• Successful Home Renovation Steps
• Return on Investment
• Asbestos and Your Renovation
• reVISION’S Projects

Successful Home Renovation Steps

A smooth and pleasant road through the transformation is possible and can be extremely exciting and rewarding….if you plan right.

Do your homework – Have a clear vision that will consider your lifestyle needs is imperative to your renovation.

Know how much you can afford – There are many financing possibilities through personal loans, lines of credit, home equity loans and even grants.

Look for a professional renovator – For high quality results and services that will ease the process, you need to go with a professional. There are many resources, including, the GVHBA website that will give you recommendations.

Choose your contractor and check references – Narrow down the renovators you feel most comfortable with and interview them. Check in with GVHBA and previous clients.

Work out a contract – Don’t just go with the lowest bid. Make sure everything is in writing, from work to be done to the payment schedule.

Plan how you will live during the renovation – This can be the most stressful part so take everything into consideration.

Establish a good working relationship with your renovator – Trust is essential. Communication lines should be open at all times for progress reports and decisions you may have to make on short notice.

Stick to the original plans – In order to stay close to the original price and schedule, changes should be kept to a minimum.

Return on Investment

If you are thinking of renovating, it’s important to not eliminate options for potential future buyers. Plan your project carefully to ensure you are making a wise financial decision. Below are some renovations that will give you the most bang for your buck:

• An outdoor kitchen addition, if you do it right, is between 150-200%
• Kitchen renovation – 72%
• Bathroom renovation – 68%
• Basement renovation – 49%
• Construct a garage – 70%

Asbestos and Your Renovation

Asbestos is a strong fire-resistant mineral fibre that can cause very serious illnesses. If your house was built during or before the late 1980′s, you may want to consider renovating. Your renovator will have a qualified person come inspect and safely remove Asbestos from your home. Some potential sources of Asbestos include but are not limited to the following:

• Duct insulation and tape
• Textured of stipple-coated walls and ceilings
• Acoustical tiles and stipple or popcorn ceiling
• Gypsum board filling compound and patching and joint compound for walls and ceilings
• Soundproofing or decorative material sprayed on walls and ceilings
• Batt insulation
• Loose blown-in insulation such as vermiculite

reVISION’S Projects

May we light your fire?

Freshly finished, reVISION’s new home construction on the west side is stirring up gossip on the block.

This unique fireplace is the focal point for the newly built home. The tiger granite feature piece gives the finishing touch of perfection.

To follow the progress of our projects and/or to view reVISION’s gallery, please join us on Facebook

• reVISION’S Projects in Progress
• Getting Started on your Renovation
• Holiday Greetings

reVISION’S Projects in Progress

A Modern Update

reVISION’s full interior renovation is completed. We brought a touch of the 21st century into this 90′s home. reVISION tore down useless walls to create more of an open concept throughout the home. We also updated the bathroom to today’s modern style. Join us on Facebook to view the entire project from start to finish!

Before: Useless middle wall creating two small rooms.

After: One large room created by tearing down the middle wall. The newly installed customized cabinets keep the home organized at all times.

Before: A small outdated 90′s kitchen.

After: A brand new kitchen with plenty more light and cooking space. The newly renovated kitchen features brand new stainless steel appliances and customized cabinets.

Getting Started on your Renovation

Give yourself enough time to plan properly. Follow our newsletter over the next few months for tips on planning and executing your renovation.

Step 1: How much do you want to spend?

You won’t know, at this stage, how much it will cost but you need to know how much you can/want to spend. Typically, renovations are funded through a combination of savings, loans and mortgages, and taking advantage of the existing equity of your home. Determine the amount of your savings, the total amount you are willing to borrow and spend, and the extra costs associated with renovating such as, furniture, fixtures and appliances.

Step 2: Look into getting the biggest bang from your buck

A Real Estate Appraiser will be able to determine how to get the biggest payback on your investment by establishing the current value of your home and of comparable homes in your area. Having a professional appraiser will help you decide on the types of renovations that will give you the greatest return.

