Ontario Home Builder Summer 2018

the Sky’s the limit: how drones are changing the way we build P.38 w h at t h e P C w i n m e a n s f o r o u r i n d u s t r y P. 9

i n s i d e t h e n e w s t u dy o n b a r r i e r s t o h o u s i n g P. 1 9

one year later: did the fair housing plan miss the mark? P.47

Builders dish on the projects they love

ohba.ca summer 2018 | $5.00

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The official publication of the Ontario Home Builders’ Association SUMMER 2018 | Vol. 34 Issue 4

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 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.

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

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

2016-02-25 11:12 AM

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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Contents

30 I Could Totally Live Here!

Some custom jobs are also the builder’s home sweet home

38 Eye in the Sky

47 Fair Housing Revisited

As drone technology takes off, so do opportunities for residential construction

One year later, has Ontario’s 16-point plan missed its mark?

9 One Voice What will the PC majority mean for Ontario’s builders?

11 Ontario Report Ottawa prepares for OHBA’s 2018 Conference and Awards, cycling for a CT scanner, the MOL’s 2018 safety blitzes and what’s happening with the #homebelievers campaign?

17 Frame of Mind Is Washington State’s Grow Community a step in the right direction?

ohba.ca

19 Inside Storey Behind the scenes of the C.D. Howe’s revealing study on housing supply barriers.

23 Top Shelf Hot items for builders, contractors and designers include Therma-Tru doors, closed-cell insulation from Plasti-Fab, a wall-mounted garage door opener from LiftMaster, FLO’s EV charging solutions, new light colours from Vintage Hardwood Flooring and much more.

55 Building Buzz A Tarion update includes illegal building, a building partnership and measuring the customer experience, Garaga and Novatech team up to match up and WSIB’s new Health & Safety Index.

63 Product Focus Upping value inside and out with superb curb appeal 70 Words to Build By Peter Gilgan, CEO & Founder, Mattamy Homes

ON THE COVER

Dave Bix of Terra View Homes couldn’t be persuaded to choose a home other than his own—”Tallwood”—as his favourite custom project.

ontario home builder Summer 2018

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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

One Voice

Time for a change PC victory means fresh opportunities ahead for OHBA’s advocacy efforts—and for #homebelievers YOu could call it a ‘change’ election. After 15 years of Liberal provincial government, we have a PC majority, with Premier Doug Ford and 75 members of his government taking office. The NDP, led by Andrea Horvath with 40 seats, will act as the official opposition, with the Ontario Liberals losing official party status, winning just seven seats, and the Green Party making history in electing its first MPP to the legislature. Interestingly, 59% of those elected, including Ford, are rookie MPPs! All of which provides a lot of changes, challenges and opportunities for our province, the new government and OHBA. Immediately following the election, OHBA President Pierre Dufresne wrote to Premier Ford to congratulate him, laying the groundwork to meet with the Premier and his Ministers to offer OHBA’s expertise and industry advice on a variety of issues—in particular on how to best support more housing choice and supply in order to improve housing affordability in communities across Ontario. ohba.ca

the pcs are committed “to increase the supply of affordable housing across the GTA while protecting the Greenbelt in its entirety.”

–PC’s Plan for the People Based on the PC’s Plan for the People and other communication from that party, it’s encouraging to see that OHBA and the new government are already on the same page regarding workable, feasible solutions for several key issues.

The PCs said they are committed to “increase the supply of affordable housing across the GTA while protecting the Greenbelt in its entirety.”

That meshes with OHBA’s view, as we have always advocated for more housing supply and choice as the best way to provide #homebelievers with more homes that they can afford.

In addition, the PCs have indicated their government will “cut red tape and stifling regulations that are crippling job creation and growth” and that they will ensure “single-window access for approvals with a hard one-year deadline.” Which is music to our ears. For too long, our industry has shouldered layers of government regulation, policy and legislation that has not improved affordability for Ontarians, but instead has resulted in delayed supply, limited choice and skyrocketing housing prices. OHBA has relentlessly advocated for less red tape and expedited development approvals so that we can get on with what we do best: building communities for #homebelievers.

In response to some direct questions from OHB magazine in our Reno 2018 issue, the PCs also acknowledged the large and detrimental impact the underground economy has in our province, noting, “the province should seriously consider all options to protect homeowners and drive consumers to the use of legitimate contractors.”

During the election campaign OHBA asked candidates to sign our #homebeliever pledge to support more housing choice and supply across Ontario, and 38 of the newly-elected MPPs (23 PCs) have signed on (see p. 12). Over the summer OHBA will follow-up to get other MPPs on board.

The election might be over, but the campaign is not. We believe all MPPs should be #homebelievers! OHB

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

ontario home builder Summer 2018

9

Ontario Report

The BIG Show Registration is open for the 2018 OHBA Conference

OHBA returns to the nation’s capital for the 2018 annual OHBA Conference September 23-25. Hosted by the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association, delegates from across the province will enjoy three full days of industry insight, professional networking and fun activities. One of the attractions will again be the Builder’s Choice Exhibition, showcasing innovative industry products and services that can help your business. Plus, you won’t want to miss the two evening galas, celebrating the incoming OHBA president and crowning the 2018 OHBA Awards of Distinction winners! Check the conference website for details at conference.ohba.ca.

Highlights include:

1| Business Sessions: Sharpen your pencil—or charge your devices—to take in lots of learning from the Climate Change Council panel on what’s next in better building; a Greater Ottawa HBAhosted discussion on the collaborative building approach in Ottawa; how to improve your customer experience and loyalty with Marc Gordon; and

updates from Tarion Warranty Corporation. Keynote speaker Ray Zahab is an all-inspiring ultra-marathon runner with stories of adventure and breakthrough that can be applied to everyday business.

Night 2| Opening Reception:

Our host, the Greater Ottawa HBA, will kick it all off with a retro house party! Think

cool tunes and classic games that will help forge new memories and friendships.

Awards of 3| Distinction 2018:

Back by popular demand, the AOD gala on Tuesday, September 25 will be emceed by comedian James Cunningham for an all-around good time, as we find out who will take home the coveted

AOD titles! A reminder to vote for the OHBA People’s Choice Awards, which opens on August 14 at ohbaaod.ca.

Seating for the gala event is limited, so book your tables early online soon!

President’s 4| Gala:

On Monday, September 24, OHBA will welcome our 52nd provincial association

president, Rick Martins, a member of the Waterloo Region and Brantford HBAs.

5| Additional Activities: Conference delegates can lounge at the Nordik Spa, tee off with a foursome at Stonebridge Golf Club or tour some of the latest new communities in Ottawa on a GOHBA-hosted housing tour.

Lunch is included in all activities.

Registration is now open so take advantage of early bird rates and sign up at conference.ohba.ca

OHBA Annual Meeting of Members The Ontario Home Builders’ Date: Association will hold its Annual Monday, September 24, 2018 Meeting of Members at its 2018 Conference. Time: All OHBA members in good standing are invited to attend.

ohba.ca

8:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Location: Westin Ottawa 11 Colonel By Drive Ottawa, Ontario Provinces Rooms 1&2

ontario home builder Summer 2018

11

Ontario Report

(Left to right): Dave Depencier and Dan Van Moorsel were joined

by Doug Tarry of Doug Tarry Homes when the Final Push cycling fundraiser made a stop in St. Thomas.

Finding #homebelievers across Ontario

By A m y L a z a r

CYCLING FOR A CT SCANNER They enjoyed a nice, cold beer. That’s the first thing Dave Depencier of Depencier Builders Ltd. and Dan Van Moorsel of Dresden Ready Mix did after completing a 1,000-km bike ride across southwestern Ontario to raise funds for the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA).

Completing the trek in six days in May, the pair raised $100,626 for CKHA’s Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Renewal Campaign. Those funds helped the Alliance exceed its $6.9 million goal in raising $7,062,761. The campaign began in 2014 to finance the purchase of 17 new pieces of diagnostic equipment. Since then, 15 pieces have been purchased and installed and now a new CT scanner can be purchased for use in the community.

The need for a new CT scanner hits close to home for Depencier, who, in the fall of 2017, suffered painful blood clots in his lungs. The Chatham-Kent Hospital’s outdated scanner wasn’t working, so he had to wait for an emergency scan. “It was a frightening experience and when I was lying there in pain, I thought, ‘I have to do something to get a new CT scanner for our community,’” recalled Depencier. “That’s when I came up with the idea for a bike ride to raise funds.”

Depencier, who also served as a co-chair of the campaign and is the current president of the Chatham-Kent HBA, noted that he and CKHBA Past President Van Moorsel started training indoors in the winter “to get our legs ready and train the body to sit on that seat for a long period of time.”

Dubbed “The Final Push,” the ambitious cycle started in Wallaceburg and took the cyclists to Stratford, Toronto, Hamilton, Niagara-on-Lake, St. Thomas and then back to Chatham. Along the way, Depencier and Van Moorsel connected with local HBA members, who provided food, showers and beds for the weary bikers.

“We were shooting for the stars with this epic ride,” says Depencier. “It was a gratifying experience, and Dan and I were inspired by how so many people in our industry stepped up to support us and how our community and those outside all pulled together to get it done.”

Depencier notes that governments don’t fund new capital expenditures for hospitals, so it is the mandate of hospital foundations to raise money from organizations, individuals and businesses in order to purchase equipment. “And it’s important to have up-to-date working equipment in our communities if we hope to attract good doctors and other health care professionals.”

12

ontario home builder Summer 2018

OHBA’s #homebeliever message continues to sweep across the province. Since the campaign began in mid-March, momentum has been strong and with help from local associations in every corner of Ontario, we have been able to find thousands of #homebelievers in all walks of life.

In fourth months, the #homebeliever message has been viewed more than 371,000 times on Twitter alone. We shared dozens of photos and videos on Facebook and YouTube, many of which have been viewed hundreds of times. Local associations have also enthusiastically jumped in, engaging their communities, submitting columns to local newspapers and sharing it all on social media.

Thousands have visited homebeliever.ca to sign the pledge and forward its impactful message of believing in the dream of homeownership and wanting more housing options and supply to their local elected officials.

