A Vancouver Construction, Contracting & Interior Design Blog

Welcome to the Klondike Blog. Our goal is to capture our experiences and knowledge about the current state of design and construction as it stands today. As new ideas are developed and industry standards evolve, we are seeing the introduction of new materials, products and attitudes towards how we should be design, build, renovate and decorate our spaces. We hope you enjoy our blog!

Maintenance

Ask the Experts: How to Prevent a Leaky Roof

Posted on April 7th, 2013

This week, we ask experts on how to prevent a leaky roof. And when it comes to roofing, we turn to our sister company Macbeth Roofing & Waterproofing for all the details and here’s some great tips to keep your roof in tip top condition.

Macbeth Roofing & Waterproofing

Your roof is one of the trickiest components of your home to maintain. In order to ensure that your roof is performing properly, you have to ensure it is inspected and maintained on a regular basis. Neglected roofs are the primary cause of water infiltration and premature building envelope failure. In our climate the last thing you want is water pouring into your home in the middle of our rainy winters!

Here are 3 easy steps to ensure your roof is not leaking:

Visual Inspection – The first thing to do is make sure that when it rains there are:

  • No visible water stains marks on your ceilings
  • No water drops on your hardwood floors or carpets
  • No buildup of moss & mildew on the exterior of your roof
  • No water flowing over the side of your eaves trough or decks
  • No odd musty smells lingering on the top floor of your home

Yearly Maintenance – Every fall (Nov & Dec are the best months) it is important to:

  • Remove all debris off your roof with a broom or air pressure (certain roofs can be pressure washed)
  • Clean out your deck drains, eaves trough and flush out your downpipes & drain tiles
  • Inspect all roofing materials for signs of premature aging (i.e. curling shingles or separating seams)
  • Ensure chimney, venting and skylight are securely fastened & unobstructed
  • Perform routine maintenance: shingle/shake replacement, metal shimming, hot weld seams, etc.

Proactive Replacement

Your roof typically comes with a 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 or even 50 year warranty. These warrantees cover the roofing materials & installation. However, most roof leaks occur due to the weather (wind and rain storms) or mischievous animals and not due to faulty workmanship or roofing materials.

Even if you have a number of years left on your roofs warranty, it is often wise to be proactive and have your roof replaced. Different regions of Vancouver will age your roof sooner than other regions due to higher amount of rain per year (i.e. Vancouver roofs age quicker than White Rock roofs and North Shore roofs age quicker than Vancouver roofs).

If you are proactive the chance of having a leaky roof is greatly reduced! Make sure that you have done everything you can to protect your largest investment from our windy and rainy winter season.
If any of the tips mentioned above seem overwhelming, contact your roofing professionals to inspect your roof or sign you up for a regular roof maintenance package to give you the peace of mind that the water stays on the outside of your home!

Have a question about your roof? Just call the experts!

If you have any questions about your roof or need another opinion on your roof’s health, give Macbeth Roofing & Waterproofing a call at 778-374-0333 or visit their website at www.macbethroof.com. You’ll be glad you did!

 

Stay protected! Don’t miss out on Macbeth...

Posted on January 28th, 2013

Macbeth Lifetime VIP Membership-logoFor a limited time only, our sister company, Macbeth Roofing and Waterproofing, is offering a lifetime VIP membership. A onetime membership fee of $199.00+tax per building or home (valued at $499+tax), offers you the following:

  • FREE Yearly Roof & House/Building Inspection Reports*
  • FREE Unlimited Emergency Service Calls*
  • Have peace of mind with the Lifetime VIP Membership™!

We cannot stress enough, the importance of roof maintenance, particularly in this wet Vancouver climate! The roof of the house is, after all, what offers your whole home protection. Depending on the roof type, usage, age and complexity, roof maintenance programs are designed to maximize the life cycle of the roof while minimizing the costs involved. The purpose is to protect one of your most valuable investments and avoid any nasty surprises, such as leaks, mold or stains.

Macbeth Roofing & Waterproofing provides high quality residential and commercial roofing services in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Their skilled team is trained to provide thorough inspections, detailed estimates and durable installations. They are experts in roofing maintenance, roofing repairs and new roof installations. Macbeth is also COR Safety Certified for your peace of mind. For more information on the Macbeth Roofing & Waterproofing or the membership program, please call 778-374-0333 or visit them on the web at www.macbethroof.com.