Consider a pre-renovation home inspection to evaluate the overall condition of your home and to set priorities for current and future renovations. An independent home inspector can help identify repair work and equipment replacement that may be needed.

Return on Investment- It’s important to not eliminate options for potential future buyers. Plan your project carefully to ensure you are making a wise financial decision. Below are some renovations that will give you the most bang for your buck:

• An outdoor kitchen addition, if you do it right, is between 150-200%
• Kitchen renovation – 72%
• Bathroom renovation – 68%
• Basement renovation – 49%
• Construct a garage – 70%

We hope you all have a wonderful holiday and a very Happy New Year!

• Congratulations to our Grey Cup Winners!
• Georgie Finalist
• Rooftopper of the Year Award
• Coats for Kids
• reVISION Recommends
• reVISION’S Projects in Progress
• Bathroom Renovation Tips

Congratulations to our Grey Cup Winners!

Thank you to all those who participated within our contest, though it was a tough decision we found our winners! Congratulations to Dave and Cheryl. We were delighted to give them 2 tickets to the Grey Cup for November 27th, 2011 game with additional access to the Lion’s Den Entertainment after the game.

Dave and Cheryl’s Dysfunctional Kitchen:

Georgie Finalist

reVISION’s Ritz it up on Richards project has been selected as a 2011 Georgie Award Finalist for Best Renovation – Any Room! Join us on Facebook to view more pictures of this project.

Rooftopper of the Year Award

The Greater Vancouver Home Builders’ Association presented the “ROOFTOPPER OF THE YEAR AWARD” to Todd Senft, President of reVISION Custom Home Renovations for the second consecutive year! The award is given to an association member who brings the most new members to the association.

Coats for Kids

GVHBA launched its 16th annual Coats for Kids campaign on Monday, November 21, 2011. The public is invited to drop off apparel at participating members’ offices or sales centres from November 21 to December 9, 2011.

The public response last year was heartwarming, with more than 3,000 coats, scarves, gloves, mittens, blankets, toques and toys donated for distribution to families in need throughout the Greater Vancouver area by the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau and other agencies.

For more information on the campaign and to view participating members please visit http://www.gvhba.org/.

reVISION Recommends…

reVISION recommends Schluter- Kerdi – Boards. Whether you work with mosaics or large format tiles, a flat, level, plumb, square substrate is essential for creating a perfect tile covering.

The Benefits:

Saves Time

• Build a tile-ready surface without wood or cement board
• No additional surface preparation required

Ideal for wet areas

• Schluter- Kerdi – Boards are waterproof, vapor retardant and dimensionally stable

Easy to transport and work with

• Lightweight
• Suitable for use on any kind of structure
• 7 thicknesses available

reVISION’S Projects in Progress

Lucky 13 Part Two is almost complete! reVISION has taken this olden day design and updated it to the 21st century. Here are a few updated pictures, keep up with us on Facebook to see what finishing touches go into this west-side condo!

Before: This olden day design is screaming for an update to the 21st century!

After: A bright new kitchen with plenty of cooking space.

Before: Outdated 90′s Kitchen with limited countertop and cooking space.

After: An updated kitchen with pure white cabinetry and modern day appliances, including a customized refrigerator drawer underneath the island!

Visit us on Facebook to see progress pictures of this project and many others!

Bathroom Renovation Tips

• Design lighting that will make you look your best self. Quality lighting is essential. Create a shadow free lighting design with halogen pot lights enclosed in wall sconces around your mirror. Installing a dimmer is great for modifying your lighting to fit your mood!
• Create extra space. A tall, in-wall cabinet in between wall studs can maximize storage without minimizing floor space. The cabinet should be at least 3 inches in depth.
• Create your own showering area. An open concept shower area, that has no need for curtains or doors, will provide a less confining space than a regular shower stall. Combine that with a ceiling mounted rain shower head and you will keep a drier outside area and create a more unique showering experience.

