All Things Renovation Podcast: Recent Episodes
Brandy Kawulka
Welcome Carissa Belyk, Red Seal Electrician with FSR-B Certification. With 10 years in the electrical sector and over 15 years in the skilled trades, her journey to Powerline Technician is all about safety and community!
Brandy welcomes another powerhouse from the trades! Learn how the Founder of Peggy Workwear and The Smoko Podcast applied her background in geology and time working at sea to execute her mission!
https://www.peggyworkwear.ca/
https://www.smokopodcast.ca/
After immigrating to Canada from India, Kavitha was introduced to an all-women's trade workshop. Facing many challenges along the way, she's earned a rewarding career in Wood Finishing! Hear Kavitha's story this week on Women In Trades, our latest series on the All Things Renovation podcast.
Passionate about connecting people in the trades, Emilie is the Trades Navigator for Student Support and Engagement at the University of the Fraser Valley. Earning her Red Seal Certification in carpentry at just 23 years old, Emilie's career is well established with inspiring stories to share!
For over 20 years Lisa Scott has been a passionate advocate for the skilled trades and a member of many organizations. She's a regional representative for the BC Centre For Women In The Trades; a Director at large for the BC Tradeswomen Society; a Board member for the College of New Caledonia; a Member of the Skilled Trades Committee for CUPE BC; and, also sits on a few committees with her Union - local CUPE 4990.
Kristine Byers is a Red Seal Journeyperson Carpenter and Union Business Representative for the Carpenters’ Regional Council of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (UBCJA). She is passionate about diversifying the workforce through the inclusion and advancement of women, Indigenous workers and other underrepresented groups in the trades.
From the Chilcotin First Nation in Williams Lake B.C., meet Red Seal Machinist and Machinist Instructor at BCIT, Chelsea Barron. Also a Regional Representative with BCCWITT, Chelsea is a mentor and advocate for all women, indigenous peoples, and other minorities in the skilled trades.
Sandy Suter started cutting out decorative metal for house, signs and weathervanes when she was in high school. After exploring other non-trade career options, she's back building pipelines and sawmills!
Lana Love is Field Operator with the newly formed company Arbios Biotech! She’s also a journey-level millwright and working on her Fourth Class Power Engineering Certification. Additionally representing BC Tradeswomen Society and BCCWITT, Lana’s helping change the culture of industrial and trades workplaces to be more inclusive to women and other underrepresented groups.
Shayla Aspden dropped out of business school and walked over to the trades building to enrol in the Plumbing & PipeTrade Foundation program at Camosun College in 2015. Now known as The Tiny Technician, she's never looked back! Also a very proud BCCWITT Regional Rep, Shayla provides support and resources to all females and underrepresented groups throughout the trades.
This week Brandy welcomes Laura Cameron, a heavy-duty mechanic apprentice at Valley Carriers who has also done 10 years as a welder and fabricator! Laura's career has been diverse in industries such as oil &gas, underground mining, agriculture, alcohol, and more. She’s a Regional Representative for BCCWITT, a mentor for CWB Women of Steel, and the Recruitment and Outreach Coordinator for Tools To Empower. She is a mom, dog owner and is learning to ride a unicycle!
Leah Peters, carpenter and Site Superintendent at Bockstael, gained a great deal of experience and expertise in residential and commercial construction and hopes to help educate and mentor the next generation of Women considering a career in construction
Meet Rachel Schatz, a red seal plumber and gas fitter with over 15 years’ experience in the construction and service industry. As the only female instructor in the BCIT piping department, she teaches gas level B, and Plumbing levels 2 and 4, and is a member of the Occupational Health and Safety Committee.
Brandy is excited to introduce Jessica Bannister, a Level 3 HVAC Apprentice at her family’s company, Cam Cool Refrigeration Inc. Jessica's the current President of Women in HVAC/R Canada and she wishes to bring more awareness to women in the trades, specifically women in HVAC-R, encouraging young people (girls especially) to consider it as a career option.
Meet Simon Dauphinee, an author and entrepreneur with 20 years' experience in the residential renovation and construction industry in Ontario Canada. His first book, "Home In Good Hands" is an informative, succinct, go-to guide for any homeowner planning to renovate or build a home.
Teaching in the Electrical Apprenticeship Program at BCIT for ten years, Anna Lary is an electrician, an instructor and an agent of change! With a Provincial Instructor Diploma and a Master of Education specializing in Curriculum and Instruction, Anna's also the Regional Representative for the British Columbia Centre for Women in Trades and Technology!
