Canadian Contractor April 2012

The contractor

Life Words and pictures from the job site

also:

The new market for laneway homes page 24

A Passive House in Canada page 44

This year’s

Trucks page 36

BUILD | GROW | PROFIT

page 18

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CONTENTS

features B

BUILD

How to build a house 44 with no furnace

G

GROW

Laneway homes as an 24 emerging market

P

PROFIT

Markup and margin explained

29

Special Report

36

2012 PICK UPS: Power and choice

Contractor Online A contractor walks into a bar…

The ABC’s of ICFs The weekly newsletter

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6

Words and pictures from the job site Photo: Roger Yip

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canadiancontractor.ca

CONTENTS

CONTENTS

distractions Editorial 08 What kind of question was that?

Voices 08 Draper: Bad leads Szabo: The pain Downing: Wasted time Maxwell: Public non-service Site Notes 16 Home Hardware and a truck RONA and travel Mercedes and saving money

Furnace-free in Toronto

44

departments Creative Eye 18 The Contractor life on site

G

Design Build 24 Laneways open up to builders

P 56

Contractor U 29 Profit Part 2: Markup and Margin Stuff We Like Maxwell’s Best 44 Hoyer’s house Mechanical Room 50 Hydronic heat Tankless hot water Products 56 Irwin...Bosch...Moen

58 Win me!

What’d it Cost? 58 Tell us what this reno cost then win an Irwin level

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ONLINE @

Head to the Web for more exclusive stories and videos…

CANADIAN

ONLINE

BUILD | GROW | PROFIT

More stories, more help, more information for renovation contractors than any other website “A general contractor walks into a bar…”

@

CONTRACTOR

CONTRACTOR SHORTS You work, you dream, you plan, you work some more.

Sometimes you need a laugh.

Scan here. You're welcome…

.ca

FEATURES Insulated concrete forms (ICFs) are growing in popularity and efficiency. If you’ve never used them, you need to know the ICF basics: the forms they come in, what they do and why they make so much sense.

WEEKLY E-NEWSLETTER Don’t have time to surf the web every day? Subscribe to our free weekly e-newsletter and stay up to date on current trends, stories and expert opinions.

WHAT'S THAT BAR CODE?

CANADIAN

This unique bar code (known as a QR code) lets you instantly learn more about a specific topic/story or interact with the team at Canadian Contractor. Here's how it works: 1. Make sure your phone can scan a QR code with its camera, either with an application that you download or via software that's already installed on your phone. To find out what application to use for your phone, we recommend doing a Google search for the model of your phone along with "QR reader". 2. When you see a QR code, use your phone's application to scan it.

CONTRACTOR.ca BUILD | GROW | PROFIT

Volume 13, Number 2 Print 2, Released April 2012 canadiancontractor.ca | Tel: 416 442 5600 | Fax: 416 510 5140 80 Valleybrook Drive, North York, ON, M3B 2S9 Canadian Contractor, established in 2000, is published 6 times a year by BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd.

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Editor: Robert Koci rkoci@canadiancontractor.ca Contributing Editor: Lori Smith lsmith@hardwaremagazine.ca Art Director: Mary Peligra Publisher: Stephen Dempsey sdempsey@bizinfogroup.ca Production Manager: Barb Vowles vowlesb@bizinfogroup.ca Circulation Manager: Beata Olechnowicz bolechnowicz@bizinfogroup.ca

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Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240, ISSN 1498-8941 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.

Contributors: Steve Maxwell, Mike Draper, Victoria Downing, Ian Szabo, Andrew Sobel, David Godkin, Tibor Kovacs, Steve Goldie, Bill Roebuck

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DISTRACTIONS

Tell us to build efficient homes but be efficient yourself

The approvals processes code enforcement authorities are working with are typically old, awkward and outdated.

Steve Maxwell

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Public service, not public bottleneck

By Steve Maxwell

Everyone likes the idea of more energy efficient and durable new houses and renovations and at first glance this seems like simply a technical and financial issue. All we need are better building systems and clients willing to pay for them, right? Not necessarily. The main limiting factor is just as likely to be code enforcement authorities that police the building world.

WHAT? The power of good questions

By Rob Koci

“What?” is not a very good question. Depending on the circumstances, it can be rude. At best, it shows ignorance or disinterest. The question, “What?” is the kind of question that gives questions a bad name. You want to ask better questions when you are dealing with your employees and subs or discussing issues with your clients and suppliers.

Questions have many uses, the best of which is to stop you from talking, the effect being that you get to hear what someone else thinks and that is the goldmine you want to be exploring whenever you have to make a business decision.

I am absorbed by the question of questions because of a book written by one of our Voices in this issue, Andrew

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Sobel. The book, “Power Questions: Build Relationships, Win New Business and Influence Others,” is seminal.

Reading it is the beginning of a new appreciation for the power not just of asking the right questions, but listening to the answers.

I’ll be conducting a seminar born from the book on Thursday, April 19 at 7:00pm at 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto (our offices) on behalf of the Canadian Association of Renovators and Home Services (CARAHS) and Canadian Contractor.

It will be a terrific chance for us to meet face to face so if you are in the area, please come, and let us know ahead if you are coming. When you do, I’ll get a chance to ask, “What do you think?” and then, just listen.

DISTRACTIONS

code approval information across jurisdictions.

“Questions have many uses, the best of which is to stop you from talking.”

Last month’s “What’d it Cost?”

Congratulations to the winners of our What’d it Cost contest in last month’s issue: Raymond Wentz, Shaun Galger, and Krys Mackowiak.

The actual cost of the brickwork featured was $4,000 plus GST. Thanks to everyone that submitted an estimate.

For this issue’s contest and a chance to win an Irwin level, go to page 58.

The process we’ve got now is like trying to pull a honking big work trailer with a 1989 half-size pickup. It works, but not very well. We all know that building better requires change. Let’s not forget that some of that change needs to happen in permits offices as well as building sites.

Steve Maxwell is Canadian Contractor’s tools editor, a freelance writer for the renovation industry and “Canada’s Handiest Man.” He lives in Evansville on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. www.stevemaxwell.ca

Voices

Sure, these people are essential, but the approvals processes they’re working with are typically old and awkward—designed at a time when drywall and ABS pipe were hot building technologies. We need to open up the bottleneck with a streamlined materials approval process that keeps pace with the new building technologies.

Getting worthwhile new materials onto building sites needs to be more practical and economical and this could more easily happen if there were nimble provisions for sharing

Bad leads To qualify a homeowner or disqualify a homeowner – that is the question

By Mike Draper

So many times we find ourselves with a lead in our hand that we don’t feel good about. It might be too far from our working area. The project might be too small for us or the homeowner’s budget is far too low. But we want the job so badly for whatever reason that we justify why we should work with them.

Most contractors try to qualify a homeowner to make them fit their business model. The reality is that not all homeowners or jobs fit your business model and should be disqualified as quickly as possible. Chasing a lead that should be disqualified is a huge waste of time. Time you don’t have.

Disqualifying a lead quickly is hard. Nobody wants to drop an opportunity. But you have to to be successful. Save your time and move on to find your ideal client. Spend the time you just saved to develop some new marketing. Do more follow up calls on the quotes that you are already working on. Reach out to past clients to find out if they have any new needs.

Not only will you get better work this way, you will make more money. Don’t be afraid to disqualify bad leads as quickly as possible, then move on to find the client you want to work with.

Mike Draper is a business coach for Renovantage and a frequent contributor to Canadian Contractor. www.renovantage.ca canadiancontractor.ca

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RO

DISTRACTIONS

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A well-run meeting harnesses your team to achieve goals and be accountable for results.

Victoria Downing Meetings.

What a waste!

Don’t waste your time with bad meetings

By Victoria Downing

Meetings. Are they time-wasters, moneysquanderers, gripe sessions, and ill-planned interruptions to actually getting work done? That’s what many remodelers think, but they are wrong.

A well-run meeting harnesses your team to achieve goals and be accountable for results.

Picture such a meeting: It’s the weekly Key Management Team Meeting. It is always held Tuesday’s at 8am. It includes the company owner, the office manager, the sales manager, and the production manager. Everyone has learned to be there on time because they know the meeting will start right at eight. They know that it will end by 9:30. The meeting is facilitated by the company owner working from a written agenda.

The office manager has e-mailed the agenda to everyone before the meeting. She compiles it by checking with each attendee as to whether they have an issue they want to discuss, how much time should be allotted to that issue and how high a priority it is.

She also makes sure the Flash Report – a concise one page report with key data – has been compiled and copied for each attendee. The Key Team finds that having this information prepackaged for the meeting saves considerable time and keeps them focused on the important numbers they want to track.

Once a month, analyzing the latest P & L and balance sheet is on the agenda as well as reviewing the company Budget to 10

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Actual report.

As the meeting progresses, the office manager takes minutes of what has been agreed upon, and who will do what by when. These minutes will be e-mailed to all attendees and the agreements of what will be done by the next meeting are rolled forward into that new agenda.

The facilitator keeps the meeting on task and time and will ask participants who might have gotten off track to work on the matter later outside the meeting. Everyone leaves the meeting updated on the state of the entire company, and with a sense of accomplishment that they are invested in the company’s success and that the company is continuously improving.

Great meetings don’t just happen – they are the result of organization and planning. If your meetings are floundering, make them productive with these seven tools: 1. A clear purpose 2. Guidelines for behavior 3. Written agenda 4. Defined time frame 5. A facilitator 6. Minutes 7. A Flash Report And don’t forget to throw in some fun, celebration and recognition. They will make good meetings even better.

Victoria Downing is president of Remodelers Advantage Inc., a company dedicated to helping renovators be successful at all levels of business. Visit www.Remodelers Advantage.com. More comment from Victoria can be found on the Voices page of canadiancontractor.ca

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DISTRACTIONS

Ian Szabo

Going through the pain Listen to your gut

By Ian Szabo

The following is an edited excerpt of Ian’s book, “From Renos to Riches.”

