A Red Deer Carpenter Story
I remember very clearly when I first began learning carpentry, and started the journey it would take me on in the years to come. I had just graduated from university, was recently married and new to the area, and I felt I was at a crossroads as to what the next step in my career would be. Despite my best efforts, local jobs for Political Science graduates in the Red Deer area seemed to be in short supply, and frankly, I didn’t fancy a job as a government analyst or political party staffer. Thus, I found myself retooling my resumé, and seeking out connections in the local construction and renovation industry.
Back then, the economy was still pretty hot on the last housing boom, and it wasn’t long before I found a Journeyman willing to take me on as an carpentry apprentice, working as part of a fast-paced production framing crew. Our company had recently won a large contract to build about a dozen multiplex townhouse units in southeast Red Deer, and the project was expected to take around 3 years to complete.
I quickly discovered that production residential house framing was unlike anything I’d ever done before in my life. The work was almost exclusively outside, year-round in all kinds of weather, labour-intensive, and with a schedule that required strict efficiency, tight quality standards, and a fast learning curve. As the new guy, it took me a little while to find my place on the construction crew. I made my fair share of mistakes, like anyone learning anything new does, but it wasn’t until later on that I discovered that this was just part of the learning process, and I learned not to beat myself up too much for it. Over time I gradually improved in my skills, and began to appreciate seeing the transformation of the build site, from what began as nothing more than an empty field with a hole in the ground, to a series full-fledged homes with dozens of guys working on site in different roles.
Framing multiplexes had some funny moments – like the time I got my boots stuck in ankle-deep mud while building a roof on the ground, and my boss refused to get me out until he’d snapped some pictures of me struggling. We also had some not-so-funny moments – like the time I spent the afternoon in the ER after a run in with the nail gun. Overall, the experience was a challenging, but incredibly useful one for me, and I now look upon my first year and a half spent framing as my “trial by fire” into the world of construction.
While learning on the job provided me with valuable hands-on experience, my time attending Carpentry school at Red Deer College supplemented my education with many of the technical aspects I needed to know, and helped round out my skill-set as a carpenter. In Alberta, the apprenticeship program is structured that every year, you spend 10 months working on the job, and two months attending technical training, and you must attain a required number of experience hours and pass a competency exam (the dreaded “TQ”), to be recognized at the next level. As Carpentry is one of, if not the most varied of all the trades, the sheer amount of material learned is surprising to many seeing it for the first time – alongside framing (or “rough carpentry” as it is known), prospective carpenters learn skills in surveying, layout, concrete forming, demolition, blueprint interpretation and design, building science and structure, fine finishing, and many other areas. With each progressive year, the subject matter grows more complex, until at the end of the 4-year program, apprentice carpenters are confident in the many required skill areas demanded of them on the job. It’s a point of pride that Alberta turns out some of the most highly skilled Journeyman Carpenters in the world.
Following my first year of Carpentry technical training, I was offered a position with a radically different company, Homestead Custom Carpentry, led by owner, Brent Purdie. “Homestead” specializes in upper-scale renovations and project management, and works directly with homeowner clients to help them realize the potential of their homes, and make their remodeling dreams a reality. I quickly found that while I had enjoyed framing (most of the time), getting into renovations provided a thrill of a different kind, allowing me to understand the greater picture behind home renovation projects, as I got to be a part of the custom process all the way from conception to completion. It also allowed me to develop a greater independence and confidence in my work, and to learn that many times in many places, there’s more than one right way of accomplishing a task.
One of the things I have come to appreciate most about working with Homestead is that integrity is the driving value that defines how the company operates. As a strong Christian, I would say that my faith is the underlying principle defining how I live my life, and since I know the same is true for Brent, I can be confident in knowing that all of Homestead’s interactions with clients, business partners, and the community at large are honest, truthful, and quality-driven. As Colossians 3:23 points out, “Whatever you do, do it willingly, as if working for the Lord, rather than for men.” To find and work for a company that makes a point out of not cutting corners, providing honest quotes, and looking out for a client’s best interests, even at a potential loss of revenue, is a rare thing that I am glad for, and one that has taught me that in both life and business, there are things that are much more important than making a profit.
