The Trowel Fall 2018 by The Trowel

The Voice of the West Coast Wall and Ceiling Industry • www.thetrowel.ca • Fall 2018

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BCWCA Summit & Projects of the Year

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Also in this issue: Drywall Dumping Scope Creep EIFS Design Awards

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The Voice of the West Coast Wall and Ceiling Industry • www.thetrowel.ca • Fall 2018

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BCWCA Summit & Projects of the Year

Publications Mail / Agreement # 40719512

Also in this issue: Drywall Dumping Scope Creep EIFS Design Awards

The Trowel team Jessica Kirby, Publisher / Editor 250.816.3671 • jkirby@pointonemedia.com Christina Tranberg, Advertising Sales 877.755.2762 ext 1408 • ctranberg@pointonemedia.com Lara Perraton, Creatives 877.755.2762 • lperraton@pointonemedia.com

contributing writers Mark Breslin James Careless Ron Coleman Andrew Delmonico Drew Smith Matthew T. Potomak Jeff Triggs

cover photo Courtesy of BCWCA

Published bi-monthly by Point One Media, Inc. The Trowel P.O. Box 11, Station A Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K4 t: 877.755.2762 • www.thetrowel.ca While information contained in this publication has been compiled from sources deemed to be reliable, the publisher may not be held liable for omissions or errors. Contents ©2018 by Point One Media Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or duplicated without prior written permission from the publisher.

12 CONTENTS • Fall 2018 7 Drywall Dumping Decision

CITT decides manufacturer did not suffer loss from dumping claim.

8 2018 Summit & Projects of the Year

BCWCA helds its first annual Summit this September and awarded eight contractors Outstanding Project of the Year Awards.

14 Battling Scope Creep Don’t let your budget get away from you. Follow some simple advice to avoid scope creep and stay on top of your game.

Printed in Canada. Postage paid at Coquitlam, BC. Return postage guaranteed. Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement #40719512. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: The Trowel Circulation Department P.O. Box 11, Station A Nanaimo, BC V9R 5K4 e: circulations@pointonemedia.com

Journal of Record for

The Trowel is a registered trademark of the BC Wall & Ceiling Association. The Trowel is published six times per year expressly for members of the wall and ceiling industry.

16 AquaBlu Condominiums The EIFS Council of Canada awarded its 2017-18 Architectural Design Awards, and this dynamic, lakefront development took top prize.

Departments & Columns 04 editorial

20 building science

05 guest editorial

21 it’s the law

06 industry news

22 contractors’ advice

18 feature focus

23 advertiser index

Next issue: Construction Outlook • Taxes and Books • Material Innovations

editor’s COMMENT BC 2018 Labour Market Outlook BC’s tradespeople may be dedicated, hard-working, and skilled, but even the strongest and smartest has yet to devise a modern day crystal ball or other future-predicting device that can help the industry forsee lag times, market shifts, and soon-to-be-in-demand skills we haven’t yet learned. In the absence of such a device we have predictive reporting that, if nothing else, gives us a sense of where the industry is going and what employers today feel will best help the industry of tomorrow. Most of the time, interpreting such reports is simple enough, with optimism and pessimism being the most influential factors in how people understand and react to others’ estimations of what we have to look forward to. WorkBC has released the 2018 edition of the British Columbia Labour Market Outlook report this fall, which provides current information on the kinds of jobs and skills that will be in demand over the next decade. It analyzes workplace and industry trends, and it gives a thoughtful look at every industry – construction included – through a fairly reasonable employment crystal ball. According to this year’s report, there are several factors on the horizon that will impact the construction industry in general, right down to the subtrades. Since recruitment is an issue for more or less every trade, it is important to realize there is an expectation that education and skills training, as well as automation, will balance the currently forecasted surplus of job openings. You work...

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4 » The Trowel

By / Jessica Kirby, Editor

The province is expecting around 903,000 job openings between now and 2028, which is pretty much on par with the estimation made in last year’s report at 917,000. Nearly 70 per cent of workers are set to leave the workforce, predominantly because they’ve reached retirement age, and 50 per cent of the openings they leave will be filled by first-time entrants. Just consider this for a moment. If you are a glass half empty kind of person, that statistic indicates a tidal wave of welleducated, but inexperienced workers is coming; if you are an optimist, you see a fresh, innovative, ready-to-learn workforce on the way. Realists will note the change will mean an influx of new, interesting ideas influenced by work-life balance and technology and start planning now to capture or engage some of the experiential knowledge that will be retired along with 70 per cent of the workforce. One statistic that is pretty straightforward is the dropping unemployment rate: we will be looking at 4.9 per cent by 2028. Currently, our super, natural province employs 251,707 in construction, according to StatsCanada. The industry has fallen to #10 overall in job openings by industry groups, from #7 in the 2017 Labour Market Outlook report, but it still sits high (#3) in total overall replacement jobs forecast at 54,500. At the same time, job expansion projections are contracting with -5,800 forecast over the next decade. Within construction, there are some areas that look brighter than others. Trades, transport, and equipment operators are in the top five occupational groups for projected job openings. Construction senior manager positions are forecast to grow to 3,900 openings through 2028—remember that note about the experienced workers retiring their hammers for golf clubs? This estimate is a bit higher than in 2017, which forecasted 3,500 jobs in this area. Employers can expect a lot of competition here, as the position has the highest wage potential within its occupational category – its category being high demand positions in management requiring a combination of education and work experience – at $90.77/ hour, a 12% increase from 2017 projections. This will, of continued on page 23