An established tile setter of 16 years and immersed in world of construction her entire life Traci Stevens has found her niche market working mainly for women, sharing knowledge and passion in the ever-evolving industry she loves. Brandy's guest shares her journey in another heavy-lifting dirty job for Women in Trades!
This week Brandy is delighted to introduce Karen Dearlove, the Executive Director of BC Centre for Women in Trades. Karen's strong belief in helping others is evident in her role as a leader in the skilled trades. BCCWITT is a non-profit organization providing a range of services, support, mentorship, and training for women, indigenous people, and other under-represented groups interested in making a career in the skilled trades.
Brandy welcomes Amandeep Beesla, who brings over 25 years of onsite field experience! She is passionate about tradeswomen’s rights, equal opportunities, diversity and inclusion, mentoring new and young workers, and mental health, leading her to pursue a career path in health and safety.
This trailblazer just released her memoir, Thick Skin, sharing 20 years as a transient welder, travelling across Canada and the United States, working in pulp mills, chemical plants, refineries, and generating stations! Meet the fascinating author, welding inspector and safety officer, Hilary Peach on this episode of Women in Trades.
Jill Prescott is a visionary and leader who transforms people's lives at their core. In her newest program, Women in Trades Success Training, she teaches participants how to navigate the challenges of being a woman in any trade. In a safe and exciting environment, Jill facilitates and leads participants into a journey of self-exploration of their own inner dialogue and negative self-talk, and begin to witness and recognize their own self-sabotage. Participants learn and practice new communications skills that empower self-responsibility while encouraging them to be their best selves in the work they do. Jill's commitment to excellence and this program not only increases employment retention rates, but it lends to a better work environment for staff and employers.
From Women Building Futures we have Natasha Martynes! Brandy talks to the Manager of External Relations about her journey through her own plumbing business to helping other women follow their flutter!
Continuing last episode's discussion, Brandy gets down to the nitty-gritty of removing underground oil tanks with Laura McEwan-Groves of TankTech. This local, family-owned contracting business has 30 years of wisdom to share!
This week Brandy welcomes OHS Canada's 2022 Top 25 Under 40, Gabrielle Herle. Gabrielle is a Health and Safety Coordinator for Teck Resources, a Red Seal Carpenter and National Construction Safety Officer.
Meet Jamie McMillan, a 20-year ironworker who founded KickAss Careers, providing engaging keynote presentations and workshops to more than 50,000 students, parents, educators and employers each year across North America.
This week the President of BC Tradeswomen Society, Nicole Wiet, joins Brandy for the latest episode of Women In Trades! Nicole is a GGCLC 2022 Alumni, Elevator Mechanic and advocate and inspiring mentor for women in the trades.
Environmental hazards are a real thing in construction – asbestos, lead, oil tanks to name a few. Today Brandy welcomes Laura Pettersen who owns Lotus Environmental and we are going to dig into these topics. Laura is an environmental technologist who's become an expert in the field of Underground Storage Tanks (USTs).
Continuing our Women in Trades series, Brandy welcomes Kelly Kienleitner of the Electrical Joint Training Committee (EJTC) to the podcast. She's an accomplished tradeswoman with two Red Seal programs (motor winder and electrician), an innovative educator (teaching degree/advanced certification), speaker, Métis and mentor.
Recently Brandy spoke with Michael Pilato, Technical Lead for Electrical Technology at Technical Safety BC, about common safety issues in home renovations. This expert answers your questions about permitting, finding licensed contractors and sourcing regulations on All Things Renovation.
Approved Certification Marks For Electrical Products
Search for a licensed contractor in B.C.
Permits
This week Brandy welcomes Breena Jackson, a graduate and instructor of the joinery program at BCIT.
Welcome to Season 5: Women In Trades!
Our first guest is Lindsay Kearns, Outreach Coordinator at BC Centre for Women in the Trades (BCCWITT) and a Red Seal journey electrician. Lindsay has lots to share from her journey to outreach, leadership and event coordination for the growing network of tradespeople from underrepresented groups across BC.
When it comes to choosing the best countertop for your dream bathroom, there are a variety of materials to choose from, with differing price points, as well as pros and cons for each one. We will take you through four classic options (laminate, solid surface, stone, and wood), as well as four more unusual materials (concrete, tile, glass, and metal) so that you can choose the right one to suit the look you're going for.