I am now finishing up the last year of my Carpentry apprenticeship, and still glad to be working for Homestead. Recently, I began taking some courses on project management, in hopes of obtaining my Project Management Professional (PMP) designation, following the completion of my Journeyman Carpenter’s ticket. I’ve had the opportunity to work on some fantastic projects, meet some wonderful people, and learn a lot during the last several years, and I’m excited for what the future may hold.
4 Custom Cabinet Design Ideas For Small Kitchens
One of the biggest trends in home renovations and custom home builds are huge, open kitchens. As experienced custom carpenters, we want to debunk a kitchen remodel myth. You don’t need a massive space to create a functional and beautiful kitchen you love to be in! If you’re renovating your kitchen but don’t have a lot of room to work with – don’t worry. Based on our custom carpentry experience, we have the custom cabinet design hacks so your kitchen doesn’t feel cramped or cluttered – no matter how small it is.
Storage, Storage, Storage!
Recess Storage
Hidden Storage
Materials Make a Difference
Glass Panelled Cabinet Doors
Colour – Keep it Cool
Choose One Colour or Shade
Light Colours
Dark Colours
Clean & Crisp Design
Clean Lines
Open Shelving
Draw the Eye Upward
Don’t let your small kitchen constrain your design dreams. By applying a few of these tips and tricks to your cabinet design, any kitchen can feel spacious and roomy!
Check out some of our custom cabinetry projects in our kitchen renovation gallery.
Want to talk custom cabinet design? Contact us!
How To Avoid Hidden Renovation Costs
Home renovation projects can quickly become overwhelming, stressful, and costly. Whether its a bathroom, basement, whole home remodel, or kitchen renovation, hidden renovation costs can add up. At Homestead Custom Carpentry Red Deer, we work on home renovation projects daily. We see homeowners troubled with picking materials, hiring professionals from different trades and finalizing design plans. With a project as significant and treasured as your home, it’s important to organize what you need and plan the process to avoid unnecessary costs and issues. He re are some tips on things to remember when renovating the different rooms in your home to avoid making costly mistakes and stay on budget.
Kitchen
Countertops & Flooring – Installation Costs Vary
When picking your countertops and flooring, keep in mind, installation costs vary from material to material.
Identify Load-Bearing Walls
If you are thinking of opening up your kitchen space and need to tear down a wall, identify load-bearing walls first! Look in your attic or basement to see where the pipes or ducts are running into the wall and look for registers and radiators. This will help you avoid ruining existing electrical wiring or plumbing when removing a wall.
Think Before Switching Between Gas & Electric
Nothing makes a kitchen feel luxurious and gourmet like new, state-of-the-art appliances. If your kitchen renovation includes buying a new stove or oven it can be really expensive to switch from gas to electric or vice versa. Before ordering the new appliance, remember, a gas line upgrade or extension or running a new circuit to the switchboard can quickly add costs.
Explore our kitchen renovation services.
Bathroom
A complete bathroom renovation
Remember Wiring When Making Changes
If you want to change the design of your bathroom layout, keep in mind that it could affect where you need lights, outlets and light switches. To be budget-friendly, consider the cost of hiring an electrician to upgrade the wiring when planning your layout.
Waterproofing!
Baths, showers, toilet malfunctions or even your kids splashing in the sink, make your bathroom the wettest place in your home. It’s important to be especially diligent with waterproofing your floors and walls and making sure they are warrantied and certified. This step might be more expensive immediately but long term you will save big on maintenance.
Think About Drainage With A New Tub Or Toilet
If your bathroom renovation or remodel involves buying new or relocating the bath or toilet in your bathroom, take special consideration of where the drain is (middle or end in the bath). With anything new, make sure the drain can be connected to the existing drainage point so you don’t have the additional expense of adding a new drainage line.
Explore our bathroom renovation services.
Basement
an interior basement renovation basement red deer
The Rooms You Need
Consider the rooms you need in your basement space. Open spaces are a lot less expensive to renovate. Separating your basement into a bathroom, wet bar, office or bedroom means more materials, wiring and plumbing.
