BC Home + Garden Show – Ask the Experts
Speakers
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Mark Cooper, President, Shakespeare Homes & Renovations Inc.
On the North Shore in a family of artists, Mark found his interest after taking the construction course at Carson Graham high school in 1983, before graduating from the BCIT construction program. A journeyman carpenter and a home construction contractor for more than 25 years, Mark incorporated Shakespeare Homes in the early 1990’s.
As a long-standing member of the HAVAN, Mark is the Chairman of their Board, also serves as the Chair of its Renovation Council and is active in its seminars and training events. As well as mentoring newer construction companies and trades, he is supporting the school district’s on-site introduction to construction by hosting regular site-progress visits for grade 11-12 students. Mark also has a keen interest in building science and energy efficient techniques as a Built Green and ENERGY STAR certified builder.
For more information on Mark or his company, please visit Shakespeare Homes and Renovations.
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Greg Baarts, Owner, Grenor Homes
Greg comes from a family of home builders. He is the 4th generation in his family as a home builder, and has been involved in the industry since a young age. Greg is a member of the U40 committee with the Homebuilders Association. From renovation to new build, Greg and Grenor Homes help their clients to “build their vision” by working to create projects which are budgeted and managed effectively with the client’s best interest and goals in mind. For the past 3 years Grenor Homes has won service awards for customer experience and service in the industry, proving their dedication and ability to bring out the best in their client’s projects and develop lasting relationships.
For more information on Greg and his company, please visit Grenor Homes
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Steve Kemp, President & Owner of Kemp Construction
Steve is living his passion as President/Owner of Kemp Construction which he started in 2006. The company is an award winning residential custom home builder and renovation company committed to high performance construction. Steve has over 20 years experience in home building and has achieved a Platinum Built Green level in new home construction.
An industry innovator who understands tight labour markets and the new Step Code requirements, he has partnered with a BC company to bring high performance panellized wall systems to Western Canada.
Together with BASF, Steve is constructing wall systems that can perform from Step Code 1 to Step 5 and beyond. He is past Vice Chair of the HAVAN Renovation Council , member of the HAVAN Education/ Training Committee; HAVAN Technical Committee, HPSC for energy retrofit and renovations.
Steve is a Certified Builder, Renovator, Built Green member and is completing his Passive Home Certification.
For more information on Steve and his company, please visit Kemp Construction
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Sandro Stefanucci, CEO & President, Abstract Homes & Renovations
With a history of satisfied customers spanning 34 years, Sandro Stefanucci has earned a reputation as a meticulous and efficient contractor. Dedicated to the highest level of quality and customer satisfaction, Sandro is a hands-on multitasking powerhouse. Sandro’s passion for his clients and projects is reflected in the quality of his work and his portfolio of successful jobs. If you’re looking for the best detail-oriented, full-service contractor to manage your major home renovation or luxury dream home build – build it with Sandro, build it with Abstract.
For more information on Sandro and his company, please visit Abstract Homes & Renovations
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Elton Donald, Partner, Kerr Construction & Design
Elton Donald is a partner and long-time employee of Kerr Construction and Design. He began working for the company back in ‘91 as a labourer and worked his way up through the ranks to ownership in 2005. As a ticketed red seal journeyman with 20+ years of experience in the construction industry, Elton’s vast hands-on knowledge is essential to the growth and prosperity of the company. As the lead sales representative, he has been key in developing the Kerr Sales Process. When not at work, he enjoys family activities like ATVing, mountaineering, camping with his son and cheering his daughter on at swimming competitions.
For more information on Elton and his company, please visit Kerr Construction & Design
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Mila Djuras, Owner, Intermind Design
Mila Djuras is the principal of Intermind Design Inc, one of the most awarded Design-Build boutique companies in Greater Vancouver where every aspect of the project from architectural & interior design, management, quality and budget control are solely coordinated by the designer.
Unlike most traditional Design-Build companies that are run by contractors who hire out designers for preliminary work, this uniquely merged, integrated design/build process allows Intermind Design to approach every project holistically, creatively and with the highest degree of quality control.