• Win two tickets to the Grey Cup!
• Coats for Kids
• Designers at Large
• reVISION Teaches the Teachers
• reVISION’S Projects in Progress

Win two tickets to the Grey Cup!

We are seeking pictures of your dated and dysfunctional kitchens! The winner will receive 2 tickets to the Grey Cup in Vancouver on November 27th, 2011 with additional access to the Lion’s Den Entertainment after the game. The deadline for entries is October 31st, 2011. Please send in a jpeg file (upload size 5MB) to info@revisionrenovations.com with your name, e-mail address and phone number. The winner will be posted in the November 19th, 2011 newsletter. The winner will be contacted directly by November 7th, 2011 by phone.

Coats for Kids

GVHBA launches its 16th annual Coats for Kids campaign on Monday, November 21, 2011. The public will be invited to drop off apparel at participating members’ offices or sales centres from November 21 to December 9, 2011.

The public response last year was heartwarming, with more than 3,000 coats, scarves, gloves, mittens, blankets, toques and toys donated for distribution to families in need throughout the Greater Vancouver area by the Lower Mainland Christmas Bureau and other agencies.

For more information on the campaign and to view participating members please visit http://www.gvhba.org/.

Designers at Large

Designers at Large has produced a limited edition of 75 ‘Listen | Closely’ lamp shades made from the legacy sails fabric from Canada Place. The title of the project is meant to encourage us to stop and reconsider the people and objects we encounter in our daily lives.

Only when we Listen | Closely can we truly appreciate the potential of our surroundings.

Lamp shades are selling for $150 (incl. HST). All proceeds from the sales will be donated to the HomeStart Foundation. http://www.homestart.ca/

For more information please contact Kevin Wharton at kevin@designersatlarge.com

reVISION Teaches the Teachers

Todd Senft, president of reVISION Custom Home Renovation recently volunteered as a speaker for “Renovation Survival” at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. He provided teachers with tips on how to survive a home renovation with topics such as: How to Hire a Contractor to Details of a Written Renovation Agreement. He included a long list of government rebates and incentives for teachers to take advantage of. You can view that list at: http://www.homeperformance.com/.

reVISION’S Projects in Progress

Create No Waste

Statistics from Light House Sustainability revealed that an 86% Recycle/ Reuse Rate was achieved! This full on recycling pilot project is finally completed and our mission to “Create No Waste” has succeeded! Here’s a slight taste of the project. Join us on Facebook to view the entire project of this environmentally friendly home.

Before

After: A new look for a character home

After: Welcome to your updated home!

After: Enjoy the view from your private roof top deck!

Visit us on Facebook to see progress pictures of this project and many others!

reVISION Custom Home Renovations goes to work in an old house with character.

This was a full-on renovation by Todd Senft of reVISION Custom Home Renovations. A new top story was added, then the whole house including the bottom suite was renovated down to the studs and beyond.

“This is a heritage, character home on the east side of Vancouver. The project was very unique in that two intertwined projects were happening at the same time,” Senft says. “My company was contracted to do the renovations and at the same time Lighthouse Sustainability was contracted by Metro Vancouver to do an audit of everything that came out of the house that was recycled or repurposed. Because this was a significant renovation it was a prime project for them to look at everything during deconstruct, which is a term they use instead of demolition. In real terms for us it meant everything being removed from the home must be dismantled in a way they could more easily recycle rather than just crushing them and throwing them into a bit.”

Read the full article PDF.

reVISION’s 1912 Heritage Haven shows a sensitively updated old-timer, a beautiful transformation using reclaimed hardwood, rewired original iron chandeliers and a dark attic storage space redesigned as a bright yet private master suite accessed by a unique and elegant new staircase. In another act of wizardry the company turned a barren back yard into a dazzling four-season entertainment space featuring a bar, barbecue pit, fireplace, eight-person hot tub and an open kitchen.