Carpet – Your Best Companion
When developing or renovating your basement consider carpet, rather than hardwood, laminate or tile. In the case of flooding or any serious water damage, carpet can be replaced multiple times and is significantly less expensive to install than any alternative. We work with Alberta Tile One in Red Deer
Prevent Water Damage
Basements tend to naturally be more humid and moisture prone than the rest of the home. Before renovating, look for signs of moisture problems (like mould or watermarks) and inspect your foundation for cracks that may be contributing to the issues. Fixing these may incur more initial costs but will help you save long term with future water damage repair costs.
Explore our basement renovation services
Home renovation projects can be daunting but there is nothing more rewarding than the final project. Relaxing with your family in your newly remodelled dream home is the best feeling in the world. The only thing that can take away from that feeling is a price tag that went way over your initial budget. If you stay organized and consider the details of each room, you should be able to save on unforeseen expenses and stay under budget on your next home renovation project.
Check out our GALLERY of completed home renovation projects
Simple Tips to Make Your Bathroom Luxurious
When it comes to home renovations and remodels there are few projects more satisfying than a luxury bathroom. Transforming your bathroom into a spa-like oasis doesn’t need to be time-consuming and expensive. With a few small changes and a little attention to detail, any bathroom can be a place of luxury and indulgence.
Custom bathroom renovation Red Deer | Homestead Custom Carpentry
No matter what’s going on in your life, you normally begin and end your day in your bathroom. For that reason, at Homestead Custom Carpentry Red Deer, we believe your bathroom should be a comfortable and inviting place. You can make it luxurious and calming simply by adding candles or completely redesigning the space with radiant-heat flooring and soaker tub for two. At the end of a long day, all that’s important is that you feel relaxed and pampered.
Check out our bathroom renovations gallery
Are you a big kitchen connoisseur? Read about 4 Kitchen Remodel Ideas
4 Fresh Layouts for your Fall Kitchen Remodel
4 Fresh Layouts for Your Fall Kitchen Remodel When planning a kitchen renovation or home project it can be hard to know where to start. The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s a place where you drink a cup of coffee in the quiet of the morning. Where you make meals for your […]
Improve Your Outdoor Look: 4 Ideas for Your Patio or Deck
Consider Deck Construction Materials
When it comes to decking, all materials are not created equal. To make sure you’re choosing the material that best suits your budget and needs, multiple factors (including cost, maintenance and durability) should influence your decision.
o Pressure-treated lumber– This is the most popular material, it gives the classic softwood look and only requires maintenance if you decide to stain it or paint it
o Redwood or Cedar– These woods are slightly more durable than most others, but they are more expensive.
o Composite– Plastic or composite material requires very little maintenance after installation and is weather resistant but can be limited in colour options.
Consider Your Deck’s Purpose
Do you want different areas of your deck or patio to be designed with different purposes in mind? Eating, relaxing, playing or entertaining – there are many ways to create functional areas for these activities in the design of your space.
Plan Around Outdoor Entertainment
If you envision yourself hosting outdoor dinner parties, BBQs, campfires or family nights – there are many ways to plan for that in the design and build of your deck or patio.
o Speakers– From fun summer songs for the kids while they play outside to soft dinner tunes, nothing adds ambience like music in the background from outdoor speakers.
o Outdoor kitchen– If you love to BBQ and eat outside, consider creating space for an outdoor kitchen.
o Firepit – Outdoor gas firepits add style to the space and come in many different shapes and sizes.
o Deck furniture– Lay out tables and chairs like you would a living room to promote conversation.
o Outdoor lighting– Lighting can serve multiple functions for your patio or deck. By adding lights to walkways or stairs you provide greater safety for your family and friends. Garden lights, lanterns, and string lights make your outdoor space more inviting, charming and magical.
Create Shade and Shelter
Really create an inviting outdoor living space by providing areas of shade for those hot afternoons or cozy covered corners for chilly Alberta evenings.
o Pergola – For something permanent, consider building pergola into your deck. Not only does it shade you from the sun but it’s a place to hang lights, speakers or plants.
o Umbrellas –If you want something less permanent, consider getting a standing umbrella you can open when needed or an outdoor table with an umbrella.
o Patio Heaters – Winter, spring, summer fall — any season is patio season when you have heaters as an added feature in your outdoor space.
