Search results for "Perform projects" in Home Design Ideas

Austin Street Buils
A Custom Urban Residence by Seven Rivers Design + Build
Highlight
The defining feature of the Austin St. Build is the use of natural plaster walls throughout the interior. Plaster brings a quiet richness—subtle texture, visual depth, and a sense of solidity that makes the home feel both timeless and grounded. This material choice reinforces Seven Rivers Design + Build’s focus on craftsmanship and tactile, human-centered design.
Detail
Efficient Two-Story Living
This 1,500-square-foot, two-story custom home is thoughtfully organized for comfort and flow. The main level includes a bedroom and full bathroom, along with an open kitchen and living area and a conveniently placed powder room. A light-filled, open stairwell leads to the second floor, which houses an additional bedroom and bathroom, creating a balanced and flexible layout well suited for urban living.
High-Performance Building Envelope
The exterior walls are constructed using Hebel Block (Autoclaved Aerated Concrete)—a high-performance building system that combines structural strength with excellent insulation. By incorporating air into the concrete matrix, Hebel Block delivers superior thermal performance while remaining lightweight and durable, contributing to the home’s overall energy efficiency.
Energy-Efficient Comfort Systems
Heating and cooling loads are intentionally minimized through envelope performance and system design. The home features in-floor radiant heating as the primary heat source, complemented by mini-split systems for supplemental heating and cooling. The result is a comfortable, efficient living environment with low operational demands.
Durable, Timeless Finishes
Windows: Andersen E-Series (aluminum-clad)
Flooring: Natural slate on the main level
Exterior Cladding: Traditional stucco
Roof: Standing-seam metal
Each material was selected for longevity, performance, and aesthetic restraint—supporting a home that will age gracefully over decades.
The Seven Rivers Design + Build Approach
The Austin St. Build exemplifies Seven Rivers Design + Build’s design/build philosophy: integrating architecture, materials, and systems into a cohesive whole. By pairing traditional finishes with modern building science, this project delivers a refined, efficient custom home that feels both contemporary and enduring.

Architect: M3 Architecture Inc.
Interior Design: Mocoro Studio
We recently completed a development project in the Pemberton Heights area of North Vancouver. These 2 houses were built to benefit the long-term durability through the selection of efficient materials and process which will give a longer lifespan with lower maintenance and energy costs. This project was a perfect fit for us to assist in the design and execute the construction while working with some outstanding clients and consultants. A win for all of us!
The original home was recycled hitting our target goals of 90%, leading way to a couple of stealth looking homes with performance levels right there with the best of them. Our mechanical engineer designed the mechanical systems to achieve maximum efficiency and hit our internal target goals that we have set for ourselves in accordance with our Vision here at Naikoon. These homes came in at EnerGuide score of 85% which can also be referenced in GJ with a score of 54GJ. To give you an idea of how this rating relates to an average home of this size, these 2 beauties on Mackay are about 80% more efficient. The main components in the design and equipment selection that leads to this are:
1) Space heating and Cooling
2) Water Heating
3) Lights and Appliances
4) Wall assemblies and insulation
Like all of our projects, we take pride in looking at the small details of the house. Things like, insulated water lines, domestic hot water heat recovery units, electric car plug-ins, solar power ready, extensive use of environmentally friendly materials, hot water heat pumps and stringent testing and inspection point along the way, led to a successful completion of 2 certified high-performance homes with Built Green Platinum and EnergyStar certifications.
Photo credits: vopenhouse.ca

The Solan Residence is a premium residential project located in Solan, Himachal Pradesh. Completed in 2023, the 22,000 sq. ft. residence features high-performance Schüco aluminium windows and doors fabricated and installed by Lumani Systems, Ludhiana. Designed by Ar. Zafar Chaudhary, the project combines contemporary architecture with advanced fenestration solutions to maximize natural light, energy efficiency, aesthetics, and long-term performance.
Find the right local pro for your project