This ensures that each tradesperson and subcontractor possess a clear and unified understanding of each aspect of the project. The highly skilled team at Intermind Design never shies away from challenges while collectively approaching obstacles resourcefully transforming them into opportunities of creating innovative environments.
Mila is a visionary whose creative direction yields distinctly one-of-a-kind spaces. Her unique and enigmatic personality along with the ability to have an open and transparent dialogue inspires her passion for building both, meaningful relationships with clients and personal yet timeless living and working environments.
With 20+ years of experience in the design/build realm and a growing number of awards and accolades for her work, Mila has successfully made a name for herself amongst a male dominated industry.
For more information on Mila and her company, please visit Intermind Design Inc.
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Henri Belisle, President, TQ Construction Ltd.
Henri Belisle is the President of TQ Construction, a family operated business founded over 3 decades ago by his father Ralph Belisle, who beyond his wildest dreams, grew the business on firm handshakes and knocking doors — building TQ from nothing into a nationally acclaimed company.
Under Henri’s sustainable leadership, TQ Construction continues to evolve as an innovative and progressive design-build firm that bends to stand the test of time; an industry leader known for top quality craftsmanship and uncommon service. Long before achieving his Red Seal in Carpentry at BCIT, Henri worked alongside his family in construction as a kid and developed an affinity for the design-build sector. He knows that anything is possible if you have the right people around you, with everyone pulling in the same direction.
Henri is a Director of the HAVAN Board, Vice-Chair of the HAVAN RenoCouncil, past Chair of HAVAN’s U40 Committee, and an enthusiastic volunteer and liaison to the Association.
For more information on Henri and his company, please visit TQ Construction Ltd.
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Robert Capar, President, maison d’etre design-build inc.
Robert Capar is the owner of maison d’etre design-build inc. – a Vancouver company with over 20 years experience in residential design and renovation. maison d’etre’s continual commitment to innovative and timeless design-build projects has been recognized with provincial Georgie Awards and GVHBA OVATION awards.
Rob is the past President of the Canadian Home Builders Association BC and a Certified Housing Professional and Certified Renovation Professional. He is also an instructor at Langara Community College teaching Home Renovation Planning.
For more information on Rob and his company, please visit maison d’etre design-build inc.
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Katerina Vastardis & Silvie Pantsios, Owners, Designs by KS
Together as a team, we bring dream projects to life. From renovations to new construction, our focus is in the home; kitchen and bath. With a passion for organizing spaces while keeping functionality in mind, we design stunning rooms for all budgets. With our clients’ lifestyle taken into consideration, we specialize in the design of cabinetry for any room of the home to store all the practical items, while also displaying some of the pretty ones too!
Selecting materials and finishes, project managing, and over 10 years of design expertise, is what you can expect while working with Designs by Katerina & Silvie.
For more information on Katerina & Silvie and their company, please visit Designs by KS
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Chris Hill, President, B Collective Homes Inc.
Chris is the President of B Collective Homes, a Vancouver based residential construction company, he is a Certified Professional Accountant, (CPA, CMA), Master Resident Builder (CHBA), Passive House Tradesperson and Passive House Canada Board Member.
With a passion for construction, specifically innovation and disruption that provides healthy sustainable living environments, Chris is committed to promoting and building high performance projects.
For more information on Chris and his company, please visit B Collective Homes Inc.
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Matt Herbert, General Manager, Sherwood Outdoor Kitchens
Matt was born in Nottingham, England where at the age of 18, he completed a kitchen design apprenticeship. After completing his apprenticeship, Matt combined his passion for travel and design when he moved to Australia and then Canada as the Sales Manager for Cosentino Sydney and Vancouver respectively. As Sales Manager, Matt was tasked with setting up Consentio’s sales center’s in each city and ensuring that clients were receiving the highest quality customer service.
After arriving in Vancouver, Matt was immediately struck by the natural beauty of the city and how much Vancouverites enjoy spending time outside. Inspired by this west coast attitude, Matt recognized the opportunity to utilize his years of experience in both interior kitchen design and customer service to found Sherwood Outdoor Kitchens in 2017. Since 2017, Matt has created multiple award-winning designs and is recognized as one of the leading outdoor kitchen specialists in North America.