We hope these ideas have given you a new vision for your deck or patio. Any space can be improved and elevated with a few simple changes or additions
Here’s to many more years of memories-made in your outdoor spaces!
P.S.
You Might also like: ‘5 Simple Ways to Increase Your Home’s Value’
[VIEW DECK RENOVATIONS]
Curved Stairs: Add Eye-Catching Value To Your Home
Curved Stairs: Add Eye-Catching Value To Your Home
Deckremodelers.com
By Mike Wark
If you’re looking to add some unique flavour to your home or deck, adding a set of curved stairs will bring some serious elegance and style to your next home renovation project. If well designed, curved stairs provide more than just their functional purpose, offering a focal point of design, and a centerpiece of master craftsmanship and artistry. While at first glance, they may appear complex, the design comes down to simple math and a little creativity. Here’s a look at the process.
Step 1: Calculating the Numbers and Laying Out the Stringers
As with any stair, building curved stairs involves calculating the unit rise and run (height and length) of the treads and risers. Similar to straight flights, unit rise is calculated by dividing the total rise of the stair by the number or risers. However, unlike straight flights, curved stairs actually have two unit runs, based on the inside and outside radius of the stair. This is calculated by drawing out a full-sized layout of the stair, based on a radius point set at a given distance from the inside edge of the stair. Oftentimes, the inside unit run is taken as the minimum measurement allowed by building code, which is 150mm (6 inches), but can be calculated by using the radius to find the inside total run of the stair (a percentage of the circumference, based on the total degrees turned by the stair), and dividing this by the number of treads. The outside unit run is found in a similar manner, using the outside radius. Once these numbers are established, we can move on to lay out the stringers, which is done the same as with a straight flight, using a framing square to transfer the unit rise and run to the outside stringer plies.
Step 2: Forming the Curved Stringers
Once the outside stringer plies are laid out, it comes time to form the stringers to the curvature of the stairs. In order to achieve the desired strength to support the treads and risers, as well as the curve in the stringer, it is necessary to laminate multiple layers of thin plywood together, glued and clamped, and bent around temporary curved walls built in place to support the stairs until the treads are installed, held in place with finishing nails. The on-centre stud spacing on these walls should be no more than 6-8” to ensure a tight curve, and joints in the outer layer of plywood should land on studs.
On a recent stair built for a local theatre company, we used 4 layers of 3/8” plywood per stringer, laminated and held in place along temporary walls. As you can see, make sure you have plenty of clamps!
Step 3: Cutting the Stringers
Once the glue has dried, the stringers can be removed from the temporary walls, and cleaned up using a belt sander to ensure top and bottoms of the plies are flush. Finishing nails used to hold the outside plies to the walls can be cut off with an angle grinder or broken off. After clean-up, a circular saw or jigsaw is used to cut along the layout lines on the outside plies of the stringers, to form the support surfaces for the treads and risers. Once the stringers have been cut, they can be clamped back onto the temporary walls for installation of the treads and risers.
Step 4: Installing Treads and Risers
With the stringers in place, treads and risers now be installed for the curved stairs. It is a good idea to start at the top and work your way down, first installing the top riser, followed by the next tread down, which is glued and screwed to the stringer. By this method, the bottom of the riser is covered by the inside edge of the tread, creating a seamless corner junction. In addition, the stiffness of the riser acts in the same fashion as a beam, providing shear strength between the two stringers, and reducing bounce when weight is applied to the stair.
If the stair will be open on one or both sides, it will be necessary to first install the risers, then remove the temporary walls and support the stair with temporary posts from below, so that a side-nosing on the treads can be accommodated.
Step 5: Finishing and Install
Following installation of the treads and risers, the stair can be removed from the temporary walls, finished with stain, painted, optional veneer on the stringers, or endless other options, and installed in its final location, and handrail installed. With that, you can enjoy your beautiful stair that will receive compliments and catch eyes for years to come!