Read the full article online: Matchless Makeover

View Todd’s thoughts in the PDF below, or view the full article online at HomeBuilderCanada.com.

View: BC Builders and Renovators Share Their Thoughts on Technology and Social Media

• Win two tickets to the Grey Cup!
• reVISION’S Projects in Progress
• Current Rebates and Grants for Home Owners
• BC Lifestyle

Win two tickets to the Grey Cup!

We are seeking pictures of your dated and dysfunctional kitchens! The winner will receive 2 tickets to the Grey Cup in Vancouver on November 27th, 2011 with additional access to the Lion’s Den Entertainment after the game. The deadline for entries is October 31st, 2011. Please send in a jpeg file (upload size 5MB) to info@revisionrenovations.com with your name, e-mail address and phone number. The winner will be posted in the November 19th, 2011 newsletter. The winner will be contacted directly by November 7th, 2011 by phone.

reVISION’S Projects in Progress

Lucky 13th Part two

Lucky 13 Part Two is coming to an end. reVISION has taken this olden day design and updated it to the 21st century. Here are a few updated pictures, keep up with us on Facebook to see what finishing touches go into this west-side condo!

Kitchen Progress: A kitchen designed for the 21st century

Progress: Look at the space created by breaking down useless walls!

Extreme Modern Makeover

reVISION gave this one bedroom apartment an “Extreme Modern Makeover”. This full interior renovation transformed the apartment into a brighter spacious home. Join us on Facebook to view the entire project from start to finish!

Before: A small congested kitchen with poor traffic patterns

Before: A cramped front entry that doesn’t allow enough room for a friendly greeting for your guests

After: An open entry with lots of natural light

After: By removing the wall it created a more functional entertaining space that allows the natural light in

Visit us on Facebook to see progress pictures of this project and many others!

Current Rebates and Grants for Home Owners

Furnace Replacement
Receive up to $1290 to replace your furnace. The Grant amount is based on the AFUE of your furnace and motor type.

Boiler Replacement
Receive a grant up to $1250 to replace your boiler. The Grant amount is based on the AFUE of the boiler.

Electronic Thermostats for Electrically Heated Homes
Receive up to $90 for 5 thermostats

Terasen Gas Rebate Program
Terasen Gas offers $1,000 rebate for switching to natural gas (from oil or propane) and installing an ENERGY STAR heating system (good to Feb. 29, 2012).

Local Government Water Conservation Incentives
Your municipality may provide grants and incentives to residents to help save water. For example, the City of Coquitlam offers residents a $100 rebate and the City of North Vancouver, District of North Vancouver, and District of West Vancouver offer a $50 rebate when residents install a low-flush toilet.

Local Government Water Meter Programs
Your municipality may provide a program for voluntary water metering, so that you pay only for the amount of water that you use. Delta, Richmond and Surrey have programs and other municipalities may soon follow. Visit your municipality’s website and enter ‘water meter’ to find out if there is a program.

BC Lifestyle

Todd Senft, President of reVISION Custom Home Renovations is a continuous contributor to the BC Lifestyle magazine. Make sure you check out his articles under the real-estate/finance sections on-line at http://www.bclifestyle.ca/.

• wanting to supervise the renovation and all the details that come with it.
• expressing frustration to whoever will listen about the loss of routines and the use of your home.
• exhausted or sad over the loss of what was familiar even though you are excited about the improvements that are coming.
• more easily agitated over any other changes in your life whether they are work or family based.

Change often brings with it a sense of discomfort, elevated emotions and a desire to hold onto what is familiar.

