not just for our affiliate, but for housing across our entire province. It’s a chance to truly make an impact in people’s lives, and we are so proud to be a part of making this dream a reality. We can’t wait to see what’s on the horizon.”

On April 4th, Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga staff, board members and volunteers were joined by Eleanor McMahon (MPP for Burlington), The Hon. Peter Milczyn (Minister of Housing), Ted McMeekin (MPP for Ancaster Dundas Flamborough Westdale), Gary Carr (Chair of Halton Region), Rick Goldring (Mayor of Burlington) to announce the exciting $5.8 million investment in Habitat’s Build Factory facility - coming to Burlington in 2018.

for Humanity Kingston Limestone “ Habitat Region is thrilled by this investment into housing, an issue that affects us all. We, among the other Ontario affiliates, are excited to learn details about how The Build Factory will assist our efforts to build safe and affordable housing by reducing build costs and construction waste while allowing us to more efficiently leverage our volunteer teams.

”

- Susan Zambonin CEO, Habitat for Humanity Kingston Limestone Region

for Humanity Durham is so pleased to “ Habitat learn that the Ontario Government has heard loud and clear that Housing is an issue.

Supporting a build factory will allow many affiliates to build more quickly and at economies of scale. Congratulations to our colleagues in the Halton-Mississauga affiliate and a huge thank you to the Ontario Government for a very wise investment.

- Mary Bone CEO, Habitat for Humanity Durham

”

For more information about our programs and build projects, please visit habitathm.ca

Special Advertising Feature

MASTERS of

DISASTER Walking into a botched reno is not for the faint of heart

By T e d M c I n t y r e

34

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

ohba.ca

No renovation is routine, but none are more challenging and stress-inducing than reno rescues—when a client has either hired an incompetent contractor and is now worse off than when they started, or attempted to undertake the project themselves, with disastrous consequences.

Although most people accept that the price is the price when it comes to something like dentistry or a new suit, and that even a luxury vehicle has only marginal room for haggling, they will all too often opt for a cheaper quote for a major renovation, even if it comes without a warranty and could theoretically put them at financial and physical risk in the future.

The trust factor has to be paramount, explains Tony Gatti of The Gatti Group Corp., a general contracting firm in Mississauga. “It sounds weird, but I tell people not to look at the dollar value when interviewing contractors. You’ve got to be able to work with the guy and trust them. Then you can work on the dollar value. At the end of the day, I tell people it’s not just you interviewing me as me interviewing you. I may not want to work for you, because we could be in each other’s face for six months to a year and we have to be able to resolve issues—and there will always be issues.”

Clients also make the mistake of assuming the one-man-show is automatically cheaper, says Peder Madsen, owner of CCR Building and Remodeling in London and president of the London HBA. But time is also money. “We have 16 employees—14 out in the field. But just because we have more overhead doesn’t mean we’re going to be more expensive, because we’re getting a lot more work done than that single guy,” explains Madsen. “Someone who has less overhead than us gets less work done.

If everything is being done properly, we should be priced competitively. I try to articulate that to potential clients.”

“People ask us if we’ll do partial cash,” Gatti says. “Well, no we don’t. First, it blurs the lines.

Even if I’d ever consider it, I can’t do half the job in cash and half on the books, because how do I warranty the work? And it would be hard to get a contractor to do follow-up repair work if they couldn’t get their plumber or electrician out because they were paid cash.

“I’m sick of seeing the TV shows where the bad contractors are being bashed,” Gatti adds. “We need a show that demonstrates how people get themselves into trouble by cutting corners and thinking they can do things themselves.”

What follows are four stories of homeowners who didn’t follow that advice and paid a big price for trying to cut corners—and the professional renovators who helped stop the tears and save the day. ohba.ca

An $800,000 Reno…

With No Permit?

by Chris Phillips, President, Greening Homes Ltd.

This story began in 2013. The home, a 100-year-old semidetached unit of masonry construction, had just been purchased. The new owners decided to undertake a wholehouse renovation. One of the new owners had a medical condition that made indoor air quality very important, so they understood the need to select building materials that would keep chemicals out of the indoor air.

They met with 12 different contractors and gave

themselves two months to decide who was best able to do the work. Although this was a major renovation costing approximately $800,000, the contractor they chose insisted that no building permit was needed. The house was gutted, new plumbing, heating, ventilating and air conditioning added, and new walls and drywall put up. At this stage a painter was called in and he noticed that some aspects of the construction just weren’t right—that some

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

35

of the construction work seemed to be out of sequence compared with typical building construction progression.

At this point the homeowners had spent about $500,000 and were not liking what they were hearing.

The painter contacted me and I met with the homeowners and looked through the home. Evidence of shoddy workmanship was everywhere, including structural problems such as cut floor joists to allow for heating duct runs.

Compromising structural components to put in heating or plumbing is never the correct thing to do.

I brought in the municipal building inspector to get a third-party assessment.

Unfortunately for the homeowners, the inspection made it clear that the entire house had to be re-gutted and redone with proper permits and licensed trades for plumbing, wiring and gas fitting. By this time the original contractor had changed his company name and would not return messages.

Even though the homeowners were clear with the original contractor about the importance of protecting indoor air quality for health reasons, no effort seemed to have been made to address this, and many of the materials chosen would have made matters worse. During the planning process we looked at over 50 different materials, including the chemicals from which they were made, and cross-referenced that information with the known triggers for the client’s medical condition.

The clients have been unable to get their money back from the original contractor. As a result, they have had to refinance their home to complete the work and take 36

other financial measures that have made their life more difficult than it should be.

While they went through a significant vetting process, their contractor’s insistence that no building permit was needed should have been a red flag. A renovation project of this scale and complexity will always require permits and multiple inspections.

The TV renovation shows make it look like a complete reno can be done in very little time. This isn’t how things actually work. Even preparing a proper estimate for a project of this size takes me 40 to 50 hours of work. Homeowners should expect to pay for estimates on major renovation work. The idea that a contractor can simply walk through your house and give you a firm price when a significant renovation is involved is simply not realistic.

—with files courtesy the CHBA

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

$500,000 of suspect work done out of sequence by the original contractor meant the home needed to be re-gutted, with Greening Homes staff carefully vetting all materials and equipment for air quality due to an existing medical condition of one of the clients. ohba.ca

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The Invisible Underpinning

by Jack Torossian, owner and founder, Golden Bee Homes

38

basement wiring. He said he had a family member who lived next door and asked if I could give them a deal for doing both. I said, “Sure, I’ll do it for $12,000 each.”

The profit was only going to be about $2,000—no exaggera-

“Every time you come here, someone’s gotten killed. Next time bring me proof, or else you’re in trouble!”

Although the client was assured differently, Golden Bee Homes discovered that claims of an underpinning having been done by the previous contractor were entirely concocted.

In March 2016, a lady called us—she had horizontal cracks on the main floor and diagonal cracks on the second floor of her home in Toronto. We came in to look and I said, “Something’s wrong with the foundation; the cracks shouldn’t go this way.”

Well, she’d had a renovation the year before where a cabinetmaker had removed the walls on the main floor. I asked if she got a permit, but she said no. I asked, “Is he a licensed, insured contractor with RenoMark or BILD?” Same answer.

She said she was a lawyer but not in this field. She had a simple contract for the parts and kitchen work, but nothing for the underpinning work.

digging down—and there was no underpinning at all. The people just took her money and ran away. They charged her a ridiculous amount for that small section of an addition. And I said, “We’ll need a structural engineer.”

She tried to get in touch with her contractor, but he didn’t pick up the phone. So we applied for a permit, underpinned that section properly, removed the drywall on the second floor, did the framing and spray-foamed everything, installed new wiring on the second floor and fixed the problem.

After that, just to help her out, we recorded all this with photos and reports from the structural engineer, myself and the architect, and gave it to her and said, “Now you’ve got a case. You have to go after this contractor so he doesn’t do this to someone else.”

The contractor hired his own lawyer, (but there were always delays). The first time we went to court he said his mother-in-law had just passed away. The second time a very close member of his family had died. After that the judge said to the guy’s lawyer, “Every time you come here, someone’s gotten killed. Next time bring me proof, or else you’re in trouble!”

A day before the judgment, the contractor settled. But my client probably would have saved $21,000 if she’d just gone with me first.

Ten or 15 years ago, I was doing a project in west-end Toronto. The homeowner from a house down the road said he’d like me to do their

I said, “The wall that was removed was a structural wall and that the span is too big, and that’s why you’re having cracks on the ceiling of the main floor. And you have a problem with your foundation of your addition.”

She said, “No, it has been underpinned.” So I asked, “Do you have a permit for it?” She said no. I asked, “How did you pay for it?” And she said cash for that section, but that she had emails confirming the work had been done, and thought that I was just “trying to make extra work.”

I said, “I’ll pay for this part—I want to see if it was underpinned properly.” So we went under the deck, and on our knees we starting

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

tion. But after a couple days he called and said, “No thanks— we found a cheaper guy.”

I said, “OK, good luck—I was giving you a warranty too.”

While we were still working on the first house, that guy passes by and says, “Jack, can you come over again?” So I go over there and I see two rows of wires on the ground. They paid the electrician $5,000 for each house, and now couldn’t find him. I said, “Electricians have licence numbers; you can track him.”

So they tracked him through the electrical safety authorities and this guy shows up, and the authorities say, “Is this the guy who took your money?” And they said, “No!” The number belonged to another contractor. Putting licence numbers on trucks became an Electrician Association rule, but I think it’s a really stupid rule. The (perpetrator) took one of those numbers and put it on an invoice and went out there and started cheating people. They never found him. ohba.ca

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Inflating estimates and amateur-ish ‘engineer’ drawings on the drywall (left) were evidence of the pitfalls of a one-man show, before the Gatti Group came to the rescue of an Etobicoke client.

Walking on Eggshells

by Joe Gatti of The Gatti Group Corp.

It was a 700-800 sq. ft. wartime bungalow late last summer in Etobicoke. We were referred by a good friend of the family, who called us and said he knew some really nice people who had started a renovation that was becoming a disaster.

The contractor had started demo’ing everything and was bringing them an amended contract every two weeks with a higher price. He’d already taken them for $15,000 to $20,000 by the time we came in. We found out they had no contract or permits and the guy wasn’t licensed, and we thought, “Do we even want to bother with this?”

The first thing we told them was, “Stop! Don’t touch anything!”

We got our engineer in there 40

to do an as-built drawing and make sure things were structurally sound, and then applied for a permit. Their contractor had also had his engineer do some drawings, but when our engineer looked at them, he said they were absolute garbage. And they were (drawn) on the drywall!

The one scary thing—and we always tell people this—is to stay away from the oneman show. We have a booth at the Ontario Home Show and a lot of people see it as a bad thing that we hire trades and aren’t hands-on, doing everything ourselves. Well, you cannot be an electrician and a plumber and a gas-fitter and a carpenter and a drywaller. I’ve never met anyone who carried four

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

licences! You’d be 40 years in apprenticeship. You don’t want anyone who says they can do everything—manage the project, buy the materials, do inspections, deal with you, deal with the designers, swing a hammer and do the electrical and the plumbing.

The project was to gut the main part of the house— 550-600 square feet—and open it up. Take a loadbearing wall down, a little partition wall and open up the kitchen. The two bedrooms just needed new flooring, paint and doors. All new electrical. We repositioned some new components in the bathroom and everything was upgraded—a small but quality project.

But it was a long process, including waiting for one of the trades we deal with, as well as dealing with the city—that

took an extra month.

So now the clients are two months in, living in the basement and using the laundry as a kitchen sink. And with every delay they go, “Oh great, you’re no better than the other guy.” You can’t win for trying. But those are the sort of situations you find yourself in if you do these

The first thing we told them was, ‘Stop! Don’t touch anything!’ jobs, which is why we don’t do many of them. But it’s sad to see people getting hosed, especially when it’s so blatant.

In the end, they were happy to see us go, but grateful too.

The other day I got a call from them to do another renovation. ohba.ca

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Improper footings and not following the permit caused a huge headache for homeowners, but it could have been much worse had Keystone Ridge not stepped in when they did.

getting off on the wrong foot

by Sam Lapidus, president, Keystone Ridge Developments Ltd. A year ago I had a very nice couple in the Dupont/Bathurst area who decided they were going to do an addition on the back of their house.

They had permits, but the contractor they hired decided not to follow the permit drawings and was building them a bigger addition than originally decided. They told me they didn’t ask for that—that the contractor had decided to do it on his own. He’d dug down to the foundation and had started to prepare the footings, and then they got a stop-work order.

In the period between receiving that order and 42

finding me to do the work, they had water penetration into the basement, which caused all kinds of damage to areas of the house they weren’t intending to renovate.