I’ll never forget my first investment renovation project. I had good instincts at the time, but I was not paying attention to them.

My joint venture partner and I found a little “fixer upper” that we were going to renovate and make loads of money on.

There were numerous things about the place that I thought a little bit bizarre. I really did have that sinking suspicion in my gut, but I didn’t listen.

Some of the strange things: • A three-tiered decorative bulkhead • Numerous commercial doors with different hinges on each one • A big bulge in the ceiling Sure enough, when I started ripping the place apart, I found: • Steel, drywall, plywood, metal brackets, and hinges holding the strange bulkhead together.

It took a week to take it apart 12

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•

Extension cords running through the walls throughout the whole house powering wall outlets.

• A fence post being used as a beam to hold the second floor up.

We had to restructure the whole house. We worked like slaves fixing someone else’s shabby renovation job. I had a small crew working with me and the property was an hour’s drive from our home. We had to do whatever it took to salvage the job so we ended up sleeping on site on piles of insulation. It was pure hell.

In the end my partner and I walked away barely recouping our inputs. I worked like that for $0. I’m no mathematician, but I can tell you that $0 is not a solid return on investment.

At that time in my career as a real estate investor I was not confident enough in my instincts to say no to an investor. I thought that because someone was willing to put up a bit of money for a project that I had to do whatever was asked of me. That’s the only reason we undertook that project, and it ended up stinging us in the end.

The lesson? Develop your instinct and listen to it. Back yourself up with your checklists and have the confidence to say no to a bad deal before the bad deal bites you in the butt!

Ian Szabo is an author, renovator and president of Flip School. www.flipschool.ca. For more from Ian, go to the Voices page of canadiancontractor.ca

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DISTRACTIONS

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Salvage the situation with the judicious use of seven magic words: Do you mind if we start over?

Andrew Sobel

The art of starting over Ever get off on the wrong foot with a client?

By Andrew Sobel

Has this ever happened to you? You’re talking to a client and you realize the conversation has gotten off on absolutely the wrong foot. You may have learned new and unexpected information from the other person that renders everything you’ve said irrelevant. You may have walked in with an assumption that turned out to be false. Or, you find you’re not connecting, and tension and anger start to creep into the exchange. It really doesn’t matter the reason. What does matter is that a potentially productive business conversation has become awkward and stilted – or even worse, superheated and combative.

What do you do next? You have three options: 1. Continue trying to make your point. The tension and awkwardness will likely escalate, and you’ll find that you and the other person are farther and farther apart.

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2. Bring the conversation to an abrupt end and exit stage left. Both of you will be left with a bad taste in your mouth.

3. Salvage the situation with the judicious use of seven magic words: Do you mind if we start over? The next time a conversation gets off on the wrong foot or veers off track, reset with this powerful question.

If the answer is “yes”, when you start over, really start over. You don’t have to actually leave the room and come back in, but draw a sharp dividing line between the bad conversation and the new one. A good way to reset is to ask the other person a question and draw them back into the conversation as an active participant. It could be something as simple as “Can I ask – how have you been thinking about this?” or “Let’s step back for a second – can you share your view of the situation?”

It’s a bold, gutsy move to restart a conversation from scratch. Yes, it feels awkward. Most of us are not accustomed to swallowing our pride, admitting in real time that we screwed up, and asking if we can make it right. But the next time a conversation goes wrong, try it. Not only will it salvage the moment, it will pave the way for a more authentic and productive relationship in the future.

Andrew Sobel is a bestselling author.

His latest book (co-authored with Jerold Panas) is Power Questions: Build Relationships, Win New Business, and Influence Others (Wiley, February 2012, ISBN: 978-11181196-3-1, $22.95, www.andrewsobel.com).

DISTRACTIONS

Business is now social We noted the social content of East Coast builder Pierre Martell’s website. Regular contributor to our online discussions David Zwarych responded.

Martell has a well-done website with lots to explore and videos to watch.

Any marketing, print or social media, must 1) Capture the attention of the prospect 2) Give them proof why they should do business with you over 18 other guys doing the

same thing 3) Lower the risk of taking the next step. I found lots of reasons a prospect might want to build their next home with them [in Atlantic Canada.]

In contrast, most renovation / building contractor’s marketing, print or social media, doesn’t do this. Look at the Saturday Toronto Star “New in Homes” section for example. They basically say “Here’s a picture of my product, my price range and a map of my location. Come in or call for a quote.”

And you may get a lot of

To me, the essence of social media marketing is sending messages out (Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, Youtube) that aren’t filtered out as spam. Try creating a viral video for Youtube that can generate 10,000 views in days – if the pieces of the puzzle aren’t there, it flops. And that is perhaps why the Martell blog of “Food and Fun” may work for a homebuilder.

Good article, keep it up.

meaningless platitudes about “Best Service” or “Best Quality” or “Lowest Price”…that doesn’t help you make a decision.

Join the conversation.

Go to canadiancontractor.ca to comment on any story posted.

Success, Dave Z

YourVoice

canadiancontractor.ca your voice online

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SITE NOTES

By Rob Koci

Home Hardware hands out a Toyota Tundra…

Local contractor Carl Veinot is trading in the keys of his old truck for a brand new 2012 4X4 Toyota Tundra as the winner of the Home Hardware Top Notch Rewards Giveaway. Veinot was awarded the truck during a contractor lunch event at Allen’s Home Building Centre in February .

“I guess I can finally give away my old ’96 truck,” said Veinot, general contractor and renovator. “I was really shocked when I heard my name announced.

My hands were still shaking a half an hour after they handed me the keys.”

Top Notch Rewards members received one automatic ballot as part of their membership in the program, and received additional ballots for every 10 Top Notch Rewards Points earned in the months of October and November. Membership in the program is free. …And RONA hands out a trip Neil Carter, owner of Neil Carter Contracting, won a sports trip worth $10,000 thanks to the “Pick Your Prize” contest run by RONA for its pro customers. The contest was held in all RONA stores in Ontario. Each participant had the option of submitting a ballot for

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every $500 worth of RONA purchases or if they went to meet the RONA Pro Squad at on-site locations.

“Being still young in the Ontario market, RONA is always looking for ways to bring presence of mind to their contractor division with the vision of being a destination point for all contractor business needs,” says Shayne Arthey, Ontario regional manager for contractor sales and services.

After a hard day battling time tables, negotiating with customers and riding an estimating desk, it’s nice to know that there are companies like Home Hardware and RONA that are working just as hard for your business.

Xactimate goes mobile XactScope, a mobile estimating app for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, now includes Xactware’s powerful and patented Sketch technology.

With the addition of Sketch, XactScope offers users a complete loss-site estimating tool that can help them draw floor plans, add items to estimates, download price lists and generate reports.

The new version of XactScope is used in tandem with the recently released Xactimate 27.5 Professional desktop estimating system. XactScope and Xactimate can exchange estimates, sketches, price lists, and

SITE NOTES

loss-site information, such as photos, notes, and voice memos.

Using a touch screen, estimators can sketch rooms, stairs, roofs, and other structural features. Users can touch and drag to resize rooms or walls; enter openings, doors, and windows; attach rooms, roofs, and dormers; add fences, decks; and much more. To enter items into an estimate, estimators have access to intuitive search functions, such as tapping on an illustration to see a list of options.

Bathroom fancy Websites come and go, and when they go, it’s usually because of a lack of commitment or money. American Standard seems to have both if their new Inspiration Gallery is anything to go by (americanstandard.ca). If you like beauty shots of kitchens and bathrooms, or if your customer needs the occasional inspiration, it’s worth a look at what commitment and money can do.

Mercedes saves you money. Really? Really.

A comprehensive study conducted by Vincentric has revealed that the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter offers the lowest total cost of ownership in its class in Canada. The extensive research and calculations were based on an average driving distance of 25,000 kilometers per year for five years, and measured eight major costs associated with owning a vehicle including: depreciation, fees & taxes, financing, fuel, insurance, maintenance, opportunity cost, and repairs.

The study concluded that the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter offers a total cost of ownership that is 7.7 per cent to 9.1 per cent lower than its competitors. This translates into a savings of approximately $6,000 - $7,000 over a five-year period.

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The contractor

Life

THE CREATIVE EYE

PHILLIP RENOLDS NORSEMAN CONSTRUCTION

“I’ve been in Canada seven months now. My father’s a contractor at home (Ireland) where me and my three brothers worked with him. There is nothing going on now at all back home so my girlfriend and I thought we would make the change and try here in Canada.

“I’ve been in the trade since I was 16. I’d love – if I could ever get the money built up – to renovate houses for resale. It seems to be good here for that.

I’d p—to good

“I have definitely made the right choice to come here. Definitely.”

My nd is my e

come ’ve

Photos: Roger Yip

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THE CREATIVE EYE

“I love a line that is good and straight.”

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THE CREATIVE EYE

IVAN MOYNIHAN, 25, M&L PLASTERING LTD.

“I’m here in Canada for good now. There’s no turning back.”

“I started plastering with my father when I was 15 in Ireland and came to Canada three years ago. I like the satisfaction of the finished work.

“In Ireland, I might have 200 houses in front of me and be dealing with the same thing for two years. Here, you deal a lot more with homeowners and it’s always different. The work is more interesting here.

“The money was a lot better in Ireland till the recession. A lot better.

Now, it’s a lot better here.

“We’d like to get into building our own houses, for sure, but we’re a long way off that yet.

“I’m here in Canada for good now.

There’s no turning back.

“The economy? It’s just getting better all the time.”

Photos: Roger Yip

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THE CREATIVE EYE

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THE CREATIVE EYE

“I can see the work from the beginning to the end and there is the most satisfaction.”

THOMAS ZIELINSKI TZ RENOVATIONS, TORONTO “I have worked in Canada for 10 years now. I learned from my father in Poland and now I do everything: drywall, tiling, carpentry, painting.

