Contractor Advantage September / October 2016

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

7 FLOORING TRENDS YOU NEED TO KNOW THE HEART & HUB OF THE HOME

Columns Inside Tech Talk What's Trending On The Jobsite Design Talk

A STAIRWAY TO PROFITS

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

1

STYLISH & CONTEMPORARY

At Kohltech, every window is custom.

So no matter where your inspiration comes from, we can make the windows that bring your renovation or new construction vision to life. If you’re considering changing your home, change it into something outstanding with Kohltech Windows.

Kohltech.com

2

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. is a Canadian member-owned, Lumber, Building Materials and Hardware buying group representing over 300 member locations across Canada.

Contractor Advantage Magazine is the exclusive publication of Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. featuring quality Castle vendor brands available at Castle Building Centres locations.

Visit castle.ca to find a Castle location in your area.

Editorial Director Castle Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. Jennifer Mercieca Publisher - JAD Media Group Inc. Dan Alexander Managing Editor Teresa Christine Art Director Aram Stamboulian Contributors Teresa Christine Lawrence Cummer David Chilton Saggers Stefan Dubowski

Advertising Inquiries Jennifer Mercieca Director of Communications Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. 905-564-3307 jmercieca@castle.ca

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016 Volume 21 Issue 5

Material Contact Susan Brook Vendor Marketing Coordinator Castle Building Centres Group Ltd. 905-564-3307 sbrook@castle.ca Published and designed exclusively for Castle Building Centres Group Ltd.

by JAD Media Group Inc. About Contractor Advantage

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

3

Contributors

Lawrence Cummer

David Chilton Saggers

Stefan Dubowski

Lawrence Cummer is a freelance writer with 20 years of experience writing for trade periodicals, business and communications agencies. He is a former senior writer and editor of the technology trade publications Network World Canada and Communications & Networking Journal, respectively. As well, he has been a senior contributor to a wide variety of publications.

David Chilton Saggers is an award-winning Toronto writer and editor. He writes for national, regional and local newspapers and magazines, and has appeared on national and local TV and radio. He was educated at York University, Ryerson University and the University of Toronto. He may be reached at davidchilton@rogers.com.

A writer with journalism and corporate communications experience, Stefan delivers editorial content across a range of topics, including automotive, technology, construction and urban planning. His work has appeared in numerous magazines and journals.

Amber MacArthur Amber MacArthur started her career in San Francisco and Boston during the dot-com boom in the late 1990s. As a strategist for Razorfish agency and Director of Marketing for an e-procurement software company, she spent four years in the technology start-up trenches. MacArthur left the start-up world to join Microsoft to build one of the first female-focused lifestyle portals.

In 2006, with her brother, she started her own agency called Konnekt. While building her own business brand as President of Konnekt, she has amassed more than 100,000 followers on Twitter, 450,000 fans on Facebook, 1.6M friends on Google+, and 10,000 followers on Instagram. “With few equals,” writes YouTube co-founder Steve Chen, “MacArthur continues to demonstrate a keen insight towards the continually evolving fabric of the social web.” She is recognized internationally as an innovation and technology leader.

4

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Contributors

What’s Inside?

7 News & Notes

Get Social

11 What’s Trending

Saving our Water Supply

27 On the Jobsite

5 Tips to Prevent Jobsite Theft

39 Supplier Spotlight

Metrie

14

7 Flooring Trends You Need to Know Get informed with the latest news about your clients, your suppliers and your options.

49 Product Platform

Premium Products from Castle Vendor Partners

58 Leaders in the Limelight

Island Dreams, Spring Valley Building Centre

61 Tech Talk

3 Website Tips to Better Serve Your Mobile Customers

65 Design Talk

30

The Heart & Hub of the Home Lifestyle and living key in today's new kitchen & bath design trends.

Fall in Love with Paint

40

A Stairway to Profits Updating homeowners’ stairs and railings can be a solid business, and an excellent opportunity to showcase quality work.

On the Cover Photo courtesy of Goodfellow Inc.

Contents

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

5

Where have all the tradespeople gone?

The bigger question is: where are all the tradespeople going to come from?

In Canada we may see a shortfall of one million workers by 2020 due primarily to an aging population and declining birth rates. As Baby Boomers gear up for retirement, there simply aren’t enough of the next generation to fill those vacant jobs.

Would you believe me if I told you that employers have identified Skilled Trades as the number one most difficult job to fill today in Canada? Engineers are number six on that list. The same is true in the U.S.

Politicians would have you believe that we are on the path toward a “knowledge economy.” That may be true, but don’t let that confuse the issue at hand: trade skills are in demand now, and will be even more so in the next decade.

Some 40% of new jobs in this country in the coming years will be in skilled trades and technology—twice the ratio held in 1998, according to Skills Canada.

Studies have shown that while young people are often open to careers in the skilled trades, they are...

Continue reading at insights.castle.ca

3 reasons to read Insights with Ken Jenkins 1. Ken is a champion for entrepreneurship, delivering unique, real-world experience 2. He’s provocative and open, challenging conventional thinking 3. He believes “the best is yet to come” and passionate about the future of the independent Think outside the box... subscribe to insights.castle.ca

News & Notes

Get Social Written by Ken Jenkins President, Castle Building Centres Group

I’m a strong believer in social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like. And few in the lumber and building materials industry would suggest they don’t need to have a presence on it.

But too often I see this new digital frontier being treated as a one-off effort. Like any worthwhile project, social media requires a long-term approach to build and maintain; it’s not a one-and-done, fire-and-forget endeavour.

Social media can be an extremely valuable marketing and branding tool for lumber and building material dealers who take the time to understand the opportunity, and devote the time and resources to make the most of it.

This is especially true with the growing proliferation of app-rich mobile smartphones. Literally everyone is now connected with access to everything, including social media.

A lot of us fondly remember simpler times when marketing was addressed primarily through advertising and industry events, but today’s consumer, contractor and builder

News & Notes

is increasingly sharing information through social media channels. So are your future employees.

“Because everyone else is doing it,” might be the reason you first embarked on your social media journey, but let’s not forget that anything worth doing is worth doing well.

I’m not an expert in the social media arena, but consider these things:

Engagement This may seem obvious, but it’s one of the most important considerations with social media. Surprisingly it’s often overlooked. It’s not enough to post to Twitter or create a blog, you need to create content that ignites and engages your audience.

Make your social media posts (or shares) insightful, informative, helpful and shareable. That way your audience helps to extend your reach for you. Make it useful, and make it interesting. Trust your gut when separat-

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

7

ing the wheat of valuable info from the chaff of social network clutter.

Deliver consistently Here’s where many businesses—not just in the lumber and building materials industry—drop the ball. That insightful, informative and shareable content must be delivered with notable frequency. Let your audience or customers know what to expect from you, and that there’s a reason to keep coming back and paying attention. There are tools to help, but ultimately one of the most important is to be armed with a plan.

Create a weekly or monthly plan of what you want to say, or a library of social media content that you can turn to when you need it. Don’t wing it; plan and execute, just like any important business initiative.

It’s a conversation No one wants to be talked at, but many of us love talking with people. The biggest difference between social media channels and past forms of marketing and advertising is that it’s a dialogue, not a monologue. The best social media initiatives create a two-way (or many-to-many) exchange of stories and information, and they contribute to building our community.

Think about this: whether you use social media to stay in touch with family or friends, or to stay connected with what’s happening in your world, social media is a global activity.

With approximately 60% of North America using social media, there’s a pretty good chance your customers are among them.

Pick your battles There are a lot of social media platforms to choose from.