Austin Street Buils
A Custom Urban Residence by Seven Rivers Design + Build
Highlight
The defining feature of the Austin St. Build is the use of natural plaster walls throughout the interior. Plaster brings a quiet richness—subtle texture, visual depth, and a sense of solidity that makes the home feel both timeless and grounded. This material choice reinforces Seven Rivers Design + Build’s focus on craftsmanship and tactile, human-centered design.
Detail
Efficient Two-Story Living
This 1,500-square-foot, two-story custom home is thoughtfully organized for comfort and flow. The main level includes a bedroom and full bathroom, along with an open kitchen and living area and a conveniently placed powder room. A light-filled, open stairwell leads to the second floor, which houses an additional bedroom and bathroom, creating a balanced and flexible layout well suited for urban living.
High-Performance Building Envelope
The exterior walls are constructed using Hebel Block (Autoclaved Aerated Concrete)—a high-performance building system that combines structural strength with excellent insulation. By incorporating air into the concrete matrix, Hebel Block delivers superior thermal performance while remaining lightweight and durable, contributing to the home’s overall energy efficiency.
Energy-Efficient Comfort Systems
Heating and cooling loads are intentionally minimized through envelope performance and system design. The home features in-floor radiant heating as the primary heat source, complemented by mini-split systems for supplemental heating and cooling. The result is a comfortable, efficient living environment with low operational demands.
Durable, Timeless Finishes
Windows: Andersen E-Series (aluminum-clad)
Flooring: Natural slate on the main level
Exterior Cladding: Traditional stucco
Roof: Standing-seam metal
Each material was selected for longevity, performance, and aesthetic restraint—supporting a home that will age gracefully over decades.
The Seven Rivers Design + Build Approach
The Austin St. Build exemplifies Seven Rivers Design + Build’s design/build philosophy: integrating architecture, materials, and systems into a cohesive whole. By pairing traditional finishes with modern building science, this project delivers a refined, efficient custom home that feels both contemporary and enduring.

Architect: M3 Architecture Inc.
Interior Design: Mocoro Studio
We recently completed a development project in the Pemberton Heights area of North Vancouver. These 2 houses were built to benefit the long-term durability through the selection of efficient materials and process which will give a longer lifespan with lower maintenance and energy costs. This project was a perfect fit for us to assist in the design and execute the construction while working with some outstanding clients and consultants. A win for all of us!
The original home was recycled hitting our target goals of 90%, leading way to a couple of stealth looking homes with performance levels right there with the best of them. Our mechanical engineer designed the mechanical systems to achieve maximum efficiency and hit our internal target goals that we have set for ourselves in accordance with our Vision here at Naikoon. These homes came in at EnerGuide score of 85% which can also be referenced in GJ with a score of 54GJ. To give you an idea of how this rating relates to an average home of this size, these 2 beauties on Mackay are about 80% more efficient. The main components in the design and equipment selection that leads to this are:
1) Space heating and Cooling
2) Water Heating
3) Lights and Appliances
4) Wall assemblies and insulation
Like all of our projects, we take pride in looking at the small details of the house. Things like, insulated water lines, domestic hot water heat recovery units, electric car plug-ins, solar power ready, extensive use of environmentally friendly materials, hot water heat pumps and stringent testing and inspection point along the way, led to a successful completion of 2 certified high-performance homes with Built Green Platinum and EnergyStar certifications.
Photo credits: vopenhouse.ca

Located in a beautiful spot within Wellesley, Massachusetts, Sunspace Design played a key role in introducing this architectural gem to a client’s home—a custom double hip skylight crowning a gorgeous room. The resulting construction offers fluid transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces within the home, and blends well with the existing architecture.
The skylight boasts solid mahogany framing with a robust steel sub-frame. Durability meets sophistication. We used a layer of insulated tempered glass atop heat-strengthened laminated safety glass, further enhanced with a PPG Solarban 70 coating, to ensure optimal thermal performance. The dual-sealed, argon gas-filled glass system is efficient and resilient against oft-challenging New England weather.
Collaborative effort was key to the project’s success. MASS Architect, with their skylight concept drawings, inspired the project’s genesis, while Sunspace prepared a full suite of engineered shop drawings to complement the concepts. The local general contractor's preliminary framing and structural curb preparation accelerated our team’s installation of the skylight. As the frame was assembled at the Sunspace Design shop and positioned above the room via crane operation, a swift two-day field installation saved time and expense for all involved.
At Sunspace Design we’re all about pairing natural light with refined architecture. This double hip skylight is a focal point in the new room that welcomes the sun’s radiance into the heart of the client’s home. We take pride in our role, from engineering to fabrication, careful transportation, and quality installation. Our projects are journeys where architectural ideas are transformed into tangible, breathtaking spaces that elevate the way we live and create memories.

