About Us

• meet expectations within budget.

• Commitment to quality and service.

• “Fast Track” capability.

• Detailed project oversight.

We must first define to scope of work. A Do-It-Yourself project with paint work,

handle changes, & light fixtures can be done for $1000 or less. The next level

of DIY is an Ikea kitchen, but this is just one stage of many. A custom design

kitchen can be $50,000 to $200,000 or more.

Some things to consider:

– Always start with number! Then move to calculations and define your

scope of work.

– Single detached home, or a stratified home?

– What permissions do you need? (Strata, or municipal)

– Dimension and shape of your kitchen.

– Countertop change? What else is affected by this change? (Sink, faucet,

backsplash)

– What countertop material to use

– Cabinetry change? What else is affected by this change? (Counter tops,

appliances, flooring)

– What material for the boxes/ casements, and what material for the doors/

panels)

– Appliance changes, with no location change

– Appliance changes, with location change. What else is affected?

(electrical, plumbing, ventilation)

– What other elements in the immediate vicinity are affected by the kitchen

renovation?

Permits are issued by either the local municipality or the BC Safety Authority.

These procedures and institutions existing to protect homeowners, their

investment in real property and assure the home is safe for your family. This

also enhances the value of your home at time of sale.

Trades permits such as electrical, plumbing and gas are required for new

installs, or any outlet movements. Your chosen licensed tradesman can apply

online, and these are quick to be issued.

Building permits are required for more involved construction and alterations.

Asking an experienced professional who has studies the building code and is

aware that each municipality has the right to adopt an edited version of the

BCBC, you should receive a qualified response suited to your particular home

type and extent of project.

A. In a detached single family dwelling a permit is recommended when

– Electrical or plumbing locations are changed,

– Structural alterations are proposed.

Please note, non-load bearing walls may be safe to take out but are still

part of your home’s structure. It might be a sheer wall or part of an

engineer’s calculation for weight distribution for the floor or ceiling joists.

An engineer’s assessment is advised.

B. In a multifamily building, such as a condo or apartment, requirements are

a little more complicated. The wall might be carrying a water, sprinkler,

drainage, vent, or gas pipe, which is common property. In these cases, the

drywall may form part of a fire barrier, the opening of which requires a

building permit.

It is always best practice to inquire with your municipality before starting any work on

the home.

Once you have determined that a permit is required, then identify if only a

trades permit is required, or if a building permit is needed. New construction

and some alterations may require a development building permit.

Trades permits are applied for online by the chosen licensed trades person.

They are typically issued within a week or less.

For building permits start by identifying the application that suites your project.

The municipality is usually very helpful here and their websites are quite

comprehensive. The application package will list all your requirements and

could include some of the following:

– Owner’s authorization/ Strata authorization

– Site plan for the property (an outline of the property location)

– Existing floor plans

– Proposed floor plans

– Elevation drawings (if exterior is being altered)

– Letter of Assurance from a Structural engineer, if structure is affected.

While some clients are able to handle this process, others might chose to

work with our team to ensure the municipality received the correct items,

resulting in a quicker approval.

Bathroom renovation takes anywhere from three to five weeks. This timeline

is mostly affected by the scope of work and the chosen materials.

It depends on the scope of work and the choices to follow the correct

procedures. Proper waterproofing is one critical stage worth the time

investment. Quality of finish is directly related to time invested in the correct

details. With tile for instance, we buy samples of the actual chosen items and

conduct a mapping on to floors & walls (and ceiling is needed). This allows

alignment of grout lines and fixtures resulting in a feeling of completeness.

Re/re (remove/ replace) is quicker since no plumbing or electrical locations

are being changed. Altering a bathing area (tub or shower) is more involved

than the rest of the space given it is built to supply, contain & drain water.

Changing vanity cabinets, surface light fixtures, toilet and paint work can

usually be done in about 2 weeks.