You don’t need to be everywhere any more than you need to reach everyone. You can start on a single channel, the one that is most populated by your ideal customers.

Do your research and find out where you need to be.

Are your customers on Facebook? Twitter? LinkedIn? What about sharing images on Instagram or Pinterest?

How useful and valuable might your DIY customers find YouTube videos with tips and techniques?

Visualize As the old adage goes: a picture is worth a thousand words. In few places is this truer than on social media.

We are overloaded with information every day. A wellplaced, unique image grabs the eye and holds it, causing readers to pause from their relentless scroll through their Facebook or Twitter feeds. Given that our business is ultimately about building great things with great tools and great materials, can it be any question that eyecatching visuals are a natural fit.

INSIGHTS With Ken Jenkins

“INSIGHTS” Blog with Castle President Ken Jenkins Castle President Ken Jenkins has over twenty years in the Lumber, Building Materials and Hardware industry. His tenure has given him a unique perspective and he believes North American contractors, suppliers and independent dealers are the best in the industry.

Subscribe to Insights online - insights.castle.ca

Do it!

We’re all busy, that’s a given. However, outsourcing your social-media to professionals can be very effective, or, if you have the in-house resources, assign the management of your social media to staff. It’s important that you are involved and check the feeds regularly, even if you have one of your employees manage the day-to-day of posting and maintenance of social media networks. After all, who knows your business better than you?

8

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

News & Notes

“ As a metal roof installer, joining the Vicwest Partner Program certainly has its advantages. “

e

PART PROG NER R Visit

P ar

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE www.vicwest.com • 1-800-387-7135 • marketing@vicwest.com

AM

m

st

e

A metal roof is quickly becoming the “must have” for consumers due to its unparalled warranty and durability. Becoming part of the Vicwest Partner Program is your chance to grow your business in a metal roofing market that is only going to get bigger. When you join the Vicwest Partner Program we work with you to become a qualified Vicwest metal roof installer. Not only will you receive hands on training, we will provide you with the tools to help you market your business and provide accurate quotes. When you partner with Vicwest, you’re partnering with a company that has been around for 85 years and a company that creates quality products.

V ic w

LET VICWEST BE YOUR METAL ROOFING PARTNER

Abou t Our

or

L e ar n m To

t ne r s . c

o

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

9

More Force, Less Splash

10

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

What’s Trending Photo courtesy of Moen

Saving Our Water Supply; Tips On How To Cut Everyday Consumption Written by Teresa Christine Managing Editor, Castle Publications

With the earth’s population on a steady rise, it’s even more crucial that we get smarter about how we use our water supply. Even though we all know that water is essential, too many of us think it’s unlimited. Although 70 percent of the earth’s surface is covered by water, less than one percent is suitable for consumption. The opportunity is great for us all to make a difference and we can do this by making a few small changes to our daily habits.

What’s Trending

Consider these tips for reducing your water consumption at home on a day to day basis.

• Check faucets and pipes for leaks. A small drip from a worn faucet can waste 20 gallons of water per day.

Larger leaks can waste hundreds of gallons.

• Turn off the water after you wet your toothbrush.

• Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth.

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

11

• Install water-saving shower heads and low-flow faucet aerators.

• Don’t wait for the water to get hot before filling the tub for a bath.

• Avoid using the toilet as a garbage can.

• Turn off the water while shaving.

• Check your toilets for leaks.

• All household faucets should be fit with aerators.

This single best home water conservation method is also the least expensive!

12

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

• Insulate your water pipes.

• Take shorter showers.

• Rinse your razor in the sink.

• Use your dishwasher and clothes washer for only full loads.

• Minimize use of kitchen sink garbage disposal units • When washing dishes by hand, don't leave the water running for rinsing.

• Don't let the faucet run while you clean vegetables.

• Keep a bottle of drinking water in the fridge.

What’s Trending

7 FLOORING TRENDS YOU NEED TO KNOW Get informed with the latest news about your clients, your suppliers and your options.

Written by Stefan Dubowski

14

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Feature Story: 7 Flooring Trends You Need to Know

Photo courtesy of Goodfellow Inc.

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

15

Homeowners are fickle. Not so long ago, they all seemed to want gleaming, dark hardwood floors, and a piano finish to rival any mirror. Today, they want distressed and grooved surfaces, character instead of crispness.

That certainly is not the only new trend. In fact, the entire flooring market is shifting, thanks in part to new technologies and innovative applications. It can be confusing for contractors and clients alike.

To help clarify matters, we zeroed in on the most prevalent trends affecting the Canadian flooring industry. We

narrowed the list down to seven seminal suggestions. Read on to get a grip on the latest in customer preferences and product options, so you will be well prepared to answer client questions for your next flooring project.

1. Technology Makes Anything Look Like Everything In the past, property owners who wanted hardwood floors had to go with just that: solid hardwood. Today, you can get products that look like hardwood, but are made using other materials. Everyone knows engineered and laminate

as the two prime wood-look options.

But now vinyl, cork and ceramic are in the mix. Others may come about, too.

At this point, sometimes you have to ask to find out if a wood floor really is wood, because you cannot tell by simply looking.

“That’s all thanks to technology,” says Tammy Tramble, National Account Manager at flooring provider Shnier. “It has changed so much over the last few years, especially with the introduction of high-definition printing.” Flooring manufacturers use sophisticated imaging systems to take

Photo courtesy of Shnier

16

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Feature Story: 7 Flooring Trends You Need to Know

F L O O R I N G U N D E R L AY M E N T | S O U S - C O U C H E D E P L A N C H E R SUPERIOR SOUND ABSORPTION INSONORISATION SUPÉRIEURE PREMIUM SOUND RATINGS STC 73 • IIC 72 INDICE DE TRANSMISSION DU SON

Flooring Underlayment and Moisture Barrier Sous-Couche et Membrane Pare-Vapeur

A Taiga Synergy Flooring product

For all your flooring requirements visit: taigabuilding.com

Un Produit de Plancher Taiga Synergie

Pour tous vos besoins en matière de revêtement de sol, visitez: taigabuilding.com

Photo courtesy of Shnier

detailed pictures of various materials.

Then the companies apply those images to different substrates. As a result, you can get what looks like weathered oak planks that are actually made from ceramic. That would be ideal for customers who like the look of wood but fear that the real thing is not durable enough for entryways, kitchens and other high-wear areas. You could also recommend oak-look cork flooring for customers who want a comfy underfoot feel. Cork stays warm and it is relatively soft.

Advanced imaging technology has changed nearly every type of flooring.

You can get porcelain that looks like stone, vinyl that looks like concrete, laminate that looks like barn wood.

That means you can pinpoint the best material for each client, with fewer compromises. Having trouble navigating all the options? Flooring providers

18

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

have tools to help you choose. See “Find the right flooring…” on page 25 to learn more.

ideas for their own projects,” Tramble says.

2. Old is In

Although it might seem as if everyone prefers hard-surfaced flooring these days, carpeting remains the largest product category, Tramble says. “If you like it, you’ll always buy it, for all the reasons it’s fabulous: the warmth, the texture and the softness.”

Design trends include patterns in muted colours such as grey and beige.

People also seem to like carpets that have a worn texture as if their new flooring has lived many lives and has many tales to tell. “People even want their carpets to look old,” Tramble says.

You are likely to see clients increasingly opt for floors that have a worn, casual look: wood that seems weathered with character, perhaps hand-scraped or wire-brushed showing grooves and prominent grain, for instance. Colour trends are similar. Many homeowners seek deep hues, not just brown wood, but brown mixed with hints of grey and black, or whitewashed finishes that are clean yet warm.