Architect: M3 Architecture Inc.
Interior Design: Mocoro Studio
We recently completed a development project in the Pemberton Heights area of North Vancouver. These 2 houses were built to benefit the long-term durability through the selection of efficient materials and process which will give a longer lifespan with lower maintenance and energy costs. This project was a perfect fit for us to assist in the design and execute the construction while working with some outstanding clients and consultants. A win for all of us!
The original home was recycled hitting our target goals of 90%, leading way to a couple of stealth looking homes with performance levels right there with the best of them. Our mechanical engineer designed the mechanical systems to achieve maximum efficiency and hit our internal target goals that we have set for ourselves in accordance with our Vision here at Naikoon. These homes came in at EnerGuide score of 85% which can also be referenced in GJ with a score of 54GJ. To give you an idea of how this rating relates to an average home of this size, these 2 beauties on Mackay are about 80% more efficient. The main components in the design and equipment selection that leads to this are:
1) Space heating and Cooling
2) Water Heating
3) Lights and Appliances
4) Wall assemblies and insulation
Like all of our projects, we take pride in looking at the small details of the house. Things like, insulated water lines, domestic hot water heat recovery units, electric car plug-ins, solar power ready, extensive use of environmentally friendly materials, hot water heat pumps and stringent testing and inspection point along the way, led to a successful completion of 2 certified high-performance homes with Built Green Platinum and EnergyStar certifications.
Photo credits: vopenhouse.ca

Sponsored
Columbus, OH
Hope Restoration & General Contracting
Columbus Design-Build, Kitchen & Bath Remodeling, Historic Renovations

The homes in Heritage Hills in Chapel Hill, NC are representative of the popularity and explosive growth of American Home Ownership that occurred during the economic expansion that followed the end of WW II. They were designed and built to foster the benefits and sense of “community”, where families could come together and share theirs and their children’s lives. They are typically in very desirable locations within their larger communities, and remodeling them with modern amenities, increasing the performance and efficiency of them, and having them Green Certified (independent third-party verified) makes them extremely attractive to buyers, and helps to raise other property values within the neighborhood.
Green Certified Remodeled Homes offer significant value and advantage in the marketplace over similar homes in their area, which is especially important as a new, younger era of home buyers enter the market. Current trends suggest that younger (as well as many “seasoned”) homeowners are interested in smaller, more efficient (and thus affordable) homes situated closer to shopping, their work, entertainment opportunities, and access to the economic and environmental benefits of mass transit.
These older homes also offer an additional value that is continuing to gain visibility and appreciation in the market place. They were built from lumber from slower-growth trees (denser and harder wood), and as such offer superior structural support compared to the same home built using lumber from today’s faster-growing (softer and less-dense wood) trees.
Robin and Kent had lived in their 2-story Gambrel Roof home in Heritage Hills since 1994. The house was structurally sound, due in large part to the old-growth (and denser) yellow pine that was used in its framing. They loved the quiet neighborhood, its sense of community and amenities, and their home. It suited their life-style and needs; and they had decided that they would remain in the home. It was showing its age, and was in need of general repairs and maintenance, and its energy, water, and indoor air quality performance was continuing to increase their ongoing cost of ownership.
Robin loved the screen porch that looked out on their private and nicely landscaped back yard, but she wanted to be able to use it in the colder months of the year. She was unsatisfied with the kitchen and the mud room / laundry room, and the darkness of other living spaces. A previous water leak in the laundry room had resulted in a large patch of mold that had compromised flooring, wall board, and insulation and contributed to the homes reduced indoor air quality.
The home lacked insulation in the crawl, and inadequate insulation in the attic. The single HVAC unit had been replaced a few years earlier with a more efficient unit, but with a single programmable thermostat control on the first floor and aging and un-insulated ducting, the second floor was often over-heated in the summer months.
The original wood windows had begun to deteriorate and were drafty and inefficient, and the original wood-burning fireplace was an open conduit for escaping conditioned air as well as an inlet for wood-smoke smelling air being pulled into the home. The siding had been replaced a few years earlier with a cement-fiber product, but the exterior wood trim was compromised and beginning to look unsightly. Its original architecture had been altered over the years in ways that presented ongoing maintenance and durability issues, as well as disrupting the elegance of the original design.
Kent has worked for over 30 years in the Environmental Sciences field, and is considered to be a national expert in understanding the sources of, and human exposure to pollutants in indoor environments. He had always been very conscious and cautious about the effects on indoor air quality that the construction, furnishings, and products used in home had on him and his family.
Project Goals
Increase the performance of their home by improving energy efficiency by at least 40% and lowering their natural gas and electric utility costs.
Increase the performance of their home by reducing water usage by at least 40% and lowering the water utility costs.
Increase the comfort of their home that was being compromised by an inadequate HVAC design, inadequate insulation, inefficient and compromised wood windows, and copious air intrusions and drafts.
Improve the healthiness of the homes indoor air quality that was being compromised by an open wood-burning fireplace, and prior water intrusion that had allowed colonies of mold to thrive.
Create a new Kitchen, Family Room, Home Office, Mudroom, and Laundry Room that featured some of the latest designs and trends and harmonized with the rest of the homes charm.
Increase the usefulness and aesthetics of the screened porch by creating a warm and inviting semi-conditioned 3-Season Room that extended the times during the year that it was comfortable.
Introduce day-lighting into areas of the home that were dark and uninviting.
Brighten and harmonize all of the interior finishes.
Protect and restore the exterior of the home with superior-performing products and finishes.
Achieve Gold Level Green Home Certification in conformance with the ICC 700-2012 National Green Building Standards (NGBS).