In the run-up to the Ontario election in early June, the focus turned to engaging candidates in the #homebelievers conversation. In May, every candidate was tagged on Twitter, asking if they had visited the website and signed the pledge. The OHBA team also visited more than 60 campaign offices in person, and when the pledge was signed a photo was shared on social media.

In addition, we launched an effective advertising campaign in 10 newspapers in Hamilton, Kingston, London, Niagara,

SIGN THE PLEDGE!

All MPPs should be #homebelievers Are you a #homebeliever?

Take the quiz and sign the pledge

www.homebeliever.ca

#homebeliever

Ottawa, Waterloo, Windsor, Sudbury and across the GTA, encouraging all candidates to sign the pledge and commit to being #homebelievers.

Of the newly-elected MPPs, 38 have signed the pledge—23 of them Progressive Conservative MPPs—and this summer, OHBA’s #homebelievers team will follow up with the MPPs in government who have not signed the pledge.

As well, at the OHBA Conference in September, we will be recognizing the incredible effort put forward by many local associations to spread the #homebeliever message and get pledges signed.

Thank you local HBAs for the creative ways you’ve engaged your community, such as bringing the pledge to all-candidate debates and golf tournaments, and creating friendly competitions among board members, to name a few! With so many champions of the great Canadian dream, 2018 is becoming the year of the #homebeliever!

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Ontario Report

MOL

Safety Blitzes The Ministry of Labour is again conducting inspection blitzes and initiatives to raise awareness and increase compliance with health and safety regulations. Construction sector blitzes and initiatives are as follows:

Blitz Focus Reversing Equipment on Construction Projects Phase 1: Compliance Support and Prevention Education September 1-30 Phase 2: Ministry of Labour Enforcement Campaign October 1-31

Awards of Distinction 2018 Gala

Join us at the spectacular Shaw Centre in Ottawa on Tuesday, September 25 at the Awards of Distinction’s glittering gala announcing the winners of this year’s awards.

Last year, comedian James Cunningham, host of TV’s Eat Street, entertained the audience with non-stop laughs, and he promises to do the same this year as he joins us in Ottawa to emcee this prestigious event.

With stunning views of the Rideau Canada and our Parliament Buildings, your friends and colleagues are in for a fantastic evening of cheering on the 2018 AoD finalists and winners.

Books your tables and register soon at ohbaconference.ca.

14

ontario home builder Summer 2018

Construction Employment Standards May 1 - August 31

Initiative Focus Health and Safety – Internal Responsibility System June 1, 2018 – March 31, 2019

Regional initiatives Central East Industrial and Construction Workplaces that Utilize Employment Services Through Temporary Help Agencies April 1, 2018 – March 31, 2019 Central West Temporary Labour Agencies – Worker Training and Hazard Exposure June 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019 Eastern Utility Work May 1 – August 31 The focus of blitzes and initiatives is announced ahead of time, but individual workplaces are not identified in advance. The MOL reports the result of inspection blitzes—usually within 90 days.

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Frame of Mind

walk this way Grow Community has been designed as a car-free zone can neighbourhoods be planned without local streets? Not possible, you might say. How will people reach their homes and how will first responders attend to emergency calls? Yet, this is what planners in many nations are currently doing: designing communities with few or no streets.

The environmental benefits of a carfree community are in some respects readily apparent; in others, less so. Of course, fewer cars mean decreased fuel consumption and air pollution. It is also vital to consider that this amounts to less infrastructure to support automobile usage, the construction and maintenance of which is in itself environmentally harmful. Moreover, fewer roads leave more space for green areas; these, in turn, help mitigate the effects of fossil fuels.

Further, a UN report has concluded that nearly two-thirds of global deaths are caused by three factors taken together: pollution, lack of exercise and ohba.ca

bad eating habits. Street-free, greenfriendly neighbourhoods would go a long way to limiting some of those effects. According to the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation, each additional kilometre walked per day reduces the likelihood of becoming obese by nearly 5%, while each hour spent in a car increases the likelihood by 6%. So, how might such places look?

Enter the Grow Community.

Designed by Davis Studio Architecture and Design, Washington’s Grow Community is recognized as one of the most sustainable developments in the United States. Located on Bainbridge Island, a short ferry ride from Seattle’s business district, the development offers its residents a small-town feel.

The 131-unit neighbourhood was planned with the intention of offering residents a lifestyle geared toward consuming within the bounds of our earth’s resources. An emphasis has been placed on what the developer calls

“five-minute living”—the notion that all amenities are accessible within a five-minute walk from any point in the community.

To reduce travel distances and to meet this time requirement, the developer incorporated several urban amenities into the plan, such as a farmer’s market that provides residents access to locally grown food. Further, residents are encouraged to take part in local vegetable patches, which are expected to reduce consumption of high-carbon foods by 70%.

The community is well connected by a series of bicycle and pedestrian paths. Houses, as well as public and private gardens, are placed along the paths. Residents can also use the trails to reach the main street, a pleasant stroll lined with shops and amenities.

Public transport and car sharing are an important part of the auto-free lifestyle offered by Grow Community.

Ferries connecting Bainbridge Island with the Seattle central business district leave every hour. This service makes living in the community and working in downtown Seattle very achievable, even without a car. Once downtown, workers and visitors can rely on the Seattle public transit system.

Family living was another of the developer’s primary concerns. Children are able to play outdoors without parents having to be concerned about them being endangered by local traffic.

Further, childcare centres are situated within five minutes of many businesses and homes. With such an arrangement it is not unimaginable that parents will check in on their children during their lunch breaks—such is the convenience and tight-knit nature created by clustered amenities. It is little wonder that young families are one of the community’s primary markets.

As policymakers and planners are pondering the future shape of our neighbourhoods, Grow Community might just be a sign of things to come. OHB Dr. Avi Friedman is an architect, professor and social observer. He can be reached at avi.friedman@mcgill.ca.

ontario home builder Summer 2018

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Inside Storey

through the roof New C.D. Howe study illuminates how responsible government barriers are for high housing costs

By Ted McIntyre with Benjamin Dachis, Associate Director, Research

In Mid-May, the C.D. Howe Institute, an independent not-for-profit research institute and one of Canada’s most influential think tanks, released Through the Roof: The High Cost of Barriers to Building New Housing in Canadian Municipalities, an extensive investigation into the government-driven impediments to residential construction. In the 31-page report, authors Benjamin Dachis and Vincent Thivierge calculated that the extra costs on new housing—from development charges to zoning regulations—range from an average $229,000 in the eight most restrictive cities to an absurd $600,000 in Vancouver, where the barriers to supply make up around 50% of the cost of housing. While that number is lower in the GTA, it’s still a formidable 20%, compared to basically 0% in Montreal, where there are no development charges.

Within Ontario, the extra costs on new and existing homes amount to more than $70,000 in the City of Toronto and the regions of Peel and Durham, $90,000 in Halton, more than $100,000 in ohba.ca

Hamilton and nearly $125,000 in York.

In addressing escalating costs, however, the government is attacking the wrong end of the problem, suggests Dachis, who holds a Masters degree from London School of Economics.

“Recent policies, such as taxes on foreign buyers or new federal mortgage rules, have focused on curtailing the demand for housing,” he notes, “instead of taking meaningful steps to increase the supply.”

OHB: What was the primary motivation for this study? benjamin dachis: I’ll never forget

reading The Economic Implications of Housing Supply by Edward Glaeser and Joseph Gyourko when it came out in the U.S. These are two of the world’s leading experts in economics.

Ed Glaeser is a shoe-in to win a Nobel prize in economics in this area. The effects of regulations on housing costs was a revelation. The methodology has been repeated in Australia and all across Europe. So it was astonishing to me that no one had ever tackled this

in Canada, especially with our costs of housing going up and up.

The motivation then for the second half of the study was to ask, “Why?” We came across very detailed data for Ontario. For every municipality we were able to get the price of housing— a good relationship with Real Property Solutions helped. Then we realized there’s all this data at the municipality level, and all this variation, where some cities have low DCs, some high. Some have a lot of land allocated for residential purposes and others have much of it zoned for agricultural. Some have a lot of land in the Greenbelt, and some have had the Growth Plan bind them. Over the course of 10 years of data, we were able to look at what happens to house prices in Ontario cities when government policy changes in those areas.

The first part addresses the ‘Construction gap’?

In any competitive market without barriers—whether it’s pencils, computers or housing—a fundamental law of economics applies: In the long term, the price that people are paying will equal the marginal cost of selling it.

That means whatever the costs of selling that good is—including labour, materials plus a very basic return on capital (maybe 10-15%)—that’s what the price should be. We have hard costs of labour and materials from Statistics Canada from their permit data. Then we add the profit margin and servicing the land, and then calculate construction costs per square foot. In a market where developers have ready access to land, didn’t have any other development charges or things they had to pay for, that’s what it should cost households to buy a house.

Edmonton is a great example, and shows the intuition of the study. They had the highest construction costs, because of competition from the oil industry. But the end price to homebuyers wasn’t anywhere near the top— it was actually right in the middle.

Because of that, the construction cost gap there is effectively zero because of relatively low DCs and an efficient way of getting their product to market. ontario home builder Summer 2018

19

Abbottsford, on the other hand, has one of the lowest construction costs in Canada on a square-foot basis, but because of restrictions, access to land and other development barriers, the end price of buying a home there is one of the highest in Canada! So it shows construction costs are not what’s really driving the pricing of housing.

You’re not a big fan of DCs.

For things like police or parks, you’ll never be able to finance them over the long term, so some parts of development charges shouldn’t be eliminated.

But for water and wastewater, which are about 50% of GTA DCs, it doesn’t make much sense. They should be paid over time as you use them, like electricity, natural gas or your cable bill. We should be making the capital component of what it took to connect your house to the overall system part of your monthly bill. If you look around the world, like the UK, there are pension funds dying for these sorts of business opportunities—to put up this infrastructure investment and be paid a steady, regulated rate of return!

