Menno S Martin Contractor Ltd.

Introduction

The renovation of your home can be a wonderful experience of creativity, designing and fulfilling your dream for a comfortable and welcoming living space.

Renovation, on the other hand can be somewhat disruptive, not only of your physical building, but of your lifestyle. With good planning, the right contractor and a positive attitude, the disruptions can be significantly minimalized and the experience can be memorable. It’s like anything else, with lots of planning, and careful work, the results will be very rewarding.

This guide can help you to decide whether or not renovation is the way for you to go. It will also help you to understand how, with Menno S. Martin as your renovation partner, you can make the experience a wonderful fulfillment of your dream.

Gathering Ideas

 Your ideas will often be formed by your experience of other spaces. Some of those spaces will be ones that you visit:

• Other people’s homes
• Home Shows
• Room settings in furniture and appliance store

Some of the space experiences will be from magazines or television. There are lots of home decor and renovation magazines available at the bookstands. You may also want to tune in to HGTV – the Home and Garden channel. Many of the shows feature wonderfully designed rooms and decor.

Some of those spaces will be very attractive, but not necessarily something that you can live with. You will need to ask your self questions:

• Do I feel cozy with a huge stone fireplace, or is a more formal mantel and fireplace make me feel better?
• Do I prefer lots of sunlight or do I want a more subdued lighting during the day?
• What colours make me feel comfortable?

Home Profile

Before undertaking the creation or re-creation of new space in your house, you will need to evaluate your current space. List your rooms and list the activities that occur in each room., Prioritize your list – from most used room to least used room. You can use the sample below to create your profile

Creating your Wish List

While creating this list – based on your home-profile, do not worry about costs. You will later to be able to decide what you can or cannot afford to do. Do not fill out the importance column until you are complete. In other words, let your mind be creative, listing all of the improvements and additions that you would love to have.

We have divided this list into two categories. My “like to have” list and my “need to have” list. Do the “like to have” first. When you’re done, you can then move some of the “likes” down to the “need to have” list. Perhaps there will be things that you need to have – that are not necessarily part of your “dream” list. (e.g. an entry way so that guests can take off their muddy boots and coats).

Financing The Project

Identify your budget early:

This is something that only you can determine. You will have to determine a figure with which you can live. You may need to consult a financial manager or an accountant for advice in this matter. Your bank manager may also be of help.

Share your budget with your builder:

Perhaps you are afraid that if you share your final budget with the design/builder, they will design to the budget rather than designing what you want. Well, it’s the chicken and egg argument. Much time (and cost) can be eliminated if a budget is known from the outset. Menno S Martin has been working with clients in this area for more than 60 years. Most of our business is referral and word of mouth. Our clients have grown to understand our integrity. Outlining your budget from the outset, will only help us to meet your needs effectively. It will be the beginning of an open dialogue and an honest relationship between our company and yourself.

If you’re thinking of trying to calculate the costs of your renovation on the basis of some arbitrary square footage cost, you may be either shocked or disappointed. “Set” costs simply don’t work in a renovation project. It’s one thing to put up a flimsy poorly designed addition and it’s another thing to put up a solid stable room with quality materials and workmanship. The cost for square foot will obviously differ.

Know your Options:

Once you have determined your wishes, your budget and then met with one of our Design/Build Managers, you may be pleasantly surprised that we will accomplish what you want well within the figure that you had in mind.

If on the other hand, our budget for your project is more than you can handle there are many alternatives. Sometimes focusing on quality and a smaller size for the addition is the solution. At other times, it may be a question of staging the renovations to assist you with financial constraints. Maybe the whole wish list will take a while to accomplish!

The Process

There are different ways of approaching the building process; let us look at a few:

Design Build

We believe that 'design/build' provides a process of developing the best home renovation plan possible and satisfies the space requirements, lifestyle and budget needs for our clients.

At Menno S Martin our expertise is not just the knowledge of how to put together bricks and siding. Our service integrates design, realistic costing, construction and construction management. It is a process of decision-making where ultimately the home improvement client’s concerns are satisfied and they are comfortable signing a fixed price agreement. We have found that this process yields the most successful and satisfying experience and final product for everyone involved. Our clients agree and often say so.

What we offer is the quality of our ideas and the process of delivering a well-designed product. We concentrate our services on the design, not only of the interior finishes, but the engineering of the systems such as foundation, framing, roofing, masonry, heating/air conditioning and electrical. We will also take care of landscaping services on the property to complete the overall exterior look of the home project. Our clients tell us that the well coordinated time and effort spent on this phase of the project are well worth it.

For a more detailed look at the Menno S. Martin Design/Build process, please see the "Our Process" section.

Bid Build

In this method an architect working with a home-owner creates the design and drawings for the work. The homeowner then “shops” the design around to different general contracts. Often the general contractor with the lowest bid is awarded the job.

There are a few flaws in this process:

• The contractor is brought on-line too late. The designs are often created without the benefit of the contractor’s hands-on building knowledge. This often means that the designs will have be trimmed down to meet budget and often times this can be disappointing. Additional design fees are sometimes incurred.
• The process of sorting through the bids can be difficult. Each contractor will approach the plans with a different perspective and with varying levels of quality. This can make process one of comparing apples an oranges.
• When the process goes into construction, it is the contractor who oversees the project – not the architect or original designer. If the architect is not involved in the construction, there is always more difficulty in making sure that the original plans are carefully followed.

