Master Bedroom Radiator Valve

After a number of calls and follow up, we were FINALLY able to get the valve back on the master bedroom radiator. We won't have to sleep in the sauna everynight anymore. Upon further investigation in the boiler room, we found out that the heating supply to the rear of the house takes a convoluted path with many expansions and elbows. This is probably the reason why the rear bedrooms are considerably colder than the front of the house. We will likely get this fixed once spring arrives. More work on the house... but hopefully it'll be worth it.

Another possible add on is to make the family room radiant floors an independent zone, so we can control the temperature of the floors without having to make the rest of the house hotter.

Mechanical Update

Since the last update on January 2nd, 2007 where we tried to contact our mechanical contractor to finish up the adjustments to the flow, we still have not heard back from him. It's been 22 days and two follow-ups. We engaged our architect in the hopes that they are working on a project together, but no such luck. At least the architect was able to get ahold of the engineer by phone who committed to getting a service manager involved. We'll see...

MBR Radiator

Since the beginning of winter, we have noticed some severe temperature control problems around the house. When we get the temperature of the family room correct (with a warm and toasty floor), our bedroom is as hot as a sauna. The West Wing is not warm at all, no matter what we do with the valves and thermostat.

Ducks has emailed the mechanical company (Belyea Brothers) this morning for a check-up. Let's see how long it will take for them to respond...

Kitchen Arrived

The kitchen was delivered yesterday and piled up in the family room and the study area. There are lots of pieces to be put together and hopefully the installer will be able to finish everything quickly.

I am concerned that the kitchen parts were just left on the wood floor, without laying down any protection. Need to remember to check the floors for scratches and dents before end of job.

The problem is especially concerning because the kitchen vendor demanded to be paid in full at delivery. So he has nothing to lose if any damage was done. The Architect has personally vouch for the installation but there isn't much financial penalty there either.

Third Time is the Charm, I Hope

We didn't expect to get a nasty little surprise from the mechanical contractor (Belyea Brothers) when they installed the baseboard radiator in our basement. The problem is that the installer decided to place the radiator, which is designed to be mounted at the base of the wall, 8 inches up the wall, above the current baseboard. It looked absolutely ugly and out of place floating in the middle of the wall.

So we demanded to the contract that this be fixed with the radiator flush up against the floor.

They did... or at least they thought they did...

The installer was too lazy to ask to have our wood baseboard cut and decided to mount the radiator in front of the baseboard. So we ended up with the baseboard sticking into the hallway.

I caught this during a site visit and demanded the the installer do the work properly. He refused to re-install the radiator a third time. We had to escalate to the contractor to get him to take it off the wall so that our carpetener can cut the baseboard for him.

The whole time, he kept wining that this was a stupid exercise...

And I agree, if he had done it right the first time, he would not have to redo it twice! Some people as just so lazy...

Pedini Kitchens

Just out of curiosity, Duckie and I went to Savanna Kitchens last week to solicit a quote for our kitchen. We discussed our plans with Frank, the owner and expressed our desire to have a modern kitchen design. We knew beforehand that it was going to be a Pedini Kitchen because that's what Savanna Kitchens carries.

We finally got a quote back from them, after 1.5 weeks. $22K for the cabinets, including installation and GST. If we factored in whatever cost for the countertops (which we won't have much of, but wanted granite/stainless steel/marble), the whole thing is going to come out to $30K. It'll probably be well worth the money but that's money we can't afford to spend right now.

At least it's good to know what it could have cost.

Oh and BTW, it's 10 weeks for delivery from the day of order.

Moisture Damage?

Once the celing of the third floor foyer came down, Duckie noticed some signs of water damage in the celing. It looks like moisture may be penetrated the celing, leaving stains on the backer boards. We will have to take those down to see if the studs have been affected and make sure that there is no mould.

Shed/Garage Options

Okay, so these things look sort of creepy... in a recluse/loner/unibomer sort of way:

Metroshed

Modern Shed

Pre-fab may be a very good option for replacing our crumbling garage that has fallen victim hungry rodents and nattural elements.

But I wonder if I shoudl spend the money on power tools and rough-cut lumber instead.

Taps, Tubs, Faucets, Bidets, Lavs, Sinks, Showers...

There are way too many kitchen and bath stores around the city. Each has a different selection of products and their alliances with the various manufacturers. Toilets come to far too many brands, designs, features, and details. Even the colour selection is dizzying, with four different shades of white. So far, we can only decide on a Toto Ultimate toilet in round shape (as opposed to the guy-preferred elongated bowl), in cotton white.

