Episode 43: Build Smartr
Harv Sidhu of Build Smartr shares his insights on the benefits of building steel-framed homes, and Build a Box, a plug ‘n play one-room solution for added space.
DetailsGENTLE DENSITY …
We need to find ways to enhance flexibility and choices, to encourage innovative and creative solutions, and not to reach into the “old bag” of compounding and conflicting regulations as…
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Episode 42: Bryan Baeumler – Value Working With the Pros
Special Guest Bryan Baeumler of Baeumler Approved and HGTV fame, along with Graeme Huguet of My House Design Build Team join Mike and Jennifer-Lee in the studio to talk about the value of working with the professionals.
DetailsNIGHT OF NIGHTS …
The 14th annual HAVAN Awards for Housing Excellence gala took place on Saturday night, April 22 at the JW Marriot Parq Hotel in Vancouver, with 550 guests in attendance to…
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Episode 41: Net Zero Ready Townhomes
Exploring the future of townhomes and the challenges faced by industry building with a smaller footprint, for the benefit of the homeowner and future generations, Jonathan Meads of Streetside Developments shares lessons learned.
DetailsREALIZING RESULTS …
The Province, on Monday, April 3, announced the Homes for People initiative that is focused directly on producing housing for the “missing middle” and includes the concept of extending province-wide…
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Episode 40: Infill Homes
Naikoon Contracting and One Seed Architecture + Interiors tackle Vancouver’s missing middle housing with a stratified Passivhaus+ duplex project including two lock-off suites, as a smart in-fill solution.
DetailsFEDERAL BUDGET GIVETH … TAKES … OR DOES NOTHING
The federal government tabled its 2023 budget last week and in many ways, it was characterized as a relatively light budget seeking to provide some relief for Canadians challenged by…
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Episode 39: Small Houses
Jake Fry of Smallworks talks with Jennifer-Lee and Mike about the concept of attainable housing for the missing middle and building thriving modern-day communities, suggesting we keep an open mind to solutions and focus on sophisticated conversations, versus complicated ones.
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Episode 38: BOSS Building Solutions
Faced with a housing crisis, rising building costs, labour shortages, and the need to reduce the footprint of how we build our homes, Chris Hill of BCollective talks us through the BOSS system.
DetailsHURRY UP AND WAIT …
It was widely reported last week that for the first time in this country’s history, our population grew by over 1 million people, year over year in 2022. International migration…
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Episode 37: Iceberg Homes
Faced with limited land and soaring real estate prices, homeowners are digging deeper for solutions. Father and son duo, John and Jeff Gunson, of Euro Canadian Construction, share the process of building iceberg homes in Vancouver.
DetailsMORE BILLIONS HERE, AND BILLIONS THERE …
Following up on the last Federal budget on Friday, March 17, Prime Minister Trudeau announced the launch of the $4 billion Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) directed toward funding local governments…
DetailsThey Will Come – Now We Have to Build It …
It has been extensively reported that the immigration targets set by the federal government will require effectively doubling housing starts, and it has to start now. The number of newcomers…
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Episode 36: High Performance Trends
Shedding light on high-performance building trends, Eric Lee of VictorEric Design+Build shares insight on the latest in AI technology including electrochromic windows, and the importance of a design-solving client-goal approach when building a high-performance home.
DetailsA Billion Here, a Billion There …
… pretty soon it starts to add up to real money! On Tuesday last week, Finance Minister Katrine Conroy presented the 2023 BC budget, the first budget under new Premier David…
DetailsWINNERS WINNERS …
Last week was Family Day with no MMB, and the week prior I was away in Banff, Alberta, attending CHBA National Home Building Week 2023, from Sunday, February 12, to…
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Top Ten Small Kitchen Ideas and Design Tips
Designing a dream kitchen in a small space can be a challenge, but with the right inspiration and design tips, you can create a functional and stylish kitchen that works…
DetailsLEVERAGING YOUR MEMBERSHIP
Byline: Dawn Sondergaard, Senior Director, Marketing Communications, first published in the HAVAN Monday Morning Briefing Members-only email, February 13, 2023 Ron is in Banff AB this week at CHBA National…
DetailsFINDING ROOM FOR THE MISSING MIDDLE
Byline: Ron Rapp, HAVAN CEO, first published in the HAVAN Monday Morning Briefing Members-only email, February 6, 2023 Connect with Ron on Twitter @havan_ceo Last week, City of Vancouver staff…
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Award-winning Basement Renovations and Ideas
Basements are often overlooked when it comes to home renovations, but they have the potential to be some of the most versatile and functional spaces in a house. With a…
DetailsRECKLESS OPTIMISM OR REALISTIC?