guest EDITORIAL Recruiting Top Talent Telling Your Story No matter if you are a contractor, labour organization, utility, oil company, manufacturer, or service provider, if you want to attract real talent today you have to be good at telling your story. And that story is most often told online—if not by you, it will be told by someone else. You have to tell your story and tell it well, or you might get your ass handed to you. On one hand I have the client organizations struggling to find qualified help, dealing with employees leaving for more money or lack of interest and completely absent from any form of social media. On the other hand I have clients whose CEO hits up almost every employee on LinkedIn and Facebook on great jobs every week, the contractor who gets over 60% of his hires from employee referral, and my good friend whose employees regularly turn down more money to stay where they are communicated with and appreciated. How do we project organizational values? Job growth? Management interest and support? And how do we reach employees and job candidates in this brave new world? It was not that long ago that I laughed off Facebook. I made fun of it as a stupid time-wasting social enterprise for undisciplined people with too much time on their hands. Then I got hit in the head with a two-by-four. A very heads-up young business agent in the Midwest showed me a discussion group on Facebook. It was made up of qualified, skilled craft workers in construction and energy turn-around, connecting peer-to-peer and sharing information on where the jobs are, the quality of certain employers, industry trends, and, in some instances, just screwing around with each other in a good-natured way. Here’s what changed my entire viewpoint: The Facebook group has 30,000 members. I share this as one small example that the employment world has changed drastically. It is the era of Yelp, Trip Advisor, and Glass Door. People are used to evaluating products, services, companies, and careers. You have to tell your story and tell it well. Here are four items that you might want to consider implementing to tell your story more effectively: 1. Add high-quality video to your home or landing page on the web. Today, the narrative of who you are, what you stand for, how your employees or members feel, and what opportunities exist can be told best in visual form. If I can go on Realtor.com and find ten fixer-uppers in three minutes, shouldn’t I be able to find out all about you

By / Mark Breslin www.breslin.biz without searching a bunch of pages or having to read a ton of narrative? Add video. Don’t cheap out. 2. Create a high-quality LinkedIn presence. This site is the number one location for talent procurement in the country. Every one of your employees on LinkedIn is available to be recruited 24-7, and every prospect working for someone else that could be working for you is in the same arena. Having a company or organization page, as well as a group, is certainly not a bad way to tell your story, and barely costs anything. Post cool project pictures. Recognize company awards. Tell your workplace safety story there, etc.

Here’s what changed my entire viewpoint: The Facebook group has 30,000 members. 3. In the Careers Section of your website, make sure to include testimonials, especially from Millennials. This group uses third-party validation as their number one reference when making decisions. And if you can combine this with the video idea, you have doubled your impact. 4. Put up a Facebook page. Yes, it really is important. Think of your organization like a big extended family unit. They want to know what’s going on with the other family members. These can be crews, divisions, or simply those working far away. Maximize the engagement and connection of what everyone is doing in this centralized way. This is a place for positive personal engagement to occur, to show camaraderie and tell your story in a more informal way—not only to prospective employees, but to your own people, as well. For more information on employee engagement and training visit my website at www.breslin.biz. Remember, connection and engagement matter to everyone. ■ wallandceiling.ca » Fall 2018 » 5

industry NEWS IN MEMORY - BERNARD GALLAGHER

soundPATHS – A WEB APPLICATION TO PREDICT SOUND TRANSMISSION BETWEEN ROOMS

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend, Bernard Gallagher, on June 24, 2018. Born October 4, 1935 to James and Bridget Gallagher in Liverpool, England, Bernard was the fourth oldest in a family of eight children. He immigrated to Canada in 1957 where he soon became one of the founding partners of Gallagher Bros. Contractors Ltd. along with his brothers Peter, James, and John.

The NRC's soundPATHS web application is a prediction tool for the calculation of direct and flanking sound transmission between adjacent rooms. The software uses the calculation procedure outlined in the 2015 edition of the National Building Code of Canada.

October 4, 1935 - June 24, 2018

Bernard was the loving husband and only love of 57 years to Terry. Together they had three children: Michael (Demita), Kevin (Tanja), and Cheryl (Bernie). Bernard also leaves behind six grandchildren: Sean, Justin, Aidan, Liam, Kailey, and Nolan, and his surviving brother John and sisters Kathleen and Maureen. Bernard is predeceased by his parents, James Sr. and Bridget, brothers Danny, Peter, and James. One of Bernard’s greatest passions was horseracing (racing and breeding), and he will be dearly missed by his lifelong friends at the Hastings Park race course where he could be found cheering on his horses. Bernard also enjoyed the many trips Terry and he made to their condo in Palm Springs over the last 30 years and the wonderful friends that they made there. Bernard had a long and wonderful life. For all that knew him, we can attest to say, “they broke the mold after Bernie was born”. ■ Published in Vancouver Sun and The Province from June 28 to June 29, 2018.

NUDURA CORP. PURCHASED BY DRYVIT Nudura Corporation, a manufacturer and distributor of insulated concrete forms (ICF) in North America, has been purchased by EIFS manufacturer, Dryvit Systems. As a part of the transaction, Nudura, with annual net sales of more than $40 million, will become a stand-alone operating unit of Dryvit. “This is a noteworthy joining of two dynamic and innovative companies committed to bringing forward thinking solutions to the building, design, and construction sectors, says said Murray Snider, Nudura’s president. Nudura provides four ICF wall system series, as well as a number of complementary building envelope products. The company has three manufacturing plants and a network of 260 locally based distributors in North American markets. Learn more at www.dryvit.com. ■ 6 » The Trowel

Direct sound transmission is transmission between two rooms through the separating assembly, e.g. a wall or floor, and is usually classified in terms of sound transmission class (STC). Flanking sound transmission is transmission between two rooms by paths other than directly through the separating assembly. The combination of direct and flanking sound transmission yields the apparent sound transmission, which is classified in terms of apparent sound transmission class (ASTC) and is used in the 2015 edition of the National Building Code of Canada. The sound insulation perceived by occupants correlates well with the ASTC rating. The ASTC depends on the construction details of the walls, the floors, and their junctions. In soundPATHS, sound transmission between two rooms is presented for each junction, highlighting the weakest and the strongest paths by which sound is transmitted. The weakest path shows the user which building element needs to be improved in order to increase the apparent sound insulation. The strongest path identifies building elements that are overdesigned and where building material can be saved without affecting the apparent sound insulation. The calculation method used in soundPATHS follows the requirements in the 2015 edition of the National Building Code of Canada. Results from the application may be presented to building officials as proof of compliance with the Code. Its targeted audience includes builders/contractors, suppliers/ manufactures, designers/architects/engineers, building owners/managers, home owners/general public, building/fire/ plumbing officials, and others. The expected sound transmission ratings are presented for each construction. Trends are shown to provide a framework for design estimates. Detailed drawings and specifications are presented on the report pages of soundPATHS. It should be understood that some variation is to be expected in practice due to changing specific design details, workmanship, substitution of “generic equivalents,” or simply rebuilding the construction. The software is provided free of charge. For more information please visit https://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/ eng/solutions/advisory/soundpaths/index.html ■