Leading-edge designers started these trends. These days, homeowners are quick to pick up on the avant-garde. “You see customers searching on Pinterest and Houzz and other popular home décor websites, where they can get inspiration for designer-level

3. Carpet Endures

4. Laminate Goes Luxury Many people still see laminate as the poor man’s hardwood. These days,

Feature Story: 7 Flooring Trends You Need to Know

Just another case of window envy.

With good looks and available state-ofthe-art features like our leak-free V-Weld technology, it’s no wonder our windows attract attention.

Visit allweatherwindows.com to learn more about our Canadian-made windows and doors.

NEW AND IMPROVED

Fiberglass Insulation Castlegard® products meet the highest safety, performance and quality standards. Castlegard® Insulation is made with natural products and is Formaldehyde-free, offering a healthier and safer indoor air quality. Castlegard® insulation is a cost effective home insulation solution for your home with proven safety and performance ratings.

The EcoLogoTM ensures that your Castle insulation product is the environmentally friendly choice.

Castlegard® products can be found exclusively at your local Castle Building Centres location across Canada.

MANUFACTURED IN CANADA BY

20

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Feature Story: 7 Flooring Trends You Need to Know

The Environmental Choice” certifies that your energy-saving and eco-friendly insulation product has exceeded the highest health and sustainability standards.

though, laminate is more durable and stylish than ever before. In fact, “laminate has gone from the economical solution to a fashion statement,” says Jeff Morrison, General Manager, national building products at flooring provider Goodfellow.

With high-definition imaging technology, manufacturers can make laminate look much more like solid hardwood and other desirable materials. Consider Krono’s Heritage Barnwood product. Its planks in various shades of brown and grey give rooms instant character. The manufacturer “travelled through Ontario, Ohio and Pennsylvania and purchased wood from demolished barns, and put the wood on the scanner,” Morrison says.

Krono also used the technology to ensure the images do not repeat all that frequently, which addresses a problem people had with laminate in the past: it looked too uniform to be mistaken for real wood.

Early laminate customers may have also experienced the product’s poor performance when it encountered dampness and moisture. Laminate was known to swell if the humidity was too high or if someone failed to wipe up a spill in time. Modern laminate is more resilient. Krono’s product, for instance, includes an extra non-porous layer that helps prevent moisture from penetrating into the HDF core, which means you can install a laminate floor in a kitchen, a bathroom or any other

splash-prone area.

Customers may believe that laminate cannot be installed in large areas without transitions. Again, advanced technology has done away with that problem. Richmond’s Smoked Oak laminate flooring, for example, can be installed transition-free over 4,000 square feet, making it an option for, say, the whole main floor of an executive home.

5. Wider is Better Alongside the old-fashioned wood look comes a move toward wider planks.

People increasingly prefer 7.5- or eight-inch planks to traditional five-inch sticks. That inclination has implications for the type of flooring

Photo courtesy of Goodfellow Inc.

Feature Story: 7 Flooring Trends You Need to Know

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

21

Photo courtesy of Shnier

you might suggest. Engineered hardwood is generally considered to be better than solid hardwood the wider you go. “We recommend that for anything wider than a five-inch plank, given the Canadian climate, you should go with an engineered product,” says Tramble. The damp summers and dry winters we experience in this country can cause solid hardwood to expand and shrink.

The weather does not affect engineered wood that way, so an eight-inch engineered plank is less likely to gap or cup.

22

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

6. Looks Trump Durability As said earlier, homeowners are fickle; but they seem more so than ever. Today, they very much prioritize style and affordability over longevity.

Tramble says that is because people are willing to change their flooring more frequently than they did in the past, and they do not want to feel beholden to the fact that the high-end material they had installed not so long ago still has years of life left in it.

This changeability means your clients are less likely to see the value of expensive, durable options.

As Goodfellow’s Morrison put it, “they’re shopping for the look of the product, not the material. When they see what they like, they buy it.”

That fact explains why the engineered wood market is increasing.

Engineered wood can cost less than solid hardwood, but for many shoppers, the products are comparable in terms of performance and value.

Is this the end for natural, durable products such as hardwood? No. Many property owners still want the real thing. “For the most part, a hardwood customer will stay a hardwood cus-

Feature Story: 7 Flooring Trends You Need to Know

DO MORE IN A DAY WITH RIGIDSTACK We re-manufacture LP® SmartSide® into a hidden fastener siding system that offers a more efficient installation.

22% FASTER INSTALL Time studies show that RigidStack™ lap siding built on LP® SmartSide® with its heavy duty spline installs up to 22% faster than standard 16' lap.

The end result is a flawless finished product that can be enjoyed for years to come.

Available in 30 pre-finished Diamond Kote® colors with a custom color option backed by a 30-Year No Fade Warranty.

375% STRONGER Pull tests show it takes 70 pounds to pull RigidStack™ away from the wall compared to traditional blind nailed lap siding.

Learn more about the full product line at dkprefinish.com Visit CanWel for distribution information at canwel.com

Colour

INSPIRATION Add some colour to your life and be inspired with Castlegard indoor and outdoor paints and stains.

Castlegard products can be found exclusively at your local Castle Building Centres location.

For Castle locations go to castle.ca

24

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Photo courtesy of Shnier

tomer,” Tramble says. Likewise, if your client is especially keen on natural stone flooring, he or she probably will not be swayed to buy stone-look porcelain instead.

7. Floors Crawl Up the Walls

SIDE NOTE

For years, people have painted or wallpapered particular walls to bring depth and visual interest to their living rooms, dining rooms and dens. Now, people are using flooring products to make accent walls pop. By affixing planks or tiles that match or complement the material installed on the horizontal, people transform their vertical accents into stunning statements.

In conclusion, the flooring market is changing fast to keep up with consumer demands for choice and value. It can be hard for contractors to stay informed about all the options.

Hopefully, this article and future stories along the same lines will go some way toward helping you navigate the market, serve your customers and grow your business.

Find the right flooring for your next project If you are not sure which flooring option would work best for your client’s home, check out the Floor Finder tool by Armstrong. (http://bit.ly/29sY7Gf) This online app asks five simple questions to help you choose the best material for the project. The program considers the type of room or rooms involved and the level of foot traffic. Then it presents different styles of flooring and asks which one you like best. Next, you can specify that a professional will be installing the floor and choose the budget level. Then the software makes its recommendation. For instance, if you are working with a moderate budget for a basement that sees medium traffic, consider laminate, vinyl sheets or luxury vinyl, which can mimic natural stone. Many other flooring providers offer similar tools for their product lines. This tool only suggests products in Armstrong’s portfolio, so it certainly does not take into account every type of flooring material on the market. Carpet, for one, is not an option. Nonetheless, it can help you narrow things down for a job when you know your client wants a hard-surfaced floor.

Feature Story: 7 Flooring Trends You Need to Know

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

25

THE CONVENIENCE OF SMARTKEY NOW ON YOUR JOBSITE

SUPERIOR SECURITY BUMP PROOF PICK RESISTANT

INTRODUCING SMARTKEY PADLOCKS With SmartKey, you can re-key your entire jobsite yourself or create key systems so all your storage lockers use the same key, for example.

BEST USED FOR:

SmartKey allows you to save time and money long term by changing the keys instead of locks. You can restore security in as little as 30 seconds should lost keys or employee turnover compromise your padlock system.