What’s most galling to me about DCs is how they’re effectively invisible in municipal budgets. If you look at the operating budget, they’re not in there—they’re in the capital budget— things like donated assets. The developer builds a subdivision, and as part of it they pay for part of the water, roads, etc. None of it is in the budget, so cities don’t even think about this kind of infrastructure finance when they’re making plans—it just shows up at the end of the year as part of their financial statements.

So why are DCs still here?

They’re political catnip. They’re by their very nature not going to be paid for by a politician’s current constituents. If you already live there, you actually want development charges to be as high as possible, because that keeps your taxes down and also restricts the number of people coming into your neighbourhood.

People tend to be frugal when they pay as they go.

Exactly. When the capital cost is 20

ontario home builder Summer 2018

ohba.ca

hidden from the end buyer—and user—they don’t think about usage every time they flush their toilets or turn on their taps.

We’re so used to the idea of development charges that nobody ever steps back and says, “Wait a minute!”

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YOu cite a U.S. study— how increasing the time to approve subdivisions reduces building permits.

We don’t have a good metric on time, but we do know that in Toronto, less than 20% of permit applications get approved within the 10-day limit mandated by the Ontario Building Code.

Can you discuss your study’s recommendations?

DCs are the single biggest thing.

Reducing them would reduce the total cost of housing in Ontario by $57 billion. Relaxing the Growth Plan and opening up a portion of the Greenbelt would each have the second-largest benefit of $21 billion in savings. People fixate on the Greenbelt as the be-all solution, but it’s not. The big issue is the Growth Plan and limitations on expanding housing between the existing urban growth boundary and the Greenbelt.

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do C.D. Howe studies effect policy change?

All the time—everything from sales taxes to monetary policy, land transfer taxes, trade policy—NAFTA itself comes from C.D. Howe papers!

How about this one?

These kinds of debates take lots of voices. But you can’t get policymakers’ attention until you show them the costs of their decisions.

Would you like to drill further into the topic?

Oh yeah! For this paper we had to focus on single-family, but multifamily is a core part of this issue. We need to work with partners who are willing to get us this kind of data and help finance the project. So if there are any home builders out there interested in learning more, please get in touch! OHB ohba.ca

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A Step in the Right Direction Light colours have been trending over the last few years and a very popular hue is Nautilus from Vintage Hardwood Flooring.

The colour comes in a variety of textures, including wire-brushed and hand-scraped. It’s available in widths from 3¼” up to 10”.

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ontario home builder Summer 2018

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The 8500W, LiftMaster’s most advanced wall-mount opener, optimizes garage ceiling space overhead, opening up possibilities to what your client’s garage can become. Easy to install, it’s packed with features, including built-in wifi for smartphone control, MyQ Remote LED lighting, an integrated battery backup and an automatic garage door lock. The sleek design looks good and performs well in any application, including high-lift doors and cathedral ceilings. Liftmaster.com

Rising Star Smooth-Star Shaker-style one-panel doors from Therma-Tru deliver contemporary, on-trend style while creating a simple look and a casual feel to the entry. Squared recessed panels give a nod to the door’s shaker roots and add curb appeal and interest to today’s homes. Various options fit homeowners’ needs for style, privacy and security. Thermatru.com

White on White Apart from its tidy dimensions, GE’s 24” Free-Standing Electric Standard Clean Range features a sleek space-saving storage drawer—ideal for pots and pans—that completely rolls out to make room for easy cleaning beneath. Features include electronic oven controls, a pair of chrome racks and four levelling legs. geappliances.ca

Durable Goods Manufactured to CAN/ULC S-701 standards, PlastiFab’s DuroSpan GPS R5 closed-cell insulation features a graphite-enhanced expandable polystyrene (GPS) with a thin film laminated to the top and bottom surfaces, making this durable product less susceptible to handling damage and easy to cut and install. It’s ideal for continuous insulation for both exterior/perimeter foundation and interior basement walls, as well as insulating above a basement slab or as continuous insulating sheathing.

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A Stirring Rendition Cedar Renditions by Royal Design Series is changing the aluminum game.

Combining the durability of thicker gauge aluminum with the streamlined presence of contemporary wood, it’s LEED compliant, 100% recyclable, comes with a 25-year pro-rated warranty and redefines curb appeal in three distinct shades: Amberwood, Cedar Bark and Charwood. Designwithaluminum.com

Go With the FLO Canada’s largest electric vehicle charging network offers EV charging solutions for multi-unit residential buildings. Increasing a property’s value with future-proof amenities, it also enables builders to comply with emerging government regulations and to accommodate growing demand for EV charging in residential areas. FLO promises turnkey, flexible solutions for all types of properties, realtime charging station monitoring, remote servicing and troubleshooting and scalable solutions to meet current and future demand. Flo.ca 26

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The Ruling Dynasty Offered in three new colours, Dynasty with ArmourZone is a heavy-duty shingle featuring built-in algae resistance, core strength from its fibreglass mat, exceptional bonding and a nailing zone 40% wider than standard architectural shingles, making installation easier, faster and more accurate. A tearresistant, reinforced woven band helps provide fastening strength over a greater surface area of the shingle. Iko.com ohba.ca

Roof Pros know it takes every advantage to be successful. That’s why so many choose IKO Cambridge® or Dynasty® shingles. They’re loaded with advantages that can help improve your bottom line. They go farther with fewer shingles than most competitors’ comparable products thanks to IKO’s True Square, which means three bundles equal 100 sq. ft. of coverage. And with a multitude of colours and our complete PRO4 accessory system, IKO has the tools you need to win more sales. So see for yourself why IKO isn’t just roofing, it’s roofing elevated.

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All in One, and One for All Designed to meet Ontario’s MMAH Supplementary Standard SB-12 Energy efficiency for housing, BP Canada’s R5-XP Insul-Sheathing panels are a one-step solution for continuous insulation, housewrap and windbracing—all rolled into one convenient lightweight panel. Apart from saving you time and money on installation, it will also provide a continuous thermal resistance of R-5 and an integrated air-barrier, without requiring any additional bracing. bpcan.com

A Knight’s Tale The Spring 2018 Collection from Karndean Designflooring introduces 12 fresh, on-trend colours across its gluedown and rigid core ranges, including Knight Tile’s Grey Riven Slate—quarried from volcanic rock that dates back 300 million years in England’s Lake District. The new designs are available in 36”x6” planks and 12”x18” stones in a 12mil wear layer and will not stain or fade over time. Karndean.com 28

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They spend their days building other people’s dream homes—but if they had their choice, which of their creations could they see themselves living in? We asked some OHBA member builders and renovators, who have crafted some memorable and award-winning houses, for their picks on the residences they’d be happiest to inhabit.

by T r ac y h a n e s

Steve Snider says he’d feel right at home at this lakefront chateau near Port Perry, which is far cozier than its 4,000 square feet might indicate. ohba.ca

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At left and above: Snider’s Scugog Island creation includes a lovingly restored log cabin on the property.

— Steve Snider — Steve Snider Construction, Port Perry While, at 4,000 square feet, it’s much bigger than he and his wife Marilyn require, Steve Snider would feel right at home in the custom waterfront French chateau he built for a client on Scugog Island near Port Perry. The R2000 house, constructed in 2012, was a CHBA award finalist.

First of all, the land reminds Snider of his own Scugog Township farm property (one of its owners actually chose the site because it reminded her of her native Scotland.) The striking creation is hidden from the road and a tree-lined drive leads through rolling landscape to its lakeside location.

“The house has lots of detail and it’s built the way I’d build my own place,” says Snider, with features such as insulated concrete form (ICF) construction, a geothermal system and radiant infloor heating, and is totally maintenance-free.

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Snider appreciates that its affluent owners didn’t go over the top and that comfort wasn’t sacrificed.

He believes in homes that are built to suit their inhabitants’ lifestyles, not to be showplaces, and says this is a prime example. It’s designed for family gathering and socializing, with an open-concept kitchen, living room with soaring ceilings and twostorey fieldstone fireplace and lots of triple-glazed windows to take in the lake views. It also features a huge screened porch with a fireplace and a beautiful pool for indoor-outdoor enjoyment.

The favourite part of the project for Snider and his trades was moving and restoring an original 16’ x 21’ log cabin on the property, set between the main house and the lake. It included adding a front porch, a fieldstone fireplace and a sleeping loft.

“I could live there,” says Snider. ohba.ca

Top right: Eurodale’s Brendan Charters loves the classic curb appeal of this Hoggs Hollow project, while Cunningham picked an entertainer’s dream in midtown Toronto (below).

— Brendan Charters & Jim Cunningham — Eurodale Developments, Toronto With more than 200 projects under their belts, renovators Brendan Charters and Jim Cunningham, owners of Eurodale Developments, had a tough time choosing which one they’d like to live in—and each had a different preference.

For Charters, it’s a renovation on a house they dubbed ‘Georgia Peach’, set in Hoggs Hollow, a tiny pocket of land at Yonge Street and York Mills in north Toronto. A previous house flipper ruined the original facade of the stately Georgian-styled home by cladding it with stucco, and in 2014, Eurodale’s task was to restore it to its former glory and add some unique architectural features. Originally, the plan was to strip the stucco and clean and rehabilitate the old brick, but the flipper had shot nails into the bricks’ faces, shattering them. Thankfully due to advancements in thin brick and stone veneer, Eurodale was able to achieve the intended vision.

The home’s curb appeal, though, was lacking relative to its location and quality of the interior space. New false dormers with real windows and lights were added to give it the look and feel of a much larger space. The new facade and the midtown location are what speak to Charters. He appreciates that the clients gave Eurodale free rein on the design that dramatically increased the home’s aesthetic and resale value, without altering its footprint or interior.

“The location is amazing, within walking distance to ohba.ca

shops, restaurants, subway and a close drive to the 401 to flee the city when desired,” says Charters. “A trip downtown is relatively easy, but the little pocket it’s in receives virtually no traffic and has a nice rural neighbourhood vibe.

“I could really see my family enjoying living in this home for a long time if ever afforded the opportunity.”

A midtown location also resounds with Cunningham, but his choice is a single detached transitional home that he and Charters renovated on Kelso Avenue in the Avenue Road/Lawrence Avenue corridor, within walking distance of numerous amenities and close to the 401 and public transit.