“I like bathroom and kitchen renovations best. I can see the work from the beginning to the end and there is the most satisfaction.

“I work mostly for a general contractor because I don’t like the paperwork, the talking, the headaches. I like to concentrate on the work.

“It looks good for this year.

We are busy.”

Photos: Roger Yip

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THE CREATIVE EYE

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DESIGN BUILD

GROWING in lane ways A new market is slowly opening up across Canada’s urban landscape By David Godkin

Photo: Courtesy Lanefab Design

P

eter Simpson is an optimist at the best of times. Ask him about the phenomenon of laneway houses—homes built on existing lots in the footprint of a typical garage—and his enthusiasm knows no bounds.

“It’s a great opportunity,” says the president of the Greater Vancouver Home Builders Association (GVHBA), “a great opportunity for renovators, custom home builders, even modular builders.” The biggest opportunity, he adds, is for families who saw Vancouver city council three years ago remove restrictions against the infill housing concept.

“Many times older children can’t find affordable home ownership without moving far away from the neighborhood they grew up in. At the other end 24

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DESIGN BUILD

are seniors who want to maintain their independence and still be within reach of family and friends.

The laneway house is a great concept, a win-win for everybody.”

Vancouver test In many ways Vancouver was the ideal place to test zoning bylaws that have traditionally prohibited laneway home construction. Caught between the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Rocky Mountains on the other, the city has had to push the envelope in the amount of residential density it can allow before it diminishes livability.

Neighborhood fears about intrusive construction and parking problems were just some of the objections that persuaded city council to prohibit laneway housing when the concept was first introduced as “granny flats” back in the 1970s.

Scroll forward nearly four decades and soaring real estate values and urban crowding have forced the city to re-visit the issue, with Vancouver builders quick to act when the by-law prohibiting laneway homes was lifted in 2009.

Four hundred and fifty building applications have been approved since then, among them Jake Fry’s of Small Works Studio, a passionate advocate of laneway house construction. He says the growth potential in Vancouver is enormous.

“The current by-law opened up just shy of 70,000 building sites for this type of small residence in the back of someone’s home. So it’s significant and widespread throughout the city.”

Fry’s company completed construction of one of Vancouver’s earliest fully permitted laneway house during the 2010 Winter Olympics. Twenty-four laneway houses later, Fry is still struck by how much Small Works’ designers have been tested by the laneway house’s restrictive building envelope. “Height restrictions, depths into the lot, sod yard setbacks; it’s a pretty tight little three-dimensional cube that you have to build a home in.” The premium, says Fry, is on “judicious” space planning and built-in mill work “that takes advantage of every nook and cranny.”

"We also try to get those mill work pieces to serve more than one purpose: islands that can become tables, low storage closets that have an additional closet behind them, beds with storage space.”

Mike Dutson’s entry into the laneway housing business came at the prompting of a client looking for additional rental income. His firm, Econ Group, responded with an open concept, loft style configuration that combines dining, kitchen, and dining room areas one floor up, canadiancontractor.ca

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DESIGN BUILD

Twenty-four laneway houses later, Fry is still struck by how much SmallWorks designers have been tested by the laneway house’s restrictive building envelope.

Height restrictions, depths into the lot, sod yard setbacks; it’s a pretty tight little three dimensional cube that you have to build a home in.

bathroom and utility closet below. A key consideration, says Dutson, were the nonliving areas.

“It’s all about minimizing hallways and reducing the staircase footprint. They really take up a lot of non-living square footage. With this one, we have a small staircase and an entrance that enters right into the living unit.”

Another factor is the importance the environment plays in customers’ building decisions, a demand laneway houses are particularly good at meeting, says Sam FitzZaland, general manager of Green City Builders. “It’s perfect. For one it’s a small footprint. And it’s an infill housing type so you’re getting more density on the same amount of space.” Green City is in the permitting phase of its first laneway house and plans to introduce some interesting choices during construction.

Turns out that lint from a blue jean manufacturer, for example, makes a great cotton insulation.

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Green City also specializes in cabinet doors made from a mix of hardwood scraps from a local mill. The most striking aspect of this job, however, will be overhead.

“We’ll be putting a living roof on it. This is a shaded area north facing so we’re going to use a six inch growing soil so that we can grow ferns and other shade loving plants on the roof.”

A living roof has practical as well as aesthetic and environmental benefits, says FitzZaland. “It helps with insulation and it will also extend the life of the roof membrane because there’s no UV exposure to it.” A shallow sloped roof in combination with a premium flat roof waterproofing membrane, two-ply SBS torch-on, will ensure adequate drainage for the roof.

Western Growth…

Laneway housing, or its equivalent, has been slower to catch on east of B.C. Witness a decision by Edmonton city planners to permit expanded

construction of “garage” suites; these are nearly identical to laneway houses, i.e. newly built, secondary homes on a single lot, in some cases adjacent to a laneway. Paul Kozak, senior planner with the city’s sustainable development department says garage suites have experienced only “a modest uptake”—27 permits— since the by-laws were changed in 2007. But for the lack of staff to meet the demand he thinks they represent a real growth opportunity for home builders.

“It fulfills a housing need. There is desire for it to some extent and it’s something we’d like to progress with.”

Is there similar potential in places like Regina? “Absolutely,” says Stu Niebergall, executive director of the Regina and Region Homebuilders’ Association. “We’ve got a good need for that in the marketplace.

Our vacancy in Regina is the lowest in the country.” On top of that are some good secondary suite funding programs through

DESIGN BUILD

Saskatchewan Housing Corporation and CMHC. Niebergall also pointed us towards Jerry Ricci, owner of Hybrid Construction, a Regina renovator just getting into the home building market. Ricci calls the laneway house concept “a great idea.”

“We’re just getting designs made on a 25-foot alley side lot that’s 125 feet deep so there’s plenty of room on the back end of it to build a two-storey dwelling of something back there. It’s just a matter of trying to get that zoned with the city.”

Give us three years and we just might make that happen, says Regina’s zoning department. The city is half way through its Official Community Plan, which will explore the potential for stand-alone, secondary residences like Vancouver’s laneway houses.

Currently, these are only allowed if they are connected to the principal dwelling.

Hold on their pardner…

Just about everyone—even those in oil rich Alberta—agrees the major drawback to laneway houses is their cost. It’s helped dissuade some Vancouver builders like Bernie Wittig, owner of CWD Homes Custom Homes, from getting into the business at

all. “I think they’re a great idea, but some of the initial hook-up costs are high.” Doug Kerr of Kerr Construction helped build one laneway house and agrees. “You need to have separate sewer connections, separate electrical connections, separate hydro meters; they treat it like a separate home. You don’t just connect to the existing home.” The result, says Kerr: “It hasn’t been a big boom for our business.”

Even Rob Chetner at Trasolini Chetner Construction Corporation, which has up to four laneway houses under construction, is cautious. “We build them, they’re cool they’re neat,” but are they a growth opportunity for industry?

Chetner’s not so sure. More clients don’t see it as an option than do and part of the reason is the cost of Vancouver real estate.

“It’s a nice mortgage helper; on the other hand if you’re building a home that's going to have an end value at a minimum in the west side of Vancouver of $2 million plus, does adding $1,500 a month of pre-tax revenue really make or break the difference for your home? Everyone’s going to answer that differently.”

For his part, Green City’s Sam FitzZaland defends the cost of laneway houses by pointing out

that his project’s costs will be lower by up to $100,000 because trades people will already be on site building the master house.

“Whenever we do a new house we’ll really push the possibility of doing a laneway as well.” Peter Simpson adds that removing the land cost from the equation is a big factor in the decision to build a laneway house. Another cost reducer and opportunity exists outside “the stick build” community—in modular laneway homes.

“The time of construction is lessened considerably if it’s factory built and the time on site is minimized. So if you’ve got all your servicing and foundation in place it cuts back on time and, in many cases, cost.”

But the biggest single obstacle to laneway homes is not cost, but the Nimby factor.

“People don’t like change,” says Simpson and until they see a reason for change, they won’t.

Still, he remains confident a review now underway by the City of Vancouver will conclude that neighborhood fears about laneway home construction are unwarranted. Vancouverites will embrace the concept as a great addition to neighborhood life and an economic driver.

“It’s a great idea on so many levels.” cc

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T:7.875” S:7”

T:10.75” S:10”

CONTRACTOR U

By Mike Draper

Markup and margin

F

irst, let’s provide a definition in the context of construction for both markup and margin: Markup: An amount added to the cost of doing a renovation in order to calculate the final selling price to the homeowner. The markup must take into account overhead and profit.

Gross margin: The difference between the selling price to the homeowner and the job costs of doing the renovation, excluding overhead and profit.

Net margin: The difference between the selling price to the homeowner and the cost of doing the renovation, including overhead and profit.

For the purposes of this article we will focus on gross margin when margin is referred to.

Pricing a job The common method of pricing a job is to scope out the work the client needs, ask them what the budget is, calculate all the costs of doing the work on the job and then try to calculate a price that is within the homeowner’s budget. It’s not very scientific.

A better approach is to know how much you must markup the cost of doing the renovation so that your company can make a profit after the expenses of the job and the company are paid. Understanding the

previous sentence, and its significance, is the basis of this entire article.

Breaking that statement out into smaller pieces would look like this: When a project is priced out, there are two different types of costs that need to be covered by the price the homeowner pays. There is the cost of the job (also known as Cost of Goods Sold or CGS) and the overhead costs the company incurs by being in operation (also known as Operating Expenses or OE).

Examples of Cost of Goods Sold (CGS): • Materials for a job • Sub-trade costs • Machinery rental costs • Job site permit costs • Site demolition removal • Porta potties • Delivery expenses • Labour on the job Examples of Overhead Operating Expenses (OOE): • Insurance of all types • Office expenses

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CONTRACTOR U

• Marketing expenses such as website, trade shows, etc.

• Office administration expenses such as bookkeeper, accountant, lawyer, etc.