CBSA “FORMS OPINION” US 54-INCH GYPSUM BOARD BEING ‘DUMPED’ INTO CANADA: NO HARM TO INDUSTRY By James Careless

Following a complaint by CertainTeed Gypsum Canada Inc., the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has “formed the opinion” that US importers are ‘dumping’ 54-inch gypsum wallboard in Canada.

industry NEWS

“On April 30, 2018, CertainTeed Gypsum Canada Inc. (Mississauga, Ontario) filed a complaint with the CBSA alleging that the dumped goods have caused retardation to the establishment of a Western Canadian industry,” said CBSA media spokesperson Nicholas Dorion. “The CBSA estimated that the margin of dumping was 6.1% of the export price of the goods sold to Canada. As there currently is no production of 54-inch gypsum board in Western Canada, a domestic product comparison is not available.” “US dumping of 54-inch drywall in Western Canada is distorting the Western Canadian drywall market, and preventing new investments and jobs,” said Matt Walker, chief executive officer of CertainTeed Canada in a company news release. “We believe we have a very strong case that will restore free and fair trade and create new jobs in Western Canada.” The CBSA says there was sufficient evidence of dumping and injury or retardation to warrant investigation. Using information provided by CertainTeed and supplemented by the agency’s own research, the CBSA has found “evidence that 54-inch gypsum board was sold in Western Canada at prices below the selling prices in the US or at unprofitable prices (i.e. at dumped prices),” said Dorion. “The evidence also disclosed a reasonable indication that the dumping has caused retardation to the establishment of a Western Canadian industry. Specifically, the complainant demonstrated a substantial commitment to the establishment of an industry; however, they were unable to achieve the necessary return on investment as a result of the depressed prices from the dumped goods.” Once the CBSA determined that there was US dumping of 54-inch gypsum board in Canada, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) started its own preliminary injury inquiry. If the CITT’s inquiry had resulted in finding that there was dumping and injury and/or retardation to the establishment of a Western Canadian industry, tariffs could be imposed on US 54-inch gypsum board imports. “The CITT invited interested parties to provide submissions and the CITT planned to make a preliminary decision on

retardation by August 20, 2018,” Dorion said. “If the CITT had decided that the evidence disclosed a reasonable indication that the dumping caused retardation, it would have instituted tariffs in late September.” On August 23, the CITT released a statement indicating that, subject to the Special Import Measures Act (SIMA), the organization had determined that the evidence did not disclose a reasonable indication that the dumping of certain 54-inch gypsum board from the US, imported into Canada, caused injury or retardation or is threatening to cause injury to the domestic industry. This ruling resulted in the investigation being terminated. CertainTeed was not available for comment on this most recent decision and subsequent termination. CertainTeed made a similar complaint of US dumping of 48inch gypsum board into Canada in 2016. That complaint was determined “to be founded” by the CBSA, and tariffs were imposed on US imports by the CITT in 2017 following an inquiry. ■

industry news continued on page 23

wallandceiling.ca » Fall 2018 » 7

SUMMIT & 2018

Project of the year

awards

By / Jeff Triggs Executive Director, BC Wall & Ceiling Association

The BCWCA Board of Directors and Summit Committee welcomed delegates to the first Western Canadian Wall & Ceiling Summit September 20-22 at the Grand Delta Hotel in Kelowna. The event featured educational seminars, the association's AGM, a Table Top Trade Show, a Welcome Reception, Golf Day, Outstanding Project of the Year Awards, parallel events, and a gala dinner featuring comedian Tim Nutt. While the fantastic facility and scenery were a bonus, the main goal of the Summit was to get the best minds in the industry together to continue progress on goals that are important to the association membership. At the BC Wall & Ceiling Association, we have added members in most of our regions and categories this year and we hope to continue this momentum in the Southern Interior Chapter. We have also just announced that we will be holding a Level 1 training class in Kelowna for the newly revised Wall & Ceiling Installer Program. We hope the Summit was successful in showcasing to potential members all that the association has to offer and that its worth joining and participating in as members have done for many years. We would like to thank our delegates, speakers, and sponsors for attending this most successful event. Please reach out with any comments or feedback you have and we will use it in planning the next event.

Best LMWCA Project: Peninsula Wall & Ceiling Project: Audi/Jaguar This job features the largest showrooms in Metro Vancouver and contains unique elements such as metal panel acoustic ceilings, complex bulkheads, and a sloped “racetrack” wall. Ninety percent of the former buildings on site were recycled into the construction of the new buildings. The most challenging part of this project was in constructing the imaginative designs with a unique combination of North American building materials and methods and German engineered lights and fixtures. Manufacturers: CGC & Bailey Suppliers: WSB Titan & BC Ceilings

Best SIWCA Project: Littco Enterprises Project: Porsche

Best VIWCA Project: Gordon'N' Gordon Interiors Ltd. Project: Amica at the Gorge

The drywall ceilings had recessed lights and diffusers located throughout the rooms. Armstrong suspension grid allowed staff to easily create openings where required. There also was a large curved exterior wall that was finished to a level 5 with recessed 1/2-inch by 1/2-inch reveals that matched the exterior panel reveals. Compounded to the exterior wall finish was a horizontal duct shaft at the base of the wall that kept lifts and personnel away from the working surface of the wall.

Amica is constructed with a combination of in-place concrete, structural steel, light-gauge metal framing, structural load bearing steel stud framing, structural steel stud roofing, and pre-engineered wood trusses. Gordon n' Gordon had to work from incomplete drawings with a mix of structural elements they had never used in combination before. The engineer visited the site daily for the first two months to sort out the many challenges.