“The house design was influenced by our taste, with a layout centred around entertaining,” says Cunningham. “It was an entertainer’s dream, from the large rear deck to the butler’s kitchen.”

The challenge was working within the existing footprint of the home—when the job was finished, to the untrained eye, it appeared to be a completely new house. Cunningham is also proud that the home was future-proofed against rising energy costs.

“We set out to reduce our carbon footprint on this house,” he says. “It was important that there were long-term savings with heating and electricity costs for long-term ownership.

We incorporated features such as radiant-floor heating, sprayfoamed walls, insulated floors. No expense was spared!” ontario home builder Summer 2018

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Cutting-edge when built in 2003, this Peterborough County home’s features include a second-floor glass catwalk.

There’s No Place Like (My) Home

— Scott Wootton — Kawartha Lakes Construction, Lakefield While this hybrid timber-frame house

built in 2003 has plenty of appeal on its own merit, its stunning location, vistas and its orientation to maximize the views from a unique piece of land on Kasshabog Lake is the big attraction for Scott Wootton, owner of Kawartha Lakes Construction.

When it was built, the Peterborough County home represented the best of the best in building methods and features. It was a registered R2000 home with a tight .8 ACH (air changes per hour), as well as ICF foundation, smart framing with super-insulated R27 walls and R51 vaulted ceilings, radiant infloor heating, a gas boiler and a tankless water heater supplying on-demand hot water. It boasted Lutron smart wiring and an entertainment area with built-in dual plasma screen TVs and an additional drop-down 10-foot projection screen for movies. The kitchen was kitted out with high-end Wolf and ohba.ca

Sub-Zero stainless steel appliances, and Corian and concrete countertops.

“Fifteen years later, it’s amazing how many of its features are now either run-of-the mill or redundant technologies,” notes Wootton.

Still, the house was full of fun and unique custom features that have stood the test of time. Those include the second-storey glass-floor catwalk with curved custom railings, a twostorey fireplace and built-in features including sitting areas, screened rooms, multi-level decks and structured wire sound system. It has a killer man cave garage, with epoxy floors and custom cabinets.

“I guess because we did so many custom things and it was so uniquely designed to fit its surroundings is why it stands out as the most memorable, allround intriguing project,” says Wootton.

“But there have been lots of others I’d like to try out for a week or two!”

Tempted as they might be, most builders would pick their own homes as the ones they’d most like to live in. Dave Brix, president of Guelph-based Terra View Homes, is no exception. But we have to admit that his abode (on the cover) is pretty unique.

Brix designed and built the Waterloo region house for family living. It’s contemporary in style with a wide open plan that includes a yoga room and in-law suite with barrier-free entry. The suite is part of a separate wing on the main floor.

The house is ICF-constructed from floor to roof and is slab-on-grade, with hydronics throughout. Brix built the house in response to changing climatic conditions so it would be ‘bomb-proof’ in case of severe weather events. The roof trusses are hurricane-strapped to the ICF walls, with a standing seam steel roof.

He’s future-proofed it against rising energy costs with a 10 kW solar array and south-facing wall that’s almost entirely glass. However, large overhangs shade against summer sun but allow it to penetrate deep into the house when the winter sun is low, with the large thermal mass and black-tiled floors providing passive heating. A clear storey of remoteoperated windows on the rear of a three-storey space takes advantage of the natural stack effect to cool the house during warm weather.

Any child would covet his kids’ bedrooms. They are two-storey spaces with lofts to provide private living spaces and each room’s entrance is hidden behind aluminum bookcase doors, operated by moving one of the books in the door.

“It’s a great home to live in and is extremely bright, with incredible views over the pool and river in the rear yard,” says Brix.

Sounds like a home we’d like to live in too! ontario home builder Summer 2018

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What happens when you team up to build a home for a celebrated architect? You end up with this Crystal Lake stunner from Craig Marshall, which melds beautifully into the surrounding landscape.

— Craig Marshall — Marshall Homes, Pickering While Marshall Homes is best known for its subdivision

homes in Durham Region and Bobcaygeon, it also builds custom cottages.

“If I could live in one of my homes besides my own, I would choose the cottage I built for (architect) Stephen Hunt of Hunt Design Associates,” says Craig Marshall, president of Marshall Homes. “Steve designed a cottage that takes in the spectacular views and has the family values built in so the large dining area can accommodate the Thanksgiving feast.”

Hunt’s design was inspired by traditional Muskoka and Kawartha-area cottages and boathouses. However, it departs from tradition with the use of expansive glazing to allow for multiple vistas from its location on a point. Wood siding and stone, a post-and-beam timber main entrance and warm, earth colours allow it to blend into the natural landscape.

Inside, the interiors are similarly warm, anchored by a dark hardwood floor that’s contrasted by a lofted pine finished ceiling. Solid pine hammer beams accentuate the space, helping to define and animate it. ohba.ca

Marshall particularly appreciates the kitchen, designed by Randy Albert of AYA Kitchens, and how it ties the lifestyle to cooking, with an open layout so the chef can still socialize while preparing meals. He also has a sentimental attachment to Crystal Lake, where it’s located.

“It’s my wife’s family’s lake,” Marshall explains. “It’s a great spot to just jump in the boat and cruise around, with lots of bays to explore.”

While Marshall appreciates the finished product, he didn’t enjoy the construction process quite as much. “The access to the cottage and the fact that we built it in winter was challenging. The long and winding road was just the start, then the narrow driveway ensured that this wasn’t a piece of cake. But my site supervisor Dave is a really talented guy and made sure all went well.”

While it’s currently the most coveted of his creations, Marshall says he may have another soon: “We are building (Cassidy & Co. architectural technology company owner) Wayne Cassidy’s cottage now, so you may have to ask me again next year about my favourite.” OHB ontario home builder Summer 2018

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Eye in the Sk y Drone use takes off in residential development

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

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ohba.ca ohba.ca

Look up.

The Sky Guys are among drone companies offering invaluable services to condo developers, among others. ohba.ca

You might see the home building industry changing right before your eyes. Then again, you might hear it first—that telltale buzz of multi-prop unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), better known as drones.

Want to see what your new subdivision will look like rising from street level to a 400-foot panorama that unveils nearby parks and forests, a creek or a shopping mall a few kilometres away? Would you like to see what your condominium will look like in its actual physical environment after it’s complete? Or how your project is progressing in real time, or scan a rooftop for heat loss?

Those are just a few examples of what drones fitted with HD cameras and cutting-edge software are now able to do for developers, builders, architects, surveyors, real estate agents and marketing agencies—all at a fraction of the price of alternative methods.

Many in the industry, however, are still lagging behind the times, suggests says Slava Gravets, CEO of SkySnap, a Toronto-based aerial photography, videography, surveying and mapping company. “Most developers are still selling from demo centres, where they have little models and maybe some computer renderings. But they and their clients don’t see how that project is going to fit into the landscape of the city. We can create a full video to show them that.”

Although they’ve only hired a drone company for marketing purposes thus far, Dustin Greene, V.P. of Operations at Kingston’s Greene Homes, has seen a new perspective of their properties. “It was pretty cool the day (Kelvin Clark of Kingston Drone Pros) came by and droned an area of town where we’re building,” says Greene, who worked with Clark’s firm for two projects last summer at Kingston’s Midland Park and Westbrook.

“He flew it up and scanned the whole area and we could see what we’d previously built around town—a view you don’t see every day. Ten years ago you’d have to use a plane to get these sorts of views. But companies like this can do more stuff, cooler shots, at less expense, including modelling how the subdivision can look in the future. It helps people visualize something that’s not there. But it also catches their attention, particularly when everyone sees a million and a half ads a week.”

Such services tend at come at an attractive price point given their relative impact. “The lowest fees you’ll see from us for simple flyovers and video would be $400,” ontario home builder Summer 2018

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notes Konrad Robinski, UAV safety supervisor pilot camera operator with Barrie-based Sky Eye Media.

“But I’ve been working with a medium price of $800 to $1,200 for more enhanced property videos that incorporate a little bit of the area and some narration. For more high-end clients, it’s between $1,200 and $1,600 including post-production and maybe three revisions. It’s a pretty good price, given the fact that when we (are hired for) a feature film set, just the gear to show up, not including labour, is more than what I just quoted.”

It’s an example of the level of talent that’s available for the residential construction industry, although Sky Eye Media’s portfolio is particularly sexy, having honed their craft from years of TV and movie work, with credits including such award-winning productions as The Shape of Water and The Handmaid’s Tale. “When I’m shooting, I want to show my client something unique—some of the techniques we’ve learned from feature films and commercials,” says Robinski. “We can use a ground stabilizer so it looks like a seamless transition from the drone footage, and try to innovate as much as we can. For our DJI Inspire drones, I have the option of just focusing on flying and giving control of the camera to the camera operator. That relationship helps us get more dynamic shots. For example, I’ll be able to swoop in with my drone, nearly missing a structure, and the camera operator will be able to wrap a nice dynamic shot around it—something you can’t do with a single operator or more basic drones. And we have confidence level to fly through or inside tricky structures.”

And it’s not like the resulting video is going to be obsolete anytime soon. For their Inspire 2 drone, Sky Eye often employs a feature film-grade Zenmuse X7 camera capable of shooting 6K raw video. “It’s way more than you need for real estate,” says Robinski, “but it gives us extra flexibility in post-production to punch in on a section of a frame—and when we export that to 1080HD, it’s just as sharp. And shooting at that high a resolution also future-proofs the video for years from now when people might have 6K TVs.” Although The Sky Guys in Oakville are beginning to focus more on big industry and military applications, they still have plenty of activity on the commercial development side and working with municipalities. “We take a slightly different approach to typical drone company,” explains COO Tom Hanson, whose company recently received a $1 million grant from the MTO to develop drone technology to monitor the entire 2,000 kms of Ontario’s 400 series of highways. “We help our clients understand that video is the most popular media. There’s a statistic out there that something like 80% of internet traffic by 2020 is going to be video. The challenge developers have is that they need to transmit a lot of information in a short period of time to people while holding their attention. A lot of what we do is to capture 40

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“When I’m shooting, I want to show my client something unique.”

There’s an obvious real estate marketing aspect to drones, but their unique perspective also allows for detailed measurements of everything from heat loss to the number of new tiles required after a storm. (Photo: Sky Eye Media)

drone footage and augment it with 2D motion graphics, 3D renderings and that kind of stuff, so that we can help you paint a picture of the entire project, so that you can see it in a bigger scope, as opposed to just a south-facing view if you buy this particular unit. It’s more about telling the story of what your life is going to be like if you live here.”

CentreCourt Developments has employed The Sky Guys for marketing purposes for each of their recent Toronto projects, 411 Church and Zen King West— taking panoramic photos to provide a 360-degree view of the sites. “I don’t know of another way of doing it than taking aerial shots and layering the building overtop (on a computer)—instead of using an airplane or a hot air balloon, which are both more expensive and a lot less flexible,” says CentreCourt Associate V.P. Gavin Cheung. “And a picture tells a thousand words, so it’s a quick, effective way to get people’s attention.” ohba.ca

NOT A DIY PROJECT

If drone footage is not part of your project, you’re lagging behind the times, suggests SkySnap’s Gravets. “It’s kind of like telling someone you need to advertise on Google Adwords back in 2008, which was an enormous opportunity at a time when it wasn’t yet very competitive. Drones provide incredible vantage points that we were never able to grab before, and that can be used in a precise format that’s very complementary with other technologies, like computer graphics—taking a 3D rendering of a home and superimposing it on the landscape of the lot as it appears today.”

Real estate agents were among the early adopters, notes Robinski. “Many of our clients use our videos for their presentations and pitches. They’ll come back to us and say, ‘That property has been sitting ohba.ca

there for years and right after that video came out we sold it in three weeks.’ The video, just by being out there, will generate a sale. When it comes to smaller clients, that video lives on social media and more clients decide these agents have the latest tools to sell their house, and that agent consequently gets more listings.”

Drone footage is almost mandatory to provide perspective for potential clients, suggests MOD Developments CEO Gary Switzer. “I just see it as an extension of the old days when we hired a company that used balloons. The intent is to show purchasers the view out their windows from different floors. You’re still at the mercy of the weather to some degree, but this is a more efficient way of doing it. And when you need it, you need it.

There are drones galore at every tech and camera store, but avoid to temptation to shoot your own commercial videos and photography, the experts caution.

“You’ll quickly learn that buying a Phantom Pro doesn’t imbue you with the skills to operate it,” offers Sky Eye’s Konrad Robinski. “That takes years to develop. You might not get the setting right, the flight pattern right, the dynamic shots, the flying quality. The big one, though, is safety. Even professionals will occasionally get themselves into a jam, but they have the skills and experience to navigate out of it. I can’t see someone without experience getting through some of these jobs without an accident.”

And then there are the legal ramifications.

The proliferation of drones in recent years—and a collision with a passenger plane in Quebec City last year—has led to new legislation and big penalties for those who don’t follow the rules, notes Slava Gravets of SkySnap. “The reality is that if you do commercial work without a licence, you can face criminal charges, and fines up to $25,000. The problem is that with the lack of certification and that level of ignorance also comes the lack of understanding of what to do when an emergency arises.”

“When you hire or use a drone for non-recreational purposes, the drone operator is required to have the following: a Special Flight Operations Certificate (SFOC) from Transport Canada; liability insurance (general business liability insurance does not cover drone operations); and permission of the landowner to launch and land the drone,” explains Ross Irvine of Data From Drones, whose company has a standing SFOC that allows it to fly anywhere in Ontario, and carries $5 million drone-specific liability insurance (which can be increased if requested).

“Real estate agents can get themselves into trouble by buying a drone and flying it five feet off the ground because they’re already in a restricted airspace,” reminds Robinski. “And you need to know all the Ministry regulations—for example, we can’t be flying within 100 feet of people. Real estate photography, by nature, is intrusive because you need to fly over other people’s houses to get to a particular house, so you might have to canvas the entire neighbourhood and ask for permission to fly over their property.”

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LEFT: Instead of pretty pictures, Data From Drones specializes in information that can be captured from drones, including precisely measuring length, width, height and volume.

BOTTOM LEFT: The Sky Guys’ marketing video helps developers envision the future.

“I think it’s the way of the future if you want photography that illustrates the view at this and that height,” adds Switzer, whose company hired The Sky Guys for their “Waterworks” project in the heart of Toronto’s King West entertainment district. “It’s one of the first questions you get asked: ‘What’s the view out my window?’

Even if it’s fourth floor and staring at a building across the street, you want to be able to show it. And once you get above that building, you want to be able to show that view too. You want to purchaser to be very aware of what they’re getting.”

“The challenge is that many developers don’t have problems selling, so there’s not a huge incentive to try to adjust their sales and marketing tactics,” says The Sky Guys’ Hanson. “But I wager that we’re gonna see the same thing we saw with real estate agents and residential photos—that as soon as it becomes more mainstream, everyone’s going to jump on board.”

UNIQUE VIEWS FROM ABOVE But it’s not all about marketing attractive imagery and videos—not by a long shot.

Kelvin Clark, the founder of Kingston Drone Pros, that city’s first incorporated ohba.ca

drone company, has worked for Discovery Channel and pretty much every level of government. “But the reason I got into it (at the end of 2013) was that my parents are home builders here in Kingston. And I’m also a realtor, so it was kind of a nobrainer for me.

“There are virtually endless applications or drones. You can calculate the math of whatever product you need to bring in, determine sewer depths—it can be as simple or advanced as you want.

You can even do LIDAR (light detection and ranging),” says Clark of the surveying method that measures distance to a target by illuminating it with pulsed laser light and measuring the reflected pulses with a sensor. Differences in laser return times and wavelengths can then be used to make ultra-accurate digital 3D representations of a surveyed area.

From a land surveying perspective, drones significantly reduce both time and labour costs and eliminate much of the human error involved in the process, leading to better decisions regarding real-estate site selection and property design.

The business model of Guelph-based Data From Drones stresses the information-gathering value provided by drones

The Future of Drones and our Cityscape In Elevation, a new documentary produced by Dezeen, arguably the world’s most influential architecture, interiors and design magazine, the influence drones are having on design and our future cities is explored.

While the possibility of a near future of skyways for civilian passenger drones—and how homes and buildings will have to accommodate them—is explored, there is also discussion on current design trends.

“There are a lot of implications of drones changing the way architecture is perceived and also in the future the way architecture is built,” says Hans-Ulrich Obrist, artistic director of the Serpentine Galleries in London, England. “There’s the verticality of it. The roof used to be part of the invisible city—where people put trash or storage. But now they’re part of the visible city.

“It’s changing architectural photography because it’s giving us a whole new range of perspectives on a building,” adds photographer Ed Reeve. “I think it will change the way architects design buildings, since they’ll be seen by all sorts of new angles.”

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damage so we can note those images and immediately put them into a report— present it to the client, and use that info to build a quote and get insurance claims.”

STAYING ON TRACK

Photo: The Sky Guys

Drones’ ability to track the progress of construction in real time is one of the most attractive uses for all stakeholders in a project.

for developers. “We use drone technology to gather information and images— not pretty pictures—to help you make business decisions,” says Irvine. “Indeed, (our) images are unattractive. Their value lies in how they can tell you things you can’t learn or see from the ground. They answer questions such as: How many cubic yards of gravel are in that pile? How much does the land drop from that point to that one? How tall is that building? That cliff face appears to be slipping down—how much fencing will we need to keep people away until we can stabilize it? Can we get a preliminary visual safety assessment of that 200-foot structure before we send a person up to have a look? What’s the area of that pond? It also helps you compute the area of irregularly shaped properties. And, that’s just the beginning.”

It’s nice to have boots on the ground, but drones have the ability to capture data beyond the naked eye, notes Hanson. “We can even tell if you’re about to have an environmental issue on your property. For example, if you’re doing excavation on a condo downtown and you’re digging a couple dozen feet down to lay the footings, you’re going to want to be wary of the surrounding property and how you’re affecting roadways or adjacent property that you don’t have a right to be influencing. If you’re about to have a sinkhole situation (something that ‘progress tracking’ ohba.ca

can detect the future of), or a break in the footing—you can detect potential deficiencies that will have an impact on time and costs. You’d otherwise have to hire a surveyor to do that, and at pretty substantial costs.”

With increasingly violent weather at all times of year, drones also offer valuable—and rapid—feedback. “After a big weather event, we can have a full damage assessment back within hours, compared to how long that would take manually,” says Gord Green, president of SkeyeKing in Burlington. “We can map a roof and project how many shingles are required to do the repair.”

“If you had a low-rise condominium complex and wanted to inspect every rooftop, it would take an incredible amount of time—either getting someone to climb it or get a boom and manoeuvre around trees,” echoes Gravets. “We can cover a large area in a half-day that would otherwise take a small team four or five days to complete. And drones will provide far better and higher-quality footage. If you’re an inspector climbing onto the roof, you’re not taking your camera out to snap a picture of an area where a shingle is missing and marking it down on a map. But with drone footage, (those missing shingles) are already geographically tabbed. And we can change the camera angle to best view the damage. Since it’s a real-time image, so we can focus on areas of more extensive

The ability to monitor the evolution of a project—without ever having to leave your office—is one of the most attractive aspects of the technology, stresses Hanson. “There’s a huge value-add for construction progress tracking. We’ll engage with the developer or contractor and do site visits as often as you like to take photos of the property and produce models. Then we host everything on the cloud and provide secured access so you can share that info with all the stakeholders—helping everyone to keep on budget and on time. We’ve seen some pretty significant improvements in terms of project management, workflow and project efficiency.”

Whether it’s the developer, builder or contractor, “it’s an easy way to ensure everyone from investors to the sub-trades knows what’s happening,” says Irvine.

“Meetings in the construction trailer become more focused, productive and efficient when the whole team can see where things stand—what has to be done and what shouldn’t have been done.”