• Vehicle expenses • Cell phone • Education and training This information is critical for determining your markup. Without knowing your true costs, you will never be able to calculate the markup you need to be charging to make your target profit. This, in itself, is one of the biggest reasons contractors don’t feel they make enough money at the end of the year.

Let’s take a look at how you need to calculate your markup—and it is not based on what your customer is willing to pay! Let’s use this example (see right) and assume that you know what your overhead expenses are based on the statements from last year’s books.

In this example you will notice that we talk about 10 per cent profit. Profit and owner’s salary are not the same thing. The business owner should be paid a salary to run the company effectively, whereas profit belongs to the company. The company needs to make a profit so that it can reinvest for growth, pursue new opportunities and provide a return on any shareholders’ investment in the company.

Typically, a minimum profit objective is eight per cent, an average company is 10 per cent, but we believe a well-run, efficient construction company should make 15 per cent.

So what does all this mean to you? Well, if you run your own numbers and they look anything like the numbers in this example then you need to be adding 43 per cent markup to every project you do. Are you thinking, “There is no way that I can charge that much for my projects?” It’s understandable if you are. It goes without saying that you can only charge what the market will bear. Hence, the dilemma faced by many contractors. How can you make enough money on every job and yet not price yourself out of the market?

Remember, lowering your price without changing

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Basic Markup Formula Revenue Overhead 10 per cent net profit

$500,000 $100,000 $ 50,000

Total Overhead & profit

$150,000

Total Revenue Less Overhead and profit

$500,000 $150,000

Total Direct job costs

$350,000

Revenue

$500,000

Divided by Direct job costs

$350,000

Markup factor Markup per cent

1.43 43

the scope of work or your cost base is a guaranteed recipe for not making enough money.

There are two ways to look at this. First, you have to reduce your cost of delivering your projects. Since you have to apply the margin that will provide your company with enough profit, one way to remain competitive is to lower your costs. You have to find a better way to deliver the service you provide and you have to lower the price you pay for your materials and finishes. This is one reason that we at Renovantage created the Group Buying Program for our members.

Second, you have to match the type of customer to whom you are providing services to a level of workmanship that they are willing to pay for. If they are not in sync, you need to either find a new level of customer or you have to change your level of workmanship.

Take a look at what happens if you don’t make the adjustment to add enough markup or you let a client force your price down.

Here are some very common markup formulas used by contractors that actually don’t work. Based on the traditional model of calculating price by calculating your costs, then adding a percentage for overhead and another percentage for profit, the formula looks like this:

CONTRACTOR U

Gross margin Gross margin = Total revenue - Direct job costs Gross margin percentage = Gross margin divided by Total revenue So in the example before, margin would be calculated like this: Gross margin = $500,000 - $350,000 Gross margin percentage = $150,000/$500,000 Therefore, the Gross margin would be 30 per cent You can now see how a 30 per cent Gross margin is a 43 per cent markup.

Price=direct job costs + overhead + profit Now if we take the original example again with a cost of $350,000 and overhead of $100,000 (20 per cent of $500,000) and add 10 per cent profit, look at what happens to the numbers: $350,000 + 20 per cent + 10 per cent $350,000 + $70,000 + $35,000 Sales price = $455,000 You would be leaving your company short by $45,000 of pure profit. That is a huge difference.

Imagine leaving $45,000 in pure profit on the table.

How did that happen? It’s simple. This is the wrong markup formula.

Another killer formula is the cost-plus method. The problem with it is that nobody knows your overhead and profit percentages and they really don’t care.

They expect 10 per cent overhead and 10 per cent profit and it’s not enough. We don’t know of a single renovation contractor that has 10 per cent overhead.

The average is more like 25 per cent. Also, if you have invested in systemizing your business so that it can operate more effectively than your competitors, why shouldn't you be able to make more money than your competitors for doing the same work? If you have better buying power than your competitors, why should you have to pass all the savings along to the homeowner?

Time and materials is also very common and again it is a bad formula. Clients will nickel and dime you

to death and when there are leftover materials it can lead to disagreement.

How about the “adjusting to suit other competitor’s price” strategy? The big problem with this pricing strategy is the competitors may not know what they’re doing, or maybe they may have made a mistake.

Closely related to the last one is adjusting markup to suit a client. Some clients may even tell you what it should cost. Ask them how they arrived at that price as they may have wrong information, and you can educate them on the true cost.

The bottom line is that you need to get control of your business, your costs, your markups and your profits. Make this your practice: • Negotiate what you’re going to do • Negotiate how you’re going to do it • Negotiate where and when you’re going to do it • Never negotiate how much you’re going to charge!

If your current customers won’t pay you a fair price for the work you do so that you can make a profit, then you have to either get new customers or change your business model. If you keep doing what you are already doing, you will continue to get the results that you already have. So spend the time to really understand the formulas that we have shared in this article and apply them to your business. It is possible to make the money of your dreams! cc Mike Draper is a business coach for Renovantage and a frequent contributor to Canadian Contractor. www.renovantage.ca

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ROUNDTABLE

Contractors Talk: Industry Roundtable

PART I

What will improve our industry reputation? Does online marketing work?

What is your lead conversion ratio? We asked. Our renovators answered.

E

very year, Canadian Contactor gathers a group of contractors together to talk about the concerns of the industry. This time, the roundtable included Reiner Hoyer, president of The Reno Coach, a renovation consultancy; Todd Sandbacka, vice president, business development, Sandgate Construction; Mark Jackson, president, Jackson and Associates; Marni Standon, marketing manager, GoRici.ca; Pete Koladich and Andy Foot, partners in Dwell Design/Build Inc.; and Chris Potts, president, Norseman Construction.

The Renovantage advantage KOCI: We all know that between the renovation industry and car mechanics we have the worst

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reputations of any industries.

I’d like to start by talking about some of the efforts being made to improve our reputation. So, now you guys (Todd Sandbacka and Mark Jackson) are both part of the Renovantage Program.

You decided to jump in on one of these third-party organizations for contractors that are designed to deal with this problem. Tell me why.

the insides aren't the same. You know, little things like that. There's deception in the big box stores from what they're selling—it's not the same as what you're getting from the plumbing supply— and what we're offering. And there's a different price point as well.

So we're trying to be a part of a bigger buying group so we can get lower pricing across the board and bring more value.

SANDBACKA: Well, one of the advantages to a company like Renovantage is consistency. For instance, right now consumers are going out to the big box stores and buying Moen shower valves and it's a lot less expensive than what we can put it on the table for, but

KOCI: Isn't Renovantage also being able to present a more consistent and understandable face to the homeowner?

SANDBACKA: As a whole, yes.

Educating our boys JACKSON: Well, I think what lacks in the industry has been education and education for our

ROUNDTABLE

boys—the guys that are actually doing the work.

Most of the guys don't get that we're supposed to be providing service. Our main role is to sit down with a client and analyze their needs and let them know how we can help them reach their goals. And we do that by providing information.

Our guys (subtrades) don't get that. They think it's about them because they're running a business and don't get that it's really about the client. It's not about them.

Back when we developed RenoMark (a program run by the various chapters of the Canadian Homebuilders Association), it was about education, too.

But we’re also supposed to educate the client so that they can make good decisions for their family. It's not about us.

We're supposed to be providing that information so that they can whip through the decisionmaking process.

Who are the bad guys?

KOCI: Now, presumably, the idea of maturing the industry is to have other organizations like GoRici or Renovantage or some company like that organize the guys who are really good at what they do, but not very good at communicating. Does that make

sense? Is it going to fix that?

HOYER: Since starting The Reno Coach a few years ago I'm on the consumer side. And I have seen a completely different picture. Contractors cannot even imagine what the consumers think about them and how terrified they are.

I have clients who are lawyers. They tell me that they are scared to hand over their key to a contractor to renovate their house. They expect there's a never-ending signing of cheques with change orders; that every time the phone rings and they see the contractor's number they're hesitating to pick it up because it's another $5,000 for some bogus change. And I've created a business model to restore confidence to the consumer and to help contractors have a better relationship with their customers.

But I always refer to the industry as the Wild West. It's absolutely the Wild West.

KOCI: So you're part of that process of maturity.

POTTS: I did two tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. When I came back, I really had done nothing in construction other than helping my father out. And

I got to think about the guys who are in construction and how they're getting started. Most of the time, they're there because they screwed up on something else.

I'm talking about the guys that are creating the terrible image of our industry. These are the guys that are causing the problems.

These are the guys that you're going to call and they may do a good job for one person. Then they might get recommended to another job on the same street.

And then, all of a sudden, they'll screw up on a job, they'll paint their truck and they disappear.

But that guy may have not have even wanted to be in construction to begin with, but it was an easy, fast way to make a buck.

HOYER: But that is probably the smallest part of the industry.

POTTS: But that’s the part that vilifies us.

HOYER: That's not who the client is really afraid of. That guy is easy to identify. He doesn't have the references. And if somebody does their due diligence of screening somebody in selecting a contractor…

POTTS: But they don't because they were recommended by somebody they trust. We're dealing with four of them right now. The customer dealt with a contractor recommended by

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ROUNDTABLE

somebody, either their father or their brother or somebody, they came in and did the work and, all of a sudden, they're gone.

HOYER: That's the smallest part of the problems I get back from the consumer.

KOCI: Okay, so tell us what the bigger problems are then.

HOYER: The bigger problem is the one that has a really good business and company and office and presents well but how he deals with the client is legalized robbery. How they write the contract—how they manipulate the whole process. For instance, the job is there for them to see, yet they intentionally leave things out of the scope of work just to come back to charge a 300 per cent fee on extras.

What about the Web? KOCI: This is a very important point. And I think what we're saying is that, clearly, there's a need to expose the kinds of problems that Reiner's talking about. He's talking about guys who look really good on the outside, but are not so good on the inside in terms of their ability to actually do a renovation or follow proper procedures.

POTTS: What about (the website) HomeStars.