Mike Wark is a guest contributor, and a construction carpenter with Homestead
Custom Carpentry, a general contractor specializing in home renovations, serving the
Central Alberta region. Before entering the field of construction, Mike earned his B.A.
in Political Science from Carleton University, and is currently working towards his
Project Management Professional (PMP) designation, with a focus on construction
management.
LivingStones Church Renovation
Living Stones Church Renovation
LIVING STONES: 8 WEEKS LATER
SOME UPDATES
LOOKS GOOD
Commercial Renovation – A Yoga Studio
Commercial Renovation – A Yoga Studio
Breathing New Life Into a Yoga Studio
As is typical for any commercial renovation project,
DEMOLITION
Demolition was our first step, and involved taking down the walls of several of the individual offices and removing the flooring back to the subfloor, in order to create one large usable space. The ceiling was suspended acoustic tile (also known as T-bar, which I personally love working with as it provides easy access to furnace ductwork and other components), however this created a small challenge in that the ceiling height in a portion of the main room was about 12 inches lower that in the offices, and supported by one of the walls to be removed.
FRAMING
This problem was solved by framing in a suspended beam, supported overhead from the ceiling joists. These provided a fastening point for the T-bar molding channel on both sides and a smooth transition between the differing ceiling height levels.
As the commercial renovation project was proceeding, our sub-trades were also hard at work – running wire and new lights, hooking up new waterlines, installing and finishing drywall, painting, replacing the ceiling grid, and many other necessary tasks for completing a renovation. A special thanks to Stettler Electric, Action Plumbing & Excavating, and Sun Interiors, for all the excellent work your crews put in – we couldn’t have done it without you
FLOORING
One of the last steps before completion was to install flooring, a “Drop & Done” faux wood vinyl plank provided by Divine Flooring, a local Red Deer flooring renovation partner. I find it a fantastic product, as it’s easy to install, durable, cost-efficient, and if by chance a piece is scratched or damaged, it has the added capability of being able to replace a single plank without needing to take up the whole floor. If you are ever thinking about putting in some new flooring, I would highly recommend this product.
Completion of this newly renovated yoga studio wrapped up at the end of May, just in time for Central Vision & Hearing’s new tenants to take possession at the beginning of June, and begin making use of this transformed space. I’m proud to have been a part of this project, and hope we’ll see more like it in the future.
Habitat For Humanity: A Volunteer Experience
Habitat For Humanity: A Volunteer Experience
The volunteer on-boarding process was straightforward and simple.
Alyson, Habitat’s Volunteer Coordinator, sent us the volunteer agreement forms to fill out along with the information:
Our Homestead team chose to arrive on a Thursday: we were greeted by Habitat’s Construction Manager Todd Lamoureux, who gave us an orientation, explained the day’s duties (e.g. siding, painting, and decking) and asked us some questions about our construction experience. Todd was thankful to have Homestead’s Brent Purdie and Mike Wark, who are skilled carpenters, along with a handful of other eager volunteers.
Once we were assigned a task, we set to work. As one of our tasks for the day, we were given the job of installing vinyl siding on the north side of the house. Vinyl is an appealing choice for many homeowners, as it is easy to install, requires virtually zero maintenance, and is quite affordable.
At noon, it was a surprise to be greeted with a delicious catered lunch, served on-site in one of the garages we were constructing.
Homestead Custom Carpentry was not the only local building contractor to volunteer time and skill towards Habitat’s admirable cause. For work beyond the scope of what day-to-day volunteers can handle, other professionals from trades such as plumbing (e.g. Bruin’s Plumbing), electrical, HVAC, metal-working, and drywall finishing also ensured that the finished home was of high quality and met or exceeded building code requirements. Without these individuals and their experience, it would be difficult to complete the project.
Throughout the day, it was exciting to get to know and work alongside the eventual owners of the houses themselves. We were also delighted for Todd to inform us that, because of Canada’s 150th birthday year, Habitat for Humanity has set out to build 150 homes in their goal to end the cycle of poverty, and help provide families with affordable housing in our local communities.
Overall, the experience as a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity Red Deer team was inspirational, fun, and one that you can’t miss! We hope to volunteer again soon!
You can read more about the experience HERE.
See Habitat For Humanity Red Deer‘s Twitter and Facebook activity here and maybe you could help too!
