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THE HAMMER
Damon Gray of NZ Builders joins The Hammer to discuss their innovative insulated concrete panels and some of the great things they can achieve with them. NZ is making high-performance homes, even Passive House homes, on Vancouver Island out of concrete and finding the material generates a more comfortable and healthy environment for their customers.
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ISSN 1498-8941 (Print) ISSN 1929-6495 (Online)
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By Patrick Flannery Editor
BRING ON THE CUTS
The Bank of Canada cut its key rate 0.25 percent at the start of September to 4.25 percent – it’s third cut in a row. Shortly after that, the U.S. Federal Reserve cut rates 0.5 percent to five, a move financial commentators described as aggressive and a sign that the Feds think inflationary threats are behind us. I was at an industry conference in June when the first of the Bank of Canada’s cuts was announced and the whole room burst into applause. I don’t remember people ever being this engaged with interest rates in the past.
But it’s not surprising. The huge inflation in building material costs in 2022 hurt us all. When we had to suspend work every day that went by was another day not starting the next job pushing the day we get paid irretrievably farther out into the future while our labour and credit costs continued apace. Every job cancelled discarded all the time put into quoting and design without return and restarted the clock on the sales process to replace it.
That’s why the interest rate hikes to forestall inflation have probably done more damage to us than the inflation itself. Taking out home equity loans to finance renovations was a major boost to our industry for a long time. Being able to leverage the equity in your house into a large loan with same terms as your mortgage and at at-or-below-inflation interest rates was making our services effectively free.
” Today, everyone seems at peace with making payments for their living space.
”
The more surprising thing is that it took as long as it did for the low interest rates that started in the ‘90s to fuel the kind of boom we experienced right before and through COVID. Part of it was the gradual nature of the banks relaxing their stance toward home equity borrowing. Back in the day, your bank wanted to know why you were taking out the dreaded “second mortgage” and agree that your investment would increase the value of their collateral. By 2015, they didn’t care if you were going to use the money for beer. Maybe it was the banks’ confidence that property values were skyrocketing so fast they would never get left with a devalued asset. On the other side, refinancing your house used to be anathema. You were delaying the day when you would burn your mortgage, live free and clear and be able to retire. Today, everyone seems at peace with making payments for their living space. Mortgage payments are viewed like rent. Again, I’m at something of a loss to explain the change. Maybe, better retirement planning has fewer people counting on being able to live free after work. Maybe, the knowledge that they will be able to sell their house for several times what they paid for it gives an extra measure of security. Whatever the cause, home equity borrowing became an important driver of renovation activity in this country.
Energy-efficient rebate programs like the Greener Homes Grant further goosed the market, even as COVID kept people home with their unspent vacation dollars piling up. We had a good run. But when the rate shock hit, homeowner wallets slammed closed. Higher input costs can be mitigated with good business practices. But there’s no cure for a lack of demand. It took some time for our numbers to come down off the sugary rush of the COVID years, but now the demandside drag is starting to bite with rising unemployment figures and bad home start statistics.
Enough is enough. Time for the Bank of Canada to at least match the Fed’s moves and get us back to work.
Modest changes for August housing price index
According to Statistics Canada’s The Daily, the national index was unchanged month over month in August. Prices were unchanged in 13 of the 27 census metropolitan areas surveyed, while they increased in eight and declined in the remaining six CMAs. The largest month-over-month decrease in August was recorded in Calgary, followed by St. Catharines, Niagara. This marks the first monthly decline for Calgary since January 2024. According to the Calgary Real Estate Board, benchmark prices and sales of existing homes experienced a similar downward trend in Calgary in August compared to July.
In August, new home prices increased the most month over month in Regina and Oshawa, with builders reporting improving market conditions as the reason for the increase. Nationally,
the index was unchanged on a yearover-year basis in August following a 0.1percent increase in July. The New Housing Price Index increased in 10 CMAs surveyed and was unchanged in three, while it declined in 14. The largest year-over-year increases in August were registered in Calgary, Trois-Rivieres and Edmonton.
The total value of building permits in Canada decreased by $858.1 million to $11.5 billion in August, following a strong July during which construction intentions rose sharply. The residential and non-residential sectors contributed to the decrease in August.
On a constant dollar basis, the total value of building permits decreased 7.6 percent in August. The value of nonresidential building permits decreased by $471 million to $4.4 billion in August, driven by declines in institutional
construction intentions. Both the commercial and industrial components also contributed to the decline in the non-residential sector. The industrial component’s monthly decline in August followed strong growth in July. Despite the monthly decline in August, the industrial component was the fourth-highest value in the series and experienced a year-over-year growth of 49 percent, a second consecutive yearover-year increase.
Residential building permits fell by $387.2 million to $7.1 billion in August, driven by the multi-unit component, while the single-family component tempered the decline. Ontario and British Columbia led the declines in multi-unit permit values. For the singlefamily component, Alberta and Ontario were the major contributors to the growth recorded in August.
B.C. introduces new rebate for homeowners installing a dual-fuel system
FortisBC is introducing a new rebate of $10,000 or more for eligible customers who replace their home’s older gas heating system with an electric heat pump and high-efficiency gas furnace. These dual-fuel systems can operate at more than 100 percent efficiency under certain conditions, offering a promising way forward for customers who want to lower the costs and greenhouse gas emissions associated with their energy use while maintaining access to both the gas and electricity systems for reliable year-round heating and cooling.
“The new rebate helps make this system more affordable for customers and combines the strengths of both energy systems to meet their heating and cooling needs,” said Joe Mazza, vice-president of energy supply and resource development at FortisBC.
A dual-fuel system provides wholehome heating and cooling and is a
good option for homeowners who are replacing an aging gas furnace and want to upgrade to a reliable and efficient system keeping their home comfortable year-round. It includes an electric heat pump for cooling during warm weather and space heating during milder conditions and a highefficiency gas furnace for heating in colder weather.
The system is operated through a connected thermostat that automatically switches between electric and gas heating at specific
temperatures to maximize energy efficiency and comfort. By combining the strengths of both energy systems in this way, a dual-fuel system helps lower overall energy use, ensures reliable heating on the coldest days and meets the criteria set out in the CleanBC Roadmap to 2030 stating all new space and water heating systems must be more than 100 percent energyefficient by 2030. FortisBC is currently evaluating dual-fuel systems in homes across the province as part of a pilot program to continue to learn more about the energy savings in different climates.
The rebates are now available to homeowners who are FortisBC clients. To make these systems more accessible for customers with unique circumstances and needs, additional funds are also available for incomequalified, Indigenous and northern B.C. customers.