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FOOT: Are they like an Angie’s List?

with credit reports, yes absolutely. And membership, it's a membership-driven deal.

KOCI: Andy. What do you think?

You haven't said anything.

POTTS: We joined it about a month ago. You pay and you get to advertise your company on the site. You advertise that you're HomeStars. So what that does is it allows you to tell your clients that you are transparent.

We (the contractors on HomeStars) want customers to rate us. We want you to give us a rating on your experience on your renovation. We want you to tell other clients on this site that we’ve done a good job.

And you show your job and you show your pictures. You talk to the homeowner and they do the write-up or you can actually write the write-up for them, send it to them and have them proof it or change it.

STANDEN: We have that with Go Rici. The reviews are written by the homeowner.

So it's absolutely transparent. That’s very important.

HOYER: You’re saying that’s a 100 per cent foolproof method of hiring somebody and handing over my keys?

STANDEN: But in conjunction

FOOT: Pete and I use a company called Guild Quality as a third party evaluator. It's an independent survey company.

We can't change the results and the results are measured and reported on a third party site.

That's one way that we can say, “We're not changing this, we're not manipulating it, here's the data.” We survey our clients at contract signing, midway through, at end-of-project and a year later. And this is the data that's been presented over the last year and a half.

But I'll put it back to you, Reiner, what are you telling your clients? How are you helping them navigate the contractor landscape? How are you helping them avoid these issues?

HOYER: I usually do the background check for them. I don't even waste my time calling up the reference. I will want to see a job site. I will want to see a job site under construction at the time. I want to see a job site that is in the scope of work of what my client has. If they want to build an addition I better see an addition someplace else in construction, not a bathroom.

ROUNDTABLE

And then they're going to come and build the addition.

KOCI: Thirty percent close?

JACKSON: Yeah.

SANDBACKA: You would think that you would have a prequalified bidders list by now. I mean, like architects have.

KOCI: That's fantastic. Let’s go around the table on that.

FOOT: Sixty to 65 per cent.

HOYER: I have 30 to 40 projects on the go with clients at any given time. I have contractor’s lists and I definitely will go to that group of people as my first choice.

But the ... they are not as perfect as I would like them to be.

SANDBACKA: Well, in truth, though, either are the clients. I mean, you know, you can start off with a fantastic relation with the best intentions on both parties and people get weird. We're not miracle workers.

Lead generation: STANDEN: How are you approaching your online marketing and social media?

kickers. And you really got to define your leads, whether they were truly leads to begin with.

If you just took them all, then we would be more like 50 per cent.

But we kind of funnel it down with a questionnaire. There are people that have $16,000 to do a $80,000 job. Well, that's not a lead.

POTTS: This year probably 80.

In the next issue of Canadian KOCI: Okay, Todd?

Contractor, our contractor roundtable disccusion will SANDBACKA: Realistically, we're focus on how you buy and probably 25 to 30 as well. But your relationship with your you have to define the waters hardware and building because there's a2651-CAN_C_03-12_3.375x4.875_v1.eps lot of tire material Ed. 3/7/2012 suppliers.

11:52:00 AM

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JACKSON: I found we've got new tracking systems to determine what's working and what's not.

That way, in your future budgets, you have measurable results and can determine where to go from there.

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HOYER: What would you say your lead to closing ratio is?

JACKSON: Ours, it's about 30 per cent.

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SPECIAL REPORT

S

2012

P E C

Pickup Truck Report

I A

Choice Power Horsepower, capacity, fuel efficiency and style.

L

There’re all there in every combination

By Bill Roebuck

R E P O R T 36

I

f you narrow down the specs to the nitty-gritty of specific models and configurations, you can probably find each of the major manufacturers —Ford, General Motors, Nissan, Ram Truck and Toyota—can point to a category where one of its models is a winner. The fact is that none of this really matters because you likely want a truck that simply meets the specific needs of your work.

That means payload may be way more important to you than cargo capacity. Torque may outpoint horsepower. Top speed may be meaningless if all your jobs are in urban locations (that’s where things like turning circles and line of sight are often more important than pure grunt).

This report highlights what’s new in 2012 fullsize pickups from the top five manufacturers (that’s six nameplates, since GM has two). Keep in mind, when it’s time to buy, you’ll probably want to visit

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a local dealership that has a truck specialist on staff. Pickups are among the most complex and challenging vehicles to specify because of the vast range of body sizes, options, transmissions, cab and bed capacities and configurations that are available.

Key decisions will have to be made about specs such as seating capacity (do you need room for just the driver or a whole crew?), cargo capacity (short or long cargo bed?), payload (just tools or some heavy equipment?), towing capacity (are you hauling construction debris to a dumpsite?), power (torque vs. speed), 2WD vs. 4WD (paved roads or mucky jobsites?).

Once you’ve found a truck that can handle your workload, you’ll also want to review its standard safety equipment and overall safety ratings, along with fuel economy.

SPECIAL REPORT

Additional updates include a 163-in.wheelbase option on the XL and XLT light-duty SuperCabs, and a heavy-dutypayload CrewCab with a 157-in.-wheelbase option on the XL, XLT and Lariat models.

FORD For 2012, the Ford F-150 has a new FX appearance package with fancy flat-black accents, and several new technologies and driveline upgrades in this and other models. They include the addition of Hill Start Assist, a new automatic 4x4 system for the Lariat trim level and above, and greatly expanded availability of electronic locking rear axles on 3.5-litre and 5.0-litre engines.

The F-150 also gets upgrades to the drivetrain. These include replacing last year’s electronic shift-on-the-fly with a two-speed automatic 4x4 system for Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum trim levels. The system now also offers a 4x4 auto mode. If the truck senses a loss of traction, it immediately transfers torque to the front wheels.

Hill Start Assist is a new addition that helps keep the truck from rolling backward at a stop, making it easier to pull away when on a slope or hill, especially when towing.

An optional electronic locking rear axle replaces most of the limited-slip offerings on the 3.5-litre EcoBoost and 5.0litre engines. It is now available in a range of axle ratios, and is also offered on 4x2 models.

Ford’s entire full-size pickup truck line now has six-speed automatic transmissions as standard. Engine choices include a 3.7litre V6 producing 302 hp and 278 lb.-ft. of torque. Its trailer towing capacity is 6,100 lb. There’s also a 5.0-litre V8 with 360 hp and 380 lb.-ft. of torque and a trailer towing capacity of 10,000 lb. A 6.2-litre V8 offers 411 hp and 434 lb.-ft. of torque, and tows 11,300 lb. For the fuel-frugal driver, there’s a 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 producing 365 hp and 420 lb.-ft. of torque, with 11,300 lb. of trailer towing capacity.

Need to tow more weight? Ford’s 2012 F-Series Super Duty tow rating is 17,500 lb. with a conventional bumper hitch, and 24,500 lb. with a fifth-wheel hitch. That’s due to a beefed-up frame and hitch. Its heavy-duty 6.7-litre Power Stroke V8 diesel produces 400 hp and 800 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine delivers as much as 20 per cent better fuel economy than the 6.4-litre it replaced.

The Super Duty’s standard 6.2-litre V8 gas engine has 15 per cent better fuel economy compared with the previous engine and produces 405 lb.-ft. of torque and 385 hp. It is capable of running on E85 ethanol. New for 2012 is a compressed natural gas/propane prep engine option.

GENERAL MOTORS Two makes from General Motors, the Chevrolet Silverado and the GMC Sierra, make up its line of full-size pickup trucks. Both are nearly identical mechanically, with trim levels and www.canadiancontractormagazine.ca

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SPECIAL REPORT

S P E C I A L R E P O R T 38

options varying slightly between the two, so we’ve focused on just the GMC versions here.

The 2012 GMC Sierra 1500 lineup is wide-ranging, offering everything from job-ready Work Truck models to a luxurious Sierra Denali. The full line has six-speed automatic transmissions. General Motors also boasts the only hybrid pickup on the market, which is rated at 8.4 L/100 km on the highway, yet it still offers a 6,100-lb. trailering capacity.

The Sierra 1500 is available in several trim packages in crew cab and extended cab configurations, along with 2WD and 4WD setups.

The range of body styles and configurations includes three cab styles – regular, extended and crew cab; three cargo box lengths – 5 ft. 8 in. (short), 6 ft. 6 in. (standard) and 8 ft. (long); and five trim levels—Work Truck, SL, SLE, XFE and SLT, all available in 2WD and 4WD (except the XFE).

The Sierra XFE incorporates unique aerodynamic enhancements, a 5.3-litreV8 and other details to deliver an estimated fuel consumption rating of 9.1 L/100 km highway.

New and revised features from GMC for 2012 include a chrome, three-bar grille on SLE and SLT models, electronic trailer sway control and hill start assist features, and a new exterior colour— Quicksilver Metallic. Also, a number of popular features offered on the Work Truck trim level are now standard, including cruise control and a spare tire lock.

Work Truck and SLE trim levels feature larger controls and door handles than other models.

They are easier to use with gloves. A stadiumstyle rear seat with a 60/40-split design and folding centre armrest is standard on crew cab models and available on extended cab models. It can be easily folded to provide an uninterrupted load floor.

Alternatively, either section of the split seat can be stowed independently, allowing room for both cargo and a rear-seat passenger.

Several different engines can be ordered to power Sierra models, including three FlexFuel engines with the choice using E85 ethanol, gasoline

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or a combination of both. The engines include a 4.3-litre V6 rated at 195 hp and 260 lb.-ft. of torque; a 4.8-litre V8, E85-capable, rated at 302 hp and 305 lb.-ft. of torque; a 5.3-litre FlexFuel V8, E85-capable, rated at 315 hp and 335 lb.-ft. of torque; and a 6.2litre V8 with E85 FlexFuel capability, rated at 403 hp and 417 lb.-ft. of torque.

The pickup also is offered with five suspension systems, each tailored to suit specific driving requirements, from a smooth ride to enhanced offroad capability to maximum towing capacity.