Architect: M3 Architecture Inc.
Interior Design: Mocoro Studio
We recently completed a development project in the Pemberton Heights area of North Vancouver. These 2 houses were built to benefit the long-term durability through the selection of efficient materials and process which will give a longer lifespan with lower maintenance and energy costs. This project was a perfect fit for us to assist in the design and execute the construction while working with some outstanding clients and consultants. A win for all of us!
The original home was recycled hitting our target goals of 90%, leading way to a couple of stealth looking homes with performance levels right there with the best of them. Our mechanical engineer designed the mechanical systems to achieve maximum efficiency and hit our internal target goals that we have set for ourselves in accordance with our Vision here at Naikoon. These homes came in at EnerGuide score of 85% which can also be referenced in GJ with a score of 54GJ. To give you an idea of how this rating relates to an average home of this size, these 2 beauties on Mackay are about 80% more efficient. The main components in the design and equipment selection that leads to this are:
1) Space heating and Cooling
2) Water Heating
3) Lights and Appliances
4) Wall assemblies and insulation
Like all of our projects, we take pride in looking at the small details of the house. Things like, insulated water lines, domestic hot water heat recovery units, electric car plug-ins, solar power ready, extensive use of environmentally friendly materials, hot water heat pumps and stringent testing and inspection point along the way, led to a successful completion of 2 certified high-performance homes with Built Green Platinum and EnergyStar certifications.
Photo credits: vopenhouse.ca

The design team for this project gave Valders Stone & Marble, Inc. the following design objective: “Situated on the eastern shore of Long Island, the design of this beach house is conceived as emerging from the landscape. The house is composed of two elements: the main house and a pavilion situated on a base that extends into the landscape.
From the driveway entrance on the northern side, the house appears as a largely solid, stone-clad volume with rectangular perforations for the windows. In contrast, the more private southern façade is composed almost entirely of glass to maximize ocean views and sun exposure. What initially presents itself as a classic modern box unfolds to become an unexpectedly open sculptural figure.”
The design firm chose a warm beige/buff color palette for their design. The material needed to hold a specific color range, and the stone needed to be suitable for a multitude of applications.Additionally, the material needed to perform well when installed horizontally and vertically in close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean.
The unique performance characteristics and color of Wisconsin Dolomite made it the obvious choice for the project.
Valders Dolomitic limestone was used in several facets of this stunning modern design. Applications of the material included, but were not limited to: blind anchored exterior façade panels, light weight honeycomb panels for soffit/overhang applications, interior and exterior
paving, pedestal paving, pool coping, weir stones, stair treads, site walls, landscape/hardscape applications, and stone in its raw/natural form.
Eleven months lapsed between the setting of the first stone and the installation of the fire pit. Given the complexity of the project and the time frame for completion, the entire team of architects,
engineers and builders combined their efforts to make this truly a dream come true.

Architect: M3 Architecture Inc.
Interior Design: Mocoro Studio
We recently completed a development project in the Pemberton Heights area of North Vancouver. These 2 houses were built to benefit the long-term durability through the selection of efficient materials and process which will give a longer lifespan with lower maintenance and energy costs. This project was a perfect fit for us to assist in the design and execute the construction while working with some outstanding clients and consultants. A win for all of us!
The original home was recycled hitting our target goals of 90%, leading way to a couple of stealth looking homes with performance levels right there with the best of them. Our mechanical engineer designed the mechanical systems to achieve maximum efficiency and hit our internal target goals that we have set for ourselves in accordance with our Vision here at Naikoon. These homes came in at EnerGuide score of 85% which can also be referenced in GJ with a score of 54GJ. To give you an idea of how this rating relates to an average home of this size, these 2 beauties on Mackay are about 80% more efficient. The main components in the design and equipment selection that leads to this are:
1) Space heating and Cooling
2) Water Heating
3) Lights and Appliances
4) Wall assemblies and insulation
Like all of our projects, we take pride in looking at the small details of the house. Things like, insulated water lines, domestic hot water heat recovery units, electric car plug-ins, solar power ready, extensive use of environmentally friendly materials, hot water heat pumps and stringent testing and inspection point along the way, led to a successful completion of 2 certified high-performance homes with Built Green Platinum and EnergyStar certifications.
Photo credits: vopenhouse.ca

