First, thank you Vancouver for choosing Klondike Contracting as the Best of the City for 2011!

This is your opportunity again to let everyone know who you think is the Best of the Best in this fine city of Vancouver for 2012! And while you are at it…

Please consider voting for Klondike Contracting as your favourite Construction/Renovator Contractor under the Services category!

Cast your vote now and have a chance to win an iPad plus dining certificates, movie passes, concert tickets and much more!

Don’t delay – the survey ends January 2nd, 2012 at 9am!

How to Vote:

1. Think Local.
2. One entry per person.
3. Vote in a minimum of 20 categories
4. Share this with your friends!
5. Click here to Vote!

Secret Sapphire retail store by Klondike Contracting - more photos coming soon!

“Monica and I are ecstatic with the final result – you have to come by and take a look to appreciate all the details. Our goal was to create a unique and personal experience for our fine jewellery and that’s exactly what was achieved thanks to Annaliesse and Klondike.” – Philip Morrison

The late 1800’s London inspired design (met with a little modern day flair) was created by KC’s Annaliesse Kelly to compliment Monica’s extraordinary custom jewellery. The project involved specially-made millwork, well thought out lighting, the selection of many unique pieces of furniture and much more. With Annaliesse’s efforts, as both the designer and project manager on this project, we were able to meet an extremely tight construction timeline of 6 weeks.

“We’re glad Klondike was there to help us from start to finish and with a lot of hard work and teamwork we were able to open on time.” - Philip Morrison

We were lucky enough to design and build this project, with Monica and Phil involved from the beginning in our Design Build Process. This helped us understand their vision, determine the potentials of the space, finalize a budget and put together an action plan that worked for them. Klondike’s ability to handle the design, budget and construction ensured a smooth transition from paper to reality.

After a year of searching for the perfect location and a lot of hard work to get the store ready, Secret Sapphire successfully hosted its soft launch on December 03, 2011. Be sure to check out Monica Tsao’s beautiful, timeless jewellery and visit their fantastic store in person at 493 Davie St (Davie & Richards).

Secret Sapphire
Tel: 604.558.3638
Email: info@secretsapphire.ca
Website: www.SecretSapphire.ca

Be sure to check out our other commercial tenant improvement projects that were successfully completed by KC.

It’s been three years since the green roof was planted on Vancouver’s new convention centre.

The Vancouver Sun recently wrote an article on the verdict of the roof. “Is it a success? Is it as good as they promised it would be?” the article evaluates by saying:

Some parts are terrific – attractive, quality planting; a beautiful habitat for songbirds and insect life. Other areas are untidy, scrubby, a bit of a mess; you might even say, an eyesore, and a fair ways from what they could or should be. Overall, the roof is more a success than a flop, but there’s definitely room for improvement, so the designers should not spend too much time pat-ting themselves on the back. There’s still some refining work to do.

Covering 2.4 hectares (just over six acres), it is still the largest living roof in Canada and the largest non-industrial green roof in North America. But being 10 storeys above ground, you can’t see much of it from street level, say from outside the Fairmont Pacific Rim at  Canada Place.

The lack of public access was always one of my main criticisms of the roof design – its failure to incorporate sufficient access for the public to get up there and actually enjoy the views. It would have been favourable to have a garden-like viewing area where people could see the meadow on the roof as well as panoramic ocean views, the article reads.

To summarize more details about the roof:

More than 400,000 native B.C. plants representing 25 species were used to cover the six acres of roof space. In addition, 40,000 bulbs were planted and 128 kilograms of flower and grass seed sprinkled to create the equivalent of the “coastal grassland,” the kind of look you are most likely to see on the exposed northern tip of Vancouver Island. 80,000 sedums were densely planted to form a massive carpet of colour and texture on the sunny west side of the building. (Unfortunately, this is not visible to the public, except on a special tour).

The roof’s wild-meadow look has been achieved by planting mainly three types of common grass – Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis), red fescue (Fes-tuca rubra) and Quatro sheep fescue (Festuca vugaris). Dozens of wildflowers, including Douglas asters (Aster subspicatus), nodding onion (Allium cernum) and common camas (Camassia quamash), have enabled bees from four hives to produce 120 pounds of honey. The grass on the roof is mowed once a year. Maintenance crews also make weekly visits to check drainage lines and to pull out invasive weeds.

