Firm Foundation

A Firm Foundation

By Janet Collins

The perfect home, in one of the most desirable beachside neighbourhoods of South Surrey, came in an unexpected package for one particular family of four. Their search for a comfortable home on a large, treed lot located within walking distance of the beach ultimately led them to a ‘50s-style bungalow with a basement at the rear – a house they knew they could shape into the home of their dreams.

One of the outstanding features of the home, and one of the key selling points for the homeowners, was its superb foundation – an asset that held the potential to save them thousands of dollars on their renovation costs.

“It was, without a doubt, the nicest foundation I’ve seen in all my years in this business,” says Douglas Willoughby, who manages design services for Kerr Construction – the company that undertook the renovation. “It was well beyond what anyone would expect. It was 10 inches thick – a full two inches more than code.

“Being able to keep the foundation was huge in terms of keeping costs down,” he adds. “The cost of demolishing the concrete, and then re-pouring new concrete and new drainage would have added a lot to the final figure.”

As it was, the 2,500-plus-square-foot project came in under $400,000.

The redevelopment of the home literally began from the ground up. “Only the foundation, exterior hard surfaces like the driveway, the main floor framing, and the carport were kept,” says Willoughby. “The rest was built new.” The result is a functional two-storey home with a basement to accommodate a growing family of four, plus room for guest accommodations.

The bungalow’s existing basement proved to be another valuable asset in light of the fact that the City of Surrey no longer allows basements in the area; the space was grandfathered into the renovation. Another plus was the stand of large cedars at the back of the property, which lessened the feeling that the house sat in the middle of a subdivision.

BUDGET-CONSCIOUS CHOICES

The search for ways to save money on the renovation did not begin and end with constructing the new home on the existing foundation. It extended into the interior design of the house as well.

“We looked for economies everywhere,” says Donna Chong. “We purposely simplified some areas so we could do more in others.”

“I think this project shows that you don’t need a huge budget to get a good result.”

In the kitchen, economical pre-finished birch plywood cabinets were installed, providing plenty of storage space. The decision to use a laminate rather than stone on the countertop also reduced costs – the homeowners can easily upgrade later, if they wish, without replacing the entire cabinet system. Clear glass was installed behind the cooktop for easy clean-ups, a choice that also proved more economical than tile. “It also made for a cleaner look,” says Chong, who was aiming for a modern esthetic that would reflect the family’s lifestyle.

The oven and microwave were built in to enhance the streamlined look and to ensure as much room as possible was available for the family to gather around the central island, which doubles as a dining area.

The bright living room combines with the dining room to create a large, open area that is well suited to the activities of young children. The metal fireplace forms the focal point of the room and, like the metal staircase railings, adds an industrial edge to the home’s modern design. The unusual fireplace features a steel grid that slides along a C-channel mounted in front of the hearth.

The homeowners had wanted slab concrete floors in the living room, but that would have necessitated extensive structural upgrading to accommodate the weight of the concrete. A compromise was achieved through the application of a skim coat over plywood. Bamboo was used on the floors throughout the second storey, with the exception of the bathrooms.

“The challenge in the master bath was to make it interesting without making it expensive,” says Chong. “We put money where it counted – the sink, drop-in tub, oversized shower and faucets. We used nice materials, but not overly expensive ones.” For example, inexpensive tiles were used for the most part, with a bit more spent on the glass accent tiles.

In the children’s bath, savings were gained by no having cabinets under the sinks. This created the perfect place for storing a step stool to help give the youngsters a boost when using the sink.

The simple, uncluttered entry area was purposely kept clear to se the tone for the clean, modern esthetic the homeowners wanted to achieve throughout the entire home.

“Eventually I’ll likely put in some sort of floating shelf and some artwork in the entry area,” says one of the homeowners, “jut like I’ll add more colour throughout the house when I find the right pieces of artwork. And I love mid-century furniture, so I will add that later, too.

“What I have right now is a house that will be able to change as my family grows and our needs change.”

Does Size Matter?

Does Size Matter when you want to hire a construction company?

By Jamie Beliveau

When choosing a custom homebuilder or renovator, service and quality is more important than size, according to Doug Kerr, owner of Kerr Construction, a multiple award-winning Vancouver Design/Build firm.

Kerr, who has been building custom homes and handling renovations for over 20 years, is now recognized at the top of the field, capturing numerous industry awards and, more important, praise from clients. “Our experience, resources and drive to be the best have come together. We have developed the procedures needed to deliver superior service, consistent quality and true value.”

There are inherent advantages in both small and large companies. Some smaller companies have close relationship with the client, but lack the resources for training staff to provide proper service. They may also lack specific knowledge in design, permits, the latest construction technology, building codes and old world craftsmanship. On the other hand, big companies tend to lose the intimacy and consistency of the one-on-one communication necessary to positive client relations.

Kerr said he has been able to find the proper balance, allowing his company to carefully grow while providing the benefits of a large company with the close client contact and service. This assures a renovation or design/build contract reaches its full potential.

“Bigger is better, but only when you focus on the little things,” Kerr explained.

For instance, Kerr provides warranties, follow up service, professional resources, staff training and staff dedicated solely to quality control. “It all adds up to a more professionally done project for the homeowner.”

In today’s busy renovation market, many companies take on too much work simultaneously and do not have the proper systems in place to keep track of the little details, Kerr explained. “Yet it is the little things that personalize a renovation or custom home and getting them right is critical,” he said.

An over-booked contractor often finds the sheer volume of details on each job overwhelming. The little things are missed, quality starts to drop, the project begins to stretch out, and the contractor never seems to be around because he or she is always on another project.

“One of the solutions to this is to have one project supervisors per job and present from start to finish. That’s how Kerr achieves consistency. The project supervisor is always there for the homeowner or subcontractors when issues arise.”

Simply put, Kerr says, “One person cannot be an expert at everything from design, getting plans approved at City Hall, project management, all the legal issues of running a business and still be on top of all the different trade skills, technologies and materials that go into a modern day construction project.”

Kerr’s advice for anyone looking for a good company to design/build or renovate their home is to ignore the size of the company. Look instead at how they operate. Here are some of the things to consider:
- Do they have a separate quality control person inspection the work? It has to be someone other than the person doing the day-to-day work so you get an unbiased look with fresh eyes.
- Do they have their own in house design them? If you want to stick to a budget it is best to have the design, budgeting and construction all done under one roof. It also allows the project to move faster when design issues come up throughout the project.
- One project per supervisor. You want to have one person in charge of the project from start to finish with all their attention solely on your project.
- Do they have systems in place to ensure the project runs smoothly? For example Kerr implements a detailed 70 item checklist for every project before the job even starts to ensure nothing has been missed or forgotten in the planning and setup stage.

“Ask to see the company’s written policies and procedures,” Kerr said, “You can be sure it isn’t written down it will not be done.”

You can reach Kerr Construction at 604.263.0343 or visit www.kerrconstruction.ca