The contractor had taken a deposit for greater than the amount of work that had been done to date and disappeared.

And not only had the footings been prepared to be poured in a larger footprint than they had a permit for, they were also done completely backwards. Had they actually poured the footings and done the foundation walls, the possibility of the addition sinking was very high.

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

“I know there must have been tears with all they had to go through—fighting with this guy to show up, to give them money back, to rectify the situation.”

We had to remove everything that was there and start fresh. The engineer said we needed to do some further excavation to get down to get to native, undisturbed soil, so they ended up with larger footings. And, of course, we had to build to the specs of the permit. The whole project—a simple one-storey addition, moving their kitchen back, at the back of the house—took about two months.

Between what they paid their previous contractor and what they had to pay us to get them back to where they were to begin with, it probably cost them $50,000—on what should have been a $60,000 job total! So pretty much double the price.

It’s all the wasted time too.

The previous contractor had probably been working there a few weeks. But he wasn’t showing up every day and wasn’t making progress. I was able to bring a Bobcat around the side of the house with a deep arm and shovel. I could have dug that out in two days, put the footings and steel down on day three, and on day four I could have had the inspection.

I know there must have been tears with all they had to go through—fighting with this guy to show up, to give them back money, to rectify the situation. Plus, he’d left

them in an unsafe condition. Through the OHBA, I sit on the Health & Safety Committee and I’ve been working with the Ministry of Labour as a member of the Construction Health and Safety Action Plan. The violations were everywhere. I’m shocked the inspector didn’t call the Ontario Ministry of Labour.

We had another interesting one that we turned down. The husband had decided to take on the whole renovation. His wife said. “Don’t do it.” But he started it, ripping out parts of the house, running electrical.

He didn’t have a permit, and the wife is like, “Get a contractor or I’m leaving you.”

It might not have been quite that extreme, but it looked like someone had gone in with a sledgehammer and punched holes in the wall so they could access places to run electrical, except that he was running extension cords!

I guess he figured that was easier than running proper Romex cabling.

The house was a firetrap.

And it was a semi, so they put their neighbours at risk too. I looked at it and thought it was going to be a headache with the physical situation, and I didn’t think the domestic situation was going to be easy to navigate either. OHB ohba.ca

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Incentive Clause Some new programs could mean big business for contractors and builders, while others come up short

By T r ac y H a n e s

S

pring’s arrival has brought more than greening of the landscape to Ontario—new incentives may provide a ‘greening’ of opportunities for the province’s renovators and builders.

The incentives include rebates offered to homeowners through the Green Ontario Fund, providing up to $7,200 off of insulation and $5,000 back for select high-performance windows, as well as richer rebates for geothermal systems and air-source heat pumps.

More opportunities may come if Ontario proceeds with the Home Energy Rating and Disclosure program (HERD), which would require homeowners to have an energy audit and rating on their home before they sell. It could prompt some sellers to invest in energy-efficient improvements to get a better rating.

But will these new opportunities create a ‘green rush’ in business for contractors? Some renovators don’t see the Green Ontario Fund rebates as notably affecting their business; they see the biggest boost for speciality contractors, such as window suppliers and installers.

HERD, on the other hand, could be much more promising— if it’s implemented. The proposed rating system is on hold until after the provincial election.

The Green Ontario Fund was launched in December, 2017.

Over four years, the $600 million fund will dole out rebates to homeowners who complete select energy-efficient renovations.

ohba.ca

“I certainly think for savvy renovators and for those looking to specialize, there are some great opportunities, especially for window and insulation specialty companies and HVAC contractors,” says Jamie Adam, chair of the Ontario Renovators’ Council and president of Pioneer Craftsmen, a design-build renovation business in Kitchener. “If you are a full-service design-build company, you might look at adding a product or service, such as a window or insulation division. It will be a growing market.”

However, Adam says adding a division or labelling yourself a specialty company isn’t as simple as hanging a new shingle.

“You need to have Window Wise Certification if you’re going to offer high-performance windows. It’s the same with insulation. You have to complete a NAIMA Canada (North American Insulation Manufacturers Association) insulation course.”

HVAC contractors are already regulated, Adam adds, so won’t require additional training.

If HERD is a potential windfall, the Green Fund is not, according to Garnet Northey, president of design-renovatebuild company Spotlight Home & Leisure Inc., and current president of the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Home Builders’ Association. “My general feeling is that they’ve made the program complicated enough that few will benefit from it,” says Northey. “Who is actually permitted to install the windows and insulation is really limited. I don’t see it creating any new work for us. It’s so specific, as a renovator, that I don’t think it would ontario home builder Renovation 2018

45

“Who’s actually permitted to install the windows and insulation is really limited. I don’t see it creating any new work for us.” add value to my business.”

Peter Madsen, president of both CCR Building and Remodelling and the London Home Builders’ Association, echoes Northey. While Madsen was, at first glance, excited about the Green Ontario Fund, as he delved into it, he realized it was primarily limited to replacement window and insulation companies, and opted not to register.

“Where it potentially becomes good for us is that we can educate homeowner clients and get them deals,” Madsen says. “If we work with an insulation company, we can direct our clients there, and the same with windows. We’ll see if that would save them any money.”

Madsen is dismayed that the rebates don’t require an energy audit, as he says it’s difficult to determine the best energy-saving improvements without it.

“Even a seasoned veteran contractor can only feel and see so much in a home visit. Modern tools can tell us so much more.”

Adam says his company will register with the fund and his workers will take the insulation training. But he won’t be pursuing Window Wise training and will leave jobs requiring the high-performance windows and HVAC to subcontractors.

Although Adam says the 46

fund is a positive measure, it’s not all it could be. As improvement decisions are left up to homeowners without the information provided by an energy audit or advice from building scientists, they might not make the best decisions.

“It missed the boat in getting homeowners to look at their homes holistically,” says Adam.

“It is prescribing home improvements that are, in most cases, good things, but might not be the answer for all people.”

Another issue Adam has is that the rebates are limited to the existing structure, so homeowners won’t qualify if they are adding an addition—when they are more apt to look at improving the efficiency of the older, existing structure as well.

Adam sees HERD as providing greater opportunity for renovators, as homeowners who have the energy audit done will be motivated to make improvements.

Northey is not as convinced that HERD will boost businesses such as his, where there is low inventory of resale homes. Because of the tight supply, he feels home sellers will be disinclined to spend money on energy efficiency, as they’ll find buyers regardless.

“It may have potential if the market is highly competitive

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

THE CASE FOR A RENOVATION TAX CREDIT A November 2017 report by the Altus Group, prepared for the Ontario Home Builders’ Association, makes a convincing case for why the provincial government should implement an Energy Efficient Home Renovation Tax Credit.

The report found many residential renovations done by contractors are for energy efficient upgrades and that a homeowner tax credit for those improvements would have two significant benefits. First, it would reduce the amount of taxes lost to the underground economy by motivating homeowners to properly document and report renovation projects. And second, it would help the provincial government meet climate change policy objectives through a reduction in GHG emissions from the residential sector.

Residential renovations represent about $28.3 billion annually in Ontario—that’s about 4% of the province’s economy. The renovation underground economy, however, is an ongoing problem. As far back as 2008, the Ontario Construction Secretariat estimated that the underground economy represented 37% of residential renovation output in the province.

While it’s estimated that $5.2 billion was spent on energy efficiency upgrades in Ontario in 2016, Altus Group believes $2 billion leaked to the underground economy that year. If a tax credit for energy-efficient renovations had been in place in 2016 and deterred just 35% of the underground economy, $119 million in additional taxes could have been collected. The provincial portion of the HST would have accounted for $56 million. If 50% of underground economy activity had been prevented, more than $170 million could have been recouped, with the HST recovered by the provincial government totalling $80 million.

While new homes built to the standards of the Ontario Building Code that came into effect in January, 2017 use half the energy of those built in 2005, new construction accounts for just 1% of the overall building stock in Ontario. Millions of residential buildings are older, built when energy efficiency was not a priority.

The report concludes that a tax credit would incent homeowners to collect receipts from legitimate renovators, bring in additional tax revenues currently lost to the underground economy and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Ontario.

Residential renovations represent about

$28.3B annually

...more than

$170M could have

been recouped

ohba.ca

for selling and a seller has a very inefficient house,” Northey suggests. “But not in (areas where there is low supply).”

Another concern, says Northey, is that most people are more obsessed with the visuals than the efficiency of a house.

“People don’t see the benefit in spending $8,000 or $9,000 to upgrade insulation, but will spend that on quartz countertops in a heartbeat.”

However, he says if the HERD program is marketed properly, it could make inroads. “It should encourage people to take care of their home’s efficiency and take advantage of the incentives.

If it’s just for selling purposes, people won’t spend the money.”

What would offer greater value and do more to reduce the carbon footprint than the new incentives would be a revival of the Renovation Tax Credit, Northey predicts. “The tax credit influenced a lot of homeowners to carry out renovations and also combatted the underground economy since homeowners had to hire legitimate contractors.”

Groups such as Environmental Defence, a Canadian environmental action organization, and NAIMA Canada, an association for manufacturers of fibreglass, rock wool and slag wool insulation, support HERD and feel it will benefit contractors, consumers and, ultimately, the environment.

“It’s a positive. It’s going to help translate energy efficiency into market value,” says Keith Brooks of Environmental Defence Canada. “It is going to make buyers and sellers think about energy efficiency.”

Brooks says 20% of carbon emissions in Ontario and up to 50% in urban centres such as Toronto are caused by buildings, so it’s important to retrofit aging stock. “A buyer should know what they buying,” he says. “There is a responsibility on the seller. If they are selling a shoddy home, the buyer should know. You can’t buy a car, a fridge or a TV without energy efficiency ratings, yet you can buy a home, and it’s the single largest purchase you’ll make!”

To reach the Ontario Government’s 2030 GHG reduction targets in the residential sector, a layered approach is necessary, says Jay Nordenstrom, executive director of NAIMA Canada.

And HERD is a critical component, where incentives are offered and supported by programs such as aerial thermal imaging reporting (ATIR). Failing a layered approach based on HERD, 2030 greenhouse gas commitments and energy reduction targets will not be met, he says. Although Nordenstorm expects all programs to struggle, HERD will come closest, he says, reaching

50% of the target by accessing homes prior to sale.

In areas where mandatory HERD has been introduced, benefits go beyond fighting climate change, Nordenstrom points out. For example, homeowners enjoy increased home value, greater consumer protection and increased comfort.

While the Ontario Real Estate Association has vehemently opposed HERD, claiming it would create red tape, delay transactions and hurt seniors relying on home equity to fund their retirements, not all realtors see it as a negative. Richard Luciani, president and broker of record for Cedar Point Realty Corp. and chair of the OHBA’s Sales and Marketing Committee, supports the proposal.

“I think any time a home seller or potential buyer is better informed about a home, that’s a benefit to everyone,” says Luciani. And while older homes are not going to rate as well as newer ones, some people are willing to make that trade-off in exchange for the charm or location an older home may offer— just like people who want an older, classic car know it’s not going to be as fuel efficient as a newer car, he notes.

If homeowners renovate a kitchen or bathroom, buyers tend to “fall in love with the optics and cosmetic stuff up front,” Luciani says. However, homeowners should also be able to benefit from hidden improvements they’ve made that improve energy efficiency, and HERD would provide that opportunity.

Luciani feels that HERD could be an advantage for some sellers. “You’re starting with a similar playing field and if the owner of a 100-year-old house made improvements along the way and updated the energy efficiency, why shouldn’t they have an advantage over other old houses in the neighbourhood?

And it’s a technical, scientific measurement—the process is the same for every house.”

AN ENGAGING OPPORTUNITY While not a ‘green’ initiative, the new Graduated Apprenticeship Grant for Employers (GAGE) is another new incentive, providing money for training apprentices in more than 100 trades. This could help ease the skilled trades shortage by encouraging builders, renovators and others to take on apprentices. The new program offers more money than the previous program, opens it to more trades and offers bonuses for hiring apprentices from an under-represented group.

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47

Get With the Program

Green Ontario Fund Funded through proceeds from Ontario’s carbon market, the Green Ontario Fund is a not-for-profit provincial agency tasked with reducing greenhouse gas pollution in buildings and industry to help meet Ontario’s emission reduction targets. It offers a range of homeowner rebates for everything from window and insulation upgrades to geothermal systems and charging stations for electric vehicles. Work must be carried out by qualified contractors. Some requirements are stringent. For example, windows must be on Energy Star’s Most Efficient models list, be certified to Climate Zone 3 and must replace existing windows. Homeowners can receive up to $500 per eligible window, up to a total of 10. The cost per window must exceed $500 to qualify. For insulation, R-values must be a minimum of R20 for exterior and basement, and R50 for attics.