Mr. Mescher – Home Owner Shares Story
“I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you that I am extremely pleased with the work that Columbia Roofing did in replacing the roof on our Kent Island home. The house has a complicated roof structure with multiple gables and a quarter round conical roof which spans between two vertical walls in the back. We choose a 50 year Owens Corning shingle and to assure a good job, we only obtained quotes from roofing companies that received outstanding reviews.
We were pleased when the Columbia production crew roofed the house without issue and brought the full visual effect of slate using the 4 tab asphalt shingle with its distinctive keyway.
When it came to the conical roof, we were faced with the possibility of having to install a metal roof in lieu of maintaining the slate like appearance that was so prominent on the other roof sections of the house. Our preference was to maintain the appearance of slate on the conical section similar to that seen on the old slate roof cathedrals. While this is easy to say, I can now appreciate how difficult it is to do.
To honor our wishes, Ben Alsop came to the house and worked through the complicated layout necessary to use the same 4 tab shingles on the conical section. To do the job properly, every single 4 tab shingle had to be cut into individual tabs.
Each tab was then taken up on the roof where the keyway was aligned to vertical through a system of straight lines drawn from the point of the conical roof to the starter shingle at the roof’s edge. Each tab had to be cut again (often multiple times) after the tab alignment was complete. To assure the accuracy necessary to maintain the visual effect, Ben took it upon himself to personally perform the roofing of the conical section.
Ben is a manager for Columbia Roofing who no longer performs the physical roofing work after coming up through the ranks of the roofing trade. His personal dedication to getting this job done for us in a way that is simply stellar could not go without acknowledgement. Ben is not only a craftsman, he is an artisan whose skill set can clearly be seen in the pictures that I have attached.
I want to thank Columbia Roofing for a job well done and particularly I want to thank Ben for taking the time and putting in the effort to truly make this a stellar installation.”

The homes in Heritage Hills in Chapel Hill, NC are representative of the popularity and explosive growth of American Home Ownership that occurred during the economic expansion that followed the end of WW II. They were designed and built to foster the benefits and sense of “community”, where families could come together and share theirs and their children’s lives. They are typically in very desirable locations within their larger communities, and remodeling them with modern amenities, increasing the performance and efficiency of them, and having them Green Certified (independent third-party verified) makes them extremely attractive to buyers, and helps to raise other property values within the neighborhood.
Green Certified Remodeled Homes offer significant value and advantage in the marketplace over similar homes in their area, which is especially important as a new, younger era of home buyers enter the market. Current trends suggest that younger (as well as many “seasoned”) homeowners are interested in smaller, more efficient (and thus affordable) homes situated closer to shopping, their work, entertainment opportunities, and access to the economic and environmental benefits of mass transit.
These older homes also offer an additional value that is continuing to gain visibility and appreciation in the market place. They were built from lumber from slower-growth trees (denser and harder wood), and as such offer superior structural support compared to the same home built using lumber from today’s faster-growing (softer and less-dense wood) trees.
Robin and Kent had lived in their 2-story Gambrel Roof home in Heritage Hills since 1994. The house was structurally sound, due in large part to the old-growth (and denser) yellow pine that was used in its framing. They loved the quiet neighborhood, its sense of community and amenities, and their home. It suited their life-style and needs; and they had decided that they would remain in the home. It was showing its age, and was in need of general repairs and maintenance, and its energy, water, and indoor air quality performance was continuing to increase their ongoing cost of ownership.
Robin loved the screen porch that looked out on their private and nicely landscaped back yard, but she wanted to be able to use it in the colder months of the year. She was unsatisfied with the kitchen and the mud room / laundry room, and the darkness of other living spaces. A previous water leak in the laundry room had resulted in a large patch of mold that had compromised flooring, wall board, and insulation and contributed to the homes reduced indoor air quality.
The home lacked insulation in the crawl, and inadequate insulation in the attic. The single HVAC unit had been replaced a few years earlier with a more efficient unit, but with a single programmable thermostat control on the first floor and aging and un-insulated ducting, the second floor was often over-heated in the summer months.
The original wood windows had begun to deteriorate and were drafty and inefficient, and the original wood-burning fireplace was an open conduit for escaping conditioned air as well as an inlet for wood-smoke smelling air being pulled into the home. The siding had been replaced a few years earlier with a cement-fiber product, but the exterior wood trim was compromised and beginning to look unsightly. Its original architecture had been altered over the years in ways that presented ongoing maintenance and durability issues, as well as disrupting the elegance of the original design.
Kent has worked for over 30 years in the Environmental Sciences field, and is considered to be a national expert in understanding the sources of, and human exposure to pollutants in indoor environments. He had always been very conscious and cautious about the effects on indoor air quality that the construction, furnishings, and products used in home had on him and his family.
Project Goals
Increase the performance of their home by improving energy efficiency by at least 40% and lowering their natural gas and electric utility costs.
Increase the performance of their home by reducing water usage by at least 40% and lowering the water utility costs.
Increase the comfort of their home that was being compromised by an inadequate HVAC design, inadequate insulation, inefficient and compromised wood windows, and copious air intrusions and drafts.
Improve the healthiness of the homes indoor air quality that was being compromised by an open wood-burning fireplace, and prior water intrusion that had allowed colonies of mold to thrive.
Create a new Kitchen, Family Room, Home Office, Mudroom, and Laundry Room that featured some of the latest designs and trends and harmonized with the rest of the homes charm.
Increase the usefulness and aesthetics of the screened porch by creating a warm and inviting semi-conditioned 3-Season Room that extended the times during the year that it was comfortable.
Introduce day-lighting into areas of the home that were dark and uninviting.
Brighten and harmonize all of the interior finishes.
Protect and restore the exterior of the home with superior-performing products and finishes.
Achieve Gold Level Green Home Certification in conformance with the ICC 700-2012 National Green Building Standards (NGBS).