Also available is the Heavy Duty lineup. There are 10 Sierra 2500HD models, eight 3500HD models and six Sierra Denali HD models. Among them are regular cab, extended cab and crew cab body styles offered in 2WD and 4WD, as well as singleand dual-rear-wheel configurations – all available with either a standard gas V8 or a 6.6-litre turbodiesel. In the HD lineup, hitch-trailering capacity ranges up to 18,000 lb., with towing capability up to 23,000 lb. Maximum payload is up to 7,215 lb.

NISSAN The 2012 Nissan Titan is offered in King Cab and Crew Cab body styles with a choice of 4x4 and 4x2 drive configurations, along with two wheelbases (139.8 in. and 159.5 in.) and two bed lengths. Crew Cab Titans are offered as a Standard Wheelbase Model, with a 5 ft. 6 in. bed, while King Cabs feature a 6 ft. 6 in. bed. The Titan bed also includes four standard stake pockets and carries 4x8ft. plywood sheets between the wheel housings.

There are four models in the Titan lineup – S, SV, PRO-4X and SL. They are available in King Cab and Crew Cab body configurations with a choice of 2WD and 4WD in the S and SV King Cab models.

All others are available in 4WD only. On its 4WD models, Titan has an advanced shift-on-the-fly 4WD system with 2WD/4HI/4LO modes.

For 2012, options include 20-in. SL aluminum-

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alloy wheels in dark hyper silver finish, a dark grille treatment, body-coloured front and rear bumpers, black step rails, PRO-4X seats with silver contrasting stitching, a lockable bedside storage compartment, white-faced gauges, fog lights, captain’s chairs and more. Two new colours are offered for 2012 -- Airstream and Hematite Grey.

Configuring the powertrain is much easier with Nissan than models from the Detroit Three. The engine is a 5.6-litre DOHC V8 rated at 317 hp and 385 lb.-ft. of torque, mated to a standard five-speed automatic transmission that has tow/haul modes. The maximum towing capacity of up to 9,500 lb. for the King Cab versions and 9,400 lb. for the Crew Cab. A lockable, climate-resistant bedside storage compartment located immediately behind the driver's side rear wheelwell has a two-position adjustable tray.

Inside are standard flip-up 60/40 rear seat cushions for added cargo space. The rear floor was designed to be nearly flat. The Crew Cab models feature a standard power down/up rear bed access cab window.

RAM TRUCK Chrysler’s 2012 Ram 1500 lineup includes a new Tradesman HD model with an 11,500-lb. maximum trailer rating, 3,100-lb. payload and 17,500-lb. gross combined weight rating.

The 2012 Ram 1500 comes in regular cab, Quad Cab and Crew Cab models, with three box lengths: 8-ft. (regular cab), 6-ft.-4-in. (regular cab and Quad Cab), and 5-ft.-7-in. (Ram 1500 Crew Cab).

In all, there are 11 Ram 1500 models, including Tradesman, Express, Outdoorsman, ST, SLT, Sport, Sport R/T, Lone Star, Big Horn, Laramie and Laramie Longhorn. The Ram Express line expands this year to include Crew Cab and Quad Cab versions.

The line’s RamBox cargo management system, which includes weatherproof, lockable, illuminated

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and drainable storage bins built into bed rails, is now available for Quad and Crew Cab models, and the short bed Regular Cab. Regarding the powertrain, there’s a new sixspeed automatic transmission calibration with Electronic Range Select.

Other additions for 2012 include a new steering wheel with cruise control buttons, and six new colours. Inside, there are "store in the floor" storage bins with removable liners. The Ram 1500 provides more than 30 safety features, including Hill Start Assist and Trailer Sway Control.

This year, the truck’s 5.7-litre HEMI V8 gets more horsepower (390 hp) and torque (407 lb.-ft.).

Also available is a flex-fuel-capable 4.7-litre V8 providing 310 hp and 330 lb.-ft. of torque, and a 3.7litre V6 generating 215 hp and 235 lb.-ft. of torque.

The 2012 Ram 2500/3500 Heavy Duty lineup gets a new six-speed automatic transmission that can be mated to a choice of diesel- and gasolinefueled powerplants. The HD models are available in eight trim levels. Ram Truck and Cummins have developed an enhanced High Output Turbo Diesel offering 800 lb.-ft. of torque. Additionally, there is a Max Tow option for the Ram 3500 with a 22,750-lb. maximum trailer weight and up to 30,000 lb. Gross Combined Weight Rating.

The 2012 Ram 2500 and 3500 Mega Cab models offer best-in-class interior room in the segment, including the largest, longest cab (143.2 cu. ft., 111.1 in. long), the largest interior cargo volume (72.2 cu. ft.), the largest cargo volume behind the rear seat (7.7 cu. ft.) and the largest flat-floor load area (16.8 sq. ft.).

TOYOTA The Toyota Tundra full-size pickup offers simplified option package selections for 2012, as well as various enhancements its models. For example, the Limited grade and available TRD Rock Warrior package both include

SPECIAL REPORT

S P E C I A L R E P O R T 42

a standard back-up camera for 2012.

The Tundra offers three engine choices, a 270-hp 4.0-litre V6, a 310-hp 4.6-litre V8 and a 5.7-litre V8 with 381 hp. For 2012, all Tundras have as standard a heavy-duty battery, a heavy-duty starter, windshield wiper de-icer and heated, power, outside mirrors, along with new styled steel wheels.

The 2012 Tundra is offered in two grades (Tundra and Limited), three cab styles (Regular, Double Cab and Crew Max), three wheelbase lengths (126.8, 145.7 and 164.6 in) and three bed lengths (78.7, 97.6 and for CrewMax only, 66.7-in.).

Tundra grade Double Cab and CrewMax models now offer four streamlined options: Convenience Package, Convenience Package with Bucket Seats, Upgrade Package and SR5 Package. Regular Cab offers four redesigned packages: SR5 Package, SR5 Upgrade Package, TRD Off-Road Package, and Colour-Keyed Bumper Package.

A Tundra Work Truck Package is aimed at those who need a no-frills truck. It features heavy-duty, vinyl-trimmed seating surfaces and heavy-duty all-weather flooring; it is available in Regular and Double Cab configurations. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the Platinum Package, available for the Tundra CrewMax Limited model, offers numerous luxury features.

The 4.0-litre V6 engine that is standard in Tundra Regular and Double Cab models produces 270 hp and 278 lb.-ft. of torque. It is paired with a five-speed automatic transmission with uphill/downhill shift logic. An available 4.6-litre V8 offers 310 hp and 327 lb.-ft. of torque, and a 5.7-litre V8 produces 381 hp and 401 lb.-ft. of torque. An available Tow Package on all V8 model helps increase towing capacity up to 10,400 lb.

Both V8 engines are teamed with a six-speed automatic transmission. A warming unit quickly brings the transmission fluid up to operating temperature to optimize cold-weather performance.

Inside, large door handles and easy-to-turn control knobs can be operated even while wearing work gloves. The centre console in bucket-seat

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models can hold a laptop computer or hanging file folder storage. A built-in toolbox behind the rear seat in all models provides storage for the jack, handle and lug wrench.

As you can see, options abound when it comes to choosing the right pickup for your needs. cc Bill Roebuck is a voting member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC).

BOWLED OVER

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Superbowl ad takes aggressive advertising to apocalyptic levels H ave you noticed that pickup truck advertising has become as competitive and aggressive as the market itself? If you watched this year’s Superbowl, you might have seen an example of this in an ad featuring a Chevrolet Silverado pickup. It showed the truck navigating the devastation and destruction predicted to occur this year by the Mayan calendar.

A group of friends, who are Silverado owners, make their way to a designated meeting spot but notice one of their buddies is missing. According to the script, the missing friend drives another manufacturer’s truck and doesn’t appear to have made it to the meeting point.

STUFF WE LIKE / Maxwell’s Best

Before

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Furnace-free in Toronto

Elegance and super-efficiency at standard custom costs By Steve Maxwell

R

einer Hoyer is an awardwinning Toronto contractor with 30 years experience, and he’s just completed his favourite project of all. Not surprisingly, it’s a house he built for himself and his wife Melanie, though this fact alone isn’t why Hoyer’s smiling these days. Energy performance and indoor air quality are the main reasons he’s so happy, and you can’t blame him.

Hoyer’s house brings together enough leading edge construction technology that the structure requires no outside supplemental heat. Even when temps drop to -10ºC outdoors, the thermometer still reads a cozy +23ºC inside, thanks to nothing more than the incidental heat given off by high-efficiency lighting, small rooftop solar collectors, cooking and body heat. No furnace, baseboard heaters or gas fireplace necessary. Reiner’s house is gorgeous, too – no glass greenhouse look here. Indoor air quality is fresh and healthy, and anyone can build a house like this for five per cent to 10 per cent more than an ordinary custom home, says Reiner. All in all, it’s more than a good news story. Hoyer’s project proves how ultra-high efficiency housing is possible

in the real world using real trades and materials that anyone can get.

Hoyer’s project began with an energy guzzling 1950s Toronto bungalow. The basement and one exterior wall was saved to meet zoning requirements to allow a rental suite in the basement.

The end result is an elegant, three storey home built following design parameters of the Passive House movement. (www. passivehouse.ca). Not to be confused with “passive solar” houses, Passive Houses use efficient building shape, solar exposure, superinsulation, advanced windows, leading-edge ventilation and subtle technical features that require little or no energy inputs from conventional heating or cooling systems. There are 30,000 Passive Houses in Europe right now, but the idea is new enough in Canada that Hoyer’s project was almost strangled by building department red tape before it ever got going. According to Hoyer, the inability of the building inspection department to efficiently recognize new-to-them construction technologies that are proven and used elsewhere was a bigger challenge than building a house that stays warm

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STUFF WE LIKE / Maxwell’s Best

This air-to-heat exchanger provides the small amount of back-up heat when solar inputs aren’t enough.

in Canadian winters without a furnace. To learn more about the bureaucratic challenges of Hoyer’s project, see “Old Dog Snarls at New Tricks” on page 47.