RESCON pushes for immediate action to lower levies
The Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) encourages all levels of government to push for immediate action to lower taxes, fees, levies and development charges on new housing and speed up approval times for developments. RESCON president Richard Lyall, along with senior staff and board members from the association, met with Ontario Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Paul Calandra to discuss a variety of challenges facing the homebuilding sector, including exorbitant taxes and prolonged approval times, which are impacting higher prices for new homes and seriously affecting housing supply.
“We appreciate the actions that Minister Calandra and the provincial government have taken to date to encourage more homebuilding, which includes eliminating the HST on new purpose-built rentals. However, we continue to face a perfect storm of high taxes, endless bureaucracy (particularly at the municipal level of government) and an approvals system that is slow, dysfunctional and killing the housing market, especially for firsttime buyers,” says Lyall.
At the meeting, RESCON officials noted that new home sales are lacklustre and the homebuilding
industry is facing serious financial challenges. New development application submissions have slumped and starts for 2025 are sparse. The financial realities of the new housing market are not workable and regulations and policies are only adding to the inability to build. Taxes on new housing in the Greater Toronto Area, for example, are the highest in North America and have combined with other factors to eliminate homebuyers, especially firsttimers, from the market. In Toronto, development charges alone for single detached homes have increased nearly 2000 percent in 20 years. The situation is urgent. Recent figures show the construction of new homes is not keeping pace with population growth and housing affordability continues to get worse. A report by the Canadian Centre for Economic
Analysis found that 31 percent of the cost of a new home is due to taxes, fees and levies, with the federal government accounting for the largest chunk of the taxes. In the city of Toronto, it presently takes far too long to get a housing project approved. Red tape and bureaucracy are increasing, making it difficult for builders to build homes that people can afford. The present economics for new builders are not working. Meanwhile, other regulatory issues are standing in the way of new housing being built, such as municipalities pressing ahead with unrealistic green building standards beyond what is prescribed in the Ontario Building Code.
“Immediate action is needed to lower taxes and fees, speed up the approvals process and create conditions conducive to building homes,” adds Lyall. “Development charges, in particular, have become a cash cow that municipal governments now rely on to fund infrastructure and other amenities. While municipalities rely on the levies, a big chunk is not being spent. Instead, it is going into reserve funds. The levies must be reduced to a more manageable level so the savings can be passed on to homebuyers.”
National construction sector looks positive in Q2
The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors - Canadian Institute of Quantity Surveyors Construction Monitor Q2 2024 revealed that overall sentiment remains positive to a similar extent as in the first three months of the year. Construction activity came in at plus 23 as against plus 24 in the first quarter, so barely changed and still growing.
Current workloads continue to grow and like many other construction sectors across the globe, including the United States, infrastructure leads the way on sentiment toward growth. Within infrastructure projects, the strongest areas of growth appear to be in energy and transportation.
New housing project starts, prices and sales remain a little more subdued, but the RICS-CIQS dataset is designed to capture ongoing development work rather than new spades in the ground or completion transactions. Meanwhile,
the office and retail construction sectors continue to indicate negative trends. Looking at credit conditions, at the time the questionnaire was open, the Bank of Canada had only made one cut in interest rates but since survey field work closed, it sanctioned a further quarter point move.
Both skills and general labour shortages are the two critical factors identified by respondents as holding back market activity. In each case, around two-thirds of respondents highlighted such scarcities, albeit the Q1 shares are marginally lower than last time. Looking at this issue in a little more detail, it is the area of skilled trades where the survey suggests the recruitment challenges are most severe. That said, around one-half of contributors indicated problems in sourcing quantity surveyors while 40 percent mentioned project managers.
Canada’s green building strategy
The federal government has released its Canada Green Buildings Strategy. The strategy recognizes that green buildings are affordable, healthy and climate resilient. It also states that we need to increase the rate of building retrofits to three percent per year and that investing billions in green buildings is required and an economic opportunity. The CGBS sets out the government’s vision and next steps for greener, more energy-efficient and affordable homes and buildings. The CGBS outlines specific practices and changes the country can make to create an energy-efficient and net-zero future. The contents include making central air conditioners a more efficient heat pump, modernizing the Energy Efficiency Act to match regulations with new energy-saving opportunities and requiring all new buildings supported by federal funds to meet the net-zero energy-ready standard in Canada’s National Model Building Codes. Additionally, increasing the Greener Homes Affordability Program budget for low–income energy-saving retrofits, expanding deep retrofits organized by market development teams as part of a national mission for a “massive retrofit” of existing buildings and phasing out expensive and polluting fuel oil for space and water heating. Buildings are the third largest emitting sector, after oil and gas and transportation. To succeed, close collaboration is needed between the federal government, provinces, municipalities, Indigenous groups, businesses, financial institutions and industry. There are 16 million homes and half a million other buildings standing in Canada today and most of these are expected to still be standing in 2050. Each home and building owner have a role to play in this sector to upgrade and retrofit these spaces to significantly reduce emissions in that time. The scale of this renewal requires annual investments, a rapid increase in the pace of retrofits and changing the way we build. This includes the hundreds of thousands of new residential and commercial buildings that need to be built annually to respond to the housing challenge and stay current with our rapidly growing clean economy. These new homes and buildings must be built with net-zero emissions in sight if we are to avoid having to retrofit them before 2050. The CGBS complements Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy which lays out an agreed-upon framework to reduce the risk of climaterelated disasters, improve health outcomes, and protect nature and biodiversity.
T OUGH BOSS
SOUL FOOD
Principles come first at ALM Landscape and Construction
By Macenzie Rebelo
Without a plan or prior experience in the contracting industry, owner and founder of ALM Construction and Landscaping, Lindsey McGarry, walked straight into her boss’ office and quit her job as a counsellor. McGarry, who has been the owner and leader of ALM for the past 10 years, has always been passionate about helping people. Her job as a counsellor meant a lot to her, but it was “no longer feeding her soul.” She felt the impact she was making within her career was limited due to workplace bureaucracy and burnout. When she arrived home, she told her
husband, Rob Saccucci, she would work alongside him as his right-hand man and help run his renovation business. Before leaving her job, McGarry did office work for him here and there – and although business was steady, McGarry felt more work had to be done to get the company off its feet. Saccucci had hard skills and talent, but he did not have a strong business tactic. So McGarry started to join him on the jobsite.
But within three weeks of her career change something unpredictable happened. McGarry was in a significant car accident, which left her bedridden
for five months. “Not ideal,” she says. While McGarry was recovering, she used the opportunity to learn everything she could about the industry and how to “figure out the secret sauce to building your brand.”