The possibilities for drone use are clearly taking off. As solar panels become more prevalent, drones can quickly inspect arrays to determine which panels are dead and which are alive. There are also huge applications for thermal maps of rooftops and building envelopes to detect heat and moisture deficiencies postconstruction, not to mention the ability to identify surface contamination on your construction projects with low-altitude photographs. They can also be employed for jobsite inspections in reducing worksite safety, or even for security purposes.

“Every time we open a different phase of a subdivision, we’ll get Kingston Drone Pros in to do photography and video,” says Greene. “But we might even go more intense too. For example, it would be nice to find out how much dirt there was in a subdivision versus what our numbers need to be, so we know how much fill we need to bring in or get rid of.”

“Yep—we can do that,” says Clark.

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n April 2017, the Liberal provincial government rolled out the Ontario Fair Housing Plan (FHP) to cool the Greater Toronto Area’s red-hot real estate market and to improve affordability. A 15% foreign buyers’ tax was the centrepiece of the 16-point plan, while another key measure expanded rent control to include all private rental units in the province.

Although foreign buyers constitute a very small segment of the market (only 3.4%, according to CMHC research), the market abruptly cooled and average real estate prices fell 20% from April to August 2017.

While the FHP may have had some positive spinoffs, such as lower prices for buyers on the low-rise resale side and more renter protection, industry experts don’t believe the FHP will have much long-term influence, although it will negatively impact the rental sector.

“I don’t think the measures that came in had that much impact,” says Peter Norman, chief economist at Altus Group.

“Market turbulence started happening prior to the announcement and it’s a coincidence that things slowed just as it was introduced.” Norman says most FHP measures, including the Foreign Buyer’s Tax, were pretty narrow and benign.

Norman says several factors (looming tighter lending policies and interest rate ohba.ca

“Anytime there’s a large-scale policy move, people who are flexible— who don’t need to buy or sell right away—step back and see where they stand in the market.” hikes) conspired to push prices upward for a short period of time in early 2017, but “that doesn’t go on forever” and only lasted a few months. The market took a pause and buyers decided to step back.

However, the condo market was unscathed by the FHP, as sales soared to record levels (with 36,429 new units sold) in 2017 and the average price rose by 41% over 2016 to an average $716,000. Some of the drivers included demand from end-users who could no longer afford a single-family home and adjusted their expectations; and heightened investor interest due to the rapid price increases.

“The move made a big splash and prompted people to take a step back

and see what was happening in terms of sales,” says Jason Mercer, director of market analysis for the Toronto Real Estate Board. “Anytime there’s a large-scale policy move, people who are flexible—who don’t need to buy or sell right away—step back and see where they stand in the market.”

“It no doubt had a psychological impact and took froth out of market,” agrees Tim Hudak, CEO of the Ontario Real Estate Association (OREA). “Buyers became more cautious and adopted a ‘let’s wait and see what happens’ behaviour. But even before the Fair Housing Plan, the market was starting to experience a natural moderating influence.”

Norman says that since June 2017 ontario home builder Summer 2018

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prices have been stable and rising, and in April 2018, prices were stronger than in June 2017. “Price pressure has come back at a modest level and although there is some turbulence, the market is stable and well behaved.”

Some neighbourhoods beyond the 416, where prices escalated quickly during the early 2017 run-up, are still feeling the chill from the rapid cooldown, says Ben Myers, president of Bullpen Research and Consulting. “The FHP definitely had an impact on markets that were more bubble-ish than others, such as Richmond Hill, Aurora and Markham.

“The low-rise market will have a slow recovery,” Myers adds. “The single-family market is still re-adjusting and people are nervous about buying a new home because they don’t know what they’ll get for their existing home, so aren’t listing them.”

Factors such as interest rate hikes and tighter mortgage rules are pushing buyers down the property ladder and those who would have looked at single-family homes are being confined to the condo market due to prices.

Myers says in early 2017, many buyers moved out of the Toronto area to places such as Kitchener-Waterloo, Stoney Creek, Grimsby and Barrie, consequently driving up prices in those places. “Then people in those markets moved out even farther,” Myers notes. “There was a secondary impact on markets 90 minutes away from Toronto. There isn’t so much (of that) move-out market now and we are seeing price adjustments in secondary markets.”

The quick cooling of last year’s market post-FHP created issues for many newhome builders and developers, says

Myers. “They sold at elevated prices then and don’t want to drop pricing. Some developers who bought land five years ago are launching 30% above their pro forma. Others will wait it out, shut their sales offices and wait for the market to come back, as it always seems to.”

Builder Mattamy did drop prices at one of its new-home projects in Whitby in early 2018 to reflect the market, which upset some buyers who had purchased similar houses at higher prices during the hot market a year earlier.

RENTAL MARKET ISSUES What does have the experts concerned is the FHP’s impact on the rental market.

While its measures were meant to provide more affordability, it’s been more of

a detriment, as rent increase limits may discourage investors from buying condos to rent out, and builders from constructing apartment buildings.

“The imposition of 1970s-style rent control is going to stifle rental housing and limit choice,” says OREA’s Hudak.

“With less supply, and if mom and pop investors move out of the (condo) market, rental stock will deteriorate.”

Long term, that will impact society’s most vulnerable citizens the most, Hudak says, including seniors, young people and immigrants, as they have less choice and less quality to choose from. Those who are on the margin of affordability will become homeless or will have to look to social housing, Hudak adds.

“If you’re an investor facing any kind of cost increases and you have a ceiling on your ability to raise rents, you may

“The single-family market is still re-adjusting and people are nervous about buying a new home.”

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“We have record migration and have never seen numbers so high... There is pent-up demand and there will be price pressure on the market.” choose not to invest in rental units,” echoes Mercer. “The economy in the GTA is good, unemployment is low and it’s an attractive place to live and work. People may want to move here and rent, but the prospects for new supply aren’t great.”

Myers suggests that while the province wants more rentals and has committed to making an investment (although that may change with the new Ontario governing party), the typical condo developer isn’t interested in purposebuilt rental buildings. Condos are selling well, the value is high and “why move from a model builders know to a model they don’t?” Myers asks.

He says new rental units will come from private money, real estate investment trusts and investment funds that are considering rental buildings in prime locations. “These are not going to be cheap rents, though. They are going after the luxury renter.”

The other problem is that the rental units that are available tend to be small suites, so people won’t lock in long-term, as most will eventually need a larger unit. Under the FHP, investors are limited to a maximum of 2.5% annual rent increase as long as the same tenant stays, then can reset the rate when a new tenant moves in. With the high concentration of compact suites, that’s not ideal for families or people looking for larger suites.

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THE CONTINUING AFFORDABILITY PROBLEM While the FHP aimed to improve affordability in the GTA, it’s actually done little to address the issue. While low-rise prices did fall, most average prices are still beyond many buyers’ budgets— which is why the condo market has enjoyed strong sales and surging prices.

A large part of the housing supply constraint is attributable to the lengthy time it takes to get approvals for projects.

Although a Development Approvals Roundtable Action Plan was created as part of the FHP including representatives from municipalities, provincial ministries, OHBA and the Toronto Real Estate Board, Mercer says no concrete action has been taken, whether it’s to expedite the approvals process or promote building of the “missing middle” (stacked townhouses and mid-rise housing).

“The city wants to promote and approve apartments in certain locations and people want to bring forward mid-rise projects along avenues,” says Norman.

“But then the application gets opposed and it has to go through a lengthy council process. In the end, some get built.”

The doubling of development charges in Toronto is also making it difficult for developers to keep costs down, says Norman,

and new condo prices are now $1,000 per square foot or more in desirable locations.

“Looking forward, the government needs to focus more on the supply side and how to bring more housing on stream, whether it’s owned or rental,” says Mercer.

“All levels of government have been piling on the backs of the real estate sector, with the Fair Housing Plan, increased land transfer tax, higher interests and the new stress test,” says Hudak. “The cumulative impact has hurt the chances of people to get into the market and caused economic loss. We need to focus on bringing down closing costs, for example, or helping first-time buyers by reducing or eliminating the land transfer tax, and we need to increase the supply of housing.”

LOOKING FORWARD “The broader perspective is that there is still a supply constraint,” says Norman.

“We have record migration and have never seen numbers so high. When that’s translated into potential household growth, we should be seeing 45,000 to 50,000 net new households a year, and we haven’t seen that before. There is pent-up demand and there will be price pressure on the market.”

While the FHP and mortgage stress test caused some “modest turbulence” according to Norman, “people are still ready and willing to buy. They will buy a smaller house or move further out.

It hasn’t removed the demand; it just paused it.”

Myers says the condo market will remain robust, but with more building completions happening this year, there is going to be a supply reprieve in the second half of the year and that may have a moderating effect on sales.

Mercer says the Toronto Real Estate Board’s prediction for the first half of 2018 was that the market would be slower than last year, but expects people will start moving back into the market.

“We are seeing tighter market conditions than a few months ago and certainly there’s a lot of competition in some neighbourhoods,” Mercer notes. “People see housing as a good investment. Prices are a bit lower than a year ago and that will prompt some people to move back into the market.” OHB ohba.ca

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

Speaking out against illegal building (from left) are Devin Durish of the Ontario Building Officials Association, Peterborough and The Kawarthas HBA president Garnet Northey, Tarion Stakeholder Engagement V.P. Siloni Waraich and OHBA CEO Joe Vaccaro.

What’s Happening at Tarion

Illegal building, Ontario Building Partnership and measuring the customer experience

Photo: jason bain/Peterborough Examiner/metroland

By Siloni War aich , V. P. of Tarion Stake holde r R e l ation s

Summer is finally upon us and the housing industry is bustling with activity. It’s been a busy time at Tarion too. We’ve spent much of the last couple of months touring across the province with OHBA to deliver education updates and raise awareness of some of the current issues in our industry. We have a number of exciting initiatives we’d like to share with you. If you have any questions about these or anything Tarionrelated, please reach out to your Stakeholder Relations Representative or email stakeholderrelations@ tarion.com.