Super-Insulated, Super-Sealed Retaining energy investments in heated and cooled air indoors is job one with any Passive House, and code-minimum levels of insulation will never do this job.

That’s why Hoyer built exterior walls with roughly double the usual amount of insulation: R60 for south, east and west walls, R70 for north-facing walls and R90 in the attic. But R value alone isn’t the only issue when it comes to insulation. In fact, R values are not even the most important issue.

Almost all the insulation Hoyer used is some kind of foam – either spray or rigid sheets – and there’s a reason for it. Foam delivers consistent energy performance.

It’s unaffected by drafts and air movement. By contrast, fiber46

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Six inches of expanded polystyrene foam forms the base of the synthetic stucco finish on Hoyer’s house.

based batts are a different matter entirely. Real world batt insulation values are sometimes lower as air movement and drafts travel through wall frames. You simply cannot build a Passive House without foam.

Perhaps the most unusual part of Hoyer’s house is the approach he took to insulating the basement.

He used a full coverage design that put sheets of extruded polystyrene foam on walls, sealed under a layer of soya-based spray foam insulation. Spray foam is also continuous over the entire surface of the existing concrete floor of the old bungalow, with floor insulation values topping out at R60. Four inches of reinforced concrete was poured on top of this floor foam, encasing radiant infloor heating pipes. Metal stud walls sit on top of this concrete floor, located just inside the foam sprayed on exterior walls. The end result is complete thermal isolation from the earth, with a basement

Radiant floor heating pipes installed in the basement floor on top of foam before new concrete is poured.

floor that acts as a massive thermal flywheel.

The outside three walls of the house are finished in synthetic stucco, and it’s applied over a whopping six inches of expanded polystyrene foam that’s anchored to a wall retained from the old house.

Ray-Core SIPs were used to create new exterior walls elsewhere. The front of the house is finished with a stone veneer that’s applied over a two inch-thick layer of spray foam applied over the SIPs. The attic is filled with 30” of blown-in cellulose insulation, amounting to a whopping R90 of heat retention. A laser level was used during installation to ensure even and complete attic insulation coverage.

Besides superior insulation performance, Hoyer’s heavy use of foam offers another big payoff. Spray foam seals out drafts like nothing else can, and low air infiltration is key to meeting Passive House standards. Nothing more

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A

Top: Additional spray foam applied over SIP’s panels before stone veneer is laid on top.

Bottom: Even in -10C the vacuum tube solar collectors can push hot water tank temperatures to 60C.

Half Page Horizontal: 7 in. x 4.875 in. / non-bleed

Old dogs in permit offices snarl at new tricks

nyone who thinks building departments are useless needs to travel to a country where individuals are allowed to build entirely as they see fit. Without independent oversight, the building world turns into a disaster. That said, serious bottlenecks are appearing here in Canada because building code evaluation systems don’t always have the capacity to efficiently assess and approve the flood of innovative and worthy building products. Many current code approval systems were designed at a time in history when building innovations were few and far between, and these old processes remain. “The biggest stumbling block I faced was getting efficient approvals from City Hall for a permit,” says Hoyer. “This was a major fight that almost killed the project.”

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STUFF WE LIKE / Maxwell’s Best

The right trades

T

he building work itself also posed challenges beyond the usual ones. “On the construction site, I had to constantly coach every trade carefully at each step of the way, since so much of this house involved unique and crucial processes,” explains Reiner.

“No one could understand, for instance, why basement insulation was going up on walls and floors before framing, wiring and pipes went in. In the end, when they saw how the approach created a perfect shell of insulation and air tightness, they understood. You’ve got to choose your trades carefully. Their willingness to learn and work differently—without killing your budget—is key. From my experience, younger trades are more open minded and easier to teach than the guy who’s been God’s gift to the construction industry for the last 25 years.”

Does Hoyer consider all the trouble worth it? “Absolutely. Living in a house that cost me less than $20 a month to heat in the middle of winter is a great thing. My wife’s breathing problems are a thing of the past now, too. Anyone can build this way at a budget very close to any ordinary custom home.”

than 0.5 air changes per hour (ACH) is considered acceptable, and Hoyer’s house came in at an impressive 0.27 ACH, despite retention of an existing wall and basement from the old bungalow.

That’s 11 times less air leakage than some of the tightest new building code standards coming into effect right now.

Hoyer chose triple pane Geneo windows delivering R9.5 centre-ofpane insulation values. The frames are made from a proprietary blend of fiberglass and PVC that’s strong enough to function without need for metal reinforcement. It’s the same material used to make the bumpers of German cars, and even the dark colours don’t expand and warp with the sun’s heat.

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Vacuum Tube Solar Collectors Building code requirements forced Hoyer to install an air-toair heat exchanger as a back-up heat source, but it’s mostly just for show. The small amount of energy required for space heating beyond what’s produced internally by cooking, lighting and human bodies is usually supplied by a rooftop vacuum tube solar collector. It provides domestic hot water, too. The vacuum tube design greatly boosts heatgathering action during cold weather. One sunny day when it was -10ºC outdoors, for instance, the vacuum tube system heated Hoyer’s 500 litre water storage tank all the way up to 60ºC. Space heating is delivered through a Rehau hydronic infloor system

that also extends out onto the concrete front porch for melting ice and snow.

Fresh Indoor Air Hoyer installed an HRV made by the European manufacturer Paul. The Novus 300 unit he chose extracts 99 per cent of outgoing heat in stale air, compared to 70% to 80% for typical HRVs. Part of this amazing performance comes from the ground loop intake air supply. Air drawn into the HRV first travels through 90 feet of eight inch diameter buried pipe.

Even when it’s -15ºC outside, incoming air is a much friendlier 5ºC to 6ºC as it enters the HRV. In a sense, it’s like a mini ground source heat pump without any extra equipment. A humidity recovery coil in the HRV captures and recycles moisture from the outgoing air stream, eliminating the need for a humidifier. Hoyer’s currently working on plans to install a Geyser hot water heat pump to capture the heat lost by the HRV for supplemental heating on cloudy days. This heat pump will leverage the heat lost by the HRV, delivering an efficiency of about 300 per cent.

At first glance, Hoyer’s project is impressive for practical reasons.

Any Canadian house that stays warm without a furnace deserves front-page coverage. But more important than this, Hoyer has advanced the definition of what’s practical and possible in the real world. Why would anyone settle for anything less? cc

STUFF WE LIKE / The Mechanical Room

Hydronic radiant heating How it works, why you need to understand it, why your customers will love it

By Tibor Kovacs

A

s long as the air surrounding us is a lower temperature than our body temperature, we will radiate heat as every object does that has a higher temperature than the surrounding space. This is the fundamental law that drives heat movement. Heat always travels from hot to cold, never cold to hot. Heat does not rise—only hot air rises.

Whenever there is a temperature difference between two surfaces, both surfaces will attempt to equalize. Radiant energy travels through space without heating the space itself. It only turns into heat when it contacts a cooler surface. Our human comfort relies just as much on radiant heat transfer as it does on air temperature, yet the majority of heating and air-conditioning professionals think

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only in terms of air temperature. As a result, we are missing out on a truly comfortable living environment in our own homes or places of business. By controlling both the air temperature and the radiant transfer, radiant panel systems (hydronics) deliver a comfort that is unsurpassed.

Hydronics versus forced air systems Though heated water systems date back to the Romans, the first modern era engineered heat distribution systems were using water as transfer media running in metal pipe systems. These early systems used cast iron radiators, large diameter piping and boilers to heat up the water. The hot fluid travelled up in the pipes naturally with the cold falling down and they ended up with gravity

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driven circulation. Technology around this way we need to has come a long way since then, move a lot of air, which requires but the concept of circulating a fan that may generate noise, hot water for heat, as opposed to through a distribution system forced air systems, is becoming (ductwork). The air may cool increasingly popular. substantially before it gets to In a forced air system we where it was intended to go. gather a lot of air, blow it Then we recirculate it and heat through a fire box and use large it up again. The result is lots of diameter metal channels to hot air when the system is on distribute the hot air everywhere followed by a cool down when in the building. Air, however, it is not. The obvious result is is a very light substance with temperature fluctuations. no thermal mass to it. What In radiant hydronic systems this means is that it carries a water is run through a boiler small amount of heat energy and small diameter piping and loses it very quickly. In distributes heat throughout the 23739_BWC_EverHot_AD_HALFPG.qxd 4/20/11 2:34 PM has Page order to carry substantial heat building.

Water the1best

capability to absorb and move heat. It soaks up the heat, holds on to it and releases it slowly to the floor. The surface warms up and radiates in the room as soon as there is the smallest temperature difference.

To sum up, hydronic systems use less transfer material, provide even heat distribution (due to the thermal mass) and reduce system noise.

Floor heating creates a temperature profile where the warmest part is the floor and the coolest is the ceiling. The vertical temperature distribution is practically even, with the

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STUFF WE LIKE / The Mechanical Room

exception of the few inches above the floor surface, which may be warmer. Remember, radiant heating does not heat the air. Heat transfer only happens when the radiant heat waves encounter dense material.

This heating method heats up objects such as walls, furniture and the area’s occupants.

It is a direct heat transfer to the body, similar to the sun shining on you in winter, so we are not reliant on the surrounding air temperature. Because the walls are warm there is less heat drawn out from the body.

Our feeling of warmth is mostly due to the constant low-density heat radiation with minimal changes. The temperature fluctuation in a radiantly heated room is about 0.5 degrees. Occupants get used to the constant conditions very quickly.

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© 2012 Knaack LLC. All rights reserved. The Emerson logo is a trademark and service mark of Emerson Electric Co.

