tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45378304596796561392012-02-16T06:52:30.974-05:00Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.comBlogger271100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-65069656656567687532010-06-04T20:53:00.005-04:002010-06-04T21:15:32.774-04:00

We are broadening our horizons as of late, what with renovating Monforte Dairy and a cottage on Lake Huron. We are also about to embark on some work in London and Toronto. Perhaps most satisfying of all is the demolition of a "howley kitchen". Out with the old and ineffectual...in with the new and functional. Ironic isn't it?

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-47230813529864967802010-06-02T21:17:00.002-04:002010-06-02T21:23:01.406-04:00

I cannot believe how long I have let my blog lapse, and all due to a complaint about something I wrote. No more.I have been busy busy over the last year, starting and completing my private pilots license (have actually embarked on my commercial training as well) and of course steady with work on some interesting projects. Monforte Dairy is the most interesting though...local food production with

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-32621891789527305852008-10-15T20:16:00.003-04:002008-10-15T20:33:19.907-04:00

New proper nuts on the left...junk from Britpart on the right...Nothing is more frustrating to me than realizing a product I purchased is of inferior quality. I recently bought new parabolic leaf springs for the land rover (from Britpart), and the nuts they included with the U-bolts were substandard to say the least. They appear unhardened, and two of them stripped when applying a modest amount

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-16538692497799330372008-10-07T20:20:00.002-04:002008-10-07T20:24:13.848-04:00

This is an interesting device that a "wildlife" control company installed in the eaves of a customers house...to let bats out, but not back in. Trouble is, a bat can fit thru a hole the size of a nickel, and the hole in this wire mesh is about 3x that size. I can imagine the bats were grateful to a better foothold for re-entry.

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-75242957036784254012008-10-07T20:08:00.003-04:002008-10-07T20:40:56.954-04:00

This building actually uses the word "castle" in it's name. For a brand new building, it wound up looking for all the world like they robbed the salvage yard for used building materials. The use of different colored roofing and siding materials is baffling, and the one material used throughout is the worlds most boring grey vinyl siding. This material even covers an enormous wall section at the

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-81649806701762503212008-10-07T20:02:00.003-04:002008-10-07T20:06:06.875-04:00

Here we have the results of framers and plumbers not co-ordinating their work. Not one joist completely severed...but two in the same house, in two bathrooms!

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-58542631324719176722008-08-21T22:06:00.003-04:002008-10-07T19:50:23.823-04:00

This design is a close cousin to the "post and a half" house. The garage is so prominent that a corner of the canopy over the front door (the most important focal point of any home) is lopped off, and the door is squeezed between two side walls. Even the coach house light next to the front door has to be mounted on the sidewall...there's no room beside the door for it! This house needs a wider

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-63531822866604883042008-08-21T22:00:00.003-04:002008-10-07T19:53:30.727-04:00

The curve of this dormer was left to the framers, who probably used a sliver of plywood to layout the curve. Important details of this should be drawn out full scale by the designer. This is an example of a "make or break" detail, and this example is just painful!

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-70224922573264654692008-08-21T21:52:00.004-04:002008-10-07T19:54:51.186-04:00

I cannot figure out what they are pointing at...this canopy is ridiculously high above the front door, the house would look better without it!

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-49826276197579131462008-08-21T21:43:00.004-04:002008-10-07T19:56:12.305-04:00

I am trying to imagine how it is that a designer would think it appropriate to have one and a half columns supporting this roof. As is normal in subdivisions, the garage is so important that it is built around the column. And once again, the roof serves no practical purpose...it doesn't shelter and define the entry point, a quarter of it is missing...take it away and the house looks better.

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-42232548332925904542008-08-21T21:35:00.004-04:002008-10-07T19:57:23.027-04:00

Oh my...can you picture this house minus the round top window over the front door, with much shorter columns (and yes, it would be nice if they supported an actual beam) and the gable roof dropped down so the fascia lines up with the rest of the house? Then it would actually shelter the entry point, and not look like a ridiculous afterthought.

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-63217428067250556592008-08-21T08:25:00.003-04:002008-08-21T08:33:26.184-04:00

Never buy a Nissan. Here is a photo of the corrosion I recently noticed on the roof of my 2006 Nissan Frontier. It is not considered a "warrantable condition" by Waterloo Nissan unless it "is a perforation from the inside to the outside"...huh? Apparently bubbling corrosion is normal for a 2 year old Nissan! Expressing my concern to Waterloo Nissan was an experience with a total lack of customer

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-36225910623827018012008-07-06T09:57:00.003-04:002008-07-06T10:05:01.692-04:00

I have been doing some serious research lately on the pros and cons of replacement windows, spurred on by the 70 year old wood windows in my own "under restoration" schoolhouse home. Initially I was seduced by the promise of tightly fitting screens and low maintanance exterior (sound familiar?) until I saw the quote for new aluminum clad wood windows. I then briefly (and very briefly) considered

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-87978251455066024692008-06-05T22:01:00.002-04:002008-06-05T22:08:55.809-04:00

One should not question these things I suppose, but it seems to me that I have been fortunate as of late to have some of the most organized and easy to work for clients I have ever encountered.I suppose that is more a statement than a question, isn't it. Regardless...thank you.  You know who you are!