Although Menno S. Martin can carefully follow any plans that are given to us, and will certainly do our best to create the space that is intended in the plans, we highly recommend the design/build process. The process is much clearer, with fewer headaches for the homeowner. The good news is that in the design build process there are often significant cost savings as well.

The Builder

If you’ve come this far with us, you’re probably a client. Most people that work through a renovation process with us become “clients for life”. Not only do they become clients for life – but the refer others to us. Most of our business is repeat and referral.

All of our newsletters feature testimonials from our clients and we’d be happy to make any number of those available to you. The bottom line is that we’ve been at it for more than 60 years. We’re here to stay and the reason for that is because we satisfy our clients well beyond their expectations.

We're also happy to provide you a list of clients with whom you may wish to speak. To help you out, here’s a list of questions you may wish to ask them:

• What work did Menno S Martin perform for you? Is the project similar to yours? How did they provide you with a unique solution?
• What was the level of collaboration during the design and building process? Were your ideas incorporated into the design? Did the design solutions fit the budget?
• Did Menno S Martin prepare you for construction? Was there a pre-construction meeting to discuss the daily impact of construction on the home? What was done to make the experience more comfortable?
• How was the communication between you and Menno S Martin? Did the they keep the you updated on design progress? Were they readily available via phone or pager? Did the they keep you updated on the progress of the job?
• Were the members of the design and construction team likable? Were they trustworthy? Did members of the team treat the you and each other with respect?
• Are you pleased with the quality of the design and construction work? Was the design work creative and artistic? Was the construction work done with high quality craftsmanship? Have there been any problems with the design or construction? Hint: ask about the details!
• Was the project completed within budget? What affected the project costs? Could Menno S Martin have foreseen these issues?
• Was there anything that concerned you about working with Menno S Martin? If so, how did they address those issues?
• Do you feel the quality of design and construction justified the project costs? Was the quality of work consistent with the cost of the project?
• Was the process fun? How did Menno S Martin make the process more enjoyable? The process is hard work, but it doesn't have to be unbearable!
• Is there anything about Menno S Martin we didn't cover? Let the client share their own feelings and impressions in their own words.

Renovating with Menno S. Martin is a good experience. Let us show you!

Protecting Yourself and Your Home

The Agreement

The Menno S. Martin agreement is very thorough and protects both our clients and our company. It details our relationship to each other. No matter how large or small the job, we will always provide you with a written agreement to sign before starting work on the project.

An example of our agreement is available here

If there is anything you do not understand in our contract, please ask us. We believe in clear lines of communication and we want to be sure that you are happy with the entire process.

The agreement will include the terms of payment for your project. The payment schedules will be broken up according to important project milestones. You will be able to use this payment schedule to arrange your own finances as well.

The Pre-Construction Meeting Agenda

Here are some topics that may come up in the pre-construction meeting. You may have other issues that you would like to raise:

Scope of Work

We will talk about what work will be provided for your house.

Project Schedule

We will discuss expectations for the project completion date as well as looking at the schedule for each phase within the project. If delays are possible where are they most likely to occur? We will arrange a times to meet with you during the project.

Living Conditions

We will look at how your living space will be affected at each point in the construction. Our team will try to make this as comfortable as possible. We make certain that throughout the process, your living areas will be as clean as possible and that you will have the necessary appliances and utilities required to go on with your lifestyle. We can’t say that there will not be inconveniences, but we can say that we’ll do our best to minimalize them for you.

Lead Carpenter

This is a very important part of our discussion. Who will be in charge of your project. Our lead carpenter in every case is reputable and highly skilled. Our clients are universally complimentary of our Design/Build Managers. This person will be accessible to you at all times. The Design/Build Manager will be sure that your project meets and exceeds all of your expectations.

Children

If there are children in the home during the project, you will have to make us aware of their presence. Obviously you will have to provide supervision for the children. We will instruct you on any safety issues that will be applicable in your home.

Pets

You will have to tell us about your pets and let us know about their temperament. What arrangements will you make for your pet’s safety during construction?

Valuable Items

If there are valuable items that our staff will be working around or have to move, please let us know. It may be necessary to move some items off site.

Security

Most homeowners will give us a set of keys to the house for the duration of the job. We will discuss who will be responsible for the keys, and who will be allowed access to keys. Does your home have an alarm system that will need to be turned off or on? If work is to be done on a second floor, we will make sure no ladders are left up overnight. All openings will be secured with plywood. All exposed areas of the home will be covered tightly with plastic tarp to protect from inclement weather (i.e. rain)..

Cleaning

This will be an important part of the Pre Construction meeting – and an important part of the construction phases. We will make use of plastic, tarps and plywood to maintain a clean environment for you. We will also vacuum all of the debris left behind on a regular basis. We will try to make this as pleasant an experience as possible.

Coping with Construction

These hints will help you to make the renovation experience as stress free as possible.