Guest Byline: Diana Dilworth, HAVAN Director, Government Relations, first published in the HAVAN Monday Morning Briefing Members-only email, January 23, 2023 Connect with Diana on Twitter @DianaDilworth This past week…
DetailsSTEPPING UP …
Updated January 23, 2023 MMB CORRECTION In last week’s MMB we highlighted changes coming forward with the adoption of Step Code into the BCBC and spoke of mandating Step 3…
DetailsA NEW YEAR …
Byline: Ron Rapp, HAVAN CEO, first published in the HAVAN Monday Morning Briefing Members-only email, January 9, 2023 Connect with Ron on Twitter @havan_ceo Happy New Year to all and…
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Real Numbers $$
Budgets keep it real, and the Burdens get real in this final episode discussing their finance strategies, with mortgage broker, Alisa Aragon-Lloyd of Bridgestone Financing Pros.
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Deficiency Walkthrough
Whether building, renovating or designing, it’s all in the details. Take a walk with the Burdens as they get their final walkthrough with Cara from Triple Dot Design, and Alex from Level One Construction.
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Finishing Details
The excitement is building as the Burdens peek upstairs and can see the essence of their 1920’s heritage home coming to life! Colour selections, appliances, and final details are revealed, including a final, unexpected hiccup with a subtrade.
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Walls, Floors & Millwork
Planning on paper does not always translate into the real world. Will the Burdens’ wish list be realized? What must to be cut to stay within budget? Tune in for design and building solutions as the project comes to life!
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Rough Ins & Permits
Emotions are waning and the dishes are piling up in the basement. Getting to the rough-in stage and pass permitting takes some muscle and perseverance. Do the Burdens have what it takes to see this through?
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BRANDING YOUR CONSTRUCTION SITE
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT, AND HOW TO DO IT Guest Blogger: Joanna Bieda, Director of Marketing and Communications, Modu-Loc Fence Rentals October 19, 2022 Editor’s note: this blog post was originally…
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Project Planning
The design plans require adjustments out of the gate, to work within the budget, accommodate engineering requirements, and to enable the Burdens to live in the basement. Can this project be realized?
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Meet the Burdens
Meet the Burdens. A young family, looking to build their forever home. This is not their first rodeo, but it is their first time working with professionals. And their heritage B renovation story features drama and heart.
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OUTDOOR LIVING
Connecting the outdoors to your indoor living space has natural health benefits for your family. Huckleberry Landscape Design shares strategies to create the best outdoor living space including plant selection to temper outdoor heat islands, and improve your indoor space too!
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RENO TRENDS: Room by Room
Enhancing the livability of our homes is a big passion for Laura Grist Interior Design and Jedan Brothers Contracting. Focused on exploring what’s possible within your budget, Laura and Dan explore partial renovation solutions and trends, noting the benefits of defining the construction budget first, followed by design solutions to stay on plan.
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Homeowners embrace smart home technology to fight against climate change
79 per cent of Canadian homeowners say they are familiar with smart home technology and 4 in 5 (78 per cent) believe smart home technology can reduce their bills by…
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WHITE – OUT!
2022 Kitchen Design Trends. Gone are the days of the ‘all-white’ kitchen. Natural elements were centre stage at the 2022 HAVAN Awards for Housing Excellence. This year’s winning kitchens reveal…
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WATER WORKS!
With an eye for design and a passion for globetrotting, Aleem Kassam, co-owner of Kalu Design Interiors walks us straight through his closet, and into the bathroom bursting with ideas to create a spa retreat to rival any 5-star hotel!
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ConEcon – Trusted Partners in Real Estate Development
ConEcon offers Quantity Surveying through cost management and loan monitoring, for 19 years we have successfully helped clients get the most from their investments. Why Partner with ConEcon Price…
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TAKE A BREATH
Award-winning master builder, and owner of Clay Construction, Larry Clay, and Luke Dolan, energy advisor of Capital Home Energy explore the choices we can make to improve the air quality in our homes for healthier living environments.
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SMART KITCHENS
Taking a nod from commercial chefs, award-winning Katerina Vastardis, co-owner of Designs by KS, explores how smart kitchen design can impact efficiencies and the wellness of your family too.
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HEALTHY RENOS
Renovating to higher performance levels with lifestyle benefits included requires thoughtful planning. Henri Belisle, president of TQ Construction and homeowner Dr Janet Simons discuss the planning process of a 1912 character home renovation.
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DESIGN BUILD TRENDS
Designing with purpose, and building above code are topics close to the heart of award-winning guests principal residential designer Khang Nguyen of Architrix Design Studio, and Joe Geluch, owner of Naikoon Contracting.
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BRIGHT IDEAS
Packed with bright ideas, Jordanna Nelson of Robinson Lighting & Bath shares insight on light in the home. Layers and dimmers are just some of the tips to help improve the atmosphere and how we function in the home.
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HEALTHY HOMES
What makes a home healthy, and why should we care? Brett Stenner, owner of CI Partners, and certified Well AP, walks through three key elements: water, air, and light.
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Renewable energy solutions for your home
FortisBC is a leading energy solutions provider in British Columbia (B.C.) and serves its approximately 1.2 million customers with natural gas, electricity, propane and renewable energy solutions, through around 56,000…
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How to Install a BLANCO VINTERA Undermount or Flushmount Kitchen Sink
This farmhouse sink collection boasts versatile installation capabilities and provides the option of using same-size cabinetry to simplify the installation process. BLANCO’s VINTERA farmhouse sink collection is a clean, contemporary…
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BLANCO’s VINTERA Collection in Coal Black
A Contemporary Upgrade to the Farmhouse Sink Looking for a modern solution to the classic farmhouse sink? BLANCO, a leading granite-composite sink manufacturer, is now offering the VINTERA farmhouse sink collection – a clean,…
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Anti-Theft Work Site Solutions
The skyrocketing cost of lumber is wreaking havoc on construction. Not only is it adding a significant cost increase to the builder and or end-user, it is also creating a…
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HOME CENTS
Bobby Purba of By Design Construction and Alisa Aragon-Lloyd of Bridgestone Financing Pros understand the power of building your team when you are looking to buy real estate in Metro Vancouver to build or renovate. Listen in as Mike and Jennifer-Lee of Measure Twice, Cut Once learn about the importance of having good people on your team, to make your property work for you and maximize one of the greatest investments in your lifetime, your home.
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SCOPE & COST
How much is my house going to cost me is the most common question asked of builders. Shira of DOS Design Group and Damian of Newcombe Wood Concepts and Construction suggest working from the top down. Establish your budget, then talk to your designer and builder to help determine your project to define your cost per square foot. Measure Twice, Cut Once co-hosts Jennifer-Lee and Mike tackle how to establish a cost per square foot.
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Predict the Winners for a Chance to Win!
Do you like viewing new homes, renovations, and design? You’re going to love playing this game! The doors are swinging wide open once again to showcase HAVAN’s Awards for Housing…
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Rebates up to $15,000 available through CleanBC Better Homes New Construction Program
The CleanBC Better Homes New Construction Program provides rebates of up to $15,000 for the construction of new, high-performance electric homes. It is open to builders constructing new Part 9…
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Breathe the best air with Air Excellent, Fantech and Barclay Sales
You see health, food, and miracle diet commercials at every single TV station break. Pillows, protein powders, powerful pills, and everything in between tout their respective health benefits. You may…
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Socio Guide: HAVAN’s Event Platform
This guide walks you through how to register and use HAVAN’s new event platform Socio. We will be hosting many events here in the future, so follow the steps below…
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CONDO RENOS
Jamie Banfield Design and Babak from Condoworks Design Renovations understand the power of good design when looking to renovate cookie-cutter condo floor plans. Knowing what to look for in a building will help you locate and renovate the right sanctuary for you. Join Jennifer-Lee and Mike on Measure Twice, Cut Once as they explore the possibilities of condo renovations. Condo living has never felt so good!
