The word 鈥渟peedy鈥� hardly begins to describe the tempo of this major renovation, which saw a frenetic pace from the outset, combined with high-end finishing and detailed design planning.
It required the talents of a large crew, whose members were told in advance they would have to work at breakneck speed.
鈥淚鈥檓 very happy with how the project turned out, but the truly amazing part was the timeline,鈥� said Joshua Zabder of Velocity Contracting, who lived up to his company鈥檚 speedy name.
鈥淭he owner set the goalpost of one month for the renovation 鈥� which is just unheard of 鈥� and we managed to pull it off in 33 days. Everything was custom done or very specialty, and there were a number of smaller items that were added to the scope of work mid-project, so manufacturing and shipping of those pieces delayed us slightly.鈥�
Those few missing elements were installed when they arrived the following week.
The 4,700-square-foot home, located north of Elk Lake, was designed by Victoria architect P. L. James, who was an associate of Francis Rattenbury on a number of projects, including the Crystal Gardens and CPR Steamship Terminal.
The owners, Shirley and Eric Charman, didn鈥檛 want to alter the outside of the 1949 building, which was the famed architect鈥檚 last contract.
Zabder said the 1,000-square-foot renovation of a kitchen, family room, secondary bedroom and ensuite was a favourite project for several reasons.
鈥淚 very much enjoyed the planning process. Advance planning was paramount and it definitely took massive amounts to set everything up.鈥�
He began by approaching the trades and initially got the same response from all of them: 鈥淕ood luck. That鈥檚 not going to happen.鈥� Soon, however, they found Zabder鈥檚 enthusiasm for the challenge infectious and signed on.
Jason Good got the heads up well ahead and starting pre-making boxes for the kitchen. 鈥淣ormally, we have more time, but lately, it鈥檚 all been about speed, especially now, as we鈥檙e trying to get kitchens in before Christmas.鈥�
鈥淲e are used to speed, but what Velocity was trying to get done was incredible,鈥� added Good, who has won numerous CARE awards as well as National Kitchen and Bath Association awards for all of North America.
He admitted being shocked when he got called in just five days after the project began.
鈥淲e told Jason it was time to come in and take the hard measurements,鈥� said Zabder with a chuckle. 鈥淛ason was in shock that we鈥檇 got as far as we had in just five days, because we had to demo a wall, tear off all the drywall, pull out the old kitchen, pull up the floor, take out the electric 鈥� and that didn鈥檛 count the first day, which was spent packing stuff up for the owners who hadn鈥檛 finished doing that.鈥�
Zabder ordered materials months in advance, getting commitments and firm dates from every supplier.
Once the work started, he said, it was like a home-improvement show on steroids.
鈥淲e worked long and late, weekends, and there were definitely some stresses trying to keep everybody on track. A few things popped up, but you always expect that.鈥�
One of the problems was getting the old doors to work with new hinges and hardware. 鈥淲e needed extra-long latches, as all the old hardware was set back five inches. And then the water main blew on the driveway. Completely unrelated to what we were doing, but it was good timing that we were on site. We dug up the driveway, found the leak, patched it, put in a new septic and repaved the driveway.鈥�
Another small hitch stemmed from old ceiling pot lights that required some creative thinking. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 make them like that anymore, so we had to custom fabricate and modify the existing hardware to accommodate the new finish trims. It took a little MacGyvering,鈥� said the contractor.
The trades were typically working all around each other 鈥� at one point, four electricians, two plumbers and six carpenters were on site. 鈥淚t was buzzing.鈥�
Another late thought that extended the schedule was the addition of grab bars in the newly accessible bathroom, which they created as an ensuite to a large guest room.
鈥淭he owners decided to order more grab bars. They had to look elegant and attractive, not medical, and had to be fabricated, then shipped,鈥� said Zabder.
An existing fireplace was given a facelift with whitewashed brick, a new mantle and panelling above.
They also took the fireplace insert apart and had it repainted and the gold pieces sandblasted and refinished in metallic black, said the contractor, who has run his own company for more than 10 years and specializes in high-end renos and commercial work.
Zabder and his crew just finished the Indigo bookstore at Mayfair, where they did all the backing and steel-stud framing, installed heavy posts and completed all the millwork, which came in broken-down form, on pallets in 27 container trucks.
鈥淓verything had to be assembled on site and it took three months.鈥� He noted the management has now changed their minds about the front entry, 鈥渟o we will go in overnight soon, take the entire mall-entrance millwork apart and put it back together again, from the moment the mall closes to the minute it opens next day.鈥�
Zabder, who is used to working under pressure, said the home project was 鈥渃hallenging and exciting and crazy, but I knew it would be like that, and that鈥檚 how we sold the idea to everyone.鈥�
鈥淲e had a real feeling of teamwork and we all helped each other. These guys are used to working in a crunch, but this was exceptional,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was a very rewarding experience.鈥�
Eric, who praised his contractor, said that in today鈥檚 construction market, projects typically take two or three times longer than normal and he wanted none of it.
鈥淲e talked about a strict time frame. I asked if he was up for it and he went away to do some figuring. I said we wanted everything pinned down and if we could do that, we鈥檇 go ahead.
鈥淲e wanted contracts signed and dates agreed upon in writing, before we began.鈥�
Eric said the reno, which cost about $300,000, came in on time and slightly below budget.
While the footprint is identical, the space feels bigger because of Jenny Martin鈥檚 design, he said. Plus, he took down all the overgrown shrubs and trees outside the windows, so everything is opened up and brighter.
Four people can now dine in comfort at the kitchen table, with more at the bar. Antique white paint has replaced the previous buff colour and engineered wood floors have replaced tile.
鈥淐oming home was like moving into a new house,鈥� said Shirley, who stayed at their Qualicum home during construction, while Eric lived close by in his barn suite, to keep an eye on things.
鈥淭he kitchen seems so much bigger and brighter,鈥� said Shirley. 鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing. We spend all our time in here now. It feels more like home.鈥�
