Toronto Renovation Stories & Expert Advice

Lori and Paul Build a House

One of the things I love about this job is that I get to see beautiful homes that are beautifully decorated. Of course the corollary of that is that when I get back to my own home I take a look around and get thoroughly depressed. In my rational state I know our house is actually quite nice looking - until you look at a "new build" -- especially one that's been done by completely put together people like Lori and Paul.

A few months ago I visited Lori, who, along with her husband Paul, built a stunning English Manor style home (well their builder actually built it, but you know what I mean). Now, this couple is incredibly decisive; they knew exactly what they wanted and presented very specific ideas to their architect Gary Stein, which made his job a lot easier. To give you some idea of what I'm talking about, the architect designed the house in just three weeks and the builder constructed it in less than a year, which included a three month break for winter! In fact building the house was obviously the enjoyable and fun experience that it's supposed to be, because Lori said she'd build again, "in a heart beat."

So, what's their secret? How come the project turned out exactly the way it was supposed to? Where were the delays, the workers not showing up on time, the delay in permit granting and every other thing you always hear about when someone builds a home or renovates?

For one thing, hiring a talented and reliable architect and builder is essential. An architect who produces detailed plans and drawings makes the builder's job easier (which means the job can move along a good clip). Lori and Paul hired a builder who only works on one house at a time so you know that he's never off at another job site. The couple had interviewed the builder and had seen several examples of his work before they hired him. Now that their house is built, his follow-up service has been just as good.

"Personality fit is another key factor to building success," says Lori. You are working with your contractor on a daily basis, so you'd better get along from the very beginning or you will find it a tiresome experience where you can't wait to get to the end of it, instead of enjoying the process itself.

Another factor in moving the project along quickly is the ability to make decisions. Questions are flying at you from every angle. Lori says, "you have to remember that 80% of the decisions you make you will never think about again, so make them and get on to the next thing."

Finally, Lori is one of those women who hates to shop. What does that mean when you're buying finishes for a new house? You go where your contractor has discounts. Period. It makes life easier and it saves you a lot of time and gas. Also, if you don't use an interior designer to help you with your finishes, use the experts in the stores. If you bring along samples of materials you have already chosen, they can help you match them with other products.

If you recognize that you are the kind of person who cannot make a decision about which toilet and tile look good together, then Lori suggests you hire an interior decorator or designer to help you. In the end you will save time and money, as they will be able to put together a palette with the right finishes for any room much quicker than you would on your own.


Paul and Lori's favorite companies:

CIOT Tiles and wood flooring:
CIOT is a dream!
The service here is exceptional. We worked with one person on all of our bathroom tiles and countertops and another for our kitchen. Together were able to come up with beautiful looking rooms.

Quan Appliances (400 and highway 7): Wonderful service at great prices.We've bought all our appliances here and are happy with the prices and the follow-up service. They have a wide selection of products in all price categories.

Pella Windows (Bayview and Eglinton):
We would use Pella again in a heartbeat! We had such a wonderful experience with Pella. The person we worked with helped us with our decisions, the design of the windows and doors, the choice of materials based on style of our house. He was very attentive to our needs.

Your Sweet Home Bath Bedding and Decorating Centres:
A gem in North Toronto! Helen is very professional. She came to my house, took measurements and made helpful suggestions on style and fabrics for our window coverings. We are very pleased with the results.

The Door Store:
Sam is the man! "Sam" at the Door Store is the man! Incredible selection of very interesting stuff. We "scored" on some absolutely one-of-a-kind lighting fixtures. "

Carrocel Restorations:
Excellent service! We found a beautiful commode for the powder room at Carrocel. This is a wonderful family-run business, where they really care about their customers. They called us after our commode was installed to ask how everything was. If you have a specific piece of furniture in mind and they don't have it, they will try to find if for you. The service is top notch!"

Labels: Renovation Stories

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