From the comfort of her couch, ALM was created. McGarry developed an allnew brand and switched the business model up – with her being the head of the company.
“It sounds kind of cheesy,” says McGarry. “But we wanted to build a business on a foundation of strong morals.” Within Ottawa, McGarry felt
Lindsey McGarry did not anticipate how much her life would change after she quit her job as a counsellor – but it did and for the better.
Designing and creating a space that brings her clients visions come to life is McGarry’s favourite part about the job.
there were poor construction and ethical practices within the industry, specifically residential. “We wanted to be that change,” she says.
To McGarry, it is incredibly important that ALM is clientcentered and communication-based. What makes ALM different, McGarry feels, is her ability to listen to clients and build longstanding connections with them. “We have over a decade of relationships built within the city that we cherish,” she says. “Our clients are for life.” For ALM, no two projects are the same. However, they are mostly home renovations and backyard makeovers that are designed to meet all the client’s needs.
She also emphasizes her being a woman in a maledominated industry has not been a hindrance but rather a motivator. “I don’t think we emphasize enough how much women are the buying power of commercialism,” she says. McGarry has developed many client bonds with other women who want to renovate their homes but may not know where to start. “Women speaking to other women about what they want, their budgets and then respecting them – it is all about trust.”
McGarry is aware that people in the construction industry may think less of her because she is a woman although she doesn’t let it get to her. “People give me a hard time that my business is ‘woman-led’,” says McGarry. No doubt, McGarry works alongside her husband in a partnership with ALM. However, it is she who builds the relationships with clients, makes the sales, does the advertising and keeps the company running while her husband does the handiwork.
She feels that there is still some pushback in the industry when a woman is in a leadership position. “There are haters out there for sure,” she continues. “I think it’s interesting that if you have a male founder of a construction company nobody questions his abilities or knowledge of the industry, but when it’s a woman they are discredited,” McGarry adds. She feels ALM wouldn’t be as successful it if she
was not the one managing it. “Women are very much minimized in the work we do across the board.” Without her leadership, there would be no work for
her husband and employees to do, as she meets with clients, makes budgets and sells projects to them. McGarry’s ability to run a successful business has allowed ALM the opportunity to handpick their projects and manage a tight-knit team of seven and help their community. Some of ALM’s biggest accomplishments as a business was raising $15,000 for women’s shelters in Ottawa and building community gardens.
But what touches McGarry the most is seeing how much more women are getting involved in the construction industry since she first started all those years ago. “The relationships I’ve built, I am so proud of.”
To McGarry, having a company that prioritizes its connection with clients, builds with purpose and creates an impact is most important. “I feel I have more of the capacity to help people now.” cc
McGarry started joining her husband on-site to learn the ins and outs of landscaping and home construction.
TOP 5 UNDER 40
A look into the Rising Stars making waves in the industry
ANDREW CORSI
Mississauga, Ont.,-born and raised Andrew Corsi, 35, got into the industry after graduating from Brock University with a humanities degree. He worked alongside his father on cladding and siding jobs here and there to make a living. Corsi did not foresee himself getting involved in the contractor industry permanently until 2022 when he was offered a job with CanMac Siding as an onsite installer. Within two years, Corsi grew significantly in his skill and is now a site manager with CanMac. “It’s nice to see your team having fun while working,” he says. It’s his favourite part of the job. “On top of the clients liking all the work we do. I didn’t think it would affect me, but seeing people happy is a joy.” With the skills he learned with his undergrad degree, Corsi successfully leads his team while communicating with clients, so they are pleased with the results. “There is always going to be tomorrow,” he says, on what advice he would give to an industry newcomer. “Don’t get too stressed. Be adaptable and adjust.” One of Corsi’s biggest strengths is his ability to work with clients. “Customer service
is very important,” he says. “Taking your time is also key.” He believes it is integral to have patience with his team, “You don’t want people to push their bodies. Be safe and if that means being slow, that’s okay.” Corsi is humbled to be nominated as a Rising Star. Although he has only been with CanMac for two years his hard work has not gone unnoticed. “This was definitely a shock,” says Corsi. “I don’t win very much, so it was a wonderful surprise.”
JASMINE KOBLIK
In 2019, Jasmine Koblik, 37, made a leap of faith and started the Guelph, Ont.,-based contracting and design business Otis Interiors with her husband Marc Esposito. After graduating from the interior decorating program at Conestoga College, she left her job as a student advisor and started full-time as a designer. Koblik jokes that she haphazardly fell into the industry almost 10 years ago when she started working on a design and home renovation blog The Best of Home. “I’ve grown so much since that time,” she reflects. Koblik who learns with the hands-on approach,
was determined to learn the essentials of both construction and design. As a designer, Koblik wears many hats but she is a business owner first, which means her biggest priority is being an innovative team leader and marketer on top of making meaningful relationships with clients. “People being happy with our work is what makes the job special,” she says. At first, the industry was a bit overwhelming for Koblik, being a woman in a male-dominated sector. “But it has changed some since I started, there are more women now.” Koblik encourages young women to pursue opportunities in the industry. “It’s intimidating at first,” she says. “but the hard work pays off.” Another key aspect of success to Koblik is collaboration. “Value what you put into this world and work with people who care, too.” Koblik is flattered to be nominated as a Rising Star. “It is a milestone,” she says. “I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time, so it’s an honour to be recognized.”
JARRED LEGAULT
Robert and Lorie Legault started their Calgary-based drywall business Jertyne
Interior Services in 1994 and it has since blossomed into a successful company. Their son, 22-year-old Jarred Legault, started working for his parents in high school. Legault was always interested in his parent’s business although he was unsure if he would follow in their footsteps. “I always had a natural talent for working with my hands,” he adds. “I wanted to be like my dad.” At 15, Legault started working on-site with his dad learning how to insulate, drywall, spray foam and prime interior walls. When Legault first started, he often felt frustrated with not keeping up with his peers, who made the work look so easy. “When you first start, you’re not going to be good, but remember it takes time,” says Legault. “Patience is number one. Be patient and eventually the skill will come. You must stick with it.” After graduating high school, Legault became a site supervisor. “The best feeling is seeing a job well done,” he says. “It’s my responsibility to be sure everything goes smoothly from start to finish and that the customer is happy.” Legault calls for young people to get involved in the trades, “I have friends who tried but didn’t stay around,” he says. “The older guys are going to retire and there’s going to be so many jobs to fill.” Legault is the youngest Rising Star nominated this year. “It was a shock,” he says. “But, it was a nice surprise.”