So far, we have visited the following:

Taps - Credited as the original home improvement store, before the invasion of Home Depot and the likes. Lots of people visiting, confused buyers, a busy staff, good selection of products but limited displays. Expect long waits if you don't have an appointment and plan on going on weekends. Parking is a pain as well.

Ginger's - Part of the ELTE family of home decoration stores. Guilty by association for high-end prices to go with their products. Good choice of finishing products, like hardware and accessories. Expect to spend plenty if you decide to take the plunge there. Snooty staff. Lots of gawkers on the weekends as well.

Tubs - Self-proclaimed "Ultimate Bath Store", with lots of selection. Large show room with lots of mock-ups. The design is not as high-end as Ginger's, or Taps. More of a warehouse feel to the store, including the Muzak playing in the background. The staff is very knowledgeable and very willing to help. Access to more products for order so definitely talk to the staff for help. Carries all the big names, like Toto, HansGrohe, Grohe, Kohler, etc.

Trendy Baths - A little unknown place in a Scarborough Chinese mall. Definitely not the place if you are looking for name brands. Carries products that are mostly manufactured in China. Lots of vessel sinks, tall faucets, steam enclosures, and shower systems. They will source Moen, Kohler, Toto, and Maax products if you ask. Quality is good on the Chinese products but check carefully for quality. Parking is a nightmare, be prepared to carry-out if you buy anything.

Progress Report - Week Three & Four

Things have been happening at a fast and furious pace at the house. We have been working hard to stay ahead of the contactor, meeting with the various suppliers and getting quotes. Visiting more kitchen cabinet builders/importers, flooring suppliers, and plumbing fixture stores. Progress at the house has been particular astonishing. The rough framing of the extension has been completed and we now have a very good idea of the size of the new area.

WEEK THREE

- Waterproofing and protection for foundation completed
- Ground level floor joists in extension installed
- Subfloor for extension laid
- Exterior walls for extension build
- Roof framing for extension completed
- Old radiators removed/relocated for wall construction/floor installation
- Laminanted wood beam installed to support second floor foyer celing, removed old supporting post
- Framing for new main floor hall closet, storage closet and powder room completed
- Basement rec room demolished, framing for storage rooms constructed
- Inspection of foundation completed and passed

WEEK FOUR

- Backfill of excavation
- Flat roof for extension completed
- Rubber membrane for extension roof installed
- Final wall of old cold room removed by hand
- Top layer of gravel for basement laid
- Dining room window partially removed (still have storm window intact)
- Third floor stairwell celing removed
- Drains for new kitcehn and powder room installed and tied in
- Electrican commenced replacement of all electrical wiring

A couple of problems have sprouted out. The biggest one being our first encounter with the building inspector. It seems that we have been assigned a relatively stringent inspector who demands to see every piece of detail being done "by the book". While It's not really a gripe, I would now anticipate delays due to the numerous inspections that will have to be scheduled. For now, he has held up our backfill for a week, until we provided a engineering report (at our cost) for the underpinning of a non-structral wall.

After removing the wall paneling in the basement rec room, we found mould on the old wood strapping. The problem is probably caused by moisture coming in from the exterior wall and settling on the bottom plate which unfortunately was not properly protected from moisture. We will have to remove all the old wood, install new plastic sheathing for protection, insultate but leave an air space, and create a continuous vapour barrier. We will use pressure-treated lumber to prevent future damage from moisture.

The electrician has commenced work to replace all of the wiring in the house. I was disappointed to find that even the wiring that was supposed to have been replaced by the previous renovation is not complete nor legal. As there was no grounding, and new copper wiring was simply tied back to old knob-and-tube wiring. Numerous segments had connections from old wiring to new, back to old and to new again. For some parts, power was tapped from an outlet in a different floor or whereever convenient. He exclaimed that he had no confidence in any of the old work passing inspection and will have to rewire everything (which is what we demanded anyway).

When I visited the house on Tuesday night, I found a stream of running water in the laundry room. After a panic attack, I investigated and found that the (fresh) water was coming from behind a wall next to our washer and dryer. The water supply was shut off and investigations planned. It was found that a water supply line was not properly capped, which I believe it's due to removal of the dishwasher, combined with the cold weather.