Tackling Illegal Building with Transparency Illegal building is a very real problem facing Ontario’s new home building ohba.ca

industry and homebuyers alike.

While Tarion is responsible for investigating and detecting illegal building activity, members of the industry are also invested in ensuring that their communities—the ones they work and live in—are protected and safe.

For years, Tarion, in partnership with OHBA and the Ontario Building Officials Association, has worked to curb this issue through initiatives such as media events to raise consumer awareness, the Illegal Building Prevention Pilot, advocating for legislative change, as well as the formation of the Ontario Building Partnership. Day in and day out, we bring awareness to the issue of illegal building and speak about the importance of hiring a licensed builder and purchasing homes enrolled in the warranty program.

Access to the right resources is key to helping prevent illegal building. When Tarion first launched the Ontario Builder Directory, homeowners and members of the industry finally had a tool to quickly and easily confirm if a builder is registered.

Now, with the introduction of an enrollment search, users can quickly and easily confirm if a home is enrolled with Tarion and eligible for warranty coverage. A simple search by municipal address or lot and plan number will automatically pull a list of matching search results that include: • Homes that are enrolled but not yet under construction • Enrolled homes that are under construction but not yet occupied • Enrolled homes that have been occupied and are currently under warranty • A warranty start-date and enddate for a home currently under the warranty We are excited about this important step in increasing consumer protection against illegally built and unenrolled homes, as well as adding peace of mind for those looking to confirm if a resale home is still under warranty. Visit the Ontario Builder Directory on Tarion.com to check out the enrollment search yourself.

And note that enrollment information is updated daily, so builders should not be alarmed if a home they enrol does not immediately appear in the directory. Check back in a day, and if it is still not appearing in the directory, please contact Tarion.

Industry comes together for Ontario Building Partnership training sessions In April, the Ontario Building Partnership kicked off the first of ontario home builder Summer 2018

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Building Buzz our joint educational opportunities at the Interior Systems Contractors Association of Ontario (ISCA).

Builders, building officials and Tarion staff spent the day watching demos and participating in discussions about current industry trends and standards within the world of drywall and interior finishing.

Joint education sessions like this one help ensure Ontario’s homebuyers benefit from consistent and improved construction standards and we look forward to regularly offering more sessions throughout the province.

New Ways of Measuring the Customer Experience In an effort to provide even more insight into the customer experience, Tarion has developed a new tool to complement the annual customer satisfaction research you may already receive. These exciting new resources have been developed using data collected directly from the warranty forms submitted by your homeowners.

Earlier this summer, every builder received a customer experience report, showing a provincial snapshot of homeowner concerns across the province. Later this fall, we will be providing builders with customized reports built around the specific concerns reported by their homeowners.

With these reports, you will be able to identify industry trends, review the top concerns reported by your homeowners and, ultimately, find ways to raise the bar on customer service and satisfaction.

If you have questions about the reports or would like a to meet with Tarion to discuss customer service, please contact your Stakeholder Relations Representative. If you don’t know who that is, don’t hesitate to reach out to stakeholderrelations@ tarion.com and we’ll put you in touch with the right person!

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Fashion and modelling icon Cindy Crawford was on hand last month for the re-opening of Cosentino City Toronto.

Supermodel cuts the ribbon for Cosentino The new Cosentino City Toronto was christened in style on Tuesday, June 12, when supermodel and fashion icon Cindy Crawford, a brand ambassador for Silestone by Cosentino, paid a visit for the grand re-opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony. Joined by celebrated Toronto chef Grant van Gameren and Cosentino North America CEO Eduardo Cosentino, Crawford entertained nearly 300 of Ontario’s leading architects, designers, influencers and media during a Q&A hosted by Lynda Reeves, founder of House & Home magazine.

The celebration marks another

event of Crawford’s two-year design alliance with Silestone by Cosentino, the world’s leading brand in quartz surfacing.

The trio discussed the intersection of all things culinary, design and lifestyle, and how they collectively add beauty to the moments of everyday life.

The major renovation and redesign highlights Cosentino’s international growth and continued commitment in Canada. Located in the heart of Toronto’s design district, the newly modernized 10,000 square foot showroom will remain the hub for its growing Ontario market. ohba.ca

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It seems like a match made in heaven—well, at least Quebec.

Depending on the architectural style of a home, the garage door and front door cover between 20% and 45% of its facade. Obviously, coordinating their look can reap great results, while the opposite can result in a correspondingly detrimental 4:22 PM esthetic. That’s why Garaga and Novatech teamed up to address the issue. Ste. Julie-based Novatech, which specializes in door glass, entry doors and patio doors, and familyowned Garaga, which is headquartered in St. Georges, Que., but also has a manufacturing plant in Barrie, have teamed up to ensure a flawless coordination between these two entry doors.

Currently, Garaga has three garage door designs (the Vog, Prestige and Moderno) to match with Novatech’s front door designs of the similarly named Vog, Prestige and Mundo.

As Garaga Co-President Maxime Gendreau notes, it’s not only the door designs from the two companies that can be matched, “but we now offer a wide range of identical glass styles so that the windows or the garage door and that of the front door match beautifully.”

To view the new designs currently available, visit Garaga.com/ designcentre . ohba.ca

Safet y

Construction Carries WSIB to Safer Year After one year of tracking, the 2018 results are in: Ontario’s workplaces are 1.6% safer than last year. And the construction field has a lot to do with it.

The WSIB Health and Safety Index, launched last year to track the overall health and safety of Ontario’s workplaces, looks at prevention, empowerment, workplace culture, enforcement and injuries and combines each indicator into a single, evidence-based measure. Construction saw the biggest improvement of all industries, with a +3.7 index, driven by strong performance in all areas except for injuries.

Of particular importance was the decrease in the number of severe injuries and the increase in workplace prevention activities and safety support.

The manufacturing sector finished with a +1.8% index, with the highest score of all industries in workplace culture, with leadership and awareness of legislation helping to keep people safe. But lower inspection numbers and poor performance in supporting return-to-work efforts kept manufacturing from outperforming other industries.

Health care and social services dropped 0.9%, largely due to weakening of the internal responsibility systems with both employees and leadership being less involved in the health and safety systems. Retail trade finished +1.5%, despite poor performance in prevention and workplace culture. And transportation and warehousing was +3.1%, spurred by the best overall outcomes in injuries.

Why do the scores matter? Better intelligence equals better outcomes, suggests the WSIB. “This type of data can help the WSIB, employers and other partners in the safety system to identify areas for improvement, conveniently tracking by industry and over time.”

To view the individual scores for Ontario’s five major industry groups, visit WSib.on.ca. ohba.ca

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A basement serves many purposes for homeowners, from entertainment to bonding to storage and other practical applications. Having a finished basement can provide extra living space, like an exercise room, a home office, a man-cave or a she-den. It can also serve as a home for the in-laws or an income property that can help pay for the mortgage.

Nowadays, a lot of importance is being placed on finished basements.

For many, the extra space is hard to pass up. A 2016 renovation projects study conducted by the national referral firm TrustedPros cites that Ontarians contributed to 58% of all home renovations in Canada, and basement renovations were atop the list. On average, homeowners reported that they were willing to spend $17,785 on their remodel.

Homeowners are renovating with energy efficiency in mind. They expect contractors to have high star ratings and want to install efficient materials and products that will help them save money, while making the home comfortable.

Extreme weather events and flooded basements have also increased, and people are taking precautionary measures to ensure all basement moisture situations are addressed. A key ingredient in moisture prevention is good subflooring. ohba.ca

Contractors who specialize in basements have to create a comfortable and dry living space without compromising energy efficiency.

While homeowners are usually more focused on basements esthetics than how comfortable a basement can feel, it’s up to contractors and builders to help educate and inform customers on what’s available.

Natural Resources Canada suggests that basements can account for about 20% of a home’s total heat loss, due to the large, uninsulated surface area both above and below grade level.

Since many basements have little or no insulation and usually have concrete laid down, there is great potential for contractors to improve the space.

Using subflooring installed on top of concrete helps moderate temperatures in cold, moisture-filled basements, provides extra cushioning for heavier furniture items such as billiards tables and treadmills, improves air flow and protects from minor flooding. Dricore subfloors, for example, have been proven to raise the temperature of finished flooring by up to 5.6˚C, and its air gap technology helps provide constant air flow, correcting and preventing typical moisture problems in basements with concrete floors.

Builders and contractors should also be sure to choose subfloors that are easy to install and can provide a good base for several flooring options, giving homeowners the choice to pick a finished look that best suits their style.

Ontarians are big on having finished basements and doing basement renovations. To ensure a good return for homeowners, contractors and basement renovation or waterproofing experts need to use the right products, especially the behind-the-scenes technical products that homeowners may not think of. Subfloors provide an extra level of comfort and moisture protection and can achieve all this if you choose the right product for the job and educate customers on the options available to them. A finished basement isn’t truly finished without dry, comfortable floors.

— Phil Emery, AGT Products Inc. ohba.ca

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

Curb l Appea

oper s de v e l couldt ner w it h pa r ? p.66 cit ies

Cast from real European cobblestones, Unilock’s Courtstone combines centuriesold style with new technology.

Outside the Box

When it comes to a home, it’s not only what’s inside that counts

By Dan O’Reilly

Like birthday or graduation gifts with tasteful wrapping that increase the recipient’s excitement, houses also deserve packaging to both tantalize and suggest what awaits behind that attractive veneer.

“Curb appeal sets the stage for what the home has to offer, and once purchasers lay eyes on the entrance, they know it’s going to be something special,” says Elaine Wills, the director of commercial strategy for the Unilock Group of Companies.

But its impact and influence reaches much deeper than the initial impressions of the first set of buyers, Wills emphasizes. In multi-home developments the degree to which completed homes appear ‘finished’ can impact the rate of sale of the remaining lots.

That’s why it’s a good idea for custom home builders to offer exterior upgrade packages that provide buyers with an opportunity to finance paving stone driveways, walkways and front entrances upfront in conjunction with their home mortgage. “This results in quicker delivery of the curb appeal ohba.ca

that drives sales of the remaining lots in the development,” Wills says.