Greenon.ca

Home Energy Rating and Disclosure HERD is part of the Ontario government’s Five Year Climate Change Action Plan to promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and to facilitate the shift to a low-carbon economy. Homeowners would be required to have a home energy audit (which will be paid for by the government) conducted prior to the sale of a home, with that resulting information to be provided on the sales listing.

HERD was to be implemented this year. However, the launch has been postponed until at least after the Ontario election.

Graduated Apprenticeship Grant for Employers With GAGE, employers get money—up to $16,700—to assist with the costs of training an apprentice in more than 100 eligible trades. An apprentice must be registered in an eligible program after Nov. 14, 2017; achieve key milestones such as successfully completing levels of classroom training; and receive final certification, with either a Certificate of Apprenticeship or a Certificate of Qualification.

Bonuses of up to $2,500 are available if the apprentice is from an underrepresented group, including women, Indigenous peoples, Francophones, people with disabilities, newcomers or racialized people.

Ontario.ca/page/graduated-apprenticeship-grant-employers

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ontario home builder Renovation 2018

to train people,” says Adam. “It hasn’t made me do anything differently, but there are additional dollars and they certainly help, and it’s opening it up to more employers. We have to open up opportunities and GAGE is providing that.”

Adam works closely with Conestoga College and sources his carpenter apprentices through its Renovation Technology program, the students of which have two years of formal education and can automatically enrol into the second or third year of the GAGE apprenticeship module.

“They have experience, and because they’ve taken the program, you know they are interested in and committed to this industry,” says Adam.

As evidence, Adam’s apprentices have the opportunity to work their way up in his company. For example, one started working on site, moved on to handling mid-size projects, then to taking care of all service and warranty work. He’s now in charge of sales and design.

Ted Melchers of Melchers Construction in Komoka is also benefitting from GAGE. Currently, he has three carpenter apprentices and a waiting list from others who are interested.

“The old program offered $5,000 a year for three years for a total of $15,000. This is $16,700 over four years. It’s similar to the previous program, but has additional bonuses for hiring minority groups. I haven’t taken advantage of that yet, but will if the opportunity arises.”

What disappoints both Adam and Melchers is that ratios remain unchanged. While the correlation for all trades begins at one to one, for trades such as carpentry the ratio jumps to three journeymen for each subsequent apprentice hired, limiting how many apprentices an employer can bring on.

“The ratios are the biggest stumbling block right now in getting people into the skilled trades,” says Adam. “There is no good reason for the ratios being the way they are. We have to have one-to-one for carpentry.”

“We often hire labourers who want to go on to become apprentices from Fanshawe College’s Renovation Technician program,” says Melchers. “We are getting a couple of co-op students this summer and they’re interested in signing up for the apprenticeship. But because of the ratio, they have to wait until we have space for them. It really limits the number of apprentices you can hire, and in our immediate area there is a shortage of licensed carpenters. It would be nice to get more into the industry.”

“Any new incentives are good,” says Adam. “The whole industry needs to do a better job promoting apprenticeships and make sure we have opportunities available. But with ratios way they are, they are limiting ways we can grow those opportunities.”

A pilot project might ease the burden some companies face in meeting the ratios. Developed by EnerQuality and the Ontario Home Builders’ Association to allow small to medium-sized businesses to share apprenticeships, the program will be launched in London and Durham Region later this year. In collaboration with Ontario Centre for Workforce Innovation, it will evaluate whether this type of model might be prove effective for the construction industry.

If successful, it might help grease the wheels of every incentive program in Ontario. OHB ohba.ca

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Ontario Premier and Liberal leader Kathleen Wynne

Ontario Progressive Conservative leader Doug Ford

Ontario New Domocratic Party leader Andrea Horvath

Asked & Answered

Ontario’s three major political parties weigh in on pressing OHBA questions

With the Ontario election date set for June 7, and with provincial political parties aggressively campaigning for every vote across Ontario, the OHBA provided the leaders of the Ontario Liberal Party, the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario and the Ontario New Democratic Party with three key questions of interest to OHBA members. In this, the last story in a three-feature series leading up to the election, OHBA presents the complete, unedited answers submitted by each of these parties, while providing commentary and assessment of their responses. ohba.ca

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

51

Previous page: Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne signed OHBA’s #homebeliever pledge at OHBA’s Advocacy Day at Queen’s Park on April 10. Doug Ford, leader of the Ontario PC party. Andrea Horvath received a toolbox full of information about OHBA’s position on housing issues in Ontario when the Ontario NDP Leader addressed the OHBA Board of Directors. Ontario’s General Election is set for June 7.

Q:

Everyone agrees that Ontario needs more homes to improve affordability. What will your party do to ensure that we can build more homes and have less politics impacting the supply of new housing in communities across Ontario.

A:

Liberals: We believe that everyone deserves an affordable home that works for them and their family.

Increasing the supply of housing overall is a key step in achieving that goal. That’s why we: • I ntroduced a targeted $125-million, five-year program to further encourage the construction of new rental apartment buildings by rebating a portion of development charges.

• C reated the Housing Delivery Group to identify barriers to specific housing development projects and work

52

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

with developers and municipalities to find solutions.

• E stablished a multi-ministry working group that worked with the development industry and municipalities to identify opportunities to streamline the development approvals process.

• R eleased a number of provincial properties for redevelopment across the GTHA to create mixed communities, including rental, ownership, market and affordable housing.

• Helping more people purchase their first home by doubling the maximum Land Transfer Tax refund for eligible first-time homebuyers to $4,000. This means eligible homebuyers in Ontario pay no Land Transfer Tax on the first $368,000 of the cost of their first home.

• I ncreased the permissible height of wood-frame buildings to six storeys— creating safer, more flexible and affordable design options for the construction of wood frame buildings.

We have worked with municipalities to better reflect the needs of a

growing Greater Golden Horseshoe through an updated Growth Plan.

New provisions include requiring that municipalities consider the appropriate range of unit sizes in higher density residential buildings to accommodate a diverse range of household sizes and incomes. This will help support the goals of creating complete communities that are vibrant, transit-supportive and economically competitive, while doing more to address climate change, protect the region’s natural heritage and prevent the loss of irreplaceable farmland.

There is much more that can be done to increase the supply of housing and we are committed to working with our partners to continue to deliver more opportunities to expand housing supply where it is needed across Ontario.

PCs: The biggest barrier to new construction projects is the amount of red tape in the development process. The amount of time and money it takes to get approval on a ohba.ca

decades, provincial and federal governments have downloaded responsibilities onto municipalities and the private sector. The market, predictably and underWe will do standably, has responded our part to by supplying homes mainly for the middle and upper reduce red end of the housing martape in the ket, while excluding many lower-income families. housing This must change. An NDP sector government will do its part and the to ensure adequate public NDP: The Ontario piling on of investment in new affordNDP believes that housing regulations. able housing.

The Ontario NDP has is a human right. The accellong supported OMB erated construction of new reform that gives local housing, particularly new communities, municipal planners and affordable housing, is a top priority. democratically-accountable represenWe will pursue a suite of policies to tatives the authority to set the overall keep housing prices under control, vision for how their neighbourhoods while increasing the availability of grow and change—in conformity new affordable housing. with municipal and provincial plans, We recognize that the market alone policies and other laws. As this will not ensure an adequate supplanning authority shifts from the ply of affordable housing for every OMB to local communities, an NDP family who needs it. For over two project is shocking, especially when the province is in dire need of additional housing supply. We will do our part to reduce red tape in the housing sector and the constant piling on of burdensome regulations over the past 15 years of Liberal government, so that we can increase housing supply and make housing affordable.

ohba.ca

government will work with municipalities and other stakeholders to keep policies up to date and approvals consistent and fair, facilitating sustainable and responsible development, with a particular focus on new affordable housing.

OHBA Analysis: It is encouraging to note that every response from each of the parties recognizes the need for more housing choice and supply to make housing more affordable across the province. As should be expected, the Ontario Liberal response outlines the actions of the government over the last three years, including a few taken through the April 2017 Fair Housing Plan (FHP). Since the FHP announcement, the overall government residential housing approvals situation has not improved, and the government has made dramatic policy decisions that clearly undermine our industry’s ability to secure approvals and bring more homes to the market.

Overwhelmingly, the industry ontario home builder Renovation 2018

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believes that the government decision to abolish the Ontario Municipal Board and replace it with the Local Planning Appeals Tribunal will simply drive more NIMBY councils to ignore good planning and apply local political planning to any future housing supply and choice in their community. The more recent government decision to walk back its Inclusionary Zoning partnership model and simply hand the pen to the municipality to command and demand affordable units in every project they see fit only adds more politics to the housing policy framework. The Liberal response ignores these ill-advised decisions, and although there is a commitment to work with partners, the reality is that the last year of working with this government has resulted in more housing politics and not more housing choice and supply.

However, it is important to note that this government’s decision to permit six-storey wood has resulted in more than 60 projects (from occupied to designed) across Ontario.

This OBC change, supported by OHBA through evidence-based advocacy, has had a positive impact on housing choice and supply, with more to come.

OHBA appreciates that the PC’s answer goes right after the fundamental issues for the industry: Let’s get through the red tape and get on with building the housing choice and supply we need to make things affordable across Ontario.

And it’s good to see that the NDP recognize the limitations of the market to provide housing and to go on the record about investing directly into building new affordable housing.

The NDP has held a long-standing position to abolish the OMB, but at least there is some recognition that municipalities must update their policies to support housing choice and supply.

Q:

The underground economy continues to negatively impact the renovation sector. Will your party consider introducing

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a consumer-focused home renovation tax credit so that homeowners can update their homes to match their needs, lower their bills and use legitimate contractors to fight the underground economy?

agree that contractors who perform such work should be legitimate and comply with the rules.

OHBA Analysis: Since the HST was introduced in 2010, OHBA has been pressing government to take comprehensive, purposeful steps to deal with the ever-growing underground cash economy as consumers look to avoid the dreaded HST on Liberals: As a government, labour. Combine that consumer motiwe are committed to addressing the vation with the avoidance of business underground economy, particularly registration, health and safety policies in the home renovation sector. That’s and consumer warranties by cash-conwhy, in Fall 2017, Ontario completed tractors, and government has made the an education campaign to inform the situation worse. It needs to be implepublic on how participation in the menting systems that will underground economy puts make it easier and safer for people at risk of poor workconsumers to hire renovation manship, lack of warranty, contractors while supporting fraud, personal liability and legitimate renovators who health and safety issues. This are playing by the rules and online campaign was very looking out for their clients. successful, achieving more All three parties recognize than 120 million views across that consumers should be social media platforms, using professional contracon popular websites and As a tors when making improvethrough search tactics. The government, ments to their homes as government will continue to we are an extension of consumer deliver on its commitment to fight the underground committed to protection and awareness.

Specific to the creation of economy to support a tax addressing consumer tax credit, the system where everyone pays the NDP has always focused on their fair share. underground linking it back to fighting climate change and reduceconomy, ing household operating PCs: The underparticularly costs. This is what the ground economy has a large impact on the home in the home current government’s GreenON programs do by building industry. It is renovation pre-approving contractors important for homeowners sector. who can participate in the and consumers to underGreenON program to help stand the importance of facilitate consumer rebates professional workers who on windows and insulation. will stand by their work, The PCs continue to support the need and the potential repercussions of to consider all the options to combat not using appropriately trained conthe underground economy to both tractors. The province should seriprotect consumers and to support ously consider all options to protect professional renovators. homeowners and drive consumers to the use of legitimate contractors.

A:

NDP: Yes. The Ontario NDP has long supported tax credits to help homeowners reduce their carbon footprint and cut energy costs. We

Q:

Increasing apprenticeships and training are a major priority for the construction sector to ohba.ca

ensure that Ontario can address the skilled labour shortage in Ontario. What will your party do to modernize Ontario’s training system to provide more opportunities in the skilled trades?

A:

Liberals: In January, we launched Ontario’s Apprenticeship Modernization Strategy after sectorwide consultations in 2017. Over 1,000 people took part in these consultations, identifying challenges and gaps in Ontario’s apprenticeship system and proposing innovative solutions. The strategy seeks to generate greater awareness about the varied career opportunities offered in the skilled trades through apprenticeship, while setting up supports for apprentices and employers. This includes a province-wide marketing strategy already underway, initiatives to make the skilled trades more reflective of our diverse communities by reaching out to underrepresented groups, simpler and easier digital tools to support apprentices through their journey and financial incentives for employers to hire apprentices and help them succeed.