• Storage lockers

• Residential gates and fences • Sheds, workshops and garages • Tool chests and tool boxes • Trucks and trailers

AN

50mm padlock available in two shackle heights

26

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

1 1/8”

2”

9GPL0260-001

9GPL0260-002

T I - TA R N I S H &

Lifetime Warranty ME

CHANICAL

On the Jobsite

5 Tips to Prevent Jobsite Theft Written by Teresa Christine Managing Editor, Castle Publications

Jobsite theft is on the rise and recent statistics show that construction jobsite theft costs the industry millions of dollars each year. Professional contractors require an arsenal of tools and equipment necessary to complete projects and keep the job moving, many being left onsite for easy daily access. If equipment goes missing or is stolen from the site, the result is not only costly but can ultimately impact completion dates. It is estimated that the vast majority of equipment thefts occur after hours Friday through Monday morning.

Implementing a few easy security and safety protocols

On the Jobsite

can help to reduce and eliminate the threat of jobsite theft as well as vandalism.

Keep Equipment and Tools in a Safe and Secure Location Sounds like a no-brainer, right. However, this is one of the most common oversights that leads to jobsite theft.

If you cannot take home with you, investing in proper storage boxes equipped with commercial grade lock systems such as Weiser padlocks can significantly reduce the risk.

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

27

Document it!

Fence it In

Recording the product description and serial numbers for equipment for insurance purposes is important and will assist in faster replacement should something go missing.

Including a fence or guardrail as barrier protection will also deter thieves from your site making it more difficult for them to remove equipment from the site during a burglary.

Photograph it!

Video Surveillance

Cell phones are not just for selfies! These days everyone has a phone with a great camera so be sure to give your tools as much photo love as you give yourself. Photograph equipment and serial numbers just in case you ever need them.

Whether your site is equipment with 24-hour video surveillance or not, signage indicating that there is someone watching at all times will deter thieves from hitting up your site.

Security Lighting

Use these and other tips to help keep your projects safe and theft-free.

Burglars don’t want to be seen or recognized so for short and long-term projects its wise to invest in proper security or sensor lighting making it more difficult for thieves to execute an after hours jobsite robbery without being noticed.

28

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

On the Jobsite

THE HEART & HUB OF THE HOME Lifestyle & Living Key in Today's New Kitchen & Bath Design Trends Written by David Chilton Saggers

30

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Feature Story: The Heart & Hub of the Home

Photo courtesy of Cabinetsmith

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

31

Early adopters have said goodbye forever to landline telephones. They have ditched their TV sets and watch television on their computer screens.

They may have even uncoupled their cable or satellite connections and stream what they want to see using a subscriber service such as Netflix.

There can be little doubt that what the early adopters are doing the rest of us will be doing not long from now. Still, there are some items that no household can do without, and of course they are found in the kitchen, the room that has become the beating heart of most homes these days.

Given their status as must-haves, some may question if these appliances are subject to trends in colour and design, or whether they are showing any innovation beyond what is required by the usual rules and regulations that govern such matters. The simple answer is yes, the fridge, the stove, the microwave, and the washer and dryer, which are usually found in basements but which can be squeezed into the

larger kitchen, are affected by fashion and by technology that comes from the farther reaches of research and development.

Tony Gallon, Regional Sales Manager at MC Commercial in Calgary, uses the refrigerator as an example of the sorts of change found or coming to today’s and tomorrow’s kitchen. He says in the 1970s the average fridge used 1,726 kilowatts of power a year, today that figure has dropped to less than 500 kilowatts a year with a corresponding fall in prices. So any fridge, irrespective of its colour or design is going to be an energy miser compared with its counterpart of 40 years ago.

“We’re going to see the consistent development of appliances using less energy and less water,” he says. “That is usually driven by the Department of Energy’s standards.”

Still with the fridge, Gallon says the size of refrigerators for the most part has remained the standard, 30”, 33” or 36” wide, but what has changed is the usable space that they offer. “We’re

finding today, with new insulation and new shelving techniques, etcetera, we’re able to take that same basic footprint and get more usable interior space,” says Gallon. Another change is the fridge that has its freezer at the bottom of the appliance rather than at the top, he explains, and a further change is what are called “French doors”, a pair of doors designed to give easier access.

Another change, and this is an example of leading edge innovation, is one of General Electric’s Café Series refrigerators. They have French doors, and on one side of them there is an ice and water dispenser, and on the other there is a Keurig K-Cup Brewing System module that makes the householder a cup of coffee. “It is ridiculously popular right now,” says Gallon.

The room housing these appliances, and such other introductions such as the wall oven, and convection and induction heated stoves, is also undergoing some changes. Stephanie Brown, Barrie, ON - based Sales Manager for Cabinetsmith, says there

Photo courtesy of Kate Dickson Design

32

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Feature Story: The Heart & Hub of the Home

For more than thirty years, DuPont™ Tyvek® has set the performance standard and today it protects millions of homes in North America.

Our weather barriers are made using a unique process that fuses polyethylene fibers into a strong uniform web structure that provides superior air and water hold-out while letting moisture escape. Whether you’re building a new home, or residing or remodeling an existing one, insist on DuPont™ Tyvek® for superior weather protection.

The difference is DuPont™ Tyvek®

Copyright © 2016 DuPont. The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™ and Tyvek® are trademarks or registered trademarks of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates. All rights reserved.

34

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Photo courtesy of Mabe

is a move away from wood to more sustainable materials for cabinetry, including her own firm’s Impression series doors that have a paper-based laminate wrapped around an MDF core. It does not off-gas, says Brown, and has a permanent anti-microbial surface. It is also dimensionally stable, which means it does not expand or contract when exposed to moisture, heat or cold. What is also exceptional about the Impression series is that the laminate can be embossed using technology borrowed from the laminate flooring sector, Brown continues, so that laminate-MDF product looks and feels just like real wood but sells at a mid-range price. That lookalike wood, incidentally, is likely to be maple, as Brown says for the last several years it has been the most popular choice.

Feature Story: The Heart & Hub of the Home

Glen Dobson, Business Development Manager at Euro-Rite Cabinets in Pit Meadows, B.C. agrees. He says among real woods maple is still the number one choice with birch another popular selection. For cabinetry that is painted rather than stained, Dobson says white remains the firm colour favourite whether for the kitchen or bathroom, although variations of grey are taking off. Simple lines are also what customers want, he continues, and more and more of them want more and more space-saving options such as pullout drawers. Yet for all the contemporary lines of some items, Dobson says some traditional fixtures are making a comeback. He says he is seeing more dark, oil-brushed finishes and the apron sink, sometimes known as the “farm sink” is making a return,

and stone, such as quartz, is growing in popularity. However, Dobson says one of the biggest changes is in one of the less considered areas of kitchens and bathrooms: lighting. “Part of the design style (changes) is vanity lighting, the kind of lighting that lights the floor under the vanity. We’ve come so far with the LED lights that you can put them in those places. You’re seeing lighting under countertops as well, and it almost glows like a blue-green.”

Both John Pearce and Kate Dickson have also noted another trend in bathroom design. Pearce, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at Mirolin in Toronto, says the popularity of the whirlpool tub has declined, and the freestanding tub has taken over from the corner tub. Dickson, Principal at Kate Dickson Design in Toronto,

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

35

agrees, adding that “a standalone tub is a great way to bring a piece of art into the bathroom.” Acrylic remains the most popular material, whether for tubs or the walk-in showers more and more Canadians are asking for, Dickson continues. As for cabinetry, she says wood and white remain the most popular material and colour for bathrooms and kitchens. Interestingly, Dickson goes on to say, she is seeing more dual-colour cabinets: the top half

is usually white or a light colour and the bottom half something darker.