KALEN TAYLOR
Kalen Taylor, 39, wanted nothing to do with the construction industry growing up. Taylor, who was born and raised in Winnipeg comes from a family of contractors. “I saw there were a lot of
barriers for trans and queer people like me,” they say. “As a young person, there was no representation.” So, they wrote off the industry entirely as a career option. Taylor ended up getting a degree in economics and pursued a career in social work, which was a big passion of theirs. As Taylor’s career progressed as a project manager, they were approached by social enterprise Purpose Construction in 2018. “Purpose exists specifically to give opportunities for people with barriers to employment to enter the construction trades,” says Taylor. “We work with newcomers, folks in the prison system, refugees, women and the those in the queer community.” Purpose functions like any other construction company and offers a training program for those seeking opportunities in the trades. Taylor was impressed by the company and accepted their new role as an executive director. Taylor immediately got to work, remarketing and financing the company from the ground up. Their dedication to the role significantly impacted the company’s growth. “The revenue had grown fivefold since I started,” they say. “On top of our social impact.” Which is Taylor’s favourite part of the job, knowing Purpose is offering people a chance to make connections and a career. In the past, Taylor couldn’t imagine being a part of the construction industry. But now, they are very proud to be a part of the sector and feels that there are more opportunities for people like them in construction. “I am very honoured,” says Taylor on being nominated. They encourage those who are like them to apply for careers in the trades. “It can be a positive space,” Taylor says. “It is a more diverse space now than it ever was before.”
PETER SCHULTZ
Peter Schultz, 39, founder of Brampton, Ont.,-based home renovation business Elleo Builders, got started in the industry over 20 years ago. As a teenager, Schultz’s father encouraged him to get involved in the trades. After graduating
high school in 2003, Shultz got his general carpentry apprenticeship through the Red Seal program. From there, he started working on highend custom homes as a finishing carpenter. “I wanted to expand my skills,” says Schultz. “And have a deeper understanding of the aspects of building and construction.” In 2014, he changed his business direction to focus more on home renovation and broaden his horizons. “It took some time for the company to find its footing,” he says. As a business owner, Schultz is always juggling multiple roles - he does everything from marketing to consulting to renovation. “This industry allows for so much innovation,” says Schultz. “And there is always an opportunity for clients.” In the last three years, Schultz feels Elleo Builders has found its foundation as a company. Not only due to the clientele, but the community of renovation companies that work together. “Collaboration is huge,” says Schultz. “Especially when you’re starting out.” For him, working in an environment that fosters partnership is incredibly important, especially when trying to develop your skills. A piece of advice he offers to those starting out in the industry is, “Sometimes you have to say ‘no’ to opportunities to be able to say ‘yes’ to the right ones.” Currently, Schultz is in university for a project management professional certificate to better develop his leadership and business skills. “You can only learn from making mistakes and participating,” he says. “No matter how bad you are, if you want to get better, you’ve got to make those mistakes and improve yourself.” cc
SECURE THE FUTURE
What a career in the trades really looks like
By Remi Ryel and Debbie De Sousa
We’re all feeling the pinch. As our baby boomer employees start transitioning into retirement, we’re wondering who is going to fill those work boots. The pressure is on across the skilled trades but construction in particular is challenged.
There’s an old saying about doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result. The solution to a labour shortage involves taking a different approach, or in this case several. It can look like recruiting from trade programs, sponsoring new Canadians and developing employee skill sets (also known as upskilling). It’s about building a pipeline of diverse talent and encouraging a whole new generation of skilled workers to the construction trades.
There’s no shortage of initiatives to help support this goal. There are programs and funding backed by industry and government aimed at getting more people interested in the skilled trades. And it’s working to some extent, but to really move the needle, we need a multi-faceted approach and it starts with a fresh perspective of what a career in construction looks like.
It’s not just about digging dirt or swinging a hammer
There are lots of misconceptions of what the skilled trades entail: handson, second rate, dangerous and dirty work. It’s been a hard label for the industry to overcome. The reality is, many construction companies today offer competitive salaries, benefits, and flexible hours, not to mention the range of career opportunities, mentorship and training available.
Think about all the jobs needed to keep a construction site moving that don’t involve hard labour. There’s the mechanics needed to fix equipment, electricians working on new batteries, machine operators and the drivers. Off the tools, there are branch managers and site supervisors and head office roles like HR and marketing. Job seekers aren’t often aware of the construction industry, despite its stable and recession-resistant nature and anticipated growth. According to BuildForce Canada, construction is among Canada’s largest growing industrial sectors. Since 2002, the industry employment has grown every
year by 80 percent. The construction industry has evolved significantly even over the last 10 years, thanks to new and emerging innovations. Technology is now built into the way we operate on and off the jobsite, which means a career path in construction can even be part of the growing STEM industry. Construction isn’t traditionally encouraged as a career aspiration to the youth. We have a visibility issue. Grassroots initiatives like high school co-op programs or college outreach can be time-consuming, but they can make a big difference in reaching young people who are choosing the next step in their future.
Think outside the box to combat challenges, present and future
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to combating labour shortages. If you want to help build a future pipeline of workers, you need to think about your short, medium and long-term strategies. Sponsoring or partnering with local organizations is one way to bring visibility to the nontraditional roles available in construction and the skilled trades industry in general. This could involve internships, apprenticeship programs, scholarships and other training that can help to inspire the next generation of workers.
Although construction is still a male-dominated industry, we are starting to see an increase in workforce diversity. If we want to encourage the younger generation to pursue a career in construction, representation is important – they want to see workers who look like them and have experiences they can relate to. One organization leading the charge in this area is Jill of All Trades, providing hands-on experience and an engaging learning environment to young women as a way to introduce them to a possible career in the trades. Others, like Women in Steel Toes, are actively working to support women already in the industry, providing a platform for women in construction to share their stories and experiences, good and bad. While we can expect Canadians to fill a portion of the skilled trade jobs of the future, many will still go unfilled. Recognizing that we need world-class talent to build a stronger Canada for generations to come, companies are starting to recruit abroad. Hiring skilled foreign workers helps tap into a wider pool of talent. In the past few years we have had great success bringing in skilled mechanics from all over the world, including New Zealand, Mexico and Zambia. Many of these individuals are also open to moving to places where we struggle to fill positions, such as smaller towns.
Same old problem, new solutions
It’s time to shake things up, think outside the box and take a different approach to solving our labour problems. Any hiring challenges you’ve already experienced in the last few years are going to intensify in the future. Attracting a more diverse workforce and tapping into a wider pool of talent is key to addressing your future skills and labour shortages. Ultimately, people want to contribute to something worthwhile. They want to do well, be compensated, and treated fairly and go home safely to their families. For a long time, we’ve been telling young people that university is more valued than the skilled trades. It’s time to change that narrative. Governments across Canada are investing millions to encourage people to pursue careers in the construction industry and skilled trades. Meanwhile, we in the construction industry need to speak up and show them what’s possible. cc
Remi Ryel is the director of people and culture at Cooper Equipment Rentals. Debbie De Sousa is the talent acquisition manager at Cooper Equipment Rentals.
BUILDING
STURDY BONDS
TimberFever 2024
By Macenzie Rebelo
Whatstarted as a small competition, with only eight teams made up of one university has grown tremendously over the last 10 years - now hosting 96 students from 10 different universities, producing 16 teams. TimberFever is an engineering and architecture competition where students work with one another to design and build a timber structure. Initially founded by structural engineer, David Moses, back in 2015, TimberFever was designed to inspire and encourage conversations between engineers and architects in the industry.
“It’s been a pleasure to see it develop,” says Shanuja Nagarathinam, an associate engineer at Moses Structural Engineers, who has been a part of TimberFever for the last nine years. “It’s more and more students every time.” The competition spans three days. The first day is for design and the second is for construction and building logistics. The third and final day focuses on the finishing touches and the anticipated award ceremony - where the winning team is awarded a cash prize of $1,500.
Every year, students are tasked with a unique and challenging design brief that includes the rules and guidelines for competition. This year’s specifically focused on homelessness and building cabin communities with Two Step Homes, a nonprofit corporation founded to help resolve
Structural engineer, Jonathan Mock, and structural designer, Zoe Baird, had been planning TimberFever alongside the rest of the Moses Structural Engineer team since January.
the unsheltered crisis in Toronto. Together, teams made of five or six students must create a timber shelter that fits within the guidelines of the brief. The structures are then judged by a panel of architects, engineers and industry leaders. “It’s important to have a non-restrictive theme,” says Moses, who encourages participants to be as creative as they’d like.
“It’s a great dynamic and we’re bouncing ideas off each other,” says Laurentian University architecture student, Ashleigh Leung. Toronto Metropolitan University architecture student, Ariya Chib, echoes Leung’s sentiment. “This is a great opportunity for us to experience what it is like to work together.”
Carpenters’ Local 27 volunteers joined the students on-site and provided their expertise on design construction. “Local 27 has been a huge help,” says Zoe Baird, a structural designer with Moses Structural Engineers. “We couldn’t have gotten this done without them.” A carpenter of 12 years, Niel Jespersen has been mentoring TimberFever students for the last three competitions. “It’s really enjoyable to see everyone working together,” says Jespersen, who helps students with using the tools properly and creating flex loads, columns and beams.
The whole event is produced, hosted and developed by the Moses Structural Engineer staff and typically takes six to seven months to plan. The biggest takeaway for Moses Structural Engineers is seeing the students who participated in the beginning years join the industry now
as professionals - typically with an interest in wood or timber design. “Some of them even come back as mentors,” says Nagarathinam. “Which is always nice to see.” cc
IT’S TIME
TO CHANGE THE GAME PLAN
by Richard Lyall
Famed scientist Albert Einstein once said, “Bureaucracy is the death of all sound work.”I doubt he was specifically referring to the myriad rules, regulations and red tape that residential construction industry builders and contractors must overcome before they can put shovels in the ground for a project – but it certainly seems an appropriate adage in this day and age. Nothing is more frustrating for a builder than having to deal with red tape. In the construction world, time is money and any project delay can make a big difference. Our residential construction market, in particular, is suffering from runaway bureaucracy which hampers the ability of the industry to build homes that people can afford. In many ways, we’re still in the dark ages when it comes to dealing with new housing proposals. Developers and builders often must navigate their way through extensive approvals processes which are too slow, antiquated and cumbersome and a drain on resources.
Presently, we are not building nearly enough new homes. Yet, proposals still get bogged down in bureaucracy. The city of Toronto has become the poster child for lengthy delays. At last check, the timeline for approvals in Toronto was the worst of 20 cities in Canada, with an average approval time of 32 months. The city also has intolerably long timelines for zoning amendments and site plan approvals. The six-month average timeline to complete the pre-application consultation process is 44 days while the average for combined Official Plan
Amendment/Zoning Bylaw applications is 115 days. Incredibly, a recent progress report on 18 affordable housing projects identified for construction in Toronto showed that none have begun. That’s the scenario in spite of the fact that more planning staff have been hired and there are fewer applications due to current market realities.
Residential construction projects are caught up in the snare of endless bureaucracy. Interestingly, the Toronto Star reported recently that the city ran more than 650 public consultation processes last year and, of those, 325 were related to individual development applications. A staggering figure of 61,750 hours were spent delivering development-related consultations.
Instead of weeks or months, obtaining approvals and permits in major cities like Toronto and Vancouver can take years. Delays cost developers time and money, and the costs are passed on to the buyer. Nationwide, we rank second last among 34 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries in the time it takes to get permits approved. Only the Slovak Republic is worse. It is critically important to right this wrong, as it is simply too costly for developers and builders to construct homes that people can afford. Time spent in the approvals process is an impediment.
Latest Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation data reveals that the city of Toronto saw 9.5 percent fewer housing starts in the first half of this year compared to 2023. Sadly, statistics in Ontario were down 10 percent in the same period. Ratehub.ca recently reported
the minimum annual income required to buy an average home in Toronto was $208,950. To fix the situation, governments must immediately implement major changes in municipal planning and development divisions across Ontario that will specifically expedite residential housing applications and streamline approvals. Specific timelines must be mandated, and governments must ensure the full use of strong mayor powers to expedite applications. Technical panels and agencies must also do their part and make decisions in a timely manner.
The Ontario government recently unveiled its latest Provincial Planning Statement: a series of requirements and recommendations that go into effect in October and are geared to getting more housing built across the province. One directive is for municipal planning authorities to establish and implement their own targets for affordable housing, emphasize building more density around major transit and building up shopping mall and retail plaza sites.
The idea is to give municipalities more tools and flexibility to plan for new housing supply as they see fit.
While the PPS is moving in the right direction, it doesn’t specifically address the systemic issues that are preventing housing from being built in an efficient manner – namely the chronic inefficiencies in our approvals process –and pose a solution for getting housing off the ground quicker. It also doesn’t touch on the excessive costs imposed on new homebuyers and renters, such as exorbitant taxes, fees and levies.
In Ontario, the government has expressed optimism that the target of building 1.5 million homes by 2031 is still feasible. However, most major municipalities are nowhere near their targets.