Progree Report - Week Two

Now that the General Contractor is back, the project is starting to heat up quickly. We have been busy making decisions on windows and mechanicals as they have the most impact to the project. The next up are kitchen cabinets and flooring. Here's what's been done so far:

- Excavation started and completed. Unfortunately a part of the fence and the neighbour's brand new interlocking path has fallen victim and will have to be repaired.
- Cold cellar (which was actually under our dinette) mostly demolished with the exception of the wall supporting the jack which in turn supports the second floor.
- Gravel for basement in new addition laid.
- New opening from the basement to the future Rec Room has been cut and blocks removed.
- Concerte block walls for new addition basement built.
- Framing done in the North wall of the Master Bedroom and closets, ready for insulation.
- Celing in Second Floor hall removed, found that the center part of the celing is bowed down about 2" relative to the edges.
- Wall panels and celing tiles demolished in existing Basement Recreation Room.

I was told that one of the corners of the block wall had to be strengthened because it was going to support a steel post above for the second floor. I knew that the post had to be there but no idea what the reenforcement entailed, which is actually just to fill in the holes in the concerte blocks. I enquired if a pier had to be built and the contractor said that this was all that's necessary.

A hole was found in the roof valley above the Master Bedroom. The only way to see it is during the day when the daylight comes through. It does not seem to be causing any leakages but definitely needs to be addressed.

On the Second Floor Hall, once the lathe and plaster came down, it was revealed that numerous attempts were made to stregthen the celing and address the sagging. It seems that there are two attempts at nailing additional pieces of wood to the original joists (but some of it was just strapping, which obviously did not have the strength). There was also two layers of celing with steel mesh in between to mask the problem.

The problem seems to be that the spans are too long for the 2x6 used, especially considering that there is actually a loft above it as well. There is a wooden post in the middle of the room but it is only supporting three of the joists at best. We plan to add two laminated wood joints perpendicular to the original joists to support the celing. This also transfers the support to the side walls which in turn is supported by a wall below on one side and a double joist on another. An added benefit is that we can get rid of the post in the middle of the area. However, we will have a 6" drop in the middle of the room due to the new joist.

Progress Report - Week One

Our General Contractor had a sudden death in his family and had to leave the country for a week. Luckily his three sons stepped in to take on the project. The second week of renovation work has been completed and significant progress on the project:

- Plywood laid on driveway
- Tree in backyard cut down
- Angle iron installed and supporting Second Floor Rear Bedroom
- Jacks and supporting posts installed at NW corner of dinette
- West and North walls of dinette removed
- Dinette flooring, subfloor and joists removed
- Crawlspace underneath Dinette cleared
- Rear patio demolished
- Kitchen demolished
- Dinette and Kitchen celing removed
- Front Hall Closet demoished
- Front Hall dividing wall removed
- Second Floor Guest Bathroom demolished
- Master Bedroom North and East wall cleared of lathe, plaster, and strapping
- Old hardwood flooring removed from Dining Room Living Room, Master Bedroom, and Second Floor Hallway.
- Excavation for addition started

We are in the process of picking window vendors and kitchen cabinet makers. Been running around the city meeting with vendors and providing project information. We've been insisting on speaking to at least three vendors for each item to be sure that we have options and the best pricing. So far, it has translated to a lot more legwork but showing positive signs of saving us money on the project.

In talking to the window vendors, we have an idea to make the backyard opening an interrupted 11' span. That means a creative solution on the doors. So far, we have gotten some interesting suggestions and it should turn out to be a great living space.

Surprise - Second Floor Bathroom

One unexpected surprise was that the contractor completely gutted our second floor bathroom because it proved to be simplier than just removing the tub. The problem was that a previous contractor installed tiles over existing ones which caused problems during the removal. The tiles were apparently chipping away because there wasn't enough adhesion. It's supposed to be a bonus for us as we will now have another completely new bathroom (in addition to the Master Ensuite we refinished last year and the Powder Room we are building on the main floor).

I guess we can now install waterproof wallboards in the bathroom and limit the tiling to the tub surround and the floors. We originally had tiles throughout the bathroom (except the celing) which was quite oppressing. At the same time, we can also go to a more neutral tile colour (rather than the black that we had). Luckily, the vanity and toilet were salvaged and can be reused (as they are only a year old). We can also now install electrical radiant floor heating in the room, which will be very nice.

Consutruction!!!