Unilock has been happy to help along the process. In 2008, the company introduced the Courtstone into North America and ever since it has been a key product in applications such as driveways and walkways, says Wills. The Courtstone is a seamless blend of new technology and centuries-old-style.

Manufactured with a consistent base for efficient installation and a superior interlock, the technology used in its production creates a super strong and durable product that will withstand vehicular loads and look beautiful for years longer than traditionally manufactured paving stones, Wills notes.

Cast from real European cobblestones, the uniquely shaped polished Courtstone brings a luxurious old-world elegance to driveways and walkways, and the non-linear shape means it’s possible to create smooth-looking curves without cutting “This, in combination with its rich colour palette, also makes Courtstone a frequent choice for borders and banding accents,” says Wills.

New technology is also at the heart of the Madria Slab from Permacon.

Just launched in mid-June, this dry concrete slab features the charm of wood without the traditional maintenance or expense. Available in large rectangle or square versions, it offers rich subtle nuanced colours that are consistent with landscaping trends, says marketing director Richard Paquet. It is enhanced with Satura, a colour and texturing technology that reproduces the look of all kinds of natural materials. Five years of “intense research” and development was invested in its creation, Paquet says. “Satura retains all the advantages of our conventional dry concrete products, all the while providing more colour, tint and configuration options in order to create exceptionally beautiful and harmonious exteriors.”

In making the connection with the colour technology and the slab, Paquet says its bright colours will withstand the onslaught of time.

Vibrant colours and distinctive styles strike a chord with purchasers ontario home builder Summer 2018

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Product Focus of wrought iron railings and fences.

Exterior front steps, roof railings and decorative windows really “pop out” when done in this material, suggests Canadian Railings Group of Companies sales and marketing manager Tina Taurasi. The Vaughan-based company has been in business for more than 50 years, but brings out new styles every year, and its product line can be custom made to complement any design, be it traditional or modern, Taurasi says.

One consumer trend the company cites is a shift towards sleek, clean lines, with the railings being painted in flat black rather than traditional shiny black.

Al-Mar Vinyl Products has also seen a demand for darker colours than vinyl can offer. “Vinyl is not available that dark and also tends to use largersized components than aluminum,” says president Brad Marsden on the company’s decision to add aluminum railings, columns and decking to its product inventory last year. The pieces are available in black and brown, and the line “has become a significant part of our sales over the past year,” Marsden emphasizes.

At the same time there is a “burgeoning contemporary” interest in white manufactured cladding stone, says Shouldice Designer Stone’s director of sales and marketing, Bob Sanders. To capitalize on the movement, Shouldice unveiled its Roberval stone in 2016. Part of the Estate Stone family, the largest-selling stone style the company produces, its white colour and stunning appearance has garnered the attention of architects, designers and homeowners, and is now in high demand, Sanders says.

Virtually maintenance-free and guaranteed for life, the Roberval fuses the traditional aspects of stone with contemporary demands for a sleek, clean appearance. It also complements and enhances the home’s other building materials, colours and landscaping, Sanders notes.

Cosentino, meanwhile, has added four new colours to its man-made Dekton Ultracompact Surfaces line, ohba.ca

the Industrial Collection. Well-known architect and designer Daniel Germani worked in collaboration with the manufacturer to create the colours, whose appearance changes depending on the angle of the light hitting the surface.

“This creates a rich design with varied subtle effects,” says Camille Vince, marketing coordinator for Cosentino Canada, in referencing the Nilium, Radium, Trillium and Orix colours.

Apart from the appearance, the Permacon’s brand new Madria Slab is a dry concrete stone with the look of wood, but not the maintenance.

Canadian Railings cites a trend toward sleek lines and a flat black finish.

White is hot, suggests Shouldice Designer Stone of its popular Roberval line.

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Product Focus Dekton Industrial collection of stones is extremely versatile and can be used inside or outside in applications ranging from pool surrounds and outdoor kitchen countertops to house cladding. Virtually non-porous, extremely resistant to stains, scratches and heat, they can also be installed vertically or horizontally, advises Vince.

Another consideration for builders aiming for LEED or other environmental benchmarks is the fact that Cosentino allocates part of its research and development to creating environmentally respectful products. Part of that commitment includes maintaining clean air in its factories and careful water management, notes Vince.

“Dekton is Greenguard- and Greenguard Gold-certified, so it is definitely a material to be considered for LEED projects.”

Above: Cosentino has added new colours to its Dekton Ultracompact Surfaces line, while Royal Building Products’ (right) launches its new Cedar Renditions Design Series.

ROYAL TREATMENT Replicating the appearance of wood, the brand new Cedar Renditions Design Series of aluminum panelling from Royal Building Products is easy to install and creates an upscale, avantgarde look at an affordable price, says the company’s director of marketing, Marilyn Chase.

Made with a thicker gauge aluminum and overlapping panels that create a seamless finish design, the six-inch, flat-face profile siding was unveiled in April in response to market demand for a flat-face design, Chase notes. “The sleek, modern look creates unique design options and flexibility, as an accent or complement when used in combination with other exterior siding materials.”

Today’s trending exterior designs features a combination of materials such as stone, steel, aluminum or vinyl. Those materials need to not only complement each other in the finished design, but must also be compatible during the installation, says Chase.

LEED-compliant and 100% recyclable, the panelling is available in three distinctive shades: Amberwood, Cedar Bark and Charwood. There are also a number of accessories such as corner posts.

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What if Curb Appeal Were a Partnership?

Curb appeal extends beyond the private property line into the public realm, which is an argument why there should be a 50/50 partnership between the developer/architect on one hand and the city on the other, says Babak Elahjou, principal of Toronto-based Core Architects Inc. Unfortunately, that partnership has a long way to go in Toronto and many other Ontario municipalities, says Elahjou, whose firm won an International Property Award for its design of the Fashion House, an integration of two condominium towers with a restored 1880s industrial building.

Overhead hydro wires, poorly designed bus stops, gas meters and “horrendous” looking garbage in front or near a residential building will have a negative impact on its appearance, no matter what efforts the developer has invested in curb appeal features and attributes, Elahjou notes.

“In Paris, there are no overhead hydro wires,” says Elahjou, who lived there for four years before

moving his family to Canada, and who would rather see more cobblestone streets than concrete ones.

In certain portions of Toronto, such as Bloor Street and King Street West, the local Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) have pushed and paid for streetscape improvements. But the onus for such beautification efforts shouldn’t rest entirely on them, Elahjou believes. As an example of what can be achieved, he points to streetscape improvements undertaken by the Town of Niagara-on-theLake and the Niagara Parks Commission.

In Calgary, developers are given an additional onetime coverage density for every $300,000 they spend on public improvements. “So if the approved density limit for the area was five times density coverage, they would be allowed six.”

Asked what initiatives developers and builders can do to address the issue of unsightly publicly owned fixtures, Elahjou advises them to “press” municipalities on the issue. ohba.ca

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Product Focus Builders may also want to take stock of the growing acceptance of CertainTeed’s polymer siding—particularly noticeable since the creation of the CedarLife Colour Blends technology.

Replicating the look of wood, CertainTeed’s Cedar Impressions product line includes eight shake and shingle styles, six sizes and more than 45 colours and has been around for more than 25 years through three generations of innovation.

In 2015, that innovation took another step with the introduction of the Colour Blends Technology, which captures the appearance of Eastern White Cedar and Western Red Cedar at different stages, ranging from new to weathered. This allows purchasers to select the exact appearance they want as soon as the house is erected, without having to wait for Father Time and Mother Nature to take its course, says Brian Kirn, senior marketing manager for CertainTeed Siding.

As an example, Kirn cites the “grey weathered” look that is popular in Cape Cod. Previously that appearance could only be attained if the wood was painted or agents added, or if it weathered naturally over time. “And the (natural) look isn’t uniform because parts of the house will be in full sun and others in shade.”

The patented technology creates in-mould variegated colours that are solid throughout the panel. It is not a coated product where a homeowner has to worry about peeling or flaking over time, Kirn notes.

Offering the genuine look of wood, the polymer siding is easier to install and the introduction of the colour technology has converted ‘wood purist’ builders and installers who have been resistant to polymer cladding in the past, says Kirn.

Certainly there has been no builder resistance to exterior stucco. In fact, it has been gaining in popularity due to its upgraded look and flexibility, says Kelly Da Fonseca, vice-president of Tri-Stucco Contractors Inc., which works with builders and project managers in the Greater Toronto Area.

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CertainTeed’s polymer Cedar Impressions line of siding (left) provides the look of wood. Below, Versatex’s Versawrap beautifully covers structural posts.

“Stucco allows for unlimited moulding and colour options, provides additional insulation, and is cost-effective with short lead times.”

In planning and designing attractive eye-catching exteriors, it’s often crucial to conceal or at least dress up some elements that might detract from the overall look. A prime example is porch and verandah and other structural columns, which can be transformed from basic fixtures to objects of beauty with the Versawrap from Versatex Building Products.

“When the market demanded a way to make covering structural posts more efficient, we created a complete column wrap system,” says market development specialist Craig Dawson.

Instead of the old-fashioned and labour-intensive method of cutting and fitting together individual pieces of cellular PVC on site, builders can install either the company’s one-piece Classic or Raised Panel column wraps or the four-piece Tapered column

wraps. Offered in heights of 8’6” and 10’, both the Classic and Raised Panel styles are created from a single piece of Versatex cellular PVC with three pre-mitered grooves that fold around the structural post and lock together with a friction-fit miter lock joint.

“Just apply PVC glue, fold the Versawrap around the structural column, secure in place, peel the tape and walk away,” says Dawson.

The tapered columns are available in versions with 12” base/8” caps or 16” base/12” caps, and all three styles come with a number of accessories.

Not only does the Versawrap save time and money for the builder, it is virtually maintenance-free and, unlike other column wraps on the market, the one-piece design eliminates seams that can separate and collect dirt over time.

For the homeowner, that guarantees they will have beautiful looking columns and a custom design, assures Dawson, who promises “second looks from neighbours and passersby.” OHB ohba.ca

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Words to Build By

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