View of Edmonton and the North Saskatchewan River from Hardisty Drive (Edmonton, Alberta, CA)

Water is a limited source and with the growth of the city around us and various environmental issues, there is an increasing demand for long-term water supply.

Your monthly utility bill shows you how much water your household consumes throughout a particular month. Tracking water consumption month to month is helpful to monitor any household trends and keep an eye on any indication of leaks. By taking simple actions to conserve water, you can reduce your monthly use and therefore, decrease your monthly utility bill.

• It’s a good idea to check for leaks on a regular basis. Inspect toilets, showerheads and faucets consistently to catch leaks before they become a bigger problem.

• Use water efficient fixtures (toilets, shower heads and faucets etc.) which use less water but provide the same or sometimes improved, level of performance compared to older models. Install an aerator on your faucets while you’re at it!

  In 2008. the City of Edmonton introduced a Water Efficient Fixtures Bylaw which requires all new residential and commercial construction as well as any existing building undergoing renovations that require a plumbing permit, to install water efficient fixtures. This can include toilets, urinals, faucets, shower heads and cooling systems.

• Replace an old dishwasher with a low water use dishwasher - this will help add to the household conservation of water. Also installing a front load, low water use washer in the utility room will help use at least 50% less water than those older top loading models.

  Look for the Energy Star when you’re shopping for newer appliances. Energy Star rated washing machines and dishwashers use less energy and water than regular washer. The Energy Star rating means a product meets strict energy requirements. The EnerGuide label that is on the machine will show the annual energy the appliance will consume under average operation.

• Collect rain water using a rain barrel, which you can then use to water your lawn and garden. There are a number of other ways to keep your garden growing using water and waste reducing techniques: composting, mulching, grasscycling to name a few. With all of this rain we’ve been having, it’s easy to do!

• Be aware of what goes down your drain. Since everything that goes down the drain, drains into the North Saskatchewan River, it’s a wise idea to keep out the yucky stuff. The City of Edmonton’s River for Life has useful information on how you can keep the river healthy.

With increased human consumption, drought and pollution, water is becoming a challenge throughout the world. It’s up to us to utilize water reducing practices in order to play our part in conserving such a valuable resource.

Bonnie Doon House, built by Archive

Lack of skill, ridiculous delays, poor quality…we have all heard horror stories about projects gone seriously wrong.

Slow down and interview your contractor! It may seem like a lot of work but by asking perspective contractors the following questions, you could save yourself a lot of trouble down the road.

1

How long have you been in the business?

A contractor can be great with the tools of the trade, but not so great at the financial side of the business.

The problem? They could be out of money before they complete a project. A very unfortunate practice in this industry is contractors claiming bankruptcy and then opening up a new business under a different name the following day. While this may seem extreme, when larger projects overwhelm a contractor, this is often an outcome of the situation.

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2

Can I talk to some past clients?

We are proud of our work! And so should every other contractors you talk with.

It is an expectation that you would like to talk with previous clients, but many people skip this step. Arrange with your contractor to speak to at least 2 of their previous clients. Ask for a few street addresses to get a peek at exterior work as well.

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3

What type of insurances do you carry?

Contractors don’t plan on having a day go sideways, but accidents happen.

At a bare minimum you want your contractor to carry WCB on their employees and a liability policy. Having your contractor insured protects you and your contractor from any unexpected disasters.

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4

Do you provide any type of warranty?

A contractor should stand up for the product and services they deliver.

Reputable contractors will include a warranty provision in their contracts. During your interview, ask for clarity around how any quality or workmanship concerns will be addressed and how long you have to report issues.

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5

What steps are you taking to protect my property during construction?

Depending on the scope of your project you may have sensitive areas that you do not want disturbed.

Construction dust and debris have a way of migrating easily. Proper hoarding and isolation techniques can guarantee limited spread and reduced cleaning times.

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6

Will you obtain permits and inspections?

Not every project requires a permit or inspection, but many do and your contractor should be comfortable obtaining these.

The permits are there to protect you and to ensure that the proper work is being completed to the current building codes.

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7

Will there be a dedicated team working on this project?

Competent contractors are able to assist multiple clients at one time and generally have multiple crews working. Knowing who will be on site on a regular basis allows for a higher level of comfort for you.

Consistency allows for better communication and relationship building.

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8

How often will you be on site to inspect the project?

You are developing a relationship with your contractor. If things are going smoothly, you’ll be hiring them shortly.

Clients can be disappointed when the schedule for visits and inspections hasn’t been agreed upon up front. Make sure to get a solid understanding of how this might look at the start of the project.

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9

What is the payment schedule?

A reputable contractor should only require a small portion of the total contract price to begin the work.

You should never pay the full price of your project up front. By agreeing upon the payment terms, you will know when and how much you will need to pay during the project.

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10

Have you previously been involved in any legal disputes?

Your contractor should be honest and up front around any disputes that they may have experienced in the past.

In a perfect world they would have a clean record, but there are times when disputes occur and legal channels are involved. This may or may not be a deal breaker, but the background and outcomes of the dispute are very important to understand.

Hiring a qualified General Contractor is an important step in starting a new construction project and knowing the questions to ask will give you the confidence to find the right GC for the job. A trustworthy pro will also have questions for you to give them a better understanding of your vision, goals and expectations. Overall, the key to a smooth relationship between homeowners and contractors is open communication.

We are a General Contractor, yes and we want to help bring your vision to life, yes…but we also want to empower you to make the most informed decision you can when choosing someone to lead your dream project. If you’re ready to ask us these very questions, contact us today. We can help build your history.

Photo by Jonathan Hanna on Unsplash

We’ve got some greenthumbs here at Archive who take their gardening seriously: starting plants from seed and nurturing them over the colder months, using mini greenhouses to acclimatize the plants and of course, building elevated garden boxes to grow vegetables, flowers and to experiment with square-foot gardening too!

Although our days are spent building other things, we thought we would share some of our favourite things about elevated garden planters:

Easy to construct
While it does take some work to acquire materials, build and set up, the long term reward is worth it. With solid garden boxes, the maintenance is low and when well built, can last for years.

Eco-Friendly
Building garden boxes (or trellises) are a great way to use scrap wood and old pallets that ultimately would end up in the landfill. Picking clean yet unique pieces adds character, depth and gives a fresh perspective on something that could otherwise be seen as “boring”.

Visually appealing
The back (or front) yard can really be amped up by creating definition and dimension with shape, size and number of garden boxes.

With a distinct growing area, the garden will have the space and exposure it needs to thrive and truly make the backyard beautiful.

Better soil = better plants
Raised garden beds allow more control over the soil and are a great option if the native soil in the area is not desirable and not great in composition (too rocky, too sandy, not enough of those helpful micro-organisms). An optimal growing environment can be created by engineering the ideal soil for whatever is being planted in the raised garden beds.

Depending on how deep the raised garden planters are, roots will have ample space to establish themselves, resulting in bigger and healthier plants. The elevation from the ground also allows better drainage and keeps the ground-dwelling plants at bay. That means less weeding!

The possibilities are endless when it comes to elevated garden boxes as many plants do wonderfully in such an environment. From first-time gardeners to seasoned greenthumbs, using the square-foot method or creating an expansive outdoor space, elevated garden boxes can create a beautifully luscious garden.

Plant on!