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-67482678804021164862008-06-05T21:53:00.003-04:002008-06-05T22:09:12.229-04:00

I spent a couple of hours last saturday helping Alan and Andrew to replace the clutch in Andrew's 109" land rover. This was eminently more enjoyable than doing anything on one's own aluminum bodied friend, and for two reasons. Firstly, Alan has more mechanical knowledge about these trucks than I will ever have. I plan to volunteer to help him again so I can absorb as much of this as possible.

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-80314977024087728402008-06-05T21:48:00.002-04:002008-06-05T22:08:31.160-04:00

June 20th thru 22nd is the OVLR "Birthday Party" and this year it coincides with the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Land Rover. If you're a fan of the marque, see the 5 part series posted on YouTube of the history of Land Rover...there's some fantastic vintage footage and interesting little known facts. If you haven't been to the "Birthday Party" before, it's a wonderful combination of

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-40091133806116032652008-05-12T15:53:00.002-04:002008-05-12T16:12:10.550-04:00

I know, I know...it's something of a buzz word these days, but it has been on my mind much as of late, and not simply because the price of gas is heading ever upward. It would seem that everything we as builders use is getting more expensive and perhaps eventually, out of reach, either due to cost or limited availability.  Let's break it down a bit then. Everything the leaves the site (fill) or

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-34704510700779833292008-05-06T21:15:00.004-04:002008-06-05T22:09:55.849-04:00

Another builder confessed to me recently that he was getting out of the business as he "just can't handle dealing with customers anymore...they drive me crazy". Which started me thinking about what makes an ideal client. Yes, yes "they pay the bill", but there's so much more!  Realistic expectations would be high on my list, and I suppose that is partially my responsibility - to educate them

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-59521650898953012622008-05-02T07:57:00.003-04:002008-06-05T22:10:45.225-04:00

In what is sure to be a never ending trend, I am constantly amazed at the business' I run across who operate in a never-never land of ignorance and poor customer service. In the past weeks I have dealt with a land rover parts supplier who attempted to sell me a used soft top hoop set, for 2/3 the price of new, that had only some of the parts, and was surprised and insulting when I passed on the "

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-75481062883483165552008-04-27T20:39:00.004-04:002008-04-27T20:48:11.395-04:00

Have recently met some great folks thru the London chapter of the OVLR (Ottawa Valley Land Rovers) club. Al & Jessica have a very interesting old forward control that he has converted into a double cab configuration...with a Jaguar straight six for motivation. Haven't seen it yet, but can't wait to have a peak (hint ride!). Pictured being loaded for the ride across the big pond, it will surely be

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-8609690932107911782008-04-27T20:12:00.002-04:002008-10-07T20:00:01.998-04:00

I thought it necessary to add a visual aid that relates to thursday's post regarding ugly houses. It wasn't hard to find examples! Just a quick spin through a couple of subdivisions.My favourite is the "architectural embellishment" that creates big time water problems. I'm actually not quite sure what to call this structure that has been added between two rooflines, and completely blocks two

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-43447289004060962472008-04-24T21:51:00.002-04:002008-04-24T22:01:28.875-04:00

Every now and then I find myself looking at subdivision or so called "spec" homes...and I almost always find myself shaking my head and feeling frustrated. I see such a mish-mashed muddle of misplaced and missing details...columns supporting flat soffit (no beams), porch posts that are far to thin, turrets above garages where there is obviously no living space inside, a tiny smattering of "

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-26903599806588688602008-04-21T21:09:00.002-04:002008-04-21T21:18:50.805-04:00

...perhaps being a builder and a land rover enthusiast (my words...other people use stronger language) is a bad combination. Not that either one are bad...no, it's just that spring is a builder's busiest time of year, and it's also the time of year one needs to tune up and tinker with the land rover so it can be enjoyed during these fleeting warm months. Yes, you are supposed to do all of those

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-80607709225365895232008-04-18T16:24:00.002-04:002008-04-18T16:36:27.013-04:00

I have had a number of clients ask me to put them on a yearly "clean out my eavestroughs" list, which morphed into an Annual Inspection service in the fall, which has evolved into spring & fall. With this in mind, here's my list of spring chores (followed by the fall list...but you can ignore it until autumn):Spring:- clean eavestroughs (gutters for my American clients)- check roof (missing

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-68981157869712860372008-04-15T17:03:00.004-04:002008-04-15T17:11:31.057-04:00

We're off and running again! Actually, it never seems to stop, so I suppose there is no start or finish line anymore, but the mad spring rush has begun. It never ceases to amaze me how the start of warm spring weather makes the phone ring and the emails pile up. Trouble is, half the summer is already booked, and I hate to turn down work! I suppose the work that will not wait is work we were not

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-27520424983603770072008-04-09T09:39:00.002-04:002008-04-09T09:49:15.613-04:00

Without a doubt, the most interesting aspect of being in business (or any relationship?) is people. Strangely, I seem to have the opposite problem to others I talk to in this profession. My customers, almost every single one, are easy to please. Tell them how much it will cost, when it will happen (and deliver on that!), and keep them informed if there are problems...and you know what...that

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4537830459679656139.post-64110079298487020342008-04-03T20:54:00.000-04:002008-04-03T21:02:34.851-04:00

Welcome to my blog! I never really thought I would be doing this, but here I am. My business is a high-end, custom renovation and new home building enterprise, based in Stratford, Ontario CANADA. I suppose I am "blogging" for a couple of reasons - curiosity, or to see how it works - and as a business tool. Although one meets lots of people in this business - clients, suppliers, subcontractors -

Buildhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17391862671884300446noreply@blogger.com1