If you haven't already heard, we're collaborating with Nick Bray Architecture Ltd. & Project Mint Developments to build a passive house on a peat bog in East Vancouver!

Nick Bray will also be a guest speaker at the upcoming Vancouver ICF training event on April 26th.  The objective of this training program is to enable local builders & their crew to build successfully with Nudura ICF, Fastfoot, Fast-Tube and Helix Micro Rebar.  This four hour training session is designed for builders and forming contractors and provides the knowledge and skills necessary to build proficiently with these sustainable products for the concrete forming industry. This course also provides 4.0 points for Continuing Professional Development for those builders registered with BC Housing. 
To register visit: https://www.vancouvericf.com/training/nextTraining.php

Also, be sure to follow us on Instagram to stay posted on the build process!

Interested in learning more about passive house? 
​Please feel free to contact us or visit Passive House Canada.

Please be advised that we will be closed on Friday April 19th in lieu of Good Friday. 
​We hope everyone has a good Easter long weekend and we will be open on Monday April 22nd, 2019.  

Should I renovate or build new?  Clients often come to us with this question.  Below is a slideshow and video that we created for The Home Reno Show last year that we hope will shed some light on this topic.

If you have any further questions don't hesitate to contact us today about your renovation! 

It's no secret that Vancouver aims to be the greenest city by 2020, especially with it's recent implementation of the North American Fenstration Standard (NAFS) and the BC Step Code.  We are now turning to the passive house standard which was first developed in Central Europe to get us closer to our goal. 

​Passive building achieves energy efficiency primarily through an airtight envelope (the physical structures like walls, roofs, and windows that separate the exterior and interior of a building).  Energy modeling is done to determine the energy performance of both the whole building and its individual elements which optimizes the building's performance.  Here are the main factors that contribute to a passive house:

1.  Proper Insulation: All edges, corners, connections and penetrations must be planned with special care in order to meet the building's design requirements.

2.  Air Tightness:  Ensuring the least amount of penetrations in a home to be the most air tight.

3. No Thermal Bridges: Escaping heat follows the path of lease resistance.  Thermal bridging generally occurs when there's a break in, or penetration of the building envelope (e.g. insulation).  Thermal bridges can also be found at:

• The interface between the wall and floor
• The interface between the wall and roof
• Holes in the building envelope for pipes and cables
• Window and door reveals

​4.  Proper Windows: Usually triple paned windows are installed to help reduce thermal bridging and the loss of heat.

5.  Proper Orientation: The home should be placed in such a way so that the sun can heat the house during the Winter and shade is provided in the Summer.

6. Use of a proper Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) System:  This provides the inside of the home with fresh air without letting the heat out and reduces the number of penetrations in a home.

7.  Heating is supplied by your body heat, the sun, your appliances, light bulbs, and even your TV!

Passive homes use up to 85 percent less energy for heating and cooling than the average home.  It is also net-zero which means it produces the same amount of energy as it consumes.  Although you may be spending more initially on materials and systems that go into your home, you will save money in the long term on your heating bill and help preserve the environment!

​If you have any further questions or would like to discuss your next project, please feel free to contact us.  For more information regarding passive house, please visit Passive House Canada.

We recently attended the Homebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN)'s Ovation Awards Finalist's Reception held at Loungeworks, where we were announced as finalists for Best New Small Scale Home and Best New Kitchen Under $50,000 for our Collingwood Country Chic Laneway project!

Our clients wanted to build a single level laneway home in Vancouver, to accommodate for their special needs daughter and to be closer to their family.  We are big believers in combining traditional values with innovative building technologies, so construction features for this laneway include Nudura Insulated Concrete Forms​ (ICFs), and SIGA​ Majvest, a weatherproof and permeable membrane for an air/weather tight facade.  We installed vinyl windows, a large vinyl sliding door, a fiberglass entry door, and a Navien condensing combination boiler for both their on demand hot water and in floor radiant heat.  These items paired together create an efficient, high performing home.  The exterior is clad in smooth painted,  James Hardie board and batten siding with an asphalt shingled roof.  The front entrance showcases a custom overhang with painted soffits, and a standing seam metal roof.  The interior of the home features high vaulted ceilings in the living room and master bedroom, an attic storage mezzanine, engineered hardwood floors with no thresholds, custom painted full height cabinetry for loads of storage (you can never have enough), and an electric fireplace.

We are thrilled to be nominated and would like to congratulate all the other finalists of the evening!

For more project photos, please click here.

Reminder that we will be closed on Monday February 18th for Family day. 
We will reopen on Tuesday February 19th.  We hope you get to spend the day with your loved ones!

If you plan on doing a home renovation, here are some things to consider.

Do your research: Be sure to visit potential contractor websites to view their portfolio and arrange an in-person meeting to see if they would be a good fit.  If possible arrange a time to see a home they've recently completed to view their craftsmanship and speak with the home owners.  Always get two or three quotes but be wary of the different price points you may get.  In this industry the cheapest or most expensive quotes may not always be the best option.

Hire ONE person to manage your home renovation: Hire ONE company who is 100% accountable for your project. It's always great to have one company take care of the design and build of your home.  This can save you a lot of time and money in the long run.

Remediation:  Asbestos was widely used in B.C. as a building material until the early 1990s, and it can be present in many areas of older buildings.  Exposure to asbestos can cause serious long-term health issues and even death. If you suspect asbestos is present, hire qualified professionals to safely remove it before work begins.

Changes happen: This is especially true with any renovation.  Be prepared to run into some unexpected surprises due to site conditions or city requirements that may require you to make changes.

Write things down & read sign offs: It's important to always read what you're signing off on and understand what you're getting.  Don't ever hesitate to ask questions to clarify any details with your builder or interior designer.  It's also a good idea to have a recap of decisions or follow up items after every meeting to ensure everyone is on the same page and that nothing gets missed.

You're likely to go over budget: Unfortunately, it’s true.  Some things are going to be unexpected and out of your control, and some things are just going to end up costing more than you anticipated.  Make sure you don't cut any corners if you're renovating your forever home, but be realistic by prioritizing what's important to you so you know where to spend your money.  It's also a good idea to always have a contingency budget for any surprises that you may encounter.

Pay attention to the stairs:  This is something to pay close attention to as it’ll impact the rest of your house.  You'll have to take the time to think this one through, should you keep the stairs where they are now or should you move them?  If you opt to move them, what are the costs associated with this and how will it affect your floor plan?  Would it be worth the expense?

You won't always meet your deadline: We endeavor to make deadlines but there are a lot of factors that come into play for example, client decisiveness, product availability, weather, and even manufacturer delays.  The important thing is to have a game plan on how to keep moving forward without creating further delays.  This is the nature of the beast and it’s just one of those things you have to be prepared for.

It won't always be perfect: Sometimes, it takes a lot time, money, and effort to make something old, look new again.  Understand that some "imperfections" may be present and is part of the charm of an older home and sometimes, that's okay.

Don't worry about being matchy-matchy: Don't be afraid of colour or doing something unique to give your home more personality!
​
Your house is going to be dirty and dusty for months after: Yes, even after a post construction clean, your home will be dusty and will take time for it to clear, this is normal for any new build or renovations.

We hope this shed some light for those who are considering a home renovation.  For more information feel free to contact us to discuss your next project.

Congratulations to our very own John Doig!  He is now a Certified Passive House Tradesperson!  We are very pleased to have him join this network of professionals looking to build better, and more efficient homes for the City of Vancouver!  For more information on Passive House please visit: https://www.passivehousecanada.com/about-passive-house/​