If you鈥檙e planning a gorgeous home renovation or building an entire house, you鈥檒l need a lot of expert advice 鈥� and that鈥檚 before you even hire the professionals.
Luckily, a host of expert designers, renovators and builders will be on hand in a series of panel events, dedicated to offering you all the advice you need, at the 麻豆传媒映画Fall Home Show, taking place at the 麻豆传媒映画Convention Centre October 24-27.
Homebuilders Association Vancouver's (HAVAN) Ask the Experts stage, sponsored by Trail Appliances, will give show attendees much-needed information on the renovation and design-build processes, how to source materials to stay on budget, current design trends, solutions for micro-living, energy-efficient construction and design, and how to manage contracts to ensure you are protected.
There will be a series of 12 panel discussions across the four-day show, each tackling different topics with experts in that particular field (see Ask the Experts schedule below, or get ). You can also access the individual panel members for a free one-on-one consultation, whether you need advice on construction, materials, design or contracts.
Todd Best, owner of Best Builders who is speaking on the Design/Build Process panel, said, 鈥淚t has to start with interviewing contractors. So many people get caught up in the wrong thing, whether that鈥檚 price or design flair, or being charmed by a salesperson trying to get a contract, they don鈥檛 ask the questions that are important. That鈥檚 what we鈥檒l be talking about 鈥� the important questions, the ones that the more knowledgeable contractors will be able to answer, and it will reveal their true intent.鈥�
He added, 鈥淚 also want to show people how to make home building fun. It can be an intimidating process but once they鈥檝e chosen the right contractor, they鈥檙e comfortable and they understand, it can be an enjoyable process.鈥�
Lucila Diaz, interior designer at Harmony Sense Interiors and a speaker on the Kitchen Design panel, said, 鈥淚t is not only about the questions you need to ask of the professionals, but also what information you need to give them. You need to ask yourself, what is my budget, what am I trying to achieve, what is the function of the space? People like to follow design trends, like replacing all upper cabinets in a kitchen with shelves, or doing a much taller backsplash, but what if you can鈥檛 then reach what you need?鈥�
She added, 鈥淎 lot of people really don鈥檛 understand what鈥檚 involved in renovation, like permits, and the unforeseen things that can happen. Understanding your budget and setting aside an amount for contingencies is important.鈥�
Best and Diaz are both among the experts who will be available for free one-on-one consultations. 鈥淏ring your dreams, your expressions of yourselves, anything you鈥檇 like to see in your home,鈥� said Best. 鈥淭hen we can find a way to put it to purpose and create it. We want to sit down and spend the time to understand exactly what it is that would make their home unique. In a time when everyone is 鈥榖uild it quicker, faster, cheaper,鈥� it鈥檚 the same thing over and over again. We want to take the time to get to know people and design a home that makes them really happy.鈥�
HAVAN is the Lower Mainland鈥檚 resource for trusted, local homebuilders, and all the panellists are accredited members, so there鈥檚 no better place to go for the advice you need than its Ask the Experts stage.
Plus, HAVAN is offering a great deal right now. If you are one of the first 100 people to register for one of the Ask the Experts panel discussions, you will automatically receive two free tickets to attend the entire 麻豆传媒映画Fall Home Show! Click 聽to sign up today.
The 麻豆传媒映画Fall Home Show runs from Thursday October 24 to Sunday October 27 at the 麻豆传媒映画Convention Centre West. For more information and tickets, click .
Ask the Experts stage schedule
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24
5:15pm: Get it in Writing 鈥� Practical Legal Tips for Homeowners
Speaker: Anne Cochrane, Kuhn LLP
6:30pm:聽Year-round Outdoor Living: Integrate your indoors and outdoors
Panelists: Chris O鈥橠onohue, The Great Canadian Landscaping Company Ltd; Paul Bulat, Citywide Sundecks and Railings; Greg Baarts, Grenor Homes; moderator: Stephanie MacDonald, Editor-at-Large, New Home + Condo Guide, Editor, Home D茅cor & Renovations magazine
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 25
1:30pm: Kitchen Designs: Design/Build recipes for success
Panelists: Katerina Vastardis and Silvie Pantsios, Designs by KS; Greg Baarts, Grenor Homes; Lucila Diaz, Harmony Sense Interiors; moderator: Jamie Banfield, Principal Designer, Jamie Banfield Design
3:30pm:聽Micro Living: Big Solutions for Small Spaces
Panelists: Robert Capar, maison d鈥檈tre design-build inc.; Sandro Stefanucci, Abstract Homes & Renovations Inc.; Mila Djuras, Intermind Design Inc.; moderator: Meme Brooks, Principal, Meme Brooks Design
5:30pm: Year-round Outdoor Living: Integrate your indoors and outdoors
Panelists: Chris O鈥橠onohue, The Great Canadian Landscaping Company Ltd; Paul Bulat, Citywide Sundecks and Railings; Greg Baarts, Grenor Homes; moderator: Stephanie MacDonald, Editor-at-Large, New Home + Condo Guide, Editor, Home D茅cor & Renovations magazine
7:00pm: Design/Build Process: Strategies to build your dream home
Panelists: Todd Best and Aron Combs, Best Builders; Mike Freedman, Hi-Fi Centre; Mark Cooper, Shakespeare Homes and Renovations Inc.; moderator: Kathy Yuen, President, Phase One Design
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26
11:00am:聽Micro Living: Big Solutions for Small Spaces
Panelists: Robert Capar, maison d鈥檈tre design-build inc.; Sandro Stefanucci, Abstract Homes & Renovations Inc.; Mila Djuras, Intermind Design Inc.; moderator: Meme Brooks, Principal, Meme Brooks Design
1:00pm: High-Performance Homes: Energy Efficiency and Healthy Homes
Panelists: Graeme Huguet, My House Design/Build Team Ltd.; Shaun St-Amour, 475 High Performance Building Supply; Steve Kemp, Kemp Construction Management Ltd.; moderator: Larry Clay, President & Founder, Clay Construction Inc.
3:00pm: Kitchen Designs: Design/Build recipes for success
Panelists: Katerina Vastardis and Silvie Pantsios, Designs by KS; Greg Baarts, Grenor Homes; Lucila Diaz, Harmony Sense Interiors; moderator: Kathy Yuen, President, Phase One Design
4:30pm: Home Renovations: Building It Right
Panelists: Laurel James, Novell Design Build; Charmaine Lang, Charmaine Lang Design Inc.; Elton Donald, Kerr Construction; moderator: Cheri Stefanucci, Operations and Public Relations, Abstract Homes and Renovations Inc.
7:00pm: Get it in Writing 鈥� Practical Legal Tips for Homeowners
Speaker: Anne Cochrane, Kuhn LLP
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27
11:00am: Home Renovations: Building It Right
Panelists: Laurel James, Novell Design Build; Charmaine Lang, Charmaine Lang Design Inc.; Elton Donald, Kerr Construction; moderator: Cheri Stefanucci, Operations and Public Relations, Abstract Homes and Renovations Inc.
1:00pm: Design/Build Process: Strategies to build your dream home
Panelists: Todd Best and Aron Combs, Best Builders; Mike Freedman, Hi-Fi Centre;Mark Cooper, Shakespeare Homes and Renovations Inc.; moderator: Kathy Yuen, President, Phase One Design
3:00pm: High-Performance Homes: Energy Efficiency and Healthy Homes
Panelists: Graeme Huguet, My House Design/Build Team Ltd.; Shaun St-Amour, 475 High Performance Building Supply; Steve Kemp, Kemp Construction Management Ltd.; moderator: Larry Clay, President & Founder, Clay Construction Inc.