As for the ever-increasing cost of property in Canada’s major urban centres, and the ever-smaller condos and houses being built influencing kitchen and bathroom design, Dickson says it may happen but she hasn’t seen it yet, and in any event Canadians still want bigger and bigger kitchens, she points out. Pearce has similar views. “The cost of real estate has far

outstripped the cost of (kitchen and bathroom) product,” he says. As for the future, everyone is predicting that new and better synthetics will grow in popularity. There is the Impression series embossed laminate now used for cabinetry, for example, and repurposed natural materials have also made an appearance. Dickson says she has seen porcelain and ceramic tiles treated so they become a marble lookalike.

Photo courtesy of Mirolin Industries

36

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Feature Story: The Heart & Hub of the Home

FOR OVER 100 YEARS

Introduces: THE BP WEATHER-TITE™ ROOFING SYSTEM WARRANTY, A FIRST ON THE MARKET !

Find out more about the additional coverage you benefit from, when opting for the BP Weather-Tite™ Roofing System.

The best roofing system deserves the best warranty! bpcan.com CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

37

METRIE EVERY ROOM TELLS A STORY ™

BUILDER & DESIGNER CHALLENGE

CAST YOUR

VOTE THREE ADDITIONAL WINNERS WILL BE SELECTED BY POPULAR VOTE.

WINNERS RECEIVE: $1,000 cash prize, trip for two to IBS 2017, and Then & Now Finishing Collections™ room build reimbursement.

Tell us your Metrie story and it could be worth over $25,000 in cash, promotions and more.

VOTING BEGINS OCTOBER 7TH

Welcome to the Metrie™ Every Room Tells A Story—2016 Builder/Designer Challenge! This is your opportunity to show the industry your world-class design skills by creating and building a room featuring Metrie’s Then & Now Finishing Collections™ and claim your chance to win.

GRAND PRIZE: •

$10,000 Cash

•

$12,500 Metrie Marketing package

•

A trip for two to the 2017 International Builders’ Show in Orlando, FL ($4,000 value)

•

Reimbursement of Then & Now Finishing Collections™ products used in your feature room

SHARE YOUR STORY AS IT UNFOLDS

#MYMETRIESTORY

F I N I S H I N G C O L L E C T I O N S™

METRIE.COM/ CHALLENGE

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Purchasing does not improve your chances of winning. The Every Room Tells A Story – 2016 Builder/Designer Challenge is open to legal residents of the 50 United States (excluding ND), D.C., and Canada, who for US residents are age 18 or older at time of entry, and for Canadian residents are above the age of majority in the province or territory in which they reside at the time of entry who are currently employed as a professional builders, interior designer, architect, installer, or a remodeler. Void outside the U.S., and Canada, in Puerto Rico, and wherever else prohibited by law. Sweepstakes begins at 12:00:01 AM ET on 1/19/16 and ends at 11:59:59 PM ET on 9/30/16.

For entry details and Official Rules, see www.metrie.com/challenge. Sponsor: Metrie, Inc. 38 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016 CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE Supplier Spotlight

Supplier Spotlight

Metrie Since our beginnings as a small family-owned busines in 1926, we have expanded our offering, honed our craft and cultivated a passion for design and innovation. Our dedication to creating high-quality, finely crafted architectural elements has helped us grow to become the largest supplier and manufacturer of solid wood and composite moulding in North America. Today, we offer something you can't find anywhere else: complete collections of interior furnishing's, from crowns to IkonsTM to superior doors – each element perfectly coordinated and flawlessly proportioned. Style that lives at the intersection of timeless and modern, of Then and Now. www.metrie.com

Supplier Spotlight

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

39

A STAIRWAY TO PROFITS

Updating homeowners’ stairs and railings can be a solid business, and an excellent opportunity to showcase quality work.

Written by Lawrence Cummer

40

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Feature Story: A Stairway to Profits

Photo courtesy of Alexandria Mouldings

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

41

It can be a complex job that may not be in the bailiwick of all contractors, but those who do it well may find updating homeowners’ stairs and railings to be a solid business, and an excellent opportunity to showcase their quality work.

“The remodelling of stairs is quite popular, but you don’t see a lot of people claiming to be experts in it,” says Scott Newman, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at NewRidge Refinishing Group, which pairs homeowners with expert contractors in hardwood flooring and stair remodelling. “There are a lot of contractors who build stairs and some guys just do railings, but they don’t do refinishing. That’s more specialized.”

He notes that by and large, most homeowners need to make modifications to their existing stairs, which is good business for NewRidge and its contractor partner. And it can be good business in general for contractors

who build an expertise in the area. He stresses, though, that it isn’t as easy as just adding stair refinishing to your portfolio and putting it on your card and website.

Details by Design As with anything, but even more so with stair remodelling, a keen eye for detail may be the most important tool in a contractor’s kit. Unlike other areas of building and even remodelling, the quality and workmanship of a staircase remodel is front and centre. “It all ends up being visual,” Newman notes.

To that end, his company works with specialists with an eye for finer details.

“If one wants to offer a premium service, they need to sometimes meet the expectations of particularly picky clients.”

A single error might be an incredibly small part of the larger job, but in the world of stair refinishing it can quickly

become the only thing the customer notices. “It might be a small little area, let’s say a $100 part of a large job, but it becomes worth $5,000 to the client.”

He says that the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), in which his business operates, is one that is renown in North America for a high-degree of customer expectation, pointing to the wealth of home improvement television programming that uses it as home base.

Donna Gerrits, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at Alexandria Moulding, agrees with how important staircases are as a visual focus. “Think about it, for most homes they’re right in the front entry.”

Still, ironically, Gerrits notes that the stairway itself is too often the last area considered when updating the home.

She attributes this to how overwhelming the project seems to a homeowner—making it an area where expert contractors can reduce some anxiety.

Photo courtesy of New Ridge Finishing

42

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Feature Story: A Stairway to Profits

REVOLUTIONIZE YOUR STAIRS

ANTIQUE NICKEL

MAPLE

*Also available in Satin Black and Oak.

Choose Alexandria..

THE ONLY URBAN STAIR PARTS PROGRAM TO MEET BUILDING CODE

...to combine both style and safety in your home.

Alexandria Moulding's modern stair part collection combines wrought iron with natural hardwood, to create a cozy modern feel with an urban edge.

This complete program includes newels, half newels, balusters and handrail.

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

alexandriamoulding.com

•

43

Know Your Customer It might seem like simple advice, but Newman urges contractors performing stair remodelling to communicate well with, be transparent with, and get to know their customers, especially around expectations. As an extension of that, he adds that it’s important to incorporate those expectations into pricing, and even to remember to decline jobs where expectations don’t line up. “Is it going to take twice as long? You need to know and account for that.”

“If you don’t, you’re setting yourself up for a world of problems,” he said.

“You have to look at it like it’s an interview; you have to interview the client

as much as they are interviewing you.

Read the client, and if you can’t meet those expectations, know when and how to bow out.”

The best way to do that is, of course, to point out that stair refinishing isn’t your specialty. “The wrong client can mean not meeting expectations, which will damage your reputation and cost you future business.”

Remodelling Made Simpler For contractors looking to offer an easy solution to remodelling, on the other hand, Gerrits suggests looking to solutions like Alexandria Mouldings’ SimpleTread. This stair tread cap and riser system is designed to fit over the

existing staircase, cutting time and cost. It allows the stairs to be faced in high-quality oak or maple, for more traditional or modern looks, respectively.

“A lot of old staircases are carpeted and people want to go with wood, and this helps them do that,” Gerrits says.

“It’s faster and easier for contractors,” she adds, not just allowing staircase updates to be completed more quickly, but making it more viable for general contractors.