For more information on Matt and his company, please visit Sherwood Outdoor Kitchens.
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Laurel James, Director & Principal Designer , Novell Design Build
Co-owner of Novell Design Build, Laurel brings extensive professional expertise in home design, building technology and construction management, with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Laurel holds a Bachelor of Interior Design from the Faculty of Architecture, University of Manitoba, and is a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professional. She is the current Chair of the HAVAN Women’s Council, and has served as Director & Principal Designer at Novell Design Build since 2005. Laurel is a creative thinker, effective facilitator and an industry leader, passionate about thoughtful design solutions at home, interested in raising the bar and pushing boundaries within the home building industry.
For more information on Laurel or her company, please visit Novell Design Build
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Matthew Senf, Principal, Sasen Homes & Renovations
Matt started on the construction site as a labourer and filled every position possible until successfully completing his formal training as a Red Seal Journeyman in 1999. In 2003 he took a sabbatical from building to pursue his postgraduate studies in Theology. After receiving his M.Div, marrying his beloved Rosie and starting a family, he returned to the trade and Sasen was born. After years of honing technical skills, building a rock solid team, setting up superior quality control, management, and financial tracking systems Matt now spends all of his time bettering the process’ and products that Sasen is known for.
In his down time, Matthew devotes time to his community, family and carpentry projects. Matthew is an active member of HAVAN (Homebuilders Association Vancouver, where he sits on the marketing and communications committee) and has experience speaking on industry related topics such as team building and corporate culture and heritage restoration.
For more information on Matthew and his company, please visit Sasen Homes & Renovations
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Todd Best, Owner, Best Builders
Construction has always been instrumental in Todd’s life. Starting at a young age, each summer was spent on-site working for this father, Garry Best, who did commercial builds. Todd’s passion for building was evident early in life and he never doubted that one day he was going to own his own company. In 1994, Todd acquired his Red Seal in carpentry, and by the age of 27 had started Garry Best Design and Construction, which would later be shortened to Best Builders Ltd. In his spare time, Todd enjoys trips to Disneyland with his family and doing work on his hobby farm in Delta.
For more information on Todd and his company, please visit Best Builders
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David Martin, Renovation Engineer, RSC Renovation Science
Hello! I’m David Martin with Renovation Science and I love to fix things. I grew up playing with Meccano, model railroads, and helping my dad with repairs around the house. I studied mechanical engineering and worked for a few years in the corporate world of automotive design before deciding that I preferred the independence of entrepreneurship.
After renovating a couple of houses for resale, I became a residential renovation contractor in 2008. An interest in the technical side of things led me to a Masters Degree in Building Science in 2015. Renovation Science was founded that same year, with the goal of providing a high-quality renovation experience to Metro-Vancouver house and condo owners. The art and science of renovations is about more than just achieving a picture perfect end result. Truly understanding what the homeowner wants and working through the entire process from concept to completion in a smooth and comfortable manner is equally important to me.
For more information on David or his company, please visit RSC Renovation Science Corp.
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Andrew D. Delmonico, Partner, Kuhn LLP
Andrew is a partner with Kuhn LLP. He has experience representing clients in a variety of litigation matters before the Provincial Court, Supreme Court, and Court of Appeal of British Columbia. Andrew’s practice is primarily focused on business litigation, and he has assisted clients in resolving a broad range of issues, including those relating to contracts, construction, builders’ liens, employment, debt collection, and shareholder and partnership disputes. Andrew also assists clients in preparing and revising contracts, including drafting and advising on construction contracts and contracts of employment.
Andrew has regularly written articles for publication in the field of construction law. Andrew volunteers his time as a Board Member with the Homebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN) and is an instructor for the Construction Law course provided through the Canadian Home Builders’ Association of British Columbia.
Andrew lives in Abbotsford with his wife and children.
For more information on Andrew or his company, please visit Kuhn LLP.