It finishes with a quote, “The project continues to get a lot of attention because it strikes at the heart of an issue that we all hear about and are interested in – global warming and the loss of habitat through urbanization”.

The holiday season is among us, and  when most of us think holidays, we think of home. Home is where we gather among friends and family, home is where we cook meals and entertain guests, home is the shelter we decorate, and since we work in the “home” business, we are honoured to improve, and transform such a big part of your life. We hope home is where your heart is this season!

Click here for the Klondike Contracting Service page for information on how we can help you on your next home project. Click here for our Request A Quote form for an estimate on your upcoming Design, Construction, Renovation or Maintenance project.

Also, here is a is a list found on about.com of some local events and markets, where you can find great home décor ideas and unique gifts this time of year.

1. Vancouver Christmas Market: November 24 – December 24, 2011

Also known as the German Christmas Market, the Vancouver Christmas Market recreates an authentic outdoor German Christmas market village in downtown Vancouver, at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza. The market features unique holiday shopping, seasonal music and entertainment, and traditional German holiday food and drink.

KC’s upbeat Administrative Assistant, (otherwise known as Nikola, the German-wonder), insists the gingerbread is worth it alone!

2. Make It Vancouver: November 24 – 27, 2011

Though not a typical Vancouver Christmas Market, this hip, modern craft market is still a great place for holiday shopping! Dedicated to showcasing unique, ethically-made goods from local and Canadian artisans, the Make It Vancouver market includes hand-made gifts, paper arts, kids’ clothes, fashion, jewelry, and art. Takes place at the Croatian Cultural Centre (3250 Commercial Drive), near Trout Lake. 

3. Got Craft? Holiday Edition: December 4, 2011

Got Craft? is a semi-annual craft fair held in May and December that showcases over 50 local artists and artisans. Vendors include jewelry, clothing, bath and body, paper arts, ceramics, fine art, and foods. Takes place at the Royal Canadian Legion (2205 Commercial Drive).

4. One of a Kind Show & Sale: December 8 – 11, 2011

This craft market features works from artists across North America, not just Vancouver, British Columbia, or Canada. Still, even though One of a Kind is less about shopping local, it’s still a fun holiday shopping stop, offering a large range of artisan fashion, home decor, fine arts, and kids’ clothes and accessories. Takes place at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

5. Bonus! Portobello West: November 26 – 27, 2011

Portobello West is a famous Vancouver artist and craft market that happens on the last Sunday of every month and features an array of local artisans and wares, including arts, fashion, accessories, and home decor.

The roof of the house is after all what offers your whole home protection. All factors should be working together in order to prevent water infiltration. Bi-annual cleanings can help!

Depending on roof type, (usage, age, and complexity), roof maintenance programs are designed to maximize the life cycle of the roof while minimizing the costs involved.

A good roof maintenance program also ensures that there are no financial surprises for the building owner. Being proactive and planning ahead is extremely beneficial. If re-roofing is required, at least you are starting from scratch and eliminating future issues. In other words, it is the maximum investment to the homeowner.

Though there are several areas that should be taken into consideration when it comes to having your roof assessed each year, here are three key points to look at – especially heading into the cold, rainy months:

Flashings: Water can run behind the flashing and drip into the attic or next level of the home causing it to rust or rot. Caulking can be a good temporary repair however if the mortar is well deteriorated it may need to be re-built.

Exposed Nails: Properly sealing is important. Over time, nails may become loose and allow water in. This can be problematic for flashings and vents as well.

Older Chimneys & Brick: Again, water can enter if cracking occurs above the roof flashing level can allow water to get in and go down the chimney and come out at an inner wall area showing stains and actual dripping. The chimney can deteriorate which could lead to cracks in the bricks and the mortar.

Please contact 604-537-7450 for more information and to schedule roofing maintenance for your home.

Congratulations Terry & Jodi Dawydiak!
The Renovation Retreat Grand Prize Winners!