Sponsored
Delaware, OH
Buckeye Basements, Inc.
Central Ohio's Basement Finishing ExpertsBest Of Houzz '13-'21

Architect: M3 Architecture Inc.
Interior Design: Mocoro Studio
We recently completed a development project in the Pemberton Heights area of North Vancouver. These 2 houses were built to benefit the long-term durability through the selection of efficient materials and process which will give a longer lifespan with lower maintenance and energy costs. This project was a perfect fit for us to assist in the design and execute the construction while working with some outstanding clients and consultants. A win for all of us!
The original home was recycled hitting our target goals of 90%, leading way to a couple of stealth looking homes with performance levels right there with the best of them. Our mechanical engineer designed the mechanical systems to achieve maximum efficiency and hit our internal target goals that we have set for ourselves in accordance with our Vision here at Naikoon. These homes came in at EnerGuide score of 85% which can also be referenced in GJ with a score of 54GJ. To give you an idea of how this rating relates to an average home of this size, these 2 beauties on Mackay are about 80% more efficient. The main components in the design and equipment selection that leads to this are:
1) Space heating and Cooling
2) Water Heating
3) Lights and Appliances
4) Wall assemblies and insulation
Like all of our projects, we take pride in looking at the small details of the house. Things like, insulated water lines, domestic hot water heat recovery units, electric car plug-ins, solar power ready, extensive use of environmentally friendly materials, hot water heat pumps and stringent testing and inspection point along the way, led to a successful completion of 2 certified high-performance homes with Built Green Platinum and EnergyStar certifications.
Photo credits: vopenhouse.ca

Mr. Mescher – Home Owner Shares Story
“I wanted to take this opportunity to tell you that I am extremely pleased with the work that Columbia Roofing did in replacing the roof on our Kent Island home. The house has a complicated roof structure with multiple gables and a quarter round conical roof which spans between two vertical walls in the back. We choose a 50 year Owens Corning shingle and to assure a good job, we only obtained quotes from roofing companies that received outstanding reviews.
We were pleased when the Columbia production crew roofed the house without issue and brought the full visual effect of slate using the 4 tab asphalt shingle with its distinctive keyway.
When it came to the conical roof, we were faced with the possibility of having to install a metal roof in lieu of maintaining the slate like appearance that was so prominent on the other roof sections of the house. Our preference was to maintain the appearance of slate on the conical section similar to that seen on the old slate roof cathedrals. While this is easy to say, I can now appreciate how difficult it is to do.
To honor our wishes, Ben Alsop came to the house and worked through the complicated layout necessary to use the same 4 tab shingles on the conical section. To do the job properly, every single 4 tab shingle had to be cut into individual tabs.
Each tab was then taken up on the roof where the keyway was aligned to vertical through a system of straight lines drawn from the point of the conical roof to the starter shingle at the roof’s edge. Each tab had to be cut again (often multiple times) after the tab alignment was complete. To assure the accuracy necessary to maintain the visual effect, Ben took it upon himself to personally perform the roofing of the conical section.
Ben is a manager for Columbia Roofing who no longer performs the physical roofing work after coming up through the ranks of the roofing trade. His personal dedication to getting this job done for us in a way that is simply stellar could not go without acknowledgement. Ben is not only a craftsman, he is an artisan whose skill set can clearly be seen in the pictures that I have attached.
I want to thank Columbia Roofing for a job well done and particularly I want to thank Ben for taking the time and putting in the effort to truly make this a stellar installation.”