We have signed on a contractor to manage the entire project and work has commenced on the project. They have been on-site for less than a week and we already have measurable progress:

- Kitchen cabinets and backsplash removed
- Interior finishing of dinette gutted
- Rear storm door removed
- Support for second storey strarted for demolition of dinette

We have started meeting vendors, such as windows and kitchen cabinetry.

Exciting times indeed.

Decisions

How does one decide on the best contractor for their job?

- Do you go with the GC whom the architect brought to the table, and was overpriced?
- Wait for the reputable GC who does not have anyone available until the Spring?
- Use someone your friends have used but clearly more expensive and imcompatible?
- Keep calling people until you find someone willing and reasonably priced?

Get Authorizations Before Digging

One of the things to do before excavating is to make sure that you notify all your utility providers. Part of their responsibility will be to come to the site, mark and pin (little flags) where there are underground pipes and wires. There is a service in Ontario called Ontario One Call, which is a not-for-profit company supported by the various utility providers to provide a single point of contact for the construction industry.

I opened a ticket with them via their web-site (you can also call them) last night identifying my location, contact information, and scope of excavation. The company in turn contacted Bell, Enbridge, and Hydro. So far, I have received a call from Bell Canada confirming that it will be okay for us to dig as long as we stay away from the back of the lot where there is overhead and underground phone wires.

Consulting General Contractor (???)

We are meeting the General Contractor who has been consulting for us on our renovations. He is in the midst of a project to construct a brand-new $3.5m house in the Lawrence Park area in Toronto. The project should be closing out in July 1, 2006, after which he goes on his annual trip with his family to their summer home for two months. This is why he won't be available to work for us until September, 2006.

Grr....

Competitive Quotes

Here's a suggestion that probably sounds like basic knowledge but often gets overlooked:

When you are in the planning phase of your project, presumably with the architect, you should make it clear that you are going to require multiple competitive quotes from general contractors. As part of this, you should ask for specifications/breakdown pricing template which you can then use to distribute to various general contractors for bids. Keep in mind that the architects will also have preferred GCs whom they like to work with, either for compatibility or financial reasons. You should also insist on taking the quotes to thrid-party GCs who are not related to the architect to at least get a sanity check on the pricing.

We ran into the problem where the GCs quote was 60% over our indicated budget. At the outset of the project, we indicated clearly to the architect our budget. With a single quote from the Architect's preferred GC, we did not know if we are taken for a ride. So, we had to scramble at the last minute to get two alternate GCs to bid on the project. At this point, it seems that the GC is about 20% over the competing quotes. Another problem is you will want to give early heads-up to the competing GCs on the project so they can work it into their schedule.

Site Survey

Just spoke with a General Contractor who has been consulting for us on the project. In preparation for the excavation, I asked if we needed to bring someone in to measure out the lot prior to digging. He told us that for the purposes of constructing an extension, a site survey is only required after the excavation is done. As long as there are no complicated shoring requirements, the surveyor's visit can be deferred. Keep in mind that before digging, the local utilities should be contacted and requested to mark out any underground services (including but not limited to Hydro, Gas, Cable, Phone, and Water).

Once the rough excavation is done, the surveyor should be brought in to pin out the exact dimensions of the extension. From there, the framing contractor can come in to frame out the footings for the contrete pours.

Cost for the survey's visit should be about $500.

Sidenote: A complicated project such as a brand-new mansion will require much more involvement from the surveyor with costs upward of $10,000.

Blog Intro

This blog is created to recount our experience as renovation rookies come contractors. The work we are embarking on is to update and expand a 2,400 square foot (223 square metre) 1930's Toronto house into a modern home for a growing family.

The objectives of this project are as follows:

• Replace old two-wire/knob-and-tube electrical system with three-wire copper service.
  A few years ago, the house was upgraded from an 80 amp service to 200 amp service, with new breaker panel.
  
• Replace cast iron water supply pipes with copper or PVC pipes.
  A few years ago, the main supply from the city was replace and upgraded to 3/4" pipe to the water meter.
  
• Add insulation where possible to increase efficiency.
  
• Introduce ventilation system to increase fresh airflow.
  
• Replace all double-hung windows which are ineffective or painted shut with energy-efficient replacements.
  
• Refresh some of the lathe-and-plaster walls which have craked and become uneven.
  
• Replace floors which are original 3/8" stripped hardwood.
  
• Renovate basement by removing old carpeting, wood panelling and tiled celing.
  
• Convert old recreation room into cedar closet, and storage room. Add new recreation room with radiant flooring system.
  
• Add a family room connected the kitchen for entertainment and regular family activities.