The Graduated Apprenticeship Grant for Employers will support employers by providing financial incentives throughout apprenticeship training to completion. Employers are also eligible to receive additional grants if they hire apprentices from underrepresented communities. We remain committed to working with sector partners to advance this strategy together (in order) to strengthen and support our dynamic skilled trades sector, which brings jobs, growth and pride to communities across the province.

We are also investing $170 million over three years to modernize apprenticeship in Ontario, with an emphasis on improving access and completion rates. This includes increasing youth participation by expanding the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program and providing high school 56

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

jurisdiction in North America. The creation of the Ontario College of Trades, as well as its overarching regulatory powers on everything from trade enforcement to ratios to the compulsory status of a trade, has only confused and distracted from the only question that our industry cares about: Are we creating opportunities and training the next generation of skilled tradespeople?

Overwhelmingly, the industry says, “No!” And we see more trades shortages across Ontario as the housing economy continues to provide over PCs: The skills gap in Ontario 350,000 well-paying jobs a year. costs the province more than $24 In the past year, the government billion in lost GDP. A key part of has refocused its policy by taking solving this problem is encouraging the perspective of the apprenticemore Ontarians to pursue careers ship as they map out the barriers to in the skilled trades. We can do this completing the trade ticket. Included by removing barriers and making in that was the new Graduated it easier to enter the skilled trades.

Apprenticeship Grant for Employers We look forward to working with (GAGE) mentioned in the response, all stakeholders to make a career in along with supporting the skilled trades easier for new employer-sponsored hardworking Ontarians. apprenticeship pools. OHBA has publicly supported both new initiatives as the first NDP: New Democrats real steps in encouraging support the skilled construcemployers to work with govtion trades leadership in ernment to close the skilled developing the skilled worktrades gap. ers of the future through Both the PC and NDP apprenticeship programs, The option parties recognize that there and ongoing health and to enter is a skilled trades gap that safety and skills developthe trades needs to be addressed. ment. The option to enter While the NDP looks forthe trades should be clear should be ward to bringing all stakefor everyone beginning clear for holders together to ensure or restarting their career. everyone there are opportunities, the An NDP government will work with tradespeople, beginning or PC response directly states that the need to remove employers and educational restarting barriers is a key priorinstitutions to ensure that their career. ity. OHBA has long stated there are opportunities that promoting a career in available for education and the skilled trades in our apprenticeships, and that schools needs to be supour tradespeople have the ported by opportunities with employskills and knowledge for a lifetime of ers. That is how we turn jobs into building Ontario into the place it can careers, and how we will close the be for all of us. skilled trades gap across Ontario.

OHBA appreciates that all three parties responded to our industry OHBA Analysis: Over the questions and urge all eligible voters past three years, OHBA has been to exercise their democratic right working with the Ontario Skills and vote in the upcoming provincial Trade Alliance to make Ontario the election. OHB leading apprenticeship and training students with more trades-related hands-on learning opportunities.

We have also created a new grant to promote pooled sponsorship models and a fund to support locally developed apprenticeship initiatives. We have reworked tax credits for employers so that they incentivize completion rates and created an Office of Apprenticeship Opportunity to help support underrepresented groups become apprentices and enter the skilled trades.

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Akin to this Men at Work project in Toronto, contemporary is the dominant style and white the popular colour for kitchens in 2018.

Some 78% of survey respondents cited heated bathroom flooring, such as this Schluter system, as popular in renovations.

NOW TRENDING French door fridges, built-in dishwashers, kitchen gas cooktops and laminate backsplashes are all hot items.

NKBA members weigh in on what’s hot for kitchens and bathrooms in 2018 When it comes to putting a finger on what’s happening with a home’s two most renovated rooms, no one does it better than the Canadian and American chapters of the the National Kitchen & Bath Association. In its 2018 Design Trends Report, the NKBA identifies the latest in client requests for their kitchen and bathroom overhauls. Here’s what’s trending, and what’s not. ohba.ca

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59

Quartz countertops (Silestone Eternal Calacatta shown) are still homeowners’ first choice.

As Ottawa’s OakWood project suggests, hardwood flooring rules kitchen flooring. It was checked off by 80% of professionals as trending.

Undermount (95%), double-bowl (78%) and island prep sinks (73%) remain popular choices.

Canadians love their frameless kitchen cabinets, with 89% of locals citing them as trendy, compared to just 68% of Americans. Under-cabinet lighting also rules.

K ITCHENS S T Y LES Contemporary-styled kitchens top the popularity chart in Canada, with 83% of professionals reporting them as “trendy” or “very trendy.” Transitional is the second most popular style (72%), while Mid-Century Modern ranks third (63%). Contemporary and Mid-Century Modern styles are significantly more popular in Canada than the U.S., while Farmhouse and Traditional are significantly less popular in Canada.

C A B I N E TRY As with their American counterparts, Canadians have a strong preference for painted cabinets (81%) and full overlay doors (83%).

When it comes to cabinet construction, however, Canadians are 60

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

significantly more likely than U.S. homeowners to choose frameless cabinets for their kitchens (89% Canadian vs. 68% U.S.).

S U R FAC ES As far as both countertops and flooring are concerned, the Canadian numbers are nearly identical to those of the U.S., with quartz by far the most popular material and hardwood the predominant flooring choice, at 94% and 80%, respectively.

In terms of backsplashes, however, Canadian tastes could not be more different. Laminate (89%), concrete (80%) and painted wallboard (78%) are in vogue in Canada, while ceramic/porcelain tile, glass and natural stone tile are top choices in the States.

S I N KS A N D FAU C E T S As with the U.S., the trendiest style of kitchen sink in Canada is undermount (95%). Double-bowl sinks and island bar/prep sinks are also trending in Canada (78% and 73%, respectively).

Not surprisingly, stainless steel is the most popular kitchen sink material, with 88% of Canadian professionals checking it off as trendy.

For the most part, taste in kitchen faucets is nearly the same in both nations, with single-handle and pulldown spray the most preferred styles, at 92% and 88%. In terms of materials and finishes, stainless steel is trending on each sides of the border (81% for both).

The only notable difference is that chrome faucets are significantly more ohba.ca

prevalent in Canada than in the States (78% vs. 61% in U.S.) and polished chrome a much more popular finish (79% vs. 58% U.S.).

C O LO U R SC H EM ES Grey and white are the trendiest kitchen colours in Canada, with 89% and 86% of respondents indicating their popularity.

A P P LIA N C ES French-door refrigerators are the trendiest style (85%) in Canada, with bottom-mount and under-mount styles earning just 66% and 41%, respectively.

More than three-quarters of pros report that wine refrigerators are now popular among homeowners. A notable difference between U.S and Canada is that Canadians are significantly more likely to use decorative panels over their refrigerators/freezers than Americans (70% vs. 52%).

Among cooktops, gas is the top choice at 86%. Induction cooktops follow at 80%—significantly trendier than in the U.S. Convection ovens were reported popular by 89% of pros, followed by single-wall ovens and gas ranges, at 77% and 75%, respectively.

Canadian preferences for dishwashers mirror the U.S., with homeowners overwhelmingly choosing door styles (89%) that are built-in (88%). Once again, decorative panels seem to be trending more in Canada than the U.S., as 77% of Canadian professionals report that these are a popular dishwasher installation, versus 58% of American respondents.

LIG H TI N G Canadians’ preference for bathroom lighting fixtures echoes that of Americans. Their top three choices are under-cabinet lighting (97%), recessed lights (94%) and pendant lights (84%).

TEC H N O LO GY When it comes to integrating technology into kitchen designs, both countries are on the same page. Wall-mounted flat-screens are the most popular device homeowners already have in their kitchens (65%), followed by docking/ charging stations (45%) and distributed audio (31%). ohba.ca

Single-handle and pull-down spray faucets still reign.

Freestanding tubs were cited by 90% of pros, compared to second-placed skirted tubs, at just 41%.

White and grey remain the popular colours for bathrooms, while the predominant style is Transitional.

C OS T S The number of Canadian respondents participating in the 2018 Design Trends Study is too small to report the median cost of remodelling small, medium and large kitchens. But if it helps, in the U.S., including parts and labour,

the median cost of remodelling a small kitchen (less than 150 square feet) in 2017 was $32,500 US. A medium kitchen (150-350 square feet) rang in at $47,500 US and a large kitchen (more than 350 square feet) averaged $65,000 US.

BATHROOMS S T Y LES As with American homeowners, Canadians have a strong preference for these styles in bathrooms: Transitional (67%), Contemporary (57%) and Traditional (52%). Canadian pros also report that Industrial-style bathrooms are very popular among their clients (also at 57%).

C A B I N E TRY Wood is the material of choice for bathroom vanity doors, with 83% of respondents citing it as trendy.

Laminate, glass and acrylic are currently much less popular at 33%, 33% and 29%, respectively. Echoing a trend south of the border, both built-in and furniture-like pieces are common in ontario home builder Renovation 2018

61

THE DECISION MAKERS 94% of respondents were NKBA members.

2% of respondents are 6 K&B designers, dealers or remodellers.

77% of respondents are female. he majority of respondents are T sole proprietors or firms with nine or fewer employees. ost companies represented M have revenues greater than $1 million annually.

COMPANY REVENUE Under $100,000..........................8% $100,000

to $249,999........2%

$250,000

to $499,999........9%

$500,000

to $999,999.......8%

Over $1 million..............................40% (Only 77% polled responded; 6% answered, “Don’t Know,” and 17% responded, “I prefer not to answer.”)

pros reporting their popularity. Skirted (41%) and platform (24%) models placed well behind. And white appears to be right when it comes to fixture colours, with a whopping 88%, followed by black (31%) and silver/grey (29%). (Silver/grey fixtures are significantly more popular in the U.S., while black is trendier in Canada.)

CO LO U R SC H EM ES White and grey are also hot colours in Canadian bathrooms, with both being rated trendy by 88% of industry pros.

Although blues and blacks are far less noteworthy at 53%, that’s a much higher number than in the States, where a mere 31% of professionals cited those colours as popular).

LIG H TI N G Similar to U.S. results, shower lighting (91%) and recessed fixtures (79%) are the two most popular lighting options seen in Canadian bathrooms.

Pendant lights follow in third place at 71%.

S U S TA I N A B I LIT Y The energy-efficient and water-saving products that Canadians are most likely to be installing in their bathroom designs include LED lightbulbs (85%), low-flow toilets (81%) and heated bathroom floors (78%).

TEC H N O LO GY

Shower lighting, recessed fixtures and LED lighting were dominant among survey respondents.

Canadian bathrooms (83% and 69%).

Unlike the U.S., however, frameless cabinets are the predominant choice in Canada, garnering a high vote of 83%, while framed cabinets were cited by just 12% of respondents).

S U R FAC ES The top surface choices in Canadian bathrooms are identical to those in the United States: quartz countertops, porcelain-tiled floors and painted walls are the overwhelming favourites at 95%, 83% and 88%, respectively.

SINKS AND FAUCETS As in the U.S., the trendiest style of kitchen sink is under-mount, with 85% 62

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

reporting they are trendy. Vessel sinks (59%) and integrated sinks (43%) rank a distant second and third. Porcelain is the predominant material choice in Canada at 76%. Glass (29%), decorative metal (29%) and stainless steel (24%) currently pale by comparison.

Just as polished chrome dominates among kitchen faucet finishes in Canadian kitchens, so too is that the case on bathroom faucets. Its 81% rating on the trendy scale finished well ahead of brushed nickel (62%) and polished nickel (60%).

B ATH T U B S In Canada, just as in the U.S., freestanding tubs are all the rage, with 90% of

Although technology is taking over our lives, it hasn’t invaded the bathroom in much respect. Only a small percentage of Canadian homeowners have wall-mounted flat screen TVs in their bathrooms (19%), lighting controls connected to their mobile devices (17%), steam shower controls (17%) and smart bidet toilet seats (16%).

COS T S While the NKBA cited the number of Canadian respondents participating in the 2018 Design Trends Study as too small to report the median cost of remodelling bathrooms, south of the border the median costs of remodeling a master bathroom were $35,000 US, $15,000 US for a guest/second bathroom remodel and $7,500 US for a powder room. OHB ohba.ca

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ontario home builder Renovation 2018

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This year’s best vehicles for the job

By T e d M c I n t y r e

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ohba.ca

The world may have gone digital, but few people appreciate the need to get up close and personal with products better than tradespeople and general contractors.

Such is the case when choosing a new vehicle to carry the load. But which truck or van best suits your individual needs?

1

Chevy’s 1500 LT Double Cab offers best-in-class towing.

2

3

Here are nine of the latest four-wheelers to help get your company rolling smoothly for years to come.