Roof Replacement – Pascagoula, Mississippi
This residential roof replacement was completed by SJ&H Roofing in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The project involved removing the existing roofing system, inspecting the roof deck, installing new underlayment, and installing a new architectural asphalt shingle roof designed to handle Gulf Coast weather conditions.
The homeowner contacted SJ&H Roofing after noticing aging shingles and areas showing signs of wear. Our team performed a full roof inspection, recommended replacement due to the roof’s condition, and completed the project with attention to durability, ventilation, and proper installation techniques.
The new roofing system improves weather protection, curb appeal, and long-term performance for the home. Projects like this are common along the Mississippi Gulf Coast where roofs experience heavy sun exposure, humidity, wind, and seasonal storms.
This Pascagoula roof replacement is another example of SJ&H Roofing providing dependable roofing services for homeowners across Pascagoula, Moss Point, Gautier, Escatawpa, Hurley, and the surrounding Mississippi Gulf Coast communities.

The homes in Heritage Hills in Chapel Hill, NC are representative of the popularity and explosive growth of American Home Ownership that occurred during the economic expansion that followed the end of WW II. They were designed and built to foster the benefits and sense of “community”, where families could come together and share theirs and their children’s lives. They are typically in very desirable locations within their larger communities, and remodeling them with modern amenities, increasing the performance and efficiency of them, and having them Green Certified (independent third-party verified) makes them extremely attractive to buyers, and helps to raise other property values within the neighborhood.
Green Certified Remodeled Homes offer significant value and advantage in the marketplace over similar homes in their area, which is especially important as a new, younger era of home buyers enter the market. Current trends suggest that younger (as well as many “seasoned”) homeowners are interested in smaller, more efficient (and thus affordable) homes situated closer to shopping, their work, entertainment opportunities, and access to the economic and environmental benefits of mass transit.
These older homes also offer an additional value that is continuing to gain visibility and appreciation in the market place. They were built from lumber from slower-growth trees (denser and harder wood), and as such offer superior structural support compared to the same home built using lumber from today’s faster-growing (softer and less-dense wood) trees.
Robin and Kent had lived in their 2-story Gambrel Roof home in Heritage Hills since 1994. The house was structurally sound, due in large part to the old-growth (and denser) yellow pine that was used in its framing. They loved the quiet neighborhood, its sense of community and amenities, and their home. It suited their life-style and needs; and they had decided that they would remain in the home. It was showing its age, and was in need of general repairs and maintenance, and its energy, water, and indoor air quality performance was continuing to increase their ongoing cost of ownership.
Robin loved the screen porch that looked out on their private and nicely landscaped back yard, but she wanted to be able to use it in the colder months of the year. She was unsatisfied with the kitchen and the mud room / laundry room, and the darkness of other living spaces. A previous water leak in the laundry room had resulted in a large patch of mold that had compromised flooring, wall board, and insulation and contributed to the homes reduced indoor air quality.
The home lacked insulation in the crawl, and inadequate insulation in the attic. The single HVAC unit had been replaced a few years earlier with a more efficient unit, but with a single programmable thermostat control on the first floor and aging and un-insulated ducting, the second floor was often over-heated in the summer months.
The original wood windows had begun to deteriorate and were drafty and inefficient, and the original wood-burning fireplace was an open conduit for escaping conditioned air as well as an inlet for wood-smoke smelling air being pulled into the home. The siding had been replaced a few years earlier with a cement-fiber product, but the exterior wood trim was compromised and beginning to look unsightly. Its original architecture had been altered over the years in ways that presented ongoing maintenance and durability issues, as well as disrupting the elegance of the original design.
Kent has worked for over 30 years in the Environmental Sciences field, and is considered to be a national expert in understanding the sources of, and human exposure to pollutants in indoor environments. He had always been very conscious and cautious about the effects on indoor air quality that the construction, furnishings, and products used in home had on him and his family.
Project Goals
Increase the performance of their home by improving energy efficiency by at least 40% and lowering their natural gas and electric utility costs.
Increase the performance of their home by reducing water usage by at least 40% and lowering the water utility costs.
Increase the comfort of their home that was being compromised by an inadequate HVAC design, inadequate insulation, inefficient and compromised wood windows, and copious air intrusions and drafts.
Improve the healthiness of the homes indoor air quality that was being compromised by an open wood-burning fireplace, and prior water intrusion that had allowed colonies of mold to thrive.
Create a new Kitchen, Family Room, Home Office, Mudroom, and Laundry Room that featured some of the latest designs and trends and harmonized with the rest of the homes charm.
Increase the usefulness and aesthetics of the screened porch by creating a warm and inviting semi-conditioned 3-Season Room that extended the times during the year that it was comfortable.
Introduce day-lighting into areas of the home that were dark and uninviting.
Brighten and harmonize all of the interior finishes.
Protect and restore the exterior of the home with superior-performing products and finishes.
Achieve Gold Level Green Home Certification in conformance with the ICC 700-2012 National Green Building Standards (NGBS).