Manufacturers: Bailey, CGC, Hilti, Armstrong Suppliers: Shoemaker, BC Ceilings, FBM, Hilti, Pacific West.

Manufacturers: Bailey, CGC, & Hilti Supplier: WSB Titan

wallandceiling.ca Âť Fall 2018 Âť 9

Project of the Year Awards

Best Acoustical/Specialty Ceilings: Sunco Drywall Ltd. Project: OC Trades

Best Exterior: H&R Exterior Finish Project: Amica at the Gorge Senior Housing Project

There is a central atrium and a large amount of exposed concrete creating a challenge when it comes to acoustics. The team incorporated acoustic metal baffles on the elevator core and in the walkways, along with acoustic grilles in the main hall and up the atrium, and several t-bar acoustic clouds throughout. The metal panels had to be accurately site measured around an off-angle central elevator core that would be the focal point of the main atrium. There was zero room for error with lead times of up to eight weeks.

Amica at the Gorge consists of four storeys and 144 residential units. The exterior faĂ§ade is an exterior insulation finish system with stone accent walls. The building was designed with internal insulated cavity walls and continuous external insulated walls. The biggest challenge was the interfacing for all the wall penetrations, windows, and doors with the continuous liquid applied barriers.

Manufacturers: USG & CertainTeed Suppliers: BC Ceilings & Pacific West

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Supplier: Slegg Building Materials

Best Interior: Raicor Contracting Ltd. Project: Tiffany and Co.

Best Reno/Retrofit: Peninsula Wall & Ceiling Ltd. Project: Park Royal

The existing store on Burrard and Alberni in Vancouver expanded to the second floor with the install of a showcase duel curved stairwell and a new elevator. The store had to remain open, so the construction was carried out in five phases, each totally secure and integrated between the electrical, mechanical, and architectural trades. The work included a new curved entry with a totally new façade on both facing streets.

Park Royal was originally conceived in the late 1940s by British Pacific Properties (BPP), a company owned by the Guinness family, best known for the world famous Guinness beer brewed in Britain and Ireland. The most challenging part of this massive renovation was marrying the 1950s original infrastructure with new and innovative wall and ceiling designs. This meant meeting the architect's unique vision while also meeting modern code and seismic requirements.

Supplier: Dryco Building Supplies

Manufacturers: CGC & CertainTeed Suppliers: WSB Titan & FBM

wallandceiling.ca » Fall 2018 » 11

Project of the Year Awards

Best Steel Stud: Gallagher Bros. Contractors Project: BC Children's & Women's Hospital

$60 / Ton

The scope comprised exterior and interior steel studs and drywall, insulation, and acoustic tile ceilings. Some of the challenges included preparing for, meeting, and maintaining the highest levels of infection controls with IPAC controls and requirements, and re-training all installers to build without making a mess or creating dust. There were 280,000 person hours worked on this project and a 0.00 time loss incident record. The critical part of this project was in the planning and communication between all trades, including daily and weekly meetings. Manufacturers: Bailey, CGC, JM Suppliers: WSB Titan, BC Ceilings, Hilti

12 Âť The Trowel

joe whitehead

award

The Joe Whitehead Award was established years ago as a recognition award given yearly to an individual who shows initiatives, passion, and commitment to the wall and ceiling industry in BC. Joe was the publisher of the Journal of Commerce beginning in the 1950s. He started The Trowel magazine in August 1953, and it has been in publication since that date. Joe loved our industry, and of any segment of construction, he believed the wall and ceiling industry to be the best. Joe Whitehead passed away in January, 2002. The Joe Whitehead Memorial Award is given each year to the individual who, on behalf of the BC Wall and Ceiling Association, best exemplifies Joe's enthusiasm for this industry in British Columbia. This year's Joe Whitehead award recipient is Cathy Lapointe, director and owner of Dryco Systems, Inc. Cathy helped see the company through some of its most notable jobs, including Comox Valley Hospital and Campbell River Hospital, Uptown Shopping Centre, and The Atrium in Victoria. As former president of the BCWCA, Cathy has spent many hours in meetings, and many more on the ferry travelling back and forth from her home in Duncan. She has also been the backbone of the Vancouver Island Wall and Ceiling Association for many years and currently holds the roles of secretary/treasurer and keeping the boys on track. Cathy has a deep-rooted desire to be help build her community, and is currently involved with or has helped numerous community groups in the Cowichan Valley including Nourish Cowichan, Purica Foundation, Cowichan Valley Performing Arts Foundation, and Next Step.

2018 tradeshow

exhibitors BC Wall and Ceiling Association Owens Corning Grabber CGC, Inc. Platformer Solutions Trowel Trades Hilti

Bailey Metals Federated CertainTeed Finishing Trades Institute Core Acoustics High Crest Architectural Products

wallandceiling.ca » Fall 2018 » 13

ON THE JOB

Changes to the scope of a construction project

– official and unofficial, documented and undocumented – are a constant. The reasons are almost infinite, but the damage to construction firms fall into three main areas: increased liability, decreased profitability, and damaged reputations. The changing scope of projects, known as “scope creep,” is commonly defined as the continuous growth or change in the scope of a particular project beyond its original stated intent. Managers at all kinds of construction-related firms encounter this problem every time a client incrementally expands on or changes the original scheme. And as firms begin to accept changes to the original scope of work without taking the proper measures to control scope creep, workload can double or triple. Scope creep is created from several factors: • a lack of communication among the construction firm, client, and any other contractor involved in the project; • construction firms’ failure to utilize proper contract procedures; • the construction firm manager’s ego or desire to increase revenue; • improper analysis of the original scope of work; 14 » The Trowel

• failure to establish and comply with internal procedures for dealing with change orders; and • clients who intentionally seek to get more work out of the construction firm for free. Several real-world examples include a contractor that sued a school district over unpaid bills related to changes in the project; a contractor and five of its subcontractors that sued a California hospital over a $24 million project that included $16 million in overages because of change orders; and a construction firm that filed suit for additional money over a boat ramp project, claiming change orders included the client’s decisions to move the location of the ramp twice. The list could go on and on, and, unfortunately, the list of firms that wrote off billings to avoid messy disputes is most likely even longer. Generally, the risks are proportionate to the level of creep that exists on a particular project or job. For example, if client asks a construction firm to oversee a small portion of another contractor’s work, the potential risk is relatively minor. On a larger project where the potential for creep is greater, however, the risks can be devastating. The good news is that the damaging effects of scope creep can be managed or limited by following a few simple guidelines.