*Certain conditions apply. Please see our website for details

A Beautiful Bohemian-style Courtyard in Vancouver

Posted on August 25th, 2012

Starting with a defined budget and a 22’ x 33’ lot, Klondike’s Landscape Designer, Thomas Kyle, set out to develop a design solution which met the clients’ price point and lifestyle.

A graduate of Landscape Architecture from UBC, Thomas has 15 years experience designing award winning gardens. He has collaborated with people from New York to Seattle and from Vancouver to Los Angeles. Thomas heads Klondike Contracting’s Landscape Design Division and personally oversees the installation of all our landscape projects.

This garden presented several wonderful design challenges. Fully-exposed on three sides, without screening or shade, it needed to be child-friendly and secure. The clients also required a space which functioned equally well for large gatherings or for small family dinners. It also needed to be low maintenance and environmentally responsible, and the downstairs tenant needed a separate entry.

The design solution, loosely borrowed from the Bohemian design principles found in European courtyards, starts with a layer of tall evergreen hedges and strategically placed tall trees. This tall layer creates the necessary shade and screening for the children to play safely and further creates the framework for a useable interior space.

The second layer unfolds with colorful perennials, climbing vines and wild grasses.

Finally, the playful grid pattern creates a sense of whimsy and interest. Constructed from artificial turf, the green grid requires no maintenance, water or chemicals for upkeep, thus addressing the clients’ requirement of environmental responsibility.

A sculptured water feature rests under a new Katsura tree, functioning as the courtyard’s focal point.

In combination, the layered plants, water feature and grid pattern creates a courtyard which appears much larger than its 122’ x 33’ size, and it also embraces the Bohemian nature of East Vancouver.

After delivering the garden on budget and within a two week construction time, the clients expressed their pleasure when they noted, “Thank you so much for designing a beautiful courtyard – we have received a lot of rave reviews. You have transformed a small space into an eye-catching courtyard.”

Welcome Macbeth Roofing & Waterproofing

Posted on May 21st, 2012

After years of working together closely on numerous projects, Klondike Contracting would like to welcome Macbeth Roofing & Waterproofing to the KC family.

For over 20 years, Macbeth established an excellent reputation for high quality workmanship and service under the leadership of Wade Wagar. Wade was an amazing roofer, close friend and devoted family man who will be very sorely missed by all of us.

Klondike is incredibly proud to call Macbeth its sister company and we look forward to growing both businesses in stride. With Macbeth under the same umbrella, we will be expanding our in-house services, adding water leak traces, roof replacements, temporary repairs, building envelope retrofits and assessments.

The Macbeth crews are experienced in the installation and repair of flat (torch applied membranes) and sloped roofs (architectural asphalt shingles). We look forward to bringing a full service experience to all commercial and residential projects.

To check out more about Macbeth Roofing & Waterproofing, click here.

For a FREE roofing estimate, click here to get started!

Klondike Contracting 2011 Renovation Retreat Winne...

Posted on November 16th, 2011


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!

Keep Your Home Cosy Warm This Fall

Posted on October 14th, 2011

As the season gets chilly, keep your home cosy for less!

Some of these tips might be no-brainers but a simple reminder can make all the difference!

Start by taking an energy efficiently test. This will allow you to know exactly where cold air is and from there you can take the proper precise steps.

  • Use honeycomb blinds, they provide superior insulation, noise reduction and reduction of energy costs throughout the house.
  • Look into special heaters. ECO-heaters, for example use less electricity than any other heater for a given area. They draw in cold air from the floor of the room and then circulate the air for free.
  • Heavy drapery can also help hold in drafts but if it’s a sunny day, letting the light in can be useful. You can see how solar paneling can generate enough energy to heat a house!
  • Check doors, windows and your chimney. If your chimney is open all winter long, you are allowing heat escape and cold air to seep in. When your fireplace isn’t in use be sure to close the chimney flue up – you’ll notice a big difference right away
  • Use rugs to insulate flooring
  • Heat may also be lost to an unfinished basement. Even if you think it is closed off from the rest of your house, the water heater may be losing heat before it even gets into the rest of your house. You can purchase inexpensive outer casings to protect heat loss.
  • For the long-term Have your insulation checked. Good insulation is instrumental in keeping the house warm and reducing heating costs.
  • And don’t forget to look into how you can get rebates from the BC government for conserving energy!

Please contact us for your fall and winter maintenance needs!

 

 

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