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Heat emitters After the water is heated by the boiler, or geothermal heat pump, it is circulated through the piping to heat emitters. Today the most popular methods of radiant heat emitters are baseboards, radiators and radiant floors, walls and even ceilings. There are a number of differences in the technologies.

Radiant baseboard is commonly a length of metal tubing with fins on it. Hot water runs through it, the metal heats up and transfers the energy to the air around it. The air heats up and starts travelling up, cooler air flows in then heats up, and so on. The main effect is the high temperature tube heats up the air and creates warm convective air currents, which eventually fill the room. There is not a lot of direct radiation coming off it.

Radiators, as the name implies, are the real thing.

The hot water flowing through the radiator heats up the body of the radiator and that in turn radiates heat into the room. The surface area of a radiator is much larger than the baseboard and this creates the difference.

The air around the unit heats up and starts rising and creates convective currents distributing the heat. There are two main heat transfers here, direct radiation of the surface and convection heating using the air. The main improvement is more even, stable heat distribution.

The size and thermal mass of the radiator stores the heat and releases it slowly, evening out the distribution.

In-Floor delivers an even, continuous heat supply.

As radiation is a direct function of the surface area it makes sense that the bigger the warmed surface the more heat we get out of it. Compared to the other two delivery methods the surface area available is large. In order to get the same interior warmth, much lower surface temperatures are required to the extent that the floor surface temperature varies between 21C to 29C, most commonly 22C to 23C. This is not a hot floor but is all we need to heat the space to our comfortable temperature. Sometimes it is barely warm, but a properly designed and operating system is never cold. A heated floor normally feels neutral. Its surface temperature is usually less than

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our body temperature, although the overall sensation is one of comfort.

The exception is when maximum heat output is required and the floor may actually feel warm.

Low heat density and warm surfaces, two unique features of radiant floor heating, are two important factors in creating human comfort. The third is even, constant temperature. Lots of research has been done trying to identify the conditions in which the human body feels the most comfortable. We like to be surrounded by warm surfaces that do not draw heat away from us and we love even and constant temperature. cc To see more advanced technical articles related to hydronic heating, please go to www.hpacmag.com and choose “hydronics” in the “search by topic” field.

Tibor Kovacs is the owner of Hydronic Panel Systems/Hydronic Comfort Systems Inc. He can be reached at info@hydronicpanels.com.

Top five customer questions 1. Can you heat the entire house with radiant floor?

Yes you can and you should. This is the best way of creating maximum comfort.

2. What if the pipe breaks?

The pipe does not break on its own. It only happens if somebody damages the pipe. When that happens a qualified installer should repair the damage.

3. Why is it more efficient?

There are a number of factors adding up to the increased efficiency.

Radiant heat does not overheat the air, so the heat loss through the building envelope is less. Radiant heat provides direct heat input into the human body, so the air temperature is less important.

Usually lower thermostat settings result in the same level of comfort.

4. What fuel source can be used?

Any fuel that is available may be used, including natural gas, propane, oil, wood, and electricity. The systems are also well suited to geothermal applications.

5. What happens to cooling?

Ductless or mini split air conditioning systems are becoming increasingly popular. In some situations, they offer the opportunity to “zone cool” resulting in an efficient use of energy.

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STUFF WE LIKE / The Mechanical Room

A tale of two heaters

Tankless can be the best of water heating technologies, Tankless can be the worst of water heating technologies

By Steve Goldie the corner is house B, the home of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson and their teenage triplets Cindy, Sandy and Candy. The Thompsons have just had their big old hot water tank replaced with the same tankless model the Cleavers have. Eddie talked Mr. Thompson into it by telling him it would cut his water heating bill in half. Fast forward a few months and an angry Mr. Thompson is having his tankless heater removed and replaced with a storage tank.

C

ontractors, engineers and end users alike all want to know the same things: Do tankless water heaters really work? Are they better than traditional tank type water heaters? Will they really reduce hot water bills? Which one is the best?

The answer to most of these questions is the same: It depends on how you use your hot water. When and how the hot water is being used will determine what type of appliance is suitable.

Best case worst case Let’s take a look at two scenarios to illustrate this.

House A is the home of Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver and their three teenage boys, Wally, Beaver and their adopted son Eddie. The Cleavers use 100 gallons of hot water in an average day, which they get from their brand new, whole house, tankless water heater.

Mrs. Cleaver has been very happy with her new water heater and has even noticed a small reduction in her monthly gas bill. Down the street and around

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Usage is different What went wrong? The homes are both occupied by two adults and three teenagers and the average daily hot water usage for each is roughly 100 gallons. A closer look tells the tale. A typical day in the Cleaver household begins with Ward rising at the crack of dawn. While Ward showers, June lays Ward’s clothes out for him, puts on the coffee and toasts a couple of bagels. When Ward is leaving, Wally is just getting into the shower so June makes him breakfast and then wakes up the other two boys.

Beaver rolls slowly out of bed and stumbles down for breakfast. June sends him back upstairs to wash his face. As he goes she tells him to wake Eddie up again.

Twenty minutes later, Wally and Beaver are on their way to school and Eddie finally crawls out of bed and into the shower. June quickly hand-washes the few breakfast dishes and then drives Eddie to school. June will usually get showered and dressed later in the day. Beaver showers a few nights a week when the rest of the family shames him into it.

A typical day in the Thompson household begins when all five family members arise within a half hour of each other, each wanting to start their day with a shower. With only four showers available, the last

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one up usually ends up with the task of cleaning up and putting last night’s dishes in the dishwasher.

The Cleavers love their tankless hot water heater, because it is the right choice for their lifestyle. With their staggered and intermittent shower schedule the hot water demand is stretched out so that the tankless heater never has any problem keeping up. The Thompsons have a schedule that takes that same stretched-out hot water demand and compresses it. This is a scenario that is much better served by a storage tank type system.

Tankless good, tanks, good How we heat up water has not really changed that much.

We take a quantity of water, put it in a vessel (be it a pot on the stove or a tank in the basement), or we pass a stream of water through a series of tubes or coils. With either method we apply heat energy, firepower, measured in British Thermal Units (Btus). One Btu is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit. So, to get the hot water you need, you either use a whole lot of Btus to heat up what you need when you need it as a tankless heater does, or you store what you will need at any one time and you use a smaller amount of Btus to heat it up over a longer period of time.

Next time a customer asks you about tankless water heaters tell them they can be a very effective appliance; but it depends their customer’s hot water usage. As to which one is best, major manufacturers offer similar models with similar features. Ultimately, tank style water heaters and tankless water heaters alike have their place in the market.

Take the time to listen to your customer’s needs and learn to ask the right questions and you should be able to match the right product to the right job every time. cc For access to water heater manufacturers go to the Buyer’s Guide at www.hpacmag.com, then choose Heaters, Domestic Hot Water from the Product Category search field.

Steve Goldie is with Noble, a heating and plumbing wholesaler.

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Print 2, 2012

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STUFF WE LIKE / Products

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1. IRWIN

2. BOSCH

3. MOEN

The new Drywall Fixed Utility Knife is designed to fit comfortably in the users hand and to stand up to harsh conditions on the jobsite. www.irwin.com

The Daredevil framing blade features a thin kerf, extra-hard steel and triple-sharp carbide teeth. The Speed Coat finish provides added speed and helps avoid binding teeth in treated or wet lumber. www.boschtools.com

Moen has developed Spot Resist Brushed Nickel and Stainless finishes for its kitchen and bathroom fixtures. This finish maintains the brilliance of faucets and showerheads. moen.ca

Print 2, 2012

canadiancontractor.ca

STUFF WE LIKE

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4. LENOX

5. DAP

6. MILWAUKEE

Lenox has launched the new Lenox Bi-Metal Self-Feed Bit. The bit’s bi-metal construction provides the strength to endure often catastrophic nail encounters when drilling through wood. www.lenoxtools.com

DAP recently launched its line of sealants and adhesives specifically targeted at residential building and remodeling professionals.

The Spec Line by DAP helps professionals meet industry specifications by including the required spec as part of the product name. www.dapspecline.com

The M-18 Cordless Caulk and Adhesive Gun from Milwaukee Electric Tool is capable of delivering up to 950 lbs. of force for the highest viscosity materials and provides powerful pushing force for the toughest caulking applications. www.milwaukeetool.com

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Print 2, 2012

57

WHAT’D IT COST?

Win me!

The IRWIN 2550 box beam level.

It’s accurate, rugged framed, and with a continuous edge for scribing complete and accurate lines anywhere. It includes Irwin’s

Email us with the cost of the job below & win a level.

email rkoci@canadiancontractor.ca

Plumb Site feature, which provides dual viewing from awkward angles. Embedded earth magnets allow for hands-free use.

What’d cost?

NAIL THE COST, WIN A LEVEL. When this Calgary home was built in 1990, the finishes were “builder grade.” The renovation we want you to estimate upgraded all the finishes on the main floor, the stairwell and the second floor hallway (not the rooms of the second floor or basement). The drywall was skim-coated to a highgrade finish and painted, the floors and stairs were redone in Tigerwood, the contractor installed new glass and wood handrails on the stairs and all the cabinetry was installed with granite tops and glass backsplashes. High-end tile was installed at the front and rear entries and on the powder room floor. The footprint of the house is 17’ x 47’.

If you are one of three estimates closest to the real price to the homeowner for this renovation you’ll win the Irwin level you see above.

So, what'd it cost?

Email rkoci@canadiancontractor.ca to send in your answer. Everyone that responds gets a subscription to Canadian Contractor’s weekly e-newsletter and the three respondents that come closest to the exact cost will win a very cool Irwin level.

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Print 2, 2012

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C E

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Find the exact location of your workers in the field.

Who, what, where, when?

A supervisor can track an entire crew and activities on one device.

Save thousands in payroll and job costing. Track labor, equipment and work locations in real-time, from your Smartphone with pinpoint GPS precision. PocketClock/GPS also offers special management tools for supervisors and biometrics solutions for the outdoors.

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