“Adjustments to the original scope are not necessarily damaging if the increase in scope of work is handled and documented properly. The two best ways to manage changes to the scope of the project are through proper communication and contract procedures.”

Minimize Scope Creep While many would like to believe that scope creep is something that can be prevented, in reality, it cannot. Changes to the scope of work are inherent to almost every project. To suggest that it can be avoided or eliminated is wishful thinking. That being said, every job is going to require at least some tweaks to the original scope of work. These adjustments to the original scope are not necessarily damaging if the increase in scope of work is handled and documented properly. The two best ways to manage changes to the scope of the project are through proper communication and contract procedures.

Proper Communication It is imperative that construction firms clearly explain their services and expertise as well as what types of work is included – and excluded – in the project agreement. This should be outlined at the initial meeting and also should be referred to in any contracts. If any subcontractors are required to sign the client’s contract, their work should clearly be established as well. Changes to the project’s scope should be treated as an entirely new agreement with the client. This means that construction firms should fully understand the scope of the new assignment, confirm it with the client, and put it in writing. If the construction firms mentioned earlier took the time to better discuss the nature and extent of their responsibilities with their clients, they may not now be entangled in lawsuits and may have been able to avoid losses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. There’s an overlooked and often underutilized word used to combat the expanding scope of a project: “No.” Construction firms should not be afraid to tell their clients that they cannot or do not want to expand the scope of their duties.

Proper Contract Procedures Whether the client signs the construction firm’s contract

or insists that the firm sign the client’s contract, it is the construction firm’s obligation to ensure that the scope of work is adequately defined. Far too often, general terminology is used when defining the scope of work. Specific language explaining the job and its limitations should be included in the scope of work section. Scope creep is often the result of undocumented verbal communications. In order to be protected, any conversations concerning the scope of duties or responsibilities should be put in writing. That way, if a dispute arises, construction firms have proof of the agreement. It is not uncommon to see construction firms tied up for years in litigation arguing over non-payment of work done in connection with scope-of-work changes. It is very difficult for firms to claim they are entitled to payment for additional work performed if the request for the additional work is not committed to paper. As the examples mentioned here indicate, much of the litigation involves disputes where construction firms believe they should be paid for the additional work, while the client argues that no request for additional work was made or that the additional work falls under the original scope. Protocols need to be established to deal with expanding work scopes. Before the project outline begins to change, have a standard protocol set up for which to accept, confirm and memorialize changes to the scope of work. One of the easiest ways to deal with an expansion of work is to make a habit of creating addenda to existing contracts. The addendum should clearly spell out the expanded scope of work as well as payment terms and conditions. It should be signed by both parties and should clearly establish rights and remedies. While the damaging effects of scope-creep cannot be eliminated, they can be managed and controlled through effective communication and proper contract procedures. ■ Reprinted from Construction Executive, Sept. 27, 2013, a publication of Associated Builders and Contractors. Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.

wallandceiling.ca » Fall 2018 » 15

AquaBlu Condominiums

Overall Winner: EIFS Council of Canada Architetural Design Awards 2017-18

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Category: High-rise Residential Architect: KNYMH Architecture, Inc. EIFS Manufacturer: DuROCK Alfacing International

AquaBlu was sited perpendicular to the street to maximize lake views and to reduce visual impact of at the street line. The north end of the building steps back from the street providing a pleasing pedestrian scale, while providing lakefacing terraces on the upper floors. As one of the first apartment buildings constructed in its growing lakeside local of Grimsby, Ontario, AquaBlu has set the benchmark for future developments and will serve as a landmark development to the town. In complement to its environment, the building was designed to represent the colours and materials of the lakeside environment. With an abundance of glass, contemporary detailing, and lively aesthetics, AquaBlu is a premium development. A mixture of black contemporary brick and four complementing tones of EIFS were incorporated. Large windows are evident throughout the project, and are not limited to the street faces. Balconies and terraces add interest and depth to the façade, which is a continuation of the lakeside locale using textures and colours associated with the environment. The colour flexibility of EIFS allowed for a distinct colour palette of blue, white, beige, and grey, which represent water, sand, earth, and stone, respectively. Strategically located throughout the building, ‘modules’ of the multiple EIFS colours create a visually striking building with a unique ‘aqua blue’ colour for a vibrant impact not typically found on buildings. Windows have been generally set with horizontal orientation and use continuous vertical elements to create a vertical emphasis. Reveal lines in the EIFS have been added and aligned with the window frames to accentuate the windows and continue the contemporary design's modular theme. The clean design of the facade allows the large

windows and EIFS detailing to speak for themselves rather than clutter the facade with traditional detailing elements such as mouldings and trim. High efficiency electrical and mechanical systems were implemented along with building envelope design that responds to the site-specific energy modelling requirements with insulation levels met through EIFS and cavity insulation above minimum code. AquaBlu is a signifigant building for multiple reasons, and with EIFS as the main façade material it promotes the flexibility and quality of these versatile and effective building systems. AquaBlu was one of the first buildings in Ontario to be constructed to the new Ontario Building Code allowing five- and six-storey wood buildings. The project was the 2016 Ontario Home Builders Association Most Outstanding Mid-rise Building. Also, as one of the first apartment buildings to be constructed in its growing lakeside locale, AquaBlu, being extremely well received by town staff and council, has set the benchmark for the many future developments coming to the area and will serve as a landmark development to the town of Grimsby. EIFS allows for continuous perimeter insulation with a high R-value, while still being suitable to add additional insulation in the wall stud cavity, creating a insulation level and building envelope above building code requirements. Learn more about EIFS and the EIFS Council's annual project awards at www.eifs.org. ■