We want to thank everyone again for making this year’s Renovation Retreat and our booth at the Vancouver Home+Design show such a success! We’re also very excited to present Terry & Jodi Dawydiak with their grand prize including a fabulous 2 night stay at the Fairmont Pacific Rim with dinner at the Pan-Asian bistro Oru and a rejuvenating massage experience at the tranquil Willow Stream Spa.  But that’s not all…

… be sure to check your ballot for Runner Up Prizes!

For those of you who joined us at this year’s 2011 Vancouver Home+Design Show, we have also randomly selected 3 winners for runner up prizes. Thank you again visiting us at the show!

Check if your ballot number was chosen below!

Ballot #10192: Relaxing Massage at Fairmont’s Willow Stream Spa
Ballot #10151: $100 Gift Card at the Cactus Club Restaurant
Ballot #10148: $100 Gift Card at the Cactus Club Restaurant

Call us today to redeem your gift certificate!

… and at Klondike Contracting, everyone is a winner!

As our way of saying thank you for participating in our promotion, we are offering 10% off* all 2 Hour In-Home Design Consultation and all Exterior Maintenance Services. (* Must be booked before December 20, 2011.)

Call us today at 604-708-3337 to book a reservation and don’t forget to mention the Renovation Retreat Winner’s Special to receive your 10% off deal!

Speaking of winners… click here to see our
2011 Georgie Award-Winning Finalist projects!

2011 Finalist – Best Kitchen Renovation under $100,000
A Family Affair – Vancouver BC

• Clients wanted simple understated kitchen, with attention on materials and  finishes, ensuring drama in the details!
• The intricate redesign of this kitchen opened it up to the rest of home beyond the client’s wildest dreams.
• The small, dysfunctional, dated kitchen was miraculously transformed into an amazing space with efficient cooking and food preparation and a great gathering place.
• The oversized island anchors the space functioning as a perfect “horizontal picture”.
• Tucked in a cozy alcove just off the kitchen, the eating nook is a fan favourite. Previously, it appeared segregated in a brick faced cranny with a window into dining room.  Drywall was installed over brick and built-in banquette allows seating for 6.
• With the kitchen as focal point of the re-design, gatherings can now stretch from 2 – 24 people!

2011 Finalist – Best Single Family Detached Home up to 2,000 Sq. Ft. under $350,000
Life in the Fast Lane – Vancouver BC

The character of this laneway was designed to suit the small scale traditional setting that defines the Main Street corridor.

• This space-conscious structure was kept flexible by providing a large open room to maximize usable area and functionality.
• Small buildings demand less energy, thus this 500sf structure is also efficient.  In addition, the materials for the interior included: colored concrete flooring throughout, pre-fabricated  millwork for the kitchen thereby reducing
  waste during production, energy efficient appliances, large energy efficient windows for effective cooling and heating and energy efficient lighting!

We look forward to the results in March!

KC will be there showcasing our design-build services. We invite you to come speak to one of our senior project managers to answer any questions you have about your upcoming projects!

The seminar will feature presentations by award-winning renovation and design professionals, a lawyer and a municipal building official. Seminar topics include the renovation and design process, RenoMark, legal considerations and permits.

Klondike has award winning designers and contractors ready to help you with your next renovation project. To browse through the services we provide visit our Services page. For more information about our professionals visit our Team page and see if there is a designer or project manager that suits you. For some local Vancouver Renovation and Design inspiration visit our Residential Portfolio gallery.

KC is proud to support this event and hope you can contribute by stopping by our office to drop off any kid-sized coats and warm outdoor items you no longer need.

Our address is: 300-1375 W 6^th Ave in Vancouver. We are open Monday – Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm.

Donations will be accepted until December 9^th.

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.

Please help spread awareness about this great cause!

Zientte describes themselves as “a contemporary custom furniture business” with a full service design team. Their leather furniture is gorgeous with incredible value!

KC had the pleasure of working with Lime Design Studio on the construction of this retail location. The look and feel of this atmosphere is contemporary, warm and inviting. Plus their clients receive complimentary design advice while enjoying gourmet coffee from their in-house espresso machine! For a limited time, Zientte is featuring art by the incredibly talented Zoe Pawlak. This trendy furniture store is worth checking out!

They carry an abundance of contemporary furniture, leather sofas, bedroom sets, dining room sets and many others beautifully designed products.

For more information, click here.

Please click here to see our portfolio of commercial projects.