Chevy Silverado 2500HD LT Crew Cab 4x4

Chevy Silverado 1500 LT 4x4 Double Cab

The menacing-looking 2500HD offers two heavy-duty truck engines: the standard gaspowered Vortec 6.0L V8 and the available Duramax 6.6L V8 Turbo-Diesel, the latter of which generates 910 lb.-ft. of torque and 445hp for a sublime towing experience—particularly with a fifth wheel option to accommodate larger towing needs. The maximum payload is 3,534 lbs.

Also available is Chevy’s driver behaviour monitor, which provides real-time in-cabin alerts to encourage positive driver behaviour, while keeping an extensive log of information for the driver and vehicle owner.

Built to seat up to five comfortably, without sacrificing an inch of cargo space, the 1500 LT Double Cab includes a full-size back seat. It offers best-in-class V8 towing of 12,500 lbs with the optional 6.2L V8. HID headlamps with LED signature lights are standard.

1

Price: From $56.535 + freight

ohba.ca

2

Price: From $47,105 + freight Why They Will Work For You: If you’re regularly towing a trailer, Chevy offers a suite of technologies to make life easier.

The roll-formed high-strength steel bed—designed to be stronger than aluminum and lighter than stamped steel—is ideal for those who primarily

The Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD is a towing brute.

use their vehicles as real work trucks, such as landscapers and construction trades.

There’s also a number of GM Accessories to add functionality to the bed, ranging from tonneau covers to tool boxes and additional tie-downs.

The integrated bumper step, meanwhile, is handy for those who frequently climb in and out of the bed. Available LED bed lighting allows you to keep working after the sun’s gone down. And the Silverado LD and HD (as well as Colorado) all offer box-delete and cab and chassis options so that you can upfit the trucks to suit your individual requirements.

Tech-wise, apart from the standard rear vision camera, this is the first truck to offer built-in 4G LTE wifi, including a 110 volt outlet, four USB plugs, three 12V plugs and

Ford’s F-Series is a perennial best-seller.

wireless charging. Features also include OnStar, a centre console that fits hanging file folders, a laptop, etc., and the MyChevrolet app with remote start, unlocking/locking and vehicle diagnostics.

3

ord F F-150

The F-Series has been Canada’s best-selling line of pickups for 52 years.

Tougher and smarter in 2018 with available best-inclass towing and payload, it features new front and rear styling. It’s also family friendly, with top-rated safety features including available pre-collision assist with pedestrian detection.

SYNC Connect with Ford Pass

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

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4

Crossover king, the Honda Ridgeline.

Cheapest Trucks to Insure in Canada

The Toyota Tundra Double Cab Limited.

5

provides a wifi hotspot for up to 10 devices at a time to allow you and your family to stay connected wherever you are, while you can remotely access key vehicle information and features (remote start, lock/unlock). Features also include Pro Trailer Backup Assist and LED sidemirror spotlights.

Why It Will Work For You: With five engines and many configuration options, including the new XL SuperCrew trim level and available 3.0L Power Stroke Turbo Diesel engine, you can build the perfect F-150 to fit your life and jobsite.

Price: From $30,649 66

How do the best-selling trucks rank in their auto insurance costs? To get a feel for which trucks are the cheapest to insure, InsuranceHotline.com compared quotes for Canada’s top-selling trucks in six Ontario cities (Ajax, Cambridge, London, Ottawa, Peterborough and Toronto) and then ranked the trends they noted. One specific trend they observed was that for drivers interested in the cost of insurance as much as a truck’s towing capacity or how much cargo can be hauled, the GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado consistently came out on top as the cheapest trucks to insure.

Here’s a ranking of the best 10.

4

onda H Ridgeline

Named one of the 10 Best Trucks and SUVs in 2017 by Car & Driver, the Ridgeline excels in its crossover ability between work and family life, with a luxurious, responsive ride fed by a zippy 280-hp V6 and sixspeed automatic transmission (front-wheel drive is standard; all-wheel drive is optional).

It’s decked out with easily folding seats and Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto, among other delights, including Honda Sensing safe-driving technologies. The optional Truck-Bed Audio System is a nice touch.

Why It Will Work For You: Equipped to tow 5,000 lbs., with a payload

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

capacity in excess of 1,500 lbs., the Ridgeline includes convenient features like the dual-action tailgate that makes reaching into the bed much easier, as well as an in-bed trunk that keeps tools secure on the jobsite—all of which help make this a very handy vehicle for most contractors.

Price: From $37,250

1. G MC Canyon 2. Chevrolet Colorado 3. Nissan Frontier 4. Toyota Tacoma 5. Nissan Titan 6. T oyota Tundra 7. F ord F-Series 8. Chevrolet Silverado 9. GMC Sierra

5

10. R am Pickup

Toyota Tundra

With towing packages, both the 4X4 Tundra SR5 Double Cab with long bed (8.1 feet) and 4X4 Tundra Limited

*From the No. 1 position to the 10th spot, the difference in average quoted premiums came in at about $159 a year.

—SOURCE: InsuranceHotline.com ohba.ca

Double Cab with standard bed (6.5 feet) are ideal options for contractors. (There’s also CrewMax cabs with 5.5’ beds.)

Each is fitted with a 381-hp, 5.7L i-Force V8 that kick out up to 401 lb.-ft. of torque.

Towing capacity ranges from 8,800-10,000 lbs., depending on the model, both of which feature Toyota’s on-demand, one-touch 4WD system with auto limited-slip rear differential. New for 2018, all models are standardequipped with Toyota Safety Sense P, a bundle of active safety technologies. Aesthetic improvements include a new grille and headlight design, plus LED daytime running lights.

Why They Will Work For You: For contractors looking for capacity and flexibility, the SR5 and Limited models are both rugged and powerful, yet subtly refined. And for those who need room for as many as six, there’s plenty of space in the SR5 Double Cab, including an under-seat tray for additional storage. Convenient features include an easy-lower-andlift, locking tailgate that’s also a breeze to remove, as well as large door handles that are simple to use even while wearing thick work gloves.

Price: 4X4 Tundra SR5 Double Cab with long bed (from $46,590); 4X4 Tundra Limited Double Cab with standard bed (from $55,890)

6

ercedesM Benz Sprinter

Featuring a best-in-class 530 cubic feet of cargo space, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Cargo Van comes with a highly efficient and ohba.ca

powerful V6, 3.0 L, BlueTEC diesel engine, with a 5-speed transmission, 188 hp, and 325-lb.-ft. of torque. The Adaptive ESP electronic stability program helps stabilize the vehicle in critical driving situations, taking into consideration the vehicle load. The latest generation also includes the new Brake Disk Wipe, which applies slight braking pressure during rain and in wet conditions to remove the film of water from the brake disk.

6

Why It Will Work For You: The Sprinter is well suited to trades with larger tools and with supplies that require room to stand up, from plumbers and HVAC specialists to drywall contractors and window installers. There are eight different Sprinter models to help you find the ideal dimensions to suit your tasks.

A tight turning radius and low height give the Mercedes Metris plenty of flexibilty.

Mercedes’ Sprinter offers a whopping 530 cubic feet of cargo space.

7

Price: From $40,000 ($1,000 OHBA member discount)

7

ercedesM Benz Metris

Available in lengths of 514 cms and 536 cms, the Metris Cargo Van’s fuel-efficient 2.0 L, 4-cylinder turbocharged gas engine with direct injection generates 208 hp / 258 lb.-ft. of torque. Featuring a 7-speed automatic transmission, a maximum payload of 2,502 lbs. and towing capacity of 5,000 lbs., the Metris “carries more, hauls more and does more than any other van in its class,” says Mercedes. Safety features include Blind Spot Assist and Mercedes’ own Adaptive ESP with Trailer Stability Assist, Collision Prevention Assist and Crosswind Assist.

The Truck Starts Here: Top 10 in ’17 Rank

Best-Selling Truck 2017

2016

% Change

#1

Ford F-Series

155,290

145,409

6.8%

#2

Ram P/U

98,465

89,866

9.8%

#3

GMC Sierra

61,883

51,091

21.1%

#4

Chevrolet Silverado

59,066

44,932

31.5%

#5

Toyota Tacoma

12,454

12,618

-1.3%

#6

Toyota Tundra

9,442

11,364

-16.9%

#7

Chevrolet Colorado

8,060

6,569

22.7%

#8

GMC Canyon

6,260

6,083

2.9%

#9

Nissan Titan

5,692

2,715

109.7%

#10

Nissan Frontier

4,260

4,127

3.2%

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

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8

Big brakes and a muscular build make the Ram 1500 Tradesman ideal for the industry.

Available in three models, the Nissan NV Cargo Van combines comfort and capacity.

Why It Will Work For You: Its tight turning radius makes the Metris perfect for contractors who tend to work on narrow streets and crowded jobsites, while its 6’2” height gives it access to parkades, garages and other low-ceiling structures.

Price: From $50,000 ($1,000 OHBA member discount)

8

Ram 1500 Tradesman Model

Targeting vocational use, the all-new 2019 Ram 1500 Tradesman is a hard-working truck designed for small businesses, construction jobsites and commercial fleets. Available in two cab styles—Quad Cab with a 6’4” bed, and Crew Cab with a 5’7” short bed or optional 6’4” bed—it features a 3.6L Pentastar V-6 with eTorque mild hybrid system or optional 5.7L HEMI V-8.

Available in 4x2 or 4x4, this 68

muscular model with its handsome black grille and black steel bumpers provides up to 12,750 lbs. of towing capability and 2,300 lbs. of payload in the four-door quad cab configuration. All 2019 Ram 1500 models also feature the largest front brakes in the segment at 14.9”. The interior includes Uconnect 5.0 with a 5” screen and hands-free calling, oneyear of SiriusXM satellite radio, a 12v auxiliary power outlet and three USB ports.

Why It Will Work For You: A variety of standard features make this an ideal fit for several trades, including a cargo bed lamp, front and rear Frequency Response Damping shock absorbers, rear-view camera, halogen headlamps, remote keyless entry and a theft-deterrent system, as well as a Class III trailer hitch and lighted, abovebumper four- and seven-pin trailer wire connectors and a rear coil suspension that provides best-in-class rideand-handling qualities. All

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

with an unsurpassed fiveyear, 100,000 km powertrain warranty.

Price: From $42,095, not including $1,895

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It also features arguably Canada’s best commercial van warranty, featuring bumperto-bumper coverage of five years/160,000 kms.

destination charge.

Why It Will Work For You: If you’re

9

Nissan NV Cargo Van

Featuring a rugged body-onframe construction across the entire three-model lineup, the 2018 Nissan NV Cargo is offered in both a standard Roof and High Roof version, the latter providing a maximum 76.9” cargo room height, enough for most users to move about the cargo area while standing up straight. Standard Roof models are designed to easily negotiate most garages, car washes and fast food drive-through lanes, while providing easier access to roof racks. Interior technology includes NissanConnect with navigation and mobile apps, featuring a 5.8” touch screen display and voice recognition.

looking for pickup truck-like driving comfort, interior amenities and drivability, combined with a cargo van’s capacity and security, this is the truck for you. Conceived as a mobile office as well as a mobile workshop, it features wide door openings and a long, wide cargo floor with square-top wheelwell housings and nearly vertical sidewalls, allowing room to fit two 40”x48” pallets, 10’ of piping or 4’x8’ drywall sheets.

There’s also piles of storage options inside the cabin, while the out-front engine design frees up space under the instrument panel and between the seats. “Upfitter pre-wiring” comes standard in the cargo area for easy access into the electrical system.

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ohba.ca

It’s About Time

10 hints from the experts on how to be as productive as possible, while not losing your mind

By T e d M c I n t y r e

“Time is what we want most, but what we use worst,� English real estate entrepreneur William Penn once observed. As a philosopher, early advocate of democracy and religious freedom and founder of the State of Pennsylvania, Penn was indeed a busy guy. But even he could not have anticipated the multitude of time constraints that modern life would come to weigh upon us.

Those in the home building, contracting and renovation fields appreciate those challenges as much as anyone, with current demand usually exceeding that which can humanly be supplied. But for those taking the time to read this, here are 10 pieces of advice to help you make the most of the time you have, and to maintain your sanity in the process. ohba.ca

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“Carving time for the most critical elements is key.”

1.

Maintain a Routine as Much as Possible Knowing what your workweek will look like before it starts can have a calming effect, and helps guarantee that things will never get too far off track. “One thing I’ve started to do—something that’s worked really well for other contractors I’ve talked to—has been to budget my week out,” says Peder Madsen, owner of CCR Building and Remodeling in London and president of the London Home Builders’ Association. “I only go on site two days a week, and am locked in the office three days a week, barring anything crazy that might come up.”

2.

Train Your Brain to be More Positive It’s easy to be overwhelmed.