Safety First

Concern for the safety of your family and property is foremost on the mind of both you and our company. Taking positive steps to put safety first can allay fears and bring you peace of mind.

• Keep children out of harm's way. Provide enough supervision in a separate area of the home, and make sure they know not to enter the working area without an adult's permission. If small children are present, discuss the use of physical barricades around the work area to keep out curious little ones.
• Disruption and noise can frighten and upset pets. Make sure to keep pets away from the working areas at all times. Alert us as to your pet's location, as well as your pet's temperament.
• Protect valuables from dust and dirt. Even the cleanest construction site can generate enough dust to damage improperly protected valuables. Make sure to cover VCR's, TVs, computers, stereo equipment, etc.

Maintain Lines of Communication

Remain involved in the project and its scheduling, along with decisions that are being made. Use daily discussions as well as weekly and milestone meetings to discuss concerns honestly and openly. Keep written records so that both you and your Design/Build Manager remember what decisions were made, and when.

If you're concerned about an issue or item, address it with us as soon as possible. Unresolved issues that are ignored or tossed aside can sometimes cause problems later in the process.

Attend Mandatory Milestone Meetings

Milestone meetings are critical for evaluating construction progress and making important decisions about the way you'll really be living in the house. They may even be tied into your construction payment schedule.

The agendas for these meetings should be pre-set, and should include issues related to the approach to your project. These meetings will be held at different points in your project's schedule The topics for these meetings can range from the locations of electrical outlets and light fixtures, to the placement of cabinet handles and drawer pulls.

Take a Mini-Vacation

Coming home to strangers, dust, and noise can make even the most resolved of homeowners feel stressed.

One way to combat this is to take a mini-vacation. It can be something small, like a weekend at a nearby hotel, or something more extravagant, like a sports or spa package at a resort. Either way, getting away from the hassle and inconvenience of a remodeling project can refresh and rejuvenate you for the rest of the project.

Also, during periods of heavy construction, it might even be safer and less distracting to gather the family away from the site. We will let you know if and when that might be a good idea.

Be Flexible

Usually, remodeling is a compromise between our fantasies for a perfect house and the reality of what we can and cannot do.

A flexible attitude is essential at the beginning phases of a project, when first creating a design for the work. Later, a flexible attitude is still important in dealing with the problems that may arise – problems with materials or supplies, delays in installations or repairs, changes to plans or additional charges.

Be open to new options. A positive outlook can make a stressful process a little more enjoyable

Take Lots of Photos!

Watching a construction project in progress can be a really neat thing, especially when it's your house. It's fascinating to watch how the different pieces all come together to form the finished structure. If you're living in the house during construction, you'll have an even more interesting perspective.

Take a lot of photos of the construction process. You might even want to begin a scrapbook to have a pictorial history of how your new home came to be. (Your family, friends, and neighbors will also ask how your remodeling is coming – it might be fun to show them your scrapbook or email photos of the work in progress!) You can also email pictures to your friends – or if you’re really computer literate – you can post them on a personal web site.

Once you start living in your beautiful new home, those memories of the construction process will begin to fade away. Keeping a journal during construction is a great way to memorialize this special time in your family's life. Jot down your feelings during the construction, as well as any interesting stories to tell later!

When it’s all over

There's nothing like the feeling of sheer delight you will experience when your project is completed. However, before completion it will be necessary to go through the entire project to look for any details that have not yet been completed, or are not completed to your satisfaction - or ours. Once we have gathered our list, we will proceed, attending to every last detail.

Warranty

Menno S. Martin offers an outstanding warranty on all of our projects. We have always stood behind whatever we’ve done and we will continue to do so. That’s something you can ask our clients about!

Surviving a Renovation with Children

Before:

Make sure that your children are involved in the planning. It’s a wonderful learning experience and can offer them yet one more “buy-in” into the family dynamic. If the renovation includes a child’s room, then it is all the more important that they be part of your decision-making process. Sometimes it‘s a question of laying out two or three colours that you like and letting them choose from those two. The same may be true of wallpaper.

We have had parents who have let the children help in planning a kitchen. Letting them draw their own plans, can be a learning experience and they may just come up with an idea or two!

During:

We will want you to introduce your children to the renovation team that will be working at your home. After all, you are inviting a group of people to be in your home for a significant period of time – they shouldn’t be strangers.

We will take every precaution to protect your children from any harmful construction debris. You may wish to put a portable air purifier in your child’s room to help remove dust and particles that will inevitably find their way to the bedroom.

Your children should watch the project as it unfolds. However, for safety reason, they should only be allowed near the construction area while being closely supervised by their parents. Tools are not toys, and can cause serious injury to children who are unsupervised.

Construction or renovation time is a great time to plan outings with the children. They will have a certain amount of interest in what is going on, but boredom will set in. Trips to the park, theatre, library and other places will help them to cope with the disruption in their home.

If you take photographs of the various stages of renovation, let your children put together a scrap book. It would be great if you sat with them and helped them to write descriptions and memories. They can draw pictures, describe events or talk about the renovation team. The book will be a real keepsake in your family.

M.S.M.