“There are a lot of contractors out there that would never even touch a staircase, particularly because there are a lot of companies out there specialized in that work. These products make it

Photo courtesy of Alexandria Mouldings

44

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Feature Story: A Stairway to Profits

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

45

a lot more feasible for contractors to include that as part of their offering.”

Changing Styles The only consistent thing about style is that it is ever changing. To that end, Gerrits and Newman see a few popular trends picking up steam with Canadian homeowners.

Modern or contemporary looks are displacing the traditional Victorian style, as homeowners look for luxury but without a lot of extra expense.

Relatedly, a painted two-tone staircase is becoming popular, Newman notes, since it allows the stringers—typically veneer and not hardwood—to be painted for added opulence without

being replaced.

As well as eschewing carpeting for hardwood, Gerrits suggests that homeowners are “getting away from your typical turned spindles, and going with square, wooden spindles and newels.”

Both Gerrits and Newman point to an increase in the popularity of wrought iron.

“A lot of people just want to replace part of the railings,” Newman says.

“Usually it’s going from wood to metal, and in some cases from metal to wood.

Wrought iron is—I don’t want to say making a comeback—but it has been more predominant lately in a lot of our jobs.”

Over the past year or two years, he

has noted an uptick in request for glass railings, while still not a common request. Gerrits points to the glass railing in her own modern home, but also in general. “We’re starting to see more of it.”

Generally floors and staircases should be styled to match, and, in the same way mouldings and paints will tie rooms together stylistically, the stairs should tie together floors aesthetically. Armed with the detail-oriented skills, diligence in client focus and knowledge of popular styles and trends, today’s contractors can take a homeowner’s dream stairway upgrade even higher.

Photo courtesy of New Ridge Finishing

46

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Feature Story: A Stairway to Profits

48

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Product Platform

PRODUCT PLATFORM

Latest & greatest products available at local Castle Building Centres

NEW Cordless Reciprocating Saws From Makita Two Models Available • 18V LXT™ DJR187Z

Uses Single 18V LXT™ Lithium Ion Battery • 18Vx2™ LXT™ DJR360Z

Uses Two 18V LXT™ Lithium Ion Batteries To Deliver 36V Of Power

Both New Models Feature Innovative And Industry Leading Technology To Deliver Extreme Power And Durability • Makita Brushless Motor For Longer Run Time And Improved Performance • Newly Designed Vertical Crank Mechanism Delivers Upto Twice The Cutting Speed Of Previous Models And Reduced Vibration • Industry Exclusive XPT™ (Extreme Protection Technology) Protects The Tool From Water, Dust And Debris • Electronic Variable Two Speed Control With Large Switch Trigger And Soft Rubber Grip • Toolless Blade Change And Toolless Shoe Adjustment • LED Job Light For Working In Low Light Environments • Electric Brake For Safety Visit makita.ca For More Information Makita. Tools That Work.

Product Platform

18V LXT™ DJR187Z

18Vx2™ LXT™ DJR360Z

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

49

Set Your Sites on Siteline™ For builders who value timeless elegance and craftsmanship, JELD-WEN’s ENERGY STAR award-winning Siteline wood windows and patio doors are beyond compare. Crafted to be reliable and energy-efficient, each Siteline wood product is made with pine AuraLast® wood – the wood that does not rot. Backed by a limited lifetime warranty, JELD-WEN’s Siteline collection exhibits your commitment to offering nothing but the best for your building projects.

2016

For more information, or to find a JELD-WEN dealer, visit: JELD-WEN Windows & Doors Canada www.jeld-wen.ca

50

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

Manufacturer of the Year Windows and Doors

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Product Platform

Put our

EXPERTISE to work.

With endless design options, helping homeowners find the ideal features to get the most value out of their renovation budget is easier than ever.

Attractive window shapes for architectural symmetry.

2016

Stylish grilles for increased curb appeal.

Manufacturer of the Year Windows and Doors

There is a reason JELD-WEN is the go-to brand for so many experienced professionals.

Visit your local Castle Building Centre to get started on your next project.

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

51

52

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Great Kitchen & Bath Products from Spectrum Brands Pfister Shower Panels and Slidebars Pfister is introducing a new way for homeowners to give their showers a facelift with new shower panels and slidebars. The products that practically anyone can install can give a bathroom a whole new look with added functionality.

Drill-less Pfister Slidebars can convert a shower with one showerhead into a dual functioning shower with a multi-function showerhead and a handheld showerhead. The larger thermostatic Pfister Shower Panels install on the shower wall and provide up to five shower functions to turn your morning shower into a spa-like experience.

REACT touch-free kitchen faucet stays clean even when you’re not Toronto - Make your kitchen cleaner, healthier and more convenient with Pfister’s new REACT Touch-Free Kitchen Faucet. The faucet, activates when your hand or an object passes within its sensor range. The water temperature can be set, and reset, however many times you like and the faucet can still be controlled the old-fashioned way – with its handle.

If your faucet does need a clean up, however, you can activate the Hibernate mode by placing your hand in front of the sensor for five seconds. This turns the faucet’s sensor off so you can give it a good scrubbing. To turn it back on, just hold your hand over the sensor again for five seconds.

The REACT faucet also features a pull down spout with an extra long hose so you can wash large pots and pans easier and reach all of the areas in your sink.

The faucet was engineered so just about anyone can install it too. In almost notime at all, you can have your old kitchen faucet out and the new REACT in it's place, ready for use.

Additional REACT faucet features include: • AccuDock™ advanced spray head docking system ensures a tight connection to the faucet spout.

• EZ Clean™ nozzles on the spray face enable removal of mineral buildup with a quick wipe, keeping the faucet looking new, longer.

• 1- to 4-hole configuration allows installation versatility.

For a quick kitchen refresh that gives a modern, home automation twist, the newREACT faucet is the perfect addition. Couple it with some new cabinet knobs, a splash of paint and maybe even a new backsplash and you’ve got a whole new look for a small price and small effort,” said Findlay.

To find out how easy it is to replace your old faucet with the Pfister REACT Selia, as well as some other faucet DIY tips, head over to Pfister’s YouTube page.

Product Platform

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

53

MAKE IT GREAT WITH GENTEK. As a leading manufacturer and distributor, Gentek offers an inspiring selection of premium sidings and decorative accessories that create exceptional results. We combine artistic vision and advanced technology with our nearly 50 years of industry expertise to provide beautiful products, superior quality and outstanding customer service.

From your simplest project to your greatest challenge, together we’ll make it great!

Expand your design options with beautiful replica-wood Sagiper vinyl panels, now available at Gentek Building Products. Suitable for a variety of interior and exterior applications, including soffits, the tongue-and-groove corrugated PVC planks are wrapped in a high-quality exterior vinyl coating that’s virtually maintenance-free.

1001 Corporate Drive 54

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

Burlington, ON L7L 5V5

Make us a part of your home.

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

INTERIOR EXTERIOR APPLICATIONS

• Applications include exterior cladding, soffits, covered decks, front veranda areas, interior ceilings (basements, bathrooms, coffered ceilings), interior walls and more • Highly durable and easy to clean – even graffiti is easily removed • Class A fire rating – CAN/UL S102.2 tested; less than 25 flame spread rating • Water absorption 0.04% – perfect for high humidity areas and near the coastline where sea-spray can cause corrosion to exterior metals and woods • Impenetrable to insects • Absorbs more than 97% UV radiation, increasing the longevity of the PVC core • Available in a wide array of colours; select colours will be stocked at the branches and the remaining colours will be special order – check your local branch for availability

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016 gentek.ca

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

55

THE VERSATEX® ADVANTAGE Instead of fitting together four individual pieces of cellular PVC in the eld, you can wrap smarter with VERSAWRAP one-piece column wraps. No more eld cutting and struggling to match up the seams.