But great productive minds think alike. Instead of adopting a “woe is me” mentality, they think of solutions to the hurdles in front of them.

Instead of thinking, “Oh no!

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How am I ever going to get all this done?” they think, “I need to accomplish A, B and C by Thursday. What’s the best way to accomplish those tasks?” As opposed to telling themselves, “I am so stressed!

I wish this or that were the case,” they ask themselves, “What is causing this stress?

How can I change things to make my life easier?”

The words and phrases you use either empower you or they don’t. So if you tend to be negative, change the way you’re thinking to be more positive and productive.

3.

Identify Your Priorities “On the productivity side, the critical thing is recognizing what the business priorities are, and then remaining focused on them for the majority of your day,” advises Eurodale Development’s Brendan Charters. “Prioritizing things and carving time for the most critical elements is key. In a world of distractions, keeping focused on those top priorities is paramount. There will never be enough time in the day to do everything, and the stuff we dislike doing can be easily procrastinated away. In this business, there’s always something being presented to you that will keep you ‘busy,’ but very few of those

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

things will help to pay the bills at the end of the day.

Depending on your role in a company, identifying your main stakeholders can help create that priority list. In the ownership/management side of the business, active customers are key, as they selected you, you committed to them and there is a shared delivery on promises that is required. They should always be priority one.

“Priority two would be the people that help you deliver on those promises— your team of employees, trades and suppliers—in that order,” says Charters.

“Close connections to their deliverables and needs is important to ensure work is being done, done well and that they are all productive, safe and happy as they go about their workday.

“Next is to focus on a revenue-generating activity, as we always need to dig the well long before we get thirsty,” Charters adds.

“Some form of selling, be it quoting new projects, marketing for leads or perfecting your company image and brand or sales process, is always time well spent.

Without customers, nothing happens, so they are critical.

Without support from your team, there is a failure to deliver, and that will ultimately impact your bottom line, which makes them next on the importance scale.

Working on the business’s ability to attract customers and talent would be next.

Anything that comes at you from outside those top three can wait, if necessary.”

Jamie Adam, president of Pioneer Craftsmen and OHBA Renovators’ Council chair. employs a strategy of his own to keep sight of what’s

important—something he calls their buzz board. “It’s a large white board that has monthly goals for items like GP (gross profit), client satisfaction, sales, etc.,” Adams explains. “We report progress on those goals to the entire team each month at an all-staff meeting. With everyone seeing exactly the same numbers, we can either celebrate our success or rally together to figure out how we will get back on track.

When the right numbers are tracked and reported, you also create a set of benchmarks you can work at improving in the long term.”

4.

Establish Targets, Timelines and Routines Many “to-do” lists for the day or week can be overly ambitious. Try chopping off one-third of it. There’s something to be said for the momentum you’ll gain from checking tasks off a realistic list. As for the remaining duties, beyond the deadlines you already have in place with your clients, set clear, well-defined times to knock off your other tasks as well.

And keep a routine to help you and your team stay focused. “We have regularly scheduled strategy meetings once a month with our management team,” notes Pioneer’s Jamie Adam. “We have our business plan that ohba.ca

looks out one year, three years and five years, which is really important. But at our monthly strategy meetings, we set, discuss and update each other on our 90-day goals. These smaller goals all relate to our larger plan, and they are things that we can directly influence. Our oneyear business plan might call for revenue growth, while one of our supporting 90-day goals might be the onboarding of a new sales person. This brings us all back to the same page, ensures that actions happen each month on the important 90-day goals and allows the team to succeed.”

be! I recently had to change phones and was trying to figure out how to get the notifications to work—my buddies all message each other on What’s App. And Facebook would notify me that I had 10 new Facebook messages. And you know what? I’ve only had this new phone for a week, but I feel like I have this extra energy.

So I’m not going to bother learning how to set up those notifications!”

6.

Get Organized!

5.

Stop Living on Your Smartphone Smartphones are where productivity goes to die.

“As soon as I get up in the morning, I don’t reach for my phone to see what messages I received during the night,” says CCR’s Peder Madsen. “I get my two-yearold son ready for daycare, I try to enjoy breakfast, and then I wait until I get to the office—and then I deal with the day. I’m not stepping right into fightor-flight moments at 6 a.m.

And I try to stay off social media as much as I can.

Actually, my new phone isn’t set to give me those notifications. I didn’t realize how awesome that could ohba.ca

Do you find yourself spending 15 minutes searching for a client’s plans in your office?

For a file on your desktop?

Trying to remember where you put the replacement ink for your printer? Those who survey an office that looks like it was used for a wind tunnel experiment and still say, “It’s ok—I know where everything is,” are most often lying to themselves.

It’s an age-old excuse to avoid tidying up.

While it’s a daunting task, as with spring cleaning, dedicating an entire afternoon to purging and organizing a space and your computer files can be a hugely liberating experience. And you’ll easily make up the time with a clean, organized, efficient office environment—one, incidentally, that you’ll be proud to let your clients see.

tasks for those peak hours, and the less important duties before and after. For most, that means tackling your challenging tasks before lunch, when your brain is sharp.

9.

7.

Delegate Where Possible

Take a Break There is no shortage of scientific research that highlights the detrimental effects of working yourself until you’re mentally and physically exhausted.

Studies, including those of Marianna Virtanen of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, have found that overwork and the resulting stress can lead to a variety of health problems, including impaired sleep, depression, excessive drinking, diabetes, impaired memory and heart disease. When you’re tired, you’re far less productive and, if your vocation takes you into the field, more likely to get injured on the job. A fresh brain can knock off the same task in less than half the time, so take a break.

Your brain and your body will thank you the next morning.

8.

Timing is Everything Everyone has a time of day where they’re at peak productivity, and times when they’re a tad foggy.

Schedule your high-priority

When someone gives you a new task, have them explain why it’s absolutely necessary. If they don’t come up with a really good reason, there’s a good chance it can be assigned to someone else—ideally to someone else who’s more invested in the outcome—if not dropped altogether.

10.

Resist the Urge and Learn to Shut Down Only check your emails two or three times a day, unless you’re expecting something important. And do not look at them as you’re getting into bed; it will wake your brain at the very time it needs to be shutting down.

And stay away from social media, at least until you’ve returned home for the day or during a lunch break.

Time always disappears faster than you think.

“Even when going away— I used to bring my laptop with me,” notes CCR’s Peder Madsen. “But I experienced burnout, and am still reeling from it. You don’t think it’s possible until you do too much. But it is possible.

And it’s awful.” OHB

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The Innovators Many products introduce updated versions, but every now and then, some break the mould

By T e d M c I n t y r e

SECURITY

TOOLS

HEATING

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With multiple balls in the air at any given time, Ontario’s renovating and building community is looking to save time, energy and money at every turn, without sacrificing quality.

But while manufacturers and service providers routinely update their offerings, sometimes the evolution of products or services takes a sizeable leap forward. Here’s a look at some of this year’s innovators.

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

SMART KITCHENS

ohba.ca

Live Remote Video Monitoring Caliber Communications “We identified the shortfalls in the pre-existing technologies available to the remote monitoring industry and built our business based on that starting point,” offers Chuck Alongi, V.P. of Caliber Communications.

The Stoney Creek-based operation has travelled light years since opening its doors May 15, 2015. This is video monitoring of your construction site at a completely different level. Having engineered their own proprietary hardware and software, Caliber ohba.ca

database licence plates in difficult conditions.

The live-monitoring model is based on detection and deterrents. That means instant reaction, including two-way voice command that allows the human video monitoring operator to inform the suspicious individuals that they are being watched and that the authorities will be summoned if they don’t immediately cease their illegal activities. Compare that to alert-based systems that typically require CALIBER five to 15 minutes for a response.

Able to operate on Caliber’s sychroRejust 38 watts, this live ports, meanwhile, pro4K video monitoring vide the client with the service can notify world’s first real-time perpetrators— reporting system, logand alert human ging a vast amount of monitors—in real time. information available at the client’s fingertips through an internet portal.

Their technology also makes them the only Fire Watchcertified monitoring company not requiring the need for human security.

The residual value from the data also includes the ability to alert the human monitoring operators if a previously tagged “suspicious” vehicle breaches has developed an impressive another construction site. system that monitors and And while Caliber monitors responds to security breaches sites during off-hours, clients in real time. It is the first such have access to the system if they company in the world to operlike during work hours, whether ate on the cellular infrastructhey want to observe live operature. Free from the restraints of construction site cable inter- tions or monitor for security, health and safety breaches or net, Caliber can set up quickly other improper activity. and monitor a site in 4K— much higher resolution than possible for cable-based monitoring companies—enabling Laser Range Metre them to capture sharp, hi-res Hilti PD-CS images of perpetrators’ faces and licence plates—all while Launched in November, the operating on a measly 38 PD-CS is the only measuring watts, meaning a small solar device on the market that panel is enough to power their allows you to measure, docucameras. ment and share instantly via They also developed their wifi—digitizing the entire own firmware to read and measuring process.

“Not only can you measure volumes, areas, Pythagoras, delta, etc., all these measurements can also be organized by project and can be shared as pdf reports to your office at any moment of the day via Bluetooth, email or wifi,” explains Sonia Barbier, Product Manager of Mainstream Measuring at Hilti. “That makes it handy for renovators and contractors, as they have to make many estimates during the day, on different jobsites, and then combine all that to generate quotes, order the right amount of material, etc.

Previously, you’d need multiple devices to achieve that.”

Wifi, back cameras and extra memory (8GB total) are among the new additions to this year’s model, which is now iPhone-compatible. The model is already renowned for features never seen in the market, including ‘measure from picture’ and ‘draw in picture.’ With the former, by taking a picture with the device’s top camera and keeping it at a 90° angle, the tool can estimate the dimension of the elements in the photo. With ‘draw in picture,’ you can add measurements on an existing picture that was taken with the tool’s rear camera.

Jobsite-friendly, it can be operated with gloves and rates an IP 54 (resistance to water, dust, mud…). “It’s also the only hand-sized tool that gives you the possibility to take measurements up to 656 feet, and has an accuracy of ±1/16 of an inch at 100 feet,” notes Barbier.

Sound Damping AcoustiTech Sofix Quebec-based AcoustiTech is giving people the silent treatment this year with its new Sofix system. Officially made

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Corian Resilience Technology helps Corian’s surfaces avoid damage from heat, impact and scratching.

Hilti PD-CS An all-in-one tool, the PD-CS can measure volumes, areas and much more, then share pdf reports via Bluetooth, email or wifi.

Acoustitech An array of vibration-damping structural cups are key to the Sofix’s innovative lightweight assembly.

available this past November and introduced at the Woodworks events in Toronto and Vancouver, the Sofix is the first structural acoustic panel designed to mitigate airborne and impact sound transfer while replacing the use of the concrete/gypcrete topping in light wood-frame and mass timber multi-storey/ multi-family buildings. One of its main objectives is to also offer superior sound insulation in mass timber buildings while allowing the ceiling to be exposed—something many in the industry have been looking for since such structures were first introduced.

“The innovation consists of an array of vibration-damping structural cups that can withstand pressure up to 300 pounds per square foot while maintaining their mechanical integrity, in addition to mitigating a very wide range of problematic frequencies,” says 76

David Dompierre, engineer and tech director at AcoustiTech.

“The Sofix weighs half a pound per square foot, making it one of the lightest high-efficiency materials on the market. Its light weight, ease of installation and sound-insulation properties make it a must-see solution for architects, developers and engineers.”

Resilience Technology Corian Solid Surface Whether it’s for home chefs, condominium reception desks or anything in between, Corian Design’s new Resilience Technology is raising eyebrows.

A patent-pending invention, Resilience Technology, launched in February, is based on a series of chemical and process innovations that reduce the need for maintenance while making for easier and quicker stain removal of

ontario home builder Renovation 2018

Corian Solid Surfaces.

“This best-in-class premium technology lessens physical damage from scratching, heat and impact, typical in everyday commercial environments,” says Julie Eaton, global business director of Corian Design. “Its surface looks new for a longer time and is easily maintained by end-users or homeowners through occasional washing with water and a slightly abrasive pad. And gentle washing noticeably removes low-level scratches. These properties are built into the material, and the performance lasts the entire life of the material.”

The technology also features all the properties of standard Corian products, such as design versatility, easy formability, nonporous nature and inconspicuous joints—providing architects, designers and fabricators a new and trusted easyto-work-with material.

Four colours are initially offered with the technology.

Combi Boilers IBC Better Boilers’ DC Series Consider it ‘simplified sophistication.’ A clear winner at this year’s EnerQuality Awards’ Innovation Gauntlet, IBC Better Boilers’ DC Series Dual Condensing Combi Boiler “is a forward thinking, adaptable technology with integration to smart homes—a truly unique product,” according to Shaun Joffe, Executive Director of Sustainability & Building Sciences at Great Gulf and a judge of this year’s Innovation Gauntlet participants.