Now that you've refined your vision for your drab-to-dream bathroom, you need to start making some design decisions. In this episode, Brandy covers basic Cabinetry 101 so that you can familiarize yourself with the different types of construction methods used, as well as how the door and drawer fronts are attached, and all the other parts that make up a vanity or storage unit.
Now that you have refined the vision of your dream bathroom, it's time to start designing the layout. This can be done on a computer or on paper, but either way you need to be aware of the standard measurements for all your components, and some typical bathroom layouts.
Have you decided to renovate your bathroom but you have no clue what you want it to look like? Brandy kicks off the new series with advice on how to get inspired and refine your vision. The more clearly you can communicate what you are looking for to your contractor and salespeople, the more likely it is that you will end up with the bathroom of your dreams!
Recently I met with a client who stated that her partner always seems to want to start a renovation just prior to Christmas which can be stressful so I thought this might be a good time to chat a little bit more about deadlines and especially those around milestone celebrations like at birthdays, babies being born or holiday festivities.
Asbestos was widely used in building materials and can be found in everything from firefighter suits, various manufacturing processes including automobile, construction products, power and chemical industries. What is asbestos and where is it found? What do you need to know as a homeowner? In today's episode Brandy talks with Lindsay Rice from Fairway Demolition to learn more about it and the abatement process.
Smart home technology can improve your home's comfort and convenience by integrating everything from lighting to electronics to security and even lowering energy consumption. In today's episode, Brandy interviews Mike Chorney of La Scala about home automation and the integration of it in our homes.
Often renovations focus on the interior of a home, but there's a lot to consider with your outdoor landscaping. In today's episode Brandy interviews Marc Holley of Second Generation Landscapes to talk about design elements for your exterior including lawns, hardscape walkway and pathways, retaining walls and lighting.
Choosing new doors for your home can involve a surprising number of decisions. What material is it made of? What hardware do you like? What are the dimensions that you need? In today's episode, Brandy interviews Brayden Stephenson from North Shore Door to help answer some of these questions for you.
Nowadays, many people are turning their focus to the outside of their homes, partly because they are spending way more time at home due to the pandemic, but there is also a growing awareness that this is a really underutilized area of our property. In today's episode, Brandy interviews Matthew Herbert, the founder and general manager of Sherwood Outdoor Kitchens, to find out what kinds of things are possible in an outdoor kitchen, things to consider, and of course, the budget.
Value engineering is a systematic, organized approach to providing necessary functions in a project at the lowest cost. Value engineering promotes the substitution of materials and methods with less expensive alternatives, ideally without sacrificing functionality. It keeps in mind a client's non-negotiables, but looks for secondary functions that are not critical and could be compromised. In this episode, Brandy outlines the steps in the process so that you can get greater value for your dollars in your next renovation.
Have you bought a property in a new city or a recreational property far away from where you live that you want to renovate? Brandy has some handy tips for what to keep in mind when renovating remotely.
Something we all have in our home are windows! They help to bring the outdoors in and to illuminate our spaces with the all-important natural light. There are a ton of available options so in today's episode, Brandy interviews Brayden Stephenson from North Shore Door to try and make some sense of what's out there and what you need to think about when choosing windows for your home.
These days, having a home theatre is not just for the wealthy. But when you're building and designing your own theatre, what should you consider? Brandy interviews Sandy MacDonald, from La Scala Integrated Media, about everything from room dimensions and drywall, to system components and heat mitigation.
In today's episode, Brandy and Paul discuss a great Canadian invention - the Robertson screw! For those of you who don't know, this screw is the one with the square hole. Who invented it and why? And why is it so commonly used in Canada but not in the United States? Listen and find out!
The Good/Fast/Cheap Triangle can be applied to many industry sectors. In this episode, Brandy discusses how it applies to the construction industry, and some suggestions for how to proceed if you have a clear scope of work but the quotes that you receive exceed your budget.
Brandy chats about picking up some weird and wacky mementos from their travels and how that can add a personal touch to your home décor.
Brandy and Paul discuss how unrealistic reality renovation TV shows actually are, and then talk about a couple of shows that they really enjoy because they show a much truer experience, but are still entertaining to watch.
In today's episode, Brandy interviews Michael Barillaro, the owner and operator of PWPC Electrical Services. When renovating your home, what do you need to consider from an electrical standpoint? Does your house have enough power to accommodate all of your needs? What is the big deal around the discovery and subsequent removal of knob-and-tube and aluminum wiring in your house? And an answer to a frequently asked question - how many pot lights should you have in your kitchen?