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New flooring into master bedroom
Now this was a fun project! We had the privilege of stopping out to perform a consultation for this client’s bathroom, and what a project it was! The existing bathroom provided plenty of room for a renovation, but the home owner was a little unsure of exactly what they wanted. They presented us with a wish list, and asked for our advice on how to fit everything into their dream master bathroom. The key factor for the hole project centered around the shower. Number one priority was a spacious, luxurious shower of their dreams. We worked hand in hand with them to provide the perfect layout, which included moving the toilet across the bathroom to make room. The old layout included a shower room that housed the toilet. To provide the biggest possible space, we converted the WHOLE room into one large shower.
While the shower size was adequate for the typical home owner, it simply was not what our client wanted. We replace the window with glass block and moved the toilet out of the room. Then we proceeded to install 2 separate shower faucets with diverter valves and slide bar mounted hand-held shower wands
The tile our client selected paired perfectly, and provided an eye-popping tiled shower enclosure.
The closet was originally sectioned off into 2 rooms with an entrance from not only the bedroom, but also the bathroom. We eliminated this separating to allow a better flow and more storage options. The tub was completed deleted to make room for a longer, more elegant vanity to take its place.
Our client liked the idea of continuing water proof vinyl plank flooring from the bathroom through their master bedroom as well.
We enjoy all of the projects that we are blessed to participate in. However, there are some that just stand apart from the field. We thoroughly enjoyed bringing this client’s dream to reality, and look forward to them enjoying their dream master bathroom for years to come. Give A+ Home Improvements a call to get your project started today!

Architect: M3 Architecture Inc.
Interior Design: Mocoro Studio
We recently completed a development project in the Pemberton Heights area of North Vancouver. These 2 houses were built to benefit the long-term durability through the selection of efficient materials and process which will give a longer lifespan with lower maintenance and energy costs. This project was a perfect fit for us to assist in the design and execute the construction while working with some outstanding clients and consultants. A win for all of us!
The original home was recycled hitting our target goals of 90%, leading way to a couple of stealth looking homes with performance levels right there with the best of them. Our mechanical engineer designed the mechanical systems to achieve maximum efficiency and hit our internal target goals that we have set for ourselves in accordance with our Vision here at Naikoon. These homes came in at EnerGuide score of 85% which can also be referenced in GJ with a score of 54GJ. To give you an idea of how this rating relates to an average home of this size, these 2 beauties on Mackay are about 80% more efficient. The main components in the design and equipment selection that leads to this are:
1) Space heating and Cooling
2) Water Heating
3) Lights and Appliances
4) Wall assemblies and insulation
Like all of our projects, we take pride in looking at the small details of the house. Things like, insulated water lines, domestic hot water heat recovery units, electric car plug-ins, solar power ready, extensive use of environmentally friendly materials, hot water heat pumps and stringent testing and inspection point along the way, led to a successful completion of 2 certified high-performance homes with Built Green Platinum and EnergyStar certifications.
Photo credits: vopenhouse.ca

Architect: M3 Architecture Inc.
Interior Design: Mocoro Studio
We recently completed a development project in the Pemberton Heights area of North Vancouver. These 2 houses were built to benefit the long-term durability through the selection of efficient materials and process which will give a longer lifespan with lower maintenance and energy costs. This project was a perfect fit for us to assist in the design and execute the construction while working with some outstanding clients and consultants. A win for all of us!
The original home was recycled hitting our target goals of 90%, leading way to a couple of stealth looking homes with performance levels right there with the best of them. Our mechanical engineer designed the mechanical systems to achieve maximum efficiency and hit our internal target goals that we have set for ourselves in accordance with our Vision here at Naikoon. These homes came in at EnerGuide score of 85% which can also be referenced in GJ with a score of 54GJ. To give you an idea of how this rating relates to an average home of this size, these 2 beauties on Mackay are about 80% more efficient. The main components in the design and equipment selection that leads to this are:
1) Space heating and Cooling
2) Water Heating
3) Lights and Appliances
4) Wall assemblies and insulation
Like all of our projects, we take pride in looking at the small details of the house. Things like, insulated water lines, domestic hot water heat recovery units, electric car plug-ins, solar power ready, extensive use of environmentally friendly materials, hot water heat pumps and stringent testing and inspection point along the way, led to a successful completion of 2 certified high-performance homes with Built Green Platinum and EnergyStar certifications.
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