Renonation

Page 1

Abbotsford News Friday, September 30, 2011

Turning on your furnace for the first time after many months has some important considerations to go along with it.

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Heating your home By Maggie Calloway As reluctant as we are to even think of the cold damp days and months ahead, some action and attention to detail now while the weather is relatively mild could save you big problems and lots of money if things go pear-shaped with your furnace in the middle of winter. Alex Williams, a partner

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September 2011 PRODUCTS kk QUALIFIED TRADES kk EXPERT ADVICE kk

Getting into the basement By Maggie Calloway

My House Design/Build Team’s Managing Director Graeme Huguet (left) and Project Foreman Bruno Hoglund stand outside a renovated house in Delta. The team at My House Design were responsible for all facets of this amazing renovation. Rob Newell photo

A major reno doesn’t have to be scary A 40-year-old home in Delta gets an amazing renovation from the My House Design/ Build Team. By Maggie Calloway This couple bought the house with the intention of renovating right from the start. They had lived in the area and wanted to stay, and their kids had left the nest but live down the street with the grandchildren. They felt comfortable in

the neighbourhood; they fit in. So what to do? What is the next step? Enter the brilliant My House Design/Build Team, who transformed this 40-year-old Lindal Cedar Home with sympathetic grace and made it into a home the owners will stay in for the rest of their days. Like many people, this couple bought the house because they were attracted to the neighbourhood, the mature trees in the backyard and the high cedar ceilings in the house. But the reality was the house just didn’t work for the way we live today. Forty years ago, design was much different; we didn’t have great rooms and open plan living.

Rooms were smaller, with assigned uses and closed-off with walls. The bones of this house were great but it needed a fresh breath of air. My House Design was contracted in the summer of 2010 and started the design process, applied for variance, and permits. They started construction the winter of the same year. Because this was a total renovation, the couple moved into an apartment for the duration. “We did the roofing prior to the weather getting bad then spent the rest of the winter working on the interior,” says Graeme Huguet, Managing Director of My House Design.

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Lurking under your home is something you would love to put out of your mind but you know you have to deal with it. Your damp crawlspace or basement is calling you. The problem is while you are ignoring this space, unpleasant things could be going on. The Lower Mainland is a rain forest, and as beautiful as it is, if we do not control moisture in this space, nasty things like mold thriving and spreading by producing millions of airborne spores could be at work. Frightening rot and decay occur in damp environments, which could cause structural damage if left unchecked. The natural airflow in a house is from bottom to top, so moist air and other nasties are sucked up into the living areas, which could create a very unhealthy environment for people and pets. But there are some steps you can take to make this a nice, clean, spore-free environment. Rob Currie at Basement Systems Vancouver Inc. is passionate about basements and crawlspaces and the difference a well-sealed, moisture-free space can make to your health. “The best way to correct crawlspace problems is to

» more page B5

B2 Abbotsford News Friday, September 30, 2011

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See how much energy your home uses

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Abbotsford News Friday, September 30, 2011

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B4 Abbotsford News Friday, September 30, 2011

Renovation SALE ON NOW Furnace safety

is important » from page B1

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“I would say out of twenty furnaces over 20 years old, five of them will have cracks,” Williams says. “If your family suffers from chronic flu-like symptoms or constant tiredness while at home and they feel better when they are away from the home, check the carbon monoxide levels in the home immediately; your family may be being poisoned.” Williams also says a furnace over 20 years old is only 50 per cent efficient. One has to think about replacing the unit if $50 out of every $100 you send to the natural gas provider is literally not providing any comfort to the family. “Right now the federal government has a grant program called EcoEnergy and the provincial government’s program LiveSmart,” Williams says. “Just by changing your old furnace to a high efficiency (one) you will get $1,390 back ... The average cost of putting in a high efficiency furnace is $4,700 so you are only looking at around $3,300. If you are now losing 50 per cent on the dollar with your old furnace it doesn’t take long to pay for a new safe, efficient one.”

with his brother in A.D.W. Mainland Heat & Air Conditioning, is an expert on heating and cooling. Twenty-seven years of experience means there is not a lot Williams doesn’t know. The first step depends on how old your furnace is. If it’s less than 10 years old, “(you) can take a chance and turn the furnace on because they have a lot of the newer technology and they don’t use much service,” Williams says. “If the furnace is over 10 years old (you) should get a licensed gas fitter to come in for a full service check.” He says they should check several things before giving you the go-ahead. “They should check the heat exchanger, the motor, the amperage draw, a clocking to make sure it’s burning correctly and they should test with a monometer to see if the pressure going to the burner is correct,” Williams says. “The biggest thing is to check for cracks in the heat exchanger because over time metal expands and contracts with heat and eventually it breaks.” The biggest problem with a cracked heat exchanger is that it can release carbon monoxide into the house.