In today's episode, Brandy interviews Heather Davidson, a landscape architect from Heather Davidson Design in Vancouver. They discuss how her job differs from that of a landscape designer, and the concept of natural materials playgrounds. Heather also provides some ideas for which plants you could consider putting in your garden to maximize the look throughout all the seasons as well as ones that will survive better as the climate changes.
Brandy goes through four easy ways to renovate your home that don't necessarily require a lot of time or money but have a big impact:
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Paint
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Replace Doors and Hardware
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Lighting
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Flooring
Have you ever wondered what exactly an architect does and how they do it? In today's episode, Brandy interviews Danielle Berwick, of Berwick Architects, to find out how the role of an architect differs from that of a designer, how much input clients actually get, and what the process looks like after you have engaged an architect to help with your project.
A surprising number of home elevators are installed across North America this year, for a variety of reasons ranging from mobility concerns to the pure luxury of having one in your home. In this episode, Brandy interviews Graham Kawulka and Calvin Austrom from Good Gate, a company based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, that manufactures residential elevator carriage gates. She wants to know what things there are to consider about their design and aesthetics, how much they cost, and are they safe?
In this episode, Brandy and Grant discuss some of the most common types of flooring choices: engineered hardwood, luxury vinyl tile (LVT), carpet and underlay, and eco-friendly options such as cork and Marmoleum. What are the maintenance requirements of each type? Are certain types of flooring more appropriate in certain rooms than others?
In this episode, Brandy discusses a recent renovation that was done to turn a basement suite in West Vancouver into a rental unit. A lot of people worry about scope creep, how that impacts the budget, and what happens when something in the house creates a problem that we have to deal with. There’s a lot of fear around the unknown, and this case study showcases that yes, sometimes things happen, but there are ways that we can address it and at the end of the day, we still get a project done.
Renovating can be a stressful process, especially if you and your partner don't agree on what you want out of your space. Brandy interviewed Susan Semeniw, a professional matchmaker and love coach at Divine Intervention Matchmaking, to find out how to advocate for yourself effectively with your contractor, and how to emerge from the renovation process with your relationship intact.
Electric vehicles are becoming more and more common so Brandy interviewed Quinn McLaughlin from MJR Electric to find out more information about the logistics of charging one up. How do the three levels of charging work, and what do you need to do to make sure your home has the capability of taking on that kind of power draw?
Brandy interviews Victoria Ballantine of Allegiant Inspections to find out the circumstances under which people should engage a home inspector, what things are looked at during an inspection, and what is included in the report. They also discuss some small, inexpensive things that homeowners can do to maintain parts of their home to mitigate future damage, as well as some red flags to look for when purchasing a home.
Brandy interviews Linda Chu, owner of Out of Chaos, specializing in professional organizing solutions. People often don't know how or where to start packing up their homes for a renovation. Linda discusses the types of materials you need, how best to pack different types of items, where to store everything, and what to consider keeping readily accessible if your items are going into storage.
Every homeowner should have a basic tool kit. This week, Paul the Wood Magician goes over what you should include so that you're prepared for most of the simpler repairs that come up around the house.
Switching over to a tankless hot water on demand system, or combining your space heating and domestic hot water with a Navien combi boiler system can have real benefits. It saves energy, which then saves you money! There are also incentivizing rebates from Fortis BC to consider. Brandy interview Matt Gyorfi, from Pro-West Sales, to explore the benefits of switching to these systems.
Brandy interviews Josephina Serra-Puharich and Lauren Webb, interior designers at Form Collective, to explore how clients can benefit from hiring their services when planning their renovations, where they find their inspiration, and what the current design trends are for 2021.
People can get caught up in the excitement and planning of the renovation process but how do your renovations affect your current homeowner insurance policies and do you need extra insurance to cover the changes? What about your contractor? Brandy interviews Sonja Blackburn from Shaw Sabey Insurance Brokers to find out what you need to know before you start.
Brandy interviews a local realtor, Roland Kym, to talk about which renovations actually add value to your home and which ones you should avoid. Also, what should the timing of your renovations be if you are planning on selling in the future, and what are the current trends that buyers are looking for?
What are some of the investment strategies that you can use to raise the money that you need to renovate your home? Brandy interviews Glen Dodd, a financial planner at The Dodd Financial Group, to find out what the best options are.