VERSAWRAP is another innovation from VERSATEX that is designed to save time and money during installation while improving the nished look. The unique design of VERSAWRAP features a product cut with three pre-mitered grooves that fold around the structural wood post and lock together with a friction- t joint. The joints are interlocking with a unique design to allow for additional surface area when bonding. VERSAWRAP is easy to install — simply add glue in the joints, peel the protective tape off the corners and walk away.

VERSAWRAP is made from the same high-quality cellular PVC as our other VERSATEX products. Therefore, you can count on color consistency and spot-on tolerances, as well as a our 30-year transferable warranty.

56

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Product Platform

MAKE IT GREAT – WITH GENTEK. EL

E B R AT I N

C

50

G

As a leading manufacturer and distributor, Gentek offers an inspiring selection of premium sidings and decorative accessories that create exceptional results. We combine artistic vision and advanced technology with our 50 years of industry expertise to provide beautiful products, superior quality and outstanding customer service. From your simplest project to your greatest challenge, together we’ll make it great!

YEARS OF BUILDING PRODUCTS EXCELLENCE

SEQUOIA® SELECT ULTRA-PREMIUM VINYL SIDING • Low-gloss finish with natural cedargrain texture • 4 classic profiles and 28 colours for greater design options • Ultra-premium .046" panel thickness • Full-roll nailing hem and exclusive Advantage Lock™ system • Windload tested up to 407 km/h (253 mph)* • Lifetime limited, non-prorated, transferable warranty† with hail and fade protection

Ul t ra -Pre mi um V i ny l S i di ng *Windload performance may vary by profile design. †See printed warranty for complete details. Not all colours are available in all profiles.

INTERIOR EXTERIOR APPLICATIONS

SAGIPER PVC CLADDING

VERSETTA STONE

• Replica-wood vinyl panels let you achieve custom-crafted elegance • Applications include exterior cladding, soffits, covered decks, front veranda areas, interior ceilings (basements, bathrooms, coffered ceilings), interior walls and more • Tongue-and-groove corrugated PVC planks are wrapped in a high-quality exterior vinyl coating that’s virtually maintenance-free • Water absorption 0.04% – perfect for high humidity areas • Available in standard and special order colours

• Cast in molds and hand-coloured with iron oxide pigments to replicate natural stone shapes, textures and patterns • Achieves traditional stone masonry appeal without the extra cost and installation time • Panels install just like siding with interlocking tongue and groove • Ideal for exteriors, interiors,new construction and remodel projects • 50 year limited warranty – see printed warranty for details

1001 Corporate Drive Burlington, ON L7L 5V5 www.gentek.ca Make us a part of your home.

The beauty of stone, the simplicity of siding™

Island Dreams Written by Teresa Christine Managing Editor, Castle Publications

Mike and Pam James had a vision; to establish a full service home improvement centre and lumberyard in the picturesque town of Kensington, Prince Edward Island. Mike, who had already spent many years in the building materials industry, saw the right opportunity to make this vision a reality when he and Pam purchased Spring Valley Building Centre, the local Castle location where he was employed as the general manager. And so began their journey as retail store owners in the world of lumber, building materials and hardware and together they vowed to expand the store’s product offering and wide range of turnkey services.

A few years ago, Mike recognized

58

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

another potential growth opportunity in the nearby town of O’Leary where a local competitor of building materials and hardware, was looking to sell his business. Mike and Pam quickly jumped on the opportunity expanding their vision yet again to opening a second full service location offering the same great selection, service and knowledgeable staff as the flagship location in Kensington. Today, the vision continues to grow with the expansion of Spring Valley Building Centre by over 5,000 square feet as well as significantly increasing the warehouse space and expanding their staff to almost forty employees.

This Kensington home improvement

haven offers an impressive selection of products and national brands with an extensive array of services attracting both contractors as well as DIY and DIFM consumers, looking for a store that can handle their entire project.

Kitchen & Bath Renovations, Home Drafting and 3D Design, Window and Door Installs, as well as expanded paint and home décor department are some of the helpful home reno solutions that can be found in the expanded location.

Their commitment to providing customers with expert help and service at the highest level has earned them the distinct reputation for offering the best store experience however; they believe

Leaders in the Limelight

Leaders in the Limelight

that it’s their sense of community that keeps their customers coming back.

Spring Valley Building Centre and O’Leary Building Centre are strong supporters of a variety of local charities, organizations and sports teams including Prince County Hospital Foundation, Camp Triumph and the Boys and Girls Club, as well as many local sports teams.

Congratulations to Mike and Pam James; Castle is proud to be a part of your success story and is looking forward to your continued growth and success!

Leaders in the Limelight

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

59

LOOKS GOOD. WORKS HARDER.

Contemporary Series Cedar At Steel-Craft, we overengineer every part of our garage doors to ensure they work hard from the inside out. That’s because we know you want a door that doesn’t just look good – but performs even better.

Contemporary Industrial Series

Therm-O-Dor Series

Elite Series Walnut

Esteem Series Black

THE DOOR WITH MORE. For a complete list of products and specs, visit Steel-Craft.ca 60

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Tech Talk

Tech Talk

3 Website Tips to Better Serve Your Mobile Customers Written by Amber MacArthur Innovation & Technology Leader

More than 50% of traffic to top websites is now mobile, so chances are better than even that your customers are trying to get information, book appointments, make purchases, and more using their mobile phones or tablets. Just ask your web guy for a peek at your Google Analytics for your website and you'll likely see bigger numbers for mobile than your expected (though keep in mind that not having a mobile-friendly site will keep these numbers from being as large as they would otherwise be).

Here are a few essentials any organization needs to pay attention to if they're trying to capture mobile customers:

Have a Responsive / Mobile-Friendly Website It used to be that companies would have their normal, desktop-friendly websites and if they were really forward

Tech Talk

looking then they might have a dedicated mobile site as well. Thankfully you no longer need to have two separate sites to manage, instead you can use a single, "responsive" website. A responsive website is one that can tell if a visitor is on a mobile phone, desktop, or tablet and then display the website according to what would work best for that visitor.

If you think of your website as series of content boxes on each page (e.g. page intro text; an area listing blog posts; a signup form, etc.) then you can begin to understand how these boxes can be resized and shifted to be displayed optimally for a desktop (a big, wide screen) versus a mobile fine (a narrow, small screen in its usual orientation).

If you don't have a responsive website then you really should be planning to update your site sooner rather than later (which will also likely improve your Google search

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

61

results!), as you don't want to lose half your visitors simply because you haven't invested in serving them up a webpage that can be easily read on their phone (among other frustrations). To tell if you have a responsive website, go to your website on your desktop browser, grab the corner/edge of the browser window with your mouse, and then move the browser window from wide to very narrow. If the content on the page didn't change (e.g. images and text rearranged to better fit the width of the browser window) then you probably don't have a responsive website (check it on your mobile phone and you'll likely see that text is too small to read, etc.).

Simplify Your Content & Focus on What the Visitor Needs on Mobile As we all know, one of the biggest constraints of being on a mobile device is the screen size. And while shifting your content to display it at a more appropriate size and order is powerful, most websites would do well by also thinning out some extraneous content for mobile users. One of the really cool things about having a responsive site is that you can opt to have certain things are excluded on smaller screens.

So, for example, the big "hero" graphic sliders at the top of your page may go away or be replaced by a single image on mobile, or an embedded ad that's fine on desktop but gets in the way on mobile may be removed to provide a simpler and easier user experience.