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Abbotsford News Friday, September 30, 2011

Fixing damp spaces a four-step process

BUILDING? RENOVATING? REPAIRING?

» from page B1 isolate the home from the lower dirt or concrete. We do it by encapsulating the whole space which creates a very strong vapour barrier; this prevents moisture from coming through into the crawlspace,” says Currie. “In a crawlspace you can get moisture from a variety of areas. It can come through the walls, through the floor, through any openings in the space.” Basement Systems crawlspace liner is a heavy 20-millimetre-thick material. It is manufactured in seven layers – a blend of high-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, and two layers of polyester cord reinforcement. Not only does this create a moisture barrier, it is so tough you can crawl on it without doing damage. This gives you a safe storage space. “There are four stages to our process,” Currie explains. “One: we seal off the crawlspace vents and doors with an airtight seal. This protects the space from outside influences. Two: if the space is subject to flooding, a sump pump with a drainage swale is a very effective way of dealing with groundwater flooding. This also protects from plumbing failure. Three: Encapsulate the space Basement Systems Vancouver says with the vapour barrier. Four: Once the area is sealed off, it’s a good idea to install a crawlspace dehumidifier. that a damp basement, above, doesn’t have to be a write-off if you are able to Homes that have had the crawlspaces saturated with humidity will retain some of that moisture in the wood prevent future moisture, below. even when the space is encapsulated.” Submitted photos A dehumidifier can dry some of that moisture out, Currie says, while making sure that any future moisture is not trapped. Damp and/or wet basements are another ongoing problem. Apart from the health issues, having a large area of your home unusable doesn’t make sense. Basement Systems can fix the problem in a couple of days, Currie says. The water problem needs to be stopped along the perimeter of the floor by removing a portion of the floor to create a trench and filling it with clean stone. At this point, they lay in a WaterGuard system and then drain tile is laid. All the water is directed to a sump pump system to channel the water out through buried PVC pipe, preventing more damage.

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B6 Abbotsford News Friday, September 30, 2011

My House Design/Build a one-stop-shop for all your renovation needs “ from page.1 “It was very important to this couple that the newly designed home work not just for themselves but work when the kids and grandkids come over, which they do all the time. This is a close-knit family.” First the team upgraded the plant. The original heating system was electric, which was changed over to forced air along with a heat pump. This allowed the family to have heat and air conditioning efficiently at low cost. Energy-efficient gas fireplaces were installed and a lot of care was taken to include build-green concepts into the home. The ceiling was insulated from the top by taking off the existing roof, insulated using foam which created a higher R value, and then a new roof was installed. This kept the interior cedar ceiling, which first attracted the home owners to the house, intact. Removing the roof allowed the team to install pot lighting, which had a huge impact on the finished space.

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“We changed all the windows and doors; they are all highefficiency, EnergyStar rated. All the windows have a type of glass which keeps the heat inside in the winter and the heat out in the summer,” Huguet says. “We added energy-efficient skylights to add more light. Because we took everything down to the studs, we were able to insulate all the walls and insulate

Love

the crawlspace. The hot water is an on-demand system which is also very efficient.” An addition was added to the front of the house to give more space to the great room and the ability to create a covered entranceway but care was taken to make it seamless. This addition is only six feet long but really made a difference to both the great room and the look of the exterior. There are three bedrooms upstairs; the house is a split level, with an en-suite for the master and a walk-in closet. Downstairs there is a room which could be a bedroom but is used as a hair salon, a laundry room and another full bathroom. The gem of the downstairs is a wonderful family room/media room with a fireplace, a library area and a big television. “Before we start any renovation, including this one, we do a full energy audit to show the homeowner where they are losing energy,” says Huguet. “Another reason is we want the homeowners to qualify for both federal and provincial grants. Once the renovation is complete we do another audit which will show the difference in efficiency. This client received $3,000 in grant incentives.” My House Design is pretty well one-stop-shopping; 85 per cent of every project is done in-house from design to permits to build to interior design. There is a great advantage to this, as all of the colleagues are constantly in touch with each other regarding ordering materials, scheduling and the multitude of details which go into what is a complicated process. There are no delays waiting for an outside trade to complete their part of the build. The before and after photos show what an amazing home was created for this wonderful family; a home they will certainly enjoy for many years to come.