wallandceiling.ca » Fall 2018 » 17

feature FOCUS PORTABLE AND COMPACT FIREPROOFING PUMPS ARE CHANGING THE INDUSTRY C.M. Morris Group was contracted to apply fireproofing to the Cosmos structures in Madison, Wisconsin. The biggest challenge the team faced throughout the fireproofing process was the weather and fluctuating temperature. Due to the extremely cold winter, the contractor’s timeline for fireproofing and other trades was delayed until spring. Site location was also a challenge, as the high-rise building in downtown Madison didn’t have a lot of room around the building for storing a large, tow-behind pump. Lee Campbell, safety director and senior project manager at C.M. Morris Group, said that he chose Graco’s new ToughTek F800e piston pump for the Cosmos redevelopment project due to its portability and compact size, which made it easy to transport through a standard door. Since the pump can

remain inside, it remained heated and winterized throughout the project, which saved time and money because

Weighs 385 pounds. Sprays up to 40 bags per hour. And only requires a standard 240V, 30A outlet.

the team didn’t have to go through the typical winterizing process. Electric piston pumps, like the F800e, can also be brought inside, be plugged into any standard 220V, 30 amp outlet, and run. In addition, the F800e offers low maintenance thanks to its stainless steel construction and engineered seal design that typically lasts for six months to a year. Typical mid-tier pumps on the market can spray a maximum of 140 bags a day (based on an eight-hour spray day at roughly 20 bags per hour) with pump in and pump out. The F800e can spray more than 200 bags in that same work day (or 35-40 bags per hour) depending on the material used. According to Campbell, the C.M. Morris team has been able to get the fireproofing done quicker and more efficiently with the F800e, saving time and money and allowing other trades contracted for the Cosmos project to complete their work in a timely manner. To learn more, visit graco.com/f800e ■

18 » The Trowel

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feature FOCUS VINYL REVEAL OFFERS FLEXIBILITY, DURABILITY, AND AESTHETIC BENEFIT Reveals create strong crisp shadow lines in drywall. They are used in modern homes and offices to accentuate clean lines. They are also used to break up large spans of drywall to add visual interest with the benefit of expansion protection (if vinyl reveals are used). Traditionally, reveals are aluminum channels: aluminum is a great material for creating sharp edges and crisp, straight lines. In some cases, the aluminum is anodized and left unpainted. The shiny finish adds another level of visual interest. However, not all reveals are made from metal. Vinyl reveals are another option that offer some additional benefits. Trim-Tex offers vinyl Reveal Beads that are available in the same profile shapes and sizes found in traditional metal reveals. Like metal reveals, vinyl reveals are used for creating aesthetic details. However, unlike metal, vinyl is flexible. Metal reveals when bent become deformed. As a result, they can be dented or kinked and permanently ruined. Vinyl reveals are less susceptible to damage (and waste) because of their flexibility. Their ability to bend without damage also allows them to easily fit

curves and arches without the custom cutting necessary with metal reveals. To make sure you get the right reveal for a job with curves, measure the radius of the curve and then refer to the chart found on the Trim-Tex website. Because of their increased flexibility, vinyl reveals also provide up to 1/8” in expansion control. This added expansion control helps protect the interior finish of your project, reducing the expense of future callbacks.

are available in a shiny silver colour that mimics the look of an anodized aluminum reveal without sacrificing the benefits of flexible vinyl. Finally, a reveal that doesn’t require custom ordering and can be used to finish custom details without long wait times keeping projects on time and under budget. Request free samples of vinyl reveals and check out the variety of sizes available on the Trim-Tex website: www.trim-tex.com ■

Sometimes the look of aluminum reveals are fundamental to the project. Consequently, vinyl reveals

NEW Shadow & Reveal Beads enhance

clean lines and add visual interest to interiors. Vinyl reveals are more cost effective than aluminum revals while offering built-in expansion protection and form to curved surfaces.

Metallic silver color mimics the look of anodized aluminum reveals. Get all the beneﬁts of vinyl in the look of metal!

wallandceiling.ca » Fall 2018 » 19

building SCIENCE PRINTING ENGINEERING DRAWINGS ON POLYESTER FABRICS MAKES THEM WEATHERPROOF AND WASHABLE Paper-printed engineering drawings are great in the office, but not on the job site. Once taken into the working environment, these important documents can get damp, damaged, or destroyed due to spills, water, mud, and general wear and tear. The result: when contractors need to check engineering drawings on site, they can’t read them. Fortunately, there is an economical way to make engineering drawings completely waterproof and weatherproof—right down to rinsing them in water and wringing them out by hand, or throwing these drawings into a washer and dryer and restoring them to like-new condition. The secret is to print engineering drawings to polyester fabric using the same ‘dye sublimation’ technology that already prints photo-quality designs directly to fabric. Ottawa-based sportswear manufacturer TaggerWear has pioneered the process, applying the same approach it uses to print computerbased artwork and photography directly to polyester fabrics for parachute makers and a number of finished products such as clothing and costumes for swimming, dance, and skating. “Dye sublimation is simply desktop publishing on fabric, rather than paper,” said TaggerWear president/co-owner, Susan Trott. “You create the artwork in a software program like Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop. Then it is printed on an

Epson SureColor printer that uses heatactivated colour dyes rather than ink. Next, we run the printed artwork and polyester fabric through a rotary heat press to transfer the dye onto the cloth.” “We have used this process to print engineering drawings directly to fabric for our own building projects,” she said. “I came up with the idea after seeing our paper-based drawings turn into wrinkled, soggy, unreadable messes when they were left in the rain by a subcontractor,” explains Trott. “We printed some plumbing plans on our Chloroban™ polyester swimsuit fabric, which has a 50 SPF UV resistant outside and is immune to fading due to sunlight. The drawings were just as detailed as anything on paper, but tearproof, wrinkle-proof, and waterproof. Our plumber, Joe, loved them so much, he wore them home as a scarf under his jacket.” “Heck, these are so cool, they could be run over by a truck, washed, and look like new,” said Joe. “They can even be scrunched up and shoved into a pocket and not get ruined.” Because dye sublimation is computerbased and uses high-resolution graphics programs (like Adobe) and printers, the level of detail it can reproduce on fabric can match anything printed on paper. “Better yet, because we print to rolls of fabric that are 42 inches wide and