We need to change the game plan. Cutting red tape and bureaucracy would be a good start. cc
Richard Lyall is president of the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON). He has represented the building industry in Ontario since 1991. Contact him at media@rescon.com.
CYBER RISKS EVERY CONTRACTOR
SHOULD KNOW
As a contractor or skilled tradesperson, your business is built on trust and reputation. However, in today’s digitally driven world, cyber threats are increasingly prevalent and can jeopardize everything you have worked hard to build. From ransomware attacks to data breaches and phishing scams, these risks can cause significant financial losses and irreparable damage to your business’ reputation. That’s why it’s crucial to understand the diverse cyber threat landscape and implement robust strategies to safeguard your business’ continuity and reputation.
Common cyber risks
According to the 2024 Commercial Construction Risk Report by QBE North America, cyber risks are a predominant concern in the contracting sector, with 42 per cent of professionals highlighting them as a significant threat. Cyber threats are varied and evolving, making them difficult to predict and combat. Some common risks faced by contractors include:
• Ransomware attacks
These attacks lock access to critical systems and data, demanding hefty ransoms for release. For instance, a plumbing contractor whose scheduling and billing systems are locked could face severe operational disruptions.
• Phishing scams
Cybercriminals often use deceptive emails to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. For example, an unsuspecting window installer might inadvertently provide login credentials, compromising business accounts.
• Data breaches Theft of confidential client or business data can lead to financial losses and reputational damage. For example, a solar energy contractor’s client data being exposed could result in legal ramifications and loss of client trust.
Why contractors are particularly vulnerable
Contracting businesses can sometimes operate with budget constraints and view cybersecurity as an overhead expense rather than a vital investment. This oversight can leave them more exposed to cyber risks. Many contractors still rely on outdated systems that are ill-equipped to fend off modern attacks, making them easy targets for cybercriminals.
Moreover, the decentralized nature of contracting work, with team members operating from various remote job sites, further complicates cybersecurity efforts. The absence of stringent regulations in the industry means many tradespeople are less prepared compared to more regulated industries such as healthcare or finance.
Additionally, the interconnected supply chains and reliance on third-party vendors provide more entry points for cyber threats. For example, a roofing contractor may have several suppliers linked to their systems, each presenting a potential vulnerability.
Strategies to mitigate cyber risks
To combat these cyber risks, contractors and skilled tradespeople must be proactive:
• Invest in advanced cybersecurity infrastructure
Upgrade outdated systems and implement cutting-edge security solutions, such as AI-driven threat detection and response systems. These technologies can provide real-time insights into potential threats and automate responses to stop attacks before they cause harm.
• Employee training and awareness programs
Regular, mandatory training sessions can educate employees on identifying and responding to phishing attempts and other cyber threats. This includes simulated phishing attacks to test and improve vigilance.
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Implement MFA across all systems to add an extra layer of security, ensuring that access requires multiple forms of verification, thus reducing the likelihood of unauthorized access.
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
Conduct frequent assessments to uncover potential weaknesses and ensure compliance with the best cybersecurity practices. Collaborating with cybersecurity experts can offer valuable perspectives and innovative solutions.
• Secure cloud solutions and data backup
Transitioning to secure cloud services with robust security credentials ensures that data is protected even if on-site systems are compromised. Regular backups are critical for quick recovery after an incident.
Why cyber risk insurance is vital for contractors
Cyber risk insurance is a crucial investment for any business that handles digital information. It provides a safety net against the various consequences of cyber threats. In the event of an incident, this coverage can help manage financial burdens and cover expenses associated with repairing any damage to your business’ reputation.
As a trusted insurance provider for contractors, TruShield Insurance understands the importance of protecting your business against all potential risks – including cyber threats.
ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE
The Reconciliation Action Plan for contractors
By Macenzie Rebelo
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its final report, which recommended 94 calls to action for the Canadian government to consider. All businesses and
organizations in Canada can refer to Call to Action 92, which advises corporate Canada to adopt the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples as a reconciliation framework. In accordance with Call to Action 92, a reconciliation action plan is one of the steps industry leaders and business owners can take to foster relationships with Indigenous
and non-Indigenous people. As home construction and development across Canada continues, Indigenous-led consulting firm Creative Fire hopes to see more contractors apply RAPs in their practice.
Creative Fire, a consulting firm 100 percent owned by Des Nedhe Group, the economic development arm of English River First Nation, has been working
alongside institutions to organize RAPs for the last five years. Toronto-based real estate developer TAS recently collaborated with Creative Fire.
“As city builders, we have a fundamental role as stewards for future generations,” said TAS CEO, Mazyar Mortazavi, in a press release. “Our commitment to this stewardship involves a deep awareness of the history of the lands on which we operate.”
Contrary to the often-held belief that Indigenous communities are opposed to land development, managing director of Creative Fire, Jordan Baptiste, envisions a future where Indigenous peoples are not only stakeholders but also key partners in the development process.
The RAP framework is for any business in Canada, explains Baptiste. “We are looking to make an impact with communities that move the needle in a positive way, not only for Indigenous communities but Canada as a whole.” To Baptiste, if a home renovator or contractor is looking to build stronger relationships, especially ones that “support an ecosystem of business” it is important to consider a RAP and Call to Action 92. He continues, “Future projects in Canada are going to require an Indigenous voice, so now is the time to start.”
Baptiste encourages those who may be hesitant to work alongside Indigenous-led consultants to consider how accountability ultimately advances Canada toward reconciliation. A conversation is the first step, explains Baptiste, “Anybody can get involved,” he says. “You just have to reach out and try.” cc
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WHY PRECAUTIONS MATTER
By James Hong
Nomatter what size vehicle you are carrying, whether an interior or exterior load, safety precautions are paramount. Load safety starts with the cargo. Consider how things will fit together and pack accordingly to minimize the risk for accidents and injury. To prevent shifting imbalances, avoid large gaps between items. Fitting items tightly together and matching size and weight will keep the load more secure. Proper weight distribution will prevent accidents caused by overloading due to uneven load weight on supporting surfaces, whether truck beds, flat beds, interior vehicle enclosures or axles.
Vehicle checks are worth the time it takes and they are an obligation as a professional driver. Checklists can be found online and kept in the cab for commercial and non-commercial vehicles. Start your day with a proper vehicle check, including inspecting the tires, brakes and suspension. Always ensure the spare tire and jack are part of the vehicle. Note that reduced-size spare tires do not have the same load maximums as full-size spare tires. It is highly advisable to carry a full-size spare when carrying a load.