Here are some simple tips to help you through these moments of discomfort and emotion:

1. Ask questions of the project manager and keep asking questions. There should be no mystery for you in terms of what’s happening and when it is happening. Information is key to managing discomfort.
2. Spend time before the renovation practicing new routines so that they have some familiarity to you and your family. Add some fun to the new routines so there is some pleasure and play in the new changes. Carving out a special part of the home away from the renovations to be the hub of your home until the renovations are complete is often helpful. Loss of routine is definitely easier to deal with if you have a workable replacement.
3. Keep the outcome in mind. Visualize the finished product whenever the dust, noise, or changes become stressful.
4. Minimize change and maintain stability in other parts of your life whether it is in your work, exercise routines or non home based family routines.
5. Take a break from the renovations. If a sense of discomfort begins to take over and the above strategies are not working leave the house and indulge in some self care. Relax with your friends, engage in your favourite sport, or take a trip. You focus on you and we’ll focus on getting the renovations done quickly and smoothly.
6. Trust yourself and your reasons for creating a change in your home. It made sense then and it makes sense now.

• reVISION’S Projects in Progress
• New Residential Water Metering Policy
• Greenest City 2020 Action Plan
• Market Insights
• Tips to Secure Your Home during the Holidays and Vacations

reVISION’S Projects in Progress

Lucky 13th Part two

reVISION is back to work at the Lucky 13th building! Due to our grand “VISION”, reVISION is hard at work on another unit in the same building. Referrals are our best Complement! We are taking Lucky 13th Part Two and working our magic once again! Join us on Facebook to see how we maximize the space of this west-side condo and bring it into the modern day world!

Before: Outdated 90′s Kitchen with limited countertop and cooking space.

Before: This olden day design is screaming for an update to the 21st century!

Visit us on Facebook to see progress pictures of this project and many others!

New Residential Water Metering Policy

Effective January 2012 all new one-and two-family dwellings and homes undergoing major renovations will require water meters. Supply and installation of the meter is to be funded by a $450.00 fee increase to the permit issued for a new water service. More details regarding this new policy will be available by end of summer.

Greenest City 2020 Action Plan

The GVHBA council has adopted the greenest city 2020 action plan and directed staff to implement the highest actions over the next three years. A number of these actions will involve the residential construction industry. Some of the actions include:

• Work with developers and energy utilities to establish four new renewable energy systems for new, large site, high density developments
• Develop an HVAC bylaw to regulate the commissioning, maintenance, fuel choice and efficiency of heating, cooling and ventilation equipment in buildings by 2012
• Develop and promote financing tools for building retrofits for single- and multi-family buildings
• Use price signals in permit fees to reward energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reductions in new and existing buildings
• Develop zero waste enforcement strategies for all sectors
• Require water metering on all new home services (including major renovations) effective 2012

Follow up details regarding the Greenest City 2020 Action Plan will be included in our future newsletters.

Market Insights

Market Insights will be hosting an event “The Money: Financing Green Building and Retrofits”on Wednesday September 14 th at the UBC Robson Square theatre (800 Robson Street, Vancouver BC) from 8:00-10:00 am. Participants will be face-to-face with a panel of leading financiers to discuss the opportunities and challenges around green financing.

Registration and Continental Breakfast begins at 7:30am, for more information log on to http://www.marketinsights.eventbrite.com/

Tips to Secure Your Home during the Holidays and Vacations

• Security System – Install a monitored security system.
• Doors and Windows – Lock and bolt all doors and windows while you are away. Sliding doors require special devices such as a rod or dowel to make them secure.
• Avoid being a Victim – Leave something in plain view outside to give the appearance of family activity — gardening tools, toys, or water hose can all send a message someone is home.
• Set Timers – Put devices such as a radio, interior and exterior lights on timers set to your normal schedule so intruders think someone is home.
• Mail – Stop your mail and newspaper deliveries. Ask a neighbor to remove the free regional newspapers and flyers from the front of your house. They don’t take long to accumulate.
• Ask a Neighbor… – Get a family member or trusted neighbor to mow your lawn, move your vehicle occasionally and place a bag of their household trash in front of your home on collection day.