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SEEING DOUBLE
Doubling down on a housing type not readily allowed in all Metro Vancouver municipalities has Kiff Mowat of Davenport Homes and his brother Cam seeing double. These brothers know first-hand how a duplex can provide an affordable approach to living in a ground-oriented home. Listen in as Jennifer-Lee and Mike from Measure Twice, Cut Once learn about the brothers’ journey from living in condos, to building a duplex with suites, to house four families.
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PASSIVE PASSION
Passionate about everything Passive House, Nick Bray, of Nick Bray Architecture, shares his unlikely journey with Mike and Jennifer-Lee about building a 5-bedroom, 5-bathroom high-performance house on a 25-foot-wide peat bog in Vancouver. Bonus! Lucila Diaz of Harmony Sense Interiors shares her expansive design solutions.
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PREFAB-ULOUS!
Extending the life of a traditional prefab Pan-Abode home with factory-built panelized wall systems, Steve Kemp of Kemp Construction believes you can add life to almost any home, noting the ones with quirky designs often yield the best results. Join Mike and Jennifer-Lee as they explore whole-home renovations using state-of-the-art building science.
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GOOD BONES
Humble post-war bungalows, Vancouver specials, aging arts and crafts homes. Ready to teardown? Not so fast says Alex Dumitru of Level One Construction, who prefers to breathe new life into a home built with character and good bones. Listen in as Alex and Cara Hansen from Triple Dot Design Studio share their inspiring Vancouver Special renovation story as featured in Western Living Magazine.
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COUNT ME IN
With a Count Me In attitude, the possibilities are endless when building a home to live your life to the maximum. Todd Best of Best Builders talks to co-hosts Mike and Jennifer-Lee about the process of adapting homes for specific physical needs and aging in place, noting there is no better place than home. The key is planning and working with experienced professionals.
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JUST ENOUGH
How much is enough? Jake Fry, Founder of Smallworks and Co-founder of Small Housing BC, and Richard Bell of Bell Alliance LLP, and Director of Small Housing BC know how to reconfigure a single-family home to find a variety of affordable housing solutions for families of all configurations. Listen in as co-hosts Mike and Jennifer-Lee hear about creative ideas for single-family home ownership in Metro Vancouver.
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Empower Yourself with Knowledge, When Hiring an Electrician in Vancouver
Electrical contractors and companies hold a lot of power. Hiring the wrong person or company for your project could cause delays, damages, impact your home insurance, and ultimately create an…
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Design Inspired Hand Sanitizing Solutions
Helping you and your clients stay healthy is a top priority for Cantu. Introducing a NEW set of dispensers, available as tabletop or wall-mounted versions. In times where personal hygiene,…
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WHAT’S THE DRILL?
Kathy Yuen, owner of Phase One Design drills into the importance of keeping the communication channels open for the success of your home building project. Hint, it takes more than coffee and donuts!
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ON THE LEVEL
Graeme Huguet, owner of My House Design/Build Team keeps the conversation real when discussing the construction phase. Realistic timelines, building permits, inspections, anticipating interruptions – a discussion, on the level.
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SCREW IT!
Building plans. Construction estimates. Material Selection. Trade quotes. Sarah Gallop, Founder of Sarah Gallop Design Inc breaks down the importance of the pre-construction planning stage, so you don’t get screwed down the line!
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FRAMED!
Interior Design choices impact all facets of homebuilding. Ami McKay, Principal Designer at Pure Design, frames her home design journey with wisdom, insight, and finding the golden thread. Love the space you live in! Listen now!
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