Ensure the vehicle maintenance is up to date and be sure your personal protective equipment is on board, including work gloves, eye protection, boots and high-visibility vests. Next, work on a well-thought-out plan for arranging and securing the load. For
seasoned workers, this can be second nature. For newer workers, it takes time to gain the experience of assessing, planning and loading.
Know the vehicle’s Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and Gross Axle Weight Rating. Check the inside driver’s door frame, VIN plate or vehicle manual for this information. Also be aware of weight limitations on roads and height limitations for underpasses and tunnels found on road signs, government websites and from transportation agencies.
Where applicable, protect the cargo from damage using transport blankets and sealed containers. Driving conditions, temperature fluctuations, restraints and errors in weight distribution calculations can cause a secured load to come loose. It’s important to check the load periodically
to assess for any needed adjustments. Increased risk of accidents, vehicle damage and substantial fines are the potential results of not understanding or knowing the information related to the vehicle weight. For quick load calculations, there are online tools for load distribution and weight limits based on the specific cargo and vehicle.
Always carry proper documentation to keep records of the weight, method of securing, content and destination of the load. Most importantly, effective and clear communication between workers provides efficient coordination which will prevents accidents, injuries and cargo damage.
Be well. Be safe. cc
James Hong is an OHS consultant, writer and journalist.
A HILLTOP OASIS
It takes a village to build a paradise
By Gordon Wornoff
In May 2024, the Canadian Home Builder’s Association announced winners of their National Awards for Housing Excellence. They decided Canada’s finest whole home renovation costing between $200,000 and $300,000 was a project in Edmonton.
Benjamin Matthew Contracting executed a spectacular transformation on the top floor of a six-unit condo overlooking Victoria Golf Course and the North Saskatchewan River Valley. The scenery is gorgeous and
the finished product is polished and modern. Canadian Contractor asked company owner, Ben Guittard, to discuss the details of his elite project, “Hilltop Oasis,” and what it takes to clinch national awards and stand out from the other incredible craftspeople in this country.
How did this project arrive at your doorstep and what did it take to get the ball rolling?
I met a designer from Montreal a few
years back when he joined one of my business groups. His name is Karolin Metivier and he owns KM Design. We’ve done a few condos together before and this was a referral from some past clients.
The outset of the job had a few bumps - I think a lot of clients don’t always understand how long the process takes to engage a designer and a contractor and get some drawings before actually getting hammers into the wall.
But working with Metivier was the big attraction to this job. The unique thing about him is he designs places without ever setting foot in them. He’s so incredible at what he does, he can envision the before and after perfectly.
On this job, we exposed the steel trusses that made up the roof assembly and opened up the ceiling to give a grander feeling. The island has a solid slab countertop we had to crane in over the balcony.
The client wanted a completely modern and updated space – a highend look. They enjoy entertaining so the kitchen was connected to the main living space, but the design allowed for a private sanctuary including a primary bedroom and bathroom.
One cool thing about the ensuite shower is it has a smart glass screen with an electromagnetic field inside of it. So, when you go into the shower, you can hit a switch or a remote and it goes frosted instantly. It’s a great addition.
What were some of the most satisfying moments on this job?
Of course, my favourite part on every job is just seeing it all come together and seeing those big changes happen. Getting through drywall is when you see the space reveal itself and clients start to feel like, “Hey, we’re actually doing something.” The rough-in phase on custom jobs can sometimes take one or two months and it’s very exhausting for clients. After the drywall phase happens, they can finally see things they picked out get installed and see their home come together.
At first, we didn’t really know how to get the drywall up into the space. With drywall, you want to be mindful of whether you’re using eight-inch sheets or whether you can get bigger sheets because obviously the taping will cost more if you’ve got seams everywhere.
We had to find ways to be creative to keep the budget in check.
So, in this case, I ended up hiring
a buddy of mine who coaches a local college soccer team. He sent over three kids from Germany and I got another couple kids and paid them all cash to haul drywall. So, four of us on my crew and six young kids and we haul drywall up six flights of stairs for about five hours. I just said, “Hey guys, get your gym clothes on, we’re going for a workout.” They loved it, these soccer players had big strong legs and were pumped to make some beer money. We hauled up 300 sheets that day. That was a satisfying day, we all had a beer after and sat on this big pile of drywall in the unit.
What were the main challenges working on this job?
The building access for sure. There’s an elevator that goes direct to the suite, but it’s very small. Just getting materials up was a huge challenge. Parking in condos is a challenge because many don’t have parking lots. Some buildings
have a very stringent condo board and there’s a building manager who’s watching you like a hawk, luckily with this building everyone was laid back.
They knew who we were and what we were doing.
We had some challenges figuring out how to make the plumbing work. You
can’t move plumbing stacks – it’s costprohibitive and the condo boards often won’t allow it.
We also had to investigate the ceiling detail to make the open truss concept work. We engaged the building’s original roofing contractor to inquire how the assembly was done to ensure it was properly sealed with insulation and vapour barrier so there wouldn’t be any moisture issues. We hired an energy advisor to confirm that we could leave the ceiling open.
This was probably the hardest job I’ve ever done. Certain personalities are just different. Some of our trades learned pretty quick they weren’t the right fit for our clients. There was friction there and I had to navigate a lot of hard conversations to get through it. I fought hard to get this one to the end because I knew the transformation was going to be incredible and I knew it had a chance to win awards. At the end of the day, I always need to make sure that we
end on a good note with our clients and sometimes that’s to our own detriment. Sometimes it costs us thousands of dollars to fix mistakes or oversights. But knowing that the clients feel they got the value – that they feel whole, the job is done as we said it would be and they feel comfortable and referring us to a friend – is more important than making a big profit on a job.
Despite the challenges, we’ve done so many condos because there is a good market for them. A lot of people want them done and are putting a lot of money into these custom places. So it’s a niche that I’ve decided we need to fill and our crew is quite good at getting them done properly.
Could you please talk about the ethos of your company?
I’ve always wanted to have a company that has a really good culture, where everybody feels like family. It sounds like a cliche but we all get along really well – we joke around with each other and we act like siblings to an extent. My
staff knows that they’re very safe with me. They can come talk to me about anything. I let them know they can come to me right away if they get hit with a surprise medical bill or an expense they can’t handle. The company is here to help them and have their back.
We have a casual environment in the sense that I don’t micromanage the crew. They have full autonomy to build their schedule and run their day. And it’s a flexible work environment as long as the work gets done, our clients are happy and we’re looking after our responsibilities.