A Red Deer Carpenter’s Story
A Red Deer Carpenter Story
Back then, the economy was still pretty hot on the last housing boom, and it wasn’t long before I found a Journeyman willing to take me on as an carpentry apprentice, working as part of a fast-paced production framing crew. Our company had recently won a large contract to build about a dozen multiplex townhouse units in southeast Red Deer, and the project was expected to take around 3 years to complete.
I quickly discovered that production residential house framing was unlike anything I’d ever done before in my life. The work was almost exclusively outside, year-round in all kinds of weather, labour-intensive, and with a schedule that required strict efficiency, tight quality standards, and a fast learning curve. As the new guy, it took me a little while to find my place on the construction crew. I made my fair share of mistakes, like anyone learning anything new does, but it wasn’t until later on that I discovered that this was just part of the learning process, and I learned not to beat myself up too much for it. Over time I gradually improved in my skills, and began to appreciate seeing the transformation of the build site, from what began as nothing more than an empty field with a hole in the ground, to a series full-fledged homes with dozens of guys working on site in different roles.
Framing multiplexes had some funny moments – like the time I got my boots stuck in ankle-deep mud while building a roof on the ground, and my boss refused to get me out until he’d snapped some pictures of me struggling. We also had some not-so-funny moments – like the time I spent the afternoon in the ER after a run in with the nail gun. Overall, the experience was a challenging, but incredibly useful one for me, and I now look upon my first year and a half spent framing as my “trial by fire” into the world of construction.
While learning on the job provided me with valuable hands-on experience, my time attending Carpentry school at Red Deer College supplemented my education with many of the technical aspects I needed to know, and helped round out my skill-set as a carpenter. In Alberta, the apprenticeship program is structured that every year, you spend 10 months working on the job, and two months attending technical training, and you must attain a required number of experience hours and pass a competency exam (the dreaded “TQ”), to be recognized at the next level. As Carpentry is one of, if not the most varied of all the trades, the sheer amount of material learned is surprising to many seeing it for the first time – alongside framing (or “rough carpentry” as it is known), prospective carpenters learn skills in surveying, layout, concrete forming, demolition, blueprint interpretation and design, building science and structure, fine finishing, and many other areas. With each progressive year, the subject matter grows more complex, until at the end of the 4-year program, apprentice carpenters are confident in the many required skill areas demanded of them on the job. It’s a point of pride that Alberta turns out some of the most highly skilled Journeyman Carpenters in the world.
Following my first year of Carpentry technical training, I was offered a position with a radically different company, Homestead Custom Carpentry, led by owner, Brent Purdie. “Homestead” specializes in upper-scale renovations and project management, and works directly with homeowner clients to help them realize the potential of their homes, and make their remodeling dreams a reality. I quickly found that while I had enjoyed framing (most of the time), getting into renovations provided a thrill of a different kind, allowing me to understand the greater picture behind home renovation projects, as I got to be a part of the custom process all the way from conception to completion. It also allowed me to develop a greater independence and confidence in my work, and to learn that many times in many places, there’s more than one right way of accomplishing a task.
One of the things I have come to appreciate most about working with Homestead is that integrity is the driving value that defines how the company operates. As a strong Christian, I would say that my faith is the underlying principle defining how I live my life, and since I know the same is true for Brent, I can be confident in knowing that all of Homestead’s interactions with clients, business partners, and the community at large are honest, truthful, and quality-driven. As Colossians 3:23 points out, “Whatever you do, do it willingly, as if working for the Lord, rather than for men.” To find and work for a company that makes a point out of not cutting corners, providing honest quotes, and looking out for a client’s best interests, even at a potential loss of revenue, is a rare thing that I am glad for, and one that has taught me that in both life and business, there are things that are much more important than making a profit.
I am now finishing up the last year of my Carpentry apprenticeship, and still glad to be working for Homestead. Recently, I began taking some courses on project management, in hopes of obtaining my Project Management Professional (PMP) designation, following the completion of my Journeyman Carpenter’s ticket. I’ve had the opportunity to work on some fantastic projects, meet some wonderful people, and learn a lot during the last several years, and I’m excited for what the future may hold.