Joe Switalski's lessons in renovation

December 26, 2008

Lessons in renovation

Joe Switalski learned a lot from his renovation. Here are some of his tips: Think vertically in a small space. He reclaimed lost space over the old cabinets by replacing them with 42-inch-tall, honey birch cabinets that reach the ceiling.  Make windows look taller to give an illusion of height. He hung silk panels near the crown molding above the dining room windows. Celebrate original details. Rather than sanding the original knockdown plaster walls, Switalski embraced them. He painted the inside of the house a light tan, except for the back wall of the dining room/kitchen, which he painted deep, rich brown.

keep the lighting soft. He installed dimmers on every light in the house.  Save money with minor changes.Switalski saved the charm (and money) in the bathroom by keeping the original ceramic, aqua blue tile framed with a black, bullnose edge. The aqua-toned mosaic floor and white bathtub are also original. When he added a white pedestal sink, he moved the medicine cabinet to the side wall and replaced it with a large mirror that reaches the ceiling. Don't forget curb appeal. He paved the driveway, carport and curved path that leads to the front porch with Old Chicago brick-style pavers. Four-inch tumbled marble, similar in color to the pavers, cover the formerly cement porch. A bronze bistro table with two matching chairs and a pineapple porch light welcome visitors. 

The Reno Coach

Canadian Institute Construction Superconference

Knowing what your policy covers ‘imperative,’ insurer says

DAN O’REILLY

correspondent

While insurance is indispensable for construction projects, just having coverage isn’t enough, says a leading provider of insurance services.

With the numerous risks that are inherent in construction, it is imperative owners, contractors, designers and other industry professionals be thoroughly familiar with what their insurance covers, said Barry Smith, senior vice-president, Marsh Canada Limited.

The first step in that process is identifying those risks such as potential damage to adjacent property, losses causes by both excusable and inexcusable delays and damage to contractors’ equipment, especially for not-easily replaced machinery.

“Some equipment can be very expensive. If a large piece of equipment is damaged and the contractor can’t purchase another one, what will happen to the project?”

Barry Smith

Transit and marine cargo insurance is also important when the project requires the long-distance transport of expensive equipment from the manufacturer to the job site. An example might be the three-month ship transport of a chiller. “What happens if the ship sinks or is attacked by pirates?”

Smith was one of the speakers at the Canadian Institute’s Construction Superconference held recently in Toronto.

He also advised people to obtain transit insurance when materials and/or equipment can’t be stored at the building site.

A thorough review of both car and truck insurance, especially how it pertains to vehicles on and off site, is always a good idea. “There are a lot of heavy trucks driving around.”

Automobile insurance covers physical damage to vehicles, as well as third-party bodily injury and property damage, said Smith. “It should cover all vehicles, owned, leased or licensed and should be provided by all parties to the construction project.”

Touching on the diverse nature of building construction, Smith advised the audience to thoroughly understand the different insurance requirements for new construction versus renovations work.

In renovation projects, contractors are usually responsible for damage to the structure. They may be covered under builders’ risk policies. But insurance often becomes expensive if the building’s value is more than that of the renovation, said Smith.

Contractors “need to deal with a broker that specializes in construction insurance.”

Rundown cabin is not just for anyone

REAL ESTATE: TORONTO ISLANDS

You have to be on a special purchasers list even to be in the running for this small house on Ward's Island

MARINA JIMÉNEZ

December 8, 2008

While housing prices have taken a recent tumble, an old wooden cabin going for $22,900 on the Toronto Island on Lake Ontario still seems like an absolute steal.

The chocolate-brown house on Ward's Island is one of just 262 in North America's largest car-free community, just a 10-minute ferry ride away from the heart of downtown, with a stunning view of the skyline.

But No. 12 Second Street isn't on any real estate listings, and not just anyone can put in an offer. The price is fixed (and doesn't include $48,825 for the lease), and you have to be on a special "purchasers list" to qualify as a potential buyer.

Even still, the cabin is a definite teardown, with a rodent-sized hole chewed through a front-facing log, piles of dead leaves on the deck, cobwebs around the window screens and a contented community of raccoons living at the back. 

"It's totally unrealistic to think you can get a livable house for $22,900," said Pam Mazza, a long-time Island resident. "What you're really buying is an opportunity to live on the Island, to live on a land trust and to be serviced by a boat."

The Island offers a unique blend of urban and country living. Blustery in the winter, it is an idyllic spot in summer with clean beaches and bike trails that run its entire length. It maintains a rare sense of neighbourliness, and is at once safe, tranquil and spirited, attracting artists, writers, professors and teachers.

The Island, which used to be municipal land, was transferred to the province through a land swap in 1993 to resolve a long-standing dispute between Island residents and Metropolitan Toronto, which wanted to turn their homes into parkland. The Toronto Islands Residential Community Trust Corporation was created.

Whenever a house comes up for sale, it is offered to the first 100 people on a list of 500 potential purchasers. Openings on the list are filled through a lottery system.

The Trust board, composed of two island residents and four provincial bureaucrats, acts as the intermediary between buyer and seller. Once the sale offers go out, potential buyers are given several weeks to respond, and the sale is awarded to the person who holds the lowest number on the list.

There is no negotiation about the price, which is based on the replacement cost, and determined by a set formula. "When you have a trust, you don't participate in market real estate forces and there are no windfall profits," Trust chairwoman Ellen Allen said.

Yesterday, a man who is No. 64 on the list came by to look at the most recent listing, which sits on a 40-foot-by-50-foot lot. "He's been on the list for 14 years," said Ruth Howard, who lives across the street.

Even though renovation costs are 30 to 40 per cent higher than in the city, because of the logistical difficulties of bringing in construction materials, turnover of residents is very low. "Living here isn't necessarily a good financial deal," Ms. Howard said. "It is the lifestyle."

A retail-free zone, there are no shops, dry cleaners or grocery stores here, although there is a primary school. Residents get around by bike and haul their groceries in wagons from the city.

Originally, the Island was a sandy, marshy peninsula. However, in 1858 a major storm cut through the narrow eastern neck and created an island. It was first populated by fishermen, but soon cottages were built and by the turn of the century the summer population had reached between 1,000 and 3,000, and included prominent Toronto families such as the Masseys and the Gooderhams, according toThe Essential Toronto Island Guide, by long-time residents Linda Rosenbaum and Peter Dean.

In the 1950s, the Metro government wanted to turn the entire island into a park, and bulldozed 750 homes at Hanlan's Point. The remaining islanders put up a fight to save their community, a battle that wasn't settled until the land swap in 1993. The Island remains a very popular place to live.

"We can't guarantee there will even be a house sold every year," said Ms. Mazza. "If you're in the first 100 on the list, you'll likely get a chance to put in an offer. But you won't get the house unless the other 99 people ahead of you don't want it."