I’ve tried to build a culture where it’s a lifestyle – like we fit working in around our lives. A lot of our staff have kids and they have to zip off to take the kid to an appointment or a game. I’m good with that. I don’t really manage how many vacation days someone takes each year. Everyone knows to be mindful of staggering their breaks when things are crazy busy and it kind of works. I have five young kids myself, and I need to get creative with my
schedule. We’re all busy.
I try to pay above industry standards wherever possible. Obviously, I can’t stretch the company too thin, but if the staff were looking around at other opportunities, I’d want them to still choose this place; to want to be here in our company. Because I know if our staff is happy, they’re going to look after our clients and our clients will be happy. And so it will drive business and referrals. Of course, I just want people to be happy in their day-to-day because it just makes our interactions better and easier.
Lately we’ve been doing some investment properties which have been fun. Some partners and I will buy a home, we’ll renovate it and then we’ll sell it. It’s a feeling of fresh air for our crew because, on these jobs, you’re not waiting on any phone calls or decisions. We’re the ones managing the schedule. I try to have one or two of those on the mix at all times – they are not high-stress jobs and they allow for some diversity. I’d like to continue down that road. cc
Contractors on smart PPE
By Macenzie Rebelo
On the worksite, construction and contract workers are exposed to a wide variety of hazards that put them at serious risk of injury and, in some serious cases, death. Within Ontario, construction was the industry sector with the highest risk of injury with critical and traumatic fatalities at a concerning 36 percent, according to the provincial government. In 2022, 183 construction workers died due to workplace-related incidents. That’s 20.2 workers killed annually for every 100,000 workers.
These staggering statistics leave contractors like Rick Speare of Speare Construction and Contracting feeling grateful that injury prevention equipment designs are improving yearly. Speare, who has been in the business since 1995, has seen improvements in the use of technology implemented on site. Personal protection equipment offers a reliable solution to those on the job to keep safe while working in harsh conditions. Although most contractors feel satisfied with what PPE offers, leaders
“COOL BUT NOT NECESSARY”
in workplace safety design believe more can be done.
Smart PPE is slowly being introduced into the construction and contractor trades. Already, digital devices are being marketed towards the industry. Kyle Hubregtse, CEO of Missouri-based health technology company, Kenzen, makes a device that detects when a worker is at risk of overheating. He hopes to see the use of smart PPE on the site.
“I’ve been on worksites, my entire life and I had parents who grew up or worked in blue-collar jobs,” says Hubregtse. “You quickly realize that there’s not a lot in the way of health and safety technology that workers can use throughout their day.”
Speare agrees tools such as Kenzen and Smart Caps are innovative and helpful while running a construction or contracting business, however, they are not needed, especially if it is costly. On the opposite end of the spectrum Premier Quality Renovation’s founder Peter Glaw, finds smart PPE to be unnecessary. Although Glaw does
believe the technology behind smart PPE is impressive, he can’t see industry veterans using it. “Most old-school guys can’t even work a computer let alone a cellphone,” he says. Glaw also brings up the ability to monitor smart PPE usage. “It’s hard enough getting workers to comply with WSIB.” In this case, Glaw suspects the smart PPE wouldn’t be a smart investment.
Jake Anderson of Anderson Carpentry is quite open to using tech tools on the job, however he understands where the older generation is coming from. Smart PPE could potentially be something that grows on the industry, like batterypowered cordless tools and Hubregtse is aware that these things do take time. Anderson does not feel smart PPE is something he will require on his jobsite.
“I’m sure computers are better at telling you which positions are dangerous, or how you’re at risk,” says Anderson. “But I’d like to think that you can feel your own body and know the proper ways of getting things done.” cc
WHAT PRICE FRIENDSHIP?
Nicholas runs a small but successful renovation business in his hometown. Because Nicholas is the only employee in his operation, he can charge customers more affordable rates to get a task done, making him a popular choice for those on a tight budget. Nicholas often has to plan out his projects weeks in advance in order to guarantee a solid flow of income.
Out of the blue, Nicholas’s old friend Paul asks him to tackle a large nursery renovation as a favour to him. Paul, who has recently lost his job, is preparing for his soon-to-be-expected baby due in two weeks and cannot afford to pay the full cost.
The nursery requires new floors, paneling and popcorn ceiling removal amongst a long list of other requests.
Before agreeing to this project, Nicholas scouts the bedroom and realizes he would be losing a significant amount of money and business by taking it on. The major renovation will require all of his time to be completed before Paul’s baby arrives.
Paul and his wife cannot afford to finish the room on time unless Nicholas does them this favour.
Our spring Dilemma asked readers to navigate the apparent contradiction between different sections of the building code regarding allowable window guard heights. Michael Davis wins the DeWalt laser measuring kit for this sensible response.
Andy’s best bet is to consult his building department and explain the customers intentions of wanting large windows to maximize their view of the lake. Being in cottage country, it is likely the building department has faced a similar window dilemma already. At the end of the day it is up to the building official’s discretion. They may not have concerns about this, or perhaps they’ll offer a simple solution as mentioned in option number three. Taking manners into his own hands and hoping the building official doesn’t notice the violations is very risky, not only for the outcome of this job, but any other future dealings Andy may have with said inspector. Typically building officials are happy to help. Surely, if Andy contacts the building department they will work with him to come to an amicable solution for all parties involved. To skip consulting the building department and go straight for either building a deck or installing a sprinkler system in the bedroom isn’t very fair to the homeowner as I expect that would come at a great cost to them on top of their project. A deck could potentially impede the view they desire from their bedroom. I know if I were the customer part way into this project and my contractor told me the only way I can have a large window in my bedroom is to build a deck or install a sprinkler system without any discussion during the planning stage that I would be less then impressed. If at the end of the day that is what the building department requires Andy to do, at least he exhausted other options rather then springing that on the customer.
What should Nicholas do?
1. Help out his old friend and cut his losses. He can make his money back eventually.
2. Agree to do the renovation but not at a lower cost. Just because Paul is in a bad spot financially doesn’t mean Nicholas should be.
3. He should not take on the project and tell Paul he will have to find someone else to renovate the nursery.
4. Nicholas will help them out for a low cost, but only part-time to make up business. This means the nursery will not be ready in time.
5. Nicholas should only do what is covered by Paul’s payment, whether it is baby ready or not. Paul should know that you get what you pay for.
HOW TO ENTER
If you have the solution to Nicholas’s dilemma, email your entry to pflannery@ annexbusinessmedia.com and put “Nicholas’s Dilemma” in the subject line. Include your email information in your response. Please don’t post your response in the comments section on our website.
Entries close November 30, 2024. The winner will be announced in the Spring issue.
YOU COULD WIN
Last edition’s winner: Michael Davis
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