75 metres long, you can make your engineering drawings much larger than is usually done on paper,” said Trott. “This can be particularly useful on job sites, where conventionallysized paper-based drawings can be hard for people to read. The drawings can be hung up and plainly visible for everyone’s reference.” To allow contractors to become comfortable with fabric-based engineering drawings, TaggerWear is currently offering to provide them with a sample at no cost, to review and try out in actual working conditions. “Just send us an .EPS file of an engineering drawing for us to test-print on your behalf,” Trott said. “We’ll send you a sample back free of charge—to prove that fabric-based engineering drawings are the perfect solution for job sites.” “We have learned from experience that paper-based engineering drawings are a bad idea on job sites,” she added. “Printing these drawings to fabric, along with signage and anything else that needs to be posted and read in a working environment, provides durable, readable materials that stand up to stains, rain, and any other abuse that the job site can throw at them.” For more information and to arrange for a free sample, visit www.taggerwear. com, contact sales@taggerwear.com, or call 888-823-9883. ■

CMY

20 » The Trowel

it’s the LAW COUNTING THE DAYS – THE “21 DAY NOTICE” PROCESS UNDER THE BUILDERS’ LIEN ACT A builders’ lien can be an effective tool for those in the construction industry, such as contractors, subcontractors, workers, and material suppliers to secure payment. A lien hinders owners from selling their property and can hold up project financing, providing a lien claimant with significant leverage in payment disputes.

or delivery of the notice, the lien is extinguished. The recent case of Amplified Electric Inc. v. Husch, 2018 BCSC 969 highlights the importance of knowing how the “21 day notice” process works, both for lien claimants and owners who wish to address unwanted lien claims.

However, there is a very strict time limit for filing a claim of lien. A lien must be filed no later than 45 days after a certificate of completion is issued with respect to a contract or subcontract, or if no such certificate is issued, within 45 days after the head (general) contract has been completed, abandoned, or terminated or the improvement (project) is completed or abandoned. In order to preserve a lien claim, a Supreme Court action must be commenced and a certificate of pending litigation registered against title to the property by the lien claimant no later than one year after the lien was filed.

In December of 2017, Amplified Electric Inc. (“Amplified”), registered a lien claim against the property of homeowners for which it had performed work (the “Owners”). The Owners sent a 21 day notice by registered mail to Amplified, requiring it to commence an action to enforce its lien claim and file the required CPL within 21 days. The notice was sent by registered mail on January 23, 2018 and signed for on January 26, 2018.

Because of the significant impacts of a lien, owners will often take steps to immediately clear their title of liens after they are filed or force lien claimants to move their claims along in a timely manner. One way to do this is by providing notice to a lien claimant under the Builders Lien Act requiring them to commence their Supreme Court action and file a certificate of pending litigation within 21 days, rather than the default rule of one year. A 21 day notice must be served personally on a lien claimant or delivered or mailed to the address for service contained in the lien claim. If sent by mail, the notice is deemed to be served eight days after being deposited with a Canada Post office anywhere in Canada. If the action to enforce the lien claim is not commenced (and a certificate of pending litigation registered) within 21 days of service

The Facts

On February 16, 2018, 20 days after the notice was sent, Amplified filed its Supreme Court action, but did not register the required certificate of pending litigation (the “CPL”) until February 20, 2018. As a result, the Owners applied to court to cancel Amplified’s lien claim on the basis that the CPL was not registered within the required time limit. The issue for the Court to decide was whether the CPL was filed in time. This turned on whether the 21-day period started on the day the registered mail was signed for on behalf of Amplified, or on the eighth day after the notice was deposited with Canada Post as deemed under the Builders Lien Act.

The Decision In this case, the Supreme Court agreed with Amplified that the 21-day window for a lien claimant began eight days after the notice was deposited with Canada Post (if sent by mail), even if the notice had actually been received and signed for several days before.

By / Andrew D. Delmonico and Stephanie R. Driedger

Luckily for Amplified, this meant it had filed its CPL in time, complied with the requirements of the Builders Lien Act, and was entitled to keep its lien on title.

Lessons Learned 1. For owners: When serving a lien claimant with a 21 day notice, ensure it is done according to the process set out in the Builders Lien Act. If being sent by mail, this means the notice must be addressed to the address for service indicated in the lien claim and will not be deemed to be received by the lien claimant until eight days after being deposited with Canada Post. 2. For lien claimants: When served with a 21 day notice, make sure to file your certificate of pending litigation and commence your lien action as soon as possible. If the 21 day notice is sent by mail, the court has now clarified the 21-day time period starts from the eighth day after the notice was deposited with Canada Post by the person sending it. It is best practice, however, to not leave this to the last minute, as missing the deadline by even one day will mean losing your lien claim for good. This article was written by Andrew D. Delmonico, and Stephanie R. Driedger, articled student, who practise in construction law with the law firm of Kuhn LLP. This article is only intended as a guide and cannot cover every situation. It is important to get legal advice for specific situations. If you have any questions or comments about this case or other construction law matters, please contact us at 604.864.8877 (Abbotsford) or 604.684.8668 (Vancouver).