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A Delta home got an incredible upgrade from the people at My House Design/Build. Changes include energy-efficient gas fireplaces and pot lights in the cedar ceiling. Submitted photos. After photos by Keith Henderson

R OT E T I O N C

Abbotsford News Friday, September 30, 2011

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B7

B8 Abbotsford News Friday, September 30, 2011

Some new doors can do wonders in your old kitchen By Maggie Calloway

Give your furnace some TLC before winter strikes and save up to $2,890 with gov’t grants and rebates as well as up to $1,200 on a new Lennox high efďŹ ciency furnace and heat pump installation. * Our residential heating team is ready to do a thorough heating assessment prior to fall. The beneďŹ ts include saving money, improved air quality and a reduced environmental footprint. Call us at 604-595-1664 to schedule an appointment or for more details. www.ashtonservicegroup.com *Lennox Fall Promotion valid for installations prior to December 2, 2011.

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If your budget stretches to a new floor, here is where you can make a great change. A fresh floor looks terrific. Again, if budget is an issue, look into peel-and-stick tiles. When the time comes to start from scratch and gut the whole kitchen, think about how you have been using your current kitchen. Write down what worked and what didn’t. Think about deep drawers for pots and pans rather than shelves and, if a separate pantry isn’t possible, where you are going to store food and supplies. The kitchen is the one room you need to get right; it really is the heart of the home and the most expensive to build so mistakes are not easily fixed.

Your kitchen is looking a little worn around the edges and as much as you would like to gut the whole room, it just isn’t in the budget right now. So what can you do? A gallon of paint can do absolute wonders, and have a good look at your cabinet doors. If they are salvageable, take them off, remove the hardware, sand and paint. You will be amazed what a difference it will make to the whole kitchen. If the hardware is dated change it to something sleek and modern. If the upper cabinet doors are beyond saving, think about just changing the doors or, if it suits your personal taste, leave the doors off for a more country look. Be careful what you display; no one wants to see your cereal boxes, but dishes look great. I removed all the upper cabinets from one wall of my kitchen and installed open steel shelves. All my plates, casserole dishes and cereal bowls live there. I love the look and the convenience of just reaching up for whatever I need. I have a laundry room off my kitchen which is too large a room to hold just a washing machine and hot water heater, so I installed rows of shelves around three sides of the room and created a pantry. One shelf holds appliances like my KitchenAid mixer and two different sizes of crockpots, which gets them off the counter. While I am talking about counters, be ruthless about removing “stuff.� Clearing off the Are you looking for a kitchen upgrade? First think about how counters will make a huge differ- you use your current space. Think about deep drawers for pots and pans, new cabinet doors or a coat of fresh new paint. ence in how the whole kitchen Photos by Keith Henderson for My Design/Build Team looks.

Abbotsford News Friday, September 30, 2011

FALL BRING IT ON

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u 3059-152 Street White Rock Phone: 604-542-4317 u 7599 King George Hwy Surrey (Newton) Phone: 604-572-3739 u 7878 120th Street (Scott Road) Surrey Phone: 604-591-3914 u 6312 200th Street Langley Phone: 604-532-4411 u 13665-102nd Ave Surrey (North) Phone: 604-583-8473 u 7200 Market Crossing Burnaby Phone: 604-451-5888

u 1200 Seguin Drive Coquitlam Phone: 604-527-8828 u 11969 - 200th Street Maple Ridge Phone: 604-460-4664 u 1350 Main Street North Vancouver Phone: 604-982-9100 u 3100-2850 Shaughnessy St. Port Coquitlam Phone: 604-468-6951 u 3500 No.3 Road Richmond Phone: 604-273-2939 u 11388 Steveston Hwy South Richmond Phone: 604-271-6651

u 2290 Cambie St. Vancouver Phone: 604-707-2290 u 2830 Bentall Street Vancouver Phone: 604-431-3570 u 8729 Heather Street Vancouver Phone: 604-257-6487 u 2220 Kingsway Vancouver Kingsway Phone: 604-257-6510 u 32513 South Fraser Way Abbotsford Phone: 604-870-4132 u 7560 Vedder Road Chilliwack Phone: 604-858-9055

