Initial Lot Inspections

Kevin Tamikado,
Site Supervisor  

Building a home is quite the undertaking from start to finish.  There are many hands that help build the home and a surprising amount of inspections and prerequisites that need to be met before and after each part of the building process.  This blog will help explain what we do in the early stages of building a home and explain the steps that Cedarglen undertakes to go above and beyond the standard building practices, from flat ground to after the excavation before any cribbing has taken place.

Prior to the staking of your home, Cedarglen completes a file review of what type of home will be built.  We first look at the grade slip issued by The City of Calgary and pick out any important information from this document.  Some examples of the important information that can be found on this document is requirements for sump pump, elevation checks, sulfate resistant concrete and any additional geotechnical tests required by the developer.  Any extraordinary measures that need to be taken are then noted and will be accounted for in the future.  The second document reviewed by Cedarglen would be the plot plan.  From this plan we are making sure the house sits on the lot properly and whether or not there will be any retaining walls installed during the landscaping phase of the home.  A review of the house plans is also done at this time to ensure all the information on the plans are correct and correspond with information found on the plot plan and grade slip.  The final document that Cedarglen must review prior to the staking of the home is the Trade Addendum, which is an internal document created by Cedarglen, noting customized features that will need to be addressed during the construction of the home.

Once the file review has been complete, Cedarglen is then ready to have the basement surveyed.  We coordinate with the surveyors to set a date to stake the lot.  This initiates the construction of your new home.  This will be the first visible action taken on your home and can be identified by six stakes with orange ribbon staked into the lot.  The measurements written on the stakes are used by the excavators and cribbers to make sure they build the home in the correct location and elevation.

After the lot has been staked, the excavators are then able to correctly remove the necessary soil to build the foundation of your home.  Once the lot has been excavated and the plumbing trench properly installed, we bring engineers out to the excavation site to take samples of the exposed soil.  The engineers are looking for any sulfate in the soil and will advise on the proper concrete type to use as well as the size of footings required to support the foundation of the home being built.

These steps and procedures that Cedarglen undertakes help to prevent any future problems that can be met during the construction of your home, and ensures that your home is built properly the first time.

Meet Your Liaison…

Lisa Tyhy, Customer Liaison Supervisor

Liaison: means of communication between different groups in an organization

What a great concept Cedarglen came up with over ten years ago! A Liaison is the customer’s primary contact of communication through the construction and warranty program at Cedarglen Homes. It all begins once selections have been completed and we are ready to construction start your new home. Your initial meeting, called the “Liaison meeting”, is to review your plans and ensure that all aspects of your home… from your personal touch to your well thought-out wants and wishes are put into action. Your plans and contract are given one final review to ensure everything is ready to go. Your Liaison is your one key contact from this point on. The Liaison will arrange on-site meetings with your Site Superintendent, such as electrical orientation, home orientation, possession meeting, 60-day meeting and your one-year warranty inspection. Any questions or concerns you may have during the building of your new home are just one email or phone call away.

Spring Homeowner Maintenance

Jeff O’Brien

Image courtesy of Apri's Industries Ltd.

Most home maintenance activities are seasonal. Fall is the time to get your home ready for the coming winter, which of course in Calgary can be the most gruelling season for your home both inside and out. During winter months, it is important to follow routine maintenance procedures as laid out by Cedarglen or posted on Your Home OnTrack. Check your home carefully for any problems that may arise and taking corrective action as soon as possible. Spring is the time to assess winter damage, start repairs and prepare for the summer days ahead.

 

Spring Maintenance Checklist

[ ] Check and clean or replace furnace air filters each month during the heating season. Ventilation systems such as a heat recovery ventilator (HRV), should have the filters cleaned every two months as per the maintenance sticker on the core inside the unit. Lennox recommends cleaning the HRV core twice a year or more frequently in dusty conditions.

 

[ ] Shut down and clean the drip humidifier and close the humidifier damper on homes with  central air conditioning.

 

[ ] Turn OFF gas to fireplace or set the pilot light to “spark ignition” using the master controller and the manual provided. With the unit turned off, this is a good time to clean the glass.

 

[ ] Test and vacuum smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace batteries.

 

[ ] Vacuum bathroom fan grilles to remove dust. Also vacuum the fan with a crevice tool or small brush. This will help re-balance the fan blades and make it quieter.

 

[ ] Clean windows, screens and hardware. Condensation that has collected at the windows in the winter can cause a build up of mildew in the tracks. Check screens first and repair or replace if needed.

 

[ ] Adjust the striker plates on exterior door handles and deadbolts to avoid gapping at the weather-stripping. The hard slamming of the door in winter sometimes causes them to come loose.

 

[ ] Open exterior water shut off valve to outside hose connection after all danger of frost has passed. Remember not to hook up a hose until all threat of freezing has passed to avoid damage to the plumbing.

 

[ ] Make sure your downspout extensions are placed in the down position before the heavy rains start.

 

[ ] Clear back yard concrete swales of mud and debris.

 

Don’t forget that your HRV unit also functions as a dehumidifier which will help make the air in your home less humid which in turn is more comfortable in the heat of the day. Just set the “RH” to a lower setting, around 30 percent.

Your kitchen, your way

Ryan Christensen
Cabinet Specialist 

The luxury of buying a Cedarglen home means a meeting with me. I know there is a hint of egoist self-congratulation in the notion, but it truly is a magnificent gift: to meet with me. Because I represent the appeal to creativity and your means to finally remove the shackles of architectural controls and embrace a relatively simple term you’ve yet to manage without some caustic reaction from the overseers. I represent ideas.

The luxury of buying a Cedarglen home means a meeting with me. Because I’m the Cabinet Guy.  You’ve all seen them: the advertisements in magazines, the colourful, kaleidoscopic wonderments of a kitchen adorned in sunlit richness, provoking a sense of curiosity to question: can I really have something like this? Yes. Yes you can. And I represent that willing ear, the recipient of all you’ve learned from design magazines and home improvement shows. When you buy a home with Cedarglen, a part and parcel extension of your decision is our sit down consultation.

Our design centre is your ultimate dream kitchen resource!

You’ll notice a copy of cabinet layouts before you: these represent the template, the empty slate upon which you may divulge any idea you’ve ever had. That’s what our meeting is: it’s an introduction to what you now have, and what you ought to have. Our consultation is an ideas-game, your shot at stripping the standard spec to reveal an aesthetic functionality that would turn your new house into a home. I’m here to nod and prod your creative juices, to stoke your progress with words of encouragement. I will mark up the plans to show each of your ideas: did you want to raise your cabinets tight to the ceiling? Sure. Did you want to add a valance moulding, allowing the future installation of undercabinet lighting, and that ultimate “wow” factor when you throw the inevitable house-warming party? Absolutely. Our meeting is your opportunity to build an ideal.

That’s the fun of our sit down. You may be questioning my sanity at this point, wondering how on earth one can build an ideal without once considering the monetary set back?  The reality of numbers is always the reminder that no matter one’s tastes, no matter one’s aspirations, the bill will always demean our ready spirits with the constrictive intimation that we have to BUDGET, BUDGET, BUDGET! I suppose one’s budget is always at the forefront, always looking over our shoulders as we devise schemes to trick it into submission. But that’s why I’ve given you a period of review. Our meeting isn’t the end; it doesn’t determine your selections or lock in your modifications. No, you’re entitled the opportunity to see your ideal kitchen drawn, to see it priced, for we all know those numbers are the deciding factors. They ultimately hold the power. You have the chance to choose what you keep and what you don’t. The end product will always be the result of your freedom to design and choose: I like to think our meeting is the counterpoint to your contractual obligations. Here you have the freedom to design and deconstruct; the freedom to envision an ideal and the freedom to realize its reality. Here you are the artist.

Ensuring a Strong Foundation: Delta Membrane System

Cole Richardson,
Estimator 

‘To build successful relationships, one must create solid foundations.’  Cedarglen takes this proverb to heart during the construction of each and every one of our basement foundations.  Delta Membrane System, also known as ‘house wrap’ is the premium choice in foundation protection.  DELTA®-MS is a highly effective waterproofing protection system based on a uniquely formed air-gap membrane. This intelligent design prevents water from directly contacting the concrete foundation of your home and directs water towards the footer drain, where it can safely flow away from your basement.  Keeping water away from your foundation is the key to a dry basement and provides the peace of mind that every homeowner desires.

DELTA®-MS is composed of high-density polyethylene, creating a layer impermeable to water and water vapour between your basement and the surrounding soil.  Not only is it impermeable to water and water vapour, but it is also resistant to acids and other agents.  This ensures that your house wrap will not break down or disintegrate from harsh soil acids.

More Advantages:

• Outlasts the life of the structure (will not break down or disintegrate due to soil acids)
• Can be installed on damp or frosty surfaces
• Installation is unaffected by temperatures
  (-30° to 80°+ C)
• Requires no maintenance
• Unaffected by freeze/thaw cycles
• Bridges all cracks and other surface defects

Compared to Other Foundation Protection Products:

• Toughness
  DELTA®-MS can withstand rough treatment during construction, something waterproofing agents applied directly to foundations can’t do.
• Reliability
  Unlike coating products, DELTA®-MS works even if there are minor tears in the membrane.
• Flexibility
  Because it has some give and movement, DELTA®-MS also cushions the foundation, providing superior protection against cracking caused by soil movement due to freezing and settling.
• Moisture Control
  Unlike foundation coatings that keep moisture locked in and around basements, DELTA®-MS lets the foundation breathe. Because it’s right next to the soil, moisture condenses on the colder DELTA®-MS — not on foundation walls.
• Environmentally Friendly
  Some waterproofing treatments, such as tarring, use petrochemicals harmful to the environment — especially harmful when poorly applied. DELTA®-MS is completely safe and will never degrade or react with other materials.  DELTA®-MS is also recyclable.
• Top Warranty
  When installed by a certified installer, DELTA®-MS is covered by a 20-year product warranty.

Differences between granite and quartz

Karli Wilson, Estimator

Quartz... or granite?

Granite or engineered stone countertops? For many, this is a decision that can not be made effortlessly. In fact, for many, the distinction between the two countertop types may be hazy at best. So what are some of the differences one might find? Let’s take a look and hopefully we can begin to unravel the mystery that is… what is the best countertop that suits you!

When comparing engineered countertops to slab granite countertops, granite will always stand alone as the most unique. Granite is mined directly from the ground, cut into slabs directly from the earth, and then shipped home, polished, sealed and groomed for its exuberant new owner. This lack of processing is what gives granite countertops their natural raw stone essence, and what gives it its depth of light, texture, natural beauty and uniqueness.

For the homeowner that values modernity, uniformity and clean lines, however, engineered stone countertops may be the way to go. Most engineered stone countertops (or quartz countertops) are composed of 93% natural quartz aggregates merged together with 7% colour pigments and polymer resins. This conglomeration of ingredients allows for the production of a fairly consistent product that maintains the look and properties of stone, but allows the customer unbridled creativity in a design aspect and a clean uniform-looking countertop that even mom could be proud of.

Still not sure what type of countertop is the right fit for you? Below is a table that compares many of all the important countertop decision-making variables that may or may not make your decision any easier:

	Granite Countertops	Engineered Stone Countertops
Composition	Natural stone.	93% Natural quartz stone, 7% resins and colours.
Maintenance	Re-sealing or reconditioning is recommended once a year.	Does not require sealant or surface conditioner.
Stain Resistance	Non-porous once sealed therefore stain resistant.	Non-porous therefore stain Resistant.
Corrosion, Mould, Mildew and Bacteria Resistance	Nonporous once sealed therefore Corrosion, Mould, Mildew and Bacteria Resistant.	Nonporous therefore Corrosion, Mould, Mildew and Bacteria Resistant.
Scratch Resistance	Most are very scratch resistant however some are softer than others.	Very scratch resistant.
Heat Resistance	Highly heat resistant.	Less heat resistant due to resin component.
Strength	Due to veins and fissures, natural stone may be less strong and could require more structural support such as brackets.	Strong. Overhangs can be deeper and may require fewer brackets.
Appearance	- Less Homogenous and have natural variations such as veins and fissures.- Have a more natural, translucent and elegant look.- Can give a rich appearance	- Colour of engineered quartz is more uniform throughout.- More manufactured look and more regular pattern.- Tend to lack the depth of light of natural stone and may look flat.
Variety	Infinite	Many
Uniformity Between Slabs	Each slab is unique. Slabs have more texture and variation.	Easier to find large slabs that are exactly the same in colour and pattern.
Seams	Seams are required for longer pieces and are visible.	Seams are required for longer pieces and are visible.
Cost	Granite, depending on the level and availability, is generally slightly cheaper because it is less process-involved.	Quartz is generally slightly higher in cost because there is more process involved in production.

Passion in Panorama Hills

Kimberley Holstein,
Area Sales Manager, Panorama Hills

Panorama Hills, not to be mistaken for the beautiful ski resort, is a fantastic, family oriented, established residential community in the heart of north Calgary.

Panorama Hills opened its first showhome parade in 1995 with just a dirt road between the parade and Beddington Trail.  At the time, Harvest Hills had only consisted of a few streets and was the fastest growing community in the city of Calgary based on sales.  As the community of Edgemont came to a finish, Panorama Hills became the new most sought after north community for the surrounding residents of Beddington, Sandstone and MacEwan.

Panorama Hills Estates was originally developed by Ultima Developments with a builder group of only three builders. They built the homes all up along Panorama Hills Drive and in the various crescents and cul-de-sacs off the drive.   These homes were built surrounding the Country Hills Golf Club, and many of the home purchasers became members of this private 36-hole course.

In around 2001, Genstar Development Company developed their first parade of showhomes with an established builder group. Genstar set out to create a value statement within their community by diversifying the available housing demographic to meet the needs of those entering the marketplace including a second time purchaser and then the estate home.

Throughout Genstar’s development, they have created pockets of estate addresses where you find larger homes backing onto the Beddington Creek ravine system, the Community Centre and more recently the two picturesque storm water ponds that feature natural green spaces, child’s play parks and water fountains.

Panorama Hills offers their residents extensive amenities, including a golf course, leisure centre, library, movie theatre, restaurants, shopping, schools, walking paths, parks and so much more.  Panorama Hills is a community that you will be happy to come home to every day.

Both Cedarglen Homes and myself are proud to say that we have been a part of this development and have worked closely with Genstar to create beautiful homes that you see amongst the estate addresses. The Cedarglen showhome is currently located at 311 Panatella Heath. You can see for yourself the stunning, romantic elegance of our Fontaine model.  A floorplan that features a curved staircase, elegant entry, dining room, study, open kitchen and great room, and 4 bedrooms with a beautiful master ensuite and tiled shower, just to name a few of the attractive features this home offers. It is with pleasure that I am able to assist each purchaser in customizing their home to be as individual as its owner.

After 17 years later though, the community of Panorama Hills is coming to completion.  Cedarglen Homes has finally entered into the last and final estate phase. The opportunity to live in this fabulous sought-after community is quickly coming to an end and I am proud to have sold homes to so many wonderful families.

Panorama Hills is knocking and is inviting you to join us!