A first in the industry, IBC’s DC Series features the only dual-fired appliances in the world—meaning two gas-fired components built into one cabinet—that possess both ohba.ca

IBC The DC Series are the only dualfired appliances in the world that condense in both space- and domenstic waterheating modes.

Whirlpool Several manufacturers are making food preparation as easy as pie through software integration, such as the partnership of Whirlpool and Yummly.

an AFUE rating (certified as a boiler – 96%) and EF rating (certified as a tankless water heater – .87), making them Ontario Building Code SB-12compliant in both regards.

The DC Series has revolutionized the tankless water heater and boiler industry, suggests IBC Eastern Canada Sales Manager Peter Kinsley. “It’s the only double ohba.ca

high-efficiency appliance in the world that condenses in both space-heating and domestic water-heating modes.”

IBC’s unique double twoin-one, back-to-back patented heat exchanger design eliminates the need for a diverter valve or a secondary domestic hot water plate heat exchanger, eliminating the source of future component failures. The

DC appliances only have four moving parts and 11 parts in total; plus, the parts are universal through all 11 models.

“The Series’ high turndown ratio (15,000 – 96,000 BTU), coupled with the high-mass heat exchanger design (a 40 lb aluminum block) means that even under micro-load conditions, the burner in many cases doesn’t need to fire,” notes Kinsley. “The energy stored in the aluminum block isn’t wasted, as it also assists in the production of hot water.”

Really smart kitchens Various

We are becoming increasingly connected to our kitchen appliances, with many manufacturers integrating their units with mobile phones, enabling remote access so you can talk to your three major appliances—refrigerator, oven and dishwasher. You can also get notifications from your appliances when they need repair or require something like a filter change.

But there are even more pronounced leaps with respect to the wifi tie-in to popular cooking apps. As announced at CES 2018 in Las Vegas, Yummly, a leading platform for personalized recipe recommendations and cooking resources, has hooked up with Whirlpool smart appliances. Yummly 2.0 will include advanced image recognition technology to recommend recipes based on the ingredients users have on hand; streamline grocery shopping and meal prep; offer stepby-step recipes, including video tutorials; as well as timers and other tools.

Other appliance makers are following suit, hooking up with varying apps (LG, for example, is pairing with Innit and SideChef).

We’re at a point where if your recipe requires two cups of water, apps can notify your smart fridge, which will dispense the perfect amount when you’re ready with your cup.

Or you can skip the measuring cup altogether with the new Beale MeasureFill faucet from American Standard. Featuring a selection dial with stylish coin edge detailing, it enables you to pre-measure precise amounts of water with the mere turn of a dial—all with a pull-down faucet with easy touch on/off functionality.

And for those who need instructions to boil water, new kitchen technology will be their salvation, says Andrei Volintiru, Corporate Sales Training Manager with Canadian Appliance Source.

“Coming down the pipe— probably later this year—a lot of manufacturers, such as Samsung, LG, GE Monogram, Jenn-Air and Whirlpool, will have full integration with smart systems like Google Home or Alexa,” advises Volintiru. “So you can tell Google to do something like ‘Turn on the oven to 350F,’ while you’re chopping veggies.

“One of the products that sort of blows me away is JennAir’s Culinary Centre on some of their new ranges. It takes you from scratch to finish without knowing anything about how to cook. They have the largest LCD panel (8”), and the Culinary Centre allows you to choose from more than 50 options. If you want to cook your meat medium rare, it will show you a picture of what that looks like. If you want to add certain spices, it will recommend them. It will even tell you what pans to use, or where to put the meat probe. It’s a pretty cool feature for people who know nothing about cooking but want to start living a healthier lifestyle.” OHB

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ohba.ca

Building Buzz N e w s a n d mov e s fro m t h e i n du s t ry

And the Survey Says…

inside CMHC’s Homebuyer Report In October 2017, CMHC completed an online survey of 2,507 prospective homebuyers, all prime household decision-makers who intend to purchase a home within the next two years. Roughly one-quarter of FirstTime Buyers (27%) intend to purchase a home within the next 12 months, while the proportion is higher among Previous Owners (38%) and Current Owners (48%).

Here are some additional nuggets from the research. (For more, visit CMHC.ca/surveys .)

looking for brand new homes, while the desire is higher among Current Owners (32%).

• Purchasing an existing home that requires renovation is appealing to just 14% of First-Time Buyers; even less so with the other groups.

• Single detached homes are preferred by the majority, especially by Current Owners (74%). Apartments and condos are second, followed by semi-detached houses, including duplex and townhouses.

Housing Expectations

• First-Time Buyers (65%) and Previous Owners (60%) rank the desire to stop renting as one of the top three drivers to buy a home.

Improved accessibility (physical barriers) and investment opportunity were also top motivators.

• An existing ready-to-move-in home is the top choice for First-Time Buyers (43%), Previous Owners (44%) and Current Owners (48%).

Approximately 20% of First-Time Buyer and Previous Owners are ohba.ca

Home Purchase Drivers

Financing a Home • Only 66% of First-Time Buyers claim to have a good understanding of the full cost of homeownership (including mortgage payments, property taxes, condo fees, utility and maintenance costs).

• Among those who plan to purchase a home that requires renovations, roughly 40% of FirstTime Buyers and Previous Owners plan to spend between $10,000 and $20,000 in renovations, while 44% of Current Owners plan to spend between $20,000 and $50,000.

• Almost four-in-10 First-Time Buyers and Previous Owners say they are uncertain or unlikely to have a financial buffer in case their expenses change in the future.

Impact of Housing Industry Changes • Only 36% of First-Time Buyers were aware of the latest mortgage qualification rule changes in 2016. ontario home builder Renovation 2018

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Building Buzz

Habitat for Humanity Halton-Mississauga CEO John Gerrard (left), Burlington Mayor Rick Goldring (second from right) and MPP for Burlington Eleanor McMahon and the Hon. Peter Milczyn, Minister of Housing (centre) were among the dignitaries on hand for the Burlington Habitat for Humanity Build Factory announcement.

Government Commits $5.8 Million to Not-for-Profit Build Factory The Ontario Government has reinforced its commitment to affordable housing by announcing an innovative approach with the local communitybased initiatives of Habitat for Humanity. To help meet growing demand for safe and affordable homes in the province, the government pledged a three-year, $5.8 million investment in a Habitat for Humanity build factory.

The factory, which will be located in Burlington, will be used to construct and assemble homes yearround in a controlled environment.

Components will be assembled and transported to as many as 120 Habitat for Humanity construction sites across Ontario, with the opportunity to also provide housing for Indigenous communities.

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The facility will engage with local community partners including educational institutions and other not-for-profit organizations.

“The build factory is a groundbreaking achievement for our organization and for the province,” says Habitat for Humanity HaltonMississauga CEO John Gerrard. (It) will help us address the growing need for affordable housing to better serve families and individuals in need, not only in the regions of Halton and Peel, but across Ontario.”

This three-year investment by the Province will also reduce construction waste, provide opportunity for skills training and lower build material costs, while creating such housing faster, safer and more efficiently than ever before.

i n m e m o r i am

Oakville pioneer Passes Away

Recognized by the Women’s Exchange Network as one of Canada’s 100 most influential women, Martha Zenker passed away peacefully on February 27.

Among the country’s first female builders, Martha, the youngest of 10 children, departed Austria with her husband Gerhard and young children in 1951 due to political uncertainly.

In Canada, Zenker took in ohba.ca

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THE BUILDING CODE HAS CHANGED. The building code now requires you to design and specify, based on the R-value your insulation will have in five years.

Some insulation loses its R-value over the years, so the R-value you specify, would not be to code down the road.

boarders to help cover the family’s costs. When her husband found work at the Austrian Embassy in Washington, the couple moved and Martha’s social life picked up significantly—her hobnobbing including White House events where she met President Dwight Eisenhower.

Prior to leaving for Washington, Zenker, who had picked up construction skills from her brother Ernst and had studied architecture until WWII, formed a construction company with her sister Hilda and brother-in-law Hans. Upon her return, she ventured out on her own, forming Oakville Gem Construction.

She would go on to build and sell some 400 homes in the region.

“Her day began at 6, when she rose to make sure all the building materials she’d ordered the night before were at the jobsite,” wrote Patty Winsa in the Toronto Star. “She’d come back home, make her kids breakfast and drive them to school.”

According to the Star, Zenker “sometimes pretended to be a standin for her husband when buyers expected her to be a homemaker instead of a home builder.”

She eventually left construction to form Lisgar Commercial Real Estate.

An independent soul, Martha passed away in Oakville, near Lake Ontario, in the last house she ever built.

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Custom Homes Subdivisions Apartment Buildings Inventory Units Condo Management

Financing   Commercial / Industrial  Special Purposes

Most Ontario contractors are not hurting for business. But in a competitive world, thinking outside your custombuild box can pay huge dividends.

Take the story last year of Cleveland’s Universal Windows Direct. To honour the exterior remodelling company’s 15th anniversary, Universal Windows Direct’s retail president Chad Howman came up with the following idea: If the Cleveland Indians won 15 straight games at any point of the 2017 season, customers who hired them in July would be given a full ohba.ca

refund, regardless of the project size or cost. The Indians had actually reeled off 14 consecutive wins in 2016, but as no Major League Baseball team had captured 15 straight in back-to-back seasons in about a century, the insurance policy wasn’t that unreasonable: $75,000 US. Then there was the added expense of securing an agreement with the Indians.

As with any pro sports team, that wasn’t easy—or cheap. “But in this case, it was unquestionably worth the investment.

Without it, we couldn’t have even promoted the event,” wrote company owner William Barr in Pro Remodeler magazine.

“The Indians also helped us promote our deal with in-game announcements and signage behind home plate.”

Universal Windows Direct also ran local media ads and pushed the campaign via its social media channels and customer list.

As many baseball fans might recollect, the Indians recorded a remarkable 22 straight wins last year, although the critical triumph occurred on Sept. 7, when Cleveland thumped the Chicago White Sox 11-2 for the 15th victory in a row. “The payout to our clients was $1.7 million,” Barr wrote.

The company received “immeasurable publicity” from the campaign, according to Barr.

And what of the winning clients?

Considering it ‘found money,’ most threw their winnings into additional work with Universal Windows Direct.

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Ply Gem is adding two new colours— Indigo and Nickel—to its noted Mitten vinyl siding colour palette.

The new hues add distinctive, ontrend grey and blue-grey selections to an already extensive lineup. They’ll be available in a wide range of profiles within the Sentry, Highland and Oregon Pride product lines.

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to coordinate with the new colours.

Visit mittensiding.com to experiment with the new additions through the “enVision it� home visualizer tool.

Design

Dekton Adds a Little Colour Cosentino has introduced four new colours to its ultra-compact Dekton surface selection in the Canadian market.

New to the line are Nayla (a granulated matte white colour that promises to brighten up any environment); Fossil (a textured mottled grey stone with fossil-like organisms that recalls ancient times); Kira (a multifaceted earth tone that imitates natural stone); and Vienna (which offers a grainy, glossy white tone).

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Building

Shingle Guide Now Available Online When working with asphalt shingles, it’s important to understand that each product type has its own application requirements and specifications. This is especially true of threetab shingles.

The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association has converted its popular manual, a Good Application Makes A Good Roof Better: A Simplified Guide – Installing Three-Tab Asphalt Shingles For Maximum Life & Weather Protection, into an eBook, making it easier for contractors to access it on the jobsite.

The recently updated guide covers new-roof construction, reroofing/ roof replacement and roof recovery projects. It also includes special procedures for both low- and steep-slope roofing systems, proper attic ventilation, ice dam protection, correct nailing methods, roof deck preparation, hip and ridge application, as well as underlayment, drip edge and flashing installation.

The guide is available for $9.95 US as a print-on-demand copy or $8.95 as an eBook from the ARMA Bookstore.

It is also sold on other prominent digital platforms. Visit asphaltroofing. org/arma-bookstore.

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it harder for homebuyers to qualify, says CIBC’s executive director and head of North American Rates Strategy Ian Pollick.

Polick notes that borrowers have begun to take on mortgages with twoor three-year durations in recent years, which overlap the more common five-year mortgages that are also coming due.

Five-year fixed rates are up about half a percentage point compared with a year ago.

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Complies with the Ontario Building Code

A demonstration project is bringing two laneways to life in Toronto.