B9

B10 Abbotsford News Friday, September 30, 2011

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B11

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ABBOTSFORD NEWS I Friday, September 30, 2011

Making an impression Ben Simcoe has more than 100 voices in his repertoire

A

Vikki HOPES genetic condition that has often Debby began home-schooling him when he Abbotsford News been a challenge for Ben Simcoe was in Grade 3, and Ben was given an official of Abbotsford has also spurred a diagnosis at age 13. unique talent. Debby said Ben’s talent for impressions cropped up at The 25-year-old is gaining attention for his impressions an early age, when he would mimic the characters he saw of characters from the Batman movies, TV shows such as in movies and on TV. This form of sound repetition can The Simpsons and Family Guy, and celebrities including be a characteristic of Fragile X – particularly in males Ozzy Osbourne, Jim Carrey and Chris Rock. – and has also been exhibited by Ben in his talent for He has more than 100 voices in his repertoire, and has music, such as playing the drums and guitar. performed his 15-minute show at venues throughout the At first, Ben’s knack for impressions merely enterFraser Valley. tained family and friends. It became something more Ben’s mom, Debby Simcoe, said what’s astoundserious after Debby and her husband, Rod, were try ing about her son being able to get up on stage and to find something else for Ben to do after O E D I V LINE trying perform for an audience is that he has Fragile X the grocery-delivery business they started for him N O ws.com abbyne did syndrome, which results in developmental delays, didn’t work out. O day while the family was driving somewhere, can be a cause of autism and leads to problems with One D bb turned to Ben and asked him what he would socialization. Debby But he’s learned to work with these challenges, she like to do next. Carpentry? Lawn mowing? said. Then it hit her: “Ben, would you like to be an enter“He knows how to compensate in amazing ways.” tainer?” Debby said that, as a child, Ben was prone to outbursts The excited look on her son’s face said it all. When they of anger and impulsive behaviour, and would sometimes got home, they made a list of all the voices Ben could do, blurt out names and phrases at inappropriate times. and came up with 80. Other kids sensed there was something different about Among them were several characters from The Simpsons him, and they would tease him. Continued on B12

JOHN VAN PUTTEN PHOTO

The Abbotsford News

Twenty-five-year-old Ben Simcoe has a passion for performing despite his Fragile X syndrome.

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B12 Abbotsford News Friday, September 30, 2011

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From B11

animated series, including Homer, Krusty the Clown, and Patty and Selma. “I love The Simpsons. They’re my favourite. I like it how they talk, how they say different phrases,” Ben said. They developed a routine, which included a drum performance that Ben had learned from a YouTube video of the Blue Man Group. His first big show was in 2008 at the annual Celebrate Mission event, and he has since performed at numerous venues and events such as Lafflines Comedy Club in New Westminster, seniors’ home, and this year’s United Way Spirit Awards, where he received a standing ovation. It didn’t take long for Ben to learn how much he enjoys performing. “I enjoy seeing the audience – seeing everyone listen to me. It’s huge,” he said. Ben’s show no longer includes instruments – “We eventually decided to stop dragging the drums around,” Debby said – but does feature some music. He closes his routine with his impression of Louis Armstrong singing What a Wonderful World. Debby is now trying to book Ben some outof-town performances – preferably, somewhere that requires flying because Ben loves planes. “That’s just something that entertainers do – they go on the road,” Debby laughed. For more information about Ben, visit his website bensimcoe.ca.

WHAT IS FRAGILE X SYNDROME? - FXS, first known as Martin-Bell syndrome, is the most common form of mental impairment, affecting one in 4,000 boys and one in 6,000 girls. - It is caused by a defect in a gene in the X chromosome in which the gene shuts down and cannot manufacture the protein it normally makes. That protein is vital for normal brain development and functioning. - Symptoms can include: intellectual impairment, delayed and abnormal speech, autism in 20 to 25 per cent of those with FXS, anxiety and unstable moods, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Source: Fragile X Research Foundation of Canada

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