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wallandceiling.ca » Fall 2018 » 21

contractors 101 SHOULD I BID THIS JOB? With average pre-tax profits running around 5% we can’t afford to waste timing bidding jobs that are high risk and or low reward. Answering the following 10 questions will help you decide whether you should bid a specific job or not. 1. Is the job within your level of expertise? a. Have you a good track record with this type of work? b. Is the job size comfortable for you? 2. Do you have the capacity and resources to complete the job in the expected timelines? a. Are the right people available at the right time to do the job? b. Do you have the financial resources to support the job taking into account other work? 3. How many others are bidding the job? a. Do you know who the other bidders are? b. Are you comfortable bidding against them? 4. Where is the job located? a. If the job is in a municipality that you are not familiar with is this adding extra risk? b. If the job is out of town do you have the resources to measure, monitor and manage it? 5. Is the customer only interested in price or is value a consideration? a. If the customer is only interested in the lowest price, why do you think you can make money on it if you are the low bidder? 6. Have you worked with this client before? a. How many times have you worked with them? b. On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rank them as an “A” client 7. What is their history in dealing with change orders and schedules? a. Do they sign-off on change orders in a fair and timely manner? b. Is the schedule reasonable and will you get treated fairly as the schedule changes? l.ca

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8. What is your financial commitment? a. Is the risk/reward fair? b. Taking holdback into account when will you be in a positive cash flow on that job? 9. Do you have the time and resources to complete a comprehensive bid? a. Are the tender documents complete? b. Are they issuing many addendums? c. Do you have sufficient time to review the documents, do a site visit and prepare your bid? 10. Can you make a profit on the job? a. Will you cover your overhead? b. What is your forecasted profit on the job? c. Is the job very labour intensive? d. Are subtrades a small or large portion of the bid?

Your Plan of Action Twenty percent of the work you do tends to generates 80% of the profit. Focus on that 20%. You are in business to make money – make that your focus. ■ Ron Coleman helps make the ownership transition of trade and specialty contracting companies more successful. He ensures that businesses are attractive tto buyers so that both seller and buyer enjoy a win-win situation. His book Becoming Contractor of the Year will show you techniques you can use to make more money, have more fun, and make your business more saleable. His book Building Your Legacy has more than 40 great ideas for helping you work smarter, not harder, and create a legacy of which you can be very proud. Ron is a professional accountant, a certified management consultant, and a professional member of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers. Need a speaker for your next conference? Give Ron a call. Visit Ron at www. ronaldcoleman.ca and review his other publications and resource materials for contractors.

Are you working on an interesting or challenging project? Tell us about it. Contact our editor, Jessica Kirby, at 1.250.816.3671 or email editor@thetrowel.ca.

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advertiser INDEX Editorial

continued from page 4

course, create new opportunities for workers with middle of the road experience, who, over the next ten years, will become the top dogs. Will it cause a fundamental shift in the nature of construction? Probably not, though there may be some mild upset as everyone fits into their new roles, and those experienced people who are untrained as leaders develop the skills and seek the education they need to be successful. There were no new occupations added to this year’s high demand occupations list, which isn’t a surprise given last year’s numbers are still more or less intact. Contractors, supervisors, and heavy equipment operators, however, were removed from the list and are one of five comprising overall changes to the high demand list. So what do we do this this information? How far will it take us in predicting our futures and influencing our current practices? That depends on whether our glasses are half empty or half full, and it depends on whether we are in the fresh faced or freshly retired category. At the very least we can see overall job opening trends, which have been in various forecasts for at least a decade now, are consistent. This means trianing should be high on everyone’s priority list—training for new recruits, professional development for experienced but continuing workers, management training for the folks who will follow in the footsteps of our most experienced retirees, and mentorship training for those leaving the industry and taking their experiential knowledge with them. Now is always the best time for investing in your industry with education and skill development. What are you waiting for? Your glass isn’t going to fill itself, you know. Need some help arranging training for apprentices? Contact the BCWCA at 604.575.0511, admin@bcwca.org, or www. bcwca.org for more information. ■

Industry News

continued from page 7

CANADA’S BUILDING TRADES UNIONS ON USMCA The Government of Canada has negotiated hard and struck a deal that’s good for Canadian workers in the renegotiated United States - Mexico - Canada Agreement (USMCA). Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) congratulate the Government of Canada on their assiduousness to ensure that the interests of Canadian workers were put to the forefront. “The USCMA - the renegotiated NAFTA deal - was a result of Prime Minister Trudeau and his government’s efforts to stay at the bargaining table until a progressive trade agreement could be reached that worked for all three countries,” said Robert Blakely, Canadian operating officer of CBTU. “This deal includes a progressive and fully enforceable labour chapter—language much stronger than anything that was found in NAFTA. It ensures the benefits of growth through trade will be shared more equitably amongst workers in Canada, and the US and Mexico.” The USCMA also includes strong language related to labour throughout, requiring all three countries to commit to protecting and promoting internationally recognized labour principles and rights, including the right to freedom of association and collective bargaining, the elimination of child and forced labour, and laws ensuring acceptable work conditions with respect to minimum wages, hours of work, and occupational health and safety. It requires measures to protect against discrimination on the basis of gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation, including stronger provisions than have been found in any other trade deal. In these ways, the USCMA is an upgrade from NAFTA. It also includes the removal of the Investor-State Dispute Settlement Clause, which allowed private investors to sue governments for decisions that hurt profits, even when those decisions were in the public interest. “These changes will protect high wage workers - and all workers’ rights, including the language on recognizing Canada’s Indigenous Peoples, something that is a key to a progressive and inclusive trade deal,” said Blakely. ■

ADVERTISER INDEX Company Bailey Metals Products Demand Products Flannery Trim Grabber Construction Products (Canada) Inc. Graco New West Gypsum Recycling Steeler Ltd (Delta BC) Wallboard Trim and Tool

Phone Page 800.818.2666 OBC 800.325.7540 13 818.837.1155 IFC 800.567.8876 20 612.623.6734 18 800.965.8870 12 877.678.6565 4 800.590.5799 19 wallandceiling.ca » Fall 2018 » 23

REDHEADER PRO™

..can cut your labour time in half. The new Bailey RedHeader PRO™ cuts on-site labour by up to 50% by reducing the number of wall framing members required to frame windows and door openings. The superior strength and carry capacity of the new system means higher performance with fewer members. Bailey RedHeader PRO™’s one-piece header and jamb replaced conventional boxed headers and built-up jambs which require multiple studs, tracks and screws. The new Bailey RedHeader PRO™ is preengineered, and pre-cut to specified lengths. The system uses the same-sized member for the jamb and header for greater functionality. The top of the header is open which allows for easy insulation installation.

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