Since 2015, The Laneway Project has worked collaboratively with developers, Councillors, City staff, BIAs and other groups to improve more than 25 laneways across Toronto. The projects have demonstrated a number of best practices that would strengthen the appeal, safety and usability of laneways across the city. Atop the list is the provision of shielded, pedestrian-friendly lighting—essential to improving the character, aesthetics and safety of laneways.

Entitled Light Up the Laneways, the initiative will see the Laneway Project work in collaboration with the Ossington BIA, Ossington Community Association, Bloordale BIA and Bloordale Community Improvement Association to plan and install ambient, pedestrian-friendly lighting to supplement the standard vehicular-oriented lighting in two demonstration laneways in Ossington and Bloordale.

Although currently a privately led provision, organizers are looking for help. “We’ve not yet partnered with any builders, but we’re hearing interest from some developers working locally in both neighbourhoods,” says Laneway Project Co-Founder and Executive Director Michelle Senayah, “and I would certainly see opportunity for a partnership with an interested builder.” OHB ohba.ca

Product Focus I de a s for B u i l de r s & R e n ovat or s

Inside Edition

Interior design trends taking centre stage

By Da n O ’ R e i l ly

Achieving inner balance is often merely a case of closing one’s eyes and meditating.

Attaining design and decor equilibrium in a home, on the other hand, is a much more complex undertaking— one that that requires being attuned to purchasers’ needs and desires, selecting the right products and listening to the advice design professionals are paid to provide.

But how are builders and renovators doing in that endeavour and what more needs to be considered in the interior design and decor process? You can start by not cramming too many rooms onto the main floor, suggests Greenpark Homes interior design director Jack Celli. Viable alternatives to that room-size-restricting practice include transforming a second-floor spare bedroom into a den or even a ohba.ca

large laundry, which would be preferable to placing it near a tight secondary entrance from the garage.

“Today’s families are living more casually, so open spaces fit their lifestyles better,” says Celli, explaining the trend over the past few years towards larger family room/living rooms, large kitchen/dining rooms or, in many instances, eschewing dining rooms all together.

To achieve perfect design coordination it’s best to start with style, be it classic, contemporary or transitional, and then select the materials and products best suited for those homes, Celli says. In the case of classic design, that can include marble, darker stained floors and millwork, while contemporary houses are distinguished by slick and/or hard surfaces, as well as lighter colours. Transitional, as the

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Karndean’s new Korlok system (Antique French Oak pictured) is ideal for renovators, given its easy vertical click locking system.

name implies, brings together a combination of the other two categories.

“My favourite design style is transitional,” says Celli. “It often produces a more interesting and more sophisticated look.”

For example, a funky faucet could be combined with more traditional cabinetry. However, builders and renovators do require input from interior designers to ensure that mixing remains in proportion. Using the services of a reputable and experienced professional can save money in the long run and help builders and their clients avoid decisions they may regret in the future, Celli advises.

Touching on his own preferences, Celli likes simple lines in cabinetry, and hard-surface countertops such as granite, marble or manufactured quartz in high-visibility areas such as kitchens ontario home builder Renovation 2018

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Product Focus and powder rooms. In secondary bathrooms, laminate can be used to save on costs, if that is a deciding factor.

Celli also favours large-size tiles in bathrooms and foyers since it reduces the amount of grout required, as well as larger planks for hardwood floors.

“With wide planks there are fewer lines and that makes the room look larger.”

Larger and longer hardwood floorboards also add visual interest to rooms and create unity in open-concept houses, notes Lauzon Hardwood Flooring brand manager Priscilla Bergeron. “And because fewer boards are needed to cover a given area, there are fewer visible joints, yielding a spectacular, even look.”

Open living spaces are “definitely becoming the norm for connecting and sharing,” cites Bergeron. And with that growing lifestyle direction, certain types of flooring are growing in popularity, such as textured hardwood, low sheen and sophisticated complex colours, she says.

Lauzon recently added new colours to its Authentik Series, including the Esperanza, which Bergeron describes as a stunning light grey Red Oak floor featuring a low-gloss surface and wirebrushed texture.

“Flooring sets the canvas for the rest of the room’s design,” adds Brian Gencher, vice-president of marketing for Torlys. In 2017, the manufacturer unveiled the Corkwood, a specially designed engineered floor offering visual beauty, physical warmth and sound suppression.

And yet, according to Canadian general manager of Karndean Designflooring Tim Craik, flooring is often the least thought-out part of a room’s design—something that should be stressed to new homebuyers. “As the largest element of a home, which often goes unchanged for years, it is important to take the time to look for flooring that has a design story and style that works with your decor; not against it,” says Craik. “Your flooring should be a talking point as much as your accent wall and antique lamp. It is not only the largest element, but also the most used.” ohba.ca

Lauzon’s Esperanza’s low-gloss and wirebrushed texture give life to red oak.

Anatolia Tile’s Mayfair Calacatta Oro recreates the natural warm beauty of Calacatta marble with its clean ivory background and golden veining.

Upon Closer Inspection Unveiled last year and already one of Anatolia Tile + Stone’s top most popular lines, the Mayfair HD porcelain tile was inspired by top-selling natural stone colours. But it was conceived by technology.

“We paired with a Toronto firm that scans historical documents,” says marketing and product manager Sean Cilona, explaining its stones are placed on that company’s huge 8’ x 3.5’ flatbed scanner.

The scanning elicits much deeper and richer images than is possible with photography.

Even the veins in the stones are digitally captured, says Cilona, suggesting the process is unique in the tile industry.

A large collection of colours, trim colours, formats, trim pieces and mosaics are available in sizes up to 24” x 48” and in both a natural honed or polished finish.

Special high-end mosaics such

as waterjet-cut lantern arabesque shapes add style and versatility, Cilona says. “With the wide range of colours, any interior designer can find a product for virtually anywhere in the home from entry to living space and of course kitchens and bathrooms.”

Porcelain is more durable than natural stone, suggests Cilona, because it isn’t porous and has the added advantage of being less expensive.

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Product Focus As recent innovations in that department go, Craik points to Karndean’s October 2017 roll-out of the Korlok. The rigid-core floor is particularly suited for renovations, with its vertical click locking system making for quick and easy dropping and locking of planks for installers. The pre-attached premium foam backing, meanwhile, helps save on time, cost and labour, since there’s no need for a separate underlay, and also makes Korlok quieter to walk on—ideal for upstairs rooms. “And a great thing about this product is you can install it over most existing hard floor coverings,” Craik notes.

Stair Down Contest The Canadian Railings Group of Companies, meanwhile, are making picketing a good thing for business.

Marrying installation flexibility with an array of design options, the manufacturer’s sleek and stylish V-groove wooden picket can be easily plugged into existing stairway picket holes, says marketing manager Tina Taurasi. Steel and wrought iron pickets are also available, but would be more complicated to install in renovations, she notes.

Apart from its straightforward fitting process, which saves time and money on renovation projects, the pickets, which are available in widths of 1 5/16” or 1 ¾”, can complement the decor of either traditional or modern houses—a design feat made easier since the Railings Group also carries a range of handrails suitable for both housing styles.

“It’s simply a case of choosing the most appropriate handrail for the

Whether asymmetrical (below) or symmetrical (right), room design should take a balanced approach.

Need an Interior Decorator? Great Design Hangs in the Balance!

In interior design, achieving balance is essential, and there are two ways that can be accomplished: symmetrical and asymmetrical.

“With symmetrical balance, a mirror image of a space is created. Think of a fireplace with furniture on both sides,” explains Rose Abate, principal of Woodbridge-based Ambience Design Group.

Asymmetrical balance is more difficult, but is more visually appealing, suggests Abate.

Elements of different visual weights are managed in such a way they still balance visually. For example, a dark grand piano can be counterbalanced with a collection of colourful artwork over a small light bench, she says.

Explaining those principles to builders is the role of interior designers, who are essential partners if a building project is to succeed, Abate says. Designers create concept plans catered to purchasers’ needs, design spaces that will incorporate furnishings and help coordinate other project consultants, such as the landscape architects.

A founding member of the Canadian Decorators’ Association, Abate says the profession is not fully understood. “Interior design is the art and science of understanding people’s behaviour to create functional spaces within a building.

Designers apply technical and creative solutions that are functional, attractive and beneficial to the occupants’ quality of life and culture.

Most designers today have completed a fouryear undergraduate degree in interior design, are up to date with building codes and know how to apply sustainability concepts, which are a must in building projects. “They have to consider the health of the occupants by using green products that are efficient, sustainable and safe for the environment.”

They also have to be patient, skillful negotiators. And a few tricks of the trade never hurt either. Included in Abate’s ‘tool kit’ when meeting builders and renovators is a colour wheel to help illustrate how colour combinations work.

Through a partnership with Lutron, Sun-Brite Drapery’s Smart Home Ready program offers control over window coverings and more. At right, Canadian Railings combines easy installation with a striking look.

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Product Focus house, and the V-groove pickets will easily match,” sales Taurasi, noting that builders, renovators and interior designers often visit the company’s large showroom for advice on the ideal pairing.

Offered in either oak material or paint grade for later paint applications, the pickets can either be installed by the manufacturer or sold, with accompanying instructions, to renovators. Matching posts from widths of 3” x 3” all the way up to 5” x 5” are also available.

Window coverings can help link the various components, with custom draperies helping “frame the windows,” says Benny Caringi, owner of Vaughan-based Sun-Brite Drapery. In existence for more than four decades, the company is taking the window covering business to a new level with its Smart Home Ready program. In a partnership with Lutron Electronics, the firm installs rough-in wiring and provides “switch” packages that allow homeowners to control window coverings, lights and thermostats. It can also be interfaced with many other systems and operated via a downloadable app.

A number of builders, such as Great Gulf, Tridel, Pemberton and Geranium, are working with Sun-Brite to install the system in their homes, says Caringi.

Watching Paint Dry Of course, a crucial ingredient in the interior design process is paint. Not only does it add beauty for door, window and trim work, Sherwin Williams’ acrylic latex SnapDry dries in as little as one hour, is resistant to dirt and fingerprints and can be used both internally and externally.

“You can close the doors and windows sooner and not worry about them sticking together,” advises Rick Watson, the company’s director of product and technical information.

On the market since 2016, SnapDry is now also available in a wider variety of colour options in the new satin finish, as well as semi-gloss.

Paint can help maintain flow and consistency in homes, provided that 92

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Sherwin Williams’ interior/exterior, dirt-resistant SnapDry paint dries in as little as one hour.

complementary colours are used, says Lisa Rogers, executive V.P. of design for Dunpar Homes. (Deviations from that uniform application rule can include children’s rooms and dens.)

When in doubt, keep it simple, Rogers says. “For my money, the best colour in the world is Benjamin Moore’s CC40. It’s a basic white, with a dark undertone, but not too stark. It’s used by every designer in the planet.”

While some builders might want to get experimental, jarring shades can impede a sale. For example, a prospective purchaser’s reaction to a builder’s more adventurous colour choice for kitchen cabinets may be, “I’m going to have to rip them out,” Rogers cautions.

Speaking of kitchen cabinets, try to keep handles and nobs to a minimum, since they can have an overpowering effect, Rogers says.

While paint can help maintain a fluid flow of a layout, hardwood throughout will have a similar effect—with the possible exception of areas such as entranceways where tiles could be used—while also “upping the image” of a home. For those builders concerned about the cost of hardwood, there are a number of very good laminate flooring products on the market, she says. And use area rugs for warmth and accents.

Certain elements in design are

timeless, says Rogers. But there’s a difference between timeless and dated.

Some builders and renovators are still offering stippled ceilings in rooms other than kitchens and bathrooms. ”What they should be doing is a smooth ceiling,” Rogers notes. “Stippled ceilings date a house, they also look cheap, and they’re hard to clean.”

What not to do? “My biggest beef with builders and renovators is that they don’t understand proportion and balance,” Rogers says. “There is a lot of vacuous wasted space in homes— spaces that aren’t kitchens, or family rooms or dining rooms.”

Then there are “inconsistencies” in design and construction, ceiling heights being a prime example. “Eightfoot-high ceilings are too low, while 12-foot ceilings are too high. There has to be a sweet spot in between.

Ironically, some builders have high ceilings on their main floor and then lower them on the second floor. That is really disruptive.”

Will her recommendations increase costs? Absolutely. But they will also generate significant appeal and lead to increased sales, Rogers suggests, while also elevating a builder’s stature.

“Purchasers, whether or not they are conscious of it, know what constitutes a great house.” OHB ohba.ca

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Words to Build By

“In my business as a renovator, I see people rediscovering their home. As opposed to a new homebuyer who looks for inspiration in the model homes, people who are renovating have to visualize or see it elsewhere, so they tend to do more research and be more knowledgable.�

Steve Barkhouse, President Amsted Design-Build

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