There are many ways to approach this but one that my digital agency uses for some projects is to create the mobile website design first and then work up from those essentials to develop the tablet and desktop versions (again, it's all the same content that's used, but the responsive design decides whether certain content may be excluded or displayed dif-

62

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

ferently depending on the screen size). So, if you're looking to develop a new responsive website or to tune your existing responsive site, figure out what content a mobile visitor to your site really wants to see and then feel free to add in some extras when you get up to tablet or desktop size.

Make Links that Take Advantage of Mobile Making sure your website adapts images and text to display properly for the screen size your visitor is using is the first step, but there are lots of other things that can be done to improve the experience for mobile users. One of my favorites is so simple (and very easy to implement) that I'm really surprised I don't see it on more sites: telephone links. If you've ever looked at HTML code then you might have noticed that links are made using code containing "<a href=something>link_text</a>". All you need to do is include "tel:XXX-XXX-XXX" in that something placeholder in the code and you'll have a link that when clicked on mobile will launch the phone (or similar calling) app.

Note that the exact behavior varies from phone to phone but this little trick should work on most modern handsets and makes it that much easier for mobile users to call your business with a simple tap.

Just a note in closing that a non-responsive website can't easily be turned into a responsive one, so you're going to have to rebuild if you don't have a responsive site already (but if you do already have one then make sure you're following the second and third steps above). However you move forward, take this as an opportunity to start to better understand what your mobile website visitors really want and how you can give it to them, as there's just going to be more and more of them as time goes on.

Tech Talk

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

63

START PAINTING Castlegard has everything you need to start painting including a premium line quality paintware.

Whether professional or DIY Castlegard has the painting accessories you need to get the job done.

Exclusively at Castle Building Centres locations.

Visit www.castle.ca to find a Castle near you.

Design Talk Photo courtesy of Authenticity

Fall in Love with Paint Written by Teresa Christine Managing Editor, Castle Publications

The 2016 Trends chart by Laurentide Paint features the Authenticity palette of colours. This family of sumptuous colours will add character to any room.

It's a group of colours that celebrates the gift of nature, the soil that feeds us as well as the gourmet pleasures with colours such as Beet juice (5-47-6), Agen plum (5-40-7), Salmon spread (3-4-5), Garden soil (5-4-6), etc.

Homemade items continue to exert unprecedented appeal in kitchens, studios and workshops. The Authenticity collection perpetuates artisan tradi-

Design Talk

tions with colours intended to revisit the bounty and understated beauty of earth and nature. This engaging selection of nature-inspired hues blends seamlessly with metallic finishes and materials in their natural state.

Back to school means back to work for adults and kids alike. What better time to update your home office or study area to boost not only your decor, but your family’s productivity as well? That’s the message of leading brand SICO® paint in unveiling its fall 2016 palette.

“Fall is a time of new beginnings, and this season’s pick-me-up shades are perfect for infusing new life into work areas—from vibrant reds and blues, to greyish greens, sun-kissed yellows and classic black-and-white combinations,” said Geneviève Paiement, brand manager for Sico paint, a brand of PPG. Topping the list of the Sico paint brand’s coolest autumn colours are: Sockeye (6063-73) and Sun-dried Tomato (6057-85) reds, New Moon (6009-73) blue, Grand Piano (6210-83) black, Citrus (6098-54*) yellow,

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

65

Cool Current (6199-42) green, and Furtive Mauve (6175-21) and Grayish (6240-21) greys.

“The palette includes trending colours that match every taste. But when selecting hues for home offices or study areas, it’s important to also take into account the user’s personality and the type of work that will be done in the space before committing to a colour scheme,” Paiement said, explaining that colour choices may affect both a person’s mood and work performance.

For example, if you’re seeking stimulation, motivation or creativity, choose warm and cheerful hues such as reds and yellows, she explained.

If you’re easily distracted, she recommends surrounding yourself with soft, muted colours that promote concentration, such as grey-blue, grey-green, pale purple or beachy taupe. “For those in doubt, stick with green, the most popular and safest choice when it comes to painting a home office,” Paiement said, citing Zen Green (6168-73) as the Sico paint brand’s top green pick for a home office. “A deep green with a hint of grey, Zen Green promotes both a sense of calm and rejuvenation at once, delivering an excellent backdrop for thought development and productivity.”

Paiement offered this advice to refresh your work space with this season’s palette:

Mix It Up A home office or study area is a perfect place to have fun with colour.

Try using two or three paint colours to add interest. For smaller areas, stick with different shades of the same hue to infuse character while visually enlarging the space. Use painter’s tape to create patterns such as chevrons, stripes or squares on the wall to tie multiple colours together.

Go Beyond Walls Reserve vibrant colours for furniture and accessories to create a distinctive look for your work area. The edge of a bulletin board, a filing cabinet, desks or chairs can come to life with a fresh coat of paint. Use energetic colours, such as the Sico paint brand’s Citrus (6098-54*) yellow, in surprising ways – on alternating desk drawers, a lamp base or the back of a bookshelf, and even inside drawers and cabinets.

Maximize Space If your home office space is at a premium, use colour tricks to visually open up the area. Consider painting walls and trim the same colour. Painting

built-ins the same hue as the rest of the room will make the shelves appear as if they are floating. Another way to fool the eye and make the room look bigger is by painting the bottom half of the wall in a darker shade than the top half. If your office space is part of another room, paint your desk wall a standout colour and add an area rug to define the work area.

Match Your Style Choose paint colours according to the overall theme of your home office, including furniture. If your desk and accessories are modern, stick with grey tones – such as the Sico paint brand’s Furtive Mauve (6175-21) or Grayish (6240-21) – as well as whites and blacks, and accent the room with bursts of colour. If you prefer an antique or rustic feel, go with the season’s popular golden yellows, reds or brown sand tones to preserve their charm. Surround yourself with favourite keepsakes, such as books and art pieces, which can serve as inspiration and bring more colour to your space.

To view fall office colours by Sico paint, get design inspiration from top home decor bloggers, and use a leading-edge virtual tool to try the colours in your own – or sample – room settings, visit www.sico.ca.

Photo courtesy of SICO

66

SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016

CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE

Design Talk

sico.ca

Wall to Wall Confidence is a trademark of PPG Group of Companies. Sico is a registered trademark of the PPG Group of Companies.

Manor Hall and Sun Proof are registered trademarks of PPG Architectural Finishes, PPG Paints is a trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, CONTRACTOR ADVANTAGE SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016 67 Inc. © 2016 PPG Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

BUILT TO WORK. ENGINEERED TO SAVE.

*

MAXIMUM PRODUCTIVITY FOR YOUR BUSINESS. Tough. Dependable. Versatile. Not to mention winners of the 2015 Vincentric Best Fleet Value award. Any way you stack them up, the highly capable F-150, Super Duty and Transit Van are built to deliver. Find your perfect vehicle for any job today.

MEET THE TEAM BEHIND YOUR TEAM FORD.CA/BUILTFORBUSINESS Vehicles may be shown with optional features. *Based on Vincentric 2015 Canada Fleet awards analysis of the Full-Size ½-ton Pickup segment and the XL Reg Cab SWB 2WD configuration, Full-Size ¾-ton Pickup segment and the Super Duty XL Reg Cab 2WD configuration, Full-Size 1-ton Pickup segment and the Super Duty XL Reg Cab SRW 2WD configuration, Mini Passenger Commercial Van segment and the XL configuration, and the ½-ton Passenger Van segment and the XL Low Roof 130 WB configuration. ©2016 Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. All rights reserved.