Whether you're a first time home buyer or already own your own home, it's often confusing to figure out what your options are for financing potential renovations. Brandy interviews Krista Klein, a top-performing mortgage broker from Vancouver, to try and make sense of all the possibilities.
In case you missed it in season 1, here's an introduction to Brandy the Boss Lady, and Paul the Wood Magician!
This episode covers what to expect with the typical flow of the design and then the construction process. There are different levels of service depending on the full scale and scope of your project and who you work with, but there is a general high-level design process. The construction phases are: Preparation, Demolition, Rough Work, Finishing Work, and Wrapping Things Up.
A sink is one of the hardest working and most used elements of your kitchen, so you want to make sure that you make the right choice. You will need to consider the style, the number of bowls that you want/need, the depth and shape of the bowls, and the finish. When choosing your faucet, there are both interior and exterior considerations as well.
Today we’re talking about appliances. They’re a big element of a kitchen renovation and one that many people agonize over. I often recommend that clients choose appliances early on in the process as they anchor the cabinetry layout and these days there are so many options that it can take a bit of time to figure out what makes and models you prefer.
Brandy loves unique and unusual light fixtures! However layering and controlling the light sources in your kitchen allows you to achieve the quality and quantity of light you need at any time of day or for any task that you are performing. How is that accomplished? And when it comes to all the new LED bulb options, what is the difference between Lumens, Kelvins, and Watts?
We ask A LOT of our kitchen floors, from spills and drips to pets and dropped utensils. So we need to consider both durability AND style when choosing a new type of flooring. Brandy discusses the pros and cons of 5 different options: hardwood (including engineered hardwood), tile, linoleum and marmoleum, luxury vinyl tile (LVT), and cork. Also, is it better to install your floor and then your cabinetry, or vice versa?
Choosing a backsplash can be overwhelming because there are just so many options available. How do you choose the material, colour and pattern that is best for your dream kitchen??? Brandy has advice on what to consider for each aspect, as well as a few items that you may not have thought about.
In this episode, Brandy and Paul discuss the pros and cons of the four main types of countertop material - plastic laminate, solid surface, stone (natural and manufactured), and wood, as well as those of less commonly used materials such as concrete, tile, metal, and glass.
There are so many styles of kitchens out there, but when you've chosen which one you prefer, how do you personalize it? Cabinetry is a great place to start. Brandy and Paul explain the differences between the types that are available, all the ways that doors and hardware can be attached, as well as some of the fun details that past clients have requested in their dream kitchens.
In this episode, Brandy explains how to take stock of your space to define the area you have to play with and what questions you need to answer about your space before you can redesign it. Then she takes you through measuring it, creating a layout model using simple grid paper, and how to locate your appliances in such a way that you get maximum functionality out of your new kitchen.
Kitchen renovations are complex as there are so many scope items to consider at the macro level. But before you do that, you need to create your vision. Many people don't know where to start figuring out what they want or how to find inspiration, so this episode lays out the steps to take to guide you through that process.
Introducing our new podcast series about kitchen renovations. Kitchens require good planning and have an overwhelming number of decisions to make but in this new series, we will break those down into bite sized segments. But before you can make any choices, you need to take the time to think about how you live in your current space and dream about what you want your kitchen to feel like.
Your renovations can and should take less time than it takes to raise a child! Especially, if you find the right contractor. Keep in mind though - Rome wasn’t built in a day and your reno won’t be completed in one either…..
You’re excited and want to get moving towards that magazine worthy result ASAP. Great! but let’s back up the truck for a moment….
Let’s talk about a little thing called - PLANNING
Put your hand up if you have an incomplete DIY project that you started, last month, last year, last decade?
Come on, be honest….you’ve got one right?!
So many people have heard of or lived through a renovation horror story due to their contractors. Things like, not showing up when promised, abandoning their project for weeks at a time, leaving damage and debris at the conclusion of the job, poor workmanship, poor communication, and quoting low to get the job only to then lump on huge amounts of extra costs at the end of the job to make up the difference.
Has anyone you know had an experience like this?
Who should you get to do the work?
At this stage, you have determined who you would like to hire based on your initial conversations, due diligence and the proposals you’ve reviewed.
Okay so now what? What are the next steps?
The Wood Magician is back with me and today we’re going to do a Sweep Up with some of the most frequently asked questions and a few more Pro